The Most Popular Y2K Trend in Every U.S. State
Eventually, everything old is new again. Over the years, fashion trends have been a marriage between some things new and some things old. With each iteration of every fad, the new generation has successfully put their spin on things to create something fresh and inspired. Right now, Y2K trends are coming back in full force in the young decade and taking the country by storm.
For this study, we compiled a list of Y2K fashion trends in stores today and analyzed the search interest for each item to see what was the most popular in each state. Are you curious to see if your favorite trends are making a comeback these days? See what Y2K fashion statement is trending in your hometown below.
The Most Y2K-Obsessed States
Trendsetters and influencers in New York and California are leading the Y2K fashion resurgence. The Empire State and sunny California are neck and neck for the most Y2K-obsessed states in the country. Of course, if it is happening all over America, New York City and Los Angeles were the first to do it. Generally, states with larger metropolitan areas scored higher on our Y2K obsess-o-meter, as they were more likely to follow the big city trends.
When it comes to states that are ignoring trends and marching to the beat of their own drums, Wyoming was the least Y2K-obsessed state in the country. Historically, Wyoming has been a haven for cowboys that prefer to do things their way. Butterfly hair clips, platform boots, and Juicy Couture are probably just too tame for the outlaws and bad boys in one of the toughest states in the country.
Every State’s Favorite Y2K Trend
The most searched-for Y2K trend throughout the United States is the scrunchie. Similar to many trends on our list, scrunchies never really disappeared since making their debut in the ’80s. From Hillary Clinton to Lizzo and Gigi Hadid, scrunchies have adorned the heads of our favorite celebrities and public figures for as long as we can remember. Who doesn’t love a good scrunchie? They are cute, convenient, and there for us on our worst hair days.
New Hampshirites, where’s the flood? High waters are booming in the Granite State in the form of Gauchos. Not to be confused with the South American cowboys, Gauchos are wide-legged pants with a cuff ending around mid-calf. Interestingly, this isn’t the Gauchos’ first rodeo; these cowboy pants were in style for a brief period of time during the early to mid-1970s.
French culture has always had a significant influence on Louisianian traditions. From the French Quarter to Mardi Gras, we can trace a lot of what we know Louisiana for today back to its French roots. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the most popular trend in the Pelican State is a bit of a French cliché. Berets are the most searched-for Y2K trend in Louisiana and perhaps one of the most enduring statements in the fashion world. In the streets of Paris through the 1920s and onward, writers, poets, and movie stars transformed the beret from an icon of peasantry into a chic metropolitan staple.
Closing Thoughts
When it comes to fashion, everything old is new again at some point. At the moment, Y2K trends are getting another chance to shine, but don’t give up hope for other iconic eras just yet. From bell-bottoms to platform shoes to low-waisted jeans, there’s a chance some of the most prized possessions in your wardrobe will be hip again in the near future.
If you’re looking for something old or something borrowed for your wedding, we recommend looking through wardrobes past to see if there’s anything worth digging up for your big day. For something new, how about a piece of fine jewelry from Shane Co.? Trust us, bling never goes out of style.
Methodology
To learn which states were the most obsessed with fashion trends from the Y2K era, we identified which fads Americans took to most. We used information from sources like Editorialist, The Vou, Who What Wear, and Swift to determine the most enduring trends from that era. From those sources, we ended up with a list of 31 of the most iconic fashion trends during the Y2K era. Finally, we ran our list of beloved Y2K trends through Google Trends to analyze online search interest over the past five years.
