MAKE IT CUTE

Picture this: an unforgettable sleepover, complete with bold fits, the *best* music and a pack of pals even the Spice Girls would envy. Whether you live for the early aughts or simply love streaming DCOMs (and yes, Cadet Kelly is still hilarious), grab your friends and your flip phones, because this is the sickest way to send off summer. 

Fetch fits

Get the party started (like the P!nk song, ya know?) with a throwback fashion show. Before the big night, tell your girls to bring along their Y2K best. (Halter tops, flare jeans and jelly sandals never really went out of style, did they?) Don't forget the mini handbags and rimless sunnies.

Before your squad hits the runway (aka your basement stairs), get your glam on with new millennium beauty staples: spiky buns, sparkly eyeshadow and your shiniest lip gloss. Then, crank up the tunes (peep our playlist HERE) and strike a pose like you're Lizzie McGuire (bonus points if it's in front of our super easy you + double-stick tape + blank CDs wall, inspo below). 

Gummy Factory Inflatable Chair, $88, dolllskill.com | Lava Lamp, $33, lavalamp.com | Am Amaonm Stars, $8, amazon.com | Butterfly Craze Pillow, $65, creativeqt.com

"Hey, MTV, welcome to my crib"

Curate a nostalgic neon atmosphere with inflatable furniture, lava lamps, glow-in-the-dark stars and plush Happy Daisy-inspired pillows. 

Dance Dance Revolution Regular Dance Pad for Sony PlayStation 2, $47, amazon.com | Dance Dance Revolution Extreme 2, $39, amazon.com

Totally 2000s tracks

Get ready to busy a move with your BFFs! Dance Dance Revolution (still available for most gaming consoles; Playstation 2 is our pick) is easy to learn, and the quirky EDM tracks with literally keep you on your toes. And when it's time for some killer karaoke? Stick to early 2000s pop anthems (think: Avril Lavigne, Gwen Stefani and Britney Speas), because the ultimate singalong needs a lineup the whole squad knows by heart.

@momonatamada

Shake it like a...Kodak

Dust off that digital camera your mom hasn't touched in years (grainy images + that weird timestamp = amazing) and snap the night away with a vintage vibe. No camera? No problem: Hack a signature Y2K shot by covering your iPhone camera with a small square of plastic wrap, then dab the lenses with a thin layer of lip balm. Take your photos with the lights off and flash on (watch a TikTok tutorial below). 

@evalarosaxo For my Y2K girlss Credit: @filmbykt #hacks #y2k #digitalcamera #pics ♬ original sound - ChickenButt!

Movie magic

Prep your popcorn (Orville Redenbacher Movie Theater Butter ftw), pile your plate with throwback candies (Nerds, Airheads and Razzles...13 Going on 30 stans know no party is complete without them), then get ready for a night at the theater—the home theater, that it.

The flicks:

Before Netflix, Friday nights were from Blockbuster runs. Take things back to the VCR era with these '00s classics. 

+ Sleepover (2004): An all-night scavenger hunt just became the first item on your BTS bucket list.
+ The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005): Are you a Bridget, Carmen, Lena or Tibby? Settle with a squad debate.
+ Freaky Friday (2003): Twenty years later and we're still screaming along to LiLo's "Ultimate."
+ The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003): Lizzie's iconic silver suit = Y2K couture.
+ New York Minute (2004): Mary-Kate and Ashley take on Manhattan (like, before they actually did it IRL).

UO Nail Polish, $5, urbanoutfitters.com | Heartthrob Glitter Journal with Pom Pen, $15, claires.com | Lip Smacker Original & Best Trio, $6, lipsmacker.com | Yuntop Butterfly Hair Clips, $5, amazon.com | Lip Smacker Be Sweet & Sparkle Color Palette, $8, target.com | Claire's Club Knocker Bead Hair Ties, $7, claires.com

Bestie bling 

Once the fits have been photographed and the songs have been sung, it's time to say "Bye Bye Bye" to your BFFs—but not without a few goodies to thank them for coming.

Hey, girl! Just wanted to let you know that this story originally ran in our August/September 2023 issue.
Want more? Read the print mag for free *today* when you click HERE.

Top image: @kaylincantor
Slider image: @tiffanyalethia

by Melanie Dowling | 9/15/2023