a look into y2k fashion & how it’ll appear in fall 2021
That’s hot!
Y2K fashion is no stranger to my Pinterest board. I love pulling inspo from every decade. 70s flare pants, 80s puffer coats, 90s grunge, and Y2K. Before we dive in to what Y2K fashion looks like today, we need to really understand what this period looked like at it’s prime time. So put on your Juicy tracksuit, turn on some Christina Aguilera, silence your Nokia, and relax.
Coming out of the grunge era 90s, the Y2K style took a more playful approach. Some Y2K fashion trends can be considered “hyper-feminine”. The “ideal” body type around this time was ultra thin. Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Kate Moss, literally any super model was so pressured to stay skinny. Most supermodels around this time drank lots of caffeine and smoked cigarettes to curb cravings. Others took to a more taboo habit, cocaine.
This is one of my fears for Y2K fashion because it mainly appeals to skinny white girls. I think as a society we’ve come so far with body positivity. Still have a long way to go. But, as someone who struggles with body image issues, I fear for the narrative it’s pushing.
So now that we’ve discussed the darkness behind this fashion era, let’s break it down by trend. 2001 was one of the “calmer” years for Y2k, as in it’s a lot more neutral. We were just breaking out of the 90s, where neutrals and grunge colors were super in. 2001 definitely had it’s moments with color, but they were noticeably calmer than the up coming years. I think it is interesting to note that these neutral colors returned towards the mid end (circa 2008) of the decade.
2001 was a huge year for the crop. The tube top was also huge and if you ever went into a Pacsun in 2016, you would’ve seen these make a guest appearance.
Denim has been in style since it was made. But, every decade has a different variation. Pulling inspiration from 70s bell bottoms, straight leg low rise denim was a 00’s staple.
Not only were pants low rise, skirts too. 00’s era fashion didn’t skip out on a chance to show some skin.
The early 2000s also had its staple brand names: Von Dutch, Burberry, Juicy Couture, Louis Vuitton, and Coach to name a few. Brands made staple patterns, prints, and graphics to incorporate into their pieces. Paparazzi was at its craziest during the reign of Paris Hilton. Paparazzi pictures were everywhere, so brands took advantage of this to make sure their brand got exposure. The Juicy Couture tracksuit was also everywhere and became a brand icon.
A few other notables Y2K trends;
trucker hats
graphic tees and tanks
statement belts
frameless sunglasses
lace up tops and bottoms
denim on denim
My Predictions for 2021 Y2K Trends
Around the time the Hills aired, wild Y2K trends seemed to quiet down. As reality TV became more popular, audiences started to emulate their style around these characters. This was seen in scripted shows and movies as well like Mean Girls. In the 00s we didn’t have influencers to set the trends. I could literally write a whole essay about the effect of pop culture and cinema on fashion, but we’ll save that for another day. The late 00s was transitioning into more modest, muted style. Which later developed into “Vampire core/Alice Cullen core”. Vampire Diaries was released in 2009 and the Twilight saga began in 2011. One of my major predictions for this autumn season is that this style is going to make a huge come back. This is one of few example where a trend or aesthetic can be pulled off through second hand purchases, which is great for ending fast fashion. A few example of this trend I see being huge are waistcoats, henley tees, bootcut jeans, and tunics.
I haven’t heard any one talk about tunics, so it could be just me. But we’ve already had our crop trend return, so I see an opposite effect taking place. I think halter top tunics are so cute and are a modest approach to Y2K fashion, which can allow for more inclusivity.
Going off of the halter top trend, this has been seen all over in the “coconut girl” sub-aesthetic. I’m sure you’ve seen the rise of terrycloth and Hawaiian floral prints. The coconut girl is what the VSCO girl wanted to be. This aesthetic began in the 00s thanks to shows like H20 (huge fan). We’ve seen this style return this summer, but I don’t see it carrying into the summer. The only thing I see lasting into the colder months is crochet knits and terry cloth sweat sets (like the juicy tracksuit). Click on the images below to shop the looks (:
Platform sandals and boots have been in and out for various sub aesthetics since the 90s. Now that summer is over, the platform sandals we saw all over are going to transition into platform boots. Platform shoes were super in during the 00s and I see this style staying in for a while longer. I would definitely buy a pair because they’re not going anywhere. I loveeee this pair I got from Nasty Gal.
Brands like Coach, Von Dutch, and Juicy Couture have made a huge come back. Juicy Couture released a collab this past year with Forever 21. Everything is super cute, but I recommend looking at your local thrift store first. Y2K fashion can be super helpful in ending fast fashion if we approach it right.
I see BEBE making a come back. I went to the thrift store over the summer and found three BEBE shirts and i’m obsessed. They’re so comfy and the sparkle letter/print trend has been huge in the past year. I’m curious to read this back after the season and see if my predictions, specifically this one in particular is correct.
I think trends like the trucker hat, denim on denim, and lace up tops are also going to be big. But, I see lace up tops reimagined as tops that tie in the front (like this one!) rather that up the sides. Graphic tees and tanks are also going to be huge and can be great for spicing up an outfit with layers.
Western style trends like fringe and cowboy boots are going to continue to be in style. Think like Brittany Spears inspired western. But please, no more Space Cowboy Halloween costumes.
