2000s Fancy Dress: Noughties Costume Ideas For Your Next Party
The noughties are now far enough away to be a theme and close enough that everyone at the party lived through them. That's the sweet spot for fancy dress.
The trick with a 2000s costume is recognition from across a room. Low-rise jeans and a Juicy tracksuit read instantly; a vaguely 2004 outfit just reads as an outfit.
Here's what works, split by where people remember it from.
Honest note: we make cards, pin badges, prints and party decorations, not costumes. Costume suggestions here are recommendations.
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Designed and printed in the UK so the room matches the outfits, posted fast.
Pop stars everyone will get
- Britney's schoolgirl look, or the red catsuit. Both read from the back of a room.
- Avril Lavigne: tie over a vest, baggy jeans, thick eyeliner, skate shoes.
- Eminem: bleached crop, white vest, oversized hoodie, chain.
- Destiny's Child as a three: matching colour, bootcut, lots of gold.
- Gwen Stefani in the L.A.M.B. era: platinum hair, red lip, a vest with a slogan.
- The Cheeky Girls or S Club 7 if you want the group option that costs nothing.
Cartoons and kids' telly
- SpongeBob is the noughties costume in Britain - the show landed here in 2000 and every single person at the party knows it instantly.
- A full-body SpongeBob suit is the version that gets photographed all night, and it goes on over your own clothes.
- Dexter, Johnny Bravo, the Powerpuff Girls as a three, Kim Possible, Ed Edd n Eddy.
- Tracy Beaker: a hoodie, a scowl and a cardboard 'Dumping Ground' sign.
- Bob the Builder or Postman Pat if you want the props to do the work.
- More cartoon options - Read the guide
Telly and film from the decade
- Little Britain: Vicky Pollard's tracksuit and scrunchie is a two-item costume.
- The Office: Tim's shirt and tie, Gareth's side parting and short-sleeved shirt.
- Shrek and Fiona as a pair.
- Legally Blonde: pink everything and a small toy dog in a bag.
- Pirates of the Caribbean, Napoleon Dynamite, Mean Girls in three shades of pink.
- Big Brother contestant: a numbered vest and a microphone.
The trends themselves
- Velour tracksuit, oversized sunglasses, tiny handbag, Motorola flip phone.
- Low-rise bootcut jeans with a visible belt and a strappy going-out top.
- Ed Hardy or Von Dutch cap, frosted tips, a chunky belt worn over a dress.
- Emo or scene kid: black skinny jeans, studded belt, side fringe, wristbands.
- Chav-era Burberry check accessories, big hoops and a scrunchie.
- Pink iPod and white earbuds - the single most recognisable prop of the decade.
Props that finish any noughties outfit
- A flip phone. Charity shops still have them and they cost pounds.
- White wired earbuds, a burnt CD, a digital camera on a wrist strap.
- Butterfly clips, a scrunchie, a trucker cap, bug-eye sunglasses.
- A Nokia 3310 and a Snake high score written on a bit of paper.
- Frosted lip gloss and blue eyeshadow, generously applied.
Decorating the room to match
- A banner and bunting in hot pink and silver - Shop the range
- Balloons in pink, silver and lime green, which is the noughties palette whether people remember it or not
- A playlist that's all singles, no album tracks - Read the guide
- A noughties quiz round for halfway through the night - Read the guide
- Decade background for the theming - Read the guide
Found your words? Now find the card
Shop party decorations Bunting and banners Funny pin badges Funny cards
How to write it so it lands
- Recognisable from across the room beats accurate.
- SpongeBob landed in the UK in 2000 and everyone still knows it.
- A flip phone finishes almost any noughties outfit.
- Pink, silver and lime green is the decade's palette.
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We make cards, pin badges, prints and party bits in house. These are from other shops we rate, and buying through the link costs you nothing extra.
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Where to shop next
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- Pin badges
- All guides
Frequently asked questions
What are good 2000s fancy dress ideas?
Britney, Avril Lavigne, Eminem, a velour tracksuit with a flip phone, Vicky Pollard, Mean Girls in pink, or a SpongeBob suit - the show launched in the UK in 2000 and everyone recognises it instantly.
What did people wear in the 2000s?
Low-rise bootcut jeans, velour tracksuits, chunky belts over dresses, trucker caps, butterfly clips, frosted lip gloss and bug-eye sunglasses, finished with a flip phone or a pink iPod.
What is an easy 2000s costume from your own wardrobe?
A tracksuit with big hoops and a scrunchie, or jeans with a strappy top, a chunky belt and heavy eyeliner. Add a flip phone or white wired earbuds and the decade is obvious.
What is the most recognisable noughties costume?
In the UK, SpongeBob or a Juicy-style velour tracksuit. Both read from across a room, which is the only test a fancy dress costume has to pass.
Do you sell fancy dress costumes?
No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Costumes are recommendations from elsewhere - the only things linked to our own shop are ours.