Opinion: Y2K fashion is back, and I am here for it

Lately, I’ve been thinking of getting a mini shoulder bag. This might not be of much significance to you, dear reader, but as a die-hard fan of the crossbody (which can be carried in multiple ways and is oh-so-functional), this shift in bag desirability comes as something of a shock to me.

Perhaps after being inundated with countless images of celebs carrying the Prada Cleo or Balenciaga Le Cagole tucked snugly under their arms, I’ve somehow decided that this bag shape is my next step to attaining ultimate chicness.

This is not the first time that I’ve lusted after a bag of this shape. Fifteen years ago (or maybe it was 20?), I remember rummaging through my mother’s cupboard to steal the much desired Fendi baguette for the weekend. This was at the height of Sex and the City’s popularity, and though I was never allowed to watch the late-night HBO production as a teenager, anyone who was interested in fashion knew that iconic scene where Carrie Bradshaw, held at gunpoint, quipped “It’s a Baguette” in protest to her robber, cementing its iconic status as an It bag.

Besides plotting my next bag purchase, I found myself wearing a scrunchie out of the house recently. Yes, it’s a silk hair tie that’s supposed to keep my carefully curled hair neatly in place, but still.

The last time I used an accessory like that, I had my hair held up with butterfly clips and had my fringe artfully arranged with a few strands falling in front of my face. I also wore cropped tops and JNCO baggy jeans that were so wide-legged, my mother called them “chicken pants” because she mused that I could have hidden a couple of hens in them with no one the wiser. On days that I decided to be preppy, I would reach for a prim cardigan and pair it with a mini pleated or plaid skirt – bonus points if it was a pleated skirt in a plaid print.

If any of these trends sound vaguely familiar, that’s because stylish Gen Z influencers and celebs have largely looked to the noughties for inspiration in recent times. Baby tees and low-slung pants a la Paris Hilton and Britney Spears are now in vogue again. Honestly, I don’t blame them – I think we were pretty cool back then.

But you know what they say about trends that come and go: When you wore it the first time, you were fashionable. The second time around? Not so much. You may or may not agree with that statement (I don’t), but here’s what I think: Wear what you want, when you want.

While I won’t be sporting a hemline low enough for a visible panty line or an ab-baring cropped fit any time soon, I predict that the shoulder bag, the scrunchie, and heck, even the wide-legged pants will be on heavy rotation for me in the near future. Cheers to a bit of nostalgia and always having fun with fashion. Older millennial here, signing out.