In the 1990s there was no one huge thing that fashion had been based around by many new trends criss crossing or just completely new trends were created. In the 1990s globalization was the big thing for fashion. As the world "shrunk", fashions criss-crossed international boundaries. The "American look" spread across the globe and commanded attention by Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Bill Bass, and Donna Kalan. American stores also spread the Europe like the Gap, The Limited, and Esprit. Along with globalization came patriotic fashions in America. These patriotic fashions arose when the Persian Gulf War irrupted.
New sale patterns were popping up in the 1990s due to deepening economic recession and high unemployment rates. The new thing was to carry the cheapest close, cheaper than competing stores. After large numbers of people spending came to a halt, the fashion and clothing departments and stores had to find a way to make more money. Instead of seasonal clearance sales, retailers offered year round sales of new, seasonal merchandise. Also this was the first time in America people started to brag about how cheap they got their clothes. Fashion shops and stores catering to the working middle class showed reduced revenues sales at deeply discounted prices. The stores then began stocking junior departments with "fashion forward" clothes because teen and were an easier target in the 1990s because they were always looking for the newest trend.
The Grunge look was very popular in the 1990s. With this trend flannel shirts that fit loosely were popular. They were worn with acid washed jeans to give a very laid back appeal. Also in the late 1990s the neon trend came back from the 1980s and was popular with young America.