Y2K, also known as “the year 2000,” was a time in fashion for all things digital millennium. It made its first debut during the 2000s when denim, small bags, flipped hair and belly baring was in style. Inspired by the Tia and Tamera and Britney Spears, we adopted these same trends into our hair and what we wear.
Groups like Destiny’s Child and films like Clueless gave us infinite inspo for our school fits and party looks. While less of that influence made its way into the 2010s aesthetic, it’s resurfaced now. Here’s our take on the hairstyles and fashion staples of the Y2K aesthetic as well as who’s wearing them now.
Y2K Hairstyles Then and Now
Whether you wore your hair crimped (as modeled by Halsey), flipped, parted, banged or worn with butterfly clips, y2K was/is all about creative expression. The aim was to catch your eye while maintaining the sleek millennium undertone. Our beloved baby girl, Aaliyah, was also a force starting styles that continue to be embraced. There was also a definite play on hair color with platinum/red cuts and streaks popping up at main events. Today’s y2K hair is donned by those who were around when the trend first originated and Gen Z. Gen Z, however, has started incorporating these looks into other borrowed trends like the “clean girl aesthetic”.
Y2K Fashion Then and Now
The fashion of y2k was all about skin, some comfort, but ultimately standing out. Mini denim skirts, low rise jeans, bedazzled thongs that held millennium style cell phones. It was definitely a time to be alive as our celeb faves created and recreated what we wore in everyday life. Lace-up separates, velour suits, belly chains and tube tops all had their renditions no matter where you lived. And there was also the embrace of basics whether that was with a cropped tee up top or solid bootcut jeans down below. And don’t forget the bell bottoms/flared jeans although y2k can’t take full credit for those.
From chokers to platforms, the looks were all about a little lift whether that was in height or aesthetic. Pair any of those with colored sunglasses and you were styling. Now, the miniskirts have resurfaced with a spin on baggy pants that’s leaned more towards oversized cargos. The color plays of bold still resonate amongst celebs and social media users. While some looks like trucker hats have not come back with quite the same vengeance, it’s nice to see one of our favorite trends return with a spin.
The Allure of the Y2K Aesthetic
With the y2k aesthetic resurfacing, it’s fair to ask what the allure was in the first place and why it’s making a comeback now. A CNN article made the connection that, like then, we’re looking to the future now: for better days politically and inspiration artistically. Ironically and appropriately, the y2k aesthetic is one trend that encapsulates this dance between the present and the future. It blends decades of familiar looks with new aged, sometimes simplistic, sometimes complex expressions. Nostalgia fashion adds a level of comfort for those rewearing it and those trying it for the first time because there are already examples out there from which we can pull inspo. The celebs and online personalities that Gen Z admires are idolizing the figures that we looked to in the original launch of the y2k trend.
AP points towards affordability as one of the many reasons that Gen Z has clung to this particular fashion moment with thrift shops being a major source. Members of Gen Z are also much more aware of the climate, with regards to the impact of the fashion industry and are actively trying to make change. So, I guess it’s not so bad being copied when the next set of folks does it better. We’re loving these takes on the y2k aesthetic and enjoy reliving the hair and fashion of our heyday now.