Rhinestones! Velour! Low-Rise Jeans! Fashion is Obsessed With Y2K, and These 17 Trends Have Stood the Test of Time

I'm old enough to remember Y2K fashion the first time around. I can still vividly recall the cowl-neck black top I wore with my knee-length stonewash denim skirt and a choker for New Year's Eve 1999. I loved that outfit at the time, and 14-year-old me was very happy about it, but I know there isn't much from it I'd wear today. However, thanks to TikTok and the fact that the 2000s were 25 years ago, there is a current revival going on of everything related to Y2K fashion. According to a Stylight report, these turn-of-the-millennium trends are booming thanks to Gen Z discovering and showcasing them on TikTok. While I'm not keen to re-create much from my wardrobe from that era, there are plenty of other trends that still look good today.

I delved into the archives and dug up some of the best celeb outfits from that time to showcase just what I mean. While it might seem very particular, I'm looking at outfits from around the turn of the 20th century all the way up until the early noughties, as this is the best way to find the most Y2K looks. I discovered that there are actually plenty of trends to wear today. I also found it interesting that fashion around the turn of the millennium wasn't very extravagant. Pre–Lady Gaga (she released her first single in 2008), everything seems pretty low-key in regard to red carpet looks. This was also the time when Dawson's Creek was big and The O.C. was far from hitting our screens. Late-'90s fashion still had its influence, but there was a newer, more polished look coming in, too. Keep scrolling to see the Y2K trends that still look good today.

Y2K Fashion: 17 2000s Fashion Trends That Define the Aesthetic

1. Loose Tailoring

Style Notes: The king and queen of casual-but-chic outfits were Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. (Well, at least to their heart-wrenching breakup and divorce in 2005.) These loosely tailored trousers on the Friends alum were the epitome of Y2K styling.

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2. Snake Print

Style Notes: While Christina Aguilera might have some questionable outfits from the past (let's avoid all the chaps talk), this snake-print style is absolutely something I would wear today. However, there are also plenty of accessory options, including very chic low-profile trainer options, if you're looking for a more subtle way to hop on the trend.

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3. Pinstripe

Style Notes: The corporate world really bled into early '2000s styling, despite what the chintzy wares of tabloid princesses might tell you. As Salma Hayek and the 2025 Met Gala prove, pinstripe is really a timeless fixture in any covetable wardrobe.

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4. Useless Skinny Scarf

Style Notes: There are only a few celebrities who avoided this look during Y2K. Whether they were spotted on the red carpet or just out and about, the useless skinny scarf marked so many looks. They didn't necessarily provide any thermal support, making this added layer the most redundant but truly the most flamboyant.

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5. Sequins

Style Notes: While head-to-toe extravagance wasn't necessarily embraced, details were. Rhinestones, gems and sequins were always present on the A-list at this time and we're still seeing these extra embellishments going strong today.

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6. Polished Basics

Style Notes: With the more pared-back styling of the '90s hanging over our heads around the turn of the century, minimalistic looks and anything-but-basic-basics were often a crucial part of everyday dressing. With these styles, the devil is in the details, with perfectly crafted tank tops and polished white t-shirts.

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7. Baguette Bags

Style Notes: It'll come as no surprise that Sarah Jessica Parker was the one trying to push the fashion boundaries around this time, and it was often hard to know where Carrie Bradshaw's wardrobe ended and hers started. This brightly coloured baguette bag demonstrates exactly what I'm talking about.

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8. Chokers

Style Notes: Find me someone who says they didn't own a tattoo choker, and you will have found yourself a liar. Nearly everyone owned some kind of choker at this time, and thanks to celebrities like Zoë Kravitz and Dua Lipa, they're back.

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9. Lace-Up Accents

Style Notes: Strings are back, including the G-string (but not as you know it). Here, Lucy Liu is wearing what looks like a lace-up two-piece and you'd see something similar to this on a night out today.

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10. Graphic T-Shirts

Style Notes: Jennifer Lopez was known for plenty of outfits during this time, and while most people were fairly restrained on red carpets, she wore that green Versace dress. But the trend that is coming back today? Graphic T-shirts. Conner Ives' "Protect The Dolls" shirt is the most poignant version of this trend, but there are plenty of other declarative options out there, too.

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11. Rimless Glasses

Style Notes: After some new sunnies? Well, good news: Y2K has your back. Rimless glasses, as seen on Naomi Campbell, are sure to make a comeback. Try finding some tinted lenses for the real noughties effect.

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12. Halternecks

Style Notes: A hallmark trend for the decade, halter necklines span decades and still looks good with whatever you wear with it. This is the classic Y2K pairing of low-rise jeans and a statement bag adds a little extra to the look.

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13. Platform Sandals

Style Notes: There are so many platform sandals around right now, and we can't help but feel nostalgic when we spot this trend out and about.

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14. Matching Tracksuits

Style Notes: Paris Hilton is the poster child for Y2K fashion. From her iconic miniature chihuahua peaking out the top of her Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami speedy bag to her chintzy dresses, her wardrobe is a time capsule for this aesthetic. But it's her Juicy Couture tracksuit that really resonated with me most. From Lindsay Lohan to Mariah Carey, these matching sets were unavoidable during the decade.

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15. Capri Pants

Style Notes: There's so much to glean from this Sienna Miller outfit. Worn in London in 2005, the combination of her distressed ballet flats, pirate stripe cardigan, wide belt and layered shirt is so fitting for the time period. But, as you'll begin to notice the more you look through Y2K fashion inspiration, it's her capri pants that really serve as the backbone of this look. Embraced by the likes of Kendall Jenner, Sabrina Carpenter and Hailey Bieber

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16. Babydoll Dresses

Style Notes: Make like Blair Waldorf and Alexa Chung and embrace in a babydoll dress. Tapered at the waist and fluid through the body, this look feels nostalgic and modern in a way that eschews the other gaudy and lurid styles we've previously discussed.

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17. Denim Mini Skirts

Style Notes: From the moment Jonathan Anderson presented a denim mini skirt on his debut collection for Dior—and aptly worn by both Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega in the days that followed—I knew that this cropped silhouette would make a return. If this isn't enough to prompt a rewatch of The O.C, I don't know what is...

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