A case of fine Nines?

Ah yes, the decade of Beanie Babies, halterneck tops and platform trainers. The decade that gave us Austin Powers, Happy Gilmore, Trainspotting and Mrs Doubtfire.The Nineties was the decade when everyone asked their hairdresser for a Rachel, when belly buttons (preferably pierced) were on permanent show, Wonderbras stopped traffic and models were becoming truly super. Yes, those Nineties are officially back in style.

The 1990s were referenced repeately on the catwalks for Spring/Summer 2010. Ashish featured a range of brightly-hued, fun tee-shirt style dresses emblazoned with cartoon-type images of everything from the Statue of Liberty to the map of Italy. Vuitton sent retro-feel kitten heels down the runway, Missoni decked its models out with rave whistles, and nearly every designer showed some version of the layered look so popular twenty years ago.

Remember Liz Hurley in that dress? (Of course you do, it was the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral back in 1994.) Well get ready, because safety pins such as the ones (barely) holding her inside the black Versace frock are also making a comeback – they will be colourful and feature on everything from dresses to handbags. Jean Paul Gaultier has even relaunched his cone bra, popularised, as it were, by Madonna during her 1990 Blonde Ambition tour.

You may well be of a vintage yourself that there are still some wearable relics of the 1990s lurking at the back of your wardrobe. If not, here are some of the other trends – good and bad – that typified the era, and which we predict may be returning to a High Street near you:

PREPPY

WE'VE got our favourite film of the Nineties (indeed, possibly of all time) to thank for this particular trend. Clueless (released in 1995) is not only one of the most quotable films, like, ever, but it's a must for fashion fans who admire the polished preppy look at its core. Alicia Silverstone proved unforgettable in over-the-knee socks, Argyle sweaters and mini-kilts, accessorised with a jaunty beret and her favourite purple clogs. Flawless!

Equally popular for men, by 1998, khakis (first made popular in America in the 1950s), were once again a wardrobe staple. Die-hards wore them with a Ralph Lauren sweater in a pastel shade slung around their shoulders.

Bringing it up to date, think about how terrific Michelle Obama looks in her J Crew separates – chic twinsets in vivid jewel tones, sharp skirts and khaki chinos. On the catwalk, Luella Barclay matched V-neck jumpers with bold braces and urban shorts. To source the look, try the high street shop Jack Wills, Polo by Ralph Lauren, or even the man who started it all, Ren Lacoste.

THE RACHEL

AH, THE hairstyle that everyone asked for but no-one actually got. Only Jennifer Aniston could pull off the bouncy, layered, flicky (and distinctly streaked) 'do that came to define women's hair in the Nineties. It's up there with Farrah Fawcett's "wings" as one of the most requested haircuts of all time, but looks painfully dated now. Is it due a renaissance? Let's hope not. We'd sooner see a return of that other big hair trend of the decade: crimping.

HEROIN CHIC

ONE of the most controversial trends of the decade was also one of the biggest. Heroin chic hit it big when Vogue printed a Corinne Day photo of Kate Moss in 1993, showing the model looking gaunt and unwell, posed against fairy lights. The look was in stark contrast to the curvy, healthy-looking models of the late Eighties such as Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer. Soon, advertising campaigns featured waifs with pale skin, dark eyes, jutting bones and lank hair. The androgynous, drug-addicted look was perpetuated by that year's Calvin Klein ad campaign, also featuring Moss, shot by fashion photographer Davide Sorrenti, right, who later died of a heroin overdose. The aesthetic was condemned by everyone from anti-drug groups to US president Bill Clinton for glamorising drug use, and is said to have sparked an epidemic of eating disorders.

GRUNGE

BLAME Kurt Cobain for this one (and bear in mind that according to some trend predictors, his widow, Courtney Love, is due for a 2010 renaissance). Possibly the most popular of the Nineties trends, grunge, as is so often the case with fashion fads, had its roots in music and coincided with the increasing popularity of bands coming out of Seattle in the early to mid-Nineties. Key components included flannel shirts, Dr Martens boots, babydoll dresses and army surplus store finds. This was the signature look of our favourite Nineties small-screen heroine – Angela Chase from My So-Called Life, above. Unkempt and unflashy, it's clothing with a real working-class ethos and as such, it's the antithesis of the gaudier looks of the Eighties. This is one look you should be able to pull together by hitting the charity shops. Look for natural fibres, relaxed tailoring, jeans, khakis, well-worn T-shirts and work boots.

GOTH

IRN-Bru may have urged them to cheer up, but designers from John Galliano to Karl Lagerfeld loved their sultry ways. The goth look was big in the Nineties, both in the classroom and on the catwalk. Think black boots, black lipstick, white faces and layered black clothing. The early 2010 interpretation of the look involves flowing capes, from floor-length cloak to capelet, in black or leather.

Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh and Rodarte all showed spring/summer collections with a distinct goth influence, though they softened the look with the judicious use of grey, while Givenchy sent some spookily spectral girls down their runway. If you're curious but feeling timid, why not start small, with a dash of very spot-on-trend black nail varnish?

MINIMALISM

THIS is a timeless trend we can run with in the recession-ridden 21st century. As the decadence and extravagant displays of wealth of the Eighties began to fade, and the economy took a wobble, designers in the Nineties began shunning opulence in favour of stark minimalism. Fashion houses such as Jil Sander and Prada jumped on the trend with immaculately-cut simple pieces, but it was Calvin Klein who made this look his own. As with many of the decade's trends, the ethos was androgynous, typified by crisp white shirts, simple skirts, trousers and mannish blazers, often in neutral shades. Among 2010's best minimalists are Swiss fashion house Akris, the team at Yves St Laurent, and designer Hussein Chalayan.