And just like that, the ‘aughts’ are back in style. Even though it’s been almost 15 years since the 2000s ende, Gen Z’s newest nostalgia trend is revamping many of the kitschy aesthetics and pop culture icons that people either love or hate. Whether it be the return of the *shudder* low-rise jeans, the rise of trucker hats, or flashy additions to everyday makeup, it seems that the 2020s are looking a little more Y2K pop than art deco.
Fashion – It’s All A Statement Piece
Growing up in the 2000s, I remember seeing the casts of High School Musical, Camp Rock, and even The Simple Life roll up to the red carpet rocking Von Dutch trucker hats, hot pink Juicy Couture tracksuits, blingy dresses over leggings, and thinking “now this, is fashion.” Then, I grew up and realized that maybe chunky, rhinestone belts over a bedazzled bebe dress aren’t the move.
Thankfully, Gen Z has managed to take some of the best fashions of the aughts and outfit them to a much more calm ensemble while still maintaining a Y2K silhouette. And, of course, incorporating the decade’s notorious love for color, statement pieces, and flashy flair.
The most notable way Gen Z has incorporated this style is through their love for baggy, low-rise jeans. Stars like Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, and Hailey Beiber are proud to show off some skin with loose, low, and comfy jeans. Some even wear patterned or print pants, for that extra oomph the 2000s were all about.
To make your low-rise jeans, skirts, or shorts feel put together, there’s a limitless combo of options for a top that feels fun, fresh, and flashy. In the 2000s the midriff ran free, with even your most basic t-shirt ending up cropped and matched with a micro-mini skirt or low-rise jeans. And while most of us think of gorgeous dresses making up the red carpet, back then, graphic t-shirts, baby tee’s, and some serious skin ran the scene. Stars like Britney Spears even DIY’ed tees before performances to create their own unique pieces.
Today, however, Gen Z fashionistas are pumping the brakes on some of the more wild top ideas (denim tube tops, anyone?) Stores today have no shortage of tight baby tees, with graphics printed on them ranging from the cuter, teeny-bop style to a grungier aesthetic. The corset top, once the favorite of Christina Aguilera and Rhianna, has now been retrofitted by stars like Megan Fox and Gigi Hadid as a way to turn any old pair of jeans into a much more elegant, if not sexy, look. Split-bottom tops with low necklines, as perfected by Lindsay Lohan, have also seen a recent comeback as one of the edgier styles of today, and come in a variety of colors.
Makeup and Accessories – Maximalism For A Gen Z Audience
More important than the outfit, however, the 2000s focused even more on the accessories, hairstyle, and makeup paired with it. While jelly shoes are thankfully never making a comeback, Gen Z has brought back many Y2K staples like lip gloss, bright accessories, and fun hair.
While the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic still makes up the majority of beauty tutorials, makeup has begun to incorporate softer reminders of the 2000s, with bright blues, baby pinks, and smudged eyeliner being modified for today’s Gen Z wearers.
Y2K is almost synonymous with color, and as such, the makeup of the era was chock-full of bright eyeshadow, brighter blush, and colorful lips. One word for makeup in the aughts would be “frosty”, as every look glittered with the pale shimmer or ‘frost’ used in palettes and lipgloss. Today, solid baby blue and pastel pink eyeshadows provide a soft but still vibrant look, with small gems or slight shimmer being used to accentuate a style similar to that of Euphoria.
Gloss, too, has returned to grace makeup today. As a wannabe child popstar in the year 2008, I had a collection of flavored lip shimmers and glosses. I grew out of Claire’s bright pink lip gloss that tasted like bubblegum, only to start using the ‘big-girl’ alternative, Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb. Fenty, alongside Glossier, Maybelline, Kaja, and other brands have lined their displays with all shades and shimmers of gloss. Lipgloss goes hand in hand with the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, with the subtle shimmer and supple appearance it gives to lips. When it’s not making your lips sticky, gloss can be a fun and simple addition to your go-to makeup.
On the coattails of the 90s grunge movement, punk and edgier aesthetics were just as common as the frosty pastels and pops of color on either side of the spectrum. Today, smudged and bold eyeliner is a perfect way to accentuate the chunky belts, platform boots, and distressed details of a modern-Y2K ‘grunge’ outfit. Much more Rockstar Girlfriend or Wednesday Addams than Julia Fox, the darker eyeshadows and bold lip hues of the grunge movement leaves the clean-girl aesthetic to the backseat and embraces a less-polished, freer look.
Today’s hairstyles have also moved into the world of bigger and brighter.
The two-toned hairstyle has slowly, if not more mutedly, returned to the main scene. Beyonce, back in 2001, launched her iconic two-toned cornrows, and after bringing back the braids for her Lemonade album, the style has been recreated and retrofitted for modern fans. The protective styling is great for adding a pop of color and artistry to one’s hair. Similarly, the money piece, or face-framing highlights done in a different color than the hair, have seen a return. Money pieces have been done in all sorts of color combos, including platinum and pink, mahogany and blonde, or as popularized by Billie Eilish, black and neon green.
One of the hair trends Gen Z has embraced also doubles as a cute (and personal favorite) accessory. The claw clip was the hair tool of choice throughout the 90s and early 2000s, but quickly faded from the spotlight until Alexander Wang, in a 2018 runway show, brought it back in full force. Because it’s less tough on hair than an elastic band and can come in a variety of sizes depending on your hair thickness, many people, including myself, are happy the claw clip can function as a cute and convenient way to tie your outfit together.
The baguette bag, first popularized by Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City, has returned as a chic and easy bag to bring with you on the go. Coach has relaunched its sale of the Demi bag, but classic Fendi baguette bags or those traded around on Depop were still the favored bag for the Y2K’s and now, for Gen Z. The baguette bag comes in a variety of colors and materials, leading to it being paired with nearly any outfit.
Finally, the accessory of the past couple of summers has arguably been the belly or waist chain. While waist chains have been used across many cultures, the plastic, colorful version we most commonly know rose to popularity in the early 2000s. Today, brands like Asos and Frankie’s Bikinis have added the fun accessory to their lineup, after shows from Dior, Chanel, and Jacquemes showcased them on the runway. Gen Z has used the bright and multi-colored chains as an extra pop to their outfits, usually paired with the aforementioned low-rise jeans or split-bottom tops.
Brb, bedazzling my low-rise apple bottoms
Fashion, as an art form, is cyclical. Every twenty, thirty, or forty years the fashion of a decade tends to find its way back to the mainstream. Just recently, the mom jeans from the 80s and the cardigans and biker shorts of the 9090ss made up a large portion of store displays and wardrobes. And even now, the flare and halter-top silhouette of the 70s is making its way back into pop culture. It makes sense that, twenty years later, the aesthetics and style Gen Z grew up with as children grew into a nostalgia trend. And hey, who wouldn’t want to be a real-life Bratz doll?
But more than flashy colors and interesting prints, the style of the aughts was all about experimentation. It was about being free enough to confidently wear your own unique outfits. It’s easy to feel like the Y2K color scheme and silhouette might be a bit much, but the best part of building your aesthetic is to have fun with it.