Millennials look away! Return of noughties fashion leaves older generations with ‘PTSD’ as Gen Z revive disc belts, bandage dresses and peplum tops

Millennials who lived through fashion fads of the 2000s have claimed they’re suffering from ‘PTSD’ as the younger generations bring back noughties trends.

The generation, which was born between approximately 1981 and 1996, have long been mocked by younger peers, known as Gen Z, for their fashion trends. 

But, as the fashion cycle makes another 360 degree turn, some of the very same trends for which Gen Z once mocked millennials are making their way back onto the high street – much to the dismay of the generation who lived through them the first time around. 

Trends like gypsy skirts paired with disc belts, Ed Hardy branded merchandise and peplum tops are officially back in fashion, with influencers and celebrities of all ages embracing them. 

In scenes reminiscent of 2009, Molly-Mae Hague, 26, was snapped wearing a black peplum top for New Year’s Eve celebrations, whereas style icons Hailey Bieber, 28, and Nadia Bartel, 40, were seen proudly donning the controversial Capri pants. 

Even Gen Alpha seems fascinated by chunky belts after finding out Hollywood stars such as Kim Kardashian, Hayden Panettiere and Keira Knightley wore them to film festivals in their heyday.

But many millennials argue that such 2000s trends should be left in the past where they belong.

‘They make me feel old in my 30s,’ said one TikTok viewer about Capri pants, while another described them as ‘the work of the devil’.

Gen Z have worked hard to ensure that fashion doesn’t have to be uncomfortable by popularising baggy jeans, white trainers and the athleisure look… but it appears they’re starting to warm to Millennial-core. 

Chunky belts  

It was an essential summer accessory in the noughties, to be paired with gypsy skirts, jeans, or linen trousers – and now the chunky disc belt appears to be making a comeback.  

Nina Dixon, the wife of the SpudBros founder, filmed her daughter in Primark holding up a burgundy studded disc belt, which many millennials will remember wearing in their school days in the 90s and early noughties.

She told her mother that she wanted to purchase the accessory for her summer holiday which shocked Nina, who wore the accessory in her teenage years. 

She said to her daughter: ‘You do realise that when we were about 14, that’s what we used to wear. We thought that we were really cool and we’ve bullied them ever since that and now they’ve made this comeback and you’re saying it’s nice.’

Boho fashion appears to be ‘chic’ again after it was seen at the Chloe catwalk at Paris Fashion Week, where the AW24 collection was awash with floaty white blouses, ruffled chiffon and fringed jackets.

Many youngsters are now looking at role models Kate Moss and Sienna Miller for fashion inspiration, especially at the height of festival season. 

Nina said: ‘I can’t actually believe they’ve actually made a comeback.

‘I feel a bit of PTSD to tell you the truth, I’m not even going to lie.’

Her daughter said she wanted to buy the belt and Nina remarked: ‘They might go back around when you grow up.’ 

She captioned the video: ‘They were not lying when they said fashions come back around. I need to find a photo of me in one of these.’ 

Nina’s video has racked up over 115,000 likes on TikTok with over a thousand comments from people commenting their shock at how fast fashion cycles are.

One wrote: ‘I used to have every colour and style when I was a teen. I can’t believe they are making a come back.’

Another said: ‘The trauma from the disc belt,’ while a third penned: ‘I didn’t even like mine back then.’ 

A fourth commented: ‘Oh my God, no way are they back.’ 

Capris

Though they’ve long been perceived as unflattering, Capris are all the rage for the summer season in 2025. 

In recent months, they’ve been all over the runways, and have been worn by A-listers such as Hailey Bieber. 

The bottoms (also known as pedal pushers) are longer than shorts but shorter than trousers with a hemline that typically ends at the midcalf.

With social media mavens making them look so good, it comes as no surprise that Stylight – world’s largest search platform for fashion, beauty and design – has seen a 56 per cent uptick in demand for Capri pants.

Capris were introduced in 1948 by designer Sonja de Lennart in Munich, Germany. 

Style icon Audrey Hepburn popularized the classic bottoms in 1954 when she wore them in her movie ‘Sabrina.’ 

Celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly and Doris Day soon followed. 

Today, Capris can be found in a variety of trendy silhouettes and contemporary fabrics. 

Svita Sobol and Pernille Teisbaek both incorporated black Capri pants into their ensembles during Paris Fashion Week.

For the Elie Saab show, Svita paired her loose-fitting bottoms with a fierce crocodile blazer flaunting her generous cleavage.

In May, Hailey Bieber rocked the returning trend as she stepped out in a very sunny New York. 

The model, 28, flashed a glimpse of her abs in a cropped £2,200 Miu Miu navy and grey silk jacket which she paired with navy Capri pants. 

But while Gen Z are fully embracing the trend, millennials are once again less convinced.  

One person wrote on Reddit: ‘Fashion trend wise, I love all the throw back fashion, but I’ll not be indulging in Capri pants again. 

‘A comedian back in the day used to say capris were women’s way of asking ‘for pants that make your legs look shorter, your butt look wider and your feet look bigger’. I’ll be damned if that’s not how I looked in every damn pair I had.’

Another said: ‘Cropped pants are the work of the devil lol.’

A third added: ‘I hate them, but wear what you want lol.’

Others said: ‘IMO they are not cute. They cut most people off at the absolute worst point’;

‘They are unflattering on everyone’; 

‘They make me feel old in my 30s the same way they make 20 somethings feel fashionable and vintage.’ 

Peplum 

Peplum tops were last popular in the early 2010s and were often seen as a staple part of a night out ensemble, often paired with skinny chinos, a blazer and chunky studded high heels. 

The style, comprising of a piece of ruffled fabric that spans the waistline of a garment, is seemingly making a resurgence in high street stores.

This is much to the dismay of millennials who are shocked that the frilly item of clothing has completed a full fashion trend cycle already.

Emma Fogarty, from Dublin, came across two peplum tops in a New Look store which were selling for £21.99 each.

The retailer is selling the shirt in a couple of basic colours so they can be styled easily with other clothes. 

Stunned, she wrote: ‘You’re telling me that I have lived long enough to see the revival of the peplum top. Nahhhhh.’ 

The clip has racked up almost one million views on TikTok, as many other horrified millennials shared their thoughts on its resurgence. 

One wrote: ‘I’m not sure how I feel about these hahaha, used to wear them religiously.’

Another penned: ‘Oh I hated peplum first time around and at times, it was nigh impossible to find a top and dress that wasn’t in that style.’ 

A third said: ‘Omg no! I’m 30 now but I used to be obsessed with these tops back in the day hahaha.’ 

A fourth simply commented: ‘Please not again.’

Molly-Mae Hague was also seen wearing a bandeau peplum top as she celebrated New Year’s Eve in December.

The influencer, 25, donned a black floral rose chiffon embroidered Nadine Merabi Phoebe top which retails for £265.

However, she opted to style it in more of a modern way, instead opting for a pair of wide legged trousers. 

Styling her long blonde tresses in a neat half up do, the former Love Island star accessorised with a gold clutch and matching chunky earrings. 

She was snapped partying the night away with footballer Luke Shaw and his wife Anouska.

Peplum was also seen creeping into some fashion trends in 2023.

The Princess of Wales, dubbed a style icon for many, donned a tailored floral Erdem skirt-suit at the Commonwealth Day service. 

But the style dates back to the early days of 500BC. The term peplum derives from the word ‘peplos’, meaning a tunic that is tied at the waist in Ancient Greek.

During the 14th century, royals and those from wealthy families saw wearing clothes with fuller pleats as a sign of being rich.

During the 1940s, Christian Dior also incorporated glamorous peplum hourglass silhouettes into designs.

It then made a return again 40 years later in the 80s, where it was adored by Princess Diana. 

Ballet pumps

Much to the horror of millennials battling plantar fasciitis, ballet pumps are back on the scene. 

Having had their come up in the early noughties, ballet flats were a staple wardrobe item for most across the UK – and are now making a comeback in the 2020s.

Back in the noughties, the ballet pump was a footwear staple, with famous faces including the late Amy Whitehouse and supermodel Kate Moss often stepping out on the light shoes to hit the town. 

And in 2025, the trend appears to have returned; with Hollywood elite including Katie Holmes, Frankie Bridge and G ditching their beloved heels for flat shoes with little support.  

Meanwhile, 2023’s New York Fashion Week seemed to signal the return of the trend as the ballet pump featured via Tibi, who crafted a luxe leather version of the pump, and in Milan, Fendi showed off flats with gold bracelets around the ankle.

Shortly afterwards Kate Moss was seen wearing a sleek black pair with a trench coat while in NYC. Fellow fan Alexa Chung teamed hers with a striped shirt and blue denim recently while strolling in Notting Hill.

But on social media, Millennials who have lived through the first fashion cycle of ballet pumps are warning younger generations to steer clear. 

On X, millennial Julie S. Lalonde wrote: ‘Gen Z, please heed my warning: Ballet flats are coming back in style but do not go down this road. 

‘They might seem cute & practical, but you will stress about going to someone’s house because the smell of your feet once you take those shoes off is KILLER.’ 

After people began to respond saying ‘just wear socks’, Lalonde wrote back saying: ‘Sure, but that doesn’t change the plantar fasciitis, bunions, dropped arches and busted knees that those flat ass shoes with-no-arch-support will give you.’ 

One X user quipped: ‘If they’re going to bring back our stinky shoes, can they at least choose Ugg boots next? It’s the last time it was socially acceptable to leave your house in slippers.’ 

Another voiced their own personal experience of bunions, writing: ‘When I wear ballet flats or pumps without support for a walk, even a short 30 minute walk, the bunion starts to come back.’

One critic summed up the shoe with a no holds barred approach, saying: ‘No socks. Slip off every minute. No grip. Often ill fitting. No rain protection in this ENGLAND? We should have left these in the past.’

When Love Island star Molly Mae Hague wore a pair of ballet shoes while posing in a café last year, fans could barely contain their horror. 

On TikTok, videos with #balletflats now have more than 277 million posts.

They wrote: ‘No I’m sorry but I’m not going back to this trend everrrrrr!!!’;

‘Loads of girls are gonna be appearing in these ballet shoes now,’

‘My knees are f***ed now due to the ballet shoe era. Don’t do it gals!!’;

‘Plantar fasciitis. Just remember that before you all start buying ballet shoes’;

‘Yeah, this ballet shoe trend Is defo not one I will be following. I have PTSD from them, my heels still haven’t recovered.’

Dr Robert Khorramian, a podiatrist in Santa Monica, California, previously told Who What Wear that the lack of support in ballet flats in fact makes them the worst shoe for foot health. 

Plantar fasciitis causes a stabbing pain in the bottom of the foot, close to the heel, which usually gets worse with the first few steps after waking up or from standing for long periods of time. 

MedScape estimates one million Americans visit doctors every year for plantar fasciitis. 

Wearing shoes without arch support can also worsen neuromas, a type of inflammation in the foot nerves and between the bones in the feet. This is also known as ‘Morton’s neuroma.’

According to the Mayo Clinic, patients with neuromas in the feet may feel like they’re standing on a pebble. Other signs of the condition include burning pain in the ball of the foot that radiates to the toes, and tingling or numbness in your toes. 

Wearing ballet flats for long periods of time can also lead to injuries such as shin splints and stress fractures due to repetitive stress and little arch support. 

A shin splint, also known as medial tibial stress syndrome, causes pain along the tibia, or the shin bone, which runs in the front of the lower leg. 

Skinny jeans 

With a fit so tight they leave little to the imagination, skinny jeans are a style nightmare for many fashion fans.

Though they’ve fallen out of fashion in recent years as Mom and Barrel styles have taken hold, the 2010s staple is now making a return in 2025. 

Not only were skinnies the star of the show on the runway during January’s Paris Fashion Week, but A-listers including Taylor Swift, Meghan Markle and Claudia Winkleman are all playing their role in leading the skinny jean revolution. 

On TikTok, members of Gen Z have dug out the old fashion staple from deep within their closets, firmly declaring that ‘skinny jeans are so back’. 

Once beloved by everyone from boyband One Direction to reality stars and even members of the Royal Family, skinny jeans faced little competition when they first become popular in 2005 and throughout the 2010s. 

In more recent years however, their unrivalled popularity has waned – compounded by people wanting a more ‘slouchy’ style while staying at home during the pandemic. 

They’re now set to be the surprise dominant trend of 2025 – much to the chagrin of some who have bemoaned that the trousers are both ‘ugly’ and ‘uncomfortable’. 

Speaking to MailOnline, UK personal stylist and fashion expert Lisa Talbot said: ‘Skinny jeans are making a comeback in 2025, largely driven by the natural cycle of fashion trends and the influence of Gen Z rediscovering 2010s nostalgia. 

‘After years of looser, oversized silhouettes dominating the scene ‘think baggy jeans and wide-leg trousers there’s a shift towards a sleeker, more streamlined look. 

‘Fashion often reacts against what came before, so as the pendulum swings, a return to skinny jeans feels almost inevitable. Social media platforms like TikTok have played a role in reviving them, with younger style influencers embracing a mix of early 2000s and 2010s aesthetics.’

Lisa pointed out that celebs appear to be leading the way, with the likes of Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner and Rihanna all spotted in more fitted styles in recent months – while they were a staple for Claudia Winkleman presenting the latest series of The Traitors.

But the 2025 style has moved on from 2016, with Lisa noting that people are styling them in a more ‘modern’ way, adding oversized blazers, knee-high boots or edgy accessories. 

But for those preferring a more relaxed style, she had some positive news.  

‘As for whether they’re here to stay, fashion is more fluid than ever, so while skinnies might have their moment, its likely they’ll sit alongside straight-leg and relaxed cuts rather than fully replacing them,’ Lisa concluded. 

Though skinny jeans were once a millennial favourite, it now appears to be Gen Z leading the way. 

On TikTok, influencers have put together trendy outfits based around the jeans, declaring ‘skinny jeans are sooo back’. 

UK influencer Anna Maynard said: ‘Skinny jeans are so back. I said what I said.’ 

Meanwhile Juliana Halloway from the US said: ‘I kept ONE pair of skinny jeans bc I knew this would happen. 

‘I refuse to get rid of anything that is ‘out of style’ because I am sure it will come back.’

Posing in a pair of black skinny jeans, knee-high boots and a red jumper, she added: ‘This was my Christmas Eve outfit haha.’ 

Although some people were thrilled and said they would wear skinnies ‘always and forever’, others fumed that the controversial style has made a return. 

People wrote on social media: ‘I don’t have much to say about fashion apart from we must resist anyone who advocates the return of skinny jeans with the upmost force’; 

‘Please don’t do this to me I HATE SKINNY JEANS NOW I can’t stand the way they feel’;

‘Never going back to skinny jeans’; 

‘I would rather die than wear skinny jeans again lmao, I lived that up in middle and high school’;

‘And they look ugly, next’; 

‘It’s so uncomfy though’;

‘NOOOOO WE ARE NOT BRINGING THEM BACK.’

Ed Hardy

The colourful, gaudy designs were emblazoned upon T shirts, caps and jeans throughout the noughties – and in the 2020s too.

The Ed Hardy label is making a comeback in 2025 – much to the horror of several millennials. 

Astrid Aschenbrenner, 35, and Sophie Förster-Vogelsberger, 32, from Vienna, Austria, revealed their shock at finding Ed Hardy merchandise on sale during a shopping trip last December. 

The pair came across the brand’s low-cut jeans and appeared shocked as they declared on TikTok that they had ‘lived through a whole fashion cycle’.

The brand shot to popularity in the early noughties as trend-setting millennials adored the mixture of fashion with tattoo artistry. 

Fergie, Kim Kardashian, Madonna and Paris Hilton were among some of the A-listers who were seen sporting the brand in its heyday. 

Supermodel Bella Hadid was seen wearing a vintage Ed Hardy tank top with low rise white jeans in 2021, echoing the style of her youth.  

But seems its resurgence isn’t welcomed by everyone. Astrid was speechless when she saw the jeans in the store, telling Newsweek she thought it was a ‘prank’ at first.

She added: ‘We were so shocked when we saw the comeback of these styles. The worst one is by far Ed Hardy, and the super low waist jeans that are designed to sit down with everything on show.

‘It’s reached a lot of people worldwide, and many millennials are just as shocked as us, mostly about Paul Franks and Ed Hardy coming back in style.

‘Our reactions in that video were quite visceral, but it’s also an ugly reminder of the body image issues we faced in the past.’

Kimberly Hogg, from South Carolina, also came across Ed Hardy garments when she was shopping with her family.

She said: ‘Me and my sister, we were in high school around that time, anyway, we used to love Ed Hardy and wear it all the time and we got so tickled when we [saw this]. 

Millennials are also warning their younger peers about the return of low-rise jeans, as Gen Z fashionistas attempt to bring them back.

Diesel’s Milan Fashion Week showcase in February, showed models on the catwalk paraded extremely low-rise jeans as they showed off their ripped physiques – and very nearly revealed a little too much.

The daring look follows several years in which high and mid-waist jeans have dominated the fashion landscape – much to the relief of millennials. 

But the extremely low-rise waistband dates well back to the 1990s, with Alexander McQueen debuting his daring silhouette, ‘the bumster’, as part of his first ever collection in 1996.  

They became one of McQueen’s signature looks throughout his career and cemented his reputation as the ‘bad boy’ of the fashion industry.

Bandage dresses 

As the old saying goes, everything old can be made new again – and the latest fashion trend to enter its comeback era is the iconic bandage dress. 

Those who went clubbing during the noughties will be all too familiar with the figure-hugging design, which was usually paired with sky-high heels, a statement necklace and hair backcombed to the high heavens.

Back then, the trend was loved by the it-girls of the moment: think Mischa Barton, Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. 

Hailey Bieber was spotted in a bandage-style dress at the Fashion Trust U.S Award’s earlier this year – causing searches for the style to soar 300 per cent in just one week. 

The dresses are being sold by Gen Z-loved brands such as House of CB, formerly known as Celeb Boutique. 

‘I have not been this excited for a comeback ever,’ wrote on TikTok user in House Of CB’s now-viral video announcing the the return of the bandage dress.

‘I am so excited for the youth,’ said another. ‘Every 21 year old deserves to have a reckless night out in a bandage dress,’.

‘Ok I’m officially feeling old if this is fashionable again – I’m here for it, though!’, said another user.

On TikTok, @alannahcassie modelled a bandage dress, announcing ‘bandage dresses are so back. Dare I say, my best charity shop find to date?’

When Christie Vian, from London, posted ‘Bandage dresses are back???!’ after paying a trip into House of CB, she sparked a very mixed reaction. 

One person said: ‘I can’t get behind it I’m sorry.’

Others wrote: ‘They’re trying to make 2016 happen but it’s too early. Give it 10 years at least!! This isn’t how vintage and nostalgia works…’; 

‘I think they make the female form look immaculate but I can’t shake the tacky vibes I get from them’;

‘They went away for a reason!’;

‘They looked great going clubbing but I don’t think the younger generation does that anymore?’ 

Elsewhere on TikTok, people said: ‘They won’t come back properly cause gen z don’t wear heels when they go out. You can’t wear a bandage dress with sneakers, doesn’t work.’ 

Another said: ‘Please no!’