The Ultimate Throwback: Why 90's Blowout Hairstyling is Still the Gold Standard

 The 90’s were a transformative time for fashion, creating some of the most iconic fashion styles and subcultures we have today. One runway show from any high fashion brand in the 90s is enough to outstyle the entire collection of a brand today. It was an ERA for fashion and beauty alike, and god do I ever think that I was born in the wrong generation (as corny as that may sound). I mean, think about it, if I was born in the late 80’s, I would’ve experienced the 90s and the 2000s! Oh my god, take me there! 

The hairstyles of the 90’s were also…interesting, to say the least. What I mean is, “The Rachel” is best left in the past, one of the more unfortunate relics of the 90s alongside crimped hair and the Shag… but one of the hairstyles that really defined this era for me, emerging as a timeless icon, the 90’s blowout. Characterised by its voluminous texture, sleek finish, and unmistakable attitude, this hairstyle has refused to fade into obscurity.

I, for one, am so glad the useless and frankly, cultish trend of minimalism is slowly but surely leaving! Dressing up in one shade of clothes, and the same slicked back look is NOT hot. Minimalism is an excuse for people to feel better about themselves since the rest of their life is out of control. But people now are returning to that ooh la la when walking into a room. And the 90s blowout was a supermodel staple, with icons like Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford sporting that perfectly voluminous and bouncy sleek hair.

Now I recognize that the blowout is very much limited to straight hair, but hey! Wigs! I mean, I think just layers in general gives that 90’s look, and automatically increases femininity. There’s something about a perfectly coiffed and voluminous blowout that just makes me sigh with heart eyes as if I have laid my hair upon the perfect female ever. And it’s not limited to long hair, as well! Short blowouts look just as classy. 

Something was in the air in the 90's, everyone was so fine.

People are going back to the blowouts, and I, for one, am ever so grateful. Go out in glam, ladies! Minimalism was never cute. 

Why the Pink Coquette Aesthetic is Already Fading Fast

 What do you think of when you think of the word “coquette”? When a character in a book is described as coquette nowadays, you don’t think of a woman who is flirty and manipulates men to get what she wants, oh no, that’s a siren woman! A coquette now is just a woman who wears…pink and bows?

The, in my opinion, revolutionary aesthetic of coquette is one of the many aesthetics I mourn the loss of due to capitalism and fast fashion. I remember being a middle schooler in 2021, when the Lana Del Rey, vintage red americana, vintage lace and frills, melting candles surrounding Mary Jane’s coquette aesthetic was trending. And for many people, that is how we remember the once small community of the tiktok coquette’s, or what used to be called the “Lolita-core” or “nymphet” girls. It seems there is a common theme of the naming for this style, all rooted in hypersexualization of little girls (a common theme in Lana’s music), and now just a few years later, the style has been completely watered down but we still recognize that theme in the form of tiktok’s latest obsession: bows. Specifically, pink bows. 

Now, coquette has merged into more of a dollete fashion, the pink completely overtaking the aesthetic and the original Lana Del Rey, the coquette queen’s previous influence on the fashion as well has now been reduced to just music. It reminds me of the pink pilates princess aesthetic. So many influencers I followed because I enjoyed the pink pilates princess aesthetic have now changed into the “coquette” aesthetic because of what it is seen as coquette now. I mean, where has the pink pilates princess aesthetic gone? Perhaps I should write a blog post about that soon…

What used to be frilly babydoll dresses and soft fabrics, gorgeous pearl jewellery, has now been reduced to pink tops with a bow plastered on. And if you’re really stylish, a bow in your hair. The previous coquette took on a more preppy and upper class feminine look, with a sensual touch here and there via Lizzy Grant’s magic. Now, it seems like coquette is just Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette if it was filmed in 2024, in the ghetto…I mean, you can’t convince me grey sweatpants, a pink tube top, and a pink bow in your hair is “cute”, you look like you’re advertising Shein. 

When I saw the hashtags, I nearly jumped.

But it seems I’m not the only one who remembers the now well remembered influence of 2021’s coquette, which dominated my pinterest boards. Multiple netizens have also come out with their own nostalgic retelling of 2021 coquette, all which match what I remember vividly.

Pinterest user @porcelainheroincunt (love the username) said “ughh i remeber in like 2021-2022 when the coquette girls were on tumblr mostly and we were baking those cookies with the heart and jam and the ppl on pinterest like the anime/vocaloid people were calling us toxic and insulting us all the time 😔 i miss it soo bad” 

Me too girl, me too. I remember on TikTok people would bash on the coquette girls, calling them toxic and saying they were promoting p3dophilia and toxic femininity, because of the movies “Lolita” and Lana Del Rey’s music being staples in the aesthetic (I don’t know why Lolita was considered an aesthetic movie…yikes). It seems now coquette has become the new “emo” and an attempt for the girlies to be “different”. 

Another pinterest user @bambinterrupted recalled “i miss when it was heart shaped sunglasses, cooking/baking, reading, cd stores, and cherries.”

Now THIS is the coquette I remember greatly, when baking heart shaped cookies with jelly filled centres on cherry printed table sheets was considered “coquette”, and smoking was considered cute. I mean, smoking being considered cute is something I think is worth also looking into, as it is something I find a staple of MULTIPLE fashion aesthetic and subcultures.  

Ah, my sweet summer coquette child.

Reddit users also share the same sentiment, creating “Bring 2021 Coquette back!” chants. So how come coquette is falling out of favour fast? Well, now, it’s being seen as childish.

At least to the people around me. With trends like “i'm just a girl”  and the pink pilates princess fading quickly, I think the pink Shein bow version of the coquette style will die out. I don’t think the entire coquette trend will die, as here are dedicated fashion girlies dedicated to girl blogging (hehe) and just Lizzy Grant fans worldwide keeping the subculture alive, and hyperfemininity is something timeless that I don’t think will ever go out of Vogue, but it may present itself in different ways. In a couple of months, when no one is sporting the pink bow, you can remember me!

I love pink, and think every outfit can use a bit of pink, but when I see a Shein warrior walk in my classroom with a pink bow hoodie in sweats and sneakers, I can’t help but puke a little. 

An Introduction to The Satin.

When scouring the internet and the thousands upon millions of videos I come across on our modern platforms like TikTok and YouTube, one thing becomes glaringly clear to me. We have become so dumb. Humans have actually regressed in their push for power, it seems the pinnacle of the modern human’s life is to do nothing and let the next person take charge. While I sound like a sour grandma (I often feel like one as well), one has only to open Reddit to see the egregious takes of some people or open a TikTok comment section to read the peak literature of today’s time. 

Especially in the world of fashion. Now, I do not think of myself as a Shakespeare or a Jane Austen, writing up classics on a blog site, but when I click on a fashion article online today, it feels like medieval torture. While scrolling, I stumbled upon a Refinery29 Article about the “Brat Green '' color, viral via Charlie XCX’s new album “Brat” featuring the neon green lime color on its cover. This article made me question the state of fashion writing. Here’s the excerpt that finally made me click off:

“As I write this, my five-year-old daughter is sitting on the floor watching an episode of Wild Kratts on PBS Kids. They’re currently arguing about whether green or blue is better, since the two main cartoon characters are distinguished by their single-color outfits. One wears shades of emerald and lime, while the other wears pool blue and slate. I’m not claiming that this cartoon has anything to do with our current trends, but it’s a reminder of how deeply childish and easily relatable color trends tend to be.” Refinery29, “It’s A Brat Green Summer: What’s The Appeal Of The Hue?”

The green shade of "Brat"

Are you serious? Never in my life did I think that we would now be reading about a puke green color being compared to a 2011 kids' tv show about two grown men cosplaying mechanical furries (I’m sorry, I love Wild Kratts too.). Has fashion writing truly devolved into childish comparisons and fleeting trends? Where is the art we were promised?  Everyone was talking about how this new color would be the “It-Girl of colors”, something the fashion girlies would be sporting. And you would hate to not be one of them, wouldn’t you?

The focus has shifted from exploring the cultural significance of fashion to merely reporting on the latest must-haves. I long for the days when fashion writing was more than just a laundry list of trends. I recently attended a fashion event in Downtown Toronto, the NYC of Canada, and was surprised to see that the "Brat Green" trend was nowhere to be found. It seemed that the hype was confined to the online world, a mere bubble waiting to burst. This disconnect between online trends and real-life style is a symptom of a larger issue – fashion writing that fails to connect with its audience.

So what does The Satin have to do with any of this? Well, I feel like we need to be more critical with fashion, with trends, and write better. I am in a high school where there are 20 year olds attending. Do you think I don’t know how horribly our education system is failing us? These trends nowadays are coming and going faster than the seasons, and that is NOT girly. The Satin aims to redefine the narrative of femininity, embracing its complexity and multifaceted beauty. I champion the unbridled power of girlhood, creating a sanctuary where young women can indulge and expand in their individuality, unapologetically and unconditionally. Through the lens of fashion, beauty, and culture, The Satin seeks to reclaim the female influence, reshaping the fashion industry's landscape and reimagining the possibilities of self-expression. 

If you're tired of superficial fashion writing, enjoy semi-baked writing, fashion commentary, social commentary, and crave something more substantial,  all via the lens of a teenager, join me at The Satin.