Everybody’s favourite TV show of the mid 2000s, The O.C., featured some seriously iconic noughties fashion: low rise jeans, headscarves, cowl neck tops, cargo trousers, tube tops and capri pants… Style trends from the noughties are having a serious fashion revival right now, and nobody wore these stylish looks better than Marissa Cooper, Summer Roberts and the rest of the O.C. cast.
Actress Mischa Barton has revealed that she played a significant role in choosing Marissa’s clothes, explaining to ELLE in a 2014 interview: “I started getting Chanel to send stuff. I started having these designers send stuff over because I saw the merit in getting that kind of stuff on television. If I had those connections in the fashion world, why not? [The wardrobe department] would totally have been happy just dressing us as regular teenagers, to be honest. Not in a bad way, we would have looked adorable, but we would have been just your average Orange County teenagers. But with my wiling and conniving I was like, “You know what would be super great is if we could get this Chanel dress for this [prom] episode,” and it kind of all came together.”
25 Looks From ‘The O.C’ We Still Love
Baby pink silk dresses are back in style (Credit: Marie Claire)Summer’s boyfriend jeans with boots combo is making its way back onto the fashion scene. (Credit: Marie Claire)
Marissa rocked complementing colours like bright green and fuchsia. (Credit: Marie Claire)Pleated denim mini skirts, hooded cardigans and miniature handbags were a staple of the 2000s fashion. (Credit: Marie Claire)Summer’s chic white silk dress with a plunging neckline would totally make it to the runways these days. (Credit: Marie Claire)Headscarves and oversized, chunky bangles were huge in the early 2000s. (Credit: Marie Claire)
In the same interview with Elle, Barton explains that “the show and the wardrobe broke ground”, naming the costume designers and stylists as reasons for the success of the series. Marissa Cooper’s designer-filled wardrobe, which featured gorgeous Marc Jacob’s dresses and Chanel handbags, supplied fans of the show with some serious style cues and inspiration.
Pinning back one’s bangs in this hairstyle was also a serious trend in the noughties. (Credit: Marie Claire)Sheer pink maxi dresses and a crown? Um, yes please. (Credit: Marie Claire)Summer rocked this revealing bikini look with a stick on star around her belly to a party. (Credit: Marie Claire)
This blue polka dot dress is Marc Jacobs and was hand picked by Barton herself. (Credit: Marie Claire)We love this embroidered burgundy dress! (Credit: Marie Claire)
Other nostalgic fashion trends from the 2000s that featured heavily in the O.C. (and that are making a huge comeback) include micro miniskirts, cropped pirate pants, cargo pants, dresses over jeans, peasant tops and lacy or silk slip dresses.
We love this LBD with cutouts! (Credit: Marie Claire)
Shimmery sequins and neutral tones. (Credit: Marie Claire)The infamous Chanel prom dress. (Credit: Marie Claire)We loved this chic white coat with a tie waist. (Credit: Marie Claire)Silk slip dresses are making a comeback – jeans over dresses on the other hand, not so much! (Credit: Marie Claire)
Bootleg jeans and over accessorising are also making a comeback. (Credit: Marie Claire)This frilly, rouched pink number is probably our favourite thing Marissa wore throughout the entire series! (Credit: Marie Claire)Summer’s wedding dress is seriously gorgeous. (Credit: Marie Claire)Micro mini skirts are another 2000s trend that are making a serious comeback right now. (Credit: Marie Claire)
We’re loving these bootleg jeans and layered necklaces. (Credit: Marie Claire)Not only do we love Mischa’s soft curls here, but that open back deep red dress was another on our list of faves from the O.C. (Credit: Marie Claire)Graduation goals! (Credit: Marie Claire)Crocheted bellero jackets. Say no more. (Credit: Marie Claire)
Even the couples wore matching clothes! Relationship goals! (Credit: Marie Claire)
