Nineties celebrity airport paparazzi photos may have been a massive invasion of privacy at the time, but the images remain an indelible source of style inspiration today. Gucci put out an entire advertising campaign starring Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny paying homage to the aesthetic earlier this year. Gen Z-targeted brands like Sporty & Rich try to capture the vibe in their collections. You could argue that the entire current obsession with non-branded, minimalist, “quiet” style all leads back to the particular ’90s take on jet-set fashion.
This was before every star had stylists on call to curate their every moment in public—and the candid airport snapshots offered a rare glimpse into VIPs’s truest style selves. At the time, that often meant minimalist, well-tailored, wearable clothes, accessorized with the blackest of black sunglasses and, perhaps, a designer travel bag. Here, take a look back at some of favorite celebrity fashion moments from the decade.
Winona Ryder and Gwyneth Paltrow
Two of the most iconic ‘It’ girls from the ’90s were spotted together at LAX in 1997, exemplifying the jet-set fashion of the decade: minimalist, deceitfully casual, and the more black the better. Dark shades, of course, were practically mandatory.
Halle Berry’s 1992 travel ’fit was a play in proportions, with an oversize leather jacket and well-tailored jeans.
A 21-year-old Reese Witherspoon was spotted at LAX in 1997. The hair? Well, Gwen Stefani’s No Doubt was one of the biggest bands in the world at that time.
A young Kate Moss kept it girly in 1992, toting a leather-print shoulder bag.
Even Royalty flies commercial from time to time.
You suddenly understand why Hugh Grant was booked and busy in about half of the decade’s most iconic rom-coms.
At the height of Spice mania, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, and Geri Halliwell were all keeping it “sporty.”
Even back then, Victoria Beckham was seriously devoted to keeping things “posh” and chic, in no-nonsense all black.
Cindy Crawford kept it prim, proper, and climate controlled with a double sweater look.
Long before we knew the phrase “quiet luxury,” Jennifer Aniston was exemplifying the look.
Whitney Houston mixed and matched the decade’s eccentricities with its minimalism.
Don’t play with her. Madonna was more “boy,” less “toy” while catching a flight on the Concorde at Heathrow Airport in 1992.
Naomi was dripping in gold and Chanel while catching a flight out of L.A. in 1991.
Victoria Beckham and David Beckham
The Beckhams have never been afraid to lean into “couples style,” even at the beginning of their relationship.
Dolly Parton is always going to do things her own timeless way, but the base of black with a pop of leopard print still fit the decade’s style brief.
Melanie Griffith (AKA Dakota Johnson’s mother to younger audience) did her own take on black and leopard print in 1999.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck
Black and animal print were quite the versatile combination at the time, which Gwyneth Paltrow (pictured here with then-boyfriend Ben Affleck) also proved in 1998.
Kate Moss demonstrated that leopard print and white could work in a pinch, too.
Angelina Jolie, pictured here with her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, opted for just the black.
Fran Drescher, however, proved all-black airport ’fits can still pack quite a bit of personality.
The times may change, but a big Louis Vuitton bag remains a celebrity airport staple, as actress (and current Real Housewife) Garcelle Beauvais proves.
Don’t trust a Housewife? Take supermodel Christy Turlington’s word for it, too.
…or Tammy Faye Bakker’s dog.
Gloria Estefan was on her feet at LAX, wearing 1993’s high-waist trend.
Sharon Stone put her own spin on a similar pair of trousers.
Grace Jones was ready for anything in this hooded catsuit.
Of course, stars from a more classic age of Hollywood (like Bacall, shown here), could still be counted on to show the kids how a more refined sense of airport style is done.
There’s a reason Paul Newman is still considered a God by your average GQ reader.
The Birkin bag was literally invented for celebrity travel (Jane Birkin found herself sitting next to Hermès chief executive officer Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight in 1984, where she told him she needed the perfect leather tote for travel). Elle Macpherson kept that heritage alive by pairing a red bag with a checked blazer and leggings.
Yasmine Bleeth and Richard Grieco
Nineties icon Yasmine Bleeth was rarely spotted at an airport without her Birkin (or her former fiancé, Richard Grieco).
This is now the kind of ’fit all Carhartt-obsessed menswear guys aspire to.
Winona Ryder was spotted leaving LAX in 1990 in perfect beatnik style.
Britney Spears kept it casual in 1999 with just a peek of exposed boxers.
Whitney Houston was not playing around with these gold print pants.
Brooke Shields put a hard-rock edge on this 1992 airport outfit.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick
Sarah Jessica Parker wasn’t yet Carrie Bradshaw in 1993, but she still knew how to pull off an outfit. Some girls today would kill for those clogs.
Glenn Close’s casual blazer cannot be ignored.
Al Pacino has always marched to his own beat, style-wise. But when he pulls it off, he really pulls it off.
This simple 1994 outfit looks like something Cindy Crawford’s daughter, Kaia Gerber, would wear today.
Elizabeth Hurley and Kevyn Aucoin
Elizabeth Hurley and legendary makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin look like they were up to trouble at LAX.
Sigourney Weaver is proof that the sheer trend isn’t really anything new.
Kyle MacLachlan and Linda Evangelista
Former couple Kyle MacLachlan and Linda Evangelista kept it cool in 1994.
Debi Mazar could not be bothered.
The teen heartthrob himself embodied the look of your typical male actor airport outfit of the time.
While the default mood was to keep your sunglasses on and your eyes adverted, at least The Spice Girls enjoyed the attention.
Claudia Schiffer was packed for anything in all leather.
