Mom’s spot-on reaction to early 2000s fashion coming back in style goes viral

As any millennial worth their salt knows, we did not have… the best fashion to choose from during our coming-of-age years. Basically, things went from Thug Looney Tunes in middle school to low-rise Mudd flares in high school and that was the best things got. And this millennial mom‘s viral reaction to finding all of this and more at Target is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.

We can look back at the 1970s and 1980s and see what worked, fashion-wise, and what didn’t. The same goes for the 1990s fashion, which is currently still very popular among Gen Z. But what we all weren’t prepared for was the resurgence of early 2000s fashion. Because what, pray tell, was good about any of it?

There were jeans under dresses (Katie Holmes, we’re looking at you). Jeans so low you had to shave your pubic hair to wear them. Sash belts. Bad hats. “Going out tops” that made us look like our torsos were 18 feet long and propped up on tiny little dachshund legs. Ill-fitting everything. Whiskered flares. Studded flares. Double-popped collars. Platform Jesus sandals. THE LACE CAMISOLE LAYERING. DEAR GOD THE LAYERING.

Shuddering in PTSD yet? Well, you’re not alone. Because this millennial mom is all of us walking through Target and seeing the worst fashion of the early aughts making a comeback.

@nicolestorydent It’s too soon, Target. It’s too soon. #relatable #humor #millennial #over30 #adulting #accurate #momtok #millennialmom #millennialparenting #y2k #y2kfashion #targetstyle #targetfinds ♬ original sound – Nicole Story Dent

The fellow survivors of the worst fashion decade showed solidarity in the comments section:

I’m to young for a full circle moment

I’m convinced someone found clothes from 2002 in an abandoned warehouse & was like “I wonder if we can still sell these?”

They’re not even updating it to include their references! I saw a shirt that said “groovy”. NONE OF THEM KNOWS WHAT GROOVY MEANS

Payless is about to make a comeback

were not even dead yet

No joke, I scheduled a Botox appt while on target when I saw all my middle school fashion out on display UN-IRONICALLY

I told my daughter if you don’t know Baby Spice you can’t dress like her

The only comeback I’m personally here for is Payless. Everything else can stay in 2003 where it belongs!

A version of this post was published in March 2023. It has been updated.