The "Dated" Jeans Trend Millennials Used to Love Is Now Being Adopted By Gen Z Fashion Girls
The early aughts are so back.
Gen Z is known for making the old new again, especially when it comes to denim trends. Y2K era fashion continues to be at the forefront among the Gen Z crowd, and we have to give credit to millennials for trailblazing it. The latest denim trend to make a comeback is light-wash bootcut jeans, and Gen Z It girl Sadie Sink just provided further proof with her most recent outfit, worn while exiting the Harold Pinter Theatre in London, where she's starring in Romeo & Juliet.
Sink wore her light-wash bootcut jeans with a brown Prada shirt jacket layered over a plain white tank top, and she accessorized with a burgundy Paloma Wool shoulder bag and Prada leather loafers. Millennials definitely styled their bootcut jeans differently in the early aughts, but Sink's look is the perfect balance of modern and nostalgic. She made a “dated” pair of jeans look cool and laid-back, a knack a lot of stylish Gen Zers have.
Whether you’re a millennial who wouldn’t mind going back in time with a trend or a Gen Zer who loves a nostalgic aesthetic, keep scrolling to recreate Sink’s look and shop light-wash bootcut jeans.
Spotted on Sadie Sink
On Sadie Sink: Prada Gabardine Shirt Jacket ($3450), and Chocolate Brushed Leather Loafers ($1270); Paloma Wool Soft Caye Bag ($440)
Spotted on Influencers
Shop Light-Wash Bootcut Jeans
Kerane Marcellus is a New York-based writer. She joined the Who What Wear team in 2025 after writing for Essence Magazine and freelancing for a number of other arts and culture publications. Fashion is a form of expression that she encourages everyone to take part in. There is no right or wrong in getting dressed! When she's not writing, she's reading in the park or gallery hopping in the city.