I Got Lost in Time Looking Through These Outfits From the 2000s (2024)

(Image credit: Design by Morgan McMullen)

By Julia Marzovilla

published 10 March 2022

Look, I love a good throwback photo, no matter how cringe-worthy my poses or outfits were—but, in hindsight, thefashion of the early '00stook a hefty toll on us all. Thankfully, many of the trends we swore by, like those Juicy Couture tracksuits and our favorite pair of True Religion jeans, have seen a fall from grace since the '00s.

That said. Avid fashion fans know that many early 2000s trends are coming back in this decade on the Fashion Week runways at brands like Blumarine, so don’t count these trends out just yet. I mean, it makes sense with how popular slightly older '90s-era trends have been of late. Handkerchief skirts and halter dresses, for instance, have been worn by modern-day It-girls like Bella Hadid and Devon Lee Carlson. While the new iterations are definitely updated with a few modern-day details, the early aughts DNA is still strong.

For old time’s sake, let's revisit some of the most out-there and daring trends that we all were convinced were cool in the years between 2000 and 2010. These were the pieces we begged our moms to buy us, after all! Whether or not you would actually wear any of these pieces now isn’t really the point—sometimes it’s just fun to take a trip down the fashion memory lane. From the lowest of low-rise jeans that showed our thongs to the surprising popularity of a cropped vest or cardigan, click through the gallery below to check out all of the trends that you loved back then, and the ones that you love to hate now.

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Bandage Dresses

There was one simple rule when it came to co*cktail dresses in the early aughts: the tighter, the better. The most in-demand bandage dress brand was Hérve Léger, who became known throughout Hollywood for his uber-sexy silhouettes that were adored by the likes of Kim Kardashian and Kate Winslet (and me in my early teens).

Bubble Dresses

Seeing celebrities wearing bubble dresses on the red carpet brings back visceral middle school memories. I'm not sure why these dresses with gathered, tucked-under hems ever came into style, but I'm happy that they're gone.

Printed Skinny Jeans

In the early aughts, your jeans had to be painted-on levels of skinny. But if you really wanted to be cool, they had to be either printed, come in a fun color, or (gasp) both.

Handkerchief Hemlines

Uneven hemlines had their moment in the early 2000s. The look was totally pirate-inspired but also somehow fashionable?

Peep-Toe Pumps

There's something about seeing a celebrity in a peep-toed heel that instantly puts me back in 2008. The style was everywhere at the time.

Knit Hats

Hats were a major part of the fashion scene in the early 2000s—especially knit ones. They were often oversized and a little slouchy, too.

The Chloé Paddington

There were many It bags of the 2000s, but the Chloé Paddington was the first It bag my 13-year-old self ever wanted, but never got. It seemed like everyone owned this style, from Michelle Trachtenberg, pictured here at an event in 2005, to Halle Berry and Nicky Hilton. And if you lived in NYC around that time, there were also plenty of Paddington counterfeits on the streets—not that my mom ever bought me one of those either, but I digress.

The Balenciaga City Bag

Everyone who was anyone in Hollywood (and beyond) carried the Balenciaga City Bag in the early aughts. The classic silhouette is coming back into style again, so investing in one second-hand might be a good idea.

See Also

25 Trendiest 2000s Fashion Looks to Dress Like A Millenium Pro

Vests

Jackets? Never heard of 'em. The early aughts were all about finding the most perfect vest. Celebrities wore different versions just about everywhere back then, including the red carpet.

Capris

You definitely owned at least one pair of capri jeans to match with your lace tank tops—and the jeans looked like Leighton Meester's. Bonus points if the bottoms were low risers too. The 2006 me would have fawned over thisGossip Girl'soutfit.

Denim Maxi Skirts

If you remember the micro mini skirts of the early aughts, allow me to remind you that denim maxi skirts were just as popular.

White Tank Tops

The term "wife-beater" used to describe these ribbed tank tops has thankfully fallen out of use, but the style is still around to this day. You may recall the shirt having been re-popularized byRyan AtwoodinThe O.C.

Stretchy, Ruched Tops and Dresses

In hindsight, who doesn't want a bit of stretch in their clothes? This stretchy, ruched design was everywhere in the early aughts and was incorporated into tops and dresses, like the one Blake Lively wore in 2005 to the Teen Choice Awards.

Bedazzle Jeans

No matter what kind of jeans you had, from low risers to capris, there was probably one pair that had rhinestones, crystals, or some other embellishment stitched on to it. The most annoying part? When one of these jewels inevitably fell off and left an empty space.

Dresses Over Jeans

Kelly Clarkson was on to something here when she wore a dress over jeans in 2002. Sadly, she missed the style mark with her loud accessories and the type of dress and jean pairing. See howstreet style starsare making the dress/jeans combo look more appealing present day.

Skinny Scarves

Skinny scarves were worn by everyone, regardless of gender. Here, Orlando Bloom diligently rocked the accessory with a blazer and jeans at the premiere ofBeyond the Seain 2004.

Wide Belts

No top or dress was complete in the early '00s without the addition of a large wide belt. They came in shiny plastic options, woven patterns, and everything in between. The style was even good enough for the red carpet, as evidenced by Kim, who rocked hers at the Rock & Republic preview party.

Pocketless Jeans

Unfortunately, I was an adopter of this trend and hadseveral pairsofpocketless jeans. Though unlike Christina Milian at theCrossroadspremiere in 2002, I skipped the visible thong mania. Thankfully, both trends have faded out over the years and now I can happily stick my iPhone or lip balm into the back pockets of my jeans if I needed to.

Von Dutch Hats

Whether you were a Von Dutch and/or Ed Hardy person, these brands defined the glorious aughts. You had at least a Von Dutch trucker hat, or tried to convince your mom to get you one, and wanted to own everything from its pinstriped shirts to tees. Though the hats have faded out since it peaked in 2003, Kylie Jenner was spotted in theaccessory in 2016, giving hope (fear?) to some that Von Dutch might make a comeback.

Long Tunics Over Jeans

Longer than a regular top but shorter than a dress, the long tunic is alewkeveryone knows. Back then, you usually wore a tunic with leggings or jeans, in Mischa Barton's case. She didn't know it then, but she dressed down in the most 2000's outfit ever at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

Flashy Belts

From name plate necklaces (I still have mine) to flashy belts with your name or phrases, these accessories took the idea of monogramming to a whole new level. The belt designs were loud and definitely not subtle, which is why we haven't forgotten about them even in 2020. Thank you Mariah Carey for this outfit.

Tube Tops

If you didn't spend your time tugging up your tube top or worrying they'd slide down in 20002, what were you doing? This piece was the perfect way to flash your belly-button ring or show off your shoulders and collarbones.

Leggings as Pants

Remember the whole "are leggings pants" debate?. Ask anyone in 2005, like Sienna Miller, and they will say yes. From It girls like her to the girls in your high school, leggings were the universal comfy, booty-hugging bottoms to wear with everything from tunics to crop tops. Leggings are still part of oureveryday wardrobes.

UGGs

UGG boots have managed to survive the early aughts (back when they were worn with miniskirts, the horror) and are now a key part to anyone's dressed-down look. This throwback image of Bey from 2004 defined how seasonally confusing we must have all looked with our UGG boots and skirts. Never again.

Chunky Necklaces

Did anyone else spend hours trying to untangle their long beaded necklaces? The accessory style was sold everywhere from your neighborhood store, Strawberry, to Claire's and American Eagle. Lauren Conrad even wore hers on MTV's TRL (#RIP) with a tank top and capris for the pinnacle outfit of 2005.

Capris

Speaking of capris, Riri (yes,this same Rihanna) also took a liking to the trend, wearing her low-rise denim bottoms in 2005 while posing backstage during an MTV Networks Tempo Channel launch event. She styled hers with strappy pumps and a sequined vest blazer—a look we probably will never see on her again.

Juicy Couture Tracksuits

Juicy Couture, the brand made famous by celebs like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, debuted in the spring of 2001. If you owned Juicy matching separates, you were basically part of the in-crowd and it was a pretty fun time. Eventually, like all trendy things, people moved on from the Juicy suits look to the athleisure you know today (hello, Bandier). However, if you're nostalgic for Juicy, you can stillshop the brand today.

Boho Vibes

Maybe you weren't the name plate belt type, maybe you loved these boho-meets-western coin belts instead. You wore them low on the hips with jeans or flowy maxi skirts. This was definitely a cool look back then, since even Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen wore them in 2002.

True Religion

As The Black Eyed Peas once said, "They say they love mah ass in/Seven jeans/True Religion..." Like the Juicy tracksuit, owning a pair of True Religion jeans in the earl 2000's were a cool-girl symbol. And you could tell when a pair was from TR. The bottoms were defined by the horseshoe stitching on the back pockets and the laughing Buddha label.

Tank Tops Over Another Shirt

If you owned a lace cami in 2004, you were probably layering it over a t-shirt or another shirt like Alyson Michalka's. It was a relatively easy look, achievable with any colored camisoles (I had a rainbow of colors that I wore under my one hoodie). These days, the cami style is still around, though now I opt for silk or satin pieces.

Tiered Miniskirts

Your school might have had a dress code, so short tiered skirts like this were a no-no, but on the weekends? All rules were out the window. The tiered miniskirt was often worn with a camisole or white tank top, which made you feel like the coolest kid on the block.

Halterneck Everything

Raise your hand if you owned a halter-neck top or dress during this era. The style was seemingly everywhere and even Michelle Trachtenberg hopped on board with the design, wearing this halter-neck yellow minidress to the premiere ofEurotrip.

Livestrong Bracelets

One way to rep your favorite causes in 2004 was wearing a one-size-fits-all silicone bracelet from the organization. (You'll recognize the ubiquitous yellow Livestrong ones). Both the athlete for which the bracelet was named after and its other silicon cause bracelets have fallen from popularity as time passed. It's no longer cool to simplyrep a causejust for the sake of looking fashionable.

Pashminas

Everyone and their grandmothers loved a good pashmina in 2000. It was a scarf, a shawl, a blanket for your legs on the airplane. They came in all colors and were made of cashmere wool or in some cases, just plain ol' polyester. Jennifer Lopez wore her pashmina with a matching pink dress for the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in 2000.

Cropped Cardigans

True story of me in 2000's trends: I had cropped cardigans in every color (to go with my camis, of course), and now I own zero. They were useful layering pieces and looked alright with any top, though in hindsight the styles weren't all thatcute.Still, Sarah Jessica Parker managed to rock it while filmingSex and the Cityin 2003, so this look couldn't have been that bad. Carried Bradshaw liked it back then, therefore I liked it too.

Alexander McQueen Skull Scarves

Alexander McQueen's skull print scarves were the epitome of logo mania around 2002. They were lightweight and looked cool and edgy on the necks of anyone who splurged on them. From the print alone, you could tell it was a McQueen piece and a status symbol of some sort, which made the accessory even more covetable.

Low-Rise Jeans

Low-rise jeans are predicted tomake a comeback in 2020after designer Kirk Millar of Linder NYC included the style in his spring collection and Levi's (the OG of denim brands) announced its releasing low risers in 2019. If you're tired of high-waisted fits digging into your skin, you might just be inclined to give low-risers another chance. Though personally, I shall pass.

Micro Denim Skirts

The only thing that would make this outfit look more 2003 is if Nicole Ritchie wore UGGs with her micro denim skirt. (Notice the cami layered underneath her sweater too.) As we've moved away from the super short denim miniskirts, we can take comfort in the fact we avoided any underwear wardrobe malfunctions.

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Julia Marzovilla

Fashion E-Commerce Editor

Julia Marzovilla is the Fashion E-Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she covers everything from the latest beauty and fashion launches and sales to celebrity outfits and news. She also creates shopping guides that span every vertical on the site. Prior to joining the Marie Claire team, she contributed similar shopping stories to sites such as Bustle, InStyle, The Zoe Report, Who What Wear, and STYLECASTER. In her spare time, Julia can be found creating shopping guides for all of her friends, spending too much money on yet another pair of black boots, and cooking in her far-too-small kitchen.

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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts

Early 2000s Fashion Trends

The article discusses various fashion trends that were popular in the early 2000s. Let's explore each of these trends in more detail:

1. Bandage Dresses: Bandage dresses were tight-fitting co*cktail dresses that were popular in the early 2000s. The most in-demand brand for bandage dresses was Hervé Léger, known for their sexy silhouettes [[1]].

2. Bubble Dresses: Bubble dresses were characterized by gathered, tucked-under hems. They were a popular trend in the early 2000s, especially on the red carpet [[2]].

3. Printed Skinny Jeans: In the early 2000s, skinny jeans were a must-have, and if they were printed or came in fun colors, they were even cooler [[3]].

4. Handkerchief Hemlines: Handkerchief hemlines, with uneven and flowing edges, were trendy in the early 2000s. They had a pirate-inspired look and were considered fashionable at the time [[4]].

5. Peep-Toe Pumps: Peep-toe pumps, characterized by an open toe, were a popular shoe style in the early 2000s. They were seen everywhere, from red carpets to everyday fashion [[5]].

6. Knit Hats: Knit hats, often oversized and slouchy, were a major part of early 2000s fashion. They were a popular accessory, especially during colder months [[6]].

7. Chloé Paddington Bag: The Chloé Paddington bag was one of the "It" bags of the 2000s. It gained popularity among celebrities and fashion enthusiasts, with many people wanting to own this iconic style [[7]].

8. Balenciaga City Bag: The Balenciaga City Bag was another highly coveted bag in the early 2000s. It was carried by many celebrities and became a symbol of style and status [[8]].

9. Vests: Vests were a popular alternative to jackets in the early 2000s. Celebrities were often seen wearing different versions of vests, both on and off the red carpet [[9]].

10. Capris: Capri jeans, which were shorter than regular jeans and ended just below the knee, were a popular choice in the early 2000s. They were often paired with lace tank tops and were considered trendy [[10]].

11. Denim Maxi Skirts: Denim maxi skirts gained popularity in the early 2000s as an alternative to micro mini skirts. They offered a more modest option while still being fashionable [[11]].

12. White Tank Tops: White tank tops, often ribbed, were a staple in early 2000s fashion. They were versatile and could be worn with various outfits [[12]].

13. Stretchy, Ruched Tops and Dresses: Stretchy, ruched designs were popular in the early 2000s. They added texture and detail to tops and dresses, and many celebrities were seen wearing this style [[13]].

14. Bedazzled Jeans: Bedazzled jeans, featuring rhinestones, crystals, or other embellishments, were a popular trend in the early 2000s. They added a touch of sparkle to denim bottoms [[14]].

15. Dresses Over Jeans: Wearing a dress over jeans was a trend in the early 2000s. It offered a unique and layered look, as seen on celebrities like Kelly Clarkson [[15]].

16. Skinny Scarves: Skinny scarves were a unisex accessory in the early 2000s. They were worn by both men and women and added a stylish touch to outfits [[16]].

17. Wide Belts: Wide belts were a popular accessory in the early 2000s. They were often worn with tops or dresses to cinch the waist and add a fashionable statement [[17]].

18. Pocketless Jeans: Pocketless jeans, without back pockets, were a trend in the early 2000s. They offered a sleek and streamlined look, although they were not always practical [[18]].

19. Von Dutch Hats: Von Dutch hats, particularly trucker hats, were a defining accessory of the early 2000s. They were popularized by celebrities and became a symbol of the era [[19]].

20. Long Tunics Over Jeans: Long tunics, worn over jeans, were a popular style in the early 2000s. They offered a relaxed and casual look, often paired with leggings or jeans [[20]].

21. Flashy Belts: Flashy belts, featuring names or phrases, were a trend in the early 2000s. They added a bold and statement-making element to outfits [[21]].

22. Tube Tops: Tube tops, strapless tops that hugged the body, were a popular choice in the early 2000s. They were often worn to show off shoulders and collarbones [[22]].

23. Leggings as Pants: Leggings were a versatile and comfortable bottom choice in the early 2000s. They were often worn as pants, paired with tunics or crop tops [[23]].

24. UGGs: UGG boots, known for their sheepskin lining, were a popular footwear choice in the early 2000s. They were often worn with miniskirts, creating a unique fashion combination [[24]].

25. Chunky Necklaces: Chunky necklaces, particularly long beaded ones, were a popular accessory in the early 2000s. They added a statement-making element to outfits [[25]].

26. Capris: Capri jeans, with their shorter length, were a popular choice in the early 2000s. Celebrities like Rihanna were seen wearing low-rise capris with various stylish combinations [[26]].

27. Juicy Couture Tracksuits: Juicy Couture tracksuits became a fashion phenomenon in the early 2000s. They were popularized by celebrities and were considered a trendy and comfortable option [[27]].

28. Boho Vibes: Boho-meets-western coin belts were a popular accessory in the early 2000s. They were worn low on the hips and added a cool and bohemian touch to outfits [[28]].

29. True Religion Jeans: True Religion jeans, known for their horseshoe stitching on the back pockets, were a popular denim brand in the early 2000s. They were considered a cool-girl symbol [[29]].

30. Tank Tops Over Another Shirt: Layering lace camisoles over t-shirts or other shirts was a popular trend in the early 2000s. It created a stylish and effortless look [[30]].

31. Tiered Miniskirts: Tiered miniskirts were a trendy choice in the early 2000s. They were often worn with camisoles or white tank tops, creating a fashionable and youthful outfit [[31]].

32. Halterneck Everything: Halter-neck tops and dresses were a popular style in the early 2000s. They were versatile and flattering, often worn by celebrities on various occasions [[32]].

33. Livestrong Bracelets: Livestrong bracelets, made of silicone, were a popular way to show support for causes in the early 2000s. The yellow Livestrong bracelets, in particular, were ubiquitous [[33]].

34. Pashminas: Pashminas, lightweight scarves made of cashmere wool or polyester, were a popular accessory in the early 2000s. They came in various colors and were versatile in their use [[34]].

35. Cropped Cardigans: Cropped cardigans were a popular layering piece in the early 2000s. They were often worn with camisoles and added a stylish touch to outfits [[35]].

36. Alexander McQueen Skull Scarves: Alexander McQueen's skull print scarves were a popular accessory in the early 2000s. They were lightweight and added a cool and edgy element to outfits [[36]].

37. Low-Rise Jeans: Low-rise jeans, characterized by a lower waistline, were a popular style in the early 2000s. They are predicted to make a comeback in 2020, offering an alternative to high-waisted fits [[37]].

38. Micro Denim Skirts: Micro denim skirts, very short denim miniskirts, were a popular choice in the early 2000s. They were often paired with camisoles or sweaters, creating a trendy and youthful look [[38]].

These were some of the most notable fashion trends of the early 2000s, as discussed in the article. While some of these trends have made a comeback or are still popular today, others have faded out over time. Fashion is constantly evolving, and it's always interesting to look back at the trends that defined different eras.

Let me know if there's anything else I can help with!