The Y2K Outfits That Millennials Hate Are Making a Comeback

As we all know, due to fashion's cyclical nature, we see trends come and go. And one fashion moment, which is being spearheaded by the Gen Z, is Y2K. Millennial babies are shaking, with some even taking to social media to share their fears. If you haven’t seen Y2K fashion making its return - along with some seriously nostalgic outfit ideas - where have you been? Y2K outfits, including low-rise jeans with butterfly tops (yes, really), are all over TikTok. Twitter, on the other hand, is reeling, with comments like the below cropping up as people try and get their heads around what's happening.

What Is The Y2K Aesthetic?

Y2K outfits essentially encapsulates the 2000s - and the late '90s. In three words, it’s fun, vibrant and futuristic. During this time, technology and the internet were both evolving. Pop culture also played a huge part in the evolution of the style, the biggest It-girls being Britney Spears, Destiny’s Child and Lindsay Lohan. Cult movies like Clueless, not forgetting Mean Girls, acted as something of a fashion blueprint, too! Fast forward to today and under the TikTok hashtag '#2000saesthetic' there is a whopping 16 million views and counting!

How To Achieve The Y2K Look

You’ll be happy to know Y2K outfits are very achievable and with the staple pieces being so varied there’s something for everyone (well we hope so). Welcome to Y2K 101!

Low-Rise Jeans

We can’t ignore the fact that denim played a vital role in this era. Icon during this time, Britney Spears, loved a flared low-rise moment. Other denim pieces included baggy jeans, while 'denim on denim' was also very on-trend. Google searches for the style have increased by 57% over the past two years, with Bella Hadid, Julia Fox and Hailey Bieber following suit.

Trousers Under Dresses

Trousers under dresses is a trend that keeps the millennials up at night, but Gen Z begs to differ. This trend is gaining huge traction on TikTok with 2.4 million views for the hashtag '#skirtoverpants' and 1.4 million for '#dressoverpants'. Will you be joining this club?

Ballet Pumps

With balletcore being all the talk, now is a great time to add a pair of pumps to your shopping basket.

Velour Tracksuits

The velour tracksuit. This was something that was popularised by Paris Hilton. In the early 2000s, she was always seen in a pink Juicy Couture tracksuit, and with the Y2K hype, shoppers have been picking up the set. Paris has also started her own velour tracksuit line as a throwback to her legendary style! It's a great airport outfit (just saying).

Metallics

As mentioned before, the tech surge in the 2000s really fed into this idea of futuristic fashion. People wore metallic tops, skirts, bags - you name it! We saw this trend coming back, thanks to multiple metallics in the collections of Burberry, Fendi and Coperni, and it couldn't be more ideal if you're planning a going-out outfit.

Crop Tops

The baby tees. These tops have definitely made a huge return. Whether it’s ribbed or there’s a graphic print on the front, the girlies didn't wait for summer to start wearing their crop tops (they're great for holiday outfits, obviously). Paired with a long denim jean, it’s a look!

The Skirts

When you think Y2K skirts, you can't help but remember Cher and Dionne's plaid numbers in Clueless! The skirts from this time were so bright and playful. Now it's come full circle, skirts are really the in thing - especially mini ones. As Paris Hilton says ‘skirts should be the size of a belt’. Hopefully you've got that sound on TikTok.

Platform Shoes

Platform shoes have been really hard to miss as of late. Almost everything has a wedge or a little height, whether it's a sandal or a boot. And who can blame them? Channel your inner Bratz doll.

Accessories

What’s an outfit without the accessories? Popular items we're seeing re-emerging are butterfly clips, colourful bandanas and sporty sunnies! The futuristic frames especially are growing in popularity with Pinterest searches for the style increasing by 21%.