If there’s one thing Gen Z likes more than their slang, it’s their fashion. The 2000s have entered the chat and Gen Z approves. The early 2000s fashion also known as Y2K fashion is the newest favourite of everyone. What’s the aesthetic? Think old graphics, exaggerated proportions, and Y2K codes. With 70s cuts like flared leggings, pencil skirts, and long-sleeve roll-neck tops featuring geometric patterns, this is a trend that’s got everyone’s approval.
Why Y2K?
Think shiny metallic tops, sassy graphic baby t-shirts and pleated skirts. These are back and coming strong with their Y2K fashion vibe. Y2K fashion takes major inspiration from celebrities like Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and pop culture characters like Regina George and Carrie Bradshaw. Flashy colours and a lot of experimentation mixed with comfort, that’s Y2K fashion. We love the upgrade that 2023 has got with it.
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Komal Pandey looks stunning in her grey flared pants as she channels the Y2K aesthetic. She knows how to make a simple grey pant look effortlessly sexy by pairing it with a cropped top and jacket.
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The Puma Winter Rink collection plays perfectly with the newest trend on the block. It takes inspiration from the sport Ice Hockey, hence the name Winter Rink and it perfectly integrates all the elements of the sport Ice Hockey and Y2K fashion. Shanaya Kapoor, an upcoming Gen Z star is one of the few who have mastered the trend. Her rise as a fashionista in social media is partly due to her sartorial choices that have set her apart from her peers. The overall prints have a Y2K feel to it and help in giving dimension to the whole outfit.
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Pleated tennis skirts are a staple of the Y2K core. With many Korean celebrities like Jennie from BlackPink and groups like New Jeans endorsing the trend, these itty-bitty skirts are back and everyone is embracing their cute meets sexy prowess. Influncer Radhika Bangia shows how to style a co-ordinated outfit with a mini skirt as its key point.
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The trend has been making a quiet comeback and has found its muses in pop sensations such as Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish. Olivia Rodrigo has channeled peak Y2K energy with a graphic baby tee styled with loosely done pigtails for a trip to Disneyland meanwhile Billie Eilish has chosen a similar graphic baby t-shirt with the ultimate early 2000s reference, the Spice Girls on it.
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Y2K fashion first emerged during the tumultuous years of Covid and has since become a staple in every Gen Zs (as well as some cool millennials) wardrobe. The style may arouse feelings of regrets (I’m talking about those hideous dresses over flared pants, that have now convinced a bunch of people it’s cute now) but for the younger generation it’s all about the novelty and nostalgic feelings it creates.
The black skirt with an all-over print and a street-style flared jacquard pant are just some of the pieces to look out for in the collection. Sitting rink-side just became a lot more cooler than it already was with this new collection featuring team-inspired logos, vibrant colours, and allover prints inspired by the iconic Puma Cat. With bold graphics of ice hockey uniforms, this pack features fresh streetwear pieces with a Y2K aesthetic.
A Generation Of Influencers
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In ultimate Y2K fashion, influencer Lara Hadkins pairs a dress over pants, a classic nod to Hilary Duff’s movie Lizzy Mcguire. Other influencers and celebrities like Emma Chamberlain, Prajakta Koli and Ahsaas Channa are also spearheading the trend as it makes its way across the globe. Flared jeans popularised by early 2000s pop-stars like Britney Spears, the Spice Girls have taken over our closets thanks to with Instagram influencers and celebrities opting for them.
It is a widely acknowledged fact that trends tend to make a spin around the block. The nostalgia that comes with wearing the clothes you saw famous celebrities wearing when you were a kid will find representation in your wardrobe, and rightly so. Pop culture has significantly paved the path for this aesthetic taking heavily from early 2000s movies like Lizzy Mcguire, Legally Blonde, Mean Girls and The Princess Diaries with Anne Hathaway, Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan being the main celebrities who have influenced people.
