Y2K (Year 2000) Fashion Has Made an Unavoidable Comeback

The clothes your parents wore when they were your age are now coming back in style. Year 2000 fashion has swarmed the fashion industry full throttle. How can I properly hop onto this trend wave? Year 2000 fashion is a little deeper than just wearing a pair of jeans and a small t-shirt, year 2000 fashion is the most fun one can have in the fashion world. 

Often referred to as “Y2K” this fashion blast from the past will have your parents asking you “when did this come back in style?” Y2K fashion has made the biggest spike in its return in 2020-2021. When we all had too much time on our hands to explore our self identity.  As stated by University of Fashion, “Y2K fashion has hit the mainstream and is quickly emerging as one of the biggest trends in 2021, thanks to social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Gen Zers can’t get enough. Videos tagged “#Y2KAesthetic” and “#Y2K fashion” on TikTok has a collective 405 million views and counting.”  And further stated by Editorial, “Most prominent across social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, Y2K fashion has been widely embraced by Gen-Z, a generation that were too young to have fully embraced the midriff-baring, butt-skimming ensembles favored at the time. Now, as young adults grow nostalgic for a simpler time, they’re reaching for all the cropped tees, baggy pants, and kitsch accessories their bank accounts can handle.” The social media platform, Tiktok, has encouraged the resurface of many trends, especially Y2K fashion. Social media platforms or influencers with large followings make trends almost impossible to avoid, even those with little to no social media presence have been introduced to Y2K fashion. No matter where you look you will be greeted with another trend. Some trends fall quickly, but not Y2K fashion. 

Dressing in a Y2k fashion is simple and inexpensive. First ask your parents if they have any leftover clothing from their teenage/college years. There’s nothing more Y2k than something that was worn during the year 2000’s. If you have no luck with the first step, take a trip to the thrift store! While at the thrift store look for graphic t-shirts, low rise jeans, baggy pants and anything colorful. There are also many ethical Y2k stores online to browse from such as Local European and clothing reselling apps such as Depop. Getting your hands on Y2k clothing is very easy and open to everyone!

Although the majority of current wearers of Y2K fashion were not alive during the year 2000, this way of fashion is simply timeless. When asked to describe Y2K fashion all that could be said was ‘Fun!’ As stated by top fashion magazine Vogue, “More importantly, it was fun, which is what getting dressed should be all about right now. But don’t get too sentimental about fashion of the past—because in 2021, like it or not, early-2000s style is coming back with a vengeance.” Fashion and expressing yourself is about doing what makes you feel good and overall have fun. Branching out of your fashion comfort zone can be intimidating but what better way to start than with Y2K fashion!