10 Early '00s Celeb Outfits We'd Actually Wear Today

The early aughts are having a huge comeback, and, in a fit of nostalgia, it feels appropriate to look back in time and check out celeb fits from this era that would genuinely still look good today. The Y2K era aesthetic has circled through the fashion orbit and is now back as a trendy concept, and this is why there are so many looks from the era that have come back around. 

Fashion is cyclical, and resurfaced trends emerge all the time. There are several throwback fashion trends that only Gen X will remember wearing, but somehow seem relevant all over again. This relevance applies to key styling choices from the early 2000s, too. The low-rise jeans, the handkerchief hems, the corset tops, the love of capris, and halter tops are all happily coming back. The same goes for skirts over pants, a daring choice that can pay dividends when done properly. Not all of it is lovely, though. There are outdated hair trends from the early 2000s that we're terrified to see make a comeback. While some things should just stay in the past, there are a lot of treasures from the early aughts, and it's time to get whimsical about these looks.

Nicole Richie stepped out in a bold look in April 2002 when she attended the Vogue Takes Beverly Hills Grey Goose party. In the most early 2000s look imaginable, Richie draped a strapless dress over a pair of blue pants. Not to be missed was her frosty blue eyeshadow, another notable mention from the era. But the dress-over-pants trend has returned (one can equally slay with a skirt-over-pants if desired), and so Richie's daring fit is a fashion inspiration. For further help, there are ways to style the dress over pants trend without feeling ridiculous. 

Paris Hilton's style evolution has been a sight to see. And our favorite blond party girl was everything in the early 2000s, and she was everybody's fashion icon, too. One look of hers in particular that is gorgeous all over again was her pink handkerchief skirt and flower halter top which Hilton wore to the MTV Video Music Awards in New York on August 29, 2002. Handkerchief hemlines are back in style in a big way, thanks to the whimsical, flirty movement they lend to an outfit.

Kerry Washington understood the visual impact of a denim maxi skirt when she attended the premiere of "Young Adam" in New York in October 2003. The dramatic length, made that much more impactful thanks to the ample thickness of denim itself, was quintessential Y2K fashion. For maxi skirt lovers everywhere, the denim maxi skirt is making a comeback in fresh, innovative ways. Amplify the preppy possibilities with loafers or enjoy the warmth of summer with a pair of kitten heels.

Kate Moss exhibited the power of simple basics. In June 2001, she went to a party at Bungalow 8 in New York wearing the perfect early 2000s party outfit. She paired a white halter top with a sheer, asymmetrical beige skirt with lace detailing, along with tonal, thin-strap heels. Slim-fit halter tops, as well as counterparts like the tube top, were a staple of the era and are back in style again. Moss gave a masterclass in styling it, balancing its simplicity with a flirty skirt. 

Carmen Electra absolutely rocked a burgundy fur coat with a matching crop top when she rang in the New Year in 2001. Fur then fell out of fashion; from around 2010 to 2021, wearing fur became stigmatized, and the style became all but obsolete. Curiously enough, fur began to pick up momentum again, popularized with the mob wife aesthetic popularized on TikTok. So Electra's once-scandalous look is right back in style. 

Ming Na looked like absolute Y2K perfection when she attended the TV Guide Awards in March 2000. Her floor-grazing skirt had something of a prom queen vibe about it, and we love it. She styled the dove-grey silk skirt with a crop top, a small, glitzy grey purse, and a long necklace. Everything about Na's look is trendy again. Extra-long silk skirts are trending again; better yet, they look great with tiny crop tops. Bonus points for the impracticably long chain. 

Taraji P. Henson sported the cutest Y2K street style when she attended the premiere of "Baby Boy" in June 2001. Henson styled a very short, black mini skirt with a beaded butterfly halter top. Adding to this perfection, Henson put a brown, silk rose in her hair. Mini skirts have made a massive resurgence thanks to ongoing nostalgia around fashion in the early 2000s. It's not just the mini skirt, though. Butterfly tops, another beloved throwback from the early aughts, are trending again. Clearly, Henson had it going on. 

Jennifer Aniston dazzled the world in her peach silk Dior dress at the Emmy Awards in 2002. The long, silk dress was early 2000s perfection, but what made it even better was Aniston's tonal neck scarf that fluttered behind her. Her tousled beach waves only added to the dazzle. The scarf dress trend — matching a dress and a silk neck scarf — has proven to be one of the biggest trends again in recent years, proving that Aniston had a knack for timeless style. 

Gwen Stefani was a fashion icon of the early aughts, and her love of capris was a big part of the zeitgeist back then. When she attended the VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards in October 2001, Stefani made a bold choice, paring wide-leg capris with a mesh top and black and red bralette. These daring bottoms, along with an ab-baring top, have proven stylish again. Taking a page out of Stefani's book, the modern styling of capris is rich with layering and embellishment. 

Lucy Liu showed how perfect a gown can be when it has a cowl neckline at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in March 2000. She wore a teal gown, rich in draping, and this included soft, romantic folding around her neckline. In ideal Y2K style, she wore her hair in an updo with face-framing pieces. Cowl necklines are trending yet again on both dresses and tops because of their timeless, classic appeal, and there's no denying that Liu's look would have a place on a red carpet today.