And just like that, the butt is back. You may have spotted low-slung True Religion jeans with floss-like thongs peaking above the waistband, or backless maxis dresses sporting a healthy dose of Tom Ford-at-Gucci-era butt cleavage, either way, underwear as outerwear has become this season's biggest trend.

If you were around in the noughties or just a lover of archival fashion, I’m sure that you’re aware that showing off your thong is by no means new—I mean, Sisqó wrote one of the most iconic songs of all time about it. The 2000's were the decade that gave us Britney Spears' bedazzled G-string at the MTV Video Music Awards, Paris Hilton's fluorescent pink undies at the Lloyd Klein AW'01 presentation, and both came only a handful of years after Alexander McQueen introduced the "bumster" trouser that deliberately exposed the wearers crack. The "whale tale" wasn't just a trend; it was a cultural movement.

After falling out of favour amid the rise of quiet luxury, bearing ones backside is back. In an era of personality-driven maximalism, the trend feels tongue-in-cheek (pardon the pun). It's less Kim Kardashian circa 2018, and more a glorious celebration of all things anti-fashion. Style and sex appeal are no longer "polished", and take on a carefree nonchalance—one that feels instinctive rather than overly styled. Unsurprisingly, some of Gen Z's most eclectic dressers have embraced the look in droves, proving that showing your pants can be inherently cool and surprisingly subversive.

But the butt didn't just make a comeback this summer—it had been quietly re-entering the conversation for quite some time. Back in 2024, Susamusa's Meadow skirt became a hit amongst the fashion set. Yes, the polka-dot print tapped neatly into the trends of the time, but it was the skirt's almost-nude-but-not-quite fabrication that made it irresistible.

Simultaneously, the rise in popularity of Addison Rae, Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter, musicians who lean into lingerie to tell a story, made underwear as outwear this season’s hottest commodity. With fashion people matching their pants to their outfits and It girls like Bella Hadid and Alex Consani jumping onto the trend, it show sno signs of slowing down this summer. Scroll to shop statement making underwear below.

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When considering the most fashionable films of the '90s and early, it's obvious to cite classics like Clueless, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Legally Blonde and The Devil Wears Prada. Despite being an avid fan of these teen-y dramas, there is one movie—and frankly one Y2K style aesthetic—that I think is often slept on: Blue Crush. I grew up with boys, and not just any boys, horrible, boisterous boys, who would make me watch Godzilla, Jackass and Jurassic Park. When it came to so-called "chick flicks," the one we could all agree on watching on repeat was Blue Crush. Maybe it was Kate Bosworth as the ultimate cool girl in a bikini, maybe it's just because that film is actually so good, either way, I had no difficulty in persuading my brothers to watch it.

And it might just be time for a rewatch, because lately I've noticed the surfing style that was present in fashion in that era is definitely making a comeback. Whilst we've been living in a Y2K comeback era for some time, we've seen the return of 2000s activewear, capri pants and even multiple It bags of that time, surfcore hasn't really happened. Until now. From more obvious and actually quite timeless pieces like flip flops and shell details to more divisive trends like board shorts and the colour aquamarine, this movement is about to be a moment.

It isn't just a stylistic trend, but also a hobby, too. From London Girl's Surf Club to content creator Lindsay Holland's Marnie Rays surf retreat in Cornwall, I've noticed a cohort of influencers, editors and multi-hyphenate cool girls frequenting the waves lately. Maybe it's time to pick it up as a hobby? Or you could just watch the film and buy the clothes?

6 Y2K Surfer Fashion Trends Back In Summer 2026

1. Board Shorts

Style Notes: Board shorts are back, baby! Whether you’re a surfer or just a bystander, whether you want to go knee-length or micro, printed or plain, this shorts trend is about to be huge. I’ve spotted a few sporty styles on Free People, panelled with piping in contrasting colours, as well as others with classic hibiscus print. If you got rid of your Roxy pair that you had when you were 12, don’t worry! The Quicksilver brand have collaborated with Miaou for the ultimate surfer girl-coded collection, board shorts included.

2. Hibiscus Prints

Style Notes: Whilst spring and summer collections often bring floral prints, we’ve seen less maximalist florals on the runways in recent years, thanks to a long period ruled by minimalism and quiet luxury. But no more! Dries van Noten presented hibiscus prints for its spring/summer 2026 collection, in beautifully gaudy hues like chartreuse, orange and purple. With the rise of the “yen Z” aesthetic—a TikTok trend that celebrates the wellness movement of the early 2000s (think yoga, harem pants as well as bamboo and orchid motifs)—it was only a matter of time we started to see the return of the hibiscus flower, an integral floral print of the noughties era.

3. Aquamarine

Style Notes: Aqua has to have been one the strongest colour trends of 2026. Everywhere I look I see shades of turquoise, Tiffany Blue and teal (and let's not forget, Transformative Teal was WGSN's colour of the year). I hate to state the obvious but what is more on the nose when it comes to beachy motifs, than the literal colour of the sea? This relatively gaudy and frankly once quite divisive shade is undeniably synonymous with the Y2K era. Just think, cerulean has practically been put on the spectrum because of The Devil Wears Prada, which came out in 2006, and the brighter shades of turquoise are so mermaid-coded, and were popularised in other films of the era, like Mermaids (2003) and Aquamarine (2006).

4. Shells

Style Notes: In case you missed it, shells are everywhere in 2026. From necklaces and earrings to adorned on sandals, bikinis as well as the use of mother of pearl on belts, buttons and handbags, this boho-infused summer detail is really doing the rounds. Whilst shells aren't only associated with the surfer girl, they are—in all forms—synonymous with the beach girl vibe and a must in order to nail this style.

5. Tankinis

Style Notes: Did surfer girls in the Y2K era wear bikinis and swimsuits? You bet. But did they pioneer the tankini movement also? Oh yes! Low rise boxer short bottoms are also really on the rise too, and I have to put this down to this wave of interest in the California beach babe aesthetic prominent in this era. Featured heavily in swimwear collections from the coolest brands, like Damson Madder and the aforementioned Roxy x Miaou collaboration, the return of the tank isn't happening, it's happened and is here.

6. Flip Flops

Style Notes: It seems obvious to call this out, because really flip-flops are a timeless beachwear staple every year. But wearing them outside of beach and pool settings is a trend that's occured in recent years. Especially the classic rubber styles from Havaianas and the like. We've often put this down to Copenhagen street style, who have championed wearing basic flip flops with cotton trousers, skirts and capri pants for some years, but for the surfer girl, this is nothing new at all.

Though decades have passed since the turn of the millennium, fashion has come full circle and is once again relishing in the chintzy and lurid sensibility prominent in the first few years of the 21st century. As we speed towards another raucous summer—not quite as bratty as in previous years, but one hedonistic nonetheless—every sign indicates that the defining aesthetic will be one rooted in the 2000s. Indeed, Y2K fashion is back on the agenda.

Instead of bedazzled Motorola Razr flip phones, Isabel Marant Beckett wedge trainers and Gwen Stefani’s debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby to soundtrack our cruises in Regina George-inspired convertibles, we now have prebiotic sodas, reissues of the Balenciaga City bag and the hypnotic melodies of Slayyyter's punk-meets-club record Worst Girl in America.

Despite the passage of time, many things have remained the same since they first debuted in the early 2000s—rhinestone velour will always hold a place in our hearts, micro mini skirts will never date, and lace-trim camisoles will always complement a pair of ultra-low rise denim. Speaking to Amy Bannerman, eBay UK's style director, she explains that Y2K fashion perpetually resonates for how “unapologetically excessive it all was”.

“From sequins in the daytime to slogan tees and massive sunglasses, these were all strange layering choices that somehow worked—it was glamorous but chaotic!” she adds. “People romanticise that freedom now because fashion has become so polished and algorithmic. It feels almost mythological because it existed in a time when we had more creativity and freedom, before everyone curated themselves online.”

This sense of uninhibited dressing is permeating across all corners of the sartorial landscape, especially in the joy of dressing up discerned across the spring/summer 2026 runways, further cementing the fact that fashion’s getting a little noughtie once more. As for what we can expect this summer, the Y2K revival will run the full gamut, expressing every subculture and micro movement that reared its head the first time around.

“The early 2000s were filled with 'more is more' metallics, tiny tops, trucker hats, velour tracksuits and diamanté everything,” Bannerman notes. “By the late 2000s, things became darker, moodier, grimier and more rock-and-roll. “Think: skinny jeans, oversized leather jackets, American Apparel disco pants, Alexander McQueen skull scarves, heavy eyeliner and huge amounts of layering.”

This, both iterations of the aesthetic will emerge, with Bannerman adding that it’s this “glossy-cum-trashiness to [Y2K fashion] that people are being drawn back to after fashion’s obsession with minimalism and the quiet luxury aesthetic.”

Below, we chart the rise of the defining Y2K fashion trends returning this summer. From the subcultures being revived to the brands doing them best, it’s time to take a dip into the archive. As Madonna said, time goes by so slowly…

6 Y2K Trends Staging a Comeback for Summer 2026

1. Bel Air Brat

Style Notes: With their tiny dogs and chunky flip-flops, the lifestyles of Los Angeles’ rich and famous in the 2000s laid the foundation for what the Y2K fashion would come to immortalise. This was a time when infamy could segue into a bona fide celebrity status, so getting snapped by a paparazzi whilst shopping on Robertson Boulevard was paramount.

Socialites like Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie ruled the set of Bel Air brats with a fist made of Juicy Couture velour and grasping an Urth Caffe mocha lattes. These days, you’ll catch the next generation of this cohort, including Real Housewives of Beverly Hills scion turned supermodel, Amelia Grey, grabbing a takeaway iced matcha from Community Goods in low-slung Adanola sweats or capri track pants. So, wear something that would make you feel like an extra in The Hills or Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring and delight in all its bubblegum pink, bimbo-turned-businesswoman-esque glory.

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2. Secretarial Sleaze

Style Notes: Gisele Bündchen, with her bespeckled frames and body-conscious business casual attire, in the memorable, albeit short-lived, cameo in The Devil Wears Prada, has come to encapsulate the rise in corporate dressing that predicated much of the 2000s. These are ensembles bound to have you written up for violating your office’s dress code—much like Bridget Jones and her off-sick skirt—though the mix of structured tailoring with sensual undertones is undoubtedly a Y2K archetype.

Today, you need only look at the sheer amount of skin-tight pinstripe shirts, Bayonetta glasses and sleek pencil skirts circulating for proof that this trend has transcended workplace settings. Calvin Klein-era Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, eat your heart out.

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3. Track Star

Style Notes: An obsession with archival silhouettes doesn’t end with Galliano-era J’adore Dior tank tops and Takashi Murakami x Louis Vuitton Speedy bags. At least, that’s what the style set is proving this summer, showing up to take the Tracey Anderson Method or a Reformer Pilates class in activewear nearly 30 years old. “Early 2000s sportswear was never just about functionality, it was about identity,” argues Bannerman before adding, “those old Adidas, Puma and Nike pieces had really bold colourways, interesting silhouettes and a kind of optimism to them.”

For those germaphobes amongst us who are uncomfortable with the idea of working out in something someone had profusely previously sweated in it, may we first direct your attention to the concept of a dry cleaner, and also alert you to the fact that many brands are currently banking on this trend. Mia Zotos, the founder and creative director of Mode Mischief, which fuses theatrical nostalgia with playful charm and contemporary silhouettes, is one such designer, offering her own iteration on the style.

“Modern activewear can feel very uniform, whereas 2000s activewear often felt like an outfit,” explains Zotos. “It was sporty, but still styled. There were playful necklines, unique shapes, flares, tight shorts, colour blocking, prints and design details that felt functional but still intentional, whilst still allowing for more self-expression. I think people are drawn to that because it feels nostalgic, but also more individual.”

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4. Aquamarine-Core

Style Notes: From the scintillating sequins that floated down Chanel’s Cruise 2027 runway in Biarritz to the Lisa Frank-inspired colour palettes of Zara Larsson’s on-stage wardrobe and the viral remix of Addison Rae’s single “Aquamarine” with Arca, fashion has gained its sea legs this summer and diving headfirst into the mermaidcore revival. Like a song is to a siren, this trend beacons anyone besotted with crystallised accents, pearlescent details and vibrant colours, including magenta, chartreuse, turquoise and coral.

Of course, for anyone who grew up in the 2000s, they’d know that the mermaids at the centre of Australian teen soap drama H2O: Just Add Water are the original pioneers of the trend. But as the weather warms and the season drags on, who wouldn’t take up the call to relive these childhood memories by frolicking around in the sands of Ibiza or the shorelines of Sifnos? Channel your inner Ariel by wearing tank tops decorated with buttons—see: gizmos and trinkets—that could’ve sunk to the seafloor or make like Matthieu Blazy by opting for glimmering embellishments that catch the light.

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5. Prep School

Style Notes: Blame it on Bennito Skinner’s critically-acclaimed and ludicrously-hilarious college-set series Overcompensating or the fact that Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf will perennially be a source of inspiration, but prep school aesthetics appear to show no signs of slowing down. There is, of course, Emerald Fennel’s nightmarishly posh Saltburn to also hold accountable for this trend, but it would be remiss to ignore the glaring influence of school uniform dressing on summer wardrobes.

Rugby shirts! Bermuda shorts! Boat shoes! These are all staples you’d find in an Eton graduate’s wardrobe, let alone some of the most inspired dressers of our time. But it's this exact subversion of buttoned-up archetypes that makes it so compelling. Make like Nicholas Hoult’s Tony Stonem in Skins and pop the collar of your polo, teaming it with a pair of low-rise jean shorts and the most scuffed-up pair of loafers you own. Wired headphones are compulsory.

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6. Basement Gig Grunge

Style Notes: A subculture that can be summarised by the sonic offerings of The Strokes, Interpol and Arctic Monkeys, indie sleaze is sordid grunge encapsulated. Almost like you’re looking through life with eyeliner-smudged lenses, this aesthetic is one of basement dance floors, sticky record shops and the nascent days of thrifting. As Bannerman puts it: “It felt like we were all living in Camden”. The aesthetic has become somewhat mythologised in recent years, especially as Gen Z romanticises the past and pines to recreate its most memorable attributes. (See: Glastonbury 2007.)

Recently, Olivia Rodrigo put this to the test during her surprise set at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, showing up for the gig in a pair of American Apparel disco shorts, lace-up combat boots, fishnet stockings and a black-and-white striped top. Elsewhere, Jenna Ortega channelled her inner Kate Moss when attending Johnathan Anderson’s debut collection presentation for Dior in a sleeveless Napoleon jacket and frayed denim mini skirt. This cohort is also taking cues from Mary-Kate Olsen’s intentionally distressed Hermès Birkin and Cory Kennedy’s Cobra Snake party photos.

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Meet the Experts

An oversized coffee cup, rolled-up yoga mat and sunglasses big enough to swallow the majority of your face might sound like the latest edition of the typical Pilates uniform. However, spend enough time in a workout class or on social media with those born in the 21st century, and you’ll soon come to realise that the biggest athleisure movement isn’t about matching sets, trending leggings, covetable emotional support water bottles or even a chic pair of ankle weights.

Instead, the latest trend is to emulate Madonna’s gym outfits during her Confessions on a Dance Floor era, when she would run across London in three-stripe tracksuits and three-quarter length Ed Hardy shirts. Indeed, 2000s activewear is trending again in 2026.

What Is the 2000s Activewear Trend?

For those who don’t remember living through the noughties, the increase of strappy tank tops, slouchy low-rise flares, square-toe flip-flops and skin-tight spandex rendered in high-octane colours that are suddenly taking over your gym classes and social media feeds might seem like a novel trend on the rise. Yet, for those on the front lines when these styles were initially popular, you’ll realise just how rose-tinted the glasses that Gen Z must be wearing to revive Y2K sportswear.

After all, this was a time before taking HIIT classes in dark rooms illuminated by fluorescent lights, cycling the French countryside from the comfort of your living room on your at-home Peloton or even knowing who Tracey Anderson was, let alone committing to her method. But on an aesthetic level, there’s something quite cool about the way people would dress to exercise during this decade.

Whilst still focusing on performance, there was less pressure placed on how you were styled and more attention directed towards how much gain you were making. As fashion writer Liana Satenstein so aptly pointed out on her Substack, this was a period where a simple grey t-shirt was regarded as an essential way to show off how much sweat you were producing, and by direct correlation, how fit you actually were. So, why is 2026 the right moment for 2000s activewear to be staging a comeback? More so, why are the noughties being mined for inspiration, especially when you consider the iconic aerobic gear worn by Jane Fonda in the ‘80s or off-duty bike shorts and baggy slogan sweater combination sported by Princess Diana in the ‘90s?

Why is 2000s Activewear Trending in 2026?

Mainly, it comes down to two factors—the influence of those who wore it then and those who are wearing it now. Helming this comeback are tastemakers like Isabella O’Day, the Los Angeles-based founder of archival-workoutwear brand Rummage Stretch, and Natalia Potts, the New York-based owner of vintage boutique Funny Pretty Nice.

With endorsements like these, it’s no longer considered unfashionable to wear old Lululemon capri leggings or a Nike tennis dress worn by Maria Sharapova during a US Open tournament. Nostalgia is certainly part of this renaissance, but there’s also an element of this trend that’s about disrupting the norm and encouraging a more personal approach to dressing for your Reformer class. Nothing truly does this better than the 2000s, especially when you consider just how vast the range of Y2K sportswear trends were prominent back then.

From Victoria Beckham’s chintzy collection of England’s national football team merchandise to Serena Williams’ sequin-adored, pleated denim Nike mini skirt and Paris Hilton’s robust array of velour tracksuits, this trend proves that there are far more options available than just a simple matching polyester set. Today, there are already so many celebrities who are following suit and ditching the slick-back bun for something slightly lurid. Better still, leading sportswear brands like Adanola are also banking on this trend with pieces that fuse this aesthetic with modern innovation and performance-enhancing fabrics. Of course, there are also plenty of pre-loved pieces from brands like Adidas, Puma and Bebe Sport on the secondhand market to shop too, just once you know what you’re looking for.

So, whether you’re marathon planning, looking to elevate your hot girl walks or just want to inject a sense of lightness into your Barre ensembles, the biggest 2000s activewear trends of 2026 are sure to deliver a high-intensity finish. All you need now is to grab your wired headphones, blast the likes of Charli XCX, Addison Rae or Zara Larson and remember that movement is a privilege, so you better do it in style.

The 5 Biggest 2000s Activewear Trends Making a Comeback in 2026

1. Spaghetti Strap Tanks

Style Notes: Before there were sports bras worn as shirts, the early 2000s had singlets and camisoles with bands as thin as a piece of linguine. Yes, the humble spaghetti strap tank top is a beacon of Y2K sportswear. With a minimalistic design that carried over from the ‘90s, the ‘00s iterations feel slightly more risqué as they were styled to show off your undergarments that peak out from beneath. Think of it as sitting at the intersection of Le Marais and Malibu style as a piece that’s effortless, unfussy, but still slightly seductive.

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2. Vintage Sportswear Logos

Style Notes: A signature of 2000s activewear, blown-up and over-zealous vintage sportswear logos were all the rage. From Nike’s trademark swoosh blasters across your chest to Adidas’s famed three-stripe motif that runs down the side of your leg, when it comes to embracing the trend in 2026, always know that the bigger, the better.

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3. Baggy Three-Quarter-Length Pants

Style Notes: Whilst the idea of wearing a pair of cropped cargo pants that sit just below your knee might send shivers down your spine, you only have to look at how prominent this shape was at the time to understand why it’s been given another go in the spotlight. Plus, given the fact that capri leggings are as common as a white t-shirt, why not expand your three-quarter length pant collection with a style as beloved, albeit divisive, as this?

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4. Flared Leggings

Style Notes: To flare or not to flare, that is the question. However, if you were asking anyone who adheres to the biggest 2000s activewear trends, then you’ll know their answer will always be the former. With a casual, floor-grazing elegance and slouchy appeal, flare leggings are a silhouette that’s equally comfortable and chic, especially when paired with flip-flops and baseball caps.

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5. Multi-Layered Tops

Style Notes: Before the 2010s ushered in a wave of stark minimalism with designs from Phoebe Philo, the Olsen Twins and Toteme, it was quite in style to dress in excess. Now, the 2000s activewear aesthetic is straddling both aesthetics, with austerity and maximalism emerging through the multi-layered top trend. Piling up pieces upon pieces, the result might have you looking like you raided your wardrobe, but ensure you piece it together through a considered lens for a take that’s more refined.

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We regularly try on pieces ourselves—everything from best-selling jeans to designer shoes—and speak to external experts and fashion insiders, staying closely connected to what our readers are searching for. Our advice is grounded in expertise, and each and every buy we feature has to meet our exceptional taste standards—so you can feel confident in every recommendation.

At this point, you might be tired of hearing about the endless return of 2000s fashion, but like it or not, the era is clearly hanging around. From low-rise jeans to denim-on-denim in full Britney-and-Justin glory, tube tops to butterfly motifs, Y2K trends remain at the forefront of fashion. It’s not just the clothes that have fashion fans feeling nostalgic, either; the influence of the 2000s is noticeably dominating the biggest 2025 sandal trends, too. From caged jelly sandals to chunky platforms, this summer’s footwear lineup feels unapologetically noughties-coded, and I’m kind of obsessed.

'00s Sandals Are Back, and Fashion Is Loving It

When I think of iconic '00s sandals, my mind instantly serves up images of the people who wore them best at the time: Paris Hilton, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, to name a few. Whether it's Britney's chunky flip-flops or Paris's endless rotation of heeled, strappy sandals, these silhouettes are once again influencing stylish women everywhere, especially those on my feed.

Even once cringeworthy styles are being reappraised through a nostalgic lens. According to Who What Wear UK's SEO writer Ava Gilchrist, "Noughties sandals can be borderline ghastly when you think back to them—the idea of wrapping the straps of Gladiator styles around my calf like some sort of deli meat makes me shudder—but there are some exceptions. Namely, the feathered Jimmy Choo heels worn by Carrie Bradshaw, or the Giuseppe Zanotti encrusted crab heels. But, if there is one style I’d have to single out as a favourite, it would be the little platform wedges worn everywhere, from the pool to prom."

Today, designers are reinventing iconic early-2000s sandal silhouettes with a modern twist. See Coperni’s foam-wedge Platform Thong Sandals (£350), Givenchy’s rubber Marshmallow Wedge Sandals (£475) and the almost sold-out Paris Georgia Dune Wedges (£580), which Gilchrist owns, much to the envy of her colleagues. But it's not just platforms that have seen a revival; jellies have undergone a high-fashion transformation too. The Row’s Pre-Fall 2024 show featured redesigned netted versions, and Chloé and COS also incorporated jelly sandals into their spring/summer 2025 collections.

All this runway attention means one thing: fashion people can’t get enough of '00s sandal trends. From Kendall Jenner stepping out in Dries Van Noten platform thong sandals to Jennifer Lawrence pairing peachy jelly shoes with white overalls, these once-nostalgic shoes are proving that they are once again a style staple.

Need more convincing that noughties sandals are officially back? Everyone’s favourite fashion icon, Carrie Bradshaw, is being immortalised once again, this time by none other than Jimmy Choo. The brand is set to re-release two of its most iconic strappy sandals: the Archive Leo 100 Leopard-Print Sandals (£675), worn with a fitted pink tank and that unforgettable white tutu in Sex in the City's opening credits, and its "72318" Lilac Suede Sandal with Feather Embellishment (£775) from season three, made famous by Carrie’s iconic line, “I lost my Choo!” And honestly? If it’s good enough for Carrie, it’s good enough for me.

Now that I've proven the relevance of these '00s sandals in 2025, let's take a closer look at the specific trends I'm seeing come through. Scroll on to see how the A-list wore these styles the first time around, then continue to shop my edit of the best modern-day pairs to buy now.

7 '00s Sandal Trends That Are Having a Moment in 2025

1. Platform Flip-Flops

Style Notes: If there's one sandal that embodies '00s cool, it's the platform flip-flop. Once towering at nearly five inches, these chunky sandals were a bold fashion statement in the noughties. Even Gwyneth Paltrow, whose style has forever been considered sophisticated, wore a pair on the red carpet, of all places. Today, they’ve been reimagined with a focus on comfort and modern, playful design. The updated versions include inflated soles, exaggerated footbeds and thicker, sculptural straps. In simple terms: the bigger, the better, with brands from Coach to Zara embracing the silhouette’s maximalist appeal.

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2. Strappy Sandals

Style Notes: A true '00s style that never really went out of fashion, the strappy sandal continues to feel relevant 25 years on. Its simplicity means it's remained a wardrobe staple year after year, bridging seasonal trends and personal style shifts. Whether minimal and delicate or bold and architectural, there's a version for everyone. When in doubt, channel Jennifer Aniston by pairing them with a sleek black dress for a polished finish. A fashion no-brainer, these are as reliable as they are chic.

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3. Jelly Sandals

Style Notes: Once relegated exclusively to childhood wardrobes, my favourite sandal trend to re-emerge is undoubtedly the jelly sandal. They used to be clunky and thick-strapped (see comedian Sarah Silverman's 2023 red carpet look), but today’s iterations blend nostalgic charm with elevated silhouettes. Designers have taken the playful trend and transformed it into something sleek, elegant and fashion-forward. Ancient Greek Sandals uses coloured jelly textures in flip-flop form to create subtle visual interest, whilst Chloé breathes new life into the style with kitten heels that feel more Paris runway than playground. Take it as proof that fashion can reinvent even the most unlikely classics.

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4. Gladiator Sandals

Style Notes: When recalling '00s fashion memories, our social media editor Megan Storey fondly recalls the gladiator sandal. "I really did love them back in the day," she says. For others, myself included, the memory is a little less rosy. Those towering, thigh-high versions with endless laces and unforgiving straps and zips were more likely to cut off circulation than deliver a chic moment. They were more of a punishment than footwear. But in 2025, the gladiator sandal has had an overhaul. No longer the over-the-knee cages of the early 2000s, modern iterations have been pared back to something far more wearable and refined. Designers like Manolo Blahnik and Dior have introduced elegant takes that preserve the strappy essence of the original but with sleeker, more wearable silhouettes.

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5. Thong Sandals

Style Notes: Having made a strong return to the fashion scene in recent years, the flat thong sandal is no longer seen as a '00s hazard, but rather, a chic and considered footwear choice. Popularised in the early 2000s by celebrities like Natalie Portman, Nicole Richie and Kim Kardashian (pictured above), these sandals were styled with jeans and slip dresses, and often made appearances on the red carpet in rebelliously casual looks. Today, designers such as The Row, Toteme and Jil Sander have embraced the silhouette, elevating it to a luxury minimalist essential. Crafted in refined materials like leather and suede, this once-basic sandal has found a sleek and sophisticated new identity.

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6. Toe-Ring Sandals

Style Notes: If you told me a few months ago that I couldn’t walk the streets of London without spotting toe-ring sandals everywhere, I wouldn’t have believed you. Once associated with an Eat Pray Love-adjacent aesthetic, this 2000s silhouette has been refined and reworked with thinner straps and more delicate details. Defined by a ring that loops around the big toe, updated versions strike the perfect balance between comfort and quiet luxury. In her Spice World era, Victoria Beckham was a big fan of the style, and now, the rest of us are catching on.

Nowadays, brands like Reformation are offering elegant leather iterations, whilst Zara has leaned into the trend with accessible, on-point designs. It’s not just the street style set who are into them; according to trend forecasting platform Trendalytics, global searches for "toe-ring sandals" have surged by 149% year on year. Personally, I knew the style had real staying power the moment I saw Jennifer Lawrence stepping out in a pair of St. Agni toe-loop sandals.

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7. Wedge Mule Sandals

Style Notes: A trend I can fully get behind? The platform wedge mule. From the 1970s to the early 2000s, this bold silhouette graced the feet of icons like Cher, the Spice Girls and Britney Spears, transforming a simple peep-toe platform into a symbol of fun. Fast forward to today, and designers like Stella McCartney and Alaïa are reimagining the platform mule with a modern sculptural edge, and our video editor, Natasha Wilson, is all in. "I just bought these chunky, slightly platform mules from M&S that I haven’t stopped wearing," she says. "The brown suede is super on-trend, and they’ve been elevating all my outfits." Her go-to styling trick? "I’ve been using them to dress up simple jeans and a white top—they do all the work for me."

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Welcome to the Gen Z Mood, where I—Who What Wear UK's 26-year-old social media editor—keep you updated with my mood of the month and the most exciting things I’ve spotted on the scroll. I'm always looking for new and thrifty ways to shop trends, and I'm taking you with me.

When Coco Chanel famously advised, “Before leaving the house, you should look in the mirror and remove one item,” she clearly didn’t see 2025 coming (or Kylie Jenner’s latest accessory-adorned head-to-toe Chanel look for that matter). Over the last year, we’ve seen a full-on accessory renaissance, a rebellion against the pared back, minimalist quiet luxury appetite as of late perhaps, or just another trip down memory lane (remember when any Sienna Miller look wasn’t complete without a belt, a chunky necklace, a bag and a hat?)

But this time, it isn’t just celebrities opting into this more is more attitude. From kitsch tights and serious ties to bedazzled shoes and bonnets, 2025 looks to be the year the fashion set’s passion for adding a little something extra to an outfit reaches fever pitch. Even our bags now have bags—see the Who What Wear team's new favourite bag charm below for evidence.

This embracement for accessorising or, in some cases, over-accessorising isn’t exclusive to one fashion-loving generation. It’s attracting shopping of every demographic; for every nostalgia-loving millennial reaching to the back of their wardrobes to dust off that '00s boho Chloé belt, there’s a thrifty 23-year-old curating their Vinted likes via pinpoint specific search terms. Taking a look at the app's search bar, ‘00s sunglasses’, ‘Y2K baguette bag’, ‘knitted bonnet’, ‘bag charms’ are just a few with tonnes of search volume behind them, supplying accessory-curious Gen Zs like me, a wealth of affordable purchases at their fingertips.

The lure in accessorising, and why I’m making the case that it’ll reach new heights in 2025, lies in its accessibility as a trend. The idea of accessorising a look in order to elevate it, works very well for a money-conscious generation, along with style seekers tiring of the micro-trend cycles and desperately trying to curate a more personal personal style.

Collectively we’re bringing a wink and a nod back to getting dressed via an accessory of our choice. Throwing on an accent hat, (a La Chappell Roan’s hennin at the Grammys) or a pair of chic framed glasses (see Doechii’s recent street-style wardrobe) is just a bit of fun. And to me, there’s nothing more fun than walking around Anya-Hindmarch-style with a mini can of Diet Coke attached to my bag—aside from the £295.00 price tag, of course, but a girl can dream! Read on for more fun, Y2K-inspired accessory trends I have pinned to my mood board for the year ahead.

Framed Glasses

Opting for a chic pair of framed glasses seems to be the fashion set's favourite way to elevate a simple outfit right now. Look to the feeds of celebs like Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber and you'll notice several spectacle-clad chic 'fits. And, the best news is, you no longer need a prescription from the optician to try this one out, a surge in the popularity of blue light technology means you can style up as many chic glasses styles as you like, all the while protecting your eyes from those pesky screens! My favourite point of reference? Giselle Bündchen's character in The Devil Wears Prada, need I say more?

Hats (of All Descriptions!)

From big fluffy bucket hats (think that pink Pamela Anderson look in the '90s) to berets and every kind of bonnet (crochet being my personal favourite) the eclectic line up of hats I've spotted out and about recently might mean 2025 might be the year they brush off their rep as novelty thrills and become the new accessory you simply won't be able to leave the house without. It's been a while since we've embraced such a range of headgear, but right now nothing feels off limits–we even spotted Kendall Jenner in a Kiera-Knightley-esque baker boy this week. Here are a few of my favourites for spring.

Bangles and Cuffs

Now this one feels straight out of the '00s cool-girl playbook. For most of us, the sound of bangles clanking on everything from your belt buckle to the tube handles takes us back to when flip phones were a tech break-through and Joss Stone was number one. But 2025's iteration of this trend looks chicer than ever with bold mixed-metal designs and contemporary tonal plastic iterations fast becoming the easiest way to make a simple outfit look more expensive. These are a few I think we're going to see a lot more of over the coming seasons.

Skinny Scarves

Made famous in the early oughts by party girls like Kate Moss and Lindsay Lohan, back then the skinny scarf felt like a crucial piece of the indie sleaze uniform. The latest version of this trend might be cooler still. We've seen loads of longer, knitted skinny scarves debuted by the coolest city dwellers this year, often paired with a matching cardigan or jumper to give ultimate cosy chic. The best part of this trend? it's so easy to shop second-hand, see below.

Bag Charms

It's no news flash that bag charms have taken the fashion world by storm this year, but as more people grow to love the idea of personalising their already most personal possession, a flurry of new styles and iterations from designers have kept this nostalgic trend feeling fresh. There are already trainer charms, glasses charms and phone charms, so who's to say the bag charm trend won't extend into more niches this season? These are the cute additions I'll be decorating all my belongings with until further notice.

Coloured Tights

If you were a child of the late '90s like me, the term 'fashion tights' might conjure up a disdain for all things glittery, low crotched and nylon. But lucky for us, when certain trends come back around they come out fighting. This season we've seen a plethora of chic coloured tights outfits from fashion's finest. Whether it's a bold print off set with a monochromatic look, or a pop of colour that seems to tie everything together, adding a statement pair of tights has become this season's accessory of choice–and I for one am all for it.

Ties

If you've had Bella Hadid's Saint Laurent oversized suit and tie catwalk look tattooed to the inside of your brain since last autumn, you'll know exactly what I mean when I say ties are the coolest way to accessorise your wardrobe in 2025. From my Instagram feed to the streets of London I've seen so many fashion people having fun and playing around with this trend–with every new look comes fresh styling inspo (right now, I'm loving a western-style bolo tie paired with an oversized white shirt). Whether you're into an Avril Lavigne-inspired low-slung casual tie and tank top situation or want the full suited and booted impact, shopping this trend has never been easier and the thrift shops are full of vintage styles too!

In a twist sending ripples through the fashion world, skinny jeans, once a ubiquitous staple in every millennial’s wardrobe, are now making a bold return.

After years of increasingly voluminous, oversized denim dominating the landscape, the pendulum is swinging back towards a more streamlined silhouette, proving that fashion really is cyclical. The denim equivalent of Marmite, this divisive jeans silhouette was sparking heated debate on TikTok in 2021, with Gen Z split between embracing and "cancelling" skinny jeans. Now, in 2025, we’re rediscovering and reinventing the look, with the resurgence influenced by the autumn/winter 2024 runway collections from designers like McQueen, Celine, Diesel and Miu Miu.

Skinny Jeans Through the Ages

The Golden Age of Skinny Jeans

The skinny jeans' DNA is rooted in rebellion, tracing back to the beatnik era of the 1950s, where it became synonymous with bad-boy culture and rock 'n' roll, immortalised by icons like James Dean, Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley. Whilst jeans weren’t mainstream for women in the '50s, fashion-forward actresses like Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn pioneered the slim-fit, high-waisted trouser look. In the 1960s, the style entered its first golden age, embraced by Mod girls and rockers, before disappearing in the 1970s to make way for flared jeans. The skinny jean resurfaced with punk culture in the 1980s, deliberately distressed and torn.

Skinny Jeans in the Y2K Era

The 2000s ushered in a new era with the rise of indie sleaze, a gritty aesthetic championed by Pete Doherty, The Strokes and Kings of Leon, all embodying a carefree, anti-establishment attitude. The mainstream adoption of skinny jeans in the mid-00s was led, of course, by Kate Moss. Her signature look saw the jeans paired with ballet flats, knee-high boots and blazers, and was endlessly documented and widely emulated. The trend gained momentum when fellow style icons like Sienna Miller embraced a boho look along with the Olsen twins, cementing skinny jeans as a wardrobe essential.

Celebrities Wearing Skinny Jeans

Style Notes: Gigi Hadid proves how sleek black skinny jeans can look as part of a full monochrome outfit. I love how she opted for leather boots and a matching bag to add some texture to the look.

Style Notes: Miller stays true to her boho-inspired style by pairing her classic blue skinnies with a Nordic-patterned jumper, red leather tote and minimalist flats.

Style Notes: Lila Moss shows us how to dress up our skinnies for a night out. A simple sheer tank and sleek black pumps can easily take your skinny jeans for a night on the town, and I love the addition of the skinny belt.

Skinny Jeans on the Runway

Skinny Jeans in the Modern Day

For the past decade, the allure of skinny jeans has waned, and the COVID-19 pandemic only intensified our love affair with looser, more comfortable fits. However, 2025 marks the triumphant return of this iconic silhouette, now reimagined for a new generation. In the past six months, Google Trends has shown a significant spike in searches for skinny jeans, highlighting their resurgence.

Influencers in Skinny Jeans

Style Notes: Black skinny jeans can easily replace your tailored trousers for the office. Just look at Aïda Badji's pairing of black skinnies with a tweed jacket and ballet flats.

Style Notes: The easiest way to dress up classic blue jeans? Add a pair of kitten heels like Anouk Yve.

Style Notes: Skinny jeans pair well with so many different shoe styles, from loafers to sky-high heels. However, my favourite combo by far is skinnies with knee-high boots—an instantly elegant outfit.

Style Notes: Tonal outfits will forever be chic, and I love how Hannah Lewis has gone head-to-toe black and added a chocolate-brown suede blazer as a point of interest.

Style Notes: When summer comes around, opt for a light-blue wash that will wear seamlessly with your classic white tank tops. Add some interest by pairing them with another Y2K-inspired style: cowboy boots.

The 2025 Guide to Styling Skinny Jeans

My own journey with skinny jeans began with a super-stretch pair from Paige Denim, discovered at the Ron Herman store on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. Low-waisted, worn with ankle boots and a leather jacket, this look became my go-to. Today's approach to skinny jeans requires a fresh perspective. When selecting your perfect pair, focus on darker washes and strategic fading around the thighs to create a flattering silhouette. Opt for blacks, greys and dark, single-rinse denim. 2025's skinny jeans incorporate stretch-back technology, offering support and structure, whilst thoughtful pocket placement ensures the perfect fit. Look for the latest fabric innovations, like Coreva, a plant-based, compostable stretch denim from the Candiani Denim mill.

Styling has evolved significantly. Replace ankle boots with knee-high or over-the-knee styles, balance proportions with boxy blazers and add a contemporary twist with Western-style or riding boots. For those still hesitant, a bootcut pair of jeans that’s slim through the thigh with a subtle flare offers a good alternative.

As a denim expert, I’ve tried on so many pairs of skinny jeans. Keep scrolling to discover my carefully curated edit of the season’s best.

Shop the Best Skinny Jeans

Nearly 25 years on from the turn of the century, some of the biggest trends of the millennium still have the same iron grip on fashion people that they did all those years ago. Having looped back around after an ebb in popularity, the season's most in-demand items look like they've walked in straight off the MTV VMAs red carpet circa 2001.

Y2K fashion trends have been coming for the wardrobes of stylish people everywhere, and celebrities are no exception. Often amongst the first to pioneer new-season trends, the celebrity style set is fully swept up in the nostalgic craze, featuring forgotten relics of the early noughties in all their coolest looks of late. But of all the throwback trends floating around right now, it's the Y2K trouser trends that have really caught my eye.

Cropping up on my favourite celebs more and more frequently, I'm declaring these trousers as official key items for the new season. Read on to discover the celebrity-endorsed Y2K-meets-2024 trouser trends to know about right now.

4 Y2K TROUSER TRENDS CELEBRITIES ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW

1. BELLA HADID WEARING BOOTCUT JEANS

Style Notes: Skimming the thighs before flaring out below the knees, bootcut jeans are the underrated denim trend that celebrities are bringing back. To perfect a Y2K silhouette, style with a heeled mule and a corset blouse à la Hadid, or wear with a fitted tank for an elevated take on off-duty style.

SHOP BOOTCUT JEANS:

2. JORTS

Style Notes: There's no point arguing about it anymore—jorts are back like they never left. Actor Ariana Greenblatt styled her below-the-knee pair with an oversized T-shirt and white crew socks for a slouchy, skater-girl take.

SHOP JORTS:

3. CAPRI PANTS

Style Notes: Any fashion person can attest that capri pants will continue to be a major player next season. With nostalgia and playfulness in bucketloads, this pretty trouser trend has been welcomed back with open arms. Take your inspiration from Sabrina Carpenter, who wore hers with a pretty corset top and heeled mules this weekend.

SHOP CAPRI PANTS:

4. SKIRTS OVER TROUSERS

Style Notes: Perhaps the most divisive of the lot, the skirt-trousers hybrid is set to come through as a key trend next season. Unexpected and a little daring, we're predicting that it'll be all over street style looks throughout fashion month in September.

SHOP SKIRT-TROUSERS:

For those of us who grew up in the 2000s, our feelings about Y2K fashion are a true love/hate affair. While we will never forget the way we felt when Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake stepped out in his and hers denim, or just how Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie dictated everything we wanted to wear, there is something immediately triggering about seeing the clothes we wore as tweens popping up again today. Cargo pants, butterfly clips, platform trainers, low slung jeans? Yes, nostalgic, but also a reminder of the awkward "in-between" years.

Just when we thought the 2000s had been left firmly in the past and fashion had moved forward, scrolling through Bella Hadid's street style archive proves us wrong. Gilets, halternecks, tracksuits, and plenty of silver, baby blue, and lime green—forget summer, this is a "Brat Girl" year, and celebs are head over heels for the throwback trends we first wore when we were teenagers. While I'm thankful that not everything we wore in the 2000s is making it back into 2024 (I'm looking at you shrug cardigans), there are some iconic Noughties brands enjoying a revival that we just didn't see coming.

If you are old enough to remember buying CDs from Woolworths, watching Top of the Pops, and putting posters of boybands on your bedroom wall, keep scrolling. These are 9 brands popular in the 90s and 2000s that will be working their way back into your wardrobe in 2024. Don't say we didn't warn you.

1. ABERCROMBIE

Style Notes: The arrival of Abercrombie & Fitch in the UK in 2007 would cause such a stir that it would change the way teenagers would dress forever. Thanks to our American cousins, preppy chic became the ultimate uniform and anyone who was anyone wanted to be spotted in logo tees, denim skirts and flip flops (despite the Great British weather). Abercrombie has evolved since then, and while you can still get jersey basics and sports apparel from sister brand Gilly Hicks, the mainline collections are more "grown up" take on tailoring and polished separates.

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2. TAMMY GIRL

Style Notes: For anyone who grew up wearing Tammy Girl's logo tees, distressed denim and sparkly accessories, news of the brand's revival in 2023 would have come as a surprise. Just how would the baggy hoodies and tiny tops translate for a modern shopper? Well, in much the same way. Gen-Z's affinity for wacky prints, exaggerated silhouettes and 90s-coded clothing has launched Tammy 2.0, a heady mix of ultra-femme club wear and bohemian festival chic.

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3. UGG

Style Notes: You may have seen UGGs so often lately that you've forgotten their recent disappearance altogether, but after the initial spike in the mid noughties cooled off, you couldn't find a sheepskin boot stocked anywhere for love nor money. Fast forward 15 years and those of us fortunate enough to have a pair first time around remembered just how comfortable these squidgy-soled wonders were, and the off-duty celeb shoe became hot property again thanks to being seen on actors, influencers, and supermodels too. Not bad for a brand that only sold 28 pairs in their first season.

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4. JUICY COUTURE

Style Notes: It's almost impossible to discuss Y2K fashion without mentioning Juicy Couture as one of the decades defining brands. Britney Spears, Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, and of course, Paris Hilton, were all photographed in JC's instantly recognisable candy coloured tracksuits, establishing a Californian cool-girl aesthetic and making velour a hot commodity in the process. During the pandemic, as sales of loungewear shot up to unprecedented heights, the designer tracksuit was brought back to the forefront, and now you can find Juicy Couture's diamanté studded pieces stocked everywhere from Selfridges to ASOS. Just add flats and frameless sunglasses with tinted lenses.

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5. KOOKAI

Style Notes: There was once a time in the 90's that you couldn't walk down the high street without bumping into a Kookaï shopping bag, but after downsizing operations in the UK, the brand quietly moved abroad to focus on European, Asian and Australian sales. Now back online (but unfortunately not in stores), the revamped Kookaï is a surprisingly chic and affordable take on runway trends with a new minimalist aesthetic that couldn't be further away from former rivals Jane Norman and Morgan De Toi.

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6. DIESEL

Style Notes: If the runways have taught us anything its that fashion trends are cyclical, and just as quickly as Italian denim brand Diesel fell out of favour in the late 2000s, it made its triumphant return to Milan Fashion Week in 2021 under the creative direction of Y/Project alumni Glenn Martens. Several shows, a Met Gala appearance, and one viral handbag later, Diesel is back on the fashion insider's radar as an edgy, experimental brand that sets the tone rather than following trends.

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7. VON DUTCH

Style Notes: It's 2003 and you're getting ready for the weekend. You reach for a tank top (preferably raceback to show your bra straps), a mini skirt (or cargo pants), and most likely a pair of mid-calf boots. The only thing missing? A Von Dutch trucker cap of course, the accessory of choice for Gwen Stefani, Ashton Kutcher, and Missy Elliot. Just like the Juicy Couture tracksuit, these colour pop caps were designed to look effortlessly cool, as if the wearer had rolled out of bed into a perfectly assembled outfit, and after the 2020s obsession with the luxe baseball cap, it's only right that the natural evolution would be cult classic with plenty of Instagrammable appeal.

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8. CALVIN KLEIN

Style Notes: In the early 80s Calvin Klein was best known for its ready-to-wear collections, but by the 90s and early Noughties the focus had moved to underwear and fragrance, meaning that while Obsession and CK One were climbing in popularity, the brands fashion offering had to take a back seat. By 2002 and a quiet rebranding under a new buyer, celebrity fronted campaigns and store openings have redirected us back to Calvin Klein's minimalist approach to capsule wardrobe dressing. Think versatile slip dresses, seasonless separates and anti-trend outerwear and denim that you can happily wear for another 10 years too.

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9. ADIDAS

Style Notes: Okay, Adidas has technically never drifted into obscurity quite like some of the other names on this list, but it's far to say that the brand has undergone a major glow up over the last five years alone. From collaborations with Gucci and Wales Bonner, to internet-breaking reissues (it's still difficult to get your hands on a pair of Sambas or SL72's in certain colourways), what was once a safe and reliable sports brand in the 2000s has because a major player on the high fashion circuit, just ask editors and influencers alike. Nike, who?

Shop Adidas:

Up Next, If You're Obsessed With '90s Style, These Chic Summer Outfits Are for You

This autumn, Kate Moss is back on our fashion radar like it's 1999. Having recently been spotted in a stream of chic ensembles in London and Milan, the queen of cool has caught our attention again, and this time for her effortless revival of a '00s favourite: a pair of tight-fitting, calf-hugging pedal pushers.

Whilst we're bang in the middle of a noughties renaissance (see: ballet flats), the return of pedal pushers has been slower to catch on. That was, until recently. Earlier this summer, Gigi Hadid was spotted sporting a pair of denim Jacquemus pedal pushers that she styled with kitten heels and a black tank. New York Fashion Week saw the street style set favour the 3/4-length pants, echoing the S/S 24 runways, where we saw calf-length trousers at Tory Burch, Phillip Lim and Mirror Palais.

Kate Moss' pair were in navy, which she wore with a longline, tonal blazer over of a black, form-fitting top. Showing us that black and navy do in fact pair well, Moss completed her look with black ballet flats—a recent throwback favourite of hers—and a black belt. Going for a trifecta of '00s trends, the model wore her capri pants and ballet flats with two long pendant necklaces.

As we enter October in 20-degree weather, pedal pushers could well be set to make more than a fleeting appearance during these warmer-than-normal autumn days. Wear them with an oversized jumper for an appropriately autumnal edge, or tap into the style's original '50s roots with kitten heels and a red lip.

If this is the '00s fashion revival you've been waiting for, shop Kate Moss' easy-to-copy ensemble below.

SHOP KATE MOSS' LOOK:

SHOP MORE CAPRI PANTS:

Next Up: Kate Moss Just Wore a Perfect, French-Inspired Flat Shoe Outfit in London

I'm not ashamed to admit it—when I first heard of the return of cargo pants, I was sceptical to say the least. Like most millennials who wore them the first time around, cargo or "utility" trousers conjur up images of ultra-wide, rustling trousers in camouflage print, covered in pockets and usually some superfluous straps—the kind of thing we confidently wore to the school disco with a sparkly halterneck top. But now, the cargo trouser has undergone a fashionable update. In 2023, there are fewer pockets, softer fabrics and a refined colour palette, and after seeing everyone from Emily Ratajkowski to Jennifer Lopez wearing them, I'm now convinced that there's actually a lot to love about cargo pants. 

Most often you'll find me in a pair of jeans or strong tailoring when I'm heading into the office, but cargo trousers are perfect for occasions that require dress-down comfort and business-casual. You may not believe it, but the styling possibilities of these baggy trousers are endless, making them a worthy investment piece. The loose-legged silhouette is currently taking over, and as we swap our skinnies for low-slung boyfriend jeans, the cargo is the comfier, more polished alternative that you can wear with everything from heels to trainers (and, dare I say it, even ankle boots).

The Frankie Shop first grabbed my attention with its seriously chic tailored take on cargo trousers that changed everything I thought I knew about utility styling. Suddenly, denim jackets and baby tees were no longer the only option, and any trousers that work with my full roster of blazers gets my seal of approval. As anyone in the Who What Wear UK office will tell you, I also own a lot of waistcoats, and after influencer Caroline Cook wore her Frankie Shop cargos with a grey vest, I was sold on the high/low pairing of tailoring and casual cargos. Functional and fashionable—what more could a girl could want?

My Go-To Pair of Cargo Trousers

After searching high and low for the right pair that would feel smart enough and flatter a curvy figure, I settled on Alice + Olivia's Cay Low-Rise Cargo Trousers (£622). After wearing these on repeat, I've been singing the praises of utility trousers to anyone who will listen, and there are plenty of other options out there should you have a budget in mind.

So, wondering how to wear cargo trousers in 2023? Keep scrolling to see five ways I'm styling mine for the season ahead, and to shop more of my favourite pairs.

1. TRENCH COAT + WHITE TANK TOP + CARGO TROUSERS

Style Notes: As soon as there is even a hint of autumn in the air, I automatically reach for a trench coat. I would wear one all year round if I could, but nothing says "transitional wardrobe" quite like this classic—especially with wide-leg trousers and the simple tank top I relied on throughout summer. 

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2. BOXY BLAZER + LOGO TEE + CARGO TROUSERS

Style Notes: Big blazers are the one piece that I always fall back on when I don't know what else to wear. Tailoring always manages to make an outfit feel put-together, and when you amp up the proportions, it can take things to a whole new level. I added pointed shoes to make this look feel a little bit dressier, and hey presto—an outfit I'll be wearing to the office on repeat. 

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3. COSY KNIT + TRAINERS + CARGO TROUSERS

Style Notes: The weekend is calling, and this outfit just answered. If you need a laidback uniform to take you from errands to brunch and then shopping, allow me to put forward the slouchy-cardigan-and-cargo-trousers pairing. It's low-maintenance in the very best way, and with such cosy layering, you won't need to worry about taking a coat with you. 

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4. TIE-FRONT TOP + STRAPPY HEELS + CARGO TROUSERS 

Style Notes: Just to prove that utility can work for evening too, nod to noughties styling with a ruched top, cargos and strappy heels. Minus copious amounts of butterfly hair clips, this look manages to make reference to the '00s without feeling teenage, thanks to the tonal colour palette and elevated accessories.

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