Street fashion

Our ‘90s fashion conjures two memorable  images: a man dressed in a crimson jacket  with a big golden chain around his neck and a  woman in coloured leggings, bright make-up and  backcombed hair.  

The must-have pieces of the ‘90s in Ukraine were  Turkish sweaters and ‘Malvinas’ jeans. Actually,  ‘Malvinas’ was a corruption of the brand name  Mawin. While men boasted ornamental Turkish  sweaters, ladies squeezed themselves into black stretch dresses 24/7. The alternative trending look back then consisted of leather vests and jackets  with rivets or biker jackets worn with T-shirts and  heavy boots.  

We bought these outfits at flea markets. The  largest one of such venues in Kyiv buzzed at the  “Respublikanskyi” central stadium (has been  named the “Olimpiiskyi” National Sporting Arena  since 1996). Private traders, nicknamed “shuttles”,  imported scarce consumer goods, clothes and  footwear from Poland, China, and Turkey to  Ukraine.    

Second-hand shops were popular among low-  income fashionistas who created many items themselves and popular “frosted jeans (tie-dye)”  were homemade as almost everything homemade  was cheaper.  The extreme poverty of the 1990s in Ukraine did  not prevent resourceful folk from looking bright,  bold and fashionable. For the very ‘90s were all  about experiments, the sexual revolution, and the  destruction of political and moral boundaries.  

The Noughties or 2000s in our country spark in memory as a decade of heavy glamour. As for  the street fashion, ‘Luxury and shine’ were now  a thing. Even sportswear became glamorous.  Remember velour Juicy Couture tracksuits?  Rhinestones, jewellery and sequins adorned  them as well as almost everything, jeans,  in particular. As for trousers in general, the  waistband crawled lower and lower, and  at the same time the skirt length steadily went  upwards. The more body on show, the better:  girls combined their micro-skirts with crop tops.  

Extremely low waist gave rise to thong panties  shown when the owner of the low-waisted pants  leaned over. Alongside ‘glam sport’, military,  boho chic, and afro styles gained popularity.  Hip-hop rappers influenced fashion with Stunna  hats, straight visor caps, oversized T-shirts and  baseball jackets. Our millennials experimented  with clashing fabrics, flashy colours and mixed previously incompatible styles.  

Мода 2010-х більш екологічна, комфортна й певною мірою політична. The 2010s fashion was more environmentally  friendly, comfortable and somewhat political.  The Maidan protests and the Russian-Ukrainian  war brought traditional embroidered shirts back  into fashion. First, as a symbol of unity and  patriotism, then as festive attire. The Ukrainians  consciously chose the cloths of local Ukrainian  designers, and the designers focused on their  costumers’ preferences. Fashionistas learned to  appreciate the fabric and texture of their wear  rather than the opportunity to surprise. Comfort  became our creed. We switched uncomfortable  heels to flip-flops and ‘dad’s’ sneakers. An  emergent ‘travel chic’ trend made fleeces,  hikers, balaclavas and ski jackets popular. The  classic down bomber jacket proved a hit one  more time. Comfort fashion embraced pyjamas  and nightgown styles. Girls wore ‘pyjama suits’  and slip-dresses. Bare ankles became a thing  even in the freezing winter. Not everyone knew  about those tiny footsie-socks or runner-liners  yet and, so, “How come you aren’t wearing any  socks?” became a question!  

In the late ‘10s, string bags and re-usable fabric  bags with provocative inscriptions made a  comeback. Environmental friendliness became  a conscious trend just like philosophical  movements — normcore and comfortorianism.  The former was about refusing to be fashionable.  The latter promoted maximum comfort in clothes  and a way of life — no makeup, no hair styling,  only roomy and pleasant attire, please. And so,  ‘unfashionable’ young people came into fashion; denying trends became a trend. And after a while, anti-fashion” itself became a mainstream.