Editor’s Note: Any opinions expressed in City Voice articles are the authors and do not imply that the City Voice takes a stand one way or another.
The 2000’s was quite a busy era for the fashion industry. Known for its bold patterns and bright colors, this decade started some very iconic trends that many people still draw inspiration from now. However, some of these looks were a lot more well received than others — here is my take on one of the most beloved (and the most controversial!) fashion trends of the 2000s.
Low-Rise Flared Jeans
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These were the IT girl jeans of the early 2000’s. If you didn’t own a pair, you probably didn’t have many friends. (Just kidding, of course!) These pants were a staple for a lot of young women at the time, as they were featured pretty much everywhere in the media; they were worn by celebrities, pop-stars in music videos, and were even seen on the red carpet! Wearing these jeans was often associated with having a more youthful appearance and rebellious spirit.
My thoughts? I honestly really love the low-rise look, and I think the way they flare at the bottom adds a small but significant touch! This being said, most people refrained from wearing these jeans in the 2010’s and the very early years of the current decade. Instead, people opted for high-rise jeans, and to be very honest, I too used to be a little on the fence about lower cuts, as I felt like they could not be paired well with many outfits.
Recently, though, these pants have made a resurgence among Gen-Z. I witnessed this shift in opinion on TikTok where I saw clips of people styling these jeans in a new way that appealed to younger consumers. They kept what people loved so much about these jeans but added elements that gave it a fresh, updated feel. I eventually fell in love with low-rise jeans and even bought a couple pairs of my own. It took some adjusting, but I found ways to style them that suited my personal taste.
Jeans Under Dresses
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Notice a theme here? This next and last trend I will be covering also features jeans, this time under a dress! This trend is arguably more questionable, and people seemed to have split opinions about them. If you are anything like me, you are likely wondering how this look became such a staple for women. You are not alone in this thought and there is an explanation.
This is a trend you either love or hate. Many people of the time loved this combo because it was a happy medium of stylish and casual — people could move around more freely and comfortably without the fear of people accidentally seeing up their dress, and still look fashionable and put together. This trend has very feminist roots that date back to the Women’s Rights Movement, where women wearing an article of clothing made for men (in that case pants) was seen as outrageous. They too did this to be more comfortable, as the attire for women back then was often quite restricting, with lengthy dresses reaching the floor and corsets pulled very tightly against their abdomens.
Men were, unsurprisingly, outraged by this bold move and made the assumption that they did this to spite them. This might be surprising to some of you, but this is probably one of my favorite trends of the time. I just love how flowy it looks and I think it gives people a sophisticated yet down to earth look. While you don’t typically see people wearing a dress with pants nowadays, I think it was an overly hated fashion choice and I might actually try wearing a dress with pants when the opportunity presents itself.