There was a certain kind of older brother in the 2000s. He didn’t even have to be your older brother. He might have even been a cousin. (There’s a pretty damn good chance he was a cousin.) But he was the mid-2000s older brother.
If you, like me, happened to be a young person at that time then you know what I’m talking about. This older brother was cool in a very mid-2000s way — a way that would likely make you cringe now nearly 20 years later. They had super baggy pants, likely with some metal accouterment like a wallet chain or studs. They played Xbox 360 throughout the night, probably fueled by Monster Energy Drinks or Mountain Dew Code Red. They had long hair, pushed to the side and swooping across their eyes — an almost grungy play on the Southern Swoop cut.
Well, I have devastating news: Gen Z has found out about this brother, and they’re reviving the aesthetic on TikTok. All across the social media site you can find people posting about the so-called “2000s older brother core.” Some posts are just images of ephemera from that time set to nostalgic music: punk-adjacent dudes who look like older brothers; PlayStation consoles; lime green accessories; checkered Vans; and Tony Hawk Pro Skater. As In The Know pointed out, pretty much any teenager from that time would’ve interacted with some or all of these things. But put together, it’s an aesthetic. It’s teenage nostalgia the early aughts. It’s similar to the kids who wore bell bottoms and Led Zeppelin shirts in the 2000s.
“Generally, it characterizes a skater or punk teen in the 2000s who also played video games,” noted TikTokker @4blue_moon4 in a video explained the “2000s older brother core” aesthetic.
That feels mostly right. TikTok has had a weird nostalgia for the 2000s for a while now — there are whole accounts dedicated to digging up footage from that time and making it seem awesome. It’s often tied to the desire to go back to a time with less tech and a slower pace of life. It draws a mix of people who lived through that time feeling real nostalgia and young people who are nostalgic for a time they weren’t really conscious of.
Older brother core is just a new tangent on that trend. He was the kind of dude who might’ve given you your first Blink-182 CD or dropped you off at the mall in their beat-up car.
The videos on TikTok showcase a mix of things. There are the images from that time, but there are also people donning the clothes and style from that time. They are reviving the actual mid-2000s older brother in flesh and blood. After all, fashion trends are already bringing back oversized jeans, graphic tees, and trucker hats. It’s not a far leap to fully embrace that aesthetic. All you need are baggy cargo shorts. (Those are back now, too.)
It’s not shocking, seeing where trends have headed, that Gen Z would embrace the “2000s older brother core” style. There’s something alluring about being that certain type of teen. You have a black and, weirdly, lime green uniform — think Xbox, Mountain Dew, slimy logos — that’s comfy and casual to wear. You get to stick it to The Man in a relatively mild way, which is always great for a young person.
The 2000s Older Brother is back, and now anyone can be him.
