The 2000s came with a lot of things we didn’t expect. Things that were completely off the grid from the previous years. Unlike the years before, 2000 was a game changer, and it sparked a revolution in music, food, and fashion.
Hip-hop fashion was one of the elements that defined this season. The music genre birthed its style, influencing millions of people worldwide.
Most of the 2000 hip-hop styles are still relevant today.
Here are 15 hip-hop outfit ideas from 2000 still dominating fashion discussions today.
Hip hop 2000s fashion:
1. Letterman jackets
Letterman jackets were high school and college uniforms given to students as forms of identification, and some of their achievements were printed on them. What better way to show off your honors as a student than wearing the jacket everywhere you go? In the late 90s and early 2000s, this style transcended from school jackets to a huge statement in hip hop as artists started wearing them too, making the jacket the go-to for a typical hip-hop look.
2. Ed Hardy tee shirts
These were tee shirts that had graffiti all over them. They were shirts that helped people express themselves because there were many design options, from skulls and crossbones to roses, bleeding hearts, snakes, and whatnot. They were what the cool kids wore before hip-hop adopted them, and they soon became hip-hop trademarks. And since hip-hop artists wore them, fans naturally followed in their steps.
3. Colored sunglasses
Nobody was caught on a sunny day without colored sunglasses. Celebrities back then, like Sean Paul and P.Diddy, made sure they wore at least two colored sunglasses in their music videos, making it a worldwide sensation. Everybody wanted in; nobody wanted to be left out of the trend. It faded out at some point when other designer sunglasses evolved, but there was no stopping this symbol that carries the core of hip hop, and to date, we still see it everywhere, even among celebrities.
4. Slim cut jeans
Before the 2000s, slim jeans seemed ridiculous until someone wore them, and they didn’t seem so ridiculous anymore. Slim jeans replaced baggy trousers very fast, and the baggy jeans have a hard time returning. But imagine, though, wearing jeans that were two sizes too big? My goodness! 🤣. Celebrities like Pharrell were the first to open our eyes to how cool slim-cut jeans were, and since then, we haven’t looked back.
5. Flannel shirts
To date, flannel shirts are still as cool as they were when they first came out. They were stylish; the best part was that women could wear them. Flannel shirts were first made famous by the Latin American hip hop artists who always wore them in their music videos, with bandanas tied on their heads. It was such an awesome combo that, before long, it caught the attention of everyone, and it’s still one of the styles that rule the hip-hop world.
6. V-neck sweaters
When V-neck sweaters came out, we couldn’t hold our excitement. They were an instant revelation to the fashion world—V-neck sweaters, especially those with patches at the elbow. In the 2000s, hip-hop artists jumped on the trend, and we were glad to follow. Everywhere you turned, an artist was wearing one. It was even better in winter; you could keep warm and still look cool because of V-neck sweaters, which still warm our hearts and bodies to this day.
7. Oversized shirts
This was a funny fashion item because we couldn’t understand why this made much impact, but if 50 Cent wore it, it was worth it. It was the style of the century, and everybody wore it. It was stylish, hip, and hop, and we wanted that too. Today oversized shirts are still in style because, aside from their beautiful style, they are also super comfortable to wear.
8. Tracksuits
When the 2000s came, tracksuits weren’t used for sports anymore. Instead, they became a fashion item, and men and women wore them as regular clothes, becoming an item for everyone. Hip-hop artists wore them in their music videos, concerts, and even award shows; not long after, everyone caught the bug; it gave us a good kind of fever, and even today, we still like the feeling that casual tracksuits bring.
9. Graphic tee-shirts
Plain shirts weren’t enough for youngsters back in the early 2000s; they wanted more and more they got. They printed all sorts of messages and poems, anything they wanted. Soon designers picked up the hint and made it a trend. Hip-hop artists wrote their lyrics on shirts and designed their idols on shirts, and soon everyone did it and still does it. One time, a guy proposed to his girlfriend with a graphic tee shirt. How romantic is that? 😍😍😍
10. Huge jewelry
Nelly and 50 Cent were why jewelry became so expensive in the market in the early days of Fame. They wore colossal jewelry and more than one. Every guy wanted to be like them. It looked so cool yet expensive, but who cares about expense if it would make all the girls want to talk to you? Jewelry is still a huge part of hip-hop, even in 2022.
11. Baseball jerseys
We doubt if the real baseball clubs had enough jerseys for their team, as everyone wore one. It was one of the highlights of the 2000s, it was what all the cool guys wore, and all the girls wanted to hang out with the boys who wore them. It was the hip-hop style. It was a simple style yet had so much impact and still does to date.
12. Durags
Durags are made of silk, designed to protect the hair. Boys who kept an afro or braided their hair wore durags to bed to protect their hair from fizz and drying out, but with the rise of hip hop, artists like Ja Rule wore them, and it became a worldwide fashion item. It was worn on every occasion, especially for shows and for music video shoots.
13. Headbands
Artists who didn’t fancy durags went for headbands instead. Some did both on different occasions, and their fans did the same. Those who followed artists who wore durags wore durags, and those whose idols wore headbands wore headbands, so it was a competition between durags and headbands. For some, it was simply not a matter of choice; they wore both whenever an occasion called for it.
14. Hoodies
When the fashion craze started in the 2000s, and people wanted a chance to explore, it didn’t matter if it was winter, autumn, or summer; they wanted to wear hoodies whenever they felt like it. Hoodies were a signature outfit worn with slim-cut jeans and Jordans. That was the ultimate fashion goal that was made famous by hip-hop artists. They made wearing hoodies look so cool, and we want to look cool too.
15. Jordan sneakers
Though the first Jordan sneakers were released in 1985, youngsters in the 2000s didn’t mind. It made them feel on top of the world; it gave them wings, and everyone wanted some of that feeling. Hip-hop artists made it a tradition to wear Jordans everywhere, not to talk of Basketballers and the elites of society then. You could be considered an outcast if you don’t own a pair of Jordan sneakers. The pressure was real. If you wanted to be identified as a fan of hip hop, you had to own Jordans.
Conclusion
The early 2000 was a fun and colorful time. Many hip-hop stars came to the limelight, bringing their own fashion with them. Clothes, shoes, bags, hair, and even the tiniest items mattered, and from the early 2000s till date, we have had tremendous changes in the fashion world that we are so thankful for. Hip-hop has changed lives in many ways; it has given us vibes, rhythm, and hope. If we didn’t have all that, we don’t know what the world would be like today. Thank Heavens for hip-hop!
