Don’t Call It A Comeback: Y2K Fashion in Costume Design

By: Raquel Imani

After years of tapping back into the trends of the 80s and 90s, the post-Millennium era of fashion (or as we casually refer to it today - the 2000s or aughts) is making a comeback. And though the fashion of the 2000s was sexy, I’m sure I’m not alone in noticing that this resurgence has morphed to be sexier, chicer and in some ways cooler than before. 

Now, I’m not saying that the fashion of the early 2000s wasn’t an elevation of TLC’s CrazySexyCool. Reference board queens like Aaliyah, Destiny’s Child, Paris Hilton, Christian Aguilera and Brittney Spears are fashion icons that even GenZers can point out and draw inspiration from. 

But I am saying there’s a recurring theme in the mainstream to reference the most extreme interpretations of era-based trends while ignoring the rest. 

The thing to note about the 2000s era of fashion is, most people (like you and me) weren’t walking the red carpet or getting snapped by paparazzi on daily coffee runs. We weren’t blinged out in diamanté bras. And some of us weren’t lucky enough to get our hands on a Juicy Couture tracksuit. The more accessible fashion of common people in the early aughts included long denim skirts, camisoles layered over long-sleeved crewnecks, straight-leg jeans and even boleros. 

Millennials have more digital proof of their fashion faux pas than any generation before. Y2K, the turn of the 21st century, seemed to push for more digital engagement than before making it easier for this era to recall the trends of the early aughts. 

“When I think of fashion trends of the early aughts, I think about the low-rise jeans I would pair with a ribbed tank, metallic heels and baguette bags,” said Jazmine Motley-Maddox. “Ciara and Destiny’s Child were heavy style influences.”

Today, fashion is left to the influencers who tend to focus on the most extreme part of the era’s aethstetic. For instance,  TikTokker, AAliyah’s Interlude has carved out a 2000s/Y2K aesthetic for herself and her cult following. Elements of Aaliyah Core, as Gen Z calls it, consist of moon boots, micro-minis, millennium pink, oversized earmuffs and fishnets. Though it’s a super cute, extremely recognizable aesthetic, it is extreme. In 2003, you wouldn’t see the masses decked out in a pleated miniskirt and platform thigh-high boots. 

Costume Designers seem to be driving the narrative around the true style ecosystem of the 2000s through visuals on TV and in film. 

HBO’s hit show “Euphoria” captured the online fashion community. Costume Designer Heidi Bivens (whose Costumes & Coffee interview you can listen to here) adorned her angsty teen heroines in drool-worthy 2000s elements like sexy tracksuits, matching co-ords and sparkly mesh tops. Basically, what we all wished we could have looked like back then. Bivens continued to elevate the looks each season, resulting in the launch of  Instagram accounts and TikTok trends dedicated to documenting and recreating these looks.

HBO’s “The White Lotus” Costume Designer Alex Boviard created many jaw-dropping moments. But underneath all the titillation, was the constant chatter about Portia, Jennifer Coolidge’s slightly depressed, socially awkward, and TikTok obsessed personal assistant who seemed to encompass everything that’s plaguing teens today. 

Portia’s trendy fashion disasters were designed with staples from the early aughts including cyber print tube tops, multi-pattern maxi skirts, and platform sandals. What’s more interesting is that similar to some in real life, Portia didn’t seem to have a clue just how much her trendy wear was being influenced by an era that ended less than 20 years ago. 

In an interview with The New York Times, Boviard said: “Portia is a bit of a mess. She doesn’t have money, makes some bad choices, and spends all her time on TikTok. So we wanted her clothes to reflect that.”

“Poker Face”, Peacock’s new mystery-of-the-week series starring Natasha Lyonne includes some nice staples from the 200os including short denim shorts, vests and the almighty trucker hat. Costume Designer Trayce Gigi Field even gave us a burlesque look, which had a resurgence after the premiere of the Lady Marmalade video in 2001. 

Coming soon is HBO’s “THe Idol”. Costume designed by Natasha Newman Thomas who in 2019, snagged the excellence in short film design award at the CDG Awards for her prolific work in Childish Gambino’s “This is America''. THe show premieres later this year, but the trailer is oozing with 2000s fashion giving us a glimpse of micro minnies, leg warmers and bikini tops.

So what can TikTok, the costume design of hit tv shows, and everyday observations tell us about the longevity of 2000s fashion? Through fashion influencers, we’re still seeing the rose-tinted, hyper celebrity version of the era. Costume Designers are ushering in a new era, that I’ve dubbed the neo-2000s, where distinctive elements of the early 2000s aren’t just being regurgitated, but are considerably designed to reflect conscious silhouettes and chic looks that define the era that we exist in today.