The Y2K “Skater-Girl” Shirt Trend Is Experiencing A Chic Revival

When I think back on puberty, I don’t remember my awkward teen years dealing with acne or trying to impress a boy. What I recall with equal parts love and cringe is my skater-girl (who doesn’t skate) stage, marked by heavy raccoon eyeliner, uber-straight hair courtesy of my trusty flatiron, and an unwavering desire to dress like Avril Lavigne (while belting out her songs, of course).

While everyone else was channeling the glossy pop princess aesthetic of the 2000s, the “Complicated” singer offered a different brand of cool. She wore neckties as necklaces, classic low-tops, and my personal favorite, layered T-shirts over long-sleeved tops. It was comfy, rebellious, and the polar opposite of the whale tail-and-low-rise jean combo that haunted the decade.

Though her sound has evolved across eight studio albums, her early style legacy lives on — just ask today’s style stars like Elsa Hosk and Hailey Bieber, who’ve been taking a page out of her layered shirt playbook. Unlike the chaotic, three-tank-tops-at-once Disney Channel layering that also ruled the era, this look swaps bright mall-crawl energy — which is experiencing its own comeback — for a moody alt-rock attitude. Better yet, its modern resurgence is a whole lot more luxe and pared back.

Sleek & Easy

Over the weekend, Elsa Hosk served her best 2000s skater girlie with an elevated model-off-duty take. To keep the trend streamlined, she paired a white-on-white top with trendy long shorts in the same hue.

Even her choice of accessories showed restraint. The Helsa founder chose sleek touches, including a nondescript noir bag, heeled thong sandals, sunglasses, and a slicked-back bun for extra polish.

The best part about this trend? It’s hella comfy, and feeds straight into fashion’s lazy-girl vibe. Take Hailey Bieber’s recent campaign for GAP. Posing in her immediately sold out “Hailey Jean,” the Rhode founder paired it with a layered black cropped tee with contrasting white long sleeves.

They’re not the only ones to embrace the trend. Early in July, Alexa Demie was spotted in California, attending Rosalía’s Lux Tour. Like a true friend (and fan), she supported her Euphoria co-star by rocking an oversized tee with “I Heart Rosalía” graphics layered over a black long-sleeved top.

A few days earlier, Gigi Hadid wore a faux layered blue and yellow shirt from her cashmere brand, Guest in Residence, proving that the cozy style is also chic enough for travel.

Faux Layering Right This Way

The beauty of this trend is that you can easily recreate it at home by pulling together pieces you likely already own. Just throw on a shirt over a long-sleeved top in your choice of color or print.

If you don’t want to be bothered with styling it yourself, consider any one of these faux layered tops — Hadid’s exact piece included. An all-white combo inspired by Hosk feels incredibly quiet luxury-coded, while a brown-and-cream set keeps things perfectly neutral. You can also channel a completely maximalist moment by reaching for contrasting stripes or loud palettes.