If you watched The O.C., you know that fashion played a huge role on the show. The hit series, which ran from 2003 to 2007, centered around four teens in Orange County as they navigate their messy, drama-filled lives in high school. Ryan (Ben McKenzie), Marissa (Mischa Barton), Summer (Rachel Bilson), and Seth (Adam Brody) each had their own style that clearly defined their personalities. There was Marissa, the easy-breezy California girl who loved mini skirts, Chanel bags, and halter tops; Seth, the adorkable nerd with an insane graphic tee collection; Summer, the popular fashionista who wasn’t afraid to take style risks; and Ryan, the bad-boy hunk who spent the whole series in a beefy white tank top.
The O.C. perfectly captured what rich, Californian students would wear to class at the time. (Fun fact, however: its costume designer Alexandra Welker said many of Marissa’s Chanel bags were fakes in the earlier seasons, due to a limited costume budget.) But even though I never thought we’d wear layered tank tops ever again, Y2K style is trending again. TikTok stars are embracing the look, and brands such as Juicy Couture and Von Dutch are even making a comeback. But while the 2000s may be having a revival, I wondered: do the clothes in Orange County still hold up? Or are they a bit too true to what Y2K style was—foibles and all?