Instagram is going full-on retro with a new throwback challenge that asks users (and their parents) “Mom/Dad, what were you like in the ‘90s?” before cutting to a slideshow of their old photos. 

In practice, a post will start with a current selfie or clip — often set to the Goo Goo Dolls’ ‘90s hit “Iris” as background music — then flash a montage of 1990s snapshots. Viewers are treated to classic ‘90s style: flannel shirts, thin eyebrows, slip dresses, chokers, butterfly clips, chunky sneakers, and Doc Martens all make cameos. The effect is an ultimate nostalgia trip that’s resonating with fans and celebs alike. 

Black stars have been especially prominent in this throwback wave. For example, veteran actor Giancarlo Esposito (“Breaking Bad” and “The Usual Suspects”) posted a viral ‘90s time capsule montage on Instagram. Esposito’s video starts with a debonair footage of him currently and then cuts to photos of him from 1990s film shoots – he even shows off stills from his roles in Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” and the 1994 indie film “Fresh.” Captioned “A little 90s time capsule,” the post earned millions of views and fans’ admiration for seeing the star’s abs and long-haired ‘90s looks. 

Other Black celebs and icons have been lighting up feeds with nostalgia, too. Fans love seeing throwback photos of “Boyz n the Hood” heartthrob Morris Chestnut (who is consistently defined as “‘90’s fine”) or tracing Halle Berry’s gorgeous evolution or discovering the beauty of Maia Campbell. The point is clear, these trends are pulling everyone back to an era when Black fashion, music, and movies were defining pop culture.

This trend taps into the rich memory bank of the 1990s. For many fans (especially Black millennials), the decade was a peak of cultural creativity – the golden age of hip-hop and R&B, the heyday of sitcoms like “Martin” and “Living Single,” and the birth of new streetwear brands (FUBU, Karl Kani) and hip-hop fashion (Timbs, baggy jeans, Kangol hats). 

The “What were you like in the ’90s?” trend is both a flex and a history lesson. It’s giving a new generation a peek at what the 90s felt like – before smartphones and streaming – through the faces and fashions of our favorite Black stars (and their contemporaries). Parents and celebrities in throwback posts are sparking conversations across generations. Through Chestnut’s old (and handsome) movie stills, Esposito’s action shots and coily curls, and Halle Berry’s photo archives, this trend reminds us how far we’ve come – and why those vintage vibes still feel so fly and timeless today.