The Early 2000s Handbag Trend Making a Major Comeback in 2025

When economic uncertainty drags on, restraint in dressing eventually starts to chafe, and the desire to shake things up struts back into view — just look at the mob wife aesthetic that took over TikTok. That’s when maximalism resurfaces and “feels exciting again,” as Kennedy puts it. This loud resurgence is a form of joyful, nostalgic indulgence. 

Just like the logo-laden tote, Alexander McQueen’s skull scarves, once the uniform of 2000s rebellion, have reappeared, and micro shorts are suddenly back in rotation — shifts spotted by Data But Make It Fashion and interpreted, semi-ironically, as a harbinger of economic rebound. Even if the numbers don’t inspire total confidence, accessories and clothes are starting to perform optimism. “In a time when everything feels uncertain, sometimes a little luxury — even the loud kind — feels like an empowering way to take up space,” says Kennedy.

“For Gen Z especially, subtle just isn’t the vibe,” Kennedy adds. “They grew up online, where style is about showing your personality, catching attention, and standing out.” Much like the MySpace age of the 2000s, which birthed many aughts trends, 2025 belongs to a new generation fluent in digital self-expression on TikTok and Instagram. The internet, then and now, is a stage for personal style to reflect cultural flux. “A bold designer bag — whether it’s covered in logos or has a dramatic shape — isn’t just about the label, it’s about saying something,” Kennedy says. “It’s a way to be seen and show who you are without saying a word.”