The Sopranos debuted on January 10th, 1999, thus beginning the current era of peak prestige television. But that, in many ways, infers that the time that came before was lightweight in comparison. As any ‘90s pop culture aficionado can tell you, that’s simply not so. Looking back, it’s easy to see that TV during that decade was revolutionary, not only in the stories being told, but how they were presented. The decade that bore Friends, Sex and the City, and My So-Called Life can’t be all that bad—can it?
While a strong case can be made for the merits of television as an art form during the nineties, as the country looked anxiously toward the dawning of a new millennium, it’s the fashion that has our current era most captivated. From popular sporty streetwear to skate tees to long hair, the nineties are experiencing a full-blown revival. And what better place to see the sartorial essence in its truest form than to watch TV shows from that period and take inspiration from the characters. Look to Will Smith’s overalls, Angela Chase’s floral dresses, Brandon Walsh’s light-wash, high-waisted denim or Zack Morris’s brightly patterned shirts, and you’ll begin to understand the nuances of the era’s sense of fashion. Look around you, and you may be surprised to see a lot from these episodes has come back, or never even went away to begin with.
So here, we’ve rounded up the best series that the decade has to offer in both terms of entertainment and style. These are shows that serve as a reflection of a bygone era that might feel so far off if you look at the current landscape, from the catwalks of fashion week to the streets of hip neighborhoods from Bushwick to Echo Park. So, get out your walkman, fire up Jagged Little Pill or Illmatic, and settle in for a look back at the most stylish ‘90s TV shows.