A guide to PinkPantheress’ chill Y2K style

Not only has PinkPantheress captured the hearts of millions with her short and sharp alt-pop tracks that lay vulnerable lyrics over catchy drum ‘n’ bass beats, but she’s also a style icon in the making. After modelling for Marc Jacobs’ Heaven, appearing on the cover of The Face and joining fellow fashion icon Ice Spice in New York to film the Boy's a liar Pt.2 music video, PinkPantheress is on her way to becoming your next fashion obsession.

As the artist’s TikTok fame grew rapidly over lockdown, – she shared her first music clip on the platform as PinkPantheress in December 2020 – she maintained a certain level of anonymity and rarely showed her face in her videos. The Bath-born, Kent-raised singer took her pseudonym from an answer on Bradley Walsh’s game show The Chase. Her real name continues to be a disputed topic and, considering the level of her fame, there are few photos of her online. What we do know is that PinkPantheress’ personal style pulls from the very same '90s and '00s nostalgia that informs her music.

Her long floaty skirts, leather pants, jersey dresses, acrylic nails and ubiquitous mini bags and are what Depop girlies’ dreams are made of. However, in her late teens, the singer felt that her interest in fashion clashed with her love of emo music. “I wanted to dress cool,” she said, “or try to dress cool, and I guess dressing emo did not align with that at the time.” Well, everything comes back around again and emo style has too, as exemplified by the skull print knit hoodie PinkPantheress dons in the Boys a liar Pt. 2 music video.

To celebrate her 22nd birthday, we look back at the burgeoning fashion icon’s personal style through some of her best social posts, music videos and awards’ show ‘fits.

PinkPantheress didn’t think Ice Spice knew who she was until the NYC rapper followed her on Instagram. When she realised, PinkPantheress sent her a DM, and thank god she did because otherwise we wouldn’t have the song of the year — or decade? – Boy's a liar Pt. 2. The duo reunited in March to present Taylor Swift with the Song of the Year Award at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Here, PinkPantheress wears a shredded corset top with distressed leather trousers, completing the look with hot pink acrylics and studded boots.

leather mommy

Like many artists who started releasing music during lockdown, PinkPantheress didn’t play her first gig until almost a year after her breakthrough success. This only added to her mystique. Her first run of shows eventually took place in London in Autumn 2021 and she now has a couple of festival seasons under her belt. In March this year, she played Mala Vida in Austin, Texas wearing a double leather look, black handbag on her shoulder. Why does she need to hold a handbag on stage? It just completes the look.

In the early ‘00s, mesh animal print was a huge deal. Celebs from Christina Aguilera to J Lo rocked some seriously iconic floaty tops and camis. Here, PinkPantheress channels that nostalgic mood in a floaty animal print dress. It’s so ‘00s that it’s hard to believe the photo was only taken earlier this month.

boy's a liar

When promotional mannequins of Ice Spice and Pink Pantheress were erected in London to celebrate the release of Boy's a liar Pt. 2, they were soon stolen by TikTokers who documented the late night heist. The mannequins were clad in outfits from the music video. PinkPantheress wears a cropped skull print purple knit hoodie with black puffer trousers and her ubiquitous mini handbag. Elsewhere, in the video she dances in an ultra-shredded white top, stretchy black flares and black trainers. Meanwhile, Ice Spice stuns in a white Juicy Couture tracksuit and a baby pink bodysuit accessories with a Balenciaga Le Cagole bag. Name a more iconic duo. We’ll wait.

heaven

At this point, anyone who’s anyone has starred in a Marc Jacobs’ Heaven campaign. Pink Pantheress joined the exclusive coterie of Gen Z muses – which include Ice Spice, beabadoobee and Iris Law – back in 2021. The brand has been instrumental in ushering in the emo revival which was PinkPantheress’ favourite era of music as a teen. But we might have to wait a while for the singer’s next major fashion campaign because she’s said she hates modelling because it requires sitting in someone else’s vision.

low rise denim

Now, it wouldn’t be a Y2K-inspired style guide without some low-rise denim, would it? After all, low-rise isn’t just back, it’s everywhere, even if many of us still shudder at the thought of it. Here, PinkPantheress rocks indigo denim with another zip up sleeveless leather jacket. Note another black handbag on her shoulder. Chic!

gothic casual

PinkPantheress describes her style as gothic and here, you can see why. In these pics she’s serving serious Morticia Addams energy. Wearing a black jersey maxi dress and metal clasp belt she poses with friend and fellow TikTok sensation turned award winning artist, Lil Nas X. Collab when?

true thousands

PinkPantheress was born in 2001 so she was a baby during the Y2K era, but here she nails quite a few details that people actually wore at the time. The half button down top layered over a vest might be a look we hoped would never come back, but here it is. And, of course, when it comes to denim skirts, the longer the better.