The 2000s were a confusing time for fashion. Trends included baggy cargo pants and tube tops, asymmetrical anything and everything, a love for graphic tank tops, and an affinity for shirts that looked like they were made out of handkerchiefs. That is why the outfits from the MTV Movie Awards in the 2000s were so on-point. They were so bad that they were good. If we throw it back to our junior high and high school days, the celebrities rocking them looked flawless. And many of us wanted to copy those trends from head to toe, if only our parents would've let us out of the house in our low, low rise jeans and sparkle tops.
Whether you had strict parents or not, you probably couldn't deny that the red carpets in the 2000s were filled with millennium trends that made your heart leap (even if it could be argued that they shouldn't have). It was a questionable time in our own histories — one that was filled with outfits like tube top dresses and camisoles paired with denim skirts. But while those looks might make us want to cringe now, they were all the rage back then. So let's take a stroll down memory lane and look at 11 of the best MTV Movie Awards outfits from earlier in the '00s.
1. Halle Berry's Pink Two-Piece
In 2001, Berry showed up to the MTV Movie Awards wearing a bubblegum pink two-piece dress: One that featured an impressive amount of midriff and a bathing suit-esque back. For a teen who was watching at home and going slightly stir crazy with hormones, that outfit felt like just the ticket for getting my crush to notice me. A mini always seems to have all that power, doesn't it?
2. Christina Aguilera's Corset
Aguilera brought some edge to the 2001 show by wearing her lingerie as a shirt, and I instantly knew what I'd wear to school picture day that week.
Also, can we talk about how pants had corset ties down the front of them, rather than zippers? It was a golden age for underwear being treated as outerwear.
3. Julia Stiles' Sports Crop Top
All you needed to do in 2001 was steal your brother's jersey when he wasn't looking — and cut off 90 percent of it. It was the perfect mix of cheerleader and street-style.
4. Kelly Osbourne's Punk Chic Look
From the hot pink accents to the unlaced bow tie hanging nonchalantly around her neck, anyone who was in the middle of a rebellion wanted to channel this 2002 look as inspiration.
5. Scarf-Like Crop Tops
The good news about this outfit was that if your parents thought it was too scandalous to buy, you could have probably just taken one of your mom's silk scarves and fashioned a top that way.
6. Eve's Asymmetrical Poncho Shirt
Anything asymmetrical seemed to be all the rage in 2002, so it's no wonder that Eve's candy-striped poncho would have made it onto our radar. All you had to do was pop it over some denim capris and you had yourself a star-style moment.
7. Brittany Murphy's Striped Pants
Vertical striped bell bottoms were a huge fashion staple back in the early '00s, so the late Murphy's pair would have definitely made an impressionable splash as she walked down the red carpet in 2002. And her styling here was flawless when it came to the turn of the millennium: Platform heels, a graphic tank top, and a sparkly bra as an accessory.
8. Hilary Swank's Denim Skirt Outfit
A denim skirt anything would have been enough to send us into a shopping frenzy, but a denim skirt paired with a band practice-inspired blazer? Pure 2002 genius.
9. Demi Moore's Silky Dress
This would have been PERFECTION for the next school dance. The silky material. The ruching. The draping. The tiny mini skirt. This 2003 look could not have been outdone.
10. Kate Hudson's Tube Top Dress
This would have looked so cute at the next house party one of your friends was throwing when their parents were away on vacation circa 2003. Everything about it said "red solo cup," no?
11. Hilary Duff's Pants
Never have I seen pinstripe pants with cargo pockets, but Duff was ahead of her time in 2003. As could be seen with her styling: Baggy, cargo-esque pants paired with hot pink wedges? Sheer brilliance.
Whether we were lusting over the adorable minis, the intense crop tops, or the ingenious mixing and matching of pieces, the MTV Movie Awards gave us plenty to beg our parents for. The fashion inspiration coming down that red carpet was unreal, and only got better every year.
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