Despite Current Trends, Y2K Style Was Pretty Basic
But brands don’t want you to remember that.
Lately, my social media feeds are filled with people asking where they can find summer clothing that isn't just a bunch of strings posing as a dress or top. It's a fair question. As the Y2K trend resurgence has held out, the evolution of trends seems to be a regurgitation of the most extreme parts of that time in fashion. Hindsight is funny and I certainly remember those parts. I even sort of understand why they are in style again. Hot pink one-shoulder tops don't take themselves too seriously, and honestly, that's the best part of fashion when we all need something to lighten the mood. At the same time, though, the style I envied most during that time was not necessarily hot girl fashion worn by Christina Aguilera, but one worn by a leading actress in a teen rom-com.
For example, I remember watching Amanda Bynes in the 2003 movie "What a Girl Wants," in which her character goes to London to meet her long-lost rich politician dad. In the film, Bynes's character is a nerdy sort of cool girl, the one that the early 2000s loved to romanticize and place in opposition to the girlie girl who loved makeup. Anyway, all her outfits are simple. She wears the same pair of bell-bottom pants with various basic tops, a spaghetti strap tank, a vintage blazer, etc. I thought, how could this ever go out of style? It's so simple.
Amanda Bynes wearing flares and a tank top in "What a Girl Wants" via Youtube
Other movies around that time led me to the same conclusions. In "Winning London," Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen wear dusters with their flare jeans and tank tops. In "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," Kate Hudson wears a midi skirt with a fitted tube top, jeans, and a ribbed tank. In "Bring It On," Gabrielle Union's cheer-off (non-uniform) outfit is just a cropped hoodie and jeans.
Gabrielle Union wearing a hoodie and jeans in "Bring It On" via YouTube
Do you see where I'm going here?
Yes, Ed Hardy shirts made their way into the bottom of the drawer, if not into the giveaway pile but did our jeans really need to? When we think about trends in a sellable way, it tends to be the most extreme version of style that we have to buy again because there is simply no way we would have kept it. Brands want you to think that the 2000s style is micro-mini skirts and stringy tops because that's not in the rotation anymore. But 2000s style was also just a white tank top and jeans … you probably don't need to buy that again. The same goes for whatever fashion looks like right now. I'm not advocating for not having fun with fashion or wearing something outside of the basics, but I am saying that before you think of yourself as someone who can't keep up with trends, maybe take a second look at what the trend really is.
READ MORE: The Real Villain of the Generational Trend Wars
And for those still wondering where to find a cute summer dress that isn't a cut-up string, I promise you the search function on second-hand apps is your best friend. Think about what you DO want, and search for it in as much detail as possible. You'll be shocked at how many decent results you get when you're specific.
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Thank you for reading!!
This Stuff is a newsletter by me! fashion journalist, Alyssa Hardy. Three times a week, I unpack the ways our clothes impact the world through news, essays, interviews and more. Subscribe for free here and follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
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