The Old Nollywood Fashion Comeback a.k.a The Y2K Re-Emergence

So many trends have emerged, gone viral and dissipated just as quickly as it came but none has held me as spellbound as the Desperate Chicks trend on TikTok. I think I have probably watched all the videos under the Who Get That Thing sound in that app —that’s how hooked I am.

The trend is fun, catchy and an overall good vibe for both the social media users hopping onto it, and the ones solely watching and admiring them. All you need to partake in this fun trend is to gather the Y2K outfits available at your disposal and then oil up your waist as there’s a whole lot of whining involved for this trend.

If by chance, you’re confused on the first part of the requirements for this trend (the Y2K outfits) or you’re worried that putting together fits that will help you slay this trend, don’t fret, this article has got you covered on both fronts.

The Nigerian Y2K Concept

On Instagram, there are accounts dedicated to preserving and posting nostalgic memories of old
Nollywood movies and their fashionable actors. Some of them are: @yung.nollywood, @nolly.babes and @estatefevercomedy . Nollywood memes of the notable characters of Aki and Pawpaw were integral in the resurfacing of this trend.

Y2K Fashion

Y2K is an acronym that basically means (Year 2 Know) that was popularized in the early 2000s, therefore Y2K fashion encompasses the style of the late 90s to early 2000s.

When I hear Y2K fashion, I immediately picture oversized denim trousers, short skirts ranging from denim to cotton fabrics, halter-neck tops, bootcut jeans, tube tops, chunky sneakers, Spaghetti tops, maxi denim skirts, cropped tops, oversized sports tops, bandanas, denim Jorts, flared jeans to name a few.

Accessories

The accessories from this era include: bucket hats, bold sunglasses, blingy necklaces, berets, hoop earrings, durags, vintage bags, heeled sandals, chokers, dangly earrings, boots, chunky bracelets, studded or statement belts, belly rings etc.

Makeup

The makeup from this era consists of bubblegum glossy lips or red-stained lips lined with black or brown lip liner; dramatic eyeliner; bold eyeshadows; thinly shaved eyebrows; and a properly powdered face with a beauty spot to boot. The old nollywood babes didn’t really do too much in this category –the clothes and accessories already did the work.

Hair

Micro braids or Anita Baker haircuts or wigs, locs or dreaded hairs, Afro wigs or hair, ‘Ghana weaving’ etc.

Curating Y2K Outfits

Luckily for the fashion girls and boys that are eager to hop on this moving train, this trend is not as expensive as one would think. The key thing to remember when styling yourself is to accessorize. Accessories readily tie up any look. Below are some tips to get you started:

Bottoms

In 2024, you’d be hard pressed to not have any bottoms matching this aesthetic. From palazzo trousers to maxi denim skirts and denim Jorts, there’s a wide array of bottom options now more than ever.

Tops

Older, female gen Zs (and the younger millennials) are familiar with “show-back tops”, spaghetti singlets, strappy and halter neck tops. Vintage shirts can also go with this aesthetic, as well as crop or tank tops.

Makeup

I love that this trend doesn’t require you to have or purchase expensive makeup. If you have an eye pencil (which can double as a lip liner when the need arises), lipgloss and foundation powder, you’re basically set. Remember, the glossier your lips, the better.

Shoes

Heels of any type can work for this aesthetic as well as chunky sneakers, platform shoes and sandals.

Conclusion

As a last resort, If you’re hard on cash and you can’t style clothes from your wardrobe to match this aesthetic, you can easily raid your mom or dad’s wardrobe from when they were in their roaring 20s, that’s what I do *wink*.