20 Popular Fashion Trends From the Early 2000s That Would Look Awkward Today

The turn of the millennium was a tumultuous time for most aspects of human life, including fashion. The Y2K bug, as well as the rise of globalization and fast fashion, have all played their part in deeming what was fashionable and what wasn’t. While some of these trends remained popular and stood the test of time, others fell out of fashion.

1. Both short and long denim skirts were one of the many staples of 2000s fashion.

2. Another popular trend related to denim was to wear a pair of jeans that were heavily embellished, as is the case with bedazzled jeans.

3. Denim, in general, was such a popular fabric of choice at the time that you could rock an entire outfit made out of it.

4. Denim was not always the centerpiece of the outfit. Another trend was to wear longer clothing items, like a dress or a tunic, over a pair of jeans.

5. Skirts with a handkerchief hemline were also on trend, characterized by having an asymmetric silhouette.

6. The 2000s was the decade of piercings, as the world’s biggest pop stars started making them part of their looks. It was not uncommon to see them with piercings on their bellybutton or their face.

7. Men’s facial hair also had its own trends during the decade. Rocking a goatee, in particular, was a very popular choice.

8. The trendiest way for men to compliment said facial hair was to sport frosted tips.

9. Fedora hats were a very common choice for both men and women.

10. But they weren’t the only popular headgear item. The baker boy cap was a feature piece of many outfits from the world’s most influential stars.

11. So were trucker hats, which were seemingly everywhere for a while.

12. And the same thing happened with bandanas, which were regarded as one of the most fashionable accessories at the time.

13. The movement known as athleisure was also highly popular in the 2000s, with Juicy Couture tracksuits being one of its top representatives.

14. And, for some pizzazz, you could always add a thin scarf to put the finishing touch on your outfit. It offered little in the way of practicality, but it made any outfit more stylish.

15. Often used with a blazer over them, corset tops were an extravagant, yet stylish choice for the top half of an outfit.

16. Similarly, you also could layer a vest on top of your outfit.

17. In fact, layering clothes was a staple across all styles of fashion. It was common to wear a tank top over another shirt, or a short sleeved shirt over a long sleeved one.

18. For the bottom half, low-rise jeans were the go-to. These might have become popular once again, but back then, the low-rise game was on a different level.

19. Low-rise jeans were often combined with baby tees and other pieces that revealed a large part of the stomach.

20. Another alternative for legwear that was also suitable for casual engagements were capri jeans.

Which of these trends do you think is less likely to ever go back to being fashionable? Which one do you think looks the weirdest today?