In the early 2000s, hip hop not only broke through the music scene but also made its mark on the fashion of that time. Fashion trends of the 2000s were just as iconic as the grunge fashion of the ’90s or the technicolor wonder that is the ’80s fashion.
From blinged-out grillz to trucker hats to the iconic Air Force Ones, here are some of the best 2000s hip hop fashion trends that continue to influence fashion on the streets as well as on Paris runways.
The 20 Best 2000’s Hip Hop Fashion Trends Worth Exploring
#1. Trucker Hat
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Trucker hats are the product of a marriage between skateboard culture and the hip hop scene in the early 2000s. What was once simply a giveaway by feed stores to their truckers became a staple adorned by hip hop legends like Pharell!
#2. Long Tees
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Baggy clothes had been popular from the ’80s and ’90s, and soon after, long or oversized tees that dropped to the knees became equally popular. This style was rocked by a number of artists in the 2000s.
#3. New Era Fitted Caps
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New Era fitted caps are another staple that just screams 2000s hip hop fashion. From Ludacris to 50 Cent, the New Era fitted caps have graced the stages of award shows and music videos. Owning one has always been a bragging right, especially if it has a gold sticker to signify authenticity.
#4. Rapper Clothing Brands
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Hip hop in the early 2000s was becoming the culture, and rappers and musical artists began cashing in on the trend they helped create. This made way for rapper-owned brands like Jay-Z’s Rocawear and the more contemporary Yeezy by Kanye West to emerge as successful endeavors.
Besides this Salt n Pepa group was raving about their flair, giving unique dynamics to the rapper trend. The rapper clothing trend experienced a new flavor when these Hip- hop music queens introduced their distinctive style, including ripped denim jeans, a Salt n Pepa jacket, bold jewelry, and funky sneakers. Hip–hop culture in 2000 took a massive upturn after the rappers and music artists made unique contributions of their own.
#5. Matching Outfits To Sneakers
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Another trend to add to your 2000s collection is matching your outfit with your sneakers. The wackier your sneaker collection, the brighter and bolder your outfits would be. This trend also foreshadowed how big sneakers will become in the near future.
#6. Camouflage Clothing Items
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Camo clothing is a mainstay of hip hop and streetwear, in part due to the abundance of military gear and clothing in most surplus stores. Worn by the gods of hip hop from Tupac to Biggie, camo will always endure.
#7. Emerging Clothing Brands
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Some hip hop stars will be linked with a brand, like the Notorious B.I.G being associated with Coogi sweaters or how Tommy Hilfiger is made recognizable by Aaliyah. But, the 2000s introduced us to emerging clothing brands designed and produced by the culture makers themselves — Virgil Abloh’s Off-White or Kanye’s Yeezy are proof of it.
#8. Throwback Jerseys
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As seen so often in most MTV music videos, rappers sporting a jersey of a sports logo is peak 2000s fashion. It’s one of the cooler trends of that era and is still fairly popular today.
#9. Sweatbands
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Sweatbands were once a sports accessory, but using one in non-athletic situations was made trendy by the hip hop culture of the early 2000s. Nelly made the trend big by also matching his outfit to go with the color of his sweatband.
#10. Grillz
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Bling and jewelry were a staple of the 2000s hip hop fashion and culture. This trend extends to dental jewelry, where the flashier they are, the more expensive and wealthy the wearer is. Aside from sweatbands, we can also credit Nelly for making grills mainstream with his song Grillz.
#11. Air Force Ones
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Air Force Ones are still wildly popular today, and we have the hip hop culture to credit for it. Even Dr. Dre is a fan. The Air Force Ones’ simple looks and classic silhouette make it the perfect canvass for many sneaker customizers.
#12. Livestrong Bracelets
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Nothing says culture and supporting a good cause in the early 2000s than sporting one of those yellow silicone wristbands with the word “Livestrong” embossed on them. Livestrong is a charitable organization founded by Lance Armstrong in support of people who have cancer.
Hip hoppers also like the cuban link men’s bracelet.
#13. Du-Rags
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Once a hair maintenance accessory, durags became a cultural item credited to hip hop. From 50 Cent to Jay-Z to Nelly, nearly every major rap artist has worn it at some point.
#14. Colored Skinny Jeans
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The move away from baggy and oversized clothing to fitting ones has been gradual but pretty evident. The mid-to-late 2000s allows hip hop fashion to evolve like never before, giving birth to colored skinny jeans.
#15. Tattoo Inspired Brands
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Jay-Z and Travis Scott in a Von Dutch hat or Young Thug’s Capsule collection with the brand come to mind with tattoo-inspired fits. Hip hop has always been big on logos, and the craze is only more significant now.
#16. Graffiti-Inspired Urban Wear
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In the early 2000s, a number of major fashion brands started drawing inspiration from the streets, including paying notice to graffiti art. Brands like Fubu and Ecko Unltd. gave a nod to the most popular graffiti artists of the time.
#17. Shutter Shades
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Shutter shades are one of the enduring items from the 80s revival that was big in the 2000s. It’s another trend we get to credit Kanye West for!
#18. Popped Collar Polos
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Popped collars made the classic preppy style made cooler and trendier. It was a seamless combination of classy yet edgy.
#19. All Over Prints
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The 2000s were all about big prints and graphics all over your clothing. And a brand that highlighted all-out prints is Bape. From caps to hoodies to tees, the 2000s saw at least one time of clothing that was saturated with print.
#20. V Neck T-Shirts
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Believe it or not, V-neck shirts were “it” in the early 2000s. They dethroned crew neck tees for a while before going out of fashion as fast as they started trending.
