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Y2K fever began as most trends do – on TikTok. In April 2021, a trend exploded all over the app: dressing as a Y2K popstar. The original video, posted by Adrienne Reau, saw the TikTok creator imagine her wardrobe as though they were a famous singer: styling fits for rehearsal, autograph signings and avoiding the paparazzi. Think low-waisted jeans, oversized belts and rhinestones on absolutely everything.

Sure, Y2K fashion has a bit of a bad rep, and there were many moments of ultra-gaudy faux pas (think tulle skirts over jeans), and in many ways it was a dark era for fashion. But in a lot of others? It was pretty fantastic. And after a long period of pandemic dressing, the fun-loving, carefree approach of Y2K fashion is exactly the mood that fashion needs right now. And we – along with seemingly everyone else in the fashion world – just can’t get enough. 

Today, #Y2K has amassed 9.5 billion views on TikTok, with low-rise jeans, tennis skirts, tank tops and baguette bags once again becoming must-have pics for the fashion girlies. The Fendi Baguette in particular is enjoying the limelight again, celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this past year with a dedicated show, where SJP sat front row to pay homage to the ‘00s emblem. Fashion shopping platform Lyst reported a 389 percent increase in searches for the term Y2K off the back of its popularity on TikTok. Diesel and Miu Miu – both architects of the trend’s revival – featured in the Lyst’s index of the hottest brands of 2022, and Lyst dubbed Prada’s 2005 re-edition nylon handbag (aka the ultimate Y2K It bag) one of the hottest products of the past year.

And, unlike many trends that blow up and burn out, it just keeps getting bigger. This week, Paris Hilton closed the SS23 Versace show. Strutting down the runway she wore a shimmering pink chainmail mini, that was totally reminiscent of the dress she wore to her 21st birthday back in 2002 (which was later replicated by Kendall Jenner). This final look for the Versace show has instantly become bible, to borrow a phrase from the former assistant of the woman herself. The glittering mini was complete with hot pink heels, a tulle veil and embroidered fingerless gloves. Yeah, that’s hot. The people have spoken – and they want Y2K.

Case in point? This Bella Hadid look. Stepping out in New York City, donning a pair of Ultra-Mini–Platform Ugg Boots, a white baby tee, barely-there shorts, a black and blue leather jacket and matrix-esque shades in a look that exudes Y2K cool. And of course, the mini Uggs are already going viral on TikTok. If the trend reports are to be believed, we’ll all be wearing Uggs (again) this season.

And while there’s a host of usual suspects behind the trend - think supermodels, It girls and nepo babies - the Y2K revival has brought with it a new gen of taste makers and creators. Digital creator Lara Adkins has blown up across both Instagram and TikTok thanks to her host of Y2K-inspired fits. Think Clueless-style tartan prints, camisole tops and Rara skirts. Content creator Olhirst has seen similar success online, leaning into the more utilitarian side of the trend, her Instagram sees her donning cargo skirts, track jackets and chunky trainers. These Gen-Z creators are approaching the trend for the first time, and they’re doing it with vigour, in looks that scream ‘00s girl band core, but are updated to reflect the edgy sartorial sensibility of 2022.

The key picks for styling out the trend in 2022? Bustier tops and low-rise jeans for a start. What was once a staple for the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton on the red carpet, is now the crème de la crème of the fash pack once again. Just look to the latest Dion Lee runway for proof. Sending models down the runway in barely-there bustier tops, tying at the centre of the chest and billowing out, exposing full-torsos and hip level waistlines, the New York designer is one of many looking to the archives for inspiration in 2022.

The Y2K mini skirt – see the one sported by Rodrigo in the video for reference – is one of the key hallmarks of the trend. There are seemingly endless references in the fashion archive, from Christina Aguilera at the 2002 VMAs to Britney Spears in the Hit Me Baby One More Time video. But for 2022? Miu Miu’s is the most notable iteration. It first appeared on the brand’s SS22 runway. Low rise and incredibly short, this mini skirt was the clear standout of the collection. Belted below the hipbone, with exposed pocket detail and a jagged hemline, it looks as though someone had taken scissors to a classic pleated skirt. Basically, it’s classic Miuccia Prada.

The skirt blew up almost instantly, with the likes of Nicole Kidman and Hailey Bieber being spotted in the piece, and even getting its own fan account on Instagram, @miumiuset. But naturally, the tiny skirt was met with some criticism, namely how could real women (i.e., not supermodels) wear this kind of garment? A point quickly quashed when Paloma Elsesser appeared on the cover of i-D, in a delicious, brazenly sexy shoot that proves that real women can and will wear these styles. And they’ll look damn good doing it.

Another huge factor in the revival? HBO’s electrifying hit show, Euphoria. Arguably one of the most significant cultural moments in terms of both beauty and fashion in the last few years, it follows in the footsteps of ‘00s counterparts like Skins and The O.C. Euphoria fully bodies the Y2K aesthetic. With its hard-partying style, OTT looks, A-list cast and heavy sense of nostalgia, it serves as a blueprint for culture, beauty and fashion. Read: the cut-out mini dress worn by Alexa Demi in the season one premiere, the host of preppy Miu Miu looks sported by Maude Apatow or Sydney Sweeney’s milk braids, all of which are now being replicated on every corner of the internet.   

But while the fashions and aesthetic of the ‘00s may be back, this time around, it’s a whole different ball game. The Y2K revival isn’t just a trend – it’s a movement. The Y2K girlies of 2022 exist in a different world to the toxicity of the ‘00s. They’re not all white, they’re not all thin, they’re not all blonde. They’re curvy, they’re disabled, they’re queer, trans and nonbinary, they’re coming from all walks of life and bringing their own individual sense of beauty to the ‘00s revival.

This time around, the Y2K trend is more inclusive and more diverse, welcoming anyone who wants to rock the trend for whoever they want to be, helping them to live out their lives as who they are, not who society tells them they should be. In 2022, it’s Y2K for one, Y2K for all. Long may it reign supreme.


WORDS: MARNI ROSE MCFALL