The Early 2000s Fashion Trends Making A Comeback | Essence

The early aughts and Y2K fashion made a return in 2022 and early 2023. From trucker hats, bedazzled tops, gradient sunglasses, velour tracksuits, and lowrise jeans, Y2K aesthetics were taking over. If you’re not over the trend, lucky for you these wayward aesthetics have made their way back into the limelight. Rather than the early aughts completely taking over your TikTok and Instagram feeds, a few trends are arriving at a slower rate.

Baby tees, capri pants, and more are on the rise and we’re here to help you learn how to style them in modern ways. Whether your style leans toward one core aesthetic or not, these trends double as basic pieces and offer new ways to put together an outfit. Not everyone loves Y2K style and while that’s understandable these trends are more than just trends if you switch your mindset to new styling possibilities. Gone are the days of super bedazzled everything (for now)! As years pass on, you might be surprised at what else will make a comeback. Leopard print and ballet flats, for instance, seem to be staying for the long game. 

Keep scrolling to learn more about these early 2000s trends and how to style them. 

Baby Tees 

You might remember baby tees worn by a slew of early ‘00s stars like Destiny’s Child off and on stage. These tees came in any and every color with graphics, slogans, and crystal bedazzling. Baby tees are back and just as short as before. Now, the baby tee is much simpler and even chic in neutral tones of black, white, and tan. We can look to SKIMS for the baby tee impact and its comeback. You can style them with slacks and a blazer for an office-core type of ‘fit or with baggy jeans, leaning more toward that oversized look of the year 2000 as fashion was still transitioning from ‘90s clothing. Baby tees also pair well with denim or flowy skirts and work well as a layering piece. You can layer a button-down or light-knit vest over one. It’s a versatile top to have in your wardrobe and can transcend beyond just the early aughts aesthetics.

Dresses Over Jeans 

Layering a dress over jeans sounds odd in theory but is quite stylish with the right execution. This also doesn’t have to be just a dress–you can do this with a skirt as well. We’ve been seeing this layering from the early aughts make its way back in a modern and chic way with gorgeous draping techniques of a hemline over trousers or jeans to create a contrasting dimension to an outfit. TikTok as well as street style mavens have embraced the trend with open arms. I’ve tried this look before with a mesh skirt over jeans that you could try. You can also style the trend in a more refined way with a shorter skirt over a pair of black or gray pants in the same hue as the skirt. Layer over that look a button down in a shade or two lighter for a monochromatic yet textured outfit.

Tube Tops

Tube tops are back just in time for the summer. We remember seeing actress and singer Brandy wearing them in her show Moesha. Although the strapless top may be a trend, we’d consider it a basic for the summer season. It’s an easy piece to either throw on and wear as a stand-alone piece or layer it with other pieces. Try a tube top this summer with a breezy pair of printed linen pants, structured pleated trousers, or a plaid tennis skirt. You can also layer your tube top over an oversized button-down for a cooler day with a pair of barrel-shaped jeans to add an interesting shape to your outfit. If you like the Y2K route, you can wear them with a pair of low-rise jeans.

Capri Pants 

The curious case for the capri is here. This circulating trend may come as the ultimate surprise, but fashion girls like Nana Agyemang and Indya Brown seem to be loving it. Capri pants were all the rage in the early ‘00s with shows like Girlfriends creating interesting ways to style them. We all remember wearing them in middle and high school with our polo shirts. Now, we’re conjuring chic ways to style them like with billowy tops, ribbed knit tank tops, and intricate blouses with cutout details. Also, capri pants don’t have to be tight, you can get cargo-style capris for a looser fit and pair it with a zip-up hoodie and a baseball cap for a casual on-the-go outfit. For an elevated look, you can try wearing capris with a blazer buttoned with a belt in a similar shade or fabric, or wear the blazer open with a simple graphic tee shirt to dress it down.

Low Rise Jeans

Low-rise jeans have been talked about often within the fashion realm with back-and-forth banter about whether or not they are a welcomed trend. Well, they’re back but not as gaudy as we remembered them from the past. Rather than a bedazzled back pocket detail, low-rise bottoms are returning in a much simpler fashion. When speaking with stylist Tyler Okuns about how to style them, she recommended wearing them with heels for a night look and a fashionable sneaker for a daytime outfit. Stars like Ashanti and Destiny’s Child wore them often and now you can channel that relentless confidence in a pair too. Try styling a pair with a baby tee and a fitted blazer to play with tight proportions or go the oversized route with your outerwear for juxtaposition.

The early 2000s are back, but not in the way you were expecting. Try out these trends with an open mind viewing them each as a staple piece of sorts. You never know, you might fall in love with capris again, just try not to look at your old middle school photos as a way to talk yourself out of getting a pair.