Y2K fashion has taken over. And Gen Z loves it
NEW YORK (AP) — First came the alleged death of skinny jeans. Then the resurgence of cargo pants, halter tops and baby T-shirts.
If there’s one thing retailers can agree on, it’s that Gen Z is hot for the early 2000s fashion trends that are now booming.
In the office, interns and young employees wear wide trousers. The claw clip, a retro hair staple, is back; as well as mesh tops, miniskirts and a host of colorful clothes that allow consumers to look like they’ve stepped out of a house disney Channel program from 2004.
Fueled by social media platforms including TikTok, the so-called Y2K trend resurfaced as consumers began attending parties and going out after pandemic lockdowns. What started with hair accessories like butterfly clips and the comeback of straight-leg jeans has evolved into all-denim pieces, cargo and flared pants, and anything shiny, among other looks.
Casey Lewis, a New York-based trend analyst, noted that so many microtrends—often tagged with the suffix “core”—have emerged in recent years that they newsletter about them.
Think “Barbie Core” and “mermaidcore,” which accentuate the bright pink color reminiscent of Mattel Inc.’s Barbie doll. or sheer materials with ocean-like hues and sequins. There’s also ‘coastal granddaughter’, the youthful update born out of the ‘coastal grandma’ trend of oversized cardigans and linen sets.
“Gen Z is far from done revisiting these old trends,” says Lewis, whose “After School” newsletter documents youth consumer behavior. “They’re going to investigate and bring back every weird trend from long ago.”
High-end retailers Nordstrom to discounters and fast fashion outlets push the styles in campaigns and on the shelves. And consumers seem to be eating it up.
Sales of women’s cargo pants are up 81% from January to May, the last month of available data, according to Cirana, which tracks retail purchases. Low-cost fashion chains H&M and Zara say they’re seeing success with biker jackets, jeans and crop tops. And Chinese fast-fashion retailer She in, which markets to young women, said baby t-shirt sales have tripled this year, making them by far the most popular t-shirt style of 2023.
The company is also seeing a big increase in sales of flared pants, corset tops, metallic clothing and women’s tracksuits, which are often made from bright velor fabric reminiscent of some socialite wardrobe choices. Paris Hilton at the height of its popularity.
Style watchers classify it as part of the McBling era, which overlaps with Y2K but emphasizes flashy pieces personified by brands like Juicy Couture and Baby Phat, the iconic streetwear line from TV personality and designer Kimora Lee Simmons, who once again was launched in 2019.
As always, trends are fueled by celebrities such as model Bella Hadid, whose outfit choices are analyzed by fashion magazines and other onlookers. Style is also bubbling up directly from consumers via social media, with retailers accustomed to catwalk shows leading the way.
“We don’t know a year in advance that these trends will seep through,” said Kristen Classi-Zummo, an analyst covering fashion apparel for Circana.
Retailers, eg Macy’s And walmart, said they pay more attention to what appears on social sites and analyze topics that users search for. But it can be challenging to tell the difference between trends that just generate attention versus trends that actually buy, says Jake Bjorseth, who leads trndsttrs, an agency that helps companies reach young consumers.
Alison Hilzer, Walmart’s editor-in-chief for fashion apparel, said she also sees a lot of microtrends. Some have a longer lifespan than others, making it challenging to figure out when to jump on.
The discount retailer, which markets Y2K-inspired cargo pants and Barbiecore, has accelerated development to bring trends to market faster, though the company declined to provide more specific details. Walmart also tracks key influencers such as Alex Earlewho has collaborated with A-listers including Selena Gomez.
Despite retailers targeting young consumers, many do not actually buy. Instead, they carry items from each other’s closets, fueling a resale market that has tripled since 2020, according to research from Boston Consulting Group and Cloakroom collective, a French luxury resale site. Affordability was the main driver, but shoppers also bought used items to be more environmentally friendly.
Yasmeen Bekhit, a 22-year-old college student in Manheim, Pennsylvania, said she visits a local thrift store almost weekly and shops at resale sites such as the doll, which offers Y2K-heavy options like baguette bags and baggy jeans.
Bekhit is usually donned for looser, flowy pants, flared jeans and tighter shirts like mesh tops, which help her stay cool in the summer while wearing a hijab. She’s inspired by the way former Disney Channel stars like Gomez and Hilary Duff used to style themselves, she said.
Popular TikTok influencer Aliyah Bah, which amassed more than 2.5 million followers and showed off her Y2K-inspired look known as “Aliyahcore”, also inspires Bekhit. The look is a bit more alternative, often featuring miniskirts or shorts paired with crop tops, fishnet stockings and hairy knee-high boots.
“I really like her way of styling outfits,” said Bekhit.
But for every day, Bekhit said, she usually looks up outfit ideas on social media and puts her own spin on them.
Retro hair also impresses. Tahlya Loveday, a master stylist at The Drawing Room New York Salon, said she’s seen a lot more ’90s and Y2K trends, such as spiky updos and space buns, bouncy blow-dried looks and block colors, where sections of hair are colored in contrasting colors . Gen Z clients are embracing those looks more than millennials, she said.
“For Gen Z, this is all new to them,” said Classi-Zummo of Circana. “They really don’t relive it. So while we may see it as something cyclical and recurring, they understand it for the first time.”
