How to plan a 90s night for your unit
Illustrations by Pinkyvision/agencyrush.com
Revisit an iconic era of guiding with our new toppers!
When you look at the fashion mags of today, there’s little doubt that the 90s is having a big revival. From bucket hats, to scrunchies, to oversized fits and graphic tees, the trends of this era keep coming back again and again.
There are lots of theories about why this is. For a generation who’ve grown up very much online, it’s easy to see the appeal of a time before smart phones, where air-brushing was a specialist skill, and children were relatively free from online harms and distracting notifications. And the over-sized clothes that are such a big part of 90s fashion are comfortable and cosy – fun for all ages, and ticking all the right boxes for girls today.
We know from our own research that 6 in 10 girls and young women aged 11-21 are consumed by negative thoughts about how they look. So it’s maybe not surprising that girls and young people are turning to fashion trends that put comfort first.
Whatever the reasons behind it, it’s clear that 90s trends are here to stay, and at Girlguiding we love a nostalgic look back. That’s why next month, we’re launching re-makes of one of our most well-recognised eras of guiding! 35 years since the launch of our first ‘mix and match’ uniform, designed by fashion designer Jeff Banks, we’re bringing back some t-shirts and sweaters from this era, just for fun.
The 90s retro range Brownies t-shirt
The 90s retro range Brownies sweatshirt
The 90s retro range Guides t-shirt
The 90s retro range Guides hoodie
What's that on the sleeve? To give them a modern twist, the sweatshirt and hoodie have an embroidered message on the sleeve, written in the handwriting of one of our current young members, along with our current trefoil.
The 90s retro range will be available in adult sizes only. We’re hoping that it’ll be a fun way to reconnect with women who were Brownies and Guides back in the 90s, but haven’t been involved in guiding since. So we’ll be marketing these to the public in a way that we hope will raise awareness that we’re still here, and looking for volunteers!
But we know that lots of our members loved this uniform too. So if the 90s was your era, the new range is for you! Sign up to our shop newsletter to be one of the first to hear about the range when it launches.
And so that everyone can join in the fun, including girls who love the 90s, we’ve got 2 badges (coming soon!), a guide to plan your very own 90s themed party and some brand new toppers!
Worn in the 90's Brownie Badge
Worn in the 90's Guide Badge
Decoration ideas
If you want to make your unit meeting space 90s themed, there are a few easy DIY options you can try.
Lean into bright neon colours.
Wrapping paper, coloured card, fabric – whatever you’ve got lying around in your craft box could make a great option for decorations. Layer different coloured sheets of paper on top of each other at geometric angles to make a vivid table display, or cut coloured card into triangles to make some colourful bunting you can write slogans on.
Repurpose your old CDs.
If you’re not using them regularly, consider giving some of your old CD collection a second life as room decorations. You can stick them to the wall shiny side up in different shapes for a dazzling mirror effect, and a reminder of times gone by! Parents might be able to donate some too.
Set the mood with lighting.
Lava lamps, disco balls/lights - any neon lighting you or the girls can bring will help to set the 90s mood.
See what your unit have at home.
Inflatable furniture, 90s magazines and beaded curtains – does anyone have any collecting dust in their homes?
Food
If you want to go all out and make this unit meeting feel like a proper party, consider putting on a 90s-themed spread of snacks. There are lots of creative options you could go with, but here’s some ideas!
Pineapple and cheese sticks.
It might be a polarising combo, but girls can enjoy trying this retro dinner party staple.
Classic 90s sweets.
Parma Violets, Flying Saucers, party rings, dip dabs, Nerds, candy necklaces – lots of options you can still find in supermarkets and sweet shops will bring a pop of colour to your spread.
Iconic snacks.
Think string cheese, salami sticks – anything you might find in a school lunchbox.
Remember!
If you’re planning to provide food in your unit meeting, remember to follow our guidance around food safety and people with dietary requirements.
Activities
We’ve developed 2 toppers to help you capture the fun of the 90s with girls. They aren’t section specific, so anyone can enjoy them! Paper dolls work best for Rainbows and Brownies and the 90s board game works best for Guides and Rangers.
Other activity ideas
You can play the Back to the 90s boardgame as is, or you can prepare some of the activities mentioned for the girls to try out in real life:
Make some slime/gunge
A staple of 90s gameshows! Watch our YouTube video for a DIY slime tutorial.
Remember to check for any allergies before you do this activity.
Have a pop music dance party.
Check out our ready-made 90s playlist which we’ve checked is appropriate for girls of all ages. Even better if you have a karaoke machine!
Make paper fortune-tellers.
Get some paper and coloured pens (bonus 90s points for scented gel pens) and challenge girls to come up with fun fortunes.
Make a retro hair station.
Crimping, big plastic hair grips, pom pom hair ties, bandanas, butterfly clips – the 90s was truly the era for hair accessories. Lots of these accessories are back in shops – canvas your unit for what girls might be able to bring in.
Dress up!
Ask girls to come dressed in 90s themed clothes.
Make some friendship bracelets.
Always a popular activity!
Lookback through the years.
Show girls what young members wore for uniform in the 90s and get their thoughts – do they approve?
We hope you have fun with your 90s themed night! If you give it a go, we'd love to see your pictures on social media. We're @girlguiding on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok.
Sign up to subscribe to our online shop newsletter and be one of the first to hear about the launch of the Jeff Banks 90s range.
Spread the word! Use the social media buttons below to share this article with your guiding friends