Throughout the past year, we have seen the fashion trends circle back to low rise jeans, layered tanks, and baby tees. We really all thought we were past boot cuts and belts on top of shirts. But on January 1st, at the stroke of midnight, came the fashion girlies and a comeback of Y2k and chunky sunglasses. Why is it that these early 2000s fashion hits are making a comeback? Is it because of the rise of the “clean girls,” the COVID-19 pandemic, or is Brandy Melville to blame?
Social media is to blame…
It’s hard to know who to blame exactly for this shift in fashion trends, but after doing some digging on Instagram and Tiktok, one can definitely conclude that there is a correlation between social media and millennial-era fashion making a comeback. While OOTD videos gained popularity, influencers started to branch out with their style and become more creative in an effort to gain views and attention. They started getting bolder in their sunglasses and bigger with their belts to catch the eye of hungry viewers looking for new trends to follow. Simultaneously, influencers started posting thrifting hacks and upcycling videos to promote sustainable fashion. Inevitably, this means that old fashion trends are going to make a comeback because the clothes people are thrifting are most likely from the millennial era.
… or is it a side effect of COVID?
The trending short uggs and the use of chunky sneakers as everyday shoes could be a side effect of our time prioritizing comfort during COVID lockdowns. The pandemic ruined a lot of things, like our sanity and years of our high school experience, but one thing it did do was allow us to prioritize our own comfort. We spent nearly two years in PJs on the couch attending classes through a screen. Even now that we are back to real life and not just living virtually, comfort is still a key element of fashion trends. Lounge sets are now seen as everyday wear along with PJ pants being worn out and about in public. This use of comfy sweats and cozy footwear could be our version of Juicy Couture track suits and capri leggings. Brands like Brandy Melville and Pacsun only fuel this addiction by promoting their “simple basics” and “comfy casual” clothes.
it’s probably just nostalgia…
Although the support from brands definitely played a role in the reverting fashion trends, it is not the main reason for this sudden change. What it comes down to is the nostalgia we all feel for the early 2000s coming to a close. Nearly 20 years ago Katy Perry was at the top of the music charts. Back then Hips Don’t Lie and the whiney sound of Britney Spears was blasting on the radio. Now, we have a different soundtrack for each road trip that is composed of all up-and-coming artists who are the face of a new era; complete with Pony Club Anthems and Billie Eilish’s effortless angst and style. As the saying goes: “make new friends. but don’t forget the old.” Maybe our yearn for dresses over jeans and belts over t-shirts is our way of mourning the millennial era while embracing the new. We have seen fashion trends come and go for centuries. First, it was white wigs worn by founding fathers, and then it was blow outs and big hair in the 80s. Maybe this is just a natural shift that happens every couple decades, and if we wait another 20 years, VSCO girls with their scrunchies and Hydroflasks will make a comeback. It’s safe to say we are not millennials, our pants are not skintight and we still wear our hair parted down the middle as it should be. However, it is a guarantee that our generation will always grieve the fact that we were too young to enjoy the chaos of the early 2000s. We were too busy learning how to walk, so now all we can do is live in that era through our thrifted low rise Levis.
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