Top 10 2000s TV Shows with the Most Outrageous Fashion
#10: “Hannah Montana” (2006-11)
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As an ordinary teenage girl by day and a pop star by night, of course Miley Stewart and her alter ego Hannah Montana would need two drastically different styles. This meant country western and bohemian styles for Miley, and bright neons, animal prints, and sequins for Hannah. Her best friend Lilly also alternates between a laid-back skater girl chic and a more glammed-up look with brightly colored wigs when she became Hannah’s friend Lola. But of course, even with all the varying looks of the characters and secret identities, a common thread with any outfit in the series was an absolute obsession with layering, as any fan will remember trying so hard to replicate.
#9: “Ugly Betty” (2006-10)
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This show follows a young and driven but woefully unstylish girl as she navigates the world of the high fashion magazine she landed herself a job at. All the characters around her is dressed to fit the most cutting edge trends at the time, meaning that soon after the show aired these audacious outfits became instantly outdated. Rewatching this series today, it’s pretty funny seeing characters scolding Betty for some fashion faux pas when they’re wearing clothes no one has likely considered fashionable since 2006. “Ugly Betty” is like a perfectly preserved time capsule of high fashion in the 2000s, where every outfit captures a beloved trend we once wore proudly.
#8: “That’s So Raven” (2003-07)
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Raven Baxter isn’t just a teenage psychic; she’s also an aspiring fashion designer who sets out to make her dreams known with every iconic outfit she wears. Some of her style signatures include colorful faux fur trimmed jackets and hair accessories like bandanas and flower hair clips, which she often wears to round out her bold ensembles. More than just a fashion trendsetter at her high school, Raven was also an outspoken advocate for body positivity, an important issue for young girls both in the noughties and today. Raven, along with many other outrageous and iconic characters in the series, absolutely embody the trends and fads of the early 2000s.
#7: “Pushing Daisies” (2007-09)
This whimsical comedy-mystery series from the late 2000s featured bright and cheerful outfits that were in direct contrast with the show’s dark subject matter of grisly murder investigations and death in general. Though obviously influenced by fashion trends of the time, costume designer Robert Blackman also took inspiration from decades past, especially the 1950s and 60s. The result of these influences is an early 21st century take on vintage silhouettes and patterns, especially seen in Chuck’s many bright and bold dresses. This unique show was anything but ordinary and simple, down to the outrageous but still very visually pleasing costumes that went beyond the limits of what was considered in style at the time.
#6: “Charmed” (1998-2006)
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This supernatural series is a textbook example of transitioning fashion trends from the late ‘90s to the early 2000s. The three Halliwell sisters had impeccably enviable fashion sense for every girl who wasn’t into the hot pink rhinestone look sported by the likes of Paris Hilton, resulting in warm autumnal and berry colors that perfectly complemented the show’s witchy vibes. The sisters still stayed on trend with their affinity for halter tops, low rise jeans, and exposed midriffs. You probably wanted every piece of clothing they owned, even though it would all likely be sitting in the back of your closet today, waiting for these iconic and bold looks to come back into style.
#5: “The O.C.” (2003-07)
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For teenagers in the early 2000s, this series was a glimpse into the highly fashionable upper class world in Orange County, California that served as endless fashion inspiration and aspiration. For the teens of the O.C., status was everything, and a large part of displaying one’s social status included clothing. Today, however, it’s hard to imagine many of these outfits being impressive or enviable in such a competitive and wealthy community. The brightly colored preppy polo shirts and sweaters, graphic tees, and an overabundance of accessories definitely seem a bit dated today. Although, with rumors that low rise jeans are coming back in style, some of these outfits might not seem so terrible in the near future.
#4: “Gossip Girl” (2007-12)
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As essentially the east coast counterpart to “The O.C.”’s wealthy and stylish California teens, “Gossip Girl” featured a wide variety of styles and trendy looks for the time. The contrast between Blair’s preppy style and Serena’s bohemian inspired looks meant in just one frame you could find a dozen different classic 2000s styles. Beyond just Blair and Serena, seemingly every character in this series dressed to impress for every occasion. Anyone who had to wear a uniform to school was definitely jealous of the unique fashion choices these privileged students got away with, as they definitely capitalized on the excess of accessories that were on trend in the 2000s.
#3: “Lizzie McGuire” (2001-04)
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For noughties kids, this series was like a fashion bible. Every outfit Lizzie wore was meticulously on trend, down to her hair accessories. Unfortunately that means that today, her clothes are pretty much head to toe out of style. But even if we wouldn’t wear these outfits now doesn’t change the fact that Lizzie was an inspirational trendsetting fashion icon for older children of the early 2000s, and we really respect the confidence she had to rock these outfits everyday at school. If Lizzie was self-assured enough to pull off mixed patterns and long denim skirts, it’s no wonder she so easily stepped into the role of a famous Italian pop star in “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.”
#2: “The Simple Life” (2003-07)
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Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie may have left their cell phones and credit cards behind in this iconic 2000s reality show, but they brought their wardrobe of outlandish clothing with them wherever they went. This was completely unsurprising - after all, we have Paris to thank for pioneering massively popular early 21st century trends like Juicy Couture tracksuits and Von Dutch hats. With this series documenting Paris and Nicole’s experiences leaving their socialite circle, the contrast between their trendy but outrageous outfits with the more average, everyday styles of practically everyone else around them is endlessly entertaining. They may appear to be ridiculous outfits now, but they definitely hold a special place in fashion history.
#1: “Sex and the City” (1998-2004)
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This series didn’t just follow the trends of the 2000s; it set them. First premiering in 1998 and featuring a main cast of four stylish, sophisticated, and professional women, this show essentially set the stage for fashion in the 2000s. A lot of these outfits were iconic but also pretty impractical, even for television. As seemingly every outfit needed a matching set of heels, their feet would have probably been dead tired after walking around New York City all day. Carrie especially had some questionably out there fashion choices, like her tulle skirts and hats that didn’t quite match the rest of her ensemble. But, no matter how absurd these outfits look today, these ladies are the ultimate fashion role models for fans of the 2000s.
