Why is Y2K fashion so peculiar & distinct? (Question for the millennials)

[Blackout2006]

As a Gen Z who revisits the Y2K culture of the late 90s and early 2000s, it always strikes me on how unique and different that period was. It was so pink, pop, colourful, out of the box, and totally out there. You could see that with the fashion that was reflected from that era which would either look really good...or really bad.

However, as Y2K clothing is seeing a revival nowadays (with only the good ones being fetched out of the bunch, nobody is going to go out looking like this), we can easily say that it is because of the sake of nostalgia and fashion cycle.

 

However, what I'm asking is that what was the backdrop of that time for such an unconventional and different aesthetic to rise? Was it because of the booming economy? The music? The rise of the digital age? I'd really like to hear about it from you guys :D 

 

[KillingYourCareer]

I don't know about elsewhere, but at least here, the turn of the millennium marked a time of great positivity and hope for the future. Those were times when Venezuela was a popular honeymoon destination, and moving to Kenya for retirement was normal. Unthinkable stuff now. People were embracing new age philosophies and opening up to exotic cultures, and there was an overall strong desire to leave the old behind and build a better world together. It was a very optimistic time, which was reflected in fashion and pop culture.

[Rino]

I used to have the same thoughts about the clothes from the 70s, 80s and 90s. I guess every decade is truly unique fashion wise. 

[Aston Martin]

I think it was just a response to the more subdued and minimal fashion of the 90s, which was a response to the flamboyant and colorful fashion of the 80s, and so on. Fashion trends usually follow the 20 year rule. So designers will start taking aspects of fashion that were popular 20 years ago and reinvent or just reapply them in some way that is relevant to society at the current point in time. 

[infrared]

the way none of these fashion choices make sense

[Nano]

14 minutes ago, KillingYourCareer said:

I don't know about elsewhere, but at least here, the turn of the millennium marked a time of great positivity and hope for the future. Those were times when Venezuela was a popular honeymoon destination, and moving to Kenya for retirement was normal. Unthinkable stuff now. People were embracing new age philosophies and opening up to exotic cultures, and there was an overall strong desire to leave the old behind and build a better world together. It was a very optimistic time, which was reflected in fashion and pop culture.

Pretty dire how much and how quickly society's declined since then.

[KillingYourCareer]

1 minute ago, Nano said:

Pretty dire how much and how quickly society's declined since then.

2007 hit the world with a major economic crisis we still haven't recovered from. Kids' music in the 00s and kids' music now are two different worlds, it went from songs about funny animals and world peace to songs about wanting to grow up too fast and full of negativity about the future. It might sound like a silly thing to talk about, but it's actually very telling on how miserable the world has become.

[Jay07]

It was a time of hope and prosperity. Economy was strong and there was a lot of optimism for the new millennium so everything was bright and upbeat. Teen culture was also very prevalent, teens had a lot of money and spending power so that was reflected in pop culture. Then 9/11 happened and the world changed. Then the economic crash, then Trump and COVID and it's been hell on earth ever since.

[ConceptD]

God knows. I’m a millennial and it confuses me too. I went through my avril Lavigne grunge emo chain hanging from ripped jeans phase at like 7 years old but other than that I was too young to really follow the trends at the time until the late 2010s. 
 

everything was kind of 1950s jetsons futuristic though with silver eye shadow and clothing that looked like it was made from tin foil. Then it kindve transitioned into the faux hippy/1970s inspired phase around 2005 or so thanks to Jessica Simpson with big chunky belts and gypsy skirts. 

[Blackout2006]

20 minutes ago, Aston Martin said:

I think it was just a response to the more subdued and minimal fashion of the 90s, which was a response to the flamboyant and colorful fashion of the 80s, and so on. Fashion trends usually follow the 20 year rule. So designers will start taking aspects of fashion that were popular 20 years ago and reinvent or just reapply them in some way that is relevant to society at the current point in time. 

Oh yea, I know about the fashion cycle. Makes sense when you put it that way. I guess every decade is a juxtaposed response to it's preceding decade in terms of culture. The 2000s was a very eventful decade though, and you could see that through the various culture changes that happened within 10 years. 

[Jay07]

I remember everything being futuristic too, look at the fonts on albums and singles, it's hilarious. I think everyone thought we would have flying cars once 2000 hit and meanwhile we still don't have universal healthcare.

[Blackout2006]

2 minutes ago, ConceptD said:

Then it kindve transitioned into the faux hippy/1970s inspired phase around 2005

That was the thing around 2005?  When I think of the mid-2000s, I associate with it with a much grungier and darker colour palette with hoodies, baggy jeans, beanie hats, etc since rock bands like Green day had come to the forefront of the music scene. To have a 70s-infused phase in that time would mean bright colours, high-rise jeans, flares, etc. 

[Blackout2006]

3 minutes ago, Jay07 said:

I remember everything being futuristic too, look at the fonts on albums and singles, it's hilarious. I think everyone thought we would have flying cars once 2000 hit a

Pls  To be honest, that has been the narrative for 19 years. I remember thinking back in 2019, that the new decade would bring flying technology into prominence. 

[ConceptD]

1 minute ago, Blackout2006 said:

That was the thing around 2005?  When I think of the mid-2000s, I associate with it with a much grungier and darker colour palette with hoodies, baggy jeans, beanie hats, etc since rock bands like Green day had come to the forefront of the music scene. To have a 70s-infused phase in that time would mean bright colours, high-rise jeans, flares, etc. 

yeah I’d say the grunge look was more 2002-2004 around 2005 high wasted jeans and a tank top with heels and 70s Farrah fawcett hair was everywhere lol. I’ll show you some examples 

 

 

[infrared]

6 minutes ago, Blackout2006 said:

Pls  To be honest, that has been the narrative for 19 years. I remember thinking back in 2019, that the new decade would bring flying technology into prominence. 

flying cars will never exist - people can barely drive on the road, imagine a car falling out of the sky 

[Blackout2006]

1 minute ago, ConceptD said:

yeah I’d say the grunge look was more 2002-2004 around 2005 high wasted jeans and a tank top with heels and 70s Farrah fawcett hair was everywhere lol. I’ll show you some examples 

 

 

Images are broken bestie

[ConceptD]

Just now, Blackout2006 said:

Images are broken bestie

**** I took so long copying the img bb links too 

 

google 2005 bohemian style and you’ll see 

[Blackout2006]

2 minutes ago, infrared said:

flying cars will never exist - people can barely drive on the road, imagine a car falling out of the sky 

The image is sending me  Tbh, you do have a point. I was just too young to be able to consider that as a real case scenario of flying cars being more mainstream 

[Blackout2006]

1 minute ago, ConceptD said:

 I took so long copying the img bb links too 

 

google 2005 bohemian style and you’ll see 

So sorry for putting u through that  

 

I looked it up and I can see what you mean oh wow Only that the colour palette is diff

[Digitalism]

This happens with every generation 

As soon as it ends everybody thinks it's horrible and then 20 years later it comes back 

[sugarysunflower]

The key is simplicity, fitting and styling.
 

By the 90s EVERYTHING had been done (in fashion) at that point, which is why avant-grade is the face of fashion nowadays because (luxury) labels can’t justify sophistication to their collections as it doesn’t exude exclusivity anymore. Just look at a Versace or Gucci runway shows of 1995 compared to today, just to prove my point. 
 

Anyways, by 2000, it was a new millennium and they had to recycle or combine looks again for the Sake of freshness (due to the above). Shareholders accept nothing but numbers, were getting greedy with the 90s and 00s economic boom growth, and there has to be “innovation” per season - the fashion cycle per usual. What you see is just a combo of 70s denim, 80s colour palettes and 90s attempt “minimalism” thrown together. But the fittings (in that article) and how to show off the garments was all wrong.
 

From the article, only the following would pass today with the right girl(s). {supermodels wouldn’t be caught dead in any of these, just look at Naomi Campbell fittings, styling, hair and makeup from 1998-2002, showing how important they still were to the fashion industry before influencers moulded celebrity culture and then Hollywood took fashion more seriously in the late 00s/early 10s)}. 
 

 

 

 

vs. 
 

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by sugarysunflower

[Blackout2006]

1 hour ago, sugarysunflower said:

The key is simplicity, fitting and styling.
 

By the 90s EVERYTHING had been done (in fashion) at that point, which is why avant-grade is the face of fashion nowadays because (luxury) labels can’t justify sophistication to their collections as it doesn’t exude exclusivity anymore. Just look at a Versace or Gucci runway shows of 1995 compared to today, just to prove my point. 
 

Anyways, by 2000, it was a new millennium and they had to recycle or combine looks again for the Sake of freshness (due to the above). Shareholders accept nothing but numbers, were getting greedy with the 90s and 00s economic boom growth, and there has to be “innovation” per season - the fashion cycle per usual. What you see is just a combo of 70s denim, 80s colour palettes and 90s attempt “minimalism” thrown together. But the fittings (in that article) and how to show off the garments was all wrong.
 

From the article, only the following would pass today with the right girl(s). {supermodels wouldn’t be caught dead in any of these, just look at Naomi Campbell fittings, styling, hair and makeup from 1998-2002, showing how important they still were to the fashion industry before influencers moulded celebrity culture and then Hollywood took fashion more seriously in the late 00s/early 10s)}. 
 

 

 

vs. 
 

This was an interesting read! Thx :D 

[Henry Torres]

Queen of Y2K 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Henry Torres

[Blackout2006]

1 minute ago, Henry Torres said:

Queen of Y2K 

 

I loved all of her Y2K fits. Except for the 2003/2004 ones

[besaid]

2 hours ago, Blackout2006 said:

Pls  To be honest, that has been the narrative for 19 years. I remember thinking back in 2019, that the new decade would bring flying technology into prominence. 

I had the most upbeat NYE party at my new apartment for 2020, too. One of the best nights of my life and everyone was super excited for the the new 20s decade. And then...