From spaghetti strap crops and tiny coloured sunglasses to ankle bracelets, velvet headbands, butterfly hair clips and scrunchies; the 1990s were the days when fashion was born and bred.
Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were dating, Charmed, Friends and Sabrina the Teenage Witch were on our screens and Mary-Kate and Ashley launched their careers. Times were good.
What was one of the many gifts the Olsen Twins gave us? Hair bandanas, of course. In paisley print, to be precise.
The bandana is officially the nostalgic hair accessory making a major comeback this summer, and we're rejoicing from the throwback heavens.
Back in 1999, the world and it's mother was donning headscarves from Christina Aguilera to Dionne in Clueless. The paisley print was where it was AT.
Fast forward a couple of years, and the accessory has been spotted on the high street once more. Vintage stores are also stocking up on the style staple.
Brands and designers from JW Anderson, Kate Spade and Max Mara are using scarves for their bold catwalk looks, with signature printed ensembles and monogramming included for SS19
One perfect reason for sporting the look is that it can cover up a dodgy hair day, or unwashed hair with enough grease to cook a double cheeseburger. Unwashed tresses are concealed with ease.
Fold your square scarf diagonally in half to create a triangle, place it over your hair and tie at the nape of your neck. Fix with some bobby pins or hair clips to secure it all day, and voila. You're fierce.
Image: Instagram/@thelegendaaliyah
You can even wear the scarves as a crop top if you tie it correctly at the back, which blew our minds. An accessory and an item of clothing which embodies a past era of our lives? Sign us up.
Bad Gal RiRi even used one for her Wild Thoughts music video, looking out of this world incredible as always. We all know that anything Rihanna touches turns to gold, so it's time we joined the trend.
Image: YouTube/Wild Thoughts
The humble headscarf bandana wasn't just graced on the heads of 1990s royalty like Lauren Graham from Gilmore Girls. Male celebrities like Justin Timberlake and Tupac even wore the edgy accessory.
While some of the trends from the nineties have earned their spot on the World Dressed lists nowadays, we simply must throw our support in for the bandana kerchief. It's both lazy and hip at the same time.
If you need us, we'll be hunting Temple Bar's vintage shops for more old-school baggy sportswear, coloured hair clips and tiny sunnies for festival season. Wear your bandana with pride, ladies and gents.
Remember those egg-shaped digital pets that everyone had and didn't care proper care of?
If you don't, then you most likely weren't born in the 1990s…Those were the days. With the Spice Girls and Westlife touring, not to mention all of the live-action Disney flicks, nostalgia is in vogue right now.
The cherry on the cake: Tamagotchi digital pets are coming back into our lives, whether you like it or not. They're the EXACT replicas of the ones we knew and adored in the 90s.
Tamagotchi digital pets are now on sale on Amazon, and the general public and internet communities have lost their damn minds, understandably.
The description on Amazon's website reads: "The Original Tamagotchi digital pet you loved back in 1997 is back with the original programming!"
"Feed it, turn lights on/off, play with it, give it medicine, flush after it's used the bathroom, check it's health and discipline your Tamagotchi if he bothers you when he's happy, fed and all cleaned up."
It continues; "Raise your Tamagotchi from egg to child to adult and how you take care of it will decide which of the seven adults you'll get." What an absolute chore…we want them all.
Japanese company Bandai created Tamagotchi's 20 years ago, and first released them in 1997. They became one of the most popular toys of the 90s at rapid speed, and taught kids about basic responsibilities.
Pretty much every one of us had to deal with the digital death of our pets, but all was grand because of that sweet reset button at the back. Reborn and rejuvenated…here we go again.
Peter Jenkinson, resident toy expert, was interviewed by LADbible a few years ago and said;
"It was the first truly 'real time' toy – you didn't need to make it do stuff, it did stuff that you then had to react to. It was always on, always with you, you had little/no control over it and it was without doubt the first truly virtual pet that behaved like it had its own personality/destiny. In a way, a very early example of how AI might pan out."
"It was ahead of its time and although tech has evolved hugely this past two decades, our love of nostalgia hasn't diminished."
Dive back into your childhood and check out the multi-coloured options available online, with prices starting from around €22. It costs to go back in time, evidently.
Well, well, well; those snakes have officially been BANISHED. That's right…Taylor Swift is back with a phantasmagorial bang.
Her new pastel-themed tune is called ME! and it's a beauty, as well as featuring the great Brendan Urie from Panic! At The Disco.
Rumours are flying that ME! was supposed to actually precede Reputation, but when sh*t went down with the media regarding the Kardashians and Kanye West, she decided to show her dark side first.
Our pal Taylor has been dropping hints for weeks about her latest musical endeavour, and the pastel colours hint at a return to her 1989 roots.
Fresh from her Time100 success, Swift's return show's yet another streak for mastering her personal marketing brand.
The video is adorable, and features a Parisian aesthetic with the pop star even speaking French at one point. Très bien henny. There's also a nod to Mary Poppins in there too, randomly.
The gal loves Easter eggs, and there's plenty of hidden meanings in the Dave Meyers-directed video.
4. This detective discovered a possible feature from the album;
OK, I’m pretty sure this is the Dixie Chicks on the wall. First single is a duet. New theory: the whole album is collabs, next single will feature Dixie Chicks. Maybe album is titled ME! and YOU!, you bring the duet partners. #TaylorSwiftTONIGHTpic.twitter.com/RqODTfos1o
At the moment, Taylor is currently on track to break the record for fastest music video to reach 100 million views on YouTube, after Ariana Grande's Thank U, Next and BTS' Boy With Luv.
It's surpassed 13 million views in just three hours, which is phenomenal.
Without further ado, here's Taylor's new video. Indulge in it, if you haven't already seen it. If you've already seen it, watch it again. It's worth it.
It's official: the Jonas Brothers are BACK with their single Sucker, and it's 2008 again. We're sporting frizzy hair, kissing their posters on our walls goodnight and blaring Burnin' Up on repeat.
Their six-year-long hiatus really did break our hearts, but all is now rejuvenated. Joe, Kevin and Nick have reunited and it's clear by their new video that they're taken men. They've put rings on it, so to speak.
The partners of all three brothers feature in the track's new vid; Priyanka Chopra, Sophie Turner and Danielle Jonas, all looking flawless as they parade around a fancy mansion while their men serenade them..
The three brothers sing the lyrics to Sucker while gazing at their respective lovers, and it's intense; “I’m a sucker for all the subliminal things no one knows about you."
It's a quirky video filled with glamour and colour, and PDA of course. Priyanka and Nick literally can't keep their hands away from each other, and they're eye-f*cking WAY too much for us to feel comfortable.
Priyanka shared the video to her Instagram with the caption; “
"#SuckerVideo OUT NOW. This is the first time we’ve worked together but not for a moment did it feel like work. Such a fun family affair…#JonasBrothers and the #JSisters cheering each other on! Proud of you husband.”
The brothers teased their reunion in a Carpool Karaoke slot for The Late Late Show with James Corden, with their last album being released back in June of 2013.
The video looked like a lot of fun to film, with Sophie Turner sipping wine while soaking in a bathtub, gazing on as Joe looks at her with awe. We want that look too, we have to admit.
The costumes are pretty extravagant, and Nick made sure to brag about his new wifey on his Twitter account;
The memes of Sophie Turner licking her lips of course have done the rounds, and it's pretty gas.
The song is already racing up the iTunes charts, and the video is getting the attention it deserves. We're so glad the brothers are returning to fix 2019, we needed some serious nostalgia and the lads have delivered.
*Seeps into bubble bath holding a glass of champagne*
Is there any nostalgic band that isn't getting back together this year? From The Spice Girls and Westlife, to Avril Lavigne and Jojo dropping albums; we now have no idea what year it is.
Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Bynes are somehow relevant again, and we're pure delighted that our pre-teen treasures are making a return.
News has just hit that The Jonas Brothers are making a comeback too, and we genuinely can't handle any more of this.
The band broke up back in 2013 citing "a deep rift within the band" and "creative differences", and the boys went their separate ways to pursue their own careers and love lives.
31-year-old Kevin randomly launched a business career after his E! Reality show Married To Jonas was cancelled, participating in The Celebrity Apprentice.
Now he co-manages the JonasWerner development company, a social media influencer firm The Blu Market and Yood, the food app.
29-year-old Joe is now engaged to Game Of Thrones' Sophie Turner, and is the lead singer of funk-pop group DNCE, of Cake By The Ocean fame.
26-year-old Nick, the youngest JoBro, released two successful solo albums, starred in Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, and got married to Priyanka Chopra. Everyone fell in love with them as a couple.
It seems like Nick did the best out of the lot, we all had a bop to Chains, Close and Jealous. They were absolute CHOONS.
According to Us Weekly sources, the brothers will rise from the ashes like a beautiful phoenix as JONAS.
They've ditched their chastity belts, so they also have to ditch the 'Brothers' and 'The' in the name to prove their serious musician-status. Gas.
Their reunion will reportedly result in new music, their first since 2009's Lines, Vines and Trying Times, tour dates and even a documentary. The band's Christian image must still be garnering fans from somewhere…
Nick has been liking tweets about the reunion, and The FADERnoticed that their Instagram account has been reactivated. JONAS have yet to make an official announcement, but we've got our eyes peeled.
Kevin told Usin 2018 that he and his brothers often play music together and this summer, Just Jaredreported sightings of the trio working on a project.
Now is the time to follow the lads if Camp Rock changed your adolescence…and the music industry forever. They're giving twenty-somethings what we really want, and we love them for it.
It really is the year of nostalgia; Between the Spice Girls, Westlife and Carrie Bradshaw, it's clearly comeback o'clock.
News recently broke that one of the biggest legends of the early 2000s is making a musical return, with her sophomore album expecting to be released before the end of 2019.
We've all got more than fond memories of tunes such as Gotta Tell You and Always Come Back To Your Love, and soon we'll be hearing brand new music from the versatile singer.
We sat down for a chat with the woman herself, and once our starstruck fever calmed down, we managed to ask her a few questions.
There have been whispers of musical comebacks for many years now, considering her first album Gotta Tell You was released back in 2000 when she was only sixteen-years-old.
While the rest of us were figuring out creative ways to abandon school for a few hours and day-dreaming of Zack Morris from Saved By The Bell, Samantha was making CHUNES.
So why choose now to release her long-awaited album number two? Samantha is a woman of many talents, trying her hand at Masterchef in 2017, as well as appearances in Dancing On Ice and on ITV's Loose Women.
“It’s been in the works for a couple of months, so for me I did Manchester Pride last summer, and I was so blown away by the response. As I was onstage I was literally like, why don’t I have any new music to perform? This is stupid, like it’s ridiculous. I’m one of those people who gets in their own way all the time. Even if I think of doing something, I’ll think of 20 reasons not to do it. I thought, ‘No, enough it enough’. I was afraid to do it again. The timing just feels good, and now I’m seeing that everyone is coming back, I thought, ‘What is going on?’ Hang on a second, I was coming back first!”
Damn right she was. Samantha's popularity with a range of audiences and people of all ages has to be noted, but why do so many listeners seem to relate to her?
“That’s a great question, and I don’t really know the answer. It’s just one of those things, a nostalgia thing. I also think because I was so young when I started, a lot of people literally feel, and they have, like they’ve grown up with me. People have even stopped me in the street to say, ‘Oh hey, how are you?’ as if they know me. I’ve been around for a while, I think there’s that kind of connection where people have really gotten behind me, it’s like I’m a cousin of theirs. It’s that kind of thing, it’s brilliant.”
Samantha still returns home to Dublin fairly regularly, and her little daughter Sage calls it her home too. We wondered if she had stayed up to date on Ireland's current homelessness crisis?
“It’s scandalous, it’s absolutely shocking. That’s why I thought this Just Eat campaign was just such a no-brainer. I’d love if they could double what they did last year, which in itself was incredible. Even especially being home at the minute, and it’s so cold, you just think, ‘Oh my God’, it’s not right. There’s a lot of young kids that are homeless, and it’s heartbreaking. Being a mother now myself, it’s just awful. You never know what goes on in someone’s life, it can happen to anybody, you just never know what kind of bad things could come somebody’s way. It can happen to everybody, and everybody should chip in," she says.
She's partnered up with Just Eat this year for their annual National Takeaway Tuesday to raise funds for the Peter McVerry Trust, who do vital work for the homeless. To date, Just Eat customers have generated over €50,000 for the Peter McVerry Trust, enough to move five people out of homelessness and into better futures.
Samantha comments; "This takeaway campaign is perfect, because you can order food on a Tuesday, get a 10 percent discount and chip in 10 percent to 2019’s Just Eat charity of choice, the Peter McVerry Trust. So you’re doing something good."
Does she notice the homelessness which is also prevalent in Los Angeles too, while she's spending her down-time there?
“Again, who am I to talk about anything, but there are definite areas. Santa Monica area and Downtown area, what I find is that a lot of the problems there are mental health. These people should be in facilities, in LA for me I notice, it’s a lot more of that. Whereas here, it’s more people who are getting a bad run of things. It just seems to be different circumstances, I suppose," she emphasises.
Her daughter Sage was born in 2015, with her husband Torray Scales. We're immediately jealous of Sage, because she's already heard some of her mum's new material;
‘Nightmare before Christmas is her thing. We listen to that soundtrack, and I love it as well, so it’s great. Sometimes she said, ‘I wanna hear mummy’s songs’, she approves of the new songs, thankfully. She’s very sweet, but other times she’s like, ‘Ok, back to Disney’, she laughs.
“She says she lives in LA and lives in Dublin, she loves being home. She gets totally spoilt rotten at home. The back and forth is her norm, she doesn’t know any different.”
We couldn't let Samantha go without trying to get the dates for her new music to be released, it had to be done. For the good of mankind. Luckily, she was ready for the question;
“I was hoping to have a date already. I have to have it within the next two weeks, because I want my first release to be latest end of March, early April. So we’re working on it. I’d love to have two singles out by the summer, and the album definitely will be later on in the year, but I’m on it.”
Me: “Calm down, Shane. It’s only January 4th.”
Also me: “Okay, Samantha Mumba and Madonna, it’s 2019–where are the new albums?!?”
One core difference between now and when Samantha started is, of course, the power of social media. She's aware of it as a tool, and this time it's going to connect her even more to her fans;
“That’s what I’m enjoying the most, there’s no random people telling me what I have to do, I’m fully in control of everything. That’s kind of the most exciting part for me. The people I’ve been working with in the States are so creative, they’re really pushing me out of my comfort zone.”
In terms of teasing some collaborations in the pipeline, she's revealed a song with MNEK has been created, and we are SO HERE for it. The artist is known for working with some of pop's biggest names, among them are Dua Lipa and Zara Larsson.
“MNEK I have done work with, yes, I adore him. He’s incredible, he’s so talented. I have done one song with him, and I have my core group of people to work with. I think he’ll actually be in LA again in another couple of weeks, so we’ll do another session there as well. I’d love to bring him in with my people, because I think they’d all mesh really well. I’m excited for what that will bring. He’s such a talent and a joy to work with.”
Is there anyone she's especially got her eye on, in terms of new female talent?
“I just discovered her and I’m obsessed, it’s Donna Missal from the US. She’s incredible, I love her."
Samantha is 36-years-old, and time has only given her even more glamour, wisdom and thick-skin for the tough music industry.
Her new album is set to encompass that sense of maturity;
My new music is pop R’N’B, it’s current to where I am, I’m a grown woman who’s lived a life. I have a lot of things to say. I’m just expressing them, and hopefully other women will relate to it."
Samantha is the newest 2019 mood; let her reign begin anew.
Westlife have just released a brand new single called Hello My Love, and naturally fans have damn near lost their sanity over it.
The boyband are set to release their first album since 2010's Gravity, and The Twenty Tour is already the group's fastest selling tour of all time.
Mark, Shane, Nicky and Kian will play massive Croke Park dates in July, which has fans ecstatic in expectation.
An INSANE 400,000 tickets were sold in just 48 hours, so you can bet on their new single being played on the radio pretty much 24 hours a day from now on.
Aifric commented; "the lyrics to the new Westlife song are…grim," pointing out the strangeness of body hair being featured in a supposed love song.
What exactly is the definition of 'hair growing where it's meant to'? We're fairly sure that all hair grows where it's meant to, it's called EVOLUTION lads. Look it up.
We genuinely hadn't noticed the lyrics, we were too busy blasting the tune and wrangling randomers online to try and get a Croke Park ticket, but now we're investigating the song for science purposes only.
*Strokes beard thoughfully*
Seeing as we're an extremely balanced source, we decided to search for other Westlife fans (or foes) who have expressed opinions on the lyrics.
One Twitter user @ghoulenaloops, wrote that the lyrics go straight to the heart, proclaiming; "That's LOVE'. Alright then, if you say so.
Suddenly, my teen years are back and I never thought I'd hear a new Westlife single ever again
'Cause you could have someone without a belly or a temper
Perfect teeth, hair growing where's meant to… <-These lyrics: straight to the That's LOVE!https://t.co/DtaXGH3cBG
Some fans don't have any issue with the lyrcs, it seems. Maybe the boys meant it in a 'this girl is far too good for me' way?
After all, the chorus suggests that the writer of the song emphasises that his lady is so perfect, that he's punching far above his weight.
"Hello, my love, I've been searching for someone like you for most of my life, happiness ain't a thing I'm used to. You could have fallen hard for anyone, plenty of fish in the sea…
For all of time, now I know, It's just my angel and me."
The boyband essentially specialise in ballads and pop songs revolving around a (female) love interest, but this tune kind of implies that the lad is insecure AF.
Twitter had some more…interesting… reactions, mainly from fans who choose to ignore the eccentric lyrics out of sheer dedication to the band.
Westlife fans knowing the new single's lyric would have some hair and teeth contained but still believe that it will be great pic.twitter.com/ZEXb3xrjgE
Others hilariously commented on the fact that any decent assumptions which were made about the physique of the Westlife lads were being steadily shattered;
Love love #Westlife new song… however ‘hair growing where it’s ment to’ what is that lyric all about ruining illusions about @ShaneFilan perfect body!!!
@Wendybird1 wrote that the lyric is, heaven forbid, ruining illusions about Shane Filan's 'perfect body'. The poor woman must be devastated.
Another fan with a 'wee soft spot' for the musical foursome commented that the lads are…*gasp* 'SCRAPING THE BARREL with these lyrics. Ouch, that one hurt.
will always have a wee soft spot for westlife but sweet jesus they're really scrapping the barrel with these lyrics to #hellomylove
Typically, society tells men that hair growing in the 'wrong' place translates to back hair, nostril hair and even hair sprouting out of ears.
If we fight back against the patriarchy controlling women's body hair (anyone who has experienced a Hollywood wax knows the PAIN), shouldn't we encourage men to embrace their bodies in their natural state?
Society shouldn't have any say in an individual's body and its preference of hair, but perhaps Westlife like a bit of male grooming?
Manscaping has become a major trend for men in recent years, which is essentially the equivalent of a bikini wax.
However, some ladies love a hairier man. Everyone has their own styles and preferences, who are we to define them?
What are your thoughts on the lyrics, innocent male insecurity or just plain body-shaming?
Give us your receipts, our scientific investigation on the mane matter rages on…
The early noughties WORSHIPPED the French manicure, and all of a sudden we're seeing a major comeback.
Between Ariana Grande using the trend as part of her iconic 00's chick-flick themed Thank U, Next music video, and Ocean's 8 featuring the nail art, fashion has taken a turn.
White-tipped nails were huge back in the day, everyone who was anyone sported the chic style craze. Heiresses such as Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian West aided the movement.
The trend appeared to die by the time 2010 came along, with those in the ensuing decade calling it cheesy and (*gasp*) TACKY.
The tide is turning, because the nail style is appearing everywhere from red carpets to fashion shows, from celebrity appearances to music videos.
We're seeing massive 1990s comebacks, from bands such as the Spice Girls and Westlife as well as reboots of popular TV shows and movies such as Sabrina.
It makes sense that nails should follow fashion and popular culture, and we're SO ready to whip out those white tips.
"Fashion has taken a '90s turn from influence, so of course the trends have returned from that era. I'm enjoying the new modern twists, maybe because it comes from my era."
"How you approach the modern take is vital; the nail shape should be a ballerina, not a square. If it's not done right, it will become 'basic'," she commented.
Heaven forbid.
Are you ready to WERK the trend, or do you think it should stay in the 2000s where it belongs?
Having grown up as the star of her very own self-titled Nickelodeon show, Amanda Bynes is no stranger to the spotlight.
Her successful television career opened doors to the movie industry with the actress starring in a number of teen rom-coms in the early 2000's including She's the Man and Easy A.
Now 31, the star's acting career was put on hold in 2010 after her return to education was followed by a string of mental health issues.
But now the actress is reportedly back in a good place and is even planning to return to the screen (big or small) in 2018.
In a statement released to Page Six, Amanda's lawyer said: “Amanda is looking forward to ringing in the new year with her close friends this year. In 2018, she looks forward to completing fashion school and dipping her toe back into acting. She has had several offers but is waiting for the right one to come along for a comeback.”
This isn't the first time Amanda has hinted at a return to acting. Earlier this year, the star gave her first interview in over four years and revealed her desire to get back in the game.
"I do miss acting, and I have something surprising to tell you: I want to do TV," she said.
"Maybe a few guest spots on some shows that I'm a fan of and maybe another TV show where I'm the star of it, in the future. That's what I hope."
Much like Von Dutch hats, UGGs and Kelis's Milkshake, flip phones live on in our hearts and minds as an iconic piece of 00s culture.
The now seemingly ancient artefacts were the must-have gadget of the 00s era, with every celeb worth their salt rocking a snappy flip phone with their Juicy tracksuit.
Bonus points if it was bedazzled in crystals.
Last year, Motorola announced that they were bringing back an updated version of their beloved Razr phone, and now Samsung are following suit.
The Samsung Galaxy Folder 2 is here to make all our Simple Life dreams come true.
As you can expect, the phone has a sassy flip mechanism, comes in metallic pink and purple and has 16GB of internal memory and an 8MP main camera.
As well as having all the throwback features, the phone will also be adapted to today's social media savvy age, with a 'social app key' that allows users to easily access their social media accounts through the touch of a button.
There will also be a a 5MP selfie camera.
Samsung has actually continued to sell their original flip phones since the 00s, but their only market was in South Korea.
mad to think 12 year olds got smartphones and social media, when i was 12 i had a flip phone with £5 credit and crazy frog as my ringtone
"For the folks asking about the new snow patrol album, #SP7. here’s the news. we had a breakthrough recording session in feb and are on the home straight," he said, captioning a shot of the new album's song list.
"The awesome Jacknife Lee is in the producer’s chair as usual and we have more time with him in the studio in May/June and will be finished at the end of June."
"Hopefully that gives us plenty of time to bring the album out this year. That is the plan. Plans are fallible but we'll damn well try our best."
"Six years is a bloody eternity between albums we know so the fact people are still asking when it's coming means a lot to us. We’ll post updates from the studio from late may onwards," finished the post.
We're delighted that the lads are making a comeback, and we can't wait to hear the album this year.
It's looking like Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta are in talks to bring back Danny and Sandy – and we're a little bit over the moon.
Olivia has confirmed that the pair are chatting about plans for a 40th reunion next year, but she's keeping her cards close to her chest.
Speaking at the Fame Awards at the Hard Rock Live in Las Vegas, where she won the Icon Award, Olivia said: "We are thinking up ways. Nothing to announce yet.
"Forty years anniversary of Grease, which I can’t believe. Time goes so fast. It is so exciting."
According to The Mirror, the Fame Awards producer, Al Browman, said about Olivia: "To hear that she is returning as Sandy with John will be a huge deal for the world.
"It will be a huge deal. We would welcome them performing at next year's Fame Awards."
We're getting waaay too excited for this.
Oh, and while we have you; don't forget to have your say in the inaugural SHEmazing Awards this May! It's time to vote, and you can do it right here!
