Y2K Fashion Glossary

Back in 2007

In 2007 the site carried copies of encyclopedia pages, including entries on lace, tie-dye, hippie style and high school.

Fetch the gel pens! Our Y2K Fashion Glossary is a quick, friendly guide to the words, trends and pieces that defined 2000s style, from baby tees to butterfly clips. Use the links below to jump straight to any term.

Baby tee

A small, fitted T-shirt with short snug sleeves and a cropped or waist-length hem. The signature top of the late ’90s and 2000s, and the very first Dear piece. Wear it with low-rise jeans, cargos or a mini skirt. See our fit guide.

Lace

Delicate open-work fabric that showed up everywhere in the 2000s: lace-trimmed camis peeking out under tees, lace tops layered over tanks and lace hems on skirts. Try a pale icy-blue or white lace top over a baby tee for a soft, dreamy layered look.

Tie-dye

A dyeing technique that creates swirls, spirals and bursts of color by twisting and tying fabric. Y2K tie-dye leaned pastel: think cotton-candy pinks, lilacs and baby blues. Balance a busy tie-dye piece with a solid tee or simple denim.

Boho (hippie)

Short for bohemian, this mid-2000s look borrowed from ’60s and ’70s hippie style: flowy peasant tops, tiered skirts, fringe bags, wide belts slung on the hips and lots of layered jewelry. A fitted tee keeps boho pieces from feeling too heavy.

School looks

Back-to-school style from the 2000s: pleated minis, knee socks, cardigans, polos, preppy plaid, chunky sneakers and a backpack covered in keychains. A baby tee under a cropped cardigan is the easiest modern version.

Low-rise

Jeans, cargos or skirts that sit well below the natural waist, often on the hips. The defining silhouette of the early 2000s, usually paired with a cropped top and a skinny or studded belt. Mid-rise is a comfy modern compromise.

Butterfly clips

Tiny plastic hair clips shaped like butterflies, often glittery or pastel, scattered all over the head or used to pin back twists. Cheap, cute and back in a big way. Their cousins: claw clips, snap clips and zigzag headbands.

Cargo pants

Loose pants with big utility pockets on the legs. In Y2K style they’re often low-rise and baggy, balancing a tiny fitted top perfectly.

Velour tracksuit

A matching zip hoodie and pants set in soft, plushy velour, often in pink or baby blue. The ultimate 2000s comfy-but-cute outfit.

Platform shoes

Shoes, sandals and sneakers with a thick sole that adds height. Platform flip-flops and chunky sneakers were everywhere, and they still pair well with flares and minis.

Shrug

A tiny cropped cardigan that covers only the shoulders and arms. Perfect over a cami or baby tee for a layered 2000s look.

Rhinestones and glitter

Sparkly sew-on or iron-on gems, glitter prints and shimmer finishes on everything from tees to phone cases. The more bling, the more Y2K.

More Y2K and 2000s fashion terms

Ready for the deep cuts? Here are more pieces, beauty trends and style nicknames from the late 90s and 2000s, with tips on how to wear them today.

Baguette bag

A small, slim shoulder bag that tucks right under the arm, named for its long, narrow shape like a loaf of French bread. It’s one of the most recognizable accessories of the early 2000s and is back in a big way, often in satin, sequins, denim or bright patent finishes.

Halter top

A top that ties or fastens behind the neck and leaves the shoulders and back bare. Halters came in satin, crochet, sequins and printed jersey, and were a favorite for parties and summer nights, usually with low-rise jeans or a mini skirt.

Cami (camisole)

A lightweight top with thin spaghetti straps. In the 2000s, camis were layered under sheer tops, over tees and under cardigans, often with a little lace trim along the neckline or hem. Simple, cute and endlessly layerable.

Slip dress

A silky, bias-cut dress with thin straps that looks a bit like lingerie. A classic late-90s and early-2000s move was wearing one over a fitted T-shirt or baby tee, which still looks fresh today.

Trucker hat

A baseball-style cap with a foam front panel and mesh back, often printed with a slogan or logo. Trucker hats were a huge mid-2000s celebrity street-style staple, usually worn with tracksuits, tees and big sunglasses.

Tinted sunglasses

Sunglasses with colored lenses in pink, yellow, blue or orange, often in small oval, rimless or wraparound frames. They’re more about the mood than the shade and add instant 2000s energy to any outfit.

Chunky highlights

A hair trend featuring thick, contrasting stripes of lighter color, often blond against darker hair. Paired with zigzag parts and tiny clips, chunky highlights are a beauty signature of the era that’s making a comeback.

Claw clip

A hinged plastic hair clip with interlocking teeth, used to twist hair up in seconds. Popular in the 90s and early 2000s, claw clips are back as an everyday essential, from tiny pastel versions to big tortoiseshell ones.

Zigzag part

A hair part drawn in a jagged zigzag line instead of a straight line, usually with a comb’s tail. It was a playful early-2000s hairstyle, often finished with butterfly clips or tiny buns.

Lip gloss

Shiny, sticky, often shimmery gloss in sheer pinks and clear shades, sometimes flavored. Roll-on and tube glosses were everywhere in the 2000s, and the glossy lip is as popular as ever.

Body glitter

Shimmering gel or loose glitter for the face, shoulders and collarbones. It’s part of the sparkly rhinestones and glitter family and was a must for school dances and parties.

Bedazzled

Decorated with studs, rhinestones or gems, named after a popular home tool for attaching them. In the 2000s, people bedazzled jeans pockets, tees, belts, phone cases and more.

McBling

A nickname for the flashiest side of 2000s fashion: pink everything, rhinestones, visible logos, velour tracksuits, tiny dogs in tote bags and lots of sparkle. Think “more is more.”

Cyber Y2K

The futuristic side of Y2K style, inspired by the turn of the millennium and early internet culture: metallic and holographic fabrics, chrome accessories, wraparound sunglasses, mesh and translucent plastics.

Mall goth

A darker 2000s look built from mall-store finds: black band tees, striped arm warmers, chain belts, studded accessories, plaid skirts and chunky boots. A cute contrast to the pastel side of the era.

Pop punk style

Skater-meets-punk dressing from the early 2000s: tees with ties, baggy jeans or plaid skirts, studded belts, wristbands and skate shoes. Easy to mix with a fitted baby tee.

Denim on denim

Wearing denim top and bottom, like a jean jacket with jeans or a denim skirt. Some 2000s looks went fully matching; today it’s often styled with two different washes.

Micro mini skirt

A very short skirt, often pleated, denim or satin. Micro minis were a 2000s staple, worn with knee-high boots, platforms or sneakers and a fitted top.

Flare jeans

Jeans that are fitted through the hips and thigh and widen from the knee down. Paired with low-rise waists, they define early-2000s denim, and they balance out a short, fitted top perfectly.

Capri pants

Pants that end mid-calf, very popular in the early 2000s in denim, linen and stretch cotton. Often worn with flip-flops, kitten heels or wedges.

Tube top

A strapless, stretchy top that wraps around the chest. Tube tops came in bright solids, prints and terry cloth, and were often worn with low-rise jeans or under a cropped jacket.

Arm warmers

Knitted or striped fabric tubes worn on the forearms, sometimes fingerless. A quirky 2000s accessory loved by scene and mall-goth styles.

Leg warmers

Knit tubes worn over the calves or ankles, borrowed from dance style. In the 2000s they were worn with skirts and boots or over jeans for a cozy layered look.

Sheepskin boots

Fuzzy, slouchy sheepskin-style boots that were a defining winter look of the 2000s, often worn with mini skirts, sweatpants or velour tracksuits.

Ballet flats

Simple, slipper-like flat shoes with a rounded toe and sometimes a little bow. They were a late-2000s favorite with skinny jeans and are back with skirts, jeans and socks.

Skinny jeans

Very slim jeans that hug the legs all the way to the ankle. By the late 2000s they had taken over from flares, often worn with ballet flats, tall boots or tucked into sheepskin boots.

Empire waist

A silhouette where the waistline sits just under the bust, so the fabric flows out from there. Empire-waist tops and babydoll dresses were everywhere in the late 2000s.

Babydoll top

A loose, flowy top or dress gathered under the bust, often with short puff sleeves, ruffles or ribbons. Sweet, comfy and very late-2000s.

Shrunken cardigan

A cropped, close-fitting cardigan, often in a fine knit or cable knit, worn over camis and tees. It’s the slightly longer cousin of the shrug.

Slogan and graphic tee

Tees printed with cheeky slogans, glitter words, cartoon characters, cherries, hearts and stars. Usually cut in a fitted baby tee shape for the true 2000s look.

Hearts and stars

Two of the sweetest motifs of the era, printed on tees, hoodies, jewelry and hair clips. It’s the same spirit behind the first new Dear piece, the heart-and-star baby tee.

Pastels

Soft, light colors like baby pink, baby blue, lilac and mint. Pastels were a big part of the girly side of 2000s style and pair beautifully with white and denim.

Zip hoodie

A fitted zip-up hooded sweatshirt, often cropped or printed, sometimes with velour or glitter details. Worn open over a tee or tied around the waist.

Charm necklace

A chain hung with small charms like hearts, stars, keys or tiny animals. Layering several charm necklaces was a fun 2000s way to personalize an outfit.

Chain belt

A metal chain worn at the hips, often loosely over low-rise jeans or a dress. Sometimes decorated with charms or rhinestones.

Belly chain

A delicate chain worn around the waist or hips, meant to peek out between a short top and low-rise bottoms.

Mesh top

A sheer, stretchy top made of fine mesh, often printed and layered over a cami or under a baby tee. A key piece of the cyber side of Y2K.

Frosted makeup

Shimmery, icy eyeshadow and lipstick in silver, pale blue and pink. Frosty lids and glossy lips are one of the most recognizable 2000s beauty looks.

How to tell Y2K, 2000s and retro apart

“Y2K” originally described the futuristic, shiny look around the year 2000, but today people use it for 2000s fashion in general. “Vintage” usually means a piece that was actually made decades ago, while “retro” means a brand-new item made in an older style. The new Dear baby tee is retro: freshly made, with a 2000s heart.

Y2K fashion FAQ

What does Y2K mean in fashion?

It’s short for “year 2000” and describes style from the late 1990s and early 2000s: baby tees, low-rise jeans, butterfly clips, velour tracksuits, rhinestones and plenty of pink.

What are the most iconic Y2K pieces?

Baby tees, low-rise flare jeans, cargo pants, velour tracksuits, baguette bags, platform shoes, tinted sunglasses and butterfly clips top most lists.

Is Y2K the same as 2000s fashion?

Today the terms are mostly used interchangeably, though some people use Y2K for the early, futuristic part of the decade and “late 2000s” for the skinny-jeans-and-ballet-flats era.

How do I wear Y2K without looking like a costume?

Pick one or two statement pieces and keep the rest simple. A fitted baby tee with modern jeans and one sparkly accessory is a perfect start. See how to style a baby tee for outfit ideas.

Where can I find my baby tee size?

Our baby tee sizing and fit guide shows how to measure yourself and what a good fit looks like.

Want more? Read about the original Dear line from 2007–2008, browse the Lookbook and Journal, learn about Dear, check the FAQ, join Dear Club or follow Drop News.

Putting it all together

The best part of Y2K style is mixing these pieces your own way. Start with one great basic, like a fitted baby tee, then add one or two trend pieces: low-rise denim and butterfly clips, or a shrug and a mini skirt. Need inspiration? Browse the Dear Lookbook or read how to style a baby tee.

Join the Dear waitlist ♡

Be first to know when the heart-and-star baby tee drops in spring 2027. Pop your email in below and we’ll send a sweet little note the moment it’s ready.