30 Nordstrom Items I'm Shopping in Order to Master the '90s Prada Aesthetic
Everyone who works in or around fashion has a singular brand they'd ride or die for—the one they could easily wear every single day from head to toe. For me, that's Prada, whether the item in question is a fall '02 polo or a spring '22 leather jacket. But really, of all the Prada out there in the world, the pieces made during the time frame between 1990 and 1999 are the ones I hold most near and dear to my heart.
There's only one problem: As a 27-year-old editor living in Manhattan, I don't exactly have the kind of shopping budget necessary to fill my closet with a never-ending array of '90s-era vintage Prada. That's why I've had to get creative. Six hours of scouring every last page of product on Nordstrom.com later, I was left with 30 items that feel like '90s Prada and look like '90s Prada but aren't actually '90s Prada. (There is one pair of dreamy wedges from the Milanese label's current era.) Essentially, I found all the pieces necessary for someone like me who wants to master that covetable '90s-Prada aesthetic without the prices associated with rare vintage items. And no, I won't gatekeep them.
Keep scrolling to explore the treasure trove of Prada-esque pieces that are currently available at Nordstrom.
The ease of this S/S 97 Prada look—from the sleeveless vest to the belted, perfectly pressed trousers—puts it at the top of my copy list.
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This Skims tank is a no-brainer. The neckline and sleeveless shape are very Prada. Meanwhile, the price is totally reasonable at $36.
I've had my eye on these pleated WAYF trousers for weeks. They're perfectly slouchy without looking baggy or unkempt.
When I tell you that I dream about these Prada slingback wedges, I'm not kidding. It's an every-night occasion.
Though oversize blazers will always be chic, I'll forever have a bias toward cropped, fitted takes on the officewear essential, if only because it feels way more Prada-esque.
Nothing says Prada like a satin miniskirt paired with a fitted blazer and a sleeveless turtleneck.
If the current sheer-clothing trend is a favorite of yours, look no further than this S/S 95 look modeled by Carla Bruni.
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A good belt is all you need to take most outfits from okay to spectacular.
This LBD would've felt right at home during a '90s summer.
Kate Moss could make any outfit look good, but this easy-chic sweater-and-trousers combo does all the work.
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Everyone wants me to think cardigans are boring, but I'll never stop wearing them.
I'm really not a legging person, but this cropped pair from Toteme feels so retro and chic.
One of the reasons why I love Prada—specifically '90s-era Prada—so much is how simple the individual pieces are. It doesn't take a ton of volume or shocking prints to make items stand out and impress. Sometimes, all it takes is a beautifully crafted tank top and midi skirt.
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If splurging is on the cards for you, this pair of '90s-esque pumps from The Row should be at the top of your to-buy list.
This tee does it all—it tucks, it crops, and it cinches in all the right places.
I could write an entire essay all about my love for sheer knee-high socks.
Full A-line skirts like this one from Prada's S/S 95 collection are all anyone will be talking about (and wearing) this summer.
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Even in the spring, you'll catch me layering with a tissue-thin turtleneck.
This on-sale trench isn't getting the attention it deserves in my opinion.
The cowl neck on this slip dress is bringing me an endless supply of pure joy.
This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated. Coming up next: I Only Want to Wear Prada and Miu Miu—25 Affordable Alts That Are Just as Strong
Eliza Huber is a New York City–based fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and celebrity style. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion editorial team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza now lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring eBay for '90s Prada and '80s Yves Saint Laurent.
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