Trucker Hats. Ed Hardy Tees. Bubblegum Pink Leather Jackets. Bootleg Trousers. Denim On Denim. Exposed Midriffs. Low-Waist Jeans. Huge Belts. Juicy Couture. Chunky Chains. Beaded Chokers. Bedazzled Logo.

What defined early 2000s fashion?

The hasty marriage of pop culture and the transforming technology of the late 90s advancing into the 2000s, leading to their child, Y2K – a retro soul with futuristic ambitions, raised by the internet?

Whether you’re a hash critic, or a die-hard fan, the inevitable is upon us as Y2K aesthetic is making its comeback through copped knit sweaters worn on miniskirts at the Miu Miu runway, and trucker hats styled by beloved icons from Rihanna to Hailey Berry.

“Y2K stars wore their Von Dutch trucker hats with extremely maximalist outfits—think with ripped jeans, camo tees, and bejeweled sunglasses—now it’s all about balancing out the gaudiness of a trucker,” Vogue reports.

The characteristics of the revived trucker hat comeback can be understood by letting the hat take “center stage” while keeping the rest of your fit minimal – a combination of Y2K and its successor of subtle, consumerism influenced minimalistic aesthetics.

“The aesthetic of Y2K arose in the final years of the 1990s, when people both feared and joyfully anticipated the coming rise of technology. For many, the year 2000 meant a start of an entirely new era, a time of prosperity, and for some even the end of the world,” according to trusted source, collegefashion.net.

Many cite the similarities between the pandemic and the rise of technology to reason for the rebirth of Y2K – a blend of fear and joy, that call for a coping strategy of bright colors and bling.

“It’s pretty simple… We want to feel hot, even full of ourselves. It’s the kind of energy we need, especially after two years of boredom,” British designer Christian Cowan tells New York Times.

What energy are you channeling in this new era of being? Do you support the Y2K revival? If not, I dare you to dissent by challenging this story.