If you ask someone born in the 70s, they might swear it was the best era. The same goes for anyone from the 80s. But if you’re a 90s kid, there’s no debate—you know it was the greatest time to grow up. From unforgettable fashion trends to the golden age of TV, everything about the decade just felt special.
And the 90sanxiety Instagram page is proof of that. With over 2.6 million followers, it’s a nostalgic goldmine filled with everything that made the 90s iconic. Today, we’ve rounded up some of the best throwback moments from their collection just for you pandas. Keep reading to relive the magic of the 90s!
#1
Big Bertha, the cow that drank whiskey, lived until she was 48, had 39 calves, broke two Guinness world records and raised $75,000 for cancer research. 🐄
Big Bertha was an extraordinary cow born in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day in 1945 and lived until 1993, reaching the age of 48, which is exceptionally old for a cow.
She indeed set two Guinness World Records: one for being the oldest cow ever recorded and another for producing 39 calves in her lifetime.
Big Bertha also became a bit of a celebrity and was well known for leading St. Patrick’s Day parades and was used to raise funds for various charities, including over $75,000 for cancer research.
Interestingly, she was known to drink whiskey, often used to celebrate her birthday and other occasions. Her longevity and productivity made her a notable figure in Irish agricultural history and Bertha’s legacy continues as a beloved symbol of charity.
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#2
Sunday mood with Charlie Brown and Snoopy
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#3
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole called a recording studio at 3am and said he had to record a song immediately. (1988)
Israel’s career, as well as the history of Hawaiian music, would forever change one night in 1988 with a drunken phone call. As the legend goes, when the phone rang in Milan Bertosa’s Honolulu recording studio at 2:30 AM, he had just finished a long session for “a horrible dance music project,” where he was “trying to make a singing group from winners in a Shorebird wet t-shirt contest, with girls who couldn’t sing.” A client was calling from a pay phone at Sparky’s, a bar a few blocks away which also happened the best place in the area to score meth and coke, and he had someone with him who wanted to come in and record: Israel Kamakawiwoʻole.
15 minutes later, Israel arrived at the studio and “in walks the largest human being I had seen in my life,” Bertosa recalled. The floor of the studio shifted as Iz stepped on it. Bertosa called down to security to bring a steel chair up for his guest.
Bertosa started recording. Iz, who weighed around 500 pounds, was winded just from the burden of standing to wait for the chair, and his heavy breathing picked up on the microphone. We did a quick sound check, roll tape, and the first thing he does is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow! He played and sang, one take, and it was over.
After they wrapped up after 4 AM, Bertosa gave Iz a tape of the recording and stuck another copy in his desk where it remained for five years. The songs would sit there in a drawer until 1993 when Iz was pursuing a solo career, after having parted ways with the Makaha Sons of Ni’ihau. While recording Iz’s second solo album, Facing Future, Bertosa dug out the recording and suggested to Iz’s producer, Jon de Mello, that it be included, which it was, as the next to last track. When Facing Future was released in 1993, Israel was at a low point, making so little that he was on welfare, supporting a wife and child. But the album’s unexpected success would end up securing their financial security for years to come.
Image credits: 90sanxiety
Every single day, people around the world snap an unbelievable 5.3 billion photos. That’s 61,400 pictures per second! Just imagine—by the time you finish reading this sentence, thousands of photos will have been taken. Whether it’s selfies, sunsets, or snaps of what’s on the dinner plate, we’re all constantly documenting life one click at a time.
On an individual level, the numbers are just as wild. The average American takes about 20 photos a day. That’s 140 pictures a week, almost 600 a month, and thousands every year. Whether it’s a cute pet moment, a random meme-worthy sighting, or just trying to get that one perfect selfie, it’s safe to say cameras are always rolling.
#4
When Freddie Mercury had 100,000 people in the palm of his hand at Wembley Stadium . (1986)
Regardless of your thoughts on Queen, there is no doubt Freddie Mercury is one of, if not the greatest frontman ever seen in music history.
His incredible singing range, set himself apart from the rest, which is truly what made Queen one of the most successful Rock bands on the planet.
The way he could make every crowd hang off every word, was truly remarkable.
None more so then this vocal improvisation, during a gig at the Old Wembley infront of over 100,000 people!
This show was one for the books for fans all around the world.
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#5
For 27 years, photographer Deanna Dikeman photographed her parents waving goodbye in their driveway:
“I started in 1991 with a quick snapshot, and I continued taking photographs with each departure. I never set out to make this series. I just took these photographs as a way to deal with the sadness of leaving. It gradually turned into our good-bye ritual and became a story about family, aging, and the sorrow of saying good-bye.
In 2009, there is a photograph where my father is no longer there. He passed away a few days after his 91st birthday. My mother continued to wave good-bye to me. Her face became more forlorn with my departures. In 2017, my mother had to move to assisted living. For a few months, I photographed the good-byes from her apartment door. In October of 2017 she passed away. When I left after her funeral, I took one more photograph, of the empty driveway. For the first time in my life, no one was waving back at me.”
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#6
An epic lineup for LIVE 105’S Fifth Annual Green Christmas Concert at the Berkeley Community Theater for the benefit of the Wilderness Society in 1995.
Image credits: 90sanxiety
And here’s something that probably won’t surprise anyone—out of all the pictures taken worldwide, 94% are snapped using smartphones. It makes sense, given how our phones are practically an extension of our hands. Gone are the days of carrying bulky cameras everywhere; now, every moment can be captured instantly with just a quick tap on a screen.
#7
Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society directed by Peter Weir. (1989)
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#8
The style icon herself, Fran Drescher on the show 'The Nanny' throughout the 90s
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#9
The most powerful muse of all is our own inner child
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But even in this endless sea of digital images, there’s something about 90s photos that just hits differently. There was no snapping ten shots to get the perfect angle, no filters, no instant uploads.
Back then, taking pictures wasn’t about documenting every single cup of coffee or outfit of the day. It was about capturing genuine, unfiltered moments that would later turn into priceless memories.
#10
It’s the little things
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#11
Technics X10 Component Audio System, Catalog Photo (1990-91) 💿
To the time when we read the little booklet inside the music CD packaging while listening to the album.
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#12
Sublime’s Mascot ‘Lou Dog’ - November 25th, 1989 - September 17, 2001 🐾
Bradley Nowell the lead singer of the band paid $500 for Louie. He saved up and bought him. The guy who owned him when he was pup had him tied out around a toilet seat in his front yard.
Named after Nowell’s grandfather Louie Nowell, Nowell’s King Louie, or “Lou Dog” as he was called, was Nowell’s pet Dalmatian who became something of a mascot for the band.
Lou Dog was often allowed to wander the stage during live Sublime concert performances. Louie was also often featured on the cover of Sublime albums, and was referred to in the lyrics of Sublime songs.
Sadly, Louie eventually became deaf after being on stage for so many years. On “Stand By Your Van” you can hear Brad say “Louie Louie Louie Louie” into the loud speaker. This was because by that time, Louie’s hearing was just about gone and that was the only way Louie could hear his name called.
When Louie died (was put to sleep), he was cremated and like Brad half of ashes lie next to the head stone, and the rest was scattered at sea.
May they both rest in peace
Image credits: 90sanxiety
Every photo from that time tells a story. Whether it’s a slightly blurry birthday picture, a family trip where everyone is squinting in the sun, or a candid moment of kids playing outside, 90s photos have a charm that today’s perfectly edited pictures just can’t match. They weren’t curated—they were real, and that’s what makes them so special.
#13
Behind the scenes of the original 'Beetlejuice' directed by Tim Burton. (1988)
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#14
The roof of an Aloha Airlines jet ripped off in mid-air at 24,000 feet, but the plane still managed to land safely.
Aloha Airlines Flight 243 started like any normal flight. The Boeing 737-200 was travelling from Hilo, a balmy beach town on Big Island, to Hawaii’s capital Honolulu, on April 29,1988. For 19 years, the plane had flown without any incidents and was given the all-clear to take off after routine safety checks. But the inspectors had missed something. There was a small crack in the main body of the aircraft.
It caught the eye of one passenger, Gayle Yamamoto, as she boarded the plane. She thought about telling the flight attendants, but she didn’t want to make a fuss. Setting off at 1:25 pm with 89 passengers and six crew members on board, the plane climbed 24,000ft over the Pacific Ocean. Everything was going as planned. The flight attendants were serving drinks and snacks to passengers and getting ready to take their lunch breaks. Then, without warning, a five metre hole ripped through the roof.
Pilot captain Robert Schornstheimer recalled the moment in an interview in 2018. ‘It happened almost instantaneously’ Schornstheimer told The Maui News. ‘There was no warning’. 58-year-old flight attendant Clarabelle Lansing was standing right under the rupture. The rip happened so quickly that nobody saw her as she was sucked out of the plane. Her body was never found. Another flight attendant, Michelle Honda, was flung onto the floor by the blast. She crawled along the floor, gripping on to the sides of seats as she shouted at passengers to put on their oxygen masks. High winds sped through the plane and shards of metal and fibre glass flew through the air.
The plane made an emergency landing at Kahului Airport on Maui. But the trial wasn’t over yet. Many of the passengers needed to be rushed to hospital, but there were only two ambulances at the airport.
Instead, a local tour company turned up to the airport with their minibuses. 65 passengers were injured. Six people were severely injured, including an 84-year-old woman who had serious head wounds.
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#15
Fry-day night with Liv Tyler throughout the 90s
Image credits: 90sanxiety
To dive deeper into this, Bored Panda got in touch with Lokesh Tardalkar, an assistant photography professor at UPG College of Arts, Science & Commerce. While he specializes in wildlife photography, he was kind enough to share his insights on what makes 90s photography so timeless and why it continues to hold a special place in people’s hearts.
#16
Behind the scenes of Tim Burton’s 'Edward Scissorhands' starring Winona Ryder and Johnny Depp. (1990)
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#17
The Lone Rangers 🎸
Adam Sandler, Brendan Fraser, and Steve Buscemi in ‘Airheads’ directed by Michael Lehmann (1994)
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#18
Bruce the 25-foot shark from “Jaws” rode through Boston en route to the Musuem of Science to be part of a Science of Movie and Television, Magic exhibit. (1988)
Image credits: 90sanxiety
"Just like in wildlife photography, 90s photos had an element of patience and unpredictability," Lokesh explains. "Back then, you couldn’t just take a hundred pictures and delete the bad ones. You had one shot—maybe two if you were lucky. Every photo felt more intentional, and there was a certain excitement in waiting to see how they turned out."
#19
A nurse found out that her new coworker was the same premature baby she took care of over 30 years ago. (1990)
Vilma Wong, a nurse at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, had been working there for over 30 years. In August 2018, she met Brandon Seminatore, who was a pediatric resident at the time. When she heard his name, it sounded familiar, and after asking some questions, Wong realized that she had taken care of him as a baby 28 years earlier in 1990 when he was born prematurely at the same hospital.
“Meeting Vilma showed me the dedication and love she has for her career,” Brandon said. “She cares deeply for her patients, to the point that she was able to remember a patient’s name almost three decades later. Not all of us will get the chance to see our patients grow up, and I was so happy to be able to share that moment with her.”
This heartwarming reunion gained national attention because it showed how life can come full circle, with Seminatore returning to care for the same population he once belonged to as an infant.
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#20
Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’ album was released 33 years ago today with the iconic cover shoot that was photographed by Kirk Weddle.
In 1991, Kirk Weddle received a call from Robert Fisher, the art director of Geffen Records. Best known for shooting commercial campaigns for automotive brands, Weddle also dabbled in subaqueous photography, which had caught the eye of Fisher. “He called me up and said, ‘Hey, do you have a shot of a naked baby underwater?’” Weddle remembers.
The concept of the album cover was Kurt Cobain’s idea, who had seen a documentary on babies being born underwater, and “thought the image would make a cool cover. That vision was a bit too graphic, so we went with the swimming baby instead.”
Then based in Los Angeles, the photographer was hired to capture Fisher’s unusual request as the cover shot for the up-and-coming band’s sophomore album. He set up the shoot at an Olympic-sized pool in Pasadena, working with a 4-month-old as his model. “We’d take the kid and blow into his face and ease him in. He would just drift by, man. Dad is over here, Mom’s right here. Dad would launch him in, and then he’d drift to Mom. And I’d go bang, bang, bang, bang, bang [with my camera],” Weddle says. “And pull him out, cool, let’s do it again. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, and he starts crying, and I’m like, all right, we’re done.” The four-minute-long shoot produced the artwork for one of the most iconic album covers of all time: Nevermind by Nirvana.
Because his Nevermind model was a 4-month-old who’d never been in the water before, Weddle tested his lighting with a stand in. “I didn’t want to hurt the baby. So, I practiced with a doll,” he says. The entire shoot took about 30 minutes for set up, and then four minutes of actual photography. “That was a beautiful shoot,” Weddle remembers. “It was just pure photography, there was no client, there was no art director, nobody there. Just the baby’s parents, I got a guy with me who’s a lifeguard, and me.”
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#21
Remembering the great James Gandolfini
Image credits: 90sanxiety
"There’s a charm to 90s photos that brings the decade to life," he continues. "The grainy textures, the natural lighting, the way people weren’t overly conscious of how they looked—everything about those pictures makes them feel more raw and real. It’s not just nostalgia; it’s the fact that those moments were captured with genuine emotion."
#22
Dollar Slices and a Diet Coke 🍕
A New York love story with Miranda and Steve in Sex and The City - The Caste System (1999)
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#23
Remembering actor Matthew Perry who passed away a year ago today. 🕊️ ❤️🩹
Matthew Perry’s family spoke out in an emotional interview with the “Today” show, which aired in full on the one-year anniversary of his death on Monday.
“Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie was joined by Perry’s mother, Suzanne Perry, stepdad Keith Morrison and sisters Emily, Caitlin and Madeleine Morrison.
“[To light up a room is] something you’re born with or you’re not born with. And he was certainly born with it in spades,” the “Dateline” host, 77, gushed about his stepson.
But it must be said, I think,” Suzanne chimed in. “That he was also very lonely in his soul.”
The “Friends” alum died on Oct. 28, 2023, at his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was 54.
“It was always a jubilant thing when he would come over,” Caitlin told Guthrie. “Even when he was struggling in dark times we were always proud of him. We were always proud of the fact that he kept fighting and that he made it a big focus of his life to help other people.”
She continued: “All he ever wanted was to love and to be loved. He struggled so much to feel peace. And I think he got to a place where he did.”
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#24
Robert Englund in full Freddy Krueger costume & makeup taking a break at a public park in NYC while filming A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
Image credits: 90sanxiety
"The process itself made photography more special," Lokesh adds. "From winding up the film roll to carefully placing photos in an album, each step had meaning. Today, we have unlimited storage, but back then, you only had a limited number of shots. It made people think twice before clicking, which is why those pictures feel so unique even today."
#25
Quotes from 'Scream' directed by Wes Craven (1996)
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#26
Behind the scenes of 'Twin Peaks' directed by David Lynch (1990-91)
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#27
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These photos definitely took us on a trip down memory lane. They remind us of a time when capturing a moment was about preserving it forever, not just for a quick post online. Which one of these nostalgic gems was your favorite? Let us know!
#28
Remembering a few legends in honor of national suicide prevention month. 🤍
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness of the issue and share resources to help people.
Suicide prevention is a heavy topic, and one that we often avoid talking about at all costs. There is a lingering stigma surrounding mental health and suicide, however, these are issues that should be discussed honestly and openly.
This month serves as a great reminder that every life has value. Although one month isn’t enough, let’s try to be a positive light and help those in need.
“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever can.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#29
Princess Diana on a yacht in Portofino, Italy. August 24, 1997 a week before her death.
This photo inspired the artist SZA to reference it for her album cover titled ‘S.O.S’ which came out in 2022.
“Originally I was supposed to be on top of a shipping barge, but in the references that I pulled for that, I pulled the Diana reference,” SZA said when asked about the reference during a recent interview with Hot 97. “Because I just loved how she isolated she felt, and that was what I wanted to convey the most.” While Diana’s sporting a one-piece swimsuit in her photo, SZA puts a personal twist on it with a personalized jersey and Timberland boots.
SZA may not be part of the royal family, but she can somewhat relate to Diana’s experience being scrutinized under the public eye: “I like to create, I like to write, I like to sing, and I like to share,” the musician shared in a profile with Billboard. “But I don’t know if chasing after superstardom or whatever I’m supposed to be doing right now is sustainable for me or for anybody. I’mma take a good swing at it, and I’mma give ’em my absolute best.”
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#30
The final hours before the tragic death of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed. 🕊️
In the early hours of the morning on Sunday, August 31, 1997, Princess Diana died in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France. In the car with her was her current boyfriend, Dodi Al Fayed; Henri Paul, the driver of the car; and Trevor Rees-Jones, her bodyguard. Rees-Jones was the only survivor.
Diana and Dodi had spent 10 days together on board Mohamed Al Fayed's yacht, the Jonikal, and then flew from Sardinia to Paris on August 30, 1997. She was due back in London on August 31, 1997, where her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, were returning from Balmoral Castle.
They had only planned to be in Paris for less than 24 hours. Dodi wanted to do some quick shopping, rumors are that he was set to pick up a ring for Diana and to have dinner at their favorite restaurant.
The two had been staying in the Imperial Suite at The Ritz hotel in Paris, but on their last night in the city, Dodi had decided to take Diana to his private flat near the Champs-Elysées in order to escape the paparazzi that had been swarming the hotel.
When the pair were finally on the road to Dodi's flat, another last-minute decision was made to take a different route than originally planned.
The new route led them through a tunnel where the fatal crash happened, after being chased by paparazzi.
Onlookers were horrified by the vile act, and one photographer was reportedly beaten by witnesses for trying to photograph the injured princess.
Five photographers were arrested at the scene of the crash, while two more were detained by police.
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#31
Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are spotted on vacation together with friends in Acapulco, Mexico. (1999)
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#32
Winona Ryder was arrested on shoplifting charges, she was accused of stealing $5000 dollars worth of designer clothes from Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. (2001)
Winona stood trial in 2002 and made several court appearances, in which she would always be dressed in stunning outfits, her taste in fashion was so compelling that it earned her a campaign and built a friendship with one of the designers whose merchandise she stole, which was Marc Jacob.
“It’s so funny, because there’s so much lore around that story, but it really couldn’t have been more of me thinking I’m going to my car to get something…” Ryder told Esquire about her arrest.
The actor, who has talked openly about the shoplifting scandal before, shared some details about her life at the time of the incident.
She had been prescribed painkillers for a broken arm, and had been struggling with her mental health, among other things, Esquire wrote.
When asked how she dealt with the heightened media attention surrounding her case at the time, Ryder said that she had “checked out” as a way to cope with it all.
“I think I just checked out,” she said, later adding, “There was a period when I was not in season.”
“Psychologically, I must have been at a place where I just wanted to stop,” the actress explained at the time. “I won’t get into what happened, but it wasn’t what people think and it wasn’t like the crime of the century! But it allowed me time that I really needed, where I went back to San Francisco and got back into things that … I just had other interests, frankly.”
Image credits: 90sanxiety
#33
Iconic moments at the MTV Music Awards.
Britney Spears-1999
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#34
Kobe Bryant.
Mamba Mentality Forever...
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#35
Starting fall off with the 30th anniversary of the fan-favorite tv show - ‘Friends’ 🍁🍂
Friends made its debut on 9-22-1994
R.I.P Matthew Perry
Image credits: 90sanxiety
