If you grew up wearing bumster-level low-rise jeans and bedazzled chainmail halter-necks, you'll probably be surprised to hear that 2000s fashion is once again popular.
I was born in 1994—amid the reign of Calvin Klein minimalism and Perry Ellis grunge synonymous with 90s fashion—and if you ask me, the decade still feels like it happened just yesterday.
But it was the decade I grew up in—the 2000s—that truly had the most impact on me. From Mischa Barton's Chanel collection as Marissa Cooper on The O.C. to Paris Hilton's chintzy chainmail minidress from her 21st birthday and Lauren Conrad's intern-at-a-fashion-magazine-wardrobe on The Hills, this was a period of iconic fashion moments that have been seared into the culture for good.
Now, over twenty years on, there is perhaps nothing more humbling than seeing my teenage nieces referencing styles I wore what feels like a mere couple of years ago as "cool vintage styles." But, here we are.
In looking to the Y2K fashion of the early noughties, we're looking to a broad spectrum of fashion icons. Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears and all the members of Destiny's Child, to name a few, were pioneering 2000s fashion looks we still revere today—metallic glam, lots of teeny-tiny baguette bags, sparkly hair clips and corset tops.
But here in the UK, there was a completely different vibe. Sienna Miller and Kate Moss sold us all on the fashion kudos of ballet flats, baggy jeans, boho dresses and slouchy boots, all of which have firmly come back into style over the past year, while the rise of couples like Posh and Becks, Keira Knightley and Jamie Dornan, and Kate Middleton and Prince William cemented an era of power dressing in its own right.
From brands like Blumarine and Chloé ushering in the return of these looks on the runway to modern style savants like Bella Hadid and Addison Rae making a case for 2000s fashion in everyday dressing, there's no shortage of styles making a comeback. Curious to know which Y2K trends have outlived the trend cycle? Ahead, the best 2000s fashion moments to make their return.
The 17 Best 2000s Fashion Moments That Have Made A Comeback
1. Hair Clips
Style Notes: Hair accessories are back in a big way, but now we're swapping the tinny styles that would tear your tresses out at Claire's; the 2025 equivalent is altogether more glam. The good news is that you still don't have to spend a fortune to nail this noughties trend. With tortoiseshell claw clips from Emi Jay to the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy-inspired headbands from Jennifer Behr, there are so many beautifully modern versions of this trend to try.
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A contemporary take on the playful trend.
So cute.
The rhinestones scream 2000s fashion, but the barrette is very French Girl.
The girl with the pearl Simone Rocha hair clip.
2. Corsets
Style Notes: The bottoms may have been baggy in the early noughties, but the tops were very fitted. And on every red carpet at the time, you'd see a number of starlets rocking a corset top. This season, our favourite brands have put a sleek, contemporary spin on the seductive 2000s fashion style.
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This corset top features a contrasting silk balconette bra for a full Bridgette Bardot fantasy.
I personally love corsets that have a print that could easily be hanging in some 17th-century chateau in Provence or villa in Tuscany.
The beautiful rosette and moulded silk cups feels incredibly 2000s fashion-coded.
This velvet iteration is moving fast.
3. Cargo Pants
Style Notes: Yes, the "ugly-chic" pants are officially a trend of the present day, and we're not even sorry to say that we're excited to start wearing the practical style that is cargo pants, again.
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I personally adore slipping into corduroy the moment the weather cools, and this cargo pair from Citizens of Humanity truly is such a contemporary look.
Plum is a major colour trend for the autumn/winter 2025 season.
You can never go wrong with white jeans, especially with these deep cargo cuts.
Pair with chic leather flats and a ribbed white t-shirt for the ultimate off-duty look.
4. Tiny-Strap Sandals
Style Notes: Strappy sandals are still having a major moment, and icons like Kate Moss prove the undeniable glamour of this evening style. Bring yours into daywear by opting for a kitten heel and pairing it with jeans and a tee.
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Add a pop of red to your look with these eye-catching sandals from Reformation.
I love the thought of pairing these shoes with colourful tights and an oversized coat come winter.
You can just imagine Carrie Bradshaw wandering around in these.
Take after Kate Moss and reach for this butter yellow pair.
5. Baguette Bags
Style Notes: Whether logo-filled, baguette-shaped, or the iconic Fendi original, consider this the 2000s It bag trend to own.
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If you enjoy JW Anderson's loafer bag, then this more affordable alternative will surely tug at heartstrings.
The noughties OG, in a fresh colourway for 2025.
Polène make some of the best bags around.
The egg clasp and calf leather make this one of the most understated and decadent bags available.
6. Baggy Jeans
Style Notes: Skinny jeans might be back in fashion in 2025, but they're still a style that can send chills down the spine of some. Instead, make like the 2000s and embrace the baggy look of looser cut and straight-leg pairs.
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Arket's Cloud jeans are a best seller for a reason. With a true mid-rise finish and elongated leg, the non-stretch denim really helps sculpt to your body.
Easy to dress up or down by pairing it with in-fashion trainers.
COS's Arch jeans are one of the most highly-recommended pairs of all time.
Barrel-leg jeans are a great way to get that baggy effect with some structure.
7. Capri Pants
Style Notes: If the baggy look isn't for you, this is the noughties-approved alternative. This slim-fitting, cropped capri pant looks particularly cool when styled with strappy sandals and a fitted t-shirt.
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Pair with a boho blouse to channel your inner Brigitte Bardot.
I love the contrasting lace trim on these pedal pushers.
I love how this split-hem style is paired with a matching vest.
These may look unassuming, but pair them with a grey sweater and a white button-down for the ultimate expensive-looking silhouette.
8. Baby Tanks and Tees
Style Notes: Cropped t-shirts and tank tops immediately feel like the fresh basics you need. You'll find us diving deep into the 2000s fashion trend by wearing them with our cargo pants and tiny bags.
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Margot Robbie, Taylor Swift and Jennifer Lawrence are counted as fans of this brand.
When it comes to white tank-tops, this anagram Loewe style has a 2000s fashion sensibility, while still feeling modern.
Reformation's Dusk Knit Top has that '90s scoop neck finish, but the 2000s fashion body-conscious cut that I adore.
This beautiful lace style from Dôen reminds me of the early 2000s styling worn by Rachel Bilson.
9. Wedge Mules
Style Notes: Ready or not, the wedge shoe trend is bubbling back up again—except that 2025's versions are much sleeker. Just thank Chemena Kamali (Chloé's creative director) and Sienna Miller for their return.
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These platform wedges from Zara are totally 2000s.
For a designer version, look to Gucci's jacquard print logo style with the gilded horsebit finish.
These Rixo wedges have a rounded toe and a '20s-inspired strap that I find so elevated.
The inverse curve will have you friends demanding to know where you got these from.
10. Ethereal Evening wear
Style Notes: In search of inspiration for your wedding guest dress? Look to style icon Sienna Miller's incredible early 2000s fashion, which feel so timeless and romantic. Floaty, subtly bohemian dresses always look so gorgeous.
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This might look risqué, but the built-in slip takes this slip from 'naked dress' territory and into the 'elegant eveningwear' category.
If this was really the 2000s, you can bet this dress would be worn over jeans.
A far more classic take. You'll cherish this tiered piece for seasons to come.
Biker boots, faux fur gilet, layers of ruffles...can it get more boho than this?
11. Tube Top
Style Notes: The strapless top is well and truly back in fashion. Go bare-shouldered and pair with linen shorts or jeans, or layer a shirt or waisted cardigan over the top.
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The longer fit lends itself to styling with linen and wide-leg trousers.
The microfibre fabric is buttery soft.
Combine two 2000s fashion trends with this silk bandeau.
The ruching on this makes this style look far more expensive than it is.
12. Shell Necklaces
Style Notes: The puka shell necklace may have been the A-lister favourite in the noughties, but this year, shell necklaces have been given a chic upgrade that still retains their nostalgic charm. Take on holiday or wear at home with breezy linen sets.
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I need this ASAP.
Channel your inner siren with this stunning cord style
Double down on pearls with this gorgeous necklace from Jennifer Behr.
I love the contrasting textures.
13. Ballet Flats
Style Notes: Thanks mainly to Alexa Chung, I spent my youth clamouring for ballet flats. This practical yet elegant flat has reclaimed its place as a footwear staple over the past year, and I couldn't be happier about it. (Chung also helped bring ballet flats back with her own Gucci Horesbit styles.)
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So versatile.
As someone who wears a lot of black, I tend to rely on my shoes to inject a little colour in my outfits. These would definitely do the trick.
Suede ballet flats are my new obsession. I love the polish this pointed-toe brings, too
Ballet pumps with a croc embossed texture and a square-toe? Sign us up.
14. Leopard Print
Style Notes: Leopard prints may not be the first motif that comes to mind when you think of 2000s fashion. (That's probably velour or chintzy chainmail.) But thanks to Christina Aguilera and the cast of Jersey Shore, the pattern has been entrenched in the annals of Y2K style. (Bonus points if it's paired with a contrasting hot pink trim!)
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This design is straight out of a time capsule.
While the name of the bag is New York, there's certainly a New Jersey sensibility to the style with this mob wife-esque print.
Mary Janes are the perfect alternative to ballet flats, and the print on this H&M pair reminds me of Alaïa's celebrity-approved criss-cross style.
This bias-cut dress reminds me of the tiger-print Roberto Cavalli dress Aaliyah wore to the 2000 MTV awards.
15. Mini Skirts
Style Notes: This photo of Beyoncé wearing Uggs to a formal event may be engrained in our collective consciousness, but we tend to overlook just how prevalent another key item in this look was. Indeed, mini skirts were everywhere, from the red carpet to the streets of Rodeo Drive. Looking for tips on how to find the perfect 2000s fashion style? Take cues from Paris Hilton, who once famously quipped, "skirts should be the size of a belt."
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With Jéan is an Australian brand that's making waves internationally. With a fanbase that includes Dua Lipa, Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid, this brand is certainly one you need to know for pieces that emulate a vintage, model off-duty feel.
This gorgeous gingham style comes from a size UK 4 to UK 26.
A denim mini skirt is an early 2000s staple.
The contrasting trim with sweet bow detail is incredibly Blair Waldorf coded.
16. Tracksuits
Style Notes: You'd be remiss to find any 2000s fashion round-ups that exclude velour tracksuits. From Lindsay Lohan to Brittany Spears and Kim Kardashian, this was Hollywood's off-duty style for a good decade. While looks have gotten far more premium in recent years, I still have a soft spot for this matching look.
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This look makes me want to listen to Heidi Montag's "I'll Do It".
The elasticised waist and slouch fit of these track pants makes these the most comfortable pair I own.
Wide-leg joggers are the ideal hybrid between loungewear and outerwear.
This plum colour is so in at the moment.
17. Chintzy Mini Dresses
Style Notes: If the '90s were all about the LBD, the 2000s were all about the chintzy mini. The new millennium was kicked off by Paris Hilton's infamous chainmail, thigh-grazing dress—with a matching dazzling choker, of course—from her 21st birthday party. Revived by Diesel and Versace in the 2020s, this is one style you'll constantly pull out for midnight soirées, cocktail parties and, inevitably, 2000s fashion-themed events.
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Abstract buttons were a motif featured in Alexander McQueen's spring/summer 2003 collection, so it's only fitting you embrace this noughties design detail in apt mini dress format.
When it comes to chainmail, Versace really is the greatest of all time. This gold hue reminds me of the dresses worn by supermodels, including Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen and Carla Bruni, to close the brand's spring/summer 2018 show.
The useless skinny scarf was one of the most ubiquitous trends of the decade—and one that's come back, albeit in a more elegant format, thanks to Toteme's scarf coat and Phoebe Philo's scarf blouse.
Exposed bras were such a 2000s fashion staple. (Thanks to Regina George, of course.) This dress does it in a slightly more elegant way, with the sateen effect balancing out the sequin fabric.
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