There’s a very specific mood in the archives of the early internet. The soft hum of a monitor, the clack of fake nails against plastic keyboards, MSN statuses like “brb, shower” and LimeWire downloads stuck at 94%. And at the centre of it all: girls with streaky dyed hair, body chains over mini skirts and a little too much roll-on glitter. That look - messy, pretty and a little defiant, never really left. It just logged out for a while.
Lately, it’s been creeping back into bedroom wardrobes in a different way. The low-rise thong. The body chain layered over a sheer bralette. Loose camisoles and kitten-heel mules. This isn’t about replicating the past but about reclaiming the dressing-up-for-yourself energy that came with it.
In your room, with your playlist on loop
The original 2000s arcade girl wasn’t styling for Instagram. She was styling for her own niche, her favourite forum, the girl she saw on a late-night music video, the scan from DOLLY magazine she saved to her desktop. A lace thong worn high on the hips wasn’t a trend statement but something she copied from Christina Aguilera’s latest music video or a low-res photo from a Harajuku street blog. The body chain, the visible straps and layered textures weren’t mistakes, they were signals to the few who would get it.
What makes the mix work is contrast. The cling of mesh underwear against the cool structure of a body chain. The looseness of a lingerie set anchored by a delicate waist body chain. It’s all about softness styled with a bit of edge, but only if you feel like it.
Styling tip: nostalgia, but update it
This isn’t about dressing like it’s 2005. It’s about borrowing the spirit of dressing with intention. You can leave the flared jeans and trucker hats behind. What stays is the feeling of trying things in the mirror until something clicks.
Start with something simple, a lingerie set you already love. Add a chain you wouldn’t usually wear. A thong that makes you stand a little taller. Put on your favourite playlist from high school and notice what comes back.
A low-stakes kind of joy
The beauty of a body chain is that it doesn’t need to match. It just needs to exist on your skin. That alone can shift the way a thong feels or how a lingerie set sits.
And like the best moments from that era, it isn’t about capturing a perfect image. It’s about how you feel in that one private frame. Slightly glowy, slightly rebellious but still in your room.