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The early 2000s were a wild, arguably tragic time for fashion: Some of the “greatest” hits of the era included embroidered low-rise jeans, Von Dutch hats, cowl-neck tops, dresses over jeans and Ugg boots in every colour of the rainbow.
Anything went at the start of the noughties – and the chill of autumn gave celebrities even more of an opportunity to let their fashion freak flag fly: So much ugly fur! Head-to-toe denim! Those long, stringy scarves everyone seemed to have bought in bulk!
But words are getting in the way here. Instead of telling you, we’ll show you. Below, we present a visual ode to fall fashion that could only come from the early noughties.
Denim outerwear had a moment. (Even better when you could accessorise with Timberland heels.)
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Jay-Z and Beyonce, 2002
Fur that looked like you killed a "Sesame Street" character. Also: JNCO-style jeans.
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Britney Spears, 2003
WHEW.
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Lil' Kim, 2000
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Seriously, how many "Sesame Street" animals had to die for fashion?
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Pink, 2000
If you wanted to wear a summer dress in autumn but it was chilly, you'd just slip jeans underneath and called it a lewk.
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Kelly Clarkson, 2002
Did you even live if you didn't own a pair of Uggs?
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Eva Longoria, 2004
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Uggs were life.
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Beyonce, 2004
Everyone had a Juicy Couture velour tracksuit (or knockoff), and long skinny scarves were everywhere.
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Lindsay Lohan, 2002
Chunky highlights, stringy scarves, can't lose.
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Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson, 2003
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Seriously, the stringier the scarf, the better. (Also, Ewan McGregor in eyeliner -- also very early 2000s -- how *you* doin'?)
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Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, 2001
Even J.Lo fell prey to skinny scarf-mania. (Also, please enjoy this Bennifer 1.0 sighting.)
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J.Lo and Ben Affleck, 2002
People wore oversized newsboy caps to New York Fashion Week! (And Britney Spears' pal wore a Confederate flag tee -- what a difference 20 years makes!)
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Britney Spears, 2002
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Abs – especially Usher's abs – were the ultimate fall fashion accessory.
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Usher, 2000
Ashlee Simpson understood the assignment. (The assignment here: "Kid Rock After-Party for the American Music Awards.")
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Ashlee Simpson, 2003
So did Kaley Cuoco.
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Kaley Cuoco, 2003
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The movie Wild Wild West was still very much the aesthetic. (Did you recognise RuPaul here?)
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RuPaul, 2000
Again with the loose Western wear.
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Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, 2001
Steven Seagal made this leather jacket happen because of course he did.
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Jamie Foxx and Steven Seagal, 2004
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You know that fashion axiom, "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off"? The early 2000s never did!
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Ashley Tisdale, 2004
A lot going on here: Frosted tips! Lots of leather. Fur! Bedazzled denim!
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'N Sync, 2000
Little-known fact: Paris Hilton in The Simple Life was the fashion inspo for Tom Hardy's Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.
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Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton, 2004
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The Lord of the Rings dudes give a demonstration on how regular dudes dressed in the early '00s.
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Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd and Orlando Bloom, 2002
From Sean Jean to Rocawear, hip-hop clothing brands were in. Here's Dr. Dre in Phat Farm, narrowly escaping death by Eminem clones. (The worst kind of death!)
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Dr. Dre, 2000
It was OK to look like straight Pepto Bismol on national television.
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Vanessa Minnillo Lachey and Raven Symone, 2004
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Sexy capris were definitely a thing.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs and Mya, 2003
And lastly, a greatest hits of '00s fashion! Fedora: check. Fancy capris: check. Belted look: check. No conceivable color scheme evident: CHECK.
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Christina Aguilera, 2002