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The Good And (Mostly) Bad Of Men’s 2000s Fashion
The noughties is the most referenced decade when it comes to fashion blunders, especially for men. This fashion era had a bit of a bad reputation which isn’t hard to believe when we mostly remember the shell necklaces, outrageous hairstyles (too much hair gel!) and, god forbid, multiple popped collars. But, don’t worry, there are some styles from the 00s that are making a comeback and are actually worth rediscovering – we promise!
While we’re not completely losing our grip on the 90s sportswear hype, the most fashion forward among us are rapidly moving into the early 00s for their sartorial needs. If you want to keep up with them, take a peek into our list of the 10 (still socially acceptable) 2000s fashion trends for guys!
10 Trends From the 00s You Could Be Sporting Right Now
10. Cardigans
The rise of geek chic arrived in the early 2000s, with Seth Cohen from The O.C. at the forefront of this revolution. With emo culture at an all time peak and thrift stores starting to replace every hipster’s mall, cardigans became the go-to outerwear choice for any indie dude who wanted to feel comfortable while listening to Arctic Monkeys.
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9. All Over Print
It’s the Swiss Army Knife of streetwear – the all over print tells everyone that you’re gaudy, loud, and unbelievably cool all at the same time. Popularised by brands such as A Bathing Ape (BAPE) and Billionaires Boys Club, the trend never really left the urban culture. It survived every shift in the fashion world.
BAPE has released thousands of other designs, but its OG camo print (also on shoes) remains a fan favourite by the likes of Pharrell, Travis Scott, and Metro Boomin, to name a few.
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Beyond streetwear, all over print was also immortalised in the Alexander McQueen fashion house. Enter, the iconic and most coveted (at the time) Alexander McQueen skull scarf. Every fashion darling has worn the piece – from Kanye West to Kate Moss, and even small-time fashion bloggers on Lookbook.
8. Tracksuits
The arrival of athleisure mega-trend in clothing blurred the lines between the clothes you would sweat in during a workout and outfits you would wear to be seen in. While the boys of N’Sync preferred to rock slouchy, oftentimes velour, tracksuits both on and off the stage, today’s trend showcases a more tailored fit.
In fact, streetwear brand Supreme teamed up with Lacoste to create a collection that featured a velour tracksuit very reminiscent of the 00s era. Who said you can’t look magazine-ready in a lazy lounge outfit?
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7. Tinted Sunglasses
The latest eyewear trend to make a comeback into our hearts is the tinted sunglasses! What used to be only seen on the likes of U2’s Bono and any other aging personality requiring a light-sensitive prescription, the stylish spectacles have been seen on fashion mavens such as Bella Hadid and Drake. While these don’t completely shield you from the sun or from other people, they sure look stylish as hell.
6. Cargo Pants
One of the most divisive items of clothing ever – you either love or hate cargo pants. Thankfully, cargo pants are now more streamlined and cut in a straight-leg style. Long gone are the ridiculously oversized, baggy cargo pants that always looked like they were about to fall down anytime. Pair yours with a simple t-shirt or sweatshirt and sneakers for that effortless street style cool vibe.
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5. Double Denim
One of the most iconic outfits of all time? Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in head to toe denim at an awards show. Forget what you know about denim on denim, it will never be as bad as Justin’s ensemble.
Tackle the tricky trend by pairing a blue jacket with dark wash jeans or a white denim jacket with black jeans. The trick is to ensure both denims are different or there’s one item of clothing to break things up. Oh, and steer clear of the denim cowboy hat. You’ll thank us later.
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4. Millennial Pink
Let’s take a moment to appreciate this iconic Cam’ron get up. The all-pink winter fashion fantasy is everything the 00s was – over the top, dripped in bling, and undeniably cool. Pink does need a certain confidence for men to be able to wear and pull it off, but thanks to icons such as Cam’ron and Kanye, it has become more than acceptable to rock the colour once heavily associated with femininity.
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3. Skater Style
The skater look has been around way before the 2000s, however early in this decade, this style has evolved into more punk rock. A little more Avril Lavigne and Blink-182, a little less Nike SB. While the 00s look required more baggy jeans, chains, and chunky sneakers, current trends offer a cleaner silhouette, less baggy jeans, and some good old Vans.
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2. Bucket Hats
The bucket hat was already making waves in the 90s hip-hop scene, thanks to LL Cool J and RUN DMC, but it was in the 2000s that the popular hat became a mainstream fashion statement. It eventually reached noughties peak when it was featured on Jay-Z’s Big Pimpin’ video. Soon after, everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Brad Pitt was wearing the same accessory. The bucket hat still remains to be a popular headwear of choice among rappers such as Schoolboy Q and Earl Sweatshirt.
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1. Throwback Jerseys
It’s the most quintessential 2000s fashion for men and yes, the style has become so saturated too quickly, but the classic throwback jerseys were once a staple. We’ve seen it on every Nelly music video, on the court worn by Allen Iverson, and even on Mariah Carey at an NBA All-Star Game.
It all started with Mitchell and Ness, a small Philadelphia boutique that eventually signed deals with three major sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL) to produce retro uniforms. There was a niche market, then rappers stumbled upon it, then it exponentially grew a huge market. Is it too soon to make a comeback? Honestly, we think it never left.
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