The Controversial 2000s Fashion Trends Are Making a Comeback 25 Years Later
Two and a half decades later, 2025 is picking up where the aughts left off.
Eclectic and eccentric, controversial and sometimes cringe—the 2000s fashion trends toed the line between good and bad taste. (Admittedly, there were some ‘00s fashion fails that were beyond saving.) The era’s It girls walked red carpets in bubblegum pink velour tracksuits, jeans that hung below their hipbones, and slip dresses layered over business slacks. On the runways, designers embraced logomania and loud luxury from top to toe and bedazzled, well, everything.
Fast forward to the present, and the 2025 fashion trends pick up right where the aughts left off by pushing the boundaries of taste. Low-rise jeans are one of the top 2025 denim trends, with brands like Aläia and Gucci and Gen Z’s go-to girls, like Kaia Gerber, who are happily co-signing the scant silhouette. Sydney Sweeney's style skews boho like the floral frocks, peasant dresses, and long layered necklaces the Olsen twins once wore, and Miu Miu unequivocally declared sporty tracksuits as the front-running spring 2025 trend on their most recent runway.
Something furry is also afoot this year: celebrity Ugg outfits are as common now as when 00s style icons like Beyoncé and Paris Hilton were paparazzied in sheepskin boots at early-aughts events.
Jennifer Lopez in a 2000s fashion trend double-whammy outfit: Ugg boots with low-rise denim.
Nostalgia is, of course, always an influence on the trend cycle. But today, “social media and TikTok have changed the game—there is such an overabundance of vintage styling from all decades that is constantly accessible online,” says fashion historian and curator Michelle Finamore. And for those who didn’t have the funds or wherewithal to shop during the decade—the oldest of Zoomers turned four at the turn of the century—seeing the best 2000s trends splashed across social feeds is a fresh dose of style inspiration, explains Finamore.
So, to be on trend in 2025, does that mean you have to forfeit the modern wardrobe you’ve worked so hard to build? Not necessarily, explains fashion stylist Tabitha Sanchez. Rather than co-opting controversial trends into your current rotation, "it's all about picking and choosing what works for you and incorporating it into your personal style,” she says.
Ready for a mini nostalgia trip? Ahead, Sanchez and Marie Claire’s style experts offer more insight on which ‘00s fashion trends are worth trying 25 years later.
Track Suits
Plush tracksuits were a staple during the '00s and, as it turns out, will be running another victory lap in the coming months, too. Sporty co-cords were prevalent throughout the Winter and Spring 2025 runway shows, with Christian Dior, Tibi, Tom Ford, and Stella McCartney all presenting their takes on the run-ready sets.
Ugg Boots
Ugg boots have always been a polarizing style, from when stars would wear the fur-lined shoe on early-aughts red carpets to strutting down modern runways at fashion week. For contemporary outfit inspiration, look to Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, and Kendall Jenner's recent looks.
Boho Style
With Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen wearing lace maxi gowns and Sienna Miller stepping out in free-spirited festival attire throughout the early 2000s, a boho fashion trend was born. Now, we have fashion houses like Chloé and ladies like JLo, Sweeney, and Amal Clooney to thank for reigniting the romantic aesthetic.
Capri Pants
The capri pants trend was an A-lister favorite during the decade, with stars favoring cropped, light-wash denim to printed pedal pushers. This year sees a similar trajectory for capris, thanks to labels like Ferragamo and Tory Burch bringing the bottoms back.
Logomania
On every red carpet and in every music video made during the 2000s, you'd spot clear signs of logomania—a.k.a, unapologetic designer branding that splayed across ready-to-wear and accessories. In 2025, celebrities are loving a loud luxury trend that brings back repetitive, logo'ed prints.
Dresses Over Pants
When Gigi Hadid wore a dress over her jeans last spring, fashion editors and trend experts took it as a clear indicator that the '00s layered look was about to spike. And their inklings were correct: the Spring 2025 runways confirmed the styling's return, only this time around, the dress-over-pants look was far less intimidating. "There are so many ways to style a dress over jeans," says Sanchez. "You can do a cool sheer dress with a bralette over jeans and a strappy heel or sneakers. Alternatively, try styling a mini bubble skirt dress with a corset on top and baggy pants."
Low-Rise Jeans
The rise and fall of the low-rise jeans trend has been fun to behold. And with a current celebrity roster ranging from Gerber to Lopez, the below-the-belly-button silhouette is clearly peaking at the top of the trend cycle. While slimmer-fitting styles were popular on runways from Balenciaga, Miu Miu, and Versace, Sanchez recommends you try a more forgiving, baggier fit.
Statement Belts
Belts are back, baby! Statement-making designer belts were a signature of early-aughts fashion, often low-slung around the hips of teen icons like Mischa Barton or Paris Hilton and emblazoned with statement-making buckles and logos. They're now a little more refined—but just as bold.
Denim Mini Skirts
Denim of all sorts dominated during the 2000s—yes, like Britney Spears wearing a denim-on-denim outfit to the American Music Awards—but the humble mini skirt received a special spotlight. Today, you'll see similar silhouettes worn in fashion week street style across the New York, London, Milan, and Paris streets.
Baguette Bags
It doesn't get cuter than a teeny baguette or an east-west bag tucked underneath your shoulder—ask Fendi and Miu Miu. The mini shape is everywhere yet again, and for good reason. Girls need going-out bags that hold only a phone, a wallet, a set of keys, and some lip gloss.
Meet The Experts
Michelle Tolini Finamore, Ph.D., is Salem, Massachusetts-based fashion curator and historian who has curated exhibitions ranging from Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour (2022-3), Gender Bending Fashion (2019), #techstyle (2016), Think Pink (2014) and taught fashion, film and design history. She has lectured widely and written for both the scholarly and popular press and has a special interest in fashion in film.
Celebrity stylist Tabitha Sanchez' fashion career kicked off while working as an intern in New York as a teenager, which quickly led to her assisting some of the top names in fashion. Tabitha’s work encapsulates the boldness of Gen Z Fashion and she’s since made a name for her own with an impressive client roster of some of fashions rising stars, including Chloe Cherry, Quen Blackwell, Isan Elba, Larray, Courtney Mawhorr, Iris Apatow and Lil Huddy to name a few. Tabitha's work has graced the pages of Vogue, L’Official, CR Fashion Book, Who What Wear, Popsugar and more.
