Corduroy blazers and ripped jeans, cropped denim jackets with an additional tie dye flare and everything is oversized. What a tasteless sense of style this seems to be. Yet, we often forget the influential power these combinations of pieces held over the men’s 2000s fashion. It was so deliciously tasteless, here at VALLEY it won’t escape our minds.
With a resurgence in Y2K style trends, it would be pitiful to ignore the untamed freedom expressed during this decade. Though we have a tendency to look back on this era as sloppy and viciously chaotic, VALLEY believes that we need to turn the spotlight back on this era and take a dive into how iconic these outfits truly were.
Whatever or whoever created this trend we may never truly know, but there’s no doubt that the 2000s star studded boy bands drove the inspiration behind the lawless vibes. The honorable mention of the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and New Kids On The Block fearlessly flaunting their outfits, paved the way for bedazzled button ups and spiky hair to be deemed as “poppin.”
“This period, often intertwined with the term Y2K men’s fashion, stands out for its bold experimentation, the blurring of traditional style boundaries, and the emergence of new trends that challenged the status quo.”
– FashionBeans Blog
Y2K men’s fashion embodies a dad attempting to fit into the groove of his children’s generation, combined with a flamboyant grandmother who never fails to flaunt her stories of “the good old days.” VALLEY is well aware that this description is absurd. However, it’s meant to be, because men’s 2000s fashion was anything but mellow. Absurdity is the key ingredient to producing an acceptable 2000s tone.
An impeccable description of the 2000s is nonetheless a “global mashup,” as coined by Wikipedia. It was a period in time where disorderly noise wasn’t something people kept concealed within their minds, rather it was expressed through the art of clothing.
Beneath the opinionated distaste of men’s Y2K fashion was the chance for men to experiment with eccentric pieces, as they gathered artistry from an infusion of different decades. Perhaps a universal decree to let the 2000s vibes run wild and free is needed. This could open the opportunity to take back the power of articulating our feelings through a stylistic outlet.
Will the revival of 2000s fashion ever return to full fledged? Only the data will be able to tell. Nevertheless, whenever it makes its rounds there’s a guarantee that nobody is going to miss it.
Are you willing to experiment with the 2000s trends? If so, tag us in your fit check on Instagram @VALLEYmag!
