‘IT FEELS FANTASTIC TO WEAR A SLIP DRESS AGAIN’
frills, nostalgic logos… More is more, again.’
As a general enthusiast for all retro fashion revivals, I’ve been surprised by my initial reluctance to join the noughties Redux party. Aren’t the 2000s just too recent/too bling to even deserve a revival? Or perhaps it’s my own history and identity as a noughties magazine editor at the intersection of fashion and celebrity that feels too personal to shrug the trend on and off again. But then... the drip, drip of cultural influence (aka a few thousand Sex In The City reboot pics to deconstruct on social media), the Y2k-infused stylings of Bennifer’s comeback trousseau… By the time Mossy was rocking bootcuts at LFW, I was wanting in. I was ready to take another spin on the noughties glitterball.
As someone ‘who was there’ the first time, I’m inclined towards wearing pieces with real provenance. I have some gems in my own wardrobe (think glitter-encrusted Marc Jacobs everything), but having hitherto sourced my vintage the oldfashioned (hit-and-miss) way in poky stores, I’m intrigued to see what iconic pieces the resale platforms can serve up. I’m fantasising about Miu Miu lightning-bolt kitten heels, Matthew Williamson’s rainbow embroideries, acid-hued silk slips and intricate Balenciaga patchwork camis. The trick will be putting it together while avoiding looking like I’m going to a Legally Blonde costume party (fun I admit, but that would be another article).
At Depop, where approximately 90% of active users are under the age of 26 and the Y2K trend is flying high, I may not fit the platform’s demographic, but I like the rummage sale vibe, also the snippy price points that allow an experimental (try/buy/ customise) mindset. It’s quickly apparent that ‘Y2K’ is too broad a search term to deliver what I’m looking for, so I hone in on specifics (designers/iconic style names) and nearly score a pair of – admittedly somewhat battered – Miu Miu lightningbolt kittens in my size for £49; but by the time I have located my wallet, they are sold.
Serving a very different segment of the secondary fashion market is the site hardlyeverwornit.com (Hewi), renowned for its select army of fashion-insider sellers and its super-curated and authenticated luxury gems. This is the place to score a barely used Fendi baguette or a molten sequin slip dress that nails the Y2K vibe. The uncompromising palette of noughties fashion is currently trending. ‘It’s all about a pop of colour,’ says Hewi’s Rachel Reavley. ‘Post-pandemic, it helps lift your mood.’
I pick out a haul from Depop and Hewi for a grand try-on session, with some originals from my own closet to mix in. So, what are my findings? Well, it feels fantastic to wear a slip dress again, but two decades on, it’s clear that I can’t scrimp on fabric quality. A Y2k-inspired Alexander Wang version in a really heavy silk is superflattering. I like it styled with my Moschino Cheap & Chic military jacket from back in the day and original Y2K Miu Miu twinkletoes. The Gucci slip dress is a little harder to pull off, but looks less like a nightie when worn with my original Marc by Marc denim band jacket. I have a flutter with a lace-trimmed Voyage cardigan I find on Depop, but the ironic frothiness is lost in translation. One of Depop’s star sellers, Asal Tehrani (@susamusa, Bella Hadid’s a fan), advises me to try ‘cargo trousers, with a small top’. So I step out of my comfort zone with cargos and a cropped, crystal button cardie by Alessandra Rich. I even leave a sliver of midriff. To my surprise, I love it!
‘Like every trend, it’s never exact, it’s a revision on what went before, because new generations always put their twist on it,’ says Rachel. ‘It’s this blend of pre-loved, original and new that’s creative and exciting.’
I agree. I’ve always loved mixing it up. But what feels liberating and fresh is the notion that you can wear, enjoy and then put a gorgeous piece back into circulation for some other fashion fan to take on another spin around the dance floor.