Y2K fashion won’t die: TikTok, Bella Hadid helping to fuel Gen Z love for mesh tops, miniskirts, ‘Barbiecore’ and more
- Fuelled by social media platforms including TikTok, the Y2K trend resurfaced as consumers emerged from prolonged pandemic lockdowns – and is still going strong
- What began with baby tees and straight-leg jeans has expanded to mesh tops, flared trousers and more. ‘Gen Z is not even close to being done,’ says one expert
First came the supposed death of skinny jeans. Then, the resurgence of cargo trousers, halter tops and baby tees.
If there is one thing retailers can agree on, it is that Gen Z is hot for the early 2000s fashion trends now booming in popularity.
College interns and young workers are donning wide-legged trousers at the office. The claw clip, a retro hair staple, is back; as are mesh tops, miniskirts and a host of colourful apparel that can make consumers look like they stepped out of a Disney Channel show from 2004.
What began with hair accessories like butterfly clips and the comeback of straight-leg jeans has expanded to all-denim garments, cargo and flare trousers and everything shiny, among other looks.
Casey Lewis, a New York trend analyst, noted so many micro trends – often tagged with the suffix “core” – cranked up in the past few years that she created a newsletter about them.
