When you go out and buy a new top, odds are you aren’t thinking about what major historical and cultural influences have combined to create that top. There are so many periods that influence our everyday items, but usually, one wouldn’t think it’s as recent as 10-20 years ago. Here’s a list of 10 fashion trends from the early 2000s that you likely have in your closet. The key to being a fabulous fashionista is to quickly notice which fashion trends are coming back and become the best trendsetter possible. Know the old fashion trends to set the new ones.
While this simple fashion trend may sound more drab than fab, belts have made quite a comeback in the recent year or so. Belts have no longer become a practical necessity but rather the perfect accessory. We see this when looking at old TV shows. For instance, the “Hannah Montana” clunky belt. The fashion trend grew, so famous people would purposely tuck in or resize tops so that belts would show. Another great icon of the belt look is Drake Bell; he rocked classic 2000’s outfit: a tight shirt, a large belt buckle, dark wash flare jeans, and slide on vans. This fashion trend is a unisex look that is already making its way into the now. Keep your pants up, and your style worries away with a cute belt buckle!
As a dress or a tank, I know you’ve seen this looked rocked on a few mannequins. Let us not forget the not so ancient tradition of wearing at least three tops at once. I’m talking about the limited too multi-layered colored tops all on top of one another. Another variation of this is something we’ve all seen on iCarly or any 2009 kids shows, the typical white t-shirt with a spaghetti strap blouse on top. This fashion trend has resurfaced as places as trendy as Urban carry this look. Get on board with this fashion trend as it brings a fresh youthful look and best when paired with an intricate pattern and mature top.
Oh yes, the nostalgia has come rushing back to me, picking off the shiny plastic from a colored barrette, assembling it to push back unflattering crimped waves in my hair. We cannot deny the fact that these little bugs have crept back into our lives. The typical VSCO girl has nailed this accessory. While we’ve seen this look before, this is one of the few I don’t recommend bringing back. High fashion trends take on a variation of an older influence, so instead of clasping on your typical barrette, try silk or faux fur scrunchie. Scrunchies are an 80’s trend, but combining the typical scrunchie with accessible material such as faux fur makes it feel more modern. A scrunchie exemplifies the task of mixing modern with ancient trends to create the modern fashion trends.
Ever spot a celebrity in the early 2000s? Odds are they were probably sporting this unforgettable fashion trend. If you were a tiny trendsetter at this point, you probably had these babies in bright colors such as blue, orange, yellow, and my favorite pink! One of the keys to the 2000s was the more vivid colors, the better; you’ll see this theme as we dive deeper into the past. While bright shades might not be your thing, taking a variation on this look will fast forward your wardrobe into relevancy. Small sunglasses with a little hint of pattern, color, or flare will set your vision into the future, see 20/20 as you bring this look into the new year.
When denim skirts cross your mind, you’re probably thinking of the same one, I imagine. Let me paint a picture, this was not just a skirt, but one that was light wash denim, pleated, and likely consisted of shorts built-in. If you’re anything like me, you probably paired this fashion trend with some cute new Heelys and a sparkly pink belt. Do not fear, the ghost of the pleated skort will not come back to haunt you, and hopefully, Heelys have been put to rest too, but what you will want to pull from this fashion trend is the wash color. The light wash denim skirt is just the right amount of early 2000’s dosage you need in your new wardrobe. Bringing back a touch of modern with a bit of old will keep you ahead of the times and send your friends rushing into a shopping coma.
Oh, man, chills are crawling up my spine with the image of it. Dare I ask you to relive the trauma that was these shoes, but beauty hurts, right? Here we go; cheap foam, a jeweled cross between the toes, one highlighter color, orange, pink, blue, and the unnecessarily high wedge sewn together from the same disturbing foam. Don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against flip flops or wedges, but rather the horrendous material, color, and jewels. This fashion trend is a great one to get ahead on because these shoes are just starting to peek their way into the new millennium. Stay away from all things bright, but do use the creativity of wedges and flip flops. They create a natural leggy look and are great for summer outings.
These went beyond the typical low waist jeans. Remember how I said color was a theme of the 2000’s trends, keep that in mind here because these low rise skinny jeans only came in highlighter colors. When I think of this fashion trend, one major influencer of the early 2000s comes to mind: the Jonas Brothers! When they first came out on posters, they posed in neon yellow-green and red skinny jeans with tight graphic tees and vests with a wacky hairdo. The Jo Bros, they were an icon and still are, but rather to the people who are trying to bring these crazy colors back. These pants are not for everyone or anyone really besides the Jonas Brothers. While I understand high rise pants have gotten a bit old, don’t opt for the low rise if they don’t suit you. Leave the neon in the past and get some pastel-colored leggings instead! Pastel is super in, and it’s way more agreeable with outfits as are leggings with different body types. The best part about leggings is that they’re versatile. You can wear them to the gym or a mall outing; you can dress them up with a scarf or down with a graphic tee. Pastel-colored leggings carry all the great things about the early 2000’s colored low rise skinny jeans, but just make this fashion trend a little more sophisticated.
I knew that checkered vans were included in the fashion trends of the 2000s because in High School Musical 2, Zac Efron wore these shoes in his infamous “Bet On It” scene. After the movie premiered, everyone boys and girls were going out to buy checkered slide shoes. I have always been a fan of these; they’re just so fun, and you can add to any outfit. I think it’s one of the few fashion trends that don’t need to be a variation because they’re both nostalgic and modern at the same time. You can get the classic black and white, pink and white, blue, and white, there are so many options, and they just add an intricate elevated pattern to a simple look. I don’t know why we didn’t bring these back sooner, but I am glad that we did. Your closet will be styling with these hot fashion trends!
Joggers came into this world as a variation on a sweatpant slightly more appropriate to wear in public. That said, it was probably the only pants trend at the time that didn’t include denim. They weren’t the most flattering pants, but I know everyone wore them, including adults! At the time, they usually came with big side pockets and looked more like sweats. You can pair them with the high wedge foam flip flop and a tank. Contrary to other trends at the time, they did not usually come in a bright color. You could find them in black, brown, white, grey, mostly neutral colors and even camouflage. I commend this fashion trend because I see what their goal was. They combine the comfort of sweats but also the freedom of pants. I’ve seen a variation of the jogger reentering the fashion world, they’re practically the same pants but with fewer pockets, less fleece, no cuff at the bottom, and more sophistication. The upscale in style makes them far more flattering on the body, all while keeping the same relaxed fit. Joggers no longer have to be a sad sweatpant but now even come in plaid, and grid patterns that are business casual. Joggers have aged like fine wine and are a great asset to your fashion-forward look.
Hmm, what other animal prints are there? Zebra, Snake, and I forget one, oh ya cheetah! The Cheetah Girls put this print on the map, and while the cheetah print and crimped hair seems to only live on in the blast from the past parties, the revival of the last early 2000’s look has begun. All kinds of animal patterns are coming into stores lately but especially leopard and cheetah. It’s hard to create a variation on this look and make it your own if it’s just a simple print, but here’s my tip: less is more. The last thing you want to do is overwhelm your look with tons of different patterns and prints, especially animal, because it’s so striking. Start with a small accessory with a leopard print like a bracelet, hair band, or shoe. Black looks great with leopard print, and even if you get a top that’s entirely leopard print, make sure the rest of your outfit is neutral. Experiment with different fashion trends and animal prints to see which one you rock the best. Small bits of leopard print or animal print will ascend your collection with a little influence from the past to blast it into the future.
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