How butterflies have fluttered back into the fashion spotlight

After crop-tops, baggy pants, pleated skirts and sleeveless sweaters from the Y2K era, butterflies are now making their comeback.


The 2000s are back! So, after low-rise jeans, it’s butterfly motifs that are the latest throwbacks. Seen in jewelry, as well as on fashion accessories, tops and jeans, butterflies are firmly back in the fashion spotlight.

The Y2K trend has struck again. After crop-tops, baggy pants, pleated skirts and sleeveless sweaters, butterflies are now making their comeback. The trend, once driven by Mariah Carey and her famous butterfly top, is now landing in all its forms.

On TikTok, the #butterflyclips hashtag has nearly 25 million views — an impressive performance for hair clips that will take many fashion fans straight back to their youth.

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The Italian brand Blumarine’s latest collection featured a butterfly denim top inspired by that of the pop icon. And it didn’t take much more to get them firmly back on the fashion agenda.

Stars have been quick to jump on the butterfly trend.

Dua Lipa, Vanessa Hudgens and Bella Hadid have all been seen sporting this motif. And it comes in all forms, whether as a top, a silver tattoo or on nails. Plus, butterflies have already made inroads into the world of beauty with the “butterfly liner” effect made popular by Hailey Bieber, or this summer’s hottest hair trend, the “butterfly haircut.”

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The butterfly is landing in denim, rhinestones, embroidered motifs or colored prints, whether for women or men, who can shop sweatshirts and T-shirts with butterfly patterns. Two ways to wear the trend seem to be emerging.

The first approach focuses on using small touches, such as accessories, a belt, etc. The second is to go all out, embracing the look by wearing a top or jeans embellished with colorful or glittery butterflies.
Either way, there’ll be something for everyone, because butterflies are everywhere.

On second-hand websites, clothes and accessories from the 2000s are increasingly sought after, and fast-fashion brands have all released their own collections.

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