How BFF Relationships Have Changed From the ’90s to Today
If you grew up in the ’90s, your best friend was your ride-or-die. You’d spend hours on the phone, swap secrets about your parents, and plan matching outfits like it was a full-time gig. Fast forward to today — while life looks a little different, the heart of that friendship hasn’t changed. We’re still up late talking, spilling the tea, and somehow showing up in the same outfit without meaning to.
The biggest difference? We’re grown now, and wine has replaced juice boxes. Best friends feel like the siblings we never had — or the ones we clashed with. Sure, siblings might’ve stolen your toys or embarrassed you in public, but your BFF was always the one making prank calls with you and holding your hand through every heartbreak.
Whether in the ’90s or today, our best friends have shaped who we are. In the ’90s, fights with your BFF were dramatic—like when she let your digital pet die while you were on vacation. Today, adult fights are more subtle, with passive-aggressive Facebook comments and ignored Instagram likes. Making up in the ’90s meant passing heartfelt notes in class, while today, it’s all about overpriced Starbucks drinks and selfies.
Friday nights in the ’90s were spent at the mall or sneaking into R-rated movies. Now, it’s all about Netflix and wine. And while ’90s wingwoman duties involved staging run-ins during science class, today’s BFFs help you stalk potential crushes on Facebook for hours. Whether you were pretending to be the Spice Girls in the ’90s or perfecting the Single Ladies dance today, one thing is clear: BFFs are forever, no matter how much times change.
5 iconic toys from the ’90s
Ah, the ’90s! Those were simpler times. Sure we dealt with dial-up internet back then, but we also enjoyed jamming out with portable CD players, obsessing over classic TV shows like “Friends,” picking sides in the boy band wars, and chatting away on AOL Instant Messenger.
Toys were also a big deal back then. Beanie Babies? We didn’t just play with them; we were stocking up on them as if they’d be worth millions one day. And Furbies, remember those? They were kind of odd (and sometimes creepy) but totally lovable little robot buddies.
American Girl
Remember when American Girl dolls ruled the ‘90s? Whether you were into Samantha, Molly, Kristen, Addy, or Felicity, those dolls were everywhere with their unique outfits and cool historical stories.
However, American Girls are still all the rage today, and continue to release new dolls based on American history. You now have Rebecca, Melody, and Julie, and even the ‘90s twins Isabel and Nicki.
Beanie Babies
Admit it, we all probably have a stash of beanie babies tucked away somewhere in the attic ‒ especially that Princess Diana-inspired Princess the Bear.
Who knows, maybe deep down you’re holding onto them with the dream that one day they’ll bring in a nice sum. I mean, when you see those rare first-edition dolls selling for $900,000 on ebay, it makes you think, could yours make you some serious cash too.
Bop It
An upgrade to Simon? The most anxiety-inducing game ever? Well, Bop It was like a mashup of both. If you didn’t have one, here’s how Bop It worked: players had to twist, pull, and bop your way through commands in a row. So…um.. Did anyone actually conquer this game? Nope, not us either!
Furby
You were the envy of all your friends if you had one of these furry pets when they first came out. You regretted that jealousy when it creepily woke you up in the middle of the night.
Furby has had a few comebacks since the OG version was released, but man, plenty of ‘90s kids still have some spooky Reddit tales about how these things still worked even with the batteries pulled out. Eek!
Pogs
Before Pokemon cards took over, we had pogs – those cool circular cardboard discs that were basically our playground money.
Pogs came in all sorts of funky designs like Pokemon, Sailor Moon, and even OJ Simpson mugshots for the weird ones among us. Also, never forget slammers ‒ these totally made the game if you ask us.