6 Best 2000s TV Shows We’re Tapping For Style Inspo In 2023

It’s been 20 years since The O.C. first hit our screens, but one look at our wishlists right now and you’d think the noughties had never left. The series follows troubled outsider Ryan Atwood as he’s adopted into the wealthy AF Cohen family and, by extension, the rich kids of Newport Beach, Orange County. But once you’d settled the Team Ryan vs Seth debate, it was the wardrobes of Marissa Cooper (Misha Barton) and Summer Roberts (Rachel Bilson) we kept coming back for each week. Think ballet flats, belts on everything, and the perfect pair of Prada sunglasses.

AKA the reality show that catapulted Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie to pop culture icon status. The premise? Simple. Two nepo baby BFFs trade their phones, bank balances and A-list social calendars for a taste of the simple life. From farm work in Arkansas (in cowboy boots, because ofc) to catching crawfish, sausage-making, interning and camp counselling, there was no scenario too *normal* for these OG influencers to tackle in their pink pickup truck. Learning what a laundromat is? That’s hot. 

If The O.C. was expectation, Laguna Beach was reality… But after a weekend of binge-watching, you’d be forgiven if the storylines start to blur. This iconic MTV series followed the ~*~drama-filled~*~ lives of Laguna Beach High School seniors, putting cast members like Lauren Conrad, Kristin Cavallari and Lo Bosworth on the map. Between the love triangles and house parties, a new wave of wardrobe must-haves emerged: low-rise denim, layered camis and brown gradient shades.

Lauren Conrad stans didn’t have to wait long between iconic theme songs, with The Hills picking up almost exactly where we left off. For six seasons, we followed the personal and professional lives of Conrad and co. in Los Angeles – toxic boyfriends, fashion internships and every oversized tote bag along the way. If, like me, you feverishly recreated every outfit Conrad wore, you’re recovering from an excess of bootcut jeans, headbands and a codependent relationship with your original ghd straightener. 

Good morning, Upper Eastsiders… The O.C. walked so Gossip Girl could run, with the eponymous anonymous blogger chronicling drama and airing dirty laundry of the Upper East Side’s highschool elite. And while we were hooked on who hooked up with who, it was the insanely unattainable wardrobes of Blair (leighton Meester) and Serena (Blake Lively) that had us in a chokehold. Whether it was a pair of peep-toe platform heels or polished Old Money accessories, the show’s costume designer Eric Daman had me convinced that all I needed was the right wardrobe to nab early acceptance to Yale.

Whether you consider yourself a Carrie or a Samantha (or a Charlotte with a Miranda rising), this HBO juggernaut served style inspo for everyone. SATC followed four women as they navigate love, sex, work and friendships against a glittering New York backdrop – as you do. And while we can’t thank Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) for perpetuating unrealistic real-estate-to-journalist-salary stereotypes, we will thank her for the way she revolutionised our Going Out™ wardrobes.