Did the 90s make Tommy or did Tommy make the 90s?! Either way, Tommy Hilfiger really was an awesome big hitter throughout this awesome decade, and iconic photographs still remain in archives today, displaying the preppy American branded cool which the world was loving to rep back in those pre-millennial days.
For sure, this US design company produced some of the most stunning designs throughout the 90s, which were widely seen across a range of settings, including the domains of music, fashion, celebrity and simply just as a ‘look at me’ number oozing the sheer desirability of being seen chillin’ just as ‘Me and my Tommy’!
The Hilfiger range said it all, and the garms spoke for themselves, as, of course, the 90s was a great era for high quality manufacturing, so these garments were amazing to wear, to keep, to pass on. If you’re not quite ready to join us at the 90s Tommy fan club window yet, we really recommend our rapid 90s refresher course via our blog Best Places To Buy 90s Fashion to get you into the vibe of the decade. With such class and style, dudes back then really could not get enough of those there TH hip-hop embracing knitted sweats, hoodies, harrington jackets and cheeky trackie bs, all happily repped by the artists of the day.
It wasn’t just enough to be seen during the pre-digitalised world of the 90s, you really had to be seen with something Tommy! Everyone was after that highly desirable logo or crest on their outfit. Tommy Hilfiger said it all and spoke all things to all people! Through having celebrities of the day, think TLC, Destiny’s Child, Snoop Dogg, Byonce to name but a few, endorsing the brand in the media, at televised shows, red-carpet events and photoshoots, Tommy Hilfiger grew in popularity, so today has become very much a mainstay of a vintage wardrobe. Word to the wise here, check out the old vintage game in our blog What is Vintage Clothing? to avoid investing in Tommy items which are far from being the real deal.
The Tommy Hilfiger treasures on our site ooze classic American cool – reds, blues and whites reinforce their transatlantic heritage and the coats and baggy hoodies give a wonderfully cosy 90s relaxed fit which you cannot replicate among the rails of modern fast fashion replicas. Keep your eyes peeled for a cheeky Tommy gilet or puffer jacket dropping on the site every so often, as it’s always worth a look, but be warned: others in your household might just like to take it out themselves!
How To Identify 90s Tommy Hilfiger
An authentic nineties Tommy crewneck jumper aka sweatshirt can be challenging to identify as such, given that, included in their midst, are hundreds of different unnamed designs, which were all produced within the key timespan of these 10 years. Identifying these vintage heaters today can seem quite a task, but that’s where we are here happy to help! Whereas Nike limited their labels to help with identification in the 90s, see 90s Nike Sweatshirt blog, unfortunately there is no such system for Tommy, but it is an area you can become knowledgeable on yourself and start demystifying the key markers of an authentic 90s Tommy all on your own.
Below are the range of labels attached to Tommy 90s you should be looking out for:
- Bigger, bolder designs using the iconic Tommy flag
- The fit of the item – if it’s baggier and boxier with tighter cuffs, good chance, it’s straight out of the 90s
- The neck label Tommy used was the same throughout the 90s – check below to see examples:
How To Gauge The Worth of a 90s Tommy Hilfiger Piece
Now you’ve started discovering how to identify a Tommy 90s number, we’re guessing you would probably be a wee bit curious about whether that Tommy rugby shirt or windbreaker jacket in your cart is worth it. Or not! As the Tommy label was pretty much the same throughout the 90s, you won’t be able to get much mileage out of that, so we’d recommend nailing the design here by using our good friend ‘Google Lens’ to help you narrow your searchings and try to find the garm you’re looking at. Next stage is then to scout the market to see if the same item really is commanding the price being asked.
For a casual buyer, the general guide is: the cooler the piece looks, the more expensive it will most likely be. See, these vintage sweats are no longer being manufactured and that is why some do cost an arm and a leg. Rarity value = elevated price. Based on that theory, we’re going to play our fav game of Vintage Value, so take a peepsie at these 90s Tommy sweatshirts, without looking at the price (below the image), and guess what you think the worth of each one is today:
These are the actual prices that they have been sold for on our website! How many did ya get right? Full house? Pair? Zilch!!
If you’re finding yourself in the arch sceptic camp of all things vintage Tommy now, fear ye not, there are more elements to take into consideration viz a viz vintage 90s Tommy value. If you see a large Tommy Hilfiger flag emblazoned on the middle of a sweatshirt, for example, it will be worth more than one with a modest Tommy logo. Colour-ways play a big part too, and if the shade looks rare, chances are it will be more expensive than standard creams, baby blues and gentle neutral tones. Tommy is all about red, white and blue after all!
How to Find 90s Tommy Hilfiger
It depends what you’re looking to do. Wear yourself or sell on? If you’re looking to sell on, we’d recommend sifting through all the local charity and thrift shops where you might come across a valuable piece or two. Or earn yourself some insider buyer info by reading our blog Where to buy Affordable Vintage Clothing. Alternatively, there are always the online marketplaces, like eBay, Depop and Vinted which are always worth a quick scout,
If you’re looking to find an authentic Tommy item of clothing to rep yourself and look in your very own unique style, then again you can carry out the earlier search options to find the perfect one for your chosen outfit. However, to ensure you get the highest quality of 90s garms and avoid disappointment, we’d recommend going to a specialist online store who sell vintage clothing from the 90s and 00s. There are plenty of these around, including:
Some Of Our Favourite 90s Tommy Hilfiger Pieces Ever
Conclusion/Takeaway
As with our previous windows into the worlds of three big vintage 90s brands, including: Adidas with our Guide To: Vintage Adidas Sweatshirt. Nike with our 90s vintage must-haves 90s Nike Sweatshirt, and our Ralphy special Ralph Lauren Crewneck, there really does seem to be no end of adventure, authenticity and one of a kindness you can find readily available today, all happily displaying the label produced by Tommy Hilfiger back in the golden vintage era of the 90s.
The sheer volumes of amazing and high-quality clothing items manufactured in that legendary decade, really are too good to pass you by, now they have survived and matured so beautifully to enter vintage status. As your nana would say to sum up this era perfectly, ‘they just don’t make ‘em like they used to, pet’!
As we’ve said all along and potentially repeated just a few times along the way, buying vintage clothing is the kindest way to rep these quality numbers, reenergise them and do yourself a huge favour in the process, by emerging ready to go forth in a wonderfully unique outfit. At no additional cost to the planet.
Cop a classic 90s Tommy in your basket today to show you really do care about the clothes you wear – sustainable vintage fashion never felt … and looked … so good.
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