The fashion world gasped when Saint Laurent (formally known as Yves Saint Laurent) sent models down their fall/winter 2013/2014 runway wearing ensembles reminiscent of the “Seattle Sound” era. Eventually Fashionistas everywhere regained their breath and took a second look. There they were. Models with a “who cares-I hate the world” attitude pranced down the runway in dresses reminiscent of Courtney Love’s “Doll Parts” music video combined with thrift store pieces. This was it; Saint Laurent announced to the world that grunge has returned for the fall 2013 season.

I have a love/hate relationship with grunge. The “Seattle Sound” and grunge look was popular when I was graduating from high school and during my early years of undergrad. The grunge look became popular instantly and college students who would normally be classified as “preppy” would throw a flannel shirt over their tee shirts and jeans; calling it “grunge.” Lug soled shoes, Doc Marten boots and plaid shirts were everywhere; diluting the whole message behind the anti-establishment movement.

The grunge style was originally conceived through thrift store purchases by musicians in Seattle who were barely scraping by and living hand to mouth. To see this on the runway was a true testament of going from the street to the runway; and then back to the street. Could grunge be classified as the original “street style?” Can you think of another major trend which originated on the street and then took the fashion world by storm on the runway? Why has this trend returned to the runway? The “Seattle Sound” era has ended and only remains in the CD archives of GenX-ers who occasionally want to listen to Soundgarden and Pearl Jam songs to remember the “good ‘ol days.” So why are we re-living the fashion of the time?

I will admit to being one of those “preppy” college students in the mid-90’s wearing a DKNY plaid flannel shirt over my Gap jeans and lug soled shoes from Macy’s. I will also admit to loving everything that came out of Seattle in the 1990’s and I still have many of those albums on my iPod. Will I wear grunge again? Probably not. The big question is, will you wear grunge? Did you wear it the first time around? Will the globe catch on to this trend or will it remain on the runway? Thoughts to ponder. . .