The arrival of the dELiA*s catalog was as mysterious as the origin of a ‘90s chain email claiming you would die in seven days if you didn’t forward it. No one seems to remember where or how they heard of dELiA*s but once you did, it was life-affirming.
dELiA*s was not just a catalog; it was gospel, supplying ‘90s preteen girls with a new American ideal. One that was cargo-pantsed, spaghetti-strapped, and horizontally striped-shirted. It also introduced us to a non-sensical era of copywriting: “MoRe sTePs ThAn mArchInG bAnD aT BaGGaGe cLaiM”; “A fRiend wiLL trY to tEmPt You wiTH BrocColi”; “moRe FrEsH ThAn A nEwLy FaLlEn SnOwBoarDeR”.
At some point, dELiA*s began including a few pages dedicated to bedroom decor: starry flannel sheets, butterfly chairs, lava lamps, impossibly furry accessories. This is where my obsession with interiors began: dELiA*s could show you the way to turn your room into a dreamy paradise where you could write angsty diary entries, dream about the day you and Leo DiCaprio finally kiss, all with Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me” playing on repeat.
Here’s a look at what dELiA*s was selling to ‘90s girls:
Looking at these images makes me feel sad about everyone’s bedrooms these days which seem to be some variation of beige/neutral tones which is very…not all that and a bag of chips. So I went ahead and reimagined a dELiA*s catalog for all you ‘90s girls — but with 2024 style. *NOnSEnSe pHRaSeS wRiTtEn bY mE InCLuDeD!*
*SChmaTta’S dELiA*s deCoR FOr 2024 giRLs*
a) Dusen Dusen bedding / b) Hem pouf / c) Pampshade lamp / d) Noguchi lamp