As Gen Z, we have a habit of romanticising things. Listening to 2016 music, watching old movies and shows, slowly moving to maximalism; layering clothes, wearing color, clashing patterns, and most importantly, enjoying ourselves.
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It’s less about going backwards, and more about choosing what to bring back.
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Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)Why the 2000s Are Back
The nostalgia cycle explains a part of it– every 20 or so years old trends start to return. But this revival feels more intentional than accidental.
As a generation that grew up chronically online, the 2000s represent a time that's almost unfamiliar: a time where the internet was less curated, less performative, and a little more chaotic. There’s an appeal in that messiness, in not having to filter everything, in being more original and true to ourselves.
Platforms like TikTok (yes, the Kesha reference still stands) and Pinterest have accelerated this comeback, turning old aesthetics into “new” trends overnight. What once existed just in grainy movie scenes and intrusive paparazzi photos have been rebranded into moodboards and “cores”.
All at the same time, celebrities and influencers have begun to bring back this shift: low rise jeans, glossy lips, and a bit too much blush and glitter.
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What Is the Y2K Aesthetic?
The early internet was anything but minimal. Filled with glitter gifs, pixelated icons, early blogs, and colourful websites; a kind of beautiful mayhem that translated into fashion.
Chrome, glitter, bedazzle, and a LOT of colour. Some may call it tacky, but I think it’s the perfect form of self-expression, especially in a time where solid colours and acting “nonchalant” is so popular.
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As a sucker for aesthetics, a camera is necessary. The teens yearn for digicams and flashy photos again, using our parents' old cameras praying the battery doesn’t die before getting our “it” pictures. The 2000s aesthetic is unparalleled to anything we could ever create in this time and era, and it’s high time we go back to black (2006 Amy Winehouse reference).
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Fashion Comeback
The joy of low rise bell bottom jeans, cargos, mini skirts, juicy couture tracksuits, baguette bags, and layering lacy tank tops is unmatched.
Here is a Pinterest board filled with clothes every girl wants in her wardrobe: https://pin.it/51dUwHqxZ
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Unsurprisingly, brands have started recreating Y2K: Miu Miu is selling micro skirts, Diesel has a wide variety of chunky belts, Urban Outfitters has a collection of baby tees that I desperately want, and Meshki has some super cool bodycons, catering to the audience that prefers a cleaner, more minimalistic version of the Y2K. Today's brands aren’t copying old fits, they’re reworking them into a more wearable style.
Entertainment
People aren’t just listening, they’re aestheticising music via playlists, edits, and categorised vibes. Bringing back songs by Britney Spears, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and thousands of others, but also the fact that current artists have started reinterpreting and incorporating old sounds in new music; like Stateside by PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson.
This is my playlist that’s absolutely overflowing with 2016 party music.
Here’s another, but filled with slow music from the 2000s.
Don’t go just yet. We still have movies to go through. Audiences rewatch the same shows and movies for a sense of comfort and familiarity, and studios tend to remake similar content because it has a guaranteed audience. One of the biggest examples is The Devil Wears Prada 2. I am SO excited. Studios are also remaking classics like Mean Girls and the Harry Potter Series. Via all these films, nostalgia becomes something you can literally consume, shifting from just memories to a real market.
Here's the trailer to The Devil Wears Prada 2 because everyone NEEDS to watch it:
Why People Love The Return of Y2K
The revival of Y2K is, in a sense, a rebellion against perfection. We see the same aesthetics everywhere, and I believe people are starting to feel the need for a sense of individuality; something that separates them from the crowds.
Y2K might evolve into something completely different, or maybe just disappear again. All I know is that we’re so back.
