Brit Awards: 6 Noughties red carpet trends making a comeback – whether you like it or not

Anticipation for the Brit Awards 2022 (February 8) is at an all-time high, particularly considering Adele has confirmed she’ll be performing at the event.

It’s set to be a particularly exciting ceremony, with gender-neutral gongs replacing the male and female categories for the first time, and nominations featuring the most women in over a decade.

The Brit Awards 2021 were delayed until May and, as one of the first events to welcome back an in-person audience after various Covid-related restrictions, things felt a bit tentative.

This year is hoping to be more of a return to normality – and that means we’re set for a big red carpet. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from fashion, it’s that all styles are cyclical – and right now, nothing is hotter than the Noughties.

While low-rise jeans and other 2000s travesties might make you cringe, celebrities and trendsetters are making a case for a return to the Noughties.

Wondering what the stars are going to wear this year? It could be any of these throwback styles, plucked straight from the Brit Awards in the 2000s…

1. Corsets

Corsets were a mainstay in the Noughties, very much fitting into the ‘jeans and a nice top’ ethos of the era.

And thanks to the explosive popularity of the Netflix show Bridgerton, corsets are back with a vengeance. With season two landing in March, the style will no doubt continue to be worn with another Noughties classic…

2. Low-rise trousers

Love them or hate them, you can’t deny the popularity of low-rise trousers. Back in the 2000s, they were the go-to style – probably because they paired so well with the aforementioned ‘nice top’ (it wasn’t exactly an era of huge experimentation – most of us stuck with that defining look).

Now, thanks to Gen Z trendsetters like Bella Hadid, low-rise trousers are back with a vengeance. Don’t underestimate the power of Gen Z: they’ve already declared skinny jeans and side partings ‘over’, and are successfully bringing ‘bumsters’ into the mainstream.

3. Belt skirts

So-called ‘belt skirts’ are skirts that are so teeny-tiny, they basically look like slightly larger belts. Back in the Noughties, this was all the rage, particularly thanks to Christina Aguilera.

Super small miniskirts are once again finding their feet – largely thanks to Miu Miu, who debuted the style on its spring/summer 2022 runway.

4. Nearly naked outfits

These styles were all about optical illusions and pushing the boundaries of showing skin on the red carpet – often in all-black, the trend was for dresses with lots of mesh and artfully placed panels.

Sound familiar? That’s probably because it’s currently the bread and butter of many red carpet it-girls, from the Kardashian clan to Beyoncé.

5. Extreme cut-outs

The trend for extreme cut-outs goes hand-in-hand with nearly naked dresses – but it’s a lot less subtle (if possible).

One look at a red carpet in the past few months will tell you risqué outfits are definitely having a moment.

6. Napkin tops

A Noughties summer staple, napkin tops often made their way onto the red carpet, with the help of a bit of glitter and shine…

And considering how popular the style became in 2021, will we see more formal versions at this year’s Brits?