Life
What Your Fave '90s Body Part Says About You
As strange as this sounds, body parts go in and out of fashion. It's ridiculous sounding, isn't it? As though bones and muscle covered in skin can actually somehow be your best accessory. Popular body parts in the '90s were treated as we treat popular body parts today. We showed them off, took pride in them, and dressed them in all kinds of '90s body jewelry. It might sound rather objectifying, but in some ways it's really fantastic. Just being able to love a part of yourself and put it out there with gleeful abandon. There's something quite lovely in that, I think.
So these days, thanks to the Kardashians, we know butts are in. And lips. The latter had its place in the '90s, although for different reasons (which you'll see below). That being said, it doesn't matter what happens to be trending, since we all tend to strike our own paths to show off the parts we love most. In the '90s, the most obviously trendy body part was the midriff — but if you check your history, other body parts also came to prominence. So as an exercise in self love, here's what the body part you cared about showing off in the '90s said about you.
1. Your Midriff
You were a real '90s everywoman. Suffice to say, most women, at least teenagers in the '90s, flirted with their midriff at some point. This makes you a fan of popular culture, and also very brave (it's cold out there!). You're also probably outgoing, vivacious, and willing to try anything, even flavor of the moment type things. You're the life of the party, and know all the words to "Womanizer". You likely went through a phase of begging your parents for a belly button ring, and depending on how good your negotiations skills are, you might even have a little left over hold just above your navel now.
2. Your Back
Backlessness is a kind of timeless chic but it was hard to pinpoint a time in the '90s when red carpet glamour didn't also mean a plunging dress back that reached nearly to the bum crack. If you liked showing off your back in the '90s, you were one of two types of people: a total raver, or someone who lived and breathed by high fashion and Vogue magazine. You either always had a lollipop hanging out of your mouth or you idolized fashion icons.
3. Your Cleavage
Cleavage is also kind of timeless, but in the '90s there was also a lot of high-necked Elaine Benes style, so embracing your bosom was something of a coup. You were bold and unapologetic, but every bit a team player as you were a leader.
4. Your Toes
Toes were the unsung heroes of the '90s. You probably get a lot of pedicures now. But back in the '90s, you were early boho. You were Gwen Stefani, but more Gwen Stefani than even Gwen Stefani. When you wore shoes they were Birkenstocks or Dr. Martens, and Phoebe was your favorite Friends character. You probably had a boyfriend who was a surfer at one point, and invested in quite a few temporary tattoos before settling on the ones you (maybe) have now.
5. Your Legs
You might not have been tall, but if you were, congratulations (this coming from a very short person). Mini skirts had a definite revival during the '90s, and you embraced them — with kitten heeled mules, of course. I would even venture to guess you wore silver metallic lip gloss at some point, but that's just a guess. You're a free spirit and an adventurer, and when you find something you're passionate about, you very rarely break your stride.
6. Your Hair
Sure, hair can be a feature now, but hair in the '90s was THE feature. If you teased your hair into unreal proportions in the '90s, you were probably the kind of person that enjoyed being the center of attention. Your voice was loud and you weren't afraid to dance like absolutely everyone was watching and you were the Queen of Everything. You also always had, and probably still have, very sage advice. And good stories about crazy things that happened at 4 a.m.
7. Your Lips
You were introspective, and maybe even considered/were part of a witch coven. Focus on lips in the '90s was all about dark shades, like wine red and purple. You were brooding and sultry and you did seances with your friends at slumber parties instead of pillow fights. You didn't care what other people thought about you, and that made your fierce and formidable.
8. Your Eyes
The eyes are the window to the soul, but in the '90s, they were a blank canvas upon which to make art. Ombre eyes that started with wild shades of blue on your lid and petered out into shiny white by your brow were popular, but the more style your could get on there, the better. If you liked making up your eyes you were probably a creative at heart, and had a wild imagination. Romy & Michelle were your idols.
9. Your Butt
You may have been born before your time, or maybe you were a future time traveller from the current era. Butts didn't get all that much love in the '90s, and Sir-Mix-A-Lot's jam, "Baby Got Back", was more of a parody, or a subversive novelty, rather than a sexy, mainstream reality like Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" is now. One might even call you a hipster of the '90s for being so far ahead of these curves.
