The skirt over pants, should we embrace this trend that we love to hate?

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A remnant of Y2K fashion that we wanted to forget, the skirt over pants has made a convincing comeback on the runways of Fashion Week and in our streets this year. Whether we love to hate it is one thing, but why not give it a try?

We can be seduced by the skirt over pants, as this trend from the early 2000s is being reinterpreted by Gen Z today, adapting it in an inclusive way for men. Here’s a brief overview of this crazy fashion phenomenon.

Yes! We love the quirky vibe of the 2000s

The 2000s and its array of unforgettable trends are making a comeback in 2023! Among all the more or less joyful fashions of this decade, the skirt over pants is certainly one of those we thought we had definitively forgotten. Why do we want to try it? Because it’s so much fun and a bit nostalgic to see the new generation appropriating and revisiting past looks.

We also love this mix of genres in fashion. Remember, a few years ago, it was unthinkable for a man to wear a skirt! And just like today’s trends keep evolving, so do the essentials we pair them with — whether it’s oversized layers or sleek pieces like seamless workout shorts with a dark logo that bring a modern, sporty edge to everyday styling.

At Givenchy, the nod to the 2000s is clearly present in the women’s look with these studded pants and a pretty emo final look.

On the men’s side, the Givenchy look is very graphic with a layering of skirt + long coat that adds an extra layer to the silhouette.

Men Can Rock Skirts

A trend that resembles a fashion faux pas making a return is nothing new. But a trend that imposes itself on men is rare, and just for that reason, we love that the skirt over pants has become a mixed trend.

Designers have hit the mark, as on the ready-to-wear runways, men shone in the skirt-pant combo.

It’s a classic look of a full skirt over jeans typical of the 2000s at Marine Serre for a result that is as surprising as it is familiar.

On the other hand, Dior adapts the skirt trend in a more sculptural and asymmetrical way. We find the cyberpunk Y2K theme with a long skirt that only covers one side of the body.

No…there are other trends that are much more interesting

Playing with fashion and revisiting the Y2K trend is one thing. But copying the worst ideas from the 2000s…really? Let’s be honest, fashion has evolved a lot (for the better) since then!

Looking like Paris Hilton or Britney Spears at the worst of fashion in 2004? What’s the point?

We can be nostalgic for a slightly more carefree time before the Instagram era existed. We can also embrace looks from the 2000s that are of much better taste.

The Skirt Over Pants, a Symbol of Constraint to Freedom?

An ordinance from the Paris Prefecture dating back to 1800 prohibited women from wearing pants. The garment was used like leggings by women who refused to wear cumbersome dresses at home. Hold on, to be allowed to go out in pants, one had to obtain…“a cross-dressing permit.”

Historically, women rebelled by letting a glimpse of pants show under their dresses as early as the 1800s. They fought for the right to wear pants until the 1960s, when its use was fully accepted.

Knowing a bit more about the history of this trend, why adopt a skirt + pants combo that harkens back to a long feminist struggle and is not even comfortable?

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