Y2K
aka Year 2000, McBling, Cyber-Y2K
"Technological optimism meets mall culture"
A nostalgic revival of late 90s and early 2000s fashion, featuring low-rise jeans, butterfly motifs, and futuristic optimism.
Atmosphere
The sensory world of Y2K
Mall food courts, flip phone cameras, CD players, bedazzled everything
Philosophy
More is more, logos are cool, the future is shiny
Who Lives Here
The character archetypes that embody Y2K
The It Girl
The Pop Princess
The Sk8er Girl
What It Rejects
Y2K exists in opposition to:
Minimalism
High-waisted pants
Subtlety
Daily Rituals
The practices and behaviors that define this way of living
Bedazzling phones
Layering tank tops
Collecting designer bags
Frosted lips
Origin
Revived by Gen Z on TikTok around 2019-2020, nostalgic for a pre-recession, pre-social media era they never experienced.
Era
1997-2004 (Original), 2019-Present (Revival)
Regions
Global, Los Angeles, Online
Trend Score
Key Elements
Key Garments
- •Low-rise jeans
- •Baby tees
- •Velour tracksuits
- •Platform sandals
- •Butterfly clips
- •Tiny sunglasses
- •Tube tops
- •Cargo pants
Silhouettes
- •Low-rise
- •Tight
- •Logo-heavy
Color Palette
Optimistic tech-future palette with metallic shimmer
Primary Colors
Secondary Colors
Accent Colors
Key Brands
Materials
Cultural Context
Nostalgia for pre-financial crisis optimism, Paris Hilton era, early internet culture