The influence of cult classic films on Y2K trends

The Y2K trend has been around for a while, and it will not be going away anytime soon. Thanks to mainstream social media platforms, the early 2000s look has been revived. As a result, we are seeing the return of brands such as Ed Hardy, Roberto Cavalli and Playboy. These trends, harking back to early 21st century pop culture, pay homage to cult classic films from the late nineties and early noughties, wher they were first born. These looks have withstood the test of time into the current decade.

It would be impossible to talk about the trends of the early 2000s without mentioning Clueless. Despite being released in 1995, it remains one of the most iconic films. It showcased a variety of trends that made it through into the 2000s and are still prevalent today. Cher’s signature items, such as plaid skirts, cropped cardigans, layered t-shirts and tank tops, have made a return this year (although they never really left).

High street brands, particularly Urban Outfitters and Zara, have put a 2020 twist on these styles; these include pastel plaid patterns and oversized cropped items which everyone loves. An alternative, modern edge has also been added to these looks: layering tights and knee-high socks still look preppy whilst being winter appropriate. The oversized-collar, which both Cher and Dion rocked, is also making a comeback with sites like ASOS offering detachable, embroidered collars that make it easy to spice any outfit up.

Bright, vibrant colours are this season’s palette. The likes of Jaded London, House of Sunny, and none other than Juicy Couture have featured hot pink, green and orange in their latest collections. When we think of hot pink, Elle Woods from Legally Blonde instantly springs to mind. In her era-defining looks, consisting of miniskirts and strappy sandals, she provided style inspiration for Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, the ‘it girls’ of the early noughties. The vibrant pink that Elle Woods sported has been incorporated into modern day looks. The return of Y2K staples, such as the minibag and the Juicy Couture tracksuit, have all had the Elle Woods treatment; these vibrant shades of pink continue to dominate the Y2K trend.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, legendary film The Matrix, released in 1999, sparked a whole new fashion movement, shifting away from the preppy and colourful looks we saw in the late nineties. The Matrix gave leather a new lease of life. Forget biker jackets, leather had a new, slick and sexy look. The leather trench coat is a standout piece from the film. It has made a huge comeback in 2020 in many styles, such as duster coats, afghan coats and, of course, the iconic leather jacket.

The Matrix gave Y2K trends a futuristic appeal; the combat boot was a prevalent piece throughout the film, yet the micro sunglasses and PVC tops worn by Trinity were also revolutionary - which is why we still see them today. At the time, the film also shed light on underground cultures, such as goth and hard grunge, and brought them into the mainstream. This triggered the soft grunge and emo trends that were to come in later years.

Bring It On, The Craft, Mean Girls, and 10 Things I Hate About You are all honourable mentions which contributed to the revival of Y2K trends, and are cult classics in their own right. Although these trends have been resurrected many times prior to 2020, this year we are seeing them resurge like never before.

Edited by Katie Wheatley