Beauty
Y2K Nollywood Fashion is the Biggest Trend RN – Here’s how to Rock It
Hi BNers, welcome to the first season of our BNStyle Trend List! Over the next 6 issues, our expert editors will research and detail the latest beauty and fashion from the red carpets to street style for the month as seen on the biggest influencers and A-list celebrities to keep you up to date and give you all the inspiration you need.
2000s Nollywood Style/Y2K Fashion
What do you get when you mix pop culture, millennial nostalgia, and Tiktok trends? The Y2K bug.
No doubt, Y2K fashion is fundamentally unique and the style then was inspired by the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s, when the internet became more prevalent – think retro fashion meets futuristic pieces. Yes! The 2000s glamor is having a major moment right now and is making its way back into our wardrobes this season through baguette bags, tiny sunglasses, chunky sneakers, pleated skirts, and more. One of the biggest influences of that era on this part of the world was old Nollywood.
We really began feeling the 00’s nostalgia when encyclopedic Instagram account @nolly.babes gave us many reasons to ache for the return of cropped tops, mini skirts, and glossy bubblegum lips with throwback clips from movies that rocked our screens back then.
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It was truly an interesting time in pop culture. Even though fashion is cyclical and it can take a few decades for some trends to return, Y2K fashion has become a mainstream trend once again, just two short decades after its first appearance.
If you have been thinking of jumping on the trend – look no further. Here, we share our guide on how you can channel Y2K fashion, with a 2021 spin.
Velour Tracksuits
You can’t say you love fashion from the 2000s and skip the velour Juicy Couture tracksuits. Matching pink looks – especially as tracksuits were all the rave. Now with lockdown and the pandemic, this trend comes at the perfect time as everyone’s favourite WFH uniform.
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Tiny Sunglasses
Forget about shielding your eyes from the sun with sunglasses. To truly nail Y2K fashion get into these “matrix” sunnies. They’ve been spotted from the runways to street style snaps over the years; round, rectangular or triangular, or sometimes with or without frames, plainly black, brown, or colored. Choose a clear/tinted pair for the perfect Y2K effect.
Bandanas
This Y2K-era staple is one accessory almost everyone had back then. Now they are back in trend with unlimited styling options – as a bag accessory, as a tube top, or simply styled as a hair accessory.
Ribbed Crop Tops
This look still embodies the perfect approach to off-duty style. Add a pair of oversized jeans, and chunky sneakers and you’re good to go – Y2K fresh!
Baguette Bags
If you want to rock this trend, you need to ditch big bags or impractical micro bags and switch to a chic shoulder bag – this 2000s essential was reintroduced in 2018 but is having another major moment this year.
Y2K Hair & Makeup
Graphic liner, very glossy lips, bold coloured eyeshadows, dark lip liner – what’s not to love? We’re very much into these staples from the iconic 2000s era.
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Mini Skirts
The early 2000s was a time for self-expression with fashion. One of the biggest trends of the era is mini skirts, which can be worn in many ways. Leather styles for an edgy look or tennis pleats for a cute ensemble.
