We showed Melissa Joan Hart pics of her '90s looks — and she explained it all

As the star of "Clarissa Explains It All" and "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch," Melissa Joan Hart has a special place in the hearts of '90s kids — and the former teen idol sported some of the era's biggest trends both on and off screen.

Courtesy Everett Collection / (C)Nickelodeon Network/Courtesy E

Melissa Joan Hart on "Clarissa Explains It All"

"A lot of people tell me Clarissa was a trendsetter," Hart said of the Nickelodeon heroine. "I would never have put this together myself, so the men's shirt with the vest with the low turtleneck, with the leggings, with the skirt, with all different colors and patterns and pins and earrings, and a side ponytail with a scrunchie. And the combat boots with the extra socks; there's a lot of cuffing and bracelets and stuff going on there. And of course the eyebrows. The eyebrows are not to be missed."

"Clarissa definitely had better style than Sabrina," she added. "Sabrina, I think in the beginning in the first season, I wore like women's pantsuits and stuff. I'd always wear a blazer with a skirt that matched, like I was going to the office or something, instead of high school. So it was a little weird. Pantyhose. I constantly wore pantyhose on ‘Sabrina.’ Clarissa had the cool leggings going on."

Ron Galella / WireImage

Melissa Joan Hart, Tia Mowry, Tamera Mowry, Jenna von Oy, Jodie Sweetin, and Andrea Barber at the 7th Annual Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards in 1994

"First red carpet — so, I didn't know what I was getting myself into," said Hart of this epic '90s gem. "I showed up in a limo. When I did 'Clarissa,' I was working in Orlando, Florida, so we didn't have red carpet events. So I showed up at this, I think it was a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards or something, and I get out of the car, and I knew Jenna Von Oy from our audition days and just being kids. But I got to meet the Mowry sisters and the girls from 'Full House.' It was just awesome."

Time & Life Pictures / The LIFE Picture Collection/Gett

"I think for my age, it was pretty appropriate," Hart said. "I mean the short bangs, that was very in at the time. You wanted to do the tiny, tiny bangs. I rocked that for a little while."

Ron Galella / WireImage

Melissa Joan Hart at the 18th Annual Cable ACE Awards in 1996

"This was probably the closest I got to goth," Hart observed. "I always wanted to be gothic. And I really don't have the energy to pull it off; it's a lot of work, and this is probably the closest I got. I think this was a long, black velvet dress with a black velvet capelet thingy. And of course, the crimped hair. It's just so of the era. Maybe in 10 years, people will be doing this again, but I don't think the crimped hair should come back."

Jeff Kravitz / FilmMagic, Inc

Melissa Joan Hart at the "Scream 2" premiere in 1997

"This was again trying for the goth thing a little bit," Hart admitted. "And then of course it was cold; I had to put on a jacket! I put on some crappy, loosely knit grandma jacket, and then I had the butterfly pins. I think I did my makeup in this too. Not my best look."

Source: today