With Sophie Ellis Bextor’s ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ standing at number two in the charts, leopard print pinned as this year’s biggest fashion trend, and perfectly imperfect smudged eyeliner taking over the beauty world, we wouldn’t blame you for thinking that you fell through a Tumblr shaped time machine and woke up in the early/mid 2000s.

Lately, TikTok has been highlighting a sort of collective nostalgia for the era of Skins and Alexa Chung and Alex Turner’s romance. Videos of 2000s TV show characters and misbehaving supermodels are soundtracked by bands like The Strokes, MGMT, and Arctic Monkeys.

Maximalism is finding its way back into the trend cycle, with the clean girl aesthetic losing steam. Skinny scarves, shaggy fur coats, coloured tights, and layered jewellery are popping up in Get Ready with Me’s.

There have been a few different names given to 2000s fashion, from hipster, to Y2K, to rockstar girlfriend. In recent years it’s been dubbed ‘Indie Sleaze’, and trend forecasters, like Mandy Lee (@oldloserinbrooklyn) have predicted its revival for some time now.

@oldloserinbrooklyn Trend forecast: indie sleaze revival #trendcycle #nostalgia #tumblrfashion #indiekid ♬ Sex and the City (Main Theme) – TV Sounds Unlimited

Makeup tutorials on how to get the perfect Effy Stonem smudged eyeliner have been circulating the internet for a few years, but it seems Emerald Fennel’s noughties period piece, Saltburn, has been quite the catalyst for a full-fledged return of the Indie Sleaze aesthetic.

Venetia Catton, played by our very own Alison Oliver, is a key player in this revival. With her eyes constantly circled in liner, her chipped nail polish and dark, grown out roots, she is like a human time capsule.

To remind those who are struggling to recall the hold this style had on many of us, TikTok user Alex Morgan took a stroll down memory lane, showing pictures from when she had explicitly asked her hairdresser to avoid doing her roots when getting her hair bleached. A true sign of the times, you really did just have to be there…

@almorgann Photos pre 2013 are just too funny, i dont know how but i really am living for this indie sleaze era to come back cos i was just that little bit too young to live it fully #saltburn #venetia #indiesleaze #fyp ♬ Loneliness (Benny Benassi Remix) – Tomcraft

If you’re not quite ready to commit to a new hairstyle, but are feeling nostalgic, why not start with an Indie Sleaze makeup look? The beauty is possibly one of the most accessible parts of this trend – you probably have most of the products in your makeup bag already!

Face

Keep your base simple, this was the time before cream contour. Light coverage with your favourite concealer and setting powder and a dusting of powder blush along your cheek bones is all you need.

Eyes

The key to this look is in the eyes. Imagine that you were partying into the small hours of the morning and having too much fun to get your Micellar water out.

Take a black kohl pencil along your waterlines, both top and bottom. Use the tip of your finger to gently smudge this out. Since messier is better with this look, you can also add a bit of black eyeshadow to the liner and buff it out.

All that’s left is to swipe a silver glitter shadow across your lid and add a quick layer of mascara for a true 2000s party look. If you want a more subtle, daytime option, try replacing the black liner with a brown or burgundy.

Lips

A nude lip liner and gloss is a perfect accompaniment to the striking eye makeup, but if you want to go a little further, try a light berry or a red lipstick, lightly smudging it from the centre of your lips outward to give that freshly kissed look.

We’re seeing celebrities give even social media the Indie Sleaze makeover, as seen in casual photo dumps from Kylie Jenner, and Addison Rae’s newest Instagram posts taken with an iPhone 5.

‘Amateur’ looking photos and videos are increasing in popularity again, with Suki Waterhouse making a YouTube channel to showcase her delightfully chaotic take on fashion week, just like her Indie Sleaze It-Girl predecessor, Alexa Chung.

It screams Tumblr.

This 2000s revival is not confined to just the online world. Brands like Ganni have dedicated entire sections of their website to leopard print clothing and accessories, and Celine’s Autumn/Winter show brought noughties indie grunge to the runway in 2023; skinny jeans, glitter, and chunky sunglasses all included.

Some people are not too happy about this revival, and while we do agree that finger-moustaches and fedoras should well and truly stay in the 2010s, there is a lot of fun to be had in indulging in fashion trends of the not-so-distant past.

So, what do you think; will you be rocking polka dot dresses and leopard print scarves in 2024.

Words by Sorcha Lynch 

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