he Y2K—year 2000—aesthetic has taken social media by storm lately. Dresses over jeans, velour tracksuits, and low rise pants: they’ve all made their way back into the mainstream. People are giving in to their nostalgia and revisiting trends from close to twenty five years ago. Kids who weren’t born by 2000 or old enough to experience it fully are diving into what they missed.
Y2K is all about throwbacks, so as you can imagine, Y3K revolves around the future. The Y3K aesthetic is all about interpretations of what year 3000 might look like. As with many futuristic movies and comics, there is a lot of metallic, robotic-looking clothing and accessories. It’s a fascinating spin on an existing trend, so let’s unpack people’s takes on what fashion will look like in nearly one thousand years.
What this article will discuss:
- Y3K outfits
- How to get a futuristic wardrobe
- Y3K hairstyles
- Clips and extensions to style your Y3K hair
- Y3K makeup
- Makeup product recommendations for achieving the Y3K look
- Last thoughts
Y3K Outfits
Image courtesy of My Look.
Many Y3K outfits are primarily white and silver, giving off a cold, robotic look. Another feature of Y3K looks are the shoulder pads. Making the shoulders look boxier or broader fits right in with how bold the aesthetic already is. The big white boots and thick silver belts also help tie the outfits together. Although simple, the outfits definitely make an impression due to how shiny and bright they are.
Image courtesy of Vogue.
Who better to jumpstart a trend than Queen Be? Beyoncé has seemingly graced Y3K with her approval. Unlike the previous outfits shown, these Y3K outfits branch out beyond just white and silver—though they still play an important part in each look. Her whole Renaissance tour has revolved around a futuristic aesthetic. So, let’s deconstruct each of these Y3K styles.
Image courtesy of Tumblr.
The red bodysuit looks straight out of a comic book, especially with the matching sunglasses. What makes it especially stand out are the little details: the handprint, the bit of shimmer all throughout, and the chest plates. While it’s a bit different from the other outfits, it still holds a robotic vibe due to its blocky patterns and metallic chest plate.
Image courtesy of X.
The white and silver dress is a Y3K twist on a standard fancy dress and fur coat. The belt portion almost resembles silver chains coming off the waist, and it complements the silver gloves well. Even with the dress being plain white, it is made of a shiny, satin-like material. These little metallic accents elevate the look and make it truly Y3K.
Image courtesy of The Sun.
The third outfit looks almost like a shattered mirror with its reflective material and sharp patterns. The fit adds to the boldness of the pattern, mainly due to the exaggerated waist and boxy cutoff near the legs. Paired with matching glasses, boots, and gloves, the look is completed.
Image courtesy of Entertainment Tonight.
Lastly, her silver bodysuit paired with a large metallic hat was a staple to the Renaissance tour. This outfit makes Beyoncé look stylishly robotic. The silver accents on her fingers and the connection between her boots and her bodysuit make it look like she is one with the metal she is wearing. The shoulders also seem to be exaggerated in their size, adding to the dramatic flair of this Y3K look.
Image courtesy of Fashionista.
Image courtesy of Teen Vogue.
Shop the Look
Unfortunately, we can’t all have Beyoncé’s wardrobe, but anyone can participate in the Y3K trend, even if you’re not out performing or walking the runway. Below are a bunch of great Y3K-inspired streetwear pieces. These are more for your everyday outfits, just with a slightly futuristic touch!
Image courtesy of Harajuku Streetwear.
This sweater is a super cool way to incorporate the Y3K aesthetic into your everyday outfits. With just a few metal details, a basic white sweater is turned into a futuristic statement piece. The CulturE Y3K Sweater sells for $100 in black, white, and gray. You can style this sweater with plain black trousers or baggy black cargo pants. For accessories, chunky silver rings, silver chain necklaces and bracelets, and silver sunglasses would elevate this look. For shoes, any type of big boots, such as white Doc Martens, can tie the outfit together.
Image courtesy of Boohoo.
Boohoo’s Rhinestone Chainmail Crop Top is simple but far from boring. It’ll make you shine (quite literally) during any night out or casual dinner. You can accessorize this top with silver hoops, chunky rings, chain bracelets and a necklace. Based on the look you are going for, you can switch up what bottoms you wear this top with. For a night out, you could wear it with a black miniskirt or pencil skirt. For a more casual, toned down look, you could wear it with baggy black jeans or cargo pants. You could wear any shoes with them: silver heels, black boots, or even white Air Force 1s or Converses.
Image courtesy of Amazon.
These silver and white Jordan 1 Mid SE are a combination of a fan favorite shoe and the new Y3K aesthetic. These shoes would add a metallic pop to any outfit. These shoes could go with almost anything: jeans, cargoes, a skirt, or a dress.
Y3K Hairstyles and Products
Image courtesy of Pinterest.
This hairstyle is almost effortless, and all you need is a pack of silver hair clips. It looks almost like a helmet, and it is a cool way to add even more silver accents into your look. You can get a fifty pack of silver clips for just $6.99 on Amazon. The clips have 4.6 out of 5 stars and over one thousand customer reviews.
mage courtesy of InStyle.
Hair tinsel is an easy, temporary way to adorn your hair. It also fits perfectly into the silver aesthetic of Y3K fashion. You can get a pack of silver hair tinsel along with the tools necessary to put it in for just $5.19 on Amazon. It has 4.4 out of 5 stars and over two hundred customer reviews. It also comes in multiple colors, so if you want a metallic look but not necessarily in silver, there is also hair tinsel available in blue, purple, pink, and more.
Y3K Makeup and Product Recommendations
Image courtesy of Pinterest.
The best way to add a metallic pop to your usual makeup is by investing in a silver eyeliner! You can pair it with regular black eyeliner or wear it by itself. Either way, it makes your eyes pop and fits the futuristic theme. NYX has a brilliant Metallic Liquid Liner that you can purchase on Amazon for $11. The product has 4.4 out of 5 stars on Amazon and over 12,000 customer reviews. The reviewers loved how the liner stays on all day without a problem!
Image courtesy of Grazia India.
Bleached brows are nothing new, and many people have adopted the barely-there eyebrow look. This trend paired with Y3K is a beautiful mix because light eyebrows make metallic eyeshadow the star of your makeup look. Make sure you go to a trusted stylist if you aren’t confident in bleaching your eyebrows yourself. Or, you can always pack on a generous amount of concealer over your gelled brows to get the look without permanently committing to light brows. A beautiful, highly pigmented silver eyeshadow is e.l.f. Cosmetics’ Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow. The shades “Disco Queen” and “Bling Bling” are awe-striking silvers.
Last Thoughts
Trying to imagine the year 3000 seems impossible, but the creativity and fashion behind Y3K makes it fun to try anyways. As more celebrities have tried it, including Zendaya, Beyoncé, the Kardashians, and Doja Cat, this aesthetic is catching on quickly. The basis of fashion has always been experimentation, so it is super exciting to see such a bold, inquisitive trend erupt. We hope you get to tap into your imagination and put together a look that reflects how you imagine the year 3000!
