How the 90s shaped a different youth culture

In the 90s, many things that today’s girls and boys embrace, such as alcohol, tattoos, and handkerchief-sized garments, were not allowed. Several factors contributed to this, including strict family values and parental supervision.

Alcohol was not part of courtship; it was not part of the love matrix. Lovers met in alcohol-free venues to nurture their relationships, often discussing their feelings over meals rather than drinks.

Fast forward to today, where alcohol has become an active ingredient in dating culture, often overshadowing real connections.

The availability of cheap drinks, the glorification of alcohol by the current generation, and dangerous peer pressure have dramatically impacted our youth. With fewer creative outlets and activities, many young people have turned to alcohol to pass the time.

In the 90s, there were so many activities that kept us busy. There were village football teams to watch, goats to look after, and many other chores like ironing. Any remaining time was used for studying.

These humble activities made us who we are, kept us away from social vices, and strengthened our interpersonal relationships.

Holidays weren’t for wandering aimlessly around the villages; they were dedicated to manual work on our expansive farms. The only visits we made were to close aunts and uncles.

Without the internet, the only media that exposed us to the rest of the world were our black-and-white TVs and wooden radios.

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In contrast to today, where we see young men and women engaging in wild antics in all sorts of crazy places, the April Safari Rally stunts leave those from the 90s in disbelief. Hair-raising road trips and carefree driving during events like the Rugby Sevens were simply unheard of back then.

Noisy Subbies

Riding on noisy Subbies and dancing on top of the vehicle was not a thing. Smoking shisha and ejecting the smoke like a faulty diesel engine was unheard of. A woman smoking back then would have made it to prime-time news.

Clubbing was another thing that was unheard of in the 90s. Going to clubs to listen to and watch European football matches was a luxury reserved for the crème de la crème of society, not village folks.

But the worst thing that could have happened in a 90s club would have been someone getting a tattoo on any part of their body. If certain hairstyles were banned, a tattoo would have resulted in instant expulsion from the family, especially if it was done on the breast, waist, or any other visible place.

Needless to say, in the 90s there was no body piercing. The most that was done were earrings, and even then, it had to be the traditional one-hole per ear.

The modern body piercing that targets almost everywhere—from the tongue to the breasts and nose—would have sent our parents and rural folks into instant seizures of shock.

A tattoo artist in Nairobi [File, Standard]

Men of the 90s would also not have been comfortable walking around with a tattooed woman. To us, it was a sign of serious moral decay and a carefree attitude, and there was no motivation to get a tattoo.

Dressing was another feature in stark contrast with the current generation. Any garment above the knees for women was a no-go zone and was seen as a reflection of poor morals in society.

Any outfit that exposed breasts was condemned to the high heavens by fashion critics, parents, and everyone. For the record, oversized clothes were the fashion of the day.

It was our style, fashion, and routine, and we loved it, even as we marvel at Gen Z's styles and fashion.