Looking Back at Memorable Ladies Fashion Trends of the 2000s

It seems hard to believe that the very first decade of the 21st Century is drawing to a close. Looking back, my own opinion on fashion from this past decade is nothing but positive. In the 90s, it was all about dressing down in bland neutral colors with minimal jewelry, a very simple style. That is all well and good, but for someone who loves fashion such as myself, I adore a palette of striking colors, fun accessories, and the opportunity to really stand out in a crowd. The 2000s certainly offered all of that plus a lot more. Here are just a few looks for women that really stood out this past decade.

I would perhaps best sum up the 2000s as glitzy, colorful, and in your face. In a way, it was sort of a throwback to the style of the 1980s, where bigger was better and nothing was downplayed. With over the top stars such as Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lady GaGa flaunting their wild styles and the popular HBO TV series Sex and The City influencing fashion designers, women had the perfect opportunity to make a statement with their clothes. Bright colors such as hot pink and neon green made a comeback, as did floral prints, polka dots, and metallic fabrics. A popular look for dressing up for a night on the town was a pair of flared jeans with spiky stiletto heels and a fancy top paired with a small, fitted blazer. For dressing down, a velour track suit made popular by Juicy Couture was just perfect. As for the look of the career women in the 2000s, straight black slacks with colorful button up shirts were all the rage, as were circle skirts and lady like blouses with 3 quarter sleeves. No matter what your style consisted of, one prominent theme in this decade was looking like you just stepped off the Red Carpet. Looking glamourous was what a stylish woman set out to achieve, whether she was wearing a sparkly evening gown or a pair of denim capris with flip-flops.

Accessories played a huge role in ladies fashion in the 2000s. Huge, clunky, plastic jewelry made a comeback as did over sized belts and scarves. Colorful flower pins made out of fabric were all the rage in the early part of the decade thanks to Carrie Bradshaw aka Sarah Jessica Parker, and over sized sunglasses were worn by many Hollywood starlets. Handbags by designers Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade and Coach were very hot commodities and a reasonable way for any style conscious lady to invest in a brand name. Shoes for women ran the gamut of spiky heels, flats, Ugg Boots, flip-flops and wedges. Sneakers also went from the basic 'old school' style with laces to sleek, slip ons which were usually worn with velour track suits. Women had no excuses in this past decade to commit the ultimate fashion faux pas aka the visable panty line no thanks to the thong, made popular by Sisqo's 2000 summer hit 'The Thong Song' and retaining its popularity ever since. Finally, who could forget all of that 'bling'? While the average person couldn't afford to wear millions of dollars worth of diamonds, rhinestones became a wardrobe stable and a fun way for any girl to glitter like a movie star, in particular with a necklace with her own initial on it as monogrammed items were big.

While fashion moved forward in the 2000s, for many designers and fashionistas, it was also an era of moving backwards. Retro looks inspired by the Golden Era of the 1950s and early 1960s became huge, especially in the latter part of the decade. Conservative dresses, pencil skirts, kitten heels, antique brooches, and mini beehives are all the rage in fashion as of Fall of 2009 no thanks in part to the popular AMC drama 'Mad Men' and the stylish First Lady Michelle Obama who according to Vogue magazine draws inspiration from Jackie Onassis. Sweet, feminine blouses made of lace and chiffon were also a nice alternative to the girl who wanted a soft, classic look in this decade.

From wild and crazy, to sweet and girly, it has been an era to remember and one I truly loved being a part of. So, what lies ahead for the upcoming decade, the 'teens'? Well, from what I can tell it looks like the 2000s continued, only with even more looks and styles to choose from! The popular website Modcloth is perhaps the forerunner for the look of 2010, which is all about self expression and creating a look that is all YOU! On the horizon I see leggings, flat slouchy boots, plaids, veil hats, pin-up shorts, and super-clunky high heels. Only time will tell though, when I am sitting here ten years from now with my review of fashions of the '2010s'!

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000%E2%80%932009_in_fashion

http://celebrity-fashion.suite101.com/article.cfm/sex_and_the_city_fashion

http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/0,,20250008,00.html

http://blogs.amctv.com/mad-men/fashion-file/