The Futurist Original

The original Y2K look belongs to the late 1990s and early 2000s, and it's sometimes called cybercore. Its palette was silver and blue, in shiny synthetics like PVC and vinyl. Oval sunglasses and chunky platform shoes went with it. Space and the stars were recurring themes.

White Gloss and a UFO

Start with the white Sculpted Quilted Oversized-Hood Padded Coat ($124.99). It's a cropped, voluminous puffer with a glossy finish, and its quilting curves across the body and sleeves. Sizes run S to XL on the unisex chart, and a woman at 165 cm and 55 kg falls inside its S.

A black UFO graphic fills the front of the off-white UFO Graphic Crop Tee ($59.99). The cotton is distressed at the seams. Its smallest size is a unisex M, charted for 168 to 176 cm. On a shorter woman the boxy M runs roomy.

Stud Low-Rise Bootcut Jeans ($77.99, S to XL) give the cropped tee the low waistband it needs. They flare at the hem. The stretch denim has zip cargo pockets on both thighs.

A wavy lattice is molded over the lenses of the Futuristic Wavy Frame Sunglasses ($27.99). Grey/Light Grey is the palest of their three colorways and goes best with the white coat. Color Block Lace-Up Sneakers in Gray ($91.99, EU 35 to 40) are chunky mesh runners on a thick rubber sole. Their stitching is reflective.

The Matrix in Black

The Matrix (1999) dressed its sci-fi in black. HUNGER describes the look as "small and skimpy black pieces set off by a hulking black jacket." Kym Barrett designed PVC coats for the first film. Trinity's tiny black sunglasses were made by Richard Walker, and she wore them with a skin-tight top and lug-sole boots.

Gloss is as close as our women's collection gets to PVC, and the Detachable Fur Collar Puffer Jacket ($157.99) has it in black. Under the shine the quilting is thick and horizontal. With the shaggy fur collar taken off, a high stand collar is left. It comes in XS to L, though the unisex chart starts at S. Anyone under that S range of 163 cm and 45 kg can go down to the XS.

The black Cut-Out Slim Long Sleeve Tee ($45.99, S to L) has a relaxed slim fit and a round neck. Rows of horizontal slashes cut across the back and show a pale under-layer.

Glossy Silver-Grey Patchwork Double-Waist Track Pants ($55.99, S to 2XL) are shiny black with silver-grey panels and a doubled waistband. Their smallest size is a unisex S. At the waist it fits the upper half of a women's S.

Punk-Style Rivet Small Square Sunglasses in black ($18.99) have narrow frames trimmed with small studs. Ripped Chunky Platform Derby Shoes ($78.99) sit on a chunky lug sole. The upper is black tweed with white diamond stitching. Sizes start at EU 38.

McBling

McBling was heavily pink and covered in bling. Bebe bedazzled baby tees and rhinestone-covered Victoria's Secret PINK yoga pants belong to it. Its visual themes included Gothic fonts like Juicy Couture's and tattoo-style motifs like Ed Hardy's. After 9/11, American-flag clothing joined them. The name dates from 2016, when Evan Collins coined it at the Y2K Aesthetics Institute. By early 2021, Gen Z had brought the style back along with the velour tracksuit.

In our styling guide we suggest keeping an outfit to one loud piece. McBling was maximalist, and most of the outfits here break that rule.

Rhinestone Flames and Thorns

The oversized black Flame Rhinestone Boxy Fit Hoodie ($54.99, S to XL) has rhinestone flames on the sleeves and a rhinestone SUPM script across the chest. The thorn graphics on the Distressed Thorn Rhinestone Shorts ($54.99, S to 2XL) are drawn in the style of an Ed Hardy tattoo and set with rhinestones of mixed sizes. We'd take the shorts in washed black. They're knee-length and wide, on an elastic drawstring waist.

A Cross Link Iced Bracelet ($50.99, silver or gold) adds cross-shaped links covered in stones. Leopard Star Studded Sneakers ($103.99, EU 35 to 45) are black leather high-tops with leopard-print side panels. Silver-tone stars stud their hook-and-loop straps. A hidden wedge adds 3 to 5 cm.

Pink Fleece Over the Flag

This outfit puts McBling's pink over its post-9/11 flag, and velvet sweatpants with rhinestones take the place of the PINK yoga pants.

• Jacket: Pink Camo Embroidered Reversible Fleece Stand-Collar Jacket, $99.99. Hot-pink fleece on one side. The camo side has "supm" embroidered in pink Gothic letters. It's on the unisex chart from S to 2XL, and up to 57 kg the S is the size.
• Top: Flag Print Off-Shoulder Sweatshirt, $66.99, gray, black or white, S to L. It's slightly cropped. Its asymmetric neckline sits off one shoulder.
• Pants: Distressed Rhinestone Sweatpants in gray, $72.99, S to 2XL. Cotton-blend velvet with a soft sheen, and silver-toned rhinestones along the seams and pockets. A women's S takes the unisex S, and the elastic waist lets them sit low on the hips.
• Shoes: Color Block Lace-Up Sneakers in Purple. The pair is cream, with pale lilac laces and trim.

Worn open with the pink side out, the jacket leaves the flag and the bare strip at the waist in view.

A Plush Tracksuit

The velour tracksuit in our styling guide is one cloth and one color from top to bottom. The closest set in our women's collection is the Gold Braid Embellished Plush Zip Hoodie & Wide-Leg Pants Set in black or dark gray. Its plush fabric has a slight luster. Gold braid loops around the pockets and cuffs and along each leg of the pants.

As a set it costs $164.99, against $179.98 for the hoodie ($94.99) and pants ($84.99) bought separately. It comes in S, M and L on the unisex chart. Its S is charted up to 172 cm and 57 kg.

High Street Black And White Board Casual Shoes -1554 ($61.99, EU 36 to 44) are flat low-top board shoes in black and white. On their conversion chart, a US women's 6 is EU 37.

Denim With Rhinestones

Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake arrived at the 2001 American Music Awards in matching denim. Her patchwork denim bustier gown was by Kurt and Bart, and she wore it with a rhinestone choker and a rhinestone wrist cuff.

Zipped all the way, the Napoleon Cropped Denim Jacket ($88.99, blue or white) is the top. It's cropped cotton denim with a round collar and a center zip between two rows of metal buttons. It comes in XS, S and M on the women's chart, and the M is charted up to 170 cm and 60 kg.

The Ripped Studded Low Rise Bootcut Jeans ($85.99, S to XL) come in a faded blue close to the jacket's. They're rigid 100% cotton, flared, with rips and silver pyramid studs. Rigid cotton doesn't stretch. If your waist falls between two sizes on the women's chart, take the larger.

Britney wore her rhinestones at the neck and wrist. Here they go on the hips with the Sparkling Silver Rhinestone Embellishments Belt - 2446 ($47.99). Its glittery silver strap has studs and a rhinestone buckle. On its size chart the 105 cm belt fits a 75 to 85 cm waist and the 115 cm belt fits 85 to 95 cm. Over low-rise jeans the belt sits on the hips, and that's where to measure. At 90 cm around the hips, the 115 cm belt is the one that fits.

Cream Casual White Board Shoes - 1466 ($89.99) are perforated leather on a chunky sole, in EU 35, 36, 38 and 39. Their chart has EU 36 as a US women's 5.5 and EU 38 as a 6.5 to 7. One buyer who wears EU 38 found the 38 a little small and suggested going up a size, though other reviewers call them true to size. A US 6 has room in the 38. A US 7 who follows that buyer would take the 39.

Pop-Punk

An early-2000s pop-punk outfit started with a tank top and black jeans, and rubber bracelets were stacked on the wrists. A tie went over the tank. Suspenders hung from the hips instead of the shoulders. Avril Lavigne was known for the look and wore it with studded belts.

Avril at the 2002 VMAs

Most of what she wore to the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards has a match in our store.

Her camo trousers sat low on the hips, and the sweatpants' elastic waistband can be pulled down to the hip bones for the same line. The flag pin for the tie is yours to add.

Tartan Moved Up to a Shirt

At the KIIS FM Jingle Ball in 2002, Avril wore an asymmetric black crop top, black trousers, a thick white leather belt covered in red stars and a skull-and-crossbones chain necklace. Two years later she paired studded tartan trousers full of zips with a skull babydoll tee. Our version keeps her black top and skull. The tartan moves up to a shirt, and the zips and studs go onto the jeans.

The black Union Jack Graphic Racerback Tank Top ($52.99, S to L) is a fitted racerback with a scoop neck. Metal stars and squares are studded over its faded Union Jack.

We'd leave the Distressed Star Applique Long Sleeve Shirt ($86.99, S to XL) unbuttoned over the tank. It's red and beige plaid flannel in 100% cotton. Black star appliqués sit on the sleeves and upper chest. A row of them crosses the back yoke.

Zips and studs line the waistband of the black Low Rise Multi-Zip Bootcut Jeans ($85.99, S to XL). They're flared stretch denim. Avril's studded belts come back in the Cross Buckle Studded Black Leather Belt ($15.99). It's black leather with silver studs and a large cross-shaped buckle, in one 110 cm length with punched holes.

For the skull, the Engraved Skull Pendant Necklace ($17.99) is a studded alloy skull on a link chain. We chose Four-Point Star Denim Chunky Casual Shoes ($100.99, EU 36 to 46) for their chunky lug sole. Their black canvas upper is edged in faux fur. A small metal star sits at the laces.