How '90s Nickelodeon Shows Influenced Today's Style Trends

Written by Jian DeLeon (@jiandeleon)

Nickelodeon probably raised more kids in the '90s than the average Gen-X parent. Sure, there were cartoons like Ren & Stimpy and Rugrats, but it also had much more to offer—we're talking live-action game shows like Double Dare, Legends of the Hidden Temple, and sitcoms like Salute Your Shorts.

Upon closer inspection, we spotted some really fresh kits that would still look dope today. '90s style trends have been back for a while, but everything new has gotta come from somewhere old, right? From GUTS to The Adventures of Pete and Pete, here's How '90s Nickelodeon Shows Influenced Today's Style Trends.

RELATED: How '90s Cartoons Influenced Today's Style Trends
RELATED: The 90 Greatest '90s Fashion Trends

Show: Legends of the Hidden Temple

While Olmec was pretty tight, and the Temple Guards had an on-trend Mayan based tribal look, it was host Kirk Fogg that stole the show in straight leg chinos and a tucked in chambray shirt. He had that whole workwear thing on lock two decades ago.

Show: Nick Arcade

Remember how this show would culminate with sticking kids into videogames? That was awesome! Equally awesome, designer Jeremy Scott decided to fully integrate the theme of technology and the late '90s Internet into his Fall/Winter 2012 collection, where we got goodes like this rainbow keyboard print shirt and pants. It's like wearing Lisa Frank's Geocities website. The point? Technology in itself is a trend, so embrace it in a fun way.

Show: The Adventures of Pete and Pete

Sure, Big Pete had a mean denim jacket game, and Artie's coordinating stripes and thick-rimmed glasses were pretty cool too. But not only did Little Pete have a sick arm tattoo, he was really dedicated to the buffalo plaid five panel hat. Given companies like Woolrich have recently re-issued the item, we don't see this accessory going out of style anytime soon.

Show: Nick in the Afternoon

After school hours were usually spent hanging with Stick Stickly, who encouraged viewers to send fan mail via his unforgettable jingle: "Write to me / Stick Stickly / P.O. Box 963 / New York City, New York State / 10108." While he was mostly seen in his natural wooden state, he wasn't afraid to dress up for occasions like New Year's Eve. And when he did, he killed it. We're pretty sure the razor-sharp tailoring on his tux was done by none other than Hedi Slimane.

Show: Salute Your Shorts

Kevin "Ug" Lee might have received more than his fair share of crap from Camp Awanana's most memorable crew, but he is fondly remembered for two things: his propensity for sunscreen on his nose and his dedication to the tan bucket hat. Sure, these days we wouldn't turn up the brim like he did, but there's no doubt that this is where rappers like Curren$y adopted the trend. On a side note, how hot was Dina Alexander though?

Show: GUTS

Before Mike O'Malley was Kurt Hummel's dad on Glee, he was preparing legions of child athletes to scale the awe-inspiring Aggro Crag—which was way before climbing walls were ever widespread. These kids didn't do it unprotected though, they were strapped into safety harnesses. Looks like designer Tim Coppens took notice, as he recently dropped this vest in his Fall/Winter 2012 collection—which looks suspiciously appropriate for scaling the Aggo Crag. Coincidence? We think not.

Show: The Secret World of Alex Mack

Alex Mack was pretty hot. Her tomboy style and the fact that her best friend was a black dude just made her so much more down. She was almost always wearing some form of hat—snapbacks, buckets, whatever, but when she rocked a beanie, she absolutely killed it. She didn't even need a jacket or anything, she made it look so dope, she was turning dudes into puddles instead of herself.

Show: Are You Afraid of the Dark?

We see you Frank Ocean. We know where you got your swag. As a child of the '90s yourself, it definitely wasn't The Karate Kid that inspired your headband steez. Now we know your true inspiration was Kiki from The Midnight Society.

Show: Double Dare

Everyone wanted to be on the red team in Double Dare. It was just cooler. Sure, your tonal kit would get covered in slime, shaving cream, and all sorts of gross stuff—but that yellow pennant made it worth it. Rappers like Kanye West and designers like Bottega Veneta have definitely caught on years later.

Show: Kenan and Kel

We're not sure if we can ever forgive Kel for perpetuating the stereotype that black people love orange soda, but we can certainly appreciate that he was doing his part to bring snapbacks back way before Chris Brown and Tyga hopped on that trend.