20 Trends That Brits Who Grew Up In The '00s Will Remember All Too Well

Definitely one to be filed under “trends I hope never resurface again”, this one is a true early '00s classic. Why wear just a pair of trousers, when you could wear a pair of trousers and a skirt? Not only did this '00s trend filter down to every average British teen, shopping from racks of pre-made skirts sewn over trousers on the UK high street, it was also worn by teen idols on the Hollywood red carpet. Can't argue with that fashion range.

Pedal pushers, capris, cut offs – whatever you want to call them, the '00s really embraced this look. From cargo crops to skin-tight 1960s styles, the pedal pusher was the perfect between-seasons trouser. Picking up a new pair from Peacocks on a Saturday, along with a “going out top” ready for a sleepover that evening, was the perfect sartorial start to any given weekend.

Not a trend as such, but a fashion mecca for '00s teens and pre-teens nonetheless. A small part of every British girl’s style history was lost when Tammy Girl went into administration in 2005 (when it was absorbed by BHS). The original trendy yet affordable high-street store was a glitter-filled treasure trove, where shoppers could spend their hard-won pocket money on anything from one-shoulder tops and bandanas to sparkly football tops, and fishnet fingerless gloves. Joyful.

A baggier-the-better style combat trousers with pockets that could carry every flavour of lip gloss you could ask for were bad enough in hindsight, but for some reason, teens across the UK thought that adding tassels and straps would be even cooler. The added weight on the bottom half meant that the low-rise waist was even lower, and riskier — for a trip, if nothing else.

You can blame Kate Moss for this one. Or was it actually Christina Aguilera's doing? In fact, pick pretty much any '00s celeb, and they were probably spotted in a waistcoat. I’m not talking about the loose-cut, knit styles on the catwalk of late. The '00s version was very specifically one to be layered, over anything and everything, complete with lapels and more often than not double breasted. Trilby hat optional.

Long before Ugg Boots had a glow up, the Australian brand’s beige original sheepskin boots were the It shoe of the '00s. The style became synonymous with the era's cool-girl aesthetic – Sienna Miller favoured a rolled-down pair in all weather. They were a must have, and it didn't really matter whether you could afford the original or not. Shoezone’s own version was just as good, right?

Not satisfied with the sheer width of jeans in the '00s – from flares to baggy styles, it was either wear them with platforms or give in to an eternally soggy hemline – there seemed to be a need to add 'bling', too. Adorned with everything from diamanté embellishment to sewn-on costume jewels, badges and floral embroidery – more was more.

Think back to non-uniform days, and at least 60% of teen girls in the '00s would be wearing something from New Look. In fact, it's highly likely you and one of your friends would be wearing exactly the same top. Taking its name from the age range it was aimed at, 9 to 15 year olds, the 915 teen range at New Look was where a) everyone bought their jeans, and b) probably their first pair of heels, too.

Not quite content with having these groovy cartoon girls plastered all over their school folders, fluffy pencil cases and brightly coloured diaries, 00s teens took to wearing them on their clothing, too. Much like the resurgence of other 00s trends (here’s looking at you coloured sunglasses), we came full circle when ASOS stocked a selection of Groovy Chick T-shirts in late 2020.

The bigger the better, even more so if there was a huge buckle involved, too. This belt wasn't exactly functional, it didn’t fit through belt loops or work to hold anything up. Instead, it fell into the 'anything goes' '00s category, you just had to sling it over whatever you had on. Once again, Sienna Miller led the charge on this look.

While this trend evolved for the better beyond the '00s, that specific, unstructured, soggy style that all the cool girls wore to school back then certainly epitomised the era. Whether New Look was your go-to for faux leather ballet flats, or Jane Norman’s patent pumps were a bit of you, you’d be hard pressed to find a British girl who didn’t own a pair of ballet pumps in their early teens.

Long before we had the resurgence of 1980s-style Dad Trainers (New Balance 990s, to be precise), there was another chunky trainer on the block. We had the cool curvy soles of Skechers platform trainers to keep us company. Add low-rise flared jeans (or even – god forbid – flared tracksuit trousers) and a cute-but-entirely-impractical halter-neck top andand you have the go-to uniform for every birthday party that took place in the 2000s.

A strong trend from the 1990s that transcended the decade, the choker made a reappearance in the 2000s, too. Replacing the elastic black weave that we’d come to know and love from the 1990s, the choker came back with a hint of glitz and glam, making appearances on stage and the red carpet with velvet and diamante additions, and a clasp this time, to avoid getting it stuck over your head.

Jane Norman, RIP. Sure, the store was great, and I’m sure there are many millennials out there with fond memories of spending their allowance in the high-street shop on a Saturday, but it's the bags that make this list in their own right. It didn’t matter what you’d bought, the carrier bags became the thing to carry everything in, from school books to P.E. kits.

Long beaded necklaces became the accessory du jour for much of the 2000s. Heavy beaded necklaces with multiple layers, or long necklaces beaded onto ribbon or silk was even better. Wearing a vest (or layering two)? Add a beaded necklace. Prom dress? Add a beaded necklace. Going-out in a “nice top and jeans”? Not complete without a beaded necklace.

See also: One-shoulder tops. Jeans (low-rise, of course) and a nice top (probably bought at Tammy Girl) was the enduring look of the noughties. The one-shoulder top especially was deemed the height of sophistication and sexiness, and the ultimate choice for a Friday night meal at Pizza Hut. Elsewhere, cropped halter-neck tops were just as ubiquitous, and makes my twenty-something self quiver at the thought of wearing one now.

Another one to thank Kate Moss for on this list. Mixing with the height of rock’n’roll at the time, she nicked a fair few style tips from her rocker friends. This time, the skinny (and entirely pointless) patterned scarf. Not used for any sort of insulation whatsoever, it was best worn over a vest top and under a leather jacket.

This one in particular brings back a whole lot of bad memories. Cardigans on the red carpet were bad enough in my opinion, but a whole sub-category of shorter cardigans? Even worse. The bolero style – a short-sleeved, short-bodied knitted cardigan – and the lace style – bonus points for it tying at the front, Cheryl – are my particular 2000s fashion regrets.

Baker boy hats, and sometimes flat wool caps, were a pop band essential in the 2000s. From Girls Aloud and Atomic Kitten to Hear’Say and Liberty X, one band member would end up in a hat, undoubtedly to differentiate them from the rest of the group. Most of the time, it worked. Add the super-tight waistcoat and a skinny scarf and you’ve got the 2000s band fashion trifecta in full motion.

2001 was a big year for Victoria Beckham and her bandanas. From here performing at the One Big Sunday radio show in London to her now-famous Burberry bandanas, it was her go-to style for a while (maybe she stole the idea from David? Who knows). But it wasn’t just VB, celebrities from Christina Aguilera to JLo to Mary-Kate and Ashley were going bananas for the bandana in the 2000s.