18 Rad 90s Theme Party Clothes Ideas and More for 2025
Throw it back to the pre-Internet age with a 90s theme party! Nothing can bring a blast of nostalgic joy filled with equal parts vibrant color and crunchy grunge quite like it!
With boy bands, cool R&B, action films and the Seattle scene blending in an explosion of fun and excitement, a 90s theme party is a pop culture piñata waiting to be smashed open.
"What do I need for a 90s theme party?" you ask. Think shamelessly bold outfits, retro games and nostalgic snacks and you'll be on the right track. We've put together this guide with ideas for everything you need to bring your 90s theme party ideas to life.
Whether it’s a 90s backyard party for friends and family or a surprise 90s-themed 30th birthday party for your special someone, your post-80s theme party is sure to be all that and a bag of chips!
Jump to Section
- 90s Theme Party Outfit IdeasÂ
- 90s Theme Party Food Ideas
- 90s Theme Party Activities
- 90s Theme Party Games
90s Theme Party Outfit IdeasÂ
1. Go Music Industry Glam
Get into the spirit of the decade by revisiting the styles seen on the music scene. Go grunge with flannel, channel your inner Alanis, kitsch it up in Spice Girl style or stay smooth like TLC for some 90s R&B-themed Decades Day outfits.
Guys can add frosted tips and puka shells like the best boy bands, jump into a gigantic pair of JNCO jeans or stay super chill with their best baggy skater style.Â
2. Dress Like a Movie Star
Throw a movie-based 90s theme party and challenge your guests to find an outfit to represent their favorite film from the era.
Instant classics like Clueless and Pretty Woman provide rich inspiration for feminine looks, while slick sci-fi like The Matrix and dark fantasy like Fight Club give guys unmistakable 90s theme party clothes.
3. Wear the Best 90s Brands
Capture the spirit of youth in your 90s-themed 30th birthday party ideas by wearing the brands of the decade! From Abercrombie and Fitch to Hilfiger and back around to Calvin Klein, designer tags make instantly recognizable outfits for a 90s theme party.
Dress in layers, pop your collars and gel your hair to the max to complete your 90s theme party clothes!
4. Check the TV Guide
TV is a visual wonderland for outfit ideas that are perfect for your 90s theme party. Recreate your best Rachel, bring back The Nanny's funky, eye-popping options or resurrect Blossom's wild hats.
From flashy Zubaz popularized by the WWE scene to tucked-in tees and acid-washed jeans rocked by the dudes of 90210, the guys have fly fashions to choose from, too.Â
90s Theme Party Food IdeasÂ
5. Taste the Decade
Take on the 90s theme party from a new angle with a 90s-themed cooking class. Led by some of the best chefs in the U.S., you'll bring some serious heat to your party. Whip up a 90s-themed menu, such as Friends favorites or other 90s-inspired recipes and enjoy the delicious meal with your guests.
Can't make it to an in-person cooking class? With online cooking classes, you can learn to cook 90s favorites from your home kitchen from top-tier gourmet cooks who love sharing their secrets to make your theme party a savory success.
6. Make a Perfect Party Mix
Take your 90s theme party on a journey through the best cocktails of the era with online mixology classes. You'll learn from skilled mixologists how to recreate the drinks that defined the decade. It's a perfect addition to any adult birthday party ideas where cocktails are a must!
7. Do the Brew
Add a Starbucks-style coffee bar to get your party grinding. Play barista and take orders or set up a self-service station with premium brews, syrups and creamers. You can even add a batch of coffee-themed possibilities to your list of bachelorette party ideas for friends who’ll need a pre-wedding boost!
8. Stick With Snacks
What snacks were popular at 90s parties? Create a modern spread that definitively answers the question with grown-up versions of the decade's favorite treats!
Try charcuterie boards as a contemporary take on Lunchables, homemade Hot Pockets and a spicy snack mix of Flamin' Hot Cheetos and Takis. A DIY Dunkaroos station with animal crackers and fudge frosting makes a great stand-in for a 90s theme cake.
9. A New Take on TV Dinners
TV shows crackle with inspiration for 90s theme party menus. A Friends-themed buffet can include Nestle Toulouse (Tollhouse) cookies to honor Phoebe, homemade candy à la Monica and Graham crackers spread with jam like the sweet snack Joey couldn't get enough of.
Or try a Seinfeld spread with Chocolate Babka, a variety of soups, Snickers bars served with forks and knives and eclairs (preferably not out of the trash)!
10. Raise the Bar
Zima, that weird, clear 90s malt beverage, is back. Be sure your bar has some bottles on hand to capture the post-80s theme party spirit. For mixed drinks, cosmos capture the Sex and the City sizzle, while lemon drops, appletinis and mojitos promise sugary refreshment by the glassful.
11. Spread Your Wings
A 90s backyard party is ideal for a tablescape that includes popular options like sushi, Buffalo wings and curly fries to remind everyone they're in the era of tailgating and takeout.
For a fun 90s theme cake, frost a simple round cake in cool gray and shimmering metallic pinks and greens to replicate a CD, the decade's most popular music format.
90s Theme Party ActivitiesÂ
12. Get Jiggy Wit' It
What is a throwback party without old-school dances? Recreate the best moves of the 90s by booking your crew into a local dance class that sets the tone. Step up to the floor and master a hip-hop routine or learn to break dance from a professional instructor and choreographer. There are even online dance classes that bring the rug-cutting directly to you! Â
13. Celebrate in Living Color
Get the Bob Ross experience by booking a paint and sip near you. Bring your guests into the colorful world of the 90s. Look for splatter and paint party ideas for adults that replicate the wild hues and fun patterns that made the era hot!
You can find 90s-themed paint and sips all over the U.S. for a 90s theme party that will not soon be forgotten.
14. Create Your Tag
Dive into the world of street art with a 90s theme party that adds a splash of creative energy. Guided by a local artist, you'll learn the history of street art and how to design your tags. Once you've all made your calling cards, you'll put them into practice (on canvas) and create masterpieces to take home after the celebration.
Street art classes will leave you with a newfound appreciation of NYC street art the next time you visit.
90s Theme Party Games
15. Test Your Recall
Cue up hosted online trivia and put your knowledge of the decade to the test. From general knowledge to niche pop culture references, this 90s theme party idea will add a bit of healthy competition to your gathering. Plus, you and your guests can take part from wherever your party is located!
16. Crank the Karaoke
Knowing how to plan a birthday party with a 90s theme means including karaoke! Spotify even provides playlists of karaoke classics that will get your crew into the groove while remembering the biggest hits of the era. Be careful with those high notes at the end of "I Will Always Love You"!
17. Get the Tunes Covered
For music-themed 90s party games, create slideshows featuring images of iconic album covers with the titles and band names covered and challenge your guests to name both. Include additional clues with a playlist featuring snippets of the best-known tunes from each band.
18. Check Out a Blockbuster
Before Netflix, there was Blockbuster, a 90s staple beloved enough to rate its own party game! This Blockbuster game gets everyone scratching their heads as they recall the decade's most memorable films. No 90s theme party would be complete without this boisterous cinema-centric rewind.Â
Anyone wondering "What are some 90's themes?" can find plenty of inspiration with movie, TV, music, sports and even tech motifs to bring their 90s theme party to life.
Include iconic music and great food or try a 90s homecoming theme to take your guests back to their high school days in the sweetest of ways.
With so much fun stuff embodying the era, you can easily put together a 90s R&B-themed party or play the Y2K card for New Year's Eve with a 2000 theme party that celebrates the close of a wild decade. With a little imagination, your 90s shindig will be crack-a-lackin'!
For even more fun party ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
