The Fabulous Return Of 1990s Fashion Aesthetic
SAMANTHA HA looks into how the rising trend of Kidcore aesthetics amongst youths in Singapore has helped small businesses grow.
Kidcore aesthetics centers "around bright" colours, "nostalgia for icons from the 90s, and kid themes”. The aesthetic is said to have originated in the 2010s.
Photo credits: theprismbeads on Instagram
What started out with thrift shopping soon became a new obsession when Abdul Haziq bin Abdul Malik,17, chanced upon beaded bracelets and other jewellery products at the store, and gradually started purchasing more of these childlike products.
Butterfly clips and rainbow-themed accessories have become a sight that’s impossible to ignore. This youthful aesthetic, Kidcore, has captured the attention of many youths in Singapore with many donning these fashion accessories, mostly bracelets and necklaces as part of their daily wear.
In an article by Nylon, it was mentioned that the search for Kidcore items on Etsy increased by 24.39 per cent from July 2020 to September 2020.
Haziq often purchases his Kidcore fashion accessories in batches, and has spent around $80 so far on mainly bracelets and necklaces. These Kidcore accessories have helped to accentuate his bubbly personality which he says helps him “make a good impression” of himself on others.
This fashion aesthetic that makes youths reminisce their childhood has also helped Haziq with his self-identity.
He says, “I think that your own creativity gets to shine out through that, and other people get to see it, and it really does make me feel like I am my own person.”
Haziq says that wearing Kidcore accessories help him feel more confident when he goes out.
Photo credits: Abdul Haziq bin Abdul Malik
As more youths begin to weave the Kidcore aesthetic into their daily fashion wear, small jewellery businesses in Singapore have started to gain more interest from potential consumers of the Kidcore aesthetic trend.
Lim Wensee, 17, started her online business, theprismbeads, on Jan 1, 2021 where she makes and sells pieces that come in vibrant and elegant themes.
With the rise of the Kidcore aesthetic, Wensee has seen an increase in her sales over time. At the start of her business, she used to sell one to three pieces a month, but now sells at least 10 pieces a month.
“It’s quite popular on Tik Tok right now, so it has helped boost my sales a bit more, especially when I release more [rainbow themed] jewellery,” says Wensee, attributing social media as a reason for the growth of her business.
Miss Valerie Tan, 19, owns a small jewellery business, known as socksinmymouth, where she creates pieces that are inspired by the Kidcore aesthetic, while still maintaining her own distinct style from other creators in the market.
“I wanted to do something that was different, and stands out from others,” Miss Tan says, sharing that she recycles “toys and elements” from her childhood sets, or looks to second-hand shops and Carousell to find these elements.
She says that these aspects of her pieces provide a more personal touch, and gives her old items a new lease of life.
Miss Tan’s business has also received a lot of attention from youths interested in Kidcore. She says that this trend has helped her small business grow since October 2020.
Miss Tan says that there are 10 to 15 more comments on posts about Kidcore accessories compared to non-Kidcore accessories, and these posts tend to reach more people through the explore page in comparison to the other styles that she sells.
While Kidcore aesthetics may be the trend right now, there is no guarantee that it’ll remain or become more popular because of the ever-changing landscape in fashion.
An article written by Everyday Health mentioned fashion trends come in cycles and tend to recur after a period of time, often adapted to fit the current fashion taste, so styles that were not loved back then are now experiencing a “resurgence in popularity”.
In the present, fashion is also about individuality.
Haziq admits the Kidcore aesthetics may be “too loud” for others though the accessories bring out his personality.
“All that matters to me is that I feel good with what I choose to wear,” Haziq says.