Bruce Springsteen caught a lot of heat in the '90s, not for his music, but for his fashion. The Boss swapped tight jeans and bandanas for goatees, leather trenches, and drapey shirts. Critics called it a midlife crisis in real time.
But here we are in 2025, where mullets are cool again, soul patches are peeking back into club nights, and baggy clothes rule TikTok. Turns out Bruce Springsteen was ahead of the curve.
What looked out of place then now feels perfectly in step. Back in the day, Bruce’s fashion was called “suburban dad trying too hard.” Today? That same energy reads as confident and unbothered. And that might be why it suddenly works.
He Wasn’t Dressing Like a Rockstar
Springsteen didn’t try to dress young in the ’90s. He didn’t dress like a pop star trying to shock anyone. No glitter, no torn-up tees, no eyeliner. Instead, he looked like someone you’d actually know—maybe a retired detective meeting your effortlessly cool uncle for a beer. He favored soft button-downs, roomy jeans, the occasional pair of Western boots, and always that one silver bracelet. Nothing loud, but if you looked closely, there was quiet intention in every choice.
Bruce / IG / Most rock stars cling to their old image like a safety blanket. Not Bruce. He cut his hair, grew some facial fuzz, and traded tight clothes for looser, comfier fits.
This was post–E Street Band and post–stadium tours. He was becoming a father and spending more time reflecting than performing, and his wardrobe shifted with his life.
Remember that 1997 Grammy moment? Bruce Springsteen shows up in a leather trench coat over his suit—no tie, no joke. Back then, people were muttering, “Is that too much?” or “Is he trying too hard?” It threw everyone off. But today? That ensemble screams Matrix cool, like Shaft swaggering down the street. If he rocked that on stage now? Instagram would crack from the overload.
Baggy Jeans and Big Pants
Bruce Springsteen’s pants in the ’90s were not skinny. They were wide, roomy, sometimes high-waisted. Back then, everyone thought it looked like he had given up, but now, baggy pants are the standard. Skaters, fashion kids, even rappers are rocking silhouettes Bruce wore 30 years ago.
He was aging into comfort. The singer picked clothes that felt right on a man in his 40s. And weirdly, those same pants now scream youth culture. His relaxed-fit jeans? Straight-up fashion inspo in 2025.
Okay, we have to address the goatee and the soul patch. No, they haven’t aged as well. Those choices still feel a bit early-Internet dad. But in fairness, Bruce Springsteen wore them with conviction.
Bruce / IG / Bruce, now 75, wasn’t trying to impress back in the '90s. He was expressing something. That makes the look forgivable, even kind of charming in retrospect.
That commitment is the real takeaway. The soul patch might not be cool again (yet), but the confidence behind it is.
Accessories That Are Cool Now
Silver jewelry, western boots, baseball caps—these are all things Bruce Springsteen pulled into his wardrobe in the ’90s. At the time, they were dismissed as corny or over-styled. But these are exactly the kinds of accessories that anchor modern normcore. People want vintage watches, real leather boots, and rugged rings that feel lived-in.
He wasn’t chasing clout with what he wore—he chose things that simply made sense for him. The baseball cap wasn’t meant to turn heads; it was just what you grabbed on a weekend getaway. The leather weekender? Not flashy, just practical. And now, that kind of utility-first style feels more relevant than ever.
