The Nostalgic "What Were You Like in the '90s?" Trend Has People Walking Down Memory Lane

The viral TikTok trend known as "what were you like in the '90s?" is bringing all the feels for millennials and even for Gen Z kids who are fans of celebrity millennials. While it's not totally clear how the trend started, like so many on the short-form video platform, what really matters is how many users are getting in on the trend to show flashback photos of themselves.

It's like a super nostalgic walk down memory lane for most users. For others, it's a chance to look back on celebrities in their younger years and in iconic roles. As far as TikTok trends go, the "what were you like in the '90s?" one is all about good feelings, if some are a little bittersweet, and it's pretty easy to do for those who want to try it out themselves.

The most important component of the trend is probably the Goo Goo Dolls song "Iris," which plays in the background as the photos appear on the screen, one after another, in the video. But the first clip should show a video or photo of the user in question with the words "What were you like in the '90s?" It also helps to add a "hey Mom" or "hey Dad" before it, just to make the collection of photos that much more emotional.

The idea behind the trend is to show yourself now and show what you looked like way back when. For some millennials, there is a big change, whether it's a style change, hair color, or overall appearance as a whole. It's like a much more drawn-out "Throwback Thursday" moment that tons of TikTok users are taking part in.

The trend might also be a way to celebrate the '90s in general. For some, whether they were a kid in the '90s or not even born yet during the decade, the '90s symbolize a simpler time, at least where social media is concerned. It's kind of like how kids of the '90s viewed the vibe of the '60s, in a way.

One user on X (formerly Twitter) who shared a video with the trend wrote, "The '90s were the last great decade. We had technology, but it didn't consume our lives. We had real, authentic relationships. Your friends were everything. We shared culture. Watched the same movies, the same shows. We had so much in common."

What's a social media trend without bored celebrities getting in on it? The "what were you like in the '90s?" trend is no different. Courteney Cox posted a video of her version on TikTok and Instagram. In the caption, she wrote, "'90s fashion … Still not into it."

When John Stamos posted his own on TikTok, with tons of '80s and '90s photos, he got plenty of nostalgic "Uncle Jesse" comments right away.

And, apparently, some celebrities are urging others to do the trend. Alicia Silverstone told USA Today that after she had videos of the trend sent to her, she felt she had to make one of her own. As the star of Clueless, one of the most '90s movies to ever exist, she sort of had to.