How to Be a 90s Grunge Girl

Co-authored by Susan Kim

Last Updated: June 2, 2022 References

Grunge was a music style popularized by bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden in the 1990s. Soon after, grunge style spread all over the country and morphed into a way of life. To fully become a grunge girl and embrace 90s grunge fashion, you need to consider your clothes, shoes, attitude, and taste in music. If you follow a few simple steps, you'll be a grunge girl in no time.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Choosing Grunge-Inspired Tops

1
Choose a plaid shirt. The most important element in a grunge girl's outfit is her plaid shirt.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Susan Kim
Professional Stylist
Expert Interview. 4 May 2021.} Token grunge girls were all over 90s TV shows. For example, Angela Chase and Rayanne Graff from My So-Called Life were always covered in plaid. Try to stay away from bright colors, focusing more on earth tones and darker colors, such as brown, red, burgundy, black, gray, mustard yellow, and dark green. The plaid shirt should always be oversized and even have holes in it.
- Try looking at thrift stores or second-hand stores for flannel shirts. These shirts will often have a worn, faded look, which is exactly the kind of plaid you want as a grunge girl.
- If you buy your plaid new, avoid tight-fitting or girly fit shirts. The grunge look is unstructured and loose. Try looking in the men's section or go a size or two larger than you normally buy.
- You can wear the shirt either as an overshirt with another shirt underneath or tied around your waist. Avoid wearing it buttoned up. This is more grunge boy than grunge girl.
- If you want something plaid that is slightly more girly, look for a checkerboard plaid dress that you can wear over ripped jeans.
2
Wear a band t-shirt. The grunge persona came from a musical genre, so graphic band t-shirts are a must.^{[3]
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Susan Kim
Professional Stylist
Expert Interview. 4 May 2021.} 90s grunge style icon Winona Ryder rocked band t-shirts as a main part of her repertoire. Try finding shirts from 90s bands that are popular in the genre, such as Nirvana, Silverchair, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Stone Temple Pilots.
- You can go oversized or fitted, depending on the rest of your outfit. If you go fitted, balance it out with a baggy plaid shirt or oversized overalls.
- Vintage t-shirts are really the way to go. Try to find some original tour or album shirts at thrift stores or second hand shops. They are more authentic and have the added bonus of looking worn and grungy because of their age.
- Some major retailers and department stores sell reprints of band tees. If you go this route, do something to make it look aged. Try washing it a few times to loosen the fabric. Cut off the armholes and make it into a tank top. You can also cut off the collar and wear it off the shoulder. ^{[4]
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3
Try a crop top. Despite the typically masculine attire related to the style, you can still show a little skin in the midsection. This style was popularized by 90s style icons such as Gwen Stefani, lead singer of the band No Doubt. Find a crop top, which can be a t-shirt or sweater, in a plain color such as black, grey, white, or maroon. You can also go for a subtle design. Just make sure it is short enough to show off your stomach.^{[5]
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- If you can't find an oversized top that is short enough, cut off the lower portion of any shirt. You can cut it slightly jagged to make it look more grunge.
- They make some crop tops with asymmetrical hem lines. These look great with flannels tied around your waist.
4
Pick a tank top. Being grunge isn't just about oversized clothes. Try a tight wife beater tank in white, black, grey, or brown. They look great under flannel shirts.
- You might also be able to find a band tank. These can be fitted or oversized, depending on what you can find. If they are oversized, pair them with a black bra and let the straps hang off your shoulders.
5
Pick a baby doll dress. You can also add a little less masculine flare sometimes by wearing a baby doll dress, typically in floral patterns. Stay within the neutral and earth tones color palette. 90s grungers were all about mixing styles and adding a layer of irony to their outfits. The key is to add a flannel shirt over it or around your waist to make it go from preppy to grunge.
- One of the most influential style icons of 90s grunge was Courtney Love from the band Hole. She was also the wife of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. The grunge goddess rocked baby doll dresses all the time, mixing them with other grunge elements to create a messy, chic look.
- It doesn't matter if the patterns don't match. Matching isn't important when you're grunge.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Wearing 90s Grunge Bottoms

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Buy baggy, ripped, or patched jeans. One of the hallmarks of grunge is comfort, and there is nothing more comfortable than a pair of worn, baggy jeans. Buy a pair of jeans a size or two larger than you normally buy. Make sure you steer clear of the skinny jeans. They are made to fit more snugly than you want your pants. Try to find jeans with rips, holes, or patches made on them. They give them a worn, lived in look that goes great with the grunge look.^{[6]
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- You can save some money on jeans by buying a normal pair of jeans and ripping them up yourself. Non holey jeans are usually cheaper and you can add the holes wherever you want.
- You can also try finding jeans at thrift or second hand stores. They will be more worn and comfortable than brand new jeans.
- If it's warm weather, you can also go with a pair of cut off denim shorts. These look great with a crop top and a flannel shirt around your waist.
2
Try an A-line printed skirt. If you don't want to go for the full dress, try an A-line printed skirt. Liv Tyler popularized this style both off screen and on, in music videos for Aerosmith and movies such as Empire Records. Try one in plaid or a floral design and earth tone color palette.
- A-line skirts look great with an oversized band t-shirt and a flannel wrapped around your waist. Don't worry if your plaid shirt doesn't match the pattern on the skirt. It will make you seem even more grunge.^{[7]
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3
Wear overalls. Denim overalls were a huge trend in the 90s and the grunge scene worked them to their advantage. Buy a pair overalls and match them with a band tee or tank. You can wear the flannel as an overshirt or around your waist because both styles look great with the overalls.
- You can also try the one-shoulder look as well. Instead of wearing both of the straps clasped, wear one unclasped, folding down the panels on both sides of the overalls. This variation looks great with the crop top and a flannel.
4
Wear ripped tights or hose. If you aren't really into wearing jeans all the time, try a pair of holey tights or hose to create the full grunge effect. Courtney Love would often pair her baby doll dresses with ripped tights. Buy a pair of neutral-colored or printed tights. In the same fashion as the jeans, rip holes and runs in the fabric of the legs.^{[8]
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Susan Kim
Professional Stylist
Expert Interview. 4 May 2021.} Match these tights with printed skirts or dresses. You can even wear them under your jeans.
- You can layer multiple layers of tights on top of one another, with holes at different places on each pair. This adds a little extra texture to your outfit, especially if the tights or hose are two different colors or patterns.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Finishing Your Look

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Wear minimal makeup. The grunge style is made to look as low maintenance and comfortable as possible, and the same feel translates to the makeup. Pair a little bit of brown or dark eye shadow with thick eyeliner and mascara. You want it to look kind of like a messy smokey eye, but you don't want it to look bad. You can also not wear makeup altogether.
- You can top this off with a dark color lipstick if you want to add another layer to your makeup. Liv Tyler often topped off her cropped top, floral skirt, and ripped tights combination with a deep red lip.^{[9]
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2
Dye your hair. Grungers know how to rock dyed locks. You can either dye all of your hair or just some towards the bottom. Try dark red, maroon, ash blonde, brown, or caramel. You can even go pastel pink, purple, or blue. Just make sure the colors aren't too vibrant.
- Gwen Stefani dyed her hair blue, pink, and orange. Angela from My So-Called Life dyed her hair maroon as a first act of grunge rebellion.^{[11]
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- Make sure it looks messy and natural. Don't straighten your hair. You don't want it to look like you tried to fix your hair too much. The messier it is, the grungier you will be.^{[12]
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3
Wear combat boots. No grunge outfit is complete without a great pair of combat boots. Buy them in black, maroon, grey, or brown. You can even buy a patterned pair. They make every grunge outfit look more comfortable and casual. Pair them with a band tee, a floral print skirt, a flannel around your waist, and a pair of holey tights to have the ultimate grunge outfit.^{[13]
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Susan Kim
Professional Stylist
Expert Interview. 4 May 2021.}
- The most popular boot brand was Doc Martens. Girls were seen all over popular culture wearing this iconic footwear. Actresses like Liv Tyler and Winona Ryder wore them and Angela and Rayanne rocked them on My So-Called Life. Even 90s cartoons grunge style icon Jane Lane wore them on Daria. No grunge girl's wardrobe is complete without them.^{[14]
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- If you don't like the combat boot style, you can also wear a pair of chunky shoes such as Mary Janes or a pair of canvas shoes such as Converse. Kurt Cobain was known for wearing Converse and Drew Barrymore often wore them with her baggy, ripped jeans.^{[15]
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4
Wear a beanie. A great way to accessorize any grunge outfit is a beanie. Actresses such as Drew Barrymore popularized these accessories by topping off their plaid shirts and ripped jeans with a beanie. Pick out a black, grey, brown, or dark red beanie to wear. You can wear your hair up or down with the beanie. It looks great with most hairstyles.
- If you aren't into beanies, try a bandanna. They have a similar grungy feel but come in more colors and designs. They are also more comfortable to wear in warm weather.
5
Grab some accessories. Accessories can add some interesting flare to any grunge outfit. Liv Tyler and Gwen Stefani could rock a well placed necklace or earrings. Try a black braided tattoo choker, a large simple cross necklace, or large chunky earrings. You can also pick up a few silver and colored band rings to wear, layering a few on each finger.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Playing the Part

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Stop caring. The whole grunge persona is built on a sense of ambivalence towards society, consumerism, and conformity. The clothes are worn, large, and comfortable because you don't care about many things anymore. Don't rush around and stress about anything. A grunge girl is content to just sit around and listen to some good music. She is not typically high strung or obsessive. She lets things happen as they happen without much though or care.
2
Have attitude. Now that you have the look, you need to adopt the attitude. Although grunge girls don't care, they get an attitude with people when they try to make them conform or join things. Don't listen when people tell you to do something. Just tell them you want to sit and listen to your music all day long. Do what you have to do in life, but get an attitude with others when they interact with you.
- The way Courtney Love, Liv Tyler, and Drew Barrymore acted in the 90s provide perfect examples for the grunge attitude. Their lack of respect for authority and snarky attitude led them to constant trouble and even some arrests.
- This doesn't apply to your grunge friends. They understand your carelessness and apathy for the world, which means you don't have to get an attitude with them to get your point across.
3
Know the music. Grunge would not be a way of life if it wasn't for grunge music. While Nirvana popularized grunge music, there are many other grunge bands that you should become familiar with. Research who were the seminal bands of the era and familiarize yourself with their music. Go to your local CD store and look through their rock collection.
- While there were many grunge bands in the 90s, some of the most influential were bands such as Hole, Green Magnet School, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Garbage, Rage Against the Machine, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins, 7 Year Bitch, Fastbacks, Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, Cat Butt, Veruca Salt, Skin Yard, Mother Love Bone, Tad, The Gits, Bush, Seven Mary 3, L7, Screaming Trees, Green River, The Melvins, Mudhoney, and Stone Temple Pilots.
- Newer bands are still in the style of grunge. Look into Modest Mouse, Afghan Whigs, and Dinosaur Jr.^{[16]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can I be grunge with eyeglasses?

Community Answer

Of course! Grunge is pretty much the 'I don't really care about what the world thinks of me' style. If you wear glasses, you can totally pull them off with your grunge look. Even Kurt Cobain wore glasses occasionally!
Question

What if this grunge style goes against what is expected of me?

Community Answer

That's good. It's supposed to be a statement against the norm.
Question

what about plaid tennis skirts

Community Answer

Plaid tennis skirts are acceptable in the fashion world, but you HAVE to make sure you wear the right top, shoes, and accessories, which all depend on the length, color, and whether or not the tennis skirt has an embroidery or special design on it.