Ultimate 90s Fancy Dress Ideas For A 90s Theme Party

Nineties nights are the most popular theme in the country and the easiest to get wrong, because half the decade's fashion is back in the shops.

You need the bits that didn't come back: shell suits, bucket hats, butterfly clips, frosted everything.

Here's the full list, sorted by where people remember it from.

Honest note: we make cards, pin badges, prints and party decorations, not costumes.

The definitive ones

• Baywatch: red swimsuit or red shorts, a float, a whistle and a very slow jog. A lifeguard set is the whole costume in one go and it's the most recognised 90s look there is.
• Spice Girls as a five, one each, with the shoes doing most of the work.
• Wayne's World: black t-shirt, jeans, long hair, a cap on backwards.
• Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction's Mia and Vincent, Austin Powers.
• Clueless: yellow tartan, knee socks, a tiny rucksack.

Music

• Britpop: parka, bucket hat, Adidas trainers.
• Rave: neon, whistle, bucket hat, smiley face t-shirt.
• TLC, Salt-N-Pepa or East 17 as a group.
• Kurt Cobain: cardigan, band tee, sunglasses, messy hair.
• The Fresh Prince: the loudest shirt in the charity shop, cap sideways.

TV and film

• Friends: Rachel's hair, Joey's layered shirts, Phoebe's prints.
• Jurassic Park: khaki, a rope harness, a bit of dinosaur.
• Men in Black as a pair, which is two suits and two pairs of sunglasses.
• Buffy, Sabrina, Saved by the Bell, Gladiators.
• Mr Blobby, if you want the costume everyone photographs.

Wardrobe builds with no shopping

• Shell suit and a bum bag.
• Double denim with a bandana.
• Crop top, high waist jeans, chunky trainers, butterfly clips.
• Dungarees with one strap undone.
• Anything neon with a scrunchie.
• Last minute options - Read the guide

Props and details

• Tamagotchi, Game Boy, Walkman, disposable camera.
• Butterfly clips, choker, hoop earrings, frosted lip gloss.
• Blue eyeshadow and pencil-thin eyebrows if you're committing.
• A Nokia 3310 and a Discman that skips when you walk.

Running a 90s night

• Neon and black balloons - Shop the range
• Bunting and a banner in bright block colours - Shop the range
• Singles only on the playlist - Read the guide
• A 90s quiz round mid-evening - Read the guide
• Nineties telly to argue about - Read the guide
• Wider decade party plan - Read the guide

Shop party decorations

How to write it so it lands

• Pick the bits that didn't come back into fashion.
• Baywatch red reads from the other side of the room.
• One prop - Tamagotchi, Walkman, disposable camera - finishes it.
• Singles only on the playlist.

Where to shop next

• Party supplies
• Bunting and banners
• Funny pin badges
• Funny cards
• 1990s music
• 90s quiz questions
• 90s kids TV shows
• 80s and 90s party ideas
• Funny stag do fancy dress ideas
• Beach party theme ideas
• Emergency services fancy dress
• Red themed party ideas
• Pub crawl fancy dress themes
• 2000s fancy dress ideas
• Duo fancy dress ideas
• Under the sea fancy dress
• Funny fancy dress ideas
• Fancy dress party themes
• DIY fancy dress on a budget
• Last minute fancy dress ideas
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Birthday cards for kids
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What are good 90s fancy dress ideas?

Baywatch in red with a float and a whistle, the Spice Girls as a five, Wayne's World, Clueless, Britpop in a parka and bucket hat, or a shell suit with a bum bag.

What can I wear to a 90s party from my own wardrobe?

Double denim with a bandana, a crop top with high waist jeans and chunky trainers, dungarees with one strap undone, or anything neon with a scrunchie and butterfly clips.

What is the most recognisable 90s costume?

Baywatch. A red lifeguard set with a float and a whistle is recognised instantly by everyone in the room, which is the only thing a costume has to do.

How do you host a 90s theme night?

Neon and black balloons, bright bunting, a playlist of singles only, a 90s quiz round mid-evening and a best-dressed vote at the end.

Do you sell fancy dress costumes?

No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Costumes are recommendations from elsewhere - the only things linked to our own shop are ours.