- 9 hours ago
Revisit the defining looks that shaped the early 2000s! From shiny leggings and mesh slippers to juiced-up tracksuits and frosted tips, early millennium fashion was bold, edgy, and often outrageous. Whether it was the iconic low rise jeans and crop top combo or the infamous Jersey Shore style, these trends left a lasting mark on the way we dress and express ourselves. Which trend had you reaching for your wardrobe before?
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00:00Were you asleep?
00:01Uh, no.
00:02Then why are you in your pajamas?
00:03These aren't pajamas.
00:04You wear that in public?
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down the trends that shaped the early years of the new millennium.
00:12I saw Katie Heron wearing army pants and flip-flops, so I bought army pants and flip-flops.
00:19Number 20. American Apparel Clothing, Shiny Leggings
00:22With a provocative, ultra-cool marketing campaign,
00:26American Apparel rose to prominence in the early 2000s among the emerging indie sleaze crowd.
00:32The brand was known for its versatile basics, a fashion necessity during the Great Recession.
00:38American Apparel was so simple, just solid basics, no logo, every color you can imagine.
00:44It was almost like whatever the bug is drawn to a light, it just pulls you in.
00:51Particularly notable were the ultra-tight, eye-catchingly shiny disco pants,
00:56an essential part of every millennial's going-out outfit.
00:59The popularity of American Apparel's disco pants led to a shiny-legging revolution,
01:04with many brands coming out with their own versions of the flashy pants.
01:08Despite their cultural cachet, American Apparel was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2015.
01:14The brand was bought by Gildan Activewear in 2017,
01:17but the disco pant has sadly been discontinued.
01:20I'm sorry, Jill, you can't convince me that leggings are pants.
01:24Your article's out.
01:25Number 19, mesh slippers.
01:28These slippers, made of fine mesh and often adorned with beaded flowers,
01:32were known as Chinese slippers for their chinoiserie style.
01:36These shoes came in a variety of bright colors and were incredibly affordable,
01:40perfect for a day at the beach.
01:41I think I paid just under £8, including delivery for these.
01:47They are absolutely amazing.
01:49I wouldn't wear these as slippers, I would wear these out.
01:52They were super cute, but also super thin and often wore out very quickly.
01:57Still, they capture the bright, fun aesthetic of the early aughts,
02:00and they're enjoying a bit of a renaissance today.
02:03TikTok users were calling it the it-girl shoe of the summer in 2024,
02:06with many flocking to Amazon to buy a pair to match every summer outfit.
02:11You know that this isn't new, right?
02:14I used to wear these in my 20s.
02:15Y'all bucks, these nasty slippers have been around since the dawn of time.
02:20Well, yeah, that's why these are so cool.
02:22They were immensely popular in the Y2K era,
02:25and now they're squarely in the retro category
02:28and soon to be in the vintage status.
02:32Number 18, chunky belts.
02:35Accessorizing in the early 2000s was all about making a statement,
02:38from our chunky highlights to our chunky platforms.
02:41Somewhere in the middle was, of course, a chunky statement belt.
02:45See, I told you.
02:46This is the answer to all of my problems.
02:48I'm going to use this for everything.
02:50Oh, this shirt is so boring.
02:52It needs the belt.
02:53Oh, you're wearing the belt with a short sweater?
02:56I freaking love this thing.
02:58Often too bulky to fit in the belt loops of our ultra-low-rise jeans,
03:02these belts were slung loose over the hips
03:04or used to accentuate the waist while wearing a loose dress.
03:08Whether you wanted a big, buckled boho belt or an edgy, studded one,
03:11there was a chunky belt to fit every personality.
03:15Endlessly versatile and an easy way to change up a simple outfit,
03:18it's no surprise this trend is making a comeback.
03:21I wanted to go like this.
03:23There we have it.
03:24I don't know about you guys, but I really, really like it.
03:26It's very vintage, white to pay.
03:29Number 17.
03:30Trucker hats.
03:31Originally associated with blue-collar workers like farmers and truckers,
03:36who often received these hats as promotional giveaways,
03:39the mesh cap took on new life in the early 2000s fashion scene.
03:43Von Dutch was the trucker hat of choice for stars like Paris Hilton
03:46in an ironic embrace of stereotypical working-class fashion.
03:50Trucker caps, jeans, jackets.
03:52That was like our uniform, basically.
03:55Inspired by an artist and a motorcycle mechanic named Kenneth Robert Howard,
03:59the Von Dutch clothing line was established as a continuation of Howard's artistic work
04:04after his death.
04:05The brand took off.
04:06As more celebs were spotted wearing their hats,
04:09Von Dutch began demanding an absurdly high price for hats
04:12that were literally designed to be given away.
04:15Incredible marketing success story or total rip-off?
04:18Your problem is not that you're troubled or at risk or bad dressers.
04:23Is that a trucker hat?
04:24Still?
04:25Come on.
04:26Number 16.
04:27Ballet flats.
04:28These heelless shoes inspired by traditional ballet slippers
04:32became a trendy option for the stylish yet sensible among us.
04:35With a range of colors and designs,
04:38there was a ballet flat to fit every occasion.
04:40They were even sported by many celebs like Kate Moss and Zooey Deschanel.
04:45Though they were comfortable and expressive,
04:48these shoes did come with downsides.
04:50What is with everyone today?
04:52Everything started so good!
04:54Flats often have thin soles and non-existent arch support,
04:58which sometimes leads to painful foot problems like turf toe.
05:02Often worn without socks,
05:04flats also have a tendency to develop a seriously funky odor over time.
05:08For reasons probably related to these,
05:11flats went out of style in the 2010s.
05:13Although there have been recent rumors of a ballet flat revival coming soon.
05:17No matter what happened in class,
05:20in performance last week,
05:22five minutes ago,
05:24if you come back here,
05:27you'll be home.
05:29Number 15.
05:30Shell necklaces.
05:32Naturally occurring and beautiful,
05:34shells have been crafted into jewelry for hundreds of thousands of years.
05:37This ancient tradition endured even into the modern 21st century,
05:42when puka shell necklaces became the accessory of choice for surfers,
05:46beach bums,
05:47and visiting tourists alike.
05:49Welcome to the OC, bitch.
05:52This is how it's done in Orange County.
05:56Although this trend began in the late 90s,
05:59it exploded in popularity in the 2000s.
06:02Whether you thought they were totally tacky or casually chic,
06:05you definitely knew someone who refused to take off the shell necklace they bought on their beach vacation.
06:11Shark tooth and all.
06:12What's up, dude?
06:16Sam Buka, dude?
06:18Number 14.
06:19Popped collars.
06:21In the 1980s,
06:22flipping up the collar of a polo shirt was associated with the preppy style of New England's upper crust.
06:28This trend waned in the 90s,
06:29but came back with a vengeance in the 2000s.
06:32Preppy style became more mainstream,
06:53thanks to popular retailers like Abercrombie and Fitch and American Eagle.
06:57One popped collar wasn't enough,
06:59with some opting to layer multiple polo shirts for maximum preppiness.
07:04A popped collar on a brightly colored polo quickly became synonymous with high school bullies and frat boys.
07:10Not the best reputation,
07:11which is probably why this trend has quietly disappeared for the most part.
07:15What, this?
07:16Yeah, pop the collar.
07:18Uh,
07:19okay?
07:21Okay.
07:22That's what the kids are doing.
07:24Not really.
07:25Number 13.
07:26Skinny jeans.
07:27We have this new cut of jeans.
07:30It's called the skinny skinny.
07:31Do you guys want to check this out?
07:32If jeggings are too baggy, these are perfect.
07:35After the baggy jeans era of the 1990s,
07:38the fashion forward of the new millennium were after a far more fitting look for their pants.
07:42Thanks to evolutions in stretch denim technology,
07:45the newest trendy jeans weren't just slim fit,
07:48they were skin tight.
07:50Trendsetters like Kate Moss and Sienna Miller
07:53helped popularize this trend among women,
07:56inspired by old Hollywood stars like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe.
08:00Then, in a surprising twist at the time,
08:02male celebs like Harry Styles began sporting the tight pants as well.
08:07Though initially controversial,
08:08men's skinny jeans became just as widespread as women's,
08:12making these pants one of the biggest trends of the late 2000s.
08:15Everybody freeze!
08:17I'm shutting this party down!
08:21Till we get Little Red Riding Hood there into a pair of skinny jeans!
08:24Number 12.
08:26Scene hair and style.
08:27We'll shut it loud and clear!
08:30They fire to the end, we hear the call!
08:33This subculture grew out of the popular emo scene,
08:37and flourished on early social media,
08:39particularly on MySpace.
08:41Scene aesthetics were a rejection of the hyper-masculinity of hardcore subcultures,
08:46using elements from rave culture and Harajuku street fashion.
08:50The result was a colorful, maximalist look with plenty of neon,
08:54Hello Kitty, and of course the iconic hairstyles.
08:57Scene hair was achieved by combining multiple methods of hair damage,
09:01including bleaching, dyeing, flat ironing, and teasing.
09:05The look was totally over the top and completely unique,
09:08which is why today this look is incredibly nostalgic for many millennials.
09:12My parents hate me.
09:13They don't understand me.
09:15This isn't a phase.
09:16It's who I am.
09:17Number 11.
09:18Layered everything.
09:20Take a look at the costume design from any 2000s Disney Channel show,
09:23and you'll understand what we mean.
09:25Layers were everywhere,
09:27and there was seemingly no limit to the kinds of clothes one could layer.
09:31I'm trying to protect my essence.
09:33That's intense!
09:35I can't believe it!
09:36Tops were layered over other camisoles,
09:39t-shirts layered over long sleeves,
09:41and casual hoodies were worn underneath professional blazers
09:44for a bizarre take on business casual.
09:47Most unusual, perhaps, was the jeans under dresses trend.
09:51Stars like Anne Hathaway, Ashley Tisdale, and Miley Cyrus
09:55were guilty of this practice that added modesty, warmth, and bulk under short dresses.
10:01At least no one can say we weren't taking fashion risks in the 2000s.
10:04What? What are you doing?
10:06Not letting you miss the dream.
10:09Come on.
10:10What?
10:11No, my kid!
10:12Oh, my dear!
10:15Sorry!
10:16Sorry!
10:17Number 10.
10:18Bedazzled studded accessories.
10:20Remember when everything just had to have colorful rhinestones or metal studs on them?
10:25Turn around.
10:25He's bedazzled.
10:31We're not sure where this came from or why, but in the 2000s, much of our clothing sparkled
10:37and shone like diamonds.
10:39If you weren't satisfied with the level of bling attached to your favorite sports jersey,
10:43there were even machines you could use to add more bling so that you'd never walk into a room
10:47unbedazzled.
10:48And if you still weren't impressed with the amount of studs and rhinestones on your outfit,
10:53you could even jazz up parts of your body.
10:55Anyone remember vajazzling?
10:57Does this make you feel, does it really make you feel different in some way?
11:00It does.
11:00It makes you feel saucy and, I don't know, it's kind of fun to like walk around and just
11:05think that it, you know, nobody has any idea how shiny it is down there.
11:09This is one of the fashion trends that have mostly died away, and it's left behind a tasteful
11:13echo of its former glory.
11:16Number 9.
11:17Skater Chic
11:17So what do you guys want to do today?
11:19Dude, you want to crush them all?
11:21Nice!
11:21Okay!
11:22Teen idols like Avril Lavigne popularized a style that fit the kind of girl who wasn't
11:26interested in dressing like a Barbie or a pop star.
11:29Lavigne's pop punk princess style was geared towards girls that were more into hanging out
11:34with their friends at the skate park, listening to slightly edgier pop, pulling pranks, and
11:38wearing dark eye makeup, or something like that.
11:41This punk look for beginners was only a step down from the fishnet stockings, black corsets,
11:46and body modifications that were also widespread during this time, and which Lavigne would later
11:52adopt into her style.
11:53So ironically, despite it starting off as a rejection of teenage sex appeal, Skater Chic
11:59seemed to just open the door to the kinkier side of fashion.
12:02Tell me!
12:04Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?
12:08Number 8.
12:09Cargo Pants
12:10Sure, cargo pants are still in style, except now you can only find them in the camping section
12:15of your local big box store.
12:17Since the death of this fashion trend, the world has come to realize that clothes with
12:21too many functions are never timeless.
12:24Alright, let's do it!
12:25Wait, Jeff can't go, he has class.
12:27Well, those cargo pants would suggest otherwise.
12:30Sold as a single piece or with zippers around the legs to convert into shorts, these pocket-happy
12:35trousers were sexy 25 years ago, especially when worn right above the pubic bone and preferably
12:43paired with a barely-there crop top to offset the sudden elephantitis of the lower half.
12:48While it's perfectly acceptable to wear them on your next backpacking trip, you will not
12:53be forgiven for wearing them in any non-recreational related activity these days.
12:58You alright, my dear?
12:59Yes.
13:00I'm just not used to dressing like a plumberess.
13:04Is that what you call a female plumber or is it a toilet suite or club wench?
13:11In any case, that's how I'm dressed.
13:13Number 7.
13:15Juicy Couture Velour Tracksuits, Jogging Suits, or Knock-Offs
13:19You had the word juicy on your rear end.
13:21Uh, well, if I'd known you were coming over, I would have changed.
13:24Into what, a brassiere with the word tasty on it?
13:26Nothing says I've never stepped into a gym a day in my life like a tracksuit made entirely
13:31out of furniture textile with the word juicy written on the bum.
13:35This look was suitable for all ages, shapes, and sizes, and was an attempt to make gym
13:41wear sexy, something that just a few years later, yoga pants were more successful at.
13:46Oh, Lucy.
13:48A few weeks ago, you were briefing the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and now you're available
13:52to meet me on a day's notice wearing a glorified pair of yoga pants.
13:55Oh, they're Balenciaga.
13:57They're yoga pants.
13:58Whether your two-piece was from Juicy Couture, or it was a knock-off, there was no sacrificing
14:03comfort.
14:05This look was the fanciest way to dress like a slob, and still looked decent enough to
14:08run errands.
14:10And it was also the only outfit on this list that was perfectly acceptable to wear as
14:14pajamas.
14:15I have an entire closet that's only Juicy Couture.
14:18It's somewhere I go in every single day and just put on my juice.
14:21Number 6.
14:23Uggs with Leggings, Sweatpants, or Skirts.
14:25Here you go, Mr. Buster.
14:27This is all they had and lost and found in your size.
14:29An Ugg boot?
14:30I can't wear an Ugg boot with...
14:32It'll be dope with my one Puma.
14:35Even avid wearers of these Australian sheepskin boots know that they're ugly.
14:40Adding buttons and changing the color doesn't change that fact.
14:43It only makes it more apparent.
14:45Although wonderfully warm and comfortable, Uggs were not designed for the harsh winters of
14:49North America.
14:50But that never stopped fashionistas from sporting the soppy, salty, crusty winter version.
14:56Because they were the real eye-catcher of any outfit, girls didn't hesitate to match
15:01them with leggings, sweatpants, or even skirts.
15:04While you can still find these and many copycats, they've largely retreated back into homes and
15:09onto socked feet as slippers, where, to be honest, they should have stayed.
15:13Oh, check her out.
15:15Are those Ugg boots she's wearing?
15:17I'm sorry, did I just travel back to 2002?
15:19Number 5.
15:21Hair Streaks, Highlights, Frosted Tips
15:23I like the M&M's mom's spaghetti one.
15:27It literally looks like a ramen noodle.
15:29The man bun may be the 2010's most recognizable hair fad, but 10 years before that, it was all
15:35about the highlights, lowlights, and frosted tips.
15:37Made trendy by pop culture icons like Kelly Clarkson during her American Idol debut,
15:42and Christina Aguilera when she was a dirty diva, it seemed like everybody back then was
15:47getting their hair did.
15:48Since there were so many colors and styles to choose from, getting streaks was a fun
15:53way to express one's creativity.
15:55Just ask every single member of NSYNC.
15:58Hair streaks have evolved and become more subtle in the 2010s, but we have a feeling they'll
16:02be back again someday.
16:04I'm not going in there.
16:06Not going in there.
16:07I'm not going in there.
16:12Okay, I'm going in there.
16:13Number 4.
16:14The Jersey Shore Look
16:15Hello, party's here.
16:18The party's here?
16:19How are you?
16:20Nicole, hug.
16:21Nice to meet you.
16:22How are you?
16:22I'm like, wow.
16:23She was like a little miniature chihuahua painted with some spray paint.
16:26Although this style is also associated with John Gosselin of John and Kate Plus 8, the
16:31guidos and guidettes of Jersey Shore made the look synonymous with summer partying, drunken
16:36hookups, and stupid fights.
16:38You may be from or a fan of Jersey Shore if you've worn Ed Hardy or Flesh shirts with
16:43tattoos, trucker hats, sparkly sunglasses, gold and silver chains, or barely there tops.
16:50The missing piece that completes the look is, of course, the wonderful carity glow of
16:54the spray tan, which is an essential part of the GTL routine.
16:58Gym tan laundry.
16:59Because if everything's put together and you feel great, you look great, awesome night.
17:03When the show and the style wrapped up, Ed Hardy's designs magically retreated back
17:08into tattoo parlors, where hopefully they will stay.
17:11Hey girls, how's it going?
17:12Do I know you?
17:14What did you do, mug K-Fed?
17:19Welcome to the bottom of the food chain.
17:22Number three, halter tops.
17:25Levels of modesty ebb and flow with the trends of the decade.
17:28And in the new millennium, the motto has been skin is the new black.
17:32I have a devil.
17:33Even you.
17:35She's wearing a red sparkly halter top.
17:38What's her name?
17:39Sassy halter top.
17:41While halter tops were a pretty flattering way of showing off the shoulders, they were
17:45usually accompanied by a plunging décolletage and bare tummy in the 70s-inspired disco shirts
17:51and edgy biker tops.
17:53Needless to say, this style of shirt was largely banned in high schools for showing too much skin.
17:58Lisa swallows to the principal's office.
18:02Dress call violation.
18:04Maybe it would help principals if they knew that the design had a very unsexy inspiration.
18:10The animal halter or head collar, which is essentially a harness strapped around an animal's neck.
18:15Wow, that killed the mood.
18:17Number two, rapper clothing brands.
18:20Hip-hop fashion has been around since the late 70s, when artists began to express themselves
18:32by wearing certain clothes that achieved the street-style aesthetic that was unique to hip-hop culture.
18:37It was more than just throwing together Timberland boots and low-hanging baggy jeans, though,
18:43as almost every rapper you could think of was also demonstrating his or her fashion-forwardness
18:48by designing his or her own brands.
18:51Rock-A-Wear, Sean John, and Apple Bottom Jeans are all the successful spawn of famous rappers
18:56who've not only defined hip-hop fashion of this century, but who also have built
19:00prosperous, multi-million dollar empires around their names.
19:04Maybe I could just start my own thing, start my own clothing line, make it the right fit,
19:10just baggy enough for everybody and the right style, and just, yeah.
19:16Once that idea started, it was off, man.
19:20It was off and running.
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19:371. Low-Rise Jeans with Crop Top
19:40This look may be the most understated outfit on our list.
19:44Whether or not they had the body to pull it off, every pop diva, teen, and young woman
19:49wore some form of this revealing combination in the 2000s.
19:54You make that look so good, I've got things on my mind.
19:59Neither of these styles have completely disappeared off the racks, but rarely are the two worn together
20:05anymore. While crop tops were not a 21st century invention, the jean silhouette has made some
20:10remarkable changes after spending decades making women look frumpy and 10 pounds heavier.
20:15Those jeans are hella low, I can almost see your front butt.
20:20It's a rock show. This is my rock look.
20:23Well, I can see like your womb, so...
20:26With low-rise pants, the waistline got so low that for a quick minute, we even considered
20:30plumber crack sexy. Meanwhile, fashion has moved on and reinvented different ways to make women take
20:36on the next look of the moment. Scarlet has been through much worse. Ultra low-rise jeans and that
20:42Snooki JWoww cover come to mind? We can let this whole sleazy event make us angry, or we could
20:52let it go, move on, and get back to what we all love. Which of these 2000s trends would you hate to
20:58see come back in style? Let us know in the comments.
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