Fashion

Y2K Style Icons

Lucy Tombs

With the recent resurgence of Y2K fashion, I have realised that I am now at the age where the style I saw and wore as a child can be recycled into my adult wardrobe. Y2K style is extremely distinctive, it blends together the pop culture and tech advancements from the turn of the millennium to create a burst of colourful and boundary-pushing outfits. TikTok and Instagram have become flooded with the formidable low-rise jeans, baby tees, velour tracksuits and many more trends which I never thought would resurface. Those who inspired these trends back in the early 2000s have undoubtedly been fascinated by the recent rebirth of 2000s fashion, and so this article will take a dive down memory lane to commemorate these Y2K style icons.

Britney Spears 

She was especially was known for loving anything sparkly and diamond-encrusted, total heiress glamour!

You can’t really discuss Y2K pop culture without bringing up the pop queen herself, Britney Spears. Her world-famous hits such as “Oops, I Did it Again” and “Toxic” were not the only successes of Britney’s legacy. Her iconic style was also famous worldwide, including renowned looks such as her double-denim dress at the 2001 AMAs and her “I’m A Slave 4 you” ensemble, which was completed by a live snake! Classic Y2K fashion staples worn by Britney included matching tracksuits, newsboy caps and low-rise skirts or trousers. Which have now become cult classics.

Paris Hilton 

Move over Kim Kardashian because Paris Hilton was the socialite princess of the early 2000s! Hilton’s trendsetter persona thrust her into the spotlight, where she remains to this day. Paris went on to have her own tv shows on MTV such as “Paris Hilton’s My New BFF”. She was known for making bold, girly choices and ultimately wearing whatever she wanted. Arguably the cropped baby tee would not be what it is today without Paris’s choice t-shirts with iconic catchphrases on the front including, “Queen of the universe” and “stop being desperate”.  She was especially was known for loving anything sparkly and diamond-encrusted, total heiress glamour!

Avril Lavigne 

If you experimented with grunge, punk looks in your teens, then there is a chance that some of your outfits were inspired by Avril Lavigne! She was known for being casually cool on the carpet, often sporting camo trousers and tank tops. She popularised so many looks including converse, heavy black eyeliner, fishnet tights and studded belts just to name a few.

Sarah Jessica Parker

If you were a fan of ‘Sex in the City’, then I’m sure you’d agree that Carrie Bradshaw was one of the biggest sources of fashion inspirations in the early 2000s. Just like Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker’s off-screen style was equally as fabulous. Similarly to her character, Parker frequently took major fashion risks. She often sported statement accessories such as funky hats, feathers and bold jewellery. She also embraced experimenting with bright colours and unusual silhouettes.

Her style has always been super sultry and figure flattering and back in the 2000s she was a big fan of the Y2K crop top and the infamous bell bottom jeans.

Beyonce 

Whether you are talking about Beyonce as a solo artist, or in the girl group Destiny’s Child, she has been a style inspiration to many. Lots of her iconic outfits were coordinated with the rest of her group members, often matching colours and textures. However, Beyonce has still always had her own distinct fashion. Her style has always been super sultry and figure flattering and back in the 2000s she was a big fan of the Y2K crop top and the infamous bell bottom jeans.

Christina Aguilera 

Christina Aguilera was one of the first popstars to break away from her good-girl image as she began to embrace sexuality and released songs such as “Dirty”. In fashioning this new image, she also created a new style. Xtina often took up a less is more ethos, wearing low rise leather trousers with mini crop tops. However, her hair and makeup were just as famous as her fashion style. Throughout the 2000s she often wore bright-coloured hair extensions and frequently used glitter and gems as makeup, way before Euphoria brought them back into style in 2019!

So if I were you, I’d take a delve into the bottom of your wardrobe to see what early 2000’s gems you can find!

Lucy Tombs


Featured image courtesy of  @pixabayNo changes made to this image. 

In-article images courtesy of @y2kdaily, @innerleovintage, @vintagepinksoul and, @christinamariaaguilera via Twitter. No changes made to these images.

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