Footnotes 004

The hunt for Y2K sweaters, links to nostalgic chunky knits, and an emotional support outfit formula.

I stumbled upon this image on the internet recently and it was very influential for me. Yes, I love a leather blazer, but it was the chunky Y2K knit underneath (and if I’m being honest, the combo of the two) that caught my eye. The image could have been snapped in 2000 or 2023; it felt nostalgic and deeply comforting, and most definitely like something I would want to wear today.

Gap 2000 Leather Campaign

Nostalgic Y2K Sweaters

I instantly started a search for a chunky, early 2000s sweater, and while it didn’t turn up the exact sweater from the Gap 2000 campaign image, I eventually found a fairly close version of the baby blue chunky knit on Poshmark. Within days of securing my sweater, as if by kismet, I read Vogue’s Why Does Everyone Have Such Good Memories of the Gap Holiday Chunky Turtleneck? Like the author, the Gap holiday striped knit in question evoked comforting tween memories of bopping around the mall and pasting magazine cutouts of JC Chasez to my school binder.

Gap 2000 “Holiday is Here” Campaign

By the time I finished the Vogue article and started a search with the intention of doubling my Y2K knit collection, the internet had caught on to the desirability of the Gap 2000 holiday sweater and there was just one option left, it was not in my size and ground zero for a bidding war on eBay. A week later, I thought I’d give it another shot. This time, I again found only one option, but it was in my size and posted to Poshmark a mere seven minutes prior (lol) at the fair price of $65. I got it. More Y2K knits to consider:

• J.Crew wool blend sweater (small in light blue)

• J. Crew wool blend sweater (xsmall in grayish-blue)

• 90s Gap sweater (large in brick red)

• Extreme Cashmere sweater (one size in pale yellow—not vintage, but a similar look)

• Neiman Marcus sweater (medium in light blue)

• Gap neutral striped sweater (medium in blue/gray/white)

Leather Blazers

The next piece of the puzzle was already sitting in my closet. I hate to repeat myself, but there is no shortage of classic leather blazers available via The Real Real. I’ve rounded up a short list of leather blazers to consider, but a saved search on TRR will eventually turn up your perfect piece:

• Ann Demeulemeester (US 6 in black)

• Moschino Cheap and Chic (US 6 in ivory/cream)

• Prada (US 10 lamb leather in navy blue—a splurge)

• Piazza Sempione (US 8 in black)

• Plein Sud (US 10 in ivory/cream)

• Louis Feraud (US 4 in black with white stitching!)

An Emotional Support Outfit

With my Y2K chunky sweaters acquired and vintage leather outerwear in my closet, I devised an emotional support outfit formula to carry me through winter: Y2K sweater + leather blazer or trench + straight-leg denim.

OUTFIT 1 (left)

• Vintage Gap 2000 holiday sweater via Poshmark

• Vintage black leather trench via Maj Kiosk

• FEEL studios black genuine jean

• Nicole Saldana ‘Fabiana’ mary-jane

• Vintage Banana Republic bag via eBay

OUTFIT 2 (right)

• Vintage J. Crew Y2K chunky sweater via Poshmark

• FEEL studios blue ozone genuine jean

• Vintage Narciso Rodriguez leather blazer via The Real Real

• Gucci horsebit suede loafers via The Real Real

• Vintage Banana Republic bag via eBay

Turns out bright and chunky sweaters that I probably owned in middle school are a balm for cold and dark winter days.

Thank you for being here, and I’ll see you soon! 💌