Top 20 Defining Fashion Trends Of The 2000s
20.
Crocs- You know you committed sin if you owned a pair of crocs.
These shoes were a mix of clogs and Swiss cheese, while we can’t deny how comfy they
are who could've predicted how big these would get?
If you owned a pair, you either loved them and proudly wore them everywhere or you secretly
bought a pair online to see what the fuss was all about, but wouldn’t be caught dead
in public wearing them.
19.
Big Chains and Military Dog Tags- Plain but shiny unornamented chains was a classic fashion
accessory worn by many rappers in the early 2000’s to symbolize wealth, many men took
to sporting chains as a fashion statement.
Actual military dog tags list the person’s name and medical information, but wearing
personalized dog tags became a flashy and fast growing trend.
While there is a bit of a barrier for men to get over wearing any jewelry, decorated
in this type of bling was midlength and adorned with jewels and worn over big shirts, but
we’ll get more into that later.
18.
Emo Grunge- Although the culture origin started in the 1980’s, it wasn’t until the early
2000’s that emo and emo grunge broke into the mainstream.
This included wearing black, fitted shirts, cuffed jeans and is mainly recognized for
its unique hairstyles.
Popular looks include big poofy hair with bright colors like blue pink or blonde.
Hair is also cut into choppy layers accompanied with side swept eyes and dark makeup for both
boys and girls.
Emo grunge is a stereotype associated with being emotional, introverted and angst.
17.
Exposed Thongs- Also known as the whale tail, exposed thongs become a common trend among
celebrities like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera that gave way to paparazzi to snap
photos left and right.
The crazy lace thong craze was on the rise in the early 2000’s and reached its peak
when r&b singer Sisqo released the “Thong Song.”
The trend became a subject of debate after it was criticized that it sexualized young
women and that it was “selling sex” to young girls.
After a few years, this trend started to die off as it was received with much backlash
as it was viewed as indecent and trashy.
16.
Phat Farm Shoes and Baby Phat Fashion- Although Phat Farm Shoes were released in the early
90’s, they didn’t become mainstream until around 2002 to 2003.
They came in an assortment of colors and wearing these added a little swag to your outfit.
They became popularized thanks to fashion mogul Russell Simmons and him and his wife
also ran a clothing line called Baby Phat that was strictly a women's line and the urbanized
fashion wear quickly spread everywhere.
15.
Ecko, Sean John, and Rocawear- Throughout the 2000’s, if a notable rapper was hot
in the game, then you can definitely bet that he has his name linked to a brand.
Not only was this a creative way to generate business, but it helped boost sales in albums
which in turn made them more money.
Even though most of these brands were overpriced, these brands were the hottest thing out on
the market at the time, so the price didn’t matter.
While other rapper clothing lines evolved into successful businesses like Kanye West’s
brand and Yeezy’s, most of the brands have decreased in production.
14.
Streaky Hair Highlights and Frosted Tips- Your friend had them; your aunt had them,
your favorite boy band hand them, heck you had them!
The classic chunky highlight look was sported by many celebrities that include Christina
Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson and all the members of N’sync!
Hair is usually bleached to achieve the look, and the highlights were found in many colors
like blonde, red and even pink.
Frosted hair tips started in the late 90’s and made its way in the early 2000’s, and
the hairstyle was even parodied in season five of the show Chuck.
In fact, the look was so popular that many companies sold temporary highlight spray to
achieve the look.
13.
Skater Chic-While skateboarding is often associated with a guy sport; many females started rocking
skater chic when Avril Lavigne made her way into the music industry.
Besides wearing ties for casual wear, brands like Vans and Zumiez began to become a hit
among teens.
12.
Big Faced Plastic Watches- Although it is considered cheap and tacky now, in the early
2000’s big faced G-Shock or Timex watches were the ultimate arm candy!
They were affordable, lightweight and fun to wear.
They were in such high demand that it became available in a wide range of colors and even
became a collector’s item for some people.
11.
Shiny Bubble Jackets with Fur- Unless you’re an avid snowboarder, this fashion item shouldn’t
be in your possession.
But in the early 2000’s bubble jackets with fur around the hood was a fashion favorite
during cold weather.
With top name brands like Sean John and Apple Bottoms dishing these out on shelves, many
people were flocking to the stores to get their hands on one.
10.
Preppy Wear- Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, and J.Crew were brands that
made anyone look like they hailed from southern California and spent everyday lounging at
the beach and went to an Ivy League school.
This whole look was seen a cut and dry image, and despite its high prices, many people were
willing to dish out money to wear a plain tee shirt with a little bird logo on the side.
9.
Airbrushed Graphic tees- Airbrushed graphic tees were on the rise from 2003-2005.
It either had your name on it and a stencil drawing of your favorite fictional character.
Or it shows deceased celebrities with a date and with the words “in loving memory”
on the top.
This style became such a huge hit that you’d spot several booths at the mall or county
fair offering you an airbrushed tee for only $19.95!
8.
Baggy Pants with Oversized Shirts- Who could forget when pants were super baggy and sagged
past the waistline and worn with a big shirt that looked two sizes too big?!
This hip hop fashion craze was imminent among many hip-hop artists, and even though we’re
thankful now that fashion trend died off a long time, we still can’t help but cringe
when we think about it.
7.
Livestrong bands- From 2004 to 2005, Livestrong bracelets were worn by many teens but were
unaware of its actual origin.
Back in 1997, Lance Armstrong launched the charity foundation, but it wasn’t until
his yellow bracelet began that thousands of youngsters sported it as a fashion item.
Through a partnership with Nike, over 50 million of the bands were sold worldwide to support
cancer research.
6.
Juicy Couture TrackSuits- You could bet that every girl owned a Juicy Couture Tracksuit
and many celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton was spotted wearing velour track
wear.
Paparazzi had no issues capturing photos of the word “juicy” in rhinestones written
across their butt.
Even though the style has since faded, it is believed that these tracksuits might be
making a comeback.
Fashion always seems to come full circle, so it’ll be interesting to see if these
become a fashion favorite again.
5.
Popped Collar Polos- Sporting a popper collar has forever soured our taste for it as we
now link it to douchebaggery and conceitedness.
It was once a hit among pop culture and has even been bolstered by many retailers as a
gimmick to sell their brands.
While popping your collar is no longer seen outside of the Jersey Shore house, let’s
leave this fashion trend in the sports department; where popping your collar is acceptable when
playing golf or tennis.
4.
Shutter Shades- These slanted glasses have been around longer than you think but recently
made a comeback in the early 2000’s after it was worn by many musical artists.
While shutter shades do not function as real glasses since it does not shield the eyes
from the sun; it’s mostly worn for fun or entertainment.
3.
Ed Hardy, True Religion, and Von Dutch- Jerk alert!
Anyone spotted wearing these brands could bet that person was a little stuck up and
full of themselves.
Bejeweled tight tee shirts accompanied with flared jeans was a hit fashion wear among
jocks and electro brothers and made themselves out to be aggressive, cool and superior.
Aside from giving people a street edge, it has since started fading due to its negative
association, but the company is rumored to be making a comeback.
2.
Uggs- Dating back all the way to 2001, Ugg boots have become a must-have for every girl’s
wardrobe.
The growing demand for Uggs made its manufacturers all the way in Australia revamp its style
with various colors.
Now you can get the boots in any color, and whether it’s casual or party wear, these
boots are worn for any occasion.
1.
Crop Tops with Jean Miniskirts- For every girl, wearing a halter top with a jean mini
skirt was the ultimate outfit.
Granted that your parents probably wouldn’t let you leave the house looking that way but
you knew you looked fabulous.
Crop tops were usually midlength and exposed your stomach, and the mini skirt was too mini
that you had to be careful bending over.
Plus you and your friends all had to match and wore similar outfits going to the mall
or the park.
Basically, any girl had her fair share of mini skirts.