The 1990s were an…let’s say interesting…time for professional wrestling. We can all admit the Attitude Era was amazing. But while we have fond memories of 1997-1999, we tend to forget what happened before that. Wrestling was going through a transition at the time that shines through in many different areas. Nothing shows that awkwardness better than wrestling merchandise in the 90s. Gone were the days of Hulk Hogan EVERYTHING, being replaced with a myriad of merchandise that was different…and confusing. With that in mind, here’s a snapshot of some of the more common and memorable types of wrestling merchandise the 1990s had to offer.

My god, the jean jackets. Do you or someone you know like the look of denim so much that you want more than just pants? Then jean jackets from the WWF are for you. WWF licensed jean jackets were the go-to accessory during the early-to-mid 90s for reasons that the world’s best scientists are still trying to figure out. It combines the dedication of putting leather chaps and earring-clad Shawn Michaels on your back with the class that comes from torso-centric denim. Check out their wide, and I do mean wide, selection of jean jackets. Go back in time and get one for someone you hate.

Everyone has seen the large novelty foam fingers sold at sporting events (including wrestling). They’re a staple of modern sports fandom. But in the 90s, the WWF decided that fingers were out. “No more foam fingers, damnit!” said Vince McMahon as he stood in his obscenely adorned board room before challenging a writer to a fist fight. Yes, in the WWF’s eyes, foam fingers were out. Not because they’re hokey, but because they were FINGERS. That’s why the 90s brought you new, fresh ideas like…foam cowboy hats, foam tombstones…and foam urns….wait, what? Well at least the attitude era got rid of these foam atrocities once and for all.

But at least it wasn’t a finger.

Oh…..

In addition to foam…well, everything, felt hats were also incredibly popular and abundant during the 90s. Why? I have no earthly idea. But it should be no surprise that the decade that saw the rise of Buff Bagwell would also allow felt hats to be be a thing. These hats were flimsy, easy to produce, and could be found literally everywhere. County fairs, malls, WWF and WCW even sold licensed ones of their greatest stars. I’ll be the first to admit I fell into this trap. I actually own a D-Generation X felt hat. I got it from, you guessed it, the county fair. It was exactly what it said; it was a hat made of felt. And that’s about it. Were they popular? Definitely. Why? I just don’t know.

It’s at this time I have to mention another common theme in 90s wrestling merchandise: The Undertaker. If you’re a wrestling fan (and if you’re on this, you are), you know how awesome the Undertaker is. His history of great matches, great feuds, and those few years WWE doesn’t want to talk about, the Undertaker has done it all, so you can understand why he’d have a metric ton of merchandise. Now, the Undertaker is known for his unmatched commitment to kayfabe: he doesn’t do interviews, he doesn’t break character, he doesn’t even appear at the Hall of Fame, for crying out loud. If he weren’t married to Michelle McCool, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he didn’t even tell his wife what he did for a living. He’s that committed. But in the 90s….he was unmercifully exploited. Like “girl off the bus from Iowa with Hollywood dreams and Chatsworth talent” exploited. Never in my life have I seen a character that the WWF worked so hard to protect and pimp out at the same time as how they treated the Undertaker in the mid-90s. I’ve already mentioned the foam urns and tombstones, and yes, in WrestleMania: The Arcade Game, he literally threw ghosts at people, but that wasn’t him. He didn’t actually do those things, they were done about him. The same reason why you could feasibly have a Brock Lesnar teddy bear when we all know the real Brock Lesnar would eat it for smiling at him. Totally different. But then…they started using the Undertaker to sell his own merchandise. He wore his own t-shirts…in posed photographs…in their merchandise catalog. Yes, I’m serious. Don’t believe me?

Do you see it? Because I wish I didn’t. Or there was the idea that he (and Paul Bearer) would personally call you for the WWF’s Greetings on Call service. Yes, for a mere $9.95, you too can have the deadman and his pasty buddy call you personally. Warning: Call does not cover subsequent therapy or shame one feels after hearing the Undertaker sing “Happy Birthday”. All in all, Vince McMahon is admittedly a promotional machine and everyone, EVERYONE is fair game. Now who do I talk to about my idea for a B Brian Blair singing telegrams?

And finally, we get to the t-shirts. The 1980s were a boom period in wrestling t-shirts, with logos and cartoon likenesses of your favorite wrestlers readily available at every show and in their merchandise catalog.

In the 1990s, t-shirts were still popular, but the style and method of delivery changed. Now you could get your very own Jake the Snake Roberts t-shirt from live events, catalogs, or even ordering by phone. Instead of the cartoony shirts that populated the rock ‘n wrestling era, now you could have t-shirts with real pictures of your favorite WWF superstars. Sometimes this translated well. And sometimes…well…not so much.

The 90s were filled with wrestling shirts of all kinds, some good, some bad, and some so ugly they should be shredded, burned, the ashes buried in a hole, and the hole shot into the endless abyss of space. Although they come out the with random mis-fire from time to time

Well, that’s about it. There’s more I’ll get to some other time (shudder), but that’s all I can subject myself to right now. Did I miss anything? If so, let me know in the comments. And just for kicks, here’s a gallery of WWF and WCW merchandise from this amazing (not always in a good way) time.