The 90s: Clinton was in office, alternative music was in full force and fashion was at it’s peak. The 2000s: George Bush was in office, the music sucked and don’t get me started on what was “stylish.” Now that we’ve been under a Democratic president for a few years now, I can’t help but wonder: does the way our country is run affect our pop culture?
After all, in the 80’s, when Ronald Reagan was in the White House, when “Just Say No” was rammed down the youths throats, our country’s pop culture crashed and burned. The big hair, the “cock rock”/hair metal. Sure, we had new wave and angry political punk rock bands, but overall, Reagan really cramped our style. When the 90’s came around we became more liberated in America. We became more politically conscious. Anita Hill happened. We began to talk about Feminism again. Rodney King happened. We began to talk about civil rights again. Beauty wasn’t conventional anymore. Yes, it was the era of the supermodel, but women felt the freedom to shave their heads and wear ass kicking boots. You didn’t need to be blond or skinny to have your voice heard.
But when the 2000s came around, and the likes of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie blasted across TV screens and magazines everywhere. It was the age of the blonde, skinny and dim-witted. Living in a post Kurt Cobain, post 9/11 world, people began to lose their faith in humanity (and fashion.) Just Google “early 2000s style” and you’ll see what I mean. Low rise jeans with exposed thongs, big tacky belts, velour tracksuits. It was the decade of Abercrombie and Fitch. Basically clothes that are not meant to fit a woman above a size 2.
But now with Bush far from the Oval Office I’ve noticed a switch in pop culture. The hourglass shape (read: not having a size zero body) is considered beautiful again. It’s okay to have hips, it’s okay to have thick thighs. It’s actually welcomed now to have curves. Women from all cultures are being celebrated more than ever. I will actually pick up a fashion magazine and read (in awe) of things that I like to wear being popular again. And I don’t think it’s just fashion: I think my generation is a lot more liberal when it comes to other things as well. People speak to me about current events, political issues, women’s rights. My generation is more conscious of what is going on in our world, and it’s a beautiful thing to see. Yes we still have the vapid reality shows we saw first debut in the early 2000s. But we’ve come a long way. So whether you’re a Democrat or not, having a Democrat as a president helps more than hurts us.