Jurassic Park was ahead of its time in a tonne of ways. From the scale of the film to the way the dinosaurs were brought to life on screen, Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster pushed the boundaries of what was capable in filmmaking. Simultaneously though, the film, released 30 years ago on Sunday, has become a fossil revealing a picture of ’90s fashion that remains oddly relevant today. It would be a mistake to take that fossil and try to bring the looks back to life wholesale—just like it was a big ol’ fuck up to bring those dinos back to life—but it’s surprising how much you can learn from the likes of Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum. 

They say it takes 20 years for trends to resurface, but in the hyperfast year of 2023, different styles are constantly in fashion at the same time. Right now, you can walk out of the house looking like a 1970s rocker or a 2000s skater boy; you can go full-on menswear or ham up the technical gorpcore. And hell, maybe Sam Neill’s Dr. Alan Grant would be digging up an Archaeopteryx in some rugged terrain while dripped out in a Gore-Tex shell if he was working today, but the fact of the matter is, the looks—from the Panorama Bar-ready all black of Jeff Goldblum to the retro-Americana of Laura Dern—would fit into the current men’s fashion landscape with ease. 

Brought together by the film’s costume designer Sue Moore, the looks in Jurassic Park fit into a few categories. There’s outdoorsy Americana, industrialist summer suiting, pessimistic black leather, nerdy normcore and a whole lot of rich ’90s vibes for you to excavate and add to your wardrobe. 

Below, join us for an archeological dig into all the best style from Jurassic Park. 

As soon as we are introduced to Dr. Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler on an archeological dig in Montana, we see them as the jawnsmen that they are. Dern’s Sattler is the real star in a double-denim look with a bucket hat that would both work on the city streets and is relatively easy to pull off. Grant holds his own thanks to a killer dad flannel draping louchely off him. Want to channel a man who can get shit done with is hands and brain? Take notes from Dr. Alan mfing Grant. 

Although that flannel is strong, it’s the look that he wears for basically the rest of the film that really tickles the style feathers. Pairing a blue chambray shirt with gold-rimmed aviators, an Akubra-style hat fitting of Neill’s heritage as a New Zealander with strong ties to Australia, and the finishing touch of a bright red bandana around the neck, Dr. Grant looks relentlessly stylish. The bandana-shirt combo alone makes him seem like the sort of bloke you’d meet in the corner of the pub randomly and actually find interesting.

The shirt, which he wears with some double-pleated baggy chinos and work boots (top image), is also a bit of clothing that needs to be in any man’s wardrobe. It’s the sort of shirt that will be enduringly useful and resilient—just like Dr. Grant. Country Road does a banging one. 

Laura Dern’s shirting game is also not to be messed with. That peachy number above left? That would deal some serious compliment damage. Pair it over a beat-up blue t-shirt with the sleeves cut-off like Dern and you’ll barely be able to walk down the street without being accosted about how good your outfit looks. The cotton on Dern’s shirt bears all the patina of a life well-worn, but you can achieve a similar look off the rack with a vintage Columbia fishing shirt in a light pink. 

As GQ favourite Albert Muzquiz pointed out in a recent TikTok, the cut of Dern’s shirt and shorts also gives you a great idea of the importance of fit when you’re on your style BS. As you can see in the pic above, the voluminous ’90s style—pleated shorts at your natural waist, a baggy shirt to match—just looks so much better than anything you’ll find at your go-to modern menswear store these days. (In other words, look for vintage or stuff inspired by it.)

Also in the image above, is fan favourite Dr. Ian Malcolm, as played by Jeff Goldblum. Decked out in a leather blazer, boots with a buckle reminiscent of Saint Laurent’s iconic Wyatt boot, and black tinted sunglasses, Malcolm looks more like a creative director/DJ than a sceptical chaos theorist. If you aren’t one to throw on some workwear in the vein of Dr. Grant, Goldblum’s Malcolm is your guy. The leather blazer—a forgotten staple from the ’90s—alone is one of the pieces that has been having a comeback this year on runways and streets around the world. I guess you could say, “fits find a way.” 

Outside of the three main stars of the show, there are still more strong looks to be seen. Samuel L. Jackson as Ray Arnold is one shining example. Decked out in a pin-stripe shirt, funky tie and a lab coat, Jackson’s character would fit snugly onto a mood board celebrating normcore. With the addition of the gold-rimmed glasses and black Casio, the look has tonnes of elements that you could borrow to add a bit of curated nonchalance to your everyday style—just don’t go putting them together all at once. 

And look, we’re not going to sit here and tell you that Wayne Knight looks good in these outfits, but as part of a thorough excavation of the style from Jurassic Park, he cannot be ignored. After all, part of every history lesson is learning what not to repeat. 

All in all, the style from Jurassic Park is a potent reminder that everything is cyclical. Maybe dinosaurs won’t return to the modern world, but clothing choices and outfits certainly can—and should. Not every piece of style inspiration has to come from celebrities on the red carpet or personalities on Instagram. If you look to the hits of the past, you’ll almost always find some gold. 

This weekend, sit back like Dr. Ian Malcolm, throw on Jurassic Park and take note of not only how far we’ve come in 30 years, but how far we haven’t. 

Stream Jurassic Park on Binge. 

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