You know the feeling: you have a hot date with the cutie from upstairs, but time is ticking away, piles of clothes are taking over your bed and your floor, and you still have nothing to wear. Never fear. Here are 7 easy items to collect that will be sure to make a chic and complete 90s/Y2K wardrobe, illustrated through our very own fashion idols, the Spice Girls.
1. CHUNKY SNEAKERS
Honestly, this above all else is my holy grail, my iconic item that I would take on a deserted island, thank you very much. Dress them up with a dress and funky earrings, down with a pair of jeans and oversized graphic tee. The possibilities are endless with this one, and the trick is to find the chunkiest, cute-ugliest dad shoe you can find, a la Baby Spice or Sporty Spice. Think Skechers D Lites, or Fila Disruptors. The silhouette is effortlessly trendy, comfortable as hell, and you can be sure no Y2K wardrobe is complete without them.
2. BLACK PLATFORM SLIDES
These shoes are the epitome of 90s/2000s chic. Easy to throw on with a dress or a pair of jeans, these shoes will get you where you need to be, and you’ll definitely look good getting there. Steve Madden killed it in the 90s with his stretchy black platform slides, which have thankfully marched back into the fashion scene with their very own nostalgic flip-flop noise we all missed so much.
3. LBD
Without a doubt this has been a wardrobe essential since the beginning of time, but trust me, it always will be. You can make it a elegant, sophisticated, or downright sexy paired with the right accessories. Dress this one up with heels, fun earrings, a pair of sexy fishnets, and some mules. Dress it down with a white tee underneath and some white sneakers. Recommended: this dress should be bodycon, with spaghetti straps for manageability and wardrobe possibilities (think Posh Spice, 1997) . LBDs have the ability to take you from your 8:30 class to drinks with the girls. No stress, no mess.
4. GRAPHIC TEE
This one is a no brainer. Go for a oversized fit on those days you just need to roll out of bed. Solid colors like white, black, and red are easy to pair with anything, and a fun, wacky graphic on the front is killer. Dress up with a printed skirt and black platform slides. Dress down with jeans a pair of sneakers. Ok, no, I didn’t find a good example of the iconic Spice Girls rocking the graphic tee. You can, however, buy a graphic tee WITH the spice girls on it. You go, girl.
5. HIGH WAISTED JEANS
Duh, this look is everywhere right now. However, to truly capture the 90s/Y2K look, you gotta rock the mom jeans or wide leg skater pants, preferably light or medium wash. Scary Spice killed it with the wide leg, high waisted skater pants. Dress up with a black crop top, iconic 90s cardigan, and black platform slides. Dress down with the graphic tee tucked in, sneakers on.
6. DENIM JACKET
This has also been a real wardrobe staple, and was quintessential in the 90s/early 2000s. Throw it over a dress or a simple tee and pants. To rock a Canadian Tuxedo, keep in mind it works best when paired with two denims that are the same wash. To go for a sexier, more refined look, a cropped denim jacket at the waist adds an edgy, sexier look and adds good dimension.
7. ICONIC 2 PIECE SET
If you want to really embody sporty 90s look, this is the way to go. Athleisure was a fashion wave, illustrated through Sporty Spice and her iconic tracksuits. However, if this isn’t your vibe, a 2 piece set with pants, a skirt, or shorts always comes in handy. I tend to stick with a shirt and pants combo with a fun plaid print, which is all in right now. You can wear the pieces together for a pulled together, matchy matchy look, or separate to create lots of different looks, dressy or not.
What’s another classic 90s/Y2K essential your wardrobe just can’t live without?