The Blueprint: Examining the 2000s It-Girl Fashion

Over the last year, 2000s fashion has been dominating trends at full force. Whether it’s called Y2K, Paris Hilton Fashion, or Euphoria Glam Aesthetic, these outfit elements have crept into everyday life–– not just behind a screen.

When celebrities look back on their younger years and the fashion that came along with it, they tend to laugh or cry (I mean, don’t we all?). Although it may be a cringe moment now, back in the day, the 2000s it-girl on the red carpet and silver screen was perfected down to a formula: heavy side bangs, a lot of glitter, and many, many layered garments.

Hit teen T.V. shows like Veronica Mars, 90210, The Simple Life, Gossip Girl and Keeping Up With The Kardashians transformed the way young women thought about fashion nearly 15 years ago. Whether it was preppy private school style or reality shows filled with rich socialites wearing Von Dutch hats, the ‘cool girl’ archetype exuded style, class and a ferocious attitude.

In honor of the 2000s bumpin’ once again, we’re breaking down the peak it-girl style, and how it changed the way we think about ourselves and others.

Denim Mania

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake were the definition of the American Royal Couple in the early 2000s. Who can forget their iconic matching outfits at the 2001 American Music Awards? Back in the day, denim appeared in TV shows and on red carpets, adorning the bottoms of our favorite celebrities. Low-rise and bootcut jeans trickled their way into school hallways after stars like Christina Aguilera and Hillary Duff made the casual silhouette effortlessly chic.

Classic Prep-School

There was nothing more legendary than walking into the high school hallway and seeing 50 carbon-copies of the blueprint, Miss Blair Waldorf. Gossip Girl, first airing in 2007, set off a massive explosion of designer, uniform chic. Pearls, headbands and sexy Mary-Jane pumps were all the rage… even if you couldn’t walk in heels yet. Plaid skirts paired with white polos and cardigans were everywhere, and 20 years later, they’re back. Although Cher Horrowitz from Clueless makes a wonderful Halloween costume, Blair Waldorf takes the cake for bringing school-girl style to the forefront of fashion.

Tomboy Edge

Graphic tees on the red carpet? More likely than you’d think with this tomboy fashion creeping into the mainstream. Newsboy caps, ties with tee shirts, and bermuda shorts all served as a counterculture fashion movement to the overly princess image that dominated pop stars throughout the 2000s. These alternative stars danced to the beat of their own drum and embraced the beauty of being different and finding your own personal style. Although the 2000s girly fashion may be on the rise again among starlets and supermodels, this masculine movement is coming back as well. E-girls, anyone?

More is More: Accessories Edition

If you lived throughout the 2000s, you had one of these: a Von Dutch trucker hat, a bedazzled Juicy Couture tracksuit, or a skinny scarf. When it came to the red carpet at the turn of the century: more was more. An outfit wasn’t fully finished until you had more rhinestones than fabric and lip gloss on. Rimless shades, statement belts, and mini tiaras weren’t just seen on the silver screen, they were everywhere at the mall. The overconsumption of the 2000s and embracing luxury came at a time of high American spirits and economic prosperity. After the 2008 financial crash, fashion took a turn for the more minimal, but starlets still shined. Paris could have diamond earrings, why couldn’t you? The commodification of designer and glamour was a way to deal with problems in a fashionable way. The it-girls of the 2000s all reminded us to add a little bit of sparkle wherever we went, even when things got bad.