The Dream of the 90s is Alive in Buenos Aires Fashion

Forget Portland if you really want to relive the dream days of 90’s fashion, get on the next plane to Buenos Aires. Beat up high tops, fringe crop tops, floral scrunchies, and worn Ramones t-shirts are just some of the highlights of fashion trends that you will find on the streets of the city. Walking to a bus stop is like reliving the days I spent watching TRL and playing with a Tamogotchi while wearing my parachute pants and my perfectly crimped hair was in a high pony. Preparing for fashion in BA means hitting up every thrift store, and now every Urban Outfitters, since 90’s trends are making a comeback with “hipster” crowd, to complete your perfect 90’s grunge glam wardrobe.

For your convenience I have compiled a list of my favorite and some of the most popular fashion trends in Buenos Aires.

Graphic Tees and Tanks: While most of us look back on our graphic tee phase and find just old band tees, Buenos Aires has taken this trend and put a bit of a spin on it. While in some of the grungier crowds one can still find an old Stones shirt, many of the graphic tees and tanks you’ll find just have any English words written across the front. I mean it--ANY words in English, they don’t even have to make sense grammatically. One time I was riding the bus and a woman had a shirt on that said “Meatpies, Minutemen, Volcanos” written across her chest. I don’t think anyone has even said those three words in the same sentence, ever. Seriously, open up your Webster’s dictionary to a random page, pick a word, print it on a shirt and you will fit right in.

Platform Shoes: No shoe collection is complete in this city without a pair (or six) of platform shoes. Whether in sandals or boots, platforms are all the rage in Buenos Aires. Many of the women justify the height of their footwear with the fact that women are generally quite short here. Everywhere you go women are either walking in platforms or window shopping for a new pair.

Ombre Hair: The hair color trend ombre has hit Buenos Aires. Almost every woman you see from ages 14 to 45 have their hair ombre from brown to blond. If you study in BA and find yourself wanting to follow the ombre craze, do it! Any type of beauty treatment, such as haircuts, manicures, or waxing, are actually very affordable here! Plus, you can walk down any block in the city and find two or three beauty salons.

Redefined Modesty: Unlike much of the fashion trends in the United States, Argentines generally dress in a more modern manner, in the sense that they do not show much skin. Argentine fashion is much more about keeping up with the style trends. For example, leggings, boots, and a leather jacket would be an outfit commonly worn to a bar.

Dress to Impress: Sweatpants be warned: you will not see the light of day in Buenos Aires. Argentines dress to impress no matter what hour of the day it is. It is very uncommon to see an Argentine wearing sweat pants unless they are going for a run. I would recommend bringing clothes that you are comfortable in but are nicer than your pajamas!

I hope that this list helps you prepare for fashion in Buenos Aires. When you arrive, be sure to check out Alto Palermo mall for chic stores as well as any of the weekend street fairs for affordable fashion finds!


Maggie Luehrs is the Fall 2014 CEA MOJO in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is currently a junior at Colorado State University.