In February 2000, Jennifer Lopez’s appearance at the 42nd Grammy Awards in a chiffon Versace dress was a pivotal moment in early-2000s fashion.
The dress, with its daring neckline plunging below her belly button, captivated the world and led to the creation of Google Image Search.
This event marked the start of a decade defined by digital fashion consumption.
Known as the “aughts” in the US and the “naughts” in the UK, the 2000s were heavily influenced by celebrity culture.
Reality TV, paparazzi photos on blogs, and the launch of Twitter in 2006 provided fans with direct access to their favorite celebrities’ lives, often bypassing publicists.
Fashion in the early 2000s was bold and sometimes controversial.
Memorable looks included Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in matching denim, Juicy Couture sweatsuits, Von Dutch trucker hats, and Ed Hardy tattoo tees.
On the runways, logomania was prevalent. Designers like Tom Ford, Donatella Versace, Roberto Cavalli, and Hervé Léger infused their collections with sultry flair.
Let’s revisit the defining trends of early-2000s fashion.
Women’s Trends of the 2000s
Introducing the It Bag: The Purse Becomes Icon
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By the 2000s, handbags had become a focal point of an outfit, largely thanks to Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex and the City.”
The Fendi Baguette, launched in 1997 and initially met with skepticism, soared to iconic status.
Bradshaw carried multiple versions of the Baguette throughout the show.
Every brand had a must-have bag in the 2000s.
Fendi’s Baguette was followed by Balenciaga’s slouchy Motorcycle City Bag in 2001, Chloé’s boho Paddington bag in 2005, and Dior’s Saddle bag in 2000.
At Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs created It bags through collaborations with artists like Stephen Sprouse and Takashi Murakami.
In 2002, Sarah Mower wrote about the rise of the It bag in Vogue, noting that fashion lovers simultaneously coveted the same items, turning handbags into status symbols.
Logomania: Here Come the Logos!
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“If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” proclaimed Vogue in March 2000.
Logos were everywhere in the 2000s.
Dior’s bikinis featured their Oblique monogram, Burberry checked almost everything, Gucci’s double Gs adorned belt buckles, and Marc Jacobs painted his body with Louis Vuitton logos for an ad campaign.
The decade embraced a logo-filled aesthetic.
Helmut Newton’s March 2000 Vogue editorial “Branded” showcased model Angela Lindvall adorned with logos from major fashion houses. Dapper Dan had already been transforming luxury logos into streetwear jackets in the late 1980s.
The obsession with logo bags led to a counterfeit market and the rise of authenticators.
Vogue highlighted this issue in May 2001, discussing “fashion’s new crime fighters.”
The Rise of Low-Rise: How Low Could They Go?
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Alexander McQueen’s low-rise trend, which peaked in the aughts, began with his bumster trousers in the 1993 Taxi Driver collection.
By the early 2000s, low-rise jeans were mainstream, with Levi’s introducing Superlow jeans in 2001.
Britney Spears popularized the belly-baring look.
Low-rise jeans coincided with the rise of denim for all occasions.
Designer jeans were bedazzled, distressed, and painted, reaching new heights of popularity.
The Boho Look: Starlets Layered Up
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By mid-decade, the boho trend emerged, influenced by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in the US and Sienna Miller in the UK.
This look emphasized layering: peasant dresses over jeans, boleros, functionless belts, and skinny scarves.
Famous adopters included Kate Moss, Mischa Barton, and Nicole Richie.
LA-based stylist Rachel Zoe played a significant role in popularizing this trend.
The Bodycon Dress: The Galaxy and the Bandage
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While denim and It bags dominated the decade, the bodycon dress also left its mark.
Roland Mouret’s Galaxy dress, debuted in 2006, became iconic without the help of social media.
Hervé Léger’s bandage dresses, relaunched by Max Azria in 2007, became red carpet staples.
Paparazzi Chic: Sidewalk Becomes Catwalk
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Magazines and tabloids were filled with paparazzi snaps of celebs like Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Britney Spears.
These off-duty looks set trends that the masses quickly adopted.
Popular items included Juicy Couture velour tracksuits, ragged-edge miniskirts with Ugg boots, and baby tees with playful slogans.
It bags and Starbucks Frappuccinos often completed these looks.
Top Designers of the 2000s
The fashion landscape of the 2000s was shaped by numerous designers, including Chloé, Hervé Léger, Roland Mouret, Balenciaga, Burberry, Yves Saint Laurent, Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs, Versace, Prada, Miu Miu, Dolce & Gabbana, Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, Fendi, Tom Ford, Gucci, Martin Margiela, Dries Van Noten, Vivienne Westwood, Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, John Galliano, Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, Kenzo, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Michael Kors, Moschino, Alaïa, Lanvin, Roberto Cavalli, Stella McCartney, Viktor & Rolf, Pucci, Gareth Pugh, Christopher Kane, Rodarte, Phillip Lim, Jason Wu, Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Nina Ricci, Raf Simons, and Isabel Toledo.
Men’s Trends of the 2000s
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Early 2000s menswear was influenced by boy bands: frosted tips and metallic leather jackets.
Abercrombie & Fitch’s elitist Americana prep also ruled, with layers of polos being a staple.
Hip-hop styles, inspired by MTV music videos, featured Air Jordans, iced-out chains, and baggy jerseys.
By mid-decade, Dior Homme, under Hedi Slimane, introduced a new look.
Slimane’s ultra-skinny pants, ties, and jackets, inspired by rockers like Pete Doherty, defined a new menswear aesthetic dubbed indie sleaze.
Garage rock and post-punk bands like The Strokes and The Killers epitomized this look.
For men who avoided mall-based or music video inspired trends, Giorgio Armani’s tailoring remained the pinnacle of fashion.
The 2000s were a decade of bold, sometimes outrageous fashion choices, driven by a mix of celebrity culture, designer innovation, and the rise of digital media.
The trends from this era, from It bags to low-rise jeans, continue to influence fashion today, making the 2000s a defining period in the history of style.
