2022 AKA Y2K 2.0
It’s impossible to discuss the trends of the 2000s without acknowledging that Black Culture was the main influence.
Carrie Bradshaw brought to mainstream the monogram necklace - which she called “Ghetto gold” …
And we all know “Ghetto is nothing but creativity that hasn’t been stolen, yet” — a truth spoken by designer and philanthropist, Ron Blassingame.
After the world didn’t end in the Y2K and everyone took a chill pill, the 2000s shaped up to be a decade of some of the most iconic trends to date;
Fluffy pink everything, flip phones, bling bling, and the longest torsos ever!
And today, since the world is actually ending, it only seems appropriate that we’ve reverted straight back into 2000s mode, with everything from zig-zag parts, butterfly clips, and chunky highlights back in a tidal wave of popularity!
VICTORIA’S SECRET BLOWOUT
THE ONLY PART OF VS WORTH KEEPING
Insert half-baked joke here along the lines of how this blowout was Victoria’s real secret.. Though we all know in hindsight that Victoria’s rather open secret was actually just misogyny and body shaming…
But the VS blowout? Worth keeping! Likely inspired by the 2000s video vixen hair, this was your classic voluminous blowout effortlessly cascading down the shoulders and ending somewhere mid-torso:
These were defined by the iconic face-framing C-curves outwards from the temple that swept in again at the cheekbones to accentuate facial structure.
LAYERED FLICKS
A Y2K OBSESSION
This one would make the 2000s time capsule… just a picture of Britney Spears with this haircut;
This was usually seen on straight hair with dramatic flicked ends emphasised with layering.
With a haircut that creates sectioned flicks, this sculpted ‘do does the work for you!
This one was seen on everyone, from Beyoncé to Jessica Simpson;
CRIMPED
& CRUNCHY!
I guess in the 2000s the term “textured hair” actually meant straight hair but ironed into the “ texture “ of accordion blinds …
Today we’ve seen this texture relax a little into more mermaidy waves, something we discussed in our 80s rewind and called back to in our 90s rewind!
RAT TAIL TENDRILS
STRINGY STRANDS
For some reason, we loved a stringy texture in the aughts - with the body to ends of the hair separated into wiry tendrils;
Like a wet look that dried without ever being brushed out.
BRAID ANTENNAS
CUTEST ACCENT TO ANY STYLE!
Discussed in our 90s rewind, these were still a massive obsession in the 2000s!
And today, these are back in tidal waves;
Check our 90s rewind to see more celebs rocking accent braids!
TEXTURE COMBO
MIX IT UP!
For unknown reasons, the 2000s was obsessed with mixing textures; random crimped pieces, random curls, and the ultimate - curled hair with straight ends, or straight hair with curled ends;
SLICKED N SLEEK TO CURLED N CHIC
MIX IT UP 2.0
Another case of mixing texture, we saw many a slicked back pony with texture or curls through the ponytail itself;
This one’s still a red carpet staple today!
SIDE BANGS
AN ASYMMETRICAL SOLUTION
Aaliyah and her one eye debuted this trend in the 90s, but the side bang craze really picked up in the 2000s!
Actually a great way to balance asymmetries on the face – For example if your nose slightly diverts one way, a fringe sweeping the opposite direction can balance the face out.
Ask your stylist what haircut or style would best suit your face!
PIECEY BANGS
3 STRANDS OF HAIR TOTAL
Having stripy colour wasn’t enough in the 2000s, you needed a stripy fringe to match!
Piecey and spiky, fringes were thinned out within an inch of their lives;
Today, we’ve seen this look resurrected on Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Rowan Blanchard, Zoe Kravtiz, and many more.
Have a read of our 90s rewind to see more celebs today rocking piecey bangs!
CHOPPY PARIS BOB
THAT’S HOT
Nothing was safe from a good pair of texturizing scissors in the 2000s, and the classic bob was no exception!
Flaunted on icons from Paris Hilton, to Cameron Diaz and Kelly Rowland, who also flaunted a longer version – as did Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani;
Here are two stunning modern takes on Halsey and Nyane;
PIECEY PIXIE
SPIKE IT UP!
The texture of the Evangelista pixie - explored in our 90s blog - was also not safe from further texturizing in the 2000s; as the pixie already flaunts stunning texture, the 2000s decided it needed spiking up in random places, and honestly? Super cute!
An iconic short hair go-to of the decade, this one was arguably made famous by Halle Berry, Eve, Kelly Rowland, and Missy Elliot!
PARIS PIGTAILS
THAT’S HOT 2.0
Lizzo and Nyane showed us these pigtails are more than worth keeping around!
SIDE PONY
TO THE LEFT, TO THE LEFT
Another quintessential Paris style;
Everything from our partings, fringes and page-boy hats, to our very pony tails were worn on the side in the 2000s.
We’ll come back to the page-boy hat…
As for the side-pony, this one stayed relevant throughout the 2000s.
BUMP IT UP!
THE HEIGHT OF 2000S CULTURE
In the 2000s, you either had a fringe or you pinned the front of your hair back into an aimless bump.
Usually worn as a subtle accent to a style, these were also seen exaggerated to the heights of Everest during the 2000s!
MICRO BRAID BEAUTY
TINY BAG, MINI SKIRT, MICRO BRAIDS!
The pay-off is worth the effort of these stunnnnnning braids!
A long-wear and highly versatile style, these braids are so thin they can be treated and styled like your natural hair!
Ideal for people with thicker or fuller hair, as each braid only involves a few strands; For those with thinner or less hair, this one can require added hair bundles.
Devo though, because sometimes this can cause traction alopecia if the thinner strands can’t support the weight long-term.
Be sure to talk to your stylist about what protective style would best suit your hair type!
Here are just a few examples of celebrities today flaunting micro braids;
BEYONCÉ WITH THE TREE BRAIDS
ROOTS OF BEAUTY
Before her iconic waved blowout, Beyoncé and tree braids were inseparable!
Also seen on Raven Symoné, Solange, Brandy, and Alicia Keys - just to name a few!
Today, we’ve spotted these on Tiana Parker, Nyane, Normani, Jourdan Dunn, Chloe and Halle Bailey, Adut Akech, and Solange!
FUN BUNS
WITH ADDED SPIKES!
Explored in our 90s blog, space buns were often worn with the ends spiking up or splaying out; 20 years later these are back, spikes and all!
HALF-UP HALF-DOWN
SO EASY, SO CUTE!
A chic go-to for any red carpet event in the 2000s, we saw this one on icons from Paris Hilton, Brandy Norwood, and Tyra Banks, to Lucy Liu, Gwen Stefani, and Britney Spears!
LAZY GAL CHIC
TWO BOBBY-PINS, SERVE OLSEN TWINS!
This one’s extremely low effort and super chic! Literally just pin the sides of your hair back; Kind of like the annoying lazy sibling to the half-up half-down style;
Annoying sibling vibes because it’s half the effort but still achieves just as much. Oooo burn!
TWO TONE CHUNKY HIGHLIGHT
BECAUSE OF YOU, MISS CLARKSON!
Hairdressers will remember the days when every single client came in with this exact picture of Kelly Clarkson for reference; The update? Money pieces baby!
Seen today on Doja Cat, and Megan Thee Stallion;
THE DARK SIDE
THE X-TINA ZEBRA STRIPE
Ask Christina Aguilera for her signature, and she’d hand you her 2000s hair! The stark contrast between the icy blonde and the midnight black creates stripes throughout the ends – A look we’ve recently seen recreated onNicki Minaj, and Lil Kim;
BUTTERFLY CLIPS
FLYING BACK INTO POPULARITY
So popular in the 90s, we had to keep them around for another decade!
BANDANAS
A ONE IN A MILLION LOOK
An R&B staple in the 2000s! Bandanas were the hair accessory of choice for icons like J Lo.
HEADBANDS
BOLD AND EMBELLISHED
Check out Winnie Harlow and Nyane’s stunning headband looks;
PAGE BOY / NEWSBOY HAT
BRATZ DOLL BABY
Back in the day, these were a must-have for every young star;
And today’s rebirth sees the tacky teen staple rise to high fashion status!
Saweetie and Winnie Harlow have recently sported stunning modern takes; And high fashion Winter 22/23 collections confirm the newsboy/pageboy hat craze is far from over!
SO BASICALLY…
High off the cortisol of surviving the Y2K, we saw some truly bizarre hair come out the woodwork.
Hair was littered with accessories, everything was worn on the side, and salon staff everywhere were deafened with the sound of texturizing scissors.
However at the same time, Black Culture birthed some of the most innovative and beautiful styles to date, being the direct origins of the most iconic and beloved Y2K trends.
Gradient sunglasses, Velour tracksuits, camo pants, nameplate jewellery, crop tops with baggy pants— the list goes on!
And that brings us to the end of our rewind series!
Closing the flip-phone and hanging up! TTYL!