Who started the Y2K aesthetic?
One of the earliest definers of the Y2K aesthetic is the Designers Republic, a Sheffield-based graphic design studio best known for their work on the video game series Wipeout as well as various album artwork, especially for artists on the electronica label Warp Records.
The Y2K aesthetic is radically distinctive and inspired by the mid-'90s and early 2000s when the internet became more popular, during the dot-com boom. This style is typically quite futuristic with a slightly retro edge – think shiny materials, chunky sneakers, pleated skirts, baguette bags, and colorful sunglasses.
What Is Y2K Fashion? In the world of fashion, Y2K is a stylistic trend covering the late '90s and early-to-mid 2000s styles. Y2K fashion has a distinctive style resulting from blending the millennium's pop culture with the latest (for those times) tech advancements.
While we thought that the Y2K style may have been contained to a fair few, our favourite A-listers including Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa and international designers are making a case for the Y2K trend to continue to reign supreme in 2022.
What Is Y2K? The original Y2K aesthetic emerged around the same time as the Gen Z-ers currently driving its resurgence—it spanned the very end of the 1990s through the beginning of the 2010s.
- Dolls Kill. Dolls Kill is an online retail company created for 'outcasts' by 'outcasts'. ...
- Minga London. Minga London is a retail brand based in London, they create bold and unique styles for people who have big dreams and tons of talent. ...
- Omighty. ...
- Ouchhh. ...
- Jaded London.
While some Y2K trends were worn daily, many of these looks were reserved for going out. Popular outfits for women included mesh or handkerchief tops, box-pleated or leather skirts, shiny pants, and sparkly shoes. For men, Y2K looks usually involved leather jackets, a statement dress shirt, and chunky shoes.
The classic “saddle bag” is a Y2K staple, and is now a prominent look in many designer collections of 2020. Finally, one of the important elements of Y2K fashion is nostalgia. Think of some of the classic staples from your wardrobe from when you were, say, 5 or 6.
Y2K bug, also called Year 2000 bug or Millennium Bug, a problem in the coding of computerized systems that was projected to create havoc in computers and computer networks around the world at the beginning of the year 2000 (in metric measurements, k stands for 1,000).
However, thanks to TikTok and the fact that the 2000s were 20 years ago, there is a current revival going on of everything related to Y2K fashion. According to a Stylight report, these turn-of-the-millennium trends are booming thanks to Gen Z discovering and showcasing them on TikTok.
Are the 2000s coming back?
From cropped cardigans to airbrushed t-shirts, many 2000s trends are back in action and have never looked better in 2021. Seeing these decades-old pieces reemerge on runways and our favorite influencers has us wanting to partake—and apply an extra coat of lip gloss.
- With the recent surge of Instagram and Pinterest back on the popularity track, fashion aesthetics are gaining more attention than ever before. ...
- Cottagecore. ...
- Soft-girl. ...
- Grunge. ...
- Streetwear. ...
- Dark Academia. ...
- Light Academia. ...
- Monochromatic.

The term Y2K had become shorthand for a problem stemming from the clash of the upcoming Year 2000 and the two-digit year format utilized by early coders to minimize use of computer memory, then an expensive commodity.
Related aesthetics
Alternative, also known as Alt is an umbrella term that can describe anything that sits outside of the mainstream. This could include Punk, Grunge, Emo, etc.
Technically, Y2K covers the late '90s and early-to-mid 2000s, so for millennials, it captures the energy (and shopping habits) of your childhood and early teens. This era was undeniably defined by women who ruled pop culture at the time.
Related aesthetics
Indie is an aesthetic based on individuality and independence. There are two camps of Indie, as the aesthetic underwent a modern resurgence in 2019-2020 labeled Indie Kid. This style involved a variety of independent music genres, including shoegaze.
On 1 January 2000
Consequences did not always result exactly at midnight. Some programs were not active at that moment and problems would only show up when they were invoked. Not all problems recorded were directly linked to Y2K programming in a causality; minor technological glitches occur on a regular basis.
The counter will then begin to count from the negative scale, once this date comes to pass, causing the computers to reset to December 13th 1901, leading to all kinds of errors in every modern 32-bit computer. This is the 2038 problem, which will mark the end of UNIX time and subsequently the UNIX epoch.
If you have read How Bits and Bytes Work, you know that a signed 4-byte integer has a maximum value of 2,147,483,647, and this is where the Year 2038 problem comes from. The maximum value of time before it rolls over to a negative (and invalid) value is 2,147,483,647, which translates into January 19, 2038.
2022 Fashion Trend: Voluminous Silhouettes
From oversize shirting to ballooned silhouettes and a continuation of the puff sleeve trend, dresses and tops will retain their volume through the end of the year.
What styles are coming back in 2022?
- Preppy sweater vests. ...
- Denim-on-denim. ...
- Knitted and crocheted textures. ...
- Pleated skirts. ...
- Pearlcore. ...
- Statement cut-outs. ...
- Dopamine dressing.
Mini dresses will still be in style for fall winter 2022/23 when 80s style midi dress will come back on trend. Are crop tops still in style 2022? Yes, crop tops are still very fashionable.
- Wire-rimmed glasses.
- Bows and ribbons.
- Lace and sheer fabrics.
- Dresses.
- Glittery, shimmery, or glowing makeup.
- Slippers, open-toe shoes, or sometimes no shoes at all.
- Hair worn down or in loose hairstyles such as messy buns and quick/messy braids.
Cottagecore is a fashion aesthetic popularised by teenagers and young adults celebrating an idealised rural life.
- Collared shirts.
- Light-up shoes, old sneakers.
- Denim overalls (preferably short)
- Tee-shirts of kids shows/simple patterns/animals.
- Striped socks, stockings, or knee/ankle-high socks.
- Denim shorts/jeans adorned with stickers/glitter.
- Puffy sleeves.
- Overalls or suspenders.