Let's Talk Y2K Dresses: These 6 Trends Are Officially Back

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(Image credit: @bellahadid@devonleecarlson)

No, it's not just you. We're also seeing Y2K trends everywhere we look. The revival is bringing back nearly every single style that was popular in the early 2000s. So far, it's infiltrated everything from shoes (hi, platforms and thong sandals) to denim (cue the low rises and baggy fits), so it should come as no surprise that dresses would be the next category to undergo a redux. We've clocked a number of dress styles from the era that are bubbling up again now.

In a recent report, vintage powerhouse The RealReal called out Y2K dresses as a key trend to shop, noting that styles like handkerchief hems and cowl necklines are selling particularly quickly right now. Celebs such as Bella Hadid and Devon Lee Carlson, whose style influence cannot be understated, are also endorsing Y2K dresses, a surefire sign that they'll be hitting the mainstream very soon. From ruffle hems to halternecks, we're spotting six dress trends that are officially becoming a thing again. Continue on to see and shop them all.

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(Image credit: @bellahadid)

Halterneck dresses may be reminiscent of the early aughts, but they're absolutely everywhere we look in 2022. The modern-day iterations hinge on clean lines and body-hugging fits.

Shop halter dresses:

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(Image credit: @palomija)

I still can't see a drapey hemline without thinking of the early 2000s. The A-list crowd has been reintroducing us to the asymmetric silhouettes in fresh ways that feel very 2022.

Shop handkerchief hems:

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(Image credit: @devonleecarlson)

Thanks to designers such as Versace and Dolce & Gabbana, draped cowl necklines are another dress detail that's surging to the top of the It-girl wardrobe checklist.

Shop cowl necklines:

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(Image credit: @_magda__; Styling: Blumarine Sleeveless Ruffle Dress ($1303))

Ruffle-trim dresses are surging thanks to Blumarine's stunning baby-pink number, but the affordable iterations at Mango and Zara are just as good.

Shop ruffle dresses:

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(Image credit: @dananozime)

Lingerie-inspired dresses were a big thing in the early aughts thanks to the celebs who made them popular on the red carpet. Now, corset dresses are once again making the Hollywood circuit, as seen on Jennifer Lopez and Megan Fox

Shop corset dresses:

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(Image credit: @devonleecarlson)

In a single Instagram post, Devon Lee Carlson put delicate lace trim on our radar as the next nostalgic dress trend to surge.

Shop lace-trim dresses:

Up next, see the six vintage trends that are popping right now.

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Senior Editor

Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.