Fashion through the 2000’s
Written by Sarah Ross, Former Student on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
From 2000 to 2012 the women’s fashion world has seen not only sophisticated, but also daring new trends. Ranging from faux furs to combat boots, several designers including Pnina Tornai and Giorgio Armani say the 2000’s have been fashion’s greatest years yet.
The year 2000’s hot trends were both bold and sophisticated. A prominent winter trend picked up by designers and purchased by consumers worldwide, was faux fur. This animal friendly trend was created in styles from skirts to vests, and was designed by all designers who wished to stay relevant. The faux fur trend was widely purchased by the middle to upper class, and was designed to fit the life of a glamorous Hollywood star, or a sophisticated business woman.
"You're able to do some things with faux fur you can't do with real fur. Like, you would never make something in real leopard or cheetah,” said designer Dennis Basso.
“Women will buy something in faux not just for how realistic it seems but because of the look and design. It was originally made to imitate fur, but today it stands on its own." said Basso, who created a robust faux fur collection for his Dennis by Dennis Basso Collection for QVC.
As a rising star of the year 2001 became a worldwide icon Britney Spears’ new edgy fashion quickly became a new trend. When Spears’ single ‘Baby one more time’ hit the media, teens nationwide were inspired to push their school’s dress code and show off their midsection. As well as rebellious teens, young Hollywood actress also began purchasing trendy belly shirts. At the 2001 premier of Pirates of the Caribbean, actress Keira Knightley appeared on the red carpet dressed in a cream colored belly shirt.
A brand new trend in the fashion world came early in the year of 2002. This trend was accessible to any social class, but was mostly popular with teens and young adults. The 2002 Camouflage print trend was mass produced, and plastered on anything from sandals to hats. The rise of the camouflage print was so influential in the fashion world in part because of its versatility. Most other trends including faux fur or tweed jackets could only be used for formal wear, but the rise of the camouflage print introduced the ability to not only be used for a pair of fun summer shorts, but also for a stylish winter coat.
One of the more limited trends of the year 2003 was the platform sandal. These sandals were seen on the feet of almost every teenaged girl in America. Not only did these shoes look great, but they also added a few inches of height to every wearer’s body. During the summer of 2003 platform sandal sales increased by about 75%, making the shoes the hottest summer accessory. Unfortunately, the platform flip flop trend only lasted through the summer of 2003, and was never picked up by any respectable designers.
During the year 2004 twin Hollywood stars entered the fashion scene with a new bold look that swept the nation. The trend started by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen was an uncommon style that focused a Bohemian, artsy, and thrift store feel. This trend was called ‘boho’. The boho trend also consisted of several different elements of fashion such as feather earrings, fringe boots, and maxi dresses. The boho trend was most popular with young women and teens, but also drew the attention of high class designers, and their loyal buyers. The trend eventually took a backseat to more prominent ideas, but also made a modern day comeback in the year 2011.
The prevalent trend of the year 2005 appeared in the more sophisticated closets. This trend attracted the confident business women, and the bold dinner party guests. Made of tough unfinished wool fabric, the trend of the year 2005 was tweed material. Tweet material could be made into an array of elegant fashion-must-haves including blazers, dresses, and skirts. Ranged from a price of about 150 -to-600 dollars, this material mainly attracted the upper-class adult female citizens.
In 2006 another trend for the upper class woman exploded the market. This trend was designed for the modern woman, who felt the power to be confident in her own body.
“This is not just for models on a runway,” said Roland Mouret. “This is for real women. The Galaxy celebrates the shape of women’s’ bodies.”
The ‘Galaxy Dress’ by Roland Mouret hit the market march 30th 2006, and instantly became a national phenomenon. Both the designer and the high class look of the dress attracted a range of women looking to show off their elegant bodies, but this task could only be accomplished if the dress’ steep price could be afforded. Ranged from a price of about 1500-to-3000 dollars, the dress was seen mostly on the runway or at high class dinner parties.
The metallic trend of 2007 appeared in almost everyone’s closet in almost every form. Many designers were inspired by the idea of translating the look and feel of harder materials, like metals and resin, into clothes. These clothes have a harder edge, a more futuristic look to them. Accessible to both teen and adult women nationwide, the metallic trend of the 1980s had made its comeback. Although many teens were wearing this trend, major adult runway designers such as Cynthia Rowley and Jimmy Choo, also took an interest in it. The convince of not having to wear the look head to toe was also a factor in the trend’s success.
The layering trend of 2008 was popular among both teen and adult women and was a style that any designer or buyer could adopt. The layering trend was not only used as a cute way to stay warm through the winter months, but also as a more modern way to turn a risqué outfit into an appropriately modest outfit. This trend was popular in part because the buyer had the power to mix and match both designers and designs. If she wanted a Marc Jacobs tank top and a long-sleeved Kate Spade shirt, she now had the ability to fashionably combine the two designs.
The skinny jean trend swept the nations teen and adult female consumers in fall of 2009. Stocking the stores for months, the classic skinny jean could be worn with a sweatshirt and Ugg Boots for a comfy day at school, or a fashionable blouse and a pair of wedges for a busy day at the office. Lasting through the year, the skinny jean trend was highly profitable to designers and stores who carried them.
The combat boot trend of 2010 introduced a chic new way to put an edge on classic style. These boots were mostly popular with teenaged girls. After all the elegant and sophisticated trends, combat boots were used as a way to tone down an outfit that might otherwise have been to elegant to wear. Along with the growing popularity of combat boots, the style of 2010 was also beginning to lean toward the ‘boho’ trend of 2004. Although many designers adopted the trend, the company of Nordstrom’s curated one of the largest selections for a fashion hungry teens.
With combat boots on the scene in 2010, it was no surprise that flirty skirts were the big trend of 2011. With thousands of different prints and hundreds of stores socked full, skirts became trendy to wear at any time of the year for any woman or girl wanting to look stylish and chic. With an array of different skirt designers including Sophia Kokosalaki and Giorgio Armani, fashion conscious women had the power to choose their fashion fate.
