Over the course of the past year, the internet has been bombarded with the revival of the Y2K aesthetic. This time around, the 2000’s aesthetic, has seen its return like never before, featuring the comeback of some of its most iconic trends such as low-rise jeans, ultra mini skirts, velvet Juicy Couture sets and denim-on-denim looks. The Y2K enthusiast Bridget Desgrange (@bridget _desgrange on Tik Tok) is excited about the revival of this aesthetic, she says: “I personally love that it came back and I’m fully participating! There are so many fun aspects of 2000s trends and I think there’s something for everyone to try out and have fun with.”
However, there is still one trend that has yet to be reintroduced, the infamous dresses-over-jeans. The real OG’s will remember seeing celebrities, most specifically Disney stars walking the red carpet wearing the combo in a lot of different nuances. This unforgettable look would feature a pair of low-rise jeans, paired with a mid-length dress, often times matched with a white shirt underneath. To ace the look, it was a must-have to include accessories such as a chunky colourful necklace, a flat cap and a pair of retro sunglasses.
The major breakthrough of the dresses-over-jeans revival took place after the Y2K fashionista, Bridget Desgrange posted a TikTok video styling the infamous trend. She feels very excited about the return of this trend, she says: “Dresses over denim is a very controversial fashion topic. I think it can be a fun way to play around with your closet by trying new ways to layer. There are no rules to fashion so I’m here for it!”
@bridget_desgrange styling the one trend we all forgot about… #dressoverjeans #y2k #2000s #fashion #grwm #outfitinspo #styling #nostalgia ♬ Breakaway – Kelly Clarkson
Her video gained a lot of traction, as it has currently notched up more than 11 million views on TikTok. This unusual combination has stirred a lot of mixed emotions in Desgrange’s comment section, she says: “ I don’t think the majority of people will be participating in the dresses-over-jeans 2000s trend. Based on comments of my viral TikTok, millennials seemed to be very much over that trend.” On the other hand, Gen Z seems to be very excited about the return of the infamous trend, Desgrange adds: “Gen Z and younger millennials are more open to trying out the older trends since we saw these iconic outfits in movies growing up, but were too young to wear them. Now we are at an age to try them out and see if it fits our personal style, and for me it currently does!”
katie holmes singlehandedly trying to bring back the mid2000s disney red carpet aesthetic, and good on her. good on her. https://t.co/4OXdkpcozl
— xoxo gossip monte (@itsmonteprice) December 11, 2022
The most recent reappearance of dress over jeans was the American actress Katie Holmes during iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball in New York in 2022. She walked the red carpet wearing a strapless navy mini dress with bow detailing on her chest, paired with a pair of blue low-rise jeans and black New Balance trainers.
The return of this such controversial combination has stirred quite a lot of emotions online. Millennials have clearly had enough of dresses-over-denim. This trend ultimately screams fashion disaster, it belongs to a long-forgotten chapter of their fashion history that is already done and dusted. On a positive note, Gen Z seems more interested in the reappearance of this trend, and who knows they might be able to bring a modern take on this odd combination.
