Cool Britannia: How Britpop Turned 90s Music into a Fashion Statement

Britpop didn’t just soundtrack the 90s – it dressed it too. Shaping everything from polo shirts and parkas to the effortless “working-class” cool that shaped an entire generation. And now, it’s making its comeback.

Born in the mid 90s, Britpop is a British music genre-turned-culture movement – with lyrics focusing on relatable, everyday life, and a melody reminiscent of 1960s pop and rock. Notably, one of the most influential bands of this genre is Oasis, and Liam Gallagher’s fashion sense soon became one to copy. 

The frontmen of the reigning bands at the time (Oasis, Blur, Pulp, and Suede), would use their “one of the people” persona and dress in high-street brands, such as Adidas and Fred Perry, allowing listeners of the genre would then copy their style with ease, thus creating an aesthetic to the genre of music. Polo shirts were paired with parkas and bucket hats, and the shoe of choice was an Adidas Samba. Harrington Jackets also gained popularity through Damon Albarn of Blur, who owned a beige colourway that soon became his trademark 90s look.

Uniqlo: Harrington Jacket (£59.90)

Unlike other trends in the 90s (cough cough, flannels and chokers) Britpop has kept its relevance and welcomed bands and solo artists into the genre over the past two decades, with artists such as McFly, Arctic Monkeys, and Sam Fender, and through the likes of TikTok, the fashion has also made a resurgence in the media. The return of Oasis for their Live ’25 tour also aided in the revival of Britpop culture, as millions queued on Ticketmaster for hours for even just a glimpse of Liam Gallagher and his bucket hat.  

During the 90s, Britpop popularised the idea of wearing football shirts as casual wear, and the members of Britain’s favourite bands took to the stage wearing their home team’s shirts, bringing the beautiful game into Britpop. The idea of wearing (now classed as ‘vintage’) football shirts was reinstated as ‘Blokecore’ in the past few years, and was, again, brought to light via TikTok in 2022.  

Adidas Originals NUFC 95/96 Away Shirt (£90)

For a more girly take on the fashion trends, we can look at artists such as Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. Allen and Winehouse paired denim mini skirts and tank tops with open-toed heels to give the “working class” look a feminine twist. Winehouse also wore polo shirts with pencil skirts, alongside V-neck jumpers paired with ballet flats. Due to her love of all things Fred Perry, the brand collaborated with the Amy Winehouse Foundation to create a collection of clothing that featured a patch of her iconic two hearts tattoo, with 20% of all net revenue going towards her charity.

Fred Perry X The Amy Winehouse Foundation: Scalloped Trim Polo Shirt (£90)

While the Britpop era officially faded away by the early 2000s, the aesthetic has received a significant revival in the recent years, with brands such as Adidas and Burberry embracing nostalgia and releasing collections with that of a resemblance of a 90s British style. Younger generations have started to discover the aesthetic through the likes of TikTok, and shopping via Vinted and Depop. With Oasis reuniting and 90s-inspired fashion showing its face on runways, Britpop has found a new audience, proving its cultural impact extends far beyond the decade in which it began.

What’s your view on the revival of the Britpop aesthetic? Let us know @fashion_north