The 90s was one of the most experimental and aesthetically unique eras, not only fashion wise, but the individuality can be observed through the popular music (everything in between the Spice Girls and Nirvana) that influenced the generation, the TV shows that we still love and appreciate like Friends and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and of course, the iconic movies that inspire us to this day. 90s movies tend to be on a certain level of superiority; maybe its because of seeing young Leonardo DiCaprio, maybe because of the interesting storylines, but I think the wardrobe and costume design play an important role too. 90s fashion, characterized by the rise of designers like Gianni Versace, Calvin Klein, and the use of supermodels like Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell influencing pop culture, young 90s teenagers had a perfect mix of raw streetstyle and preppy couture to be inspired by. Which movie perfectly encompassed the trends and styles these younger generations participated in? None other than the 1995 coming-of-age teen comedy, Clueless.
Clueless is one of the most well known 90s movies, and it has gained its fame for good reason; the likeable characters, the entertaining storyline and of course, the iconic outfits. Cher’s outfits have been burned into the fashion world’s brain - her yellow plaid skirt set can be easily recognized as her outfit, the memorable lines like “As if!” and “You don’t understand, this is an Alaïa!" , the Calvin Klein scene and many other moments make Clueless one of the most fashionable and impactful movies of all time. Not only did it show a glamourous reality for 90s teens, but it influenced generations – many outfits from the movie could be seen on a teenager today and it would perfectly fit in with the current trends and styles. But how did such an amazing wardrobe was even conceptualized?
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the movie’s costume designer Mona May described the process on how they created Cher’s timeless style. The director of Clueless, Amy Heckerling, collaborated with May and made it clear from the beginning on how she wanted the movie to be girly – with the current rise of the grunge aesthetic, Doc Martens and masculine silhouettes, Heckerling wanted to highlight the feminine, soft part of 90s fashion that she felt was being forgotten. Heckerling also wanted the characters to look like girls and incorporate stylish and flattering looks while keeping the characters looking like actual high schoolers, giving the movie a fresh innocence. Cher’s shirts under her slip dresses, the over-the-knee socks and Mary Jane shoes made the looks fashionable yet gave them a soft look. There was never any stilettos or big heels, but instead shoes that a fashionable teenager would realistically wear to high school. Heckerling also understood how clothing represents someone’s emotions and personality, since she went to and art and design high school with many fashionistas she admired.
Heckerling reasoned that since the internet did not exist at the time, rich teens like Cher and Dionne would take inspiration from the fashion shows they would go to. This also explains the designer name dropping throughout the movie – Cher’s iconic red Alaia dress and the Calvin Klein scene with Christian, to name a few. Cher’s yellow skirt suit was made by Dolce & Gabbana, but Dionne’s matching black and white one was actually thrifted. Due to budget, May had to mix designer and thrifted pieces in order to give all the characters stylish looks while actually affording it. Characters like Tai had wardrobes completely based on thrifted pieces, in order to represent how she was middle class and not a rich girl like the others. Tai is also the only female character that wears jeans, to differentiate the social status between her and the rest. The male characters like Murray actually wore designer jeans, since May wanted them to have their own streetstyle yet make it fit in with the girls - Dionne would neevr date a man that didn't know fashion.
In another interview, costume designer May called attention to the use of color in the movie. Cher, being the main character, needed to stand out. In one of the first scenes, Cher and her best friend Dionne walk in front of a green school. Yellow was chosen for Cher’s outfit since it was a bold color that stood out and complemented the actress’, Alicia Silverstone, blond hair, and white skin. Other colors frequently used were red and blue tones. For Cher’s best friend, Dionne, colors like black, red, fuchsia, and different textures and prints were used in her outfits to showcase a sophisticated yet experimentative style. Dionne tends to wear shorter skirts and lower tops than Cher, to represent how she is sexually active, sassier and less naïve than her best friend. To both of the character’s outfits, May would include French accents like white collars. cuffs and headbands to give a sophisticated, smart feel to their looks.
There was also an ongoing seasonal palette going on throughout the movie: at the beginning, it’s fall, so Cher and Dionne are wearing reds, yellows, and oranges. In the Valley party, it' s around Christmas, so all the characters wear red and green tones. At the end in the wedding scene, it’s spring, so the characters wear pinks and whites. This is also why the gym looks are black and white; they are meant to be worn year-round, so there is no need to go with a specific season’s color palette.
Clueless not only was able to bring back the innocent yet feminine look for teens, but it holds a certain medal for being such an influential movies, even more than 20 years after its release. The movie is still as relevant as it was in the 90s, and still inspires fashion today. Without Clueless, would 90s fashion still be such an important part of the fashion industry?