Thrifter Shares Ultimate Y2K Fashion Find Worth $1,000: ‘Found THE Heels’

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Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years she has specialized in viral trends and internet news, with a particular focus on animals, human interest stories, health, and lifestyle. Alice joined Newsweek in 2022 and previously wrote for The Observer, Independent, Dazed Digital and Gizmodo. Languages: English. You can get in touch with Alice by emailing alice.gibbs@newsweek.com.

Alice Gibbs

Senior Life and Trends Reporter

A thrift-loving TikToker shared how she stumbled on a piece of Y2K royalty in a now-viral video that fashion lovers can’t get enough of.

Posted by @sweetvintagez on TikTok, the fashion curator shared how she was lucky enough to find not one, but two pairs, of vintage Manolo Blahnik heels worn by Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City.

The iconic 2000s styles instantly caught the eye of the shopper, who pulled both pairs off the shelves: a stunning silver D’Orsay heel and a pair of vibrant plaid kitten-heel mules, marked at an unbelievable thrift store price of $39.99. The video’s caption read: “Found THE heels.”

Designer Manolo Blahnik became a household name largely thanks to Sex and the City. Played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Carrie Bradshaw’s shoe addiction—and multiple references to Manolos throughout the series—helped cement the brand’s reputation as the ultimate in luxury footwear. A 2011 New York Times article recalled how the designer went from a niche luxury label to a cultural phenomenon, thanks to the show’s obsession with his shoes, which ran from 1998 to 2004.

Manolo Blahniks are still a much coveted item in the fashion world and can cost upwards of $665-$1,495 brand new. While even secondhand versions similar to Carrie’s iconic colorful style sell on Etsy and Vestiaire Collective for around $600 and $650.

The plaid heel worn by Carrie featured in Season 3 Episode 3, Attack of the Five Foot Ten Woman, and while the exact style is hard to find nowadays, a similar Multicoloured Silk Buckle Detail Mules costs $995 on the Manolo Blahnik website.

With over 270,000 views since being posted to TikTok last week, people couldn’t get enough of the shoes and rushed to the comments to share their reactions.

“$40 Manolo’s? Girl HOW,” one user wrote.

Another added: “I’ve never been more jealous in my life.”

One commenter joked about the cyclical nature of fashion trends, saying: “This is happening because the early 00s ‘It girls’ are grandma’s now!”

“You’re God’s favorite,” said another TikToker.

What Is Y2K Fashion?

Y2K, short for the year 2000, refers to the style and trends popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Often incorporating bold colors, patterns, and textures, the era’s style was heavily influenced by celebrity culture.

Key styles included low-rise jeans, crop tops and bright colors like pink, purple and yellow. Accessories included chokers, body chains and butterfly clips while shoes were often chunky sneakers and Ugg boots.

Y2K fashion has seen a resurgence thanks to nostalgia, leaving people stunned as styles like disc belts and skinny jeans find their way back into wardrobes.

Newsweek reached out to @sweetvintagez via social media for comment.

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