Y2K Is Making a Trendy Return Thanks To Gen-Z!

You head out the door, rocking low-rise jeans, a baby tee with a bold statement, a trucker hat, or a velour sweatsuit. Nonetheless, your outfit understood the assignment and earned extra credit! Your phone is glued to your hip, ready to bump the latest banger when a call comes in. Cue the nostalgia, it's the iconic 2000s era! But, wait a minute, this looks way too familiar again. It’s now 2025, and you can rock the same fit, same hair, makeup, and accessories, and you are still serving looks, with 10s across the board. This is because the Y2K era is revived, and this time, Gen-Z is adding its own spin on it, using the media as an influence. 

Y2K fashion is no stranger to the media, from timeless looks on shows like MTV’s "TRL" to award shows such as the VMAs, The Grammys, Radio Music Awards, Academy Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and more. These events weren’t just to accept awards, these events were the perfect opportunity to display your best fashion sense and leave a remarkable impact on American culture. From Britney Spears to Destiny’s Child, just to name a few, 2000s fashion hit different in the most positive way imaginable. 

These looks were so impactful that they are still talked about today, by word-of-mouth and in the media. Many iconic Y2K looks were and are still shared in magazines, news coverage, and now online. Similarly, in 2025, Gen-Z is displaying timeless looks through the media using social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to dictate what’s hot and what’s not. On TikTok, viral dances are paired with Y2K fashion trends and create a new influential impact on nostalgia. Many viewers are inspired by how Y2K looks are being embodied by the youth who were not of age during that era yet making it effortlessly look as such. Displaying their fashion trends straight from their bedrooms, Von Dutch, Ed Hardy, True Religion, Juicy Couture, and New Balance are among the hottest out of their closet and on the web. Even the hottest retail stores and fashion brands are picking up on the Y2K comeback. 

Retailers like Macy’s have started selling Von Dutch; Hot Topic has started selling Ed Hardy; and Urban Outfitters sells a variety of Y2K clothing, even dedicating a specific part of their website for Y2K and '90s outfits. There you can find baggy jeans, baby tees, sunglasses, bootcut jeans, cargo pants, and much more. Thrifting has also become very popular among Gen-Z as they search to find vintage pieces.

But that’s not all! Y2K Hair trends are back and better too; can’t leave that out. Butterfly clips are allowing fashionistas to get creative with their hair, adding color, art, and channeling their inner Lizzie McGuire. Celebrities like Millie Bobby Brown, Camila Cabello, and Olivia Rodrigo, who are all Gen-Z, have been spotted wearing butterfly clips online. Claw clips are also back, and this time not just for lazy hair days, but instead for a cute messy bun style or to add a specific aesthetic to their outfits. Spiky buns, crimped hair, flipped ends, and baby braids are also in and seem to be here to slay, oops, I mean stay.  

The looks don’t stop at fashion and hair, though; beauty matters too! The memorable makeup, eyeshadow, eyebrows, shiny lip gloss, and body piercings are creeping back in. Gen-Z creators on Instagram and TikTok are recreating legendary Y2K makeup looks, incorporating a Bratz Doll aesthetic with lip liner, thin eyebrows, blush, and bold eye shadow. Having fun while also reviving trends has become a priority for many. Some creators are even taking it a step further and including their personal beliefs into their looks by specifically using makeup brands that align with their core values. 

It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t speak on accessories that were popping in the Y2K era. What Gen-Z now calls “Hater Blockers” are essential to a Y2K look. Tinted Sunglasses, adding a playful energy to your look, are a fashion flex. In 2025, the youth are adding sunglasses to their look as a statement piece, often using sunglasses to show that their fit is a whole vibe. On TikTok, you can find many creators styling looks simply based on the energy that their “hater blockers” bring. Mini bags are also a fashion flex and a statement piece. Nowadays, Gen-Z doesn’t care how little the bag is or what may fit in it -- if it matches the overall aesthetic and serves a 10/10 look, that's all that matters.

Aren’t we forgetting something? Hint: Bling Bling! That's right, jewels. Jewelry, including name plate necklaces, rings, hoops, and bracelets, also adds flavor to the fit! Gen-Z is doubling up on the jewelry, and I am a perfect example of that. Layering necklaces, having rings on each finger, and custom earrings with my name on them is how I am incorporating my Y2K look daily. But, I am not alone; many of the youth are doing the same thing, creating a mood and aesthetic through their accessories. Accessories speak loud and clear and give off so much aura.

Y2K looks aren’t going anywhere -- from baby tees, sunglasses, to butterfly clips, Y2K is serving main character energy, and Gen-Z is adding even more flavor. So next time you step outside, embrace your iconic 2000s era. It's not just a look, it's a lifestyle that Gen-Z has reinvented!