Y2K Fashion Icons
“I come back stronger than a 90s trend,” might have been one of the iconic lines from Taylor Swift’s 2020 song “Willow,” but she really might be on to something ringing true in the closets of many. There is no denying that fashion trends come and go, and eventually make their way back as time continues to pass, making you question why you threw out those boots last year.
One of the most iconic trends making its way back has been the infamous Y2K aesthetic. Originally making its debut in the mid-90s, and closing out in the late 2000s, it remains one of the most iconic trends.
Fashion in the 90s and early 2000s was heavily influenced by the pop culture of the time. Some of which range from the rise of rap and pop music legends to the Bratz dolls in everyone’s playroom to film movies such as “Clueless” and “Mean Girls.” The Y2K aesthetic is a moment in time representing the culture of art and society, giving us a look into what we all enjoyed through fashion.
With the start of the internet boom with the release of Windows 95, came a new medium for influencing from celebrities and athletes at the time. While celebrity clothing used to seem out of reach, the Y2K aesthetic focused on clothing that was more attainable for the general public, making it even easier to keep up with the trend itself.
This aesthetic is rooted in bright colors and baggy jeans to chunky metals, and often took inspiration from the iconic internet influences at the time and the continued rise of the flip phone and newer cellular models.
Janet Jackson and Destiny’s Child are some of the artists who capitalized on this fashion trend at the time. Destiny’s Child was often seen in bright-colored tops, with flare jeans; to which these jeans were accustomed with various metals and sometimes jeweled belts. While Jackson can be seen in music videos wearing shoulder pads and metallics.
Paris Hilton was also an iconic celebrity of the early 2000s, often seen sporting jeweled tops and bags, along with chunky sunglasses to complete her looks. The original, major influences of Y2K’s first boom within the late 90s to mid 2000s, set the stage for iconic fashion that was truly a product of its time; and just like every trend that dies out, it eventually makes its way back to the current time, revamped, and ready for a new era.
As Y2K made its way back in the trend during 2020, one of the leaders of this trend was musician Olivia Rodrigo. As Rodrigo released her first album “Sour” in 2020, it became a huge hit with all 11 songs reaching the top 30 of Billboard’s ranking. Making Rodrigo one of the most-watched celebrities at the time.
Where does Rodrigo become connected with Y2K you may ask? Olivia’s debut album had been surprisingly littered with Y2K influences. The album’s photoshoot included chunky jewels, and references to the early 2000s, practically sealing Y2K’s comeback. Much of the personal and professional styling for Rodrigo also featured many iconic Y2K pieces. Rodrigo can be seen in this bright fur coat, along with neon clips in her hair, on her Instagram. This is one of the many outfits with Y2K ridden in the threads worn by Rodrigo.
The Y2K influences don’t stop here, as fellow hit singer, Dua Lipa, has also been styling herself with Y2K pieces. The singer can be seen on her Instagram wearing full fur outfits in bright neon colors and baggy jeans with neon tops. She matches many of these outfits with chunky tennis shoes or statement boots in matching colors.
Dua Lipa put herself at the forefront of the Y2K resurgence with her album “Future Nostalgia” being space-themed and focusing on futuristic fashion. The “Levitating” singer has many looks in her personal wardrobe, as well as within her album and music video shoots that represent the Y2K aesthetic at its core, while also pushing it to new lengths.
In closing out our look at the Y2K originators to the current Y2K trendsetters, there is no denying this final girl group. In the “Rise of K-Pop,” it was noted that the group NewJeans continues to have a focus on taking Y2K to a new level.
These girls made their appearance at Lollapalooza this past summer, raking in a crowd of over 70,000 people at the festival, and are beginning to become one of the largest girl groups in the world. The group’s first appearance in the world of music was only about a year ago, but fans immediately fell in love with their music and the way in which they presented themselves.
These girls have branded themselves specifically in Y2K, not only in the outfits that they wear on and off the stage but also in the media they use to communicate with their fans. Wearing bright colors, fairy wings, and even bunny ears on stage, along with creating their own app, Phoning, to communicate with fans. The app’s theme is highly rooted in Y2K, using icons influenced by Windows and pixelated art.
There is no denying that trends will come and go, as fashion is truthfully timeless. As we saw the resurgence of Y2K in the past couple of years, who knows what will be the next trend to make its way back in a boom? All that we can say for certain is that Y2K is truthfully a nod back to the pop culture influences of the world.
