16 Times ‘Kath & Kim’ Proved They Were The Official Y2K Trendsetters

Y2K has been having a resurgence of late. While some may believe it was Hollywood starlets like Madonna, Jennifer Aniston, or Courtney Loves Cox, who started the trends, they’re wrong: it was the iconic mother-daughter duo, Kath & Kim. 

Rising from Melbourne’s small humble town of Fountain Lakes, here’s a definitive list of the trends the pair (and their myriad of special acquaintances) rocked in the ‘00s that are now back in style.

So heat up the footy franks, crack open a bottle of Tia Maria, and enjoy the noice, the unusual, and the different. 

Here are all the trends coming back that Kath & Kim clearly inspired.

1. Baby Tees

From the moment we were introduced to the one-and-only, Kim Craig (née Day), the effluent queen of Fountain Lakes, we knew that fashion was her forte. Despite the ‘unsightly tummy overhang’ that mum Kath consistently pointed out, Kim walked into our lives wearing a baby tee and denim capris. 

2. Low-rise jeans 

For many millennials, the return of low-rise jeans has been anything but a nightmare. But if you’re a Gen Z who thinks it’s a good idea, let me allow Kim to tell you why this generally ill-fitting trend should have never been allowed back. 

Despite having the flab-blaster on 24/7, Kim continued to be defeated by her size 10 low-rise jeans. “I’m questioning my beliefs. The spirit is willing but the flesh is huge,” she said, before entering the third stage of grief and ending with acceptance. “Where are you, God? Bugger it. If I’m going to hell, I may as well be comfortable.”

3. Double denim 

While Kim loved to rock her double denim, there sure was another denim-loving foxy lady in Fountain Lakes, Mrs Kath Day-Knight. At one point she was seen preparing her weekly signature dish, chicken feet, in a unique graffiti-style number, accessorising with a cap to match. 

4. Pleated mini skirts 

While she may have had to refrain from getting her rocks off with husband Brett for six weeks after having Epponnee-Rae, no one said she couldn’t get back to being Melbourne’s biggest hornbag. Just days after welcoming Epponnee-Raelene Kathleen Darlene Charlene Craig, Kim was back to work and rocking a selection of very micro miniskirts. Fellow new mum, Rihanna, has seemingly taken inspiration from this as of late. 

5. Brazilian bikinis

It may have originated in Brazil, but Mr Kel Knight was an early adopter of the Brazilian bikini bottoms. Ahead of his 50th birthday, he surprised his love with not only his bare hairy butt cheeks but a tramp stamp that read, “Foxy Lady.” 

And talk about body positivity. Before TikTok and the likes of Tammy Hembrow and Sofia Vergara, Kimmy was the body-positive curve-loving spokeswoman of the century. In the famous words of the mum-of-one, “I look like Kate Moss in this.” 

6. The real Kim for SKIMS

Can the real Kim for Skims please rise? Before the Kardashian extraordinaire took over the shapewear world, Kim Craig was the first to model the nude undergarment. 

Helping mum Kath make some extra coin while working in the pyramid-scheme industry, she and second-best-friend, Sharon Karen Strzelecki, put on their own at-home lingerie fashion show for their myriad of special cashed-up acquaintances. 

Later down the track, Kath was also seen promoting said products on an open runway in the middle of Fountain Gate shopping centre.  

7. Bike shorts 

No, it wasn’t Princess Diana or Hailey Bieber who started the bike shorts trend – it was actually Kel Knight, and his Logie-worthy staring role in the primetime incontinence advertisement for High and Dry. 

So next time you millennials or Gen Z rock the bike shorts look, be sure to take a moment to honour the original trendsetter, Kel Knight, Purveyor of Fine Meats, and former Fountain Gate Retailer of the Year. 

8. Whale tale 

The Met Gala is always an opportunity for stars to take risks and pay homage to iconic fashion looks of the past. It can only be assumed that 2019 Hailey Bieber was honouring fashion icon, Kim Craig, with her whale tale look. 

First seen ahead of a sexy date with her internet lover, Kim rocked the skimpy look. If only Kim was friends with Anna Wintour. 

9. Velour trackies 

Kim Kardashian recently brought back the Y2K matching velour sets, obviously only after spending time with Sharon while filming their Uber Eats commercial. There’s simply no other explanation as to how low-rise velour trackies made their return. 

10. Hello, Nails 

Nails and nail art is such a statement these days. And through the guidance of Kim, we’ve learned it also acts as the perfect excuse to get out of literally anything if you blame it on your nail tech. Acrylics and extensions are not just back for Y2K, they’re here to stay. And in the words of the new, improved, and transformed Sharon, “Hello, nails!”. 

11. (Horse) Hair 

We need to talk about Kim’s $475 horse-hair switch from our favourite store, Ooh La La. It may be better known as extensions these days, but evidently, it’s the Kim Craig switch that we’re all looking for in our ponytails, and Ariana Grande has taken note. I can almost guarantee Ari had Kim’s stylish updo on her wedding day Pinterest board. 

12. Shiny metallics 

The shining matriarch had a little hiccup ahead of her hen’s night – fake tanning the wrong arm. While the night was saved by wearing her metallic top backwards, she has since gone on to inspire many others to wear shiny designs. Without Kath, there’d be no Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, or any other shimmering on-stage performer.  

13. Bandanas

Olivia Rodrigo wears a back-in-style bandana and drives with the top-down during her music video for Deja Vu. Does this scene give you deja vu, too? I could not be more convinced, it was never about Joshua Basset, THE MYSTERY MAN IS KELVIN GRAHAM KNIGHT! 

14. Coachella 

Kim Craig is made for Coachella. Scantily clad ensembles with maximum skin are her forte and she’d be loving herself sick at the festival. Proving true pin-up girl to the desert fashion scene, Kim rocked a Jessica Simpson-inspired Dotti look that was paired with cowboy boots ahead of her family vacation to tropical Queensland. 

Because hey, in wise and very true words of Kim, “If it’s not Witchery or Dotti, don’t talk to me.” 

15. Nude 

One thing that’s never gone out of style is the birthday suit. Originally prescribed by unlicenced, shamed, and incompetent marriage counsellor and horny life coach, Marion, Kath and Kel complete their homework task of stripping down to help get their rocks off. I wonder if Britney Spears has been referred to Marion of late too? 

16. Hot girl walks 

As we look at the myriad of Y2K trends set by the iconic duo, their partners, and second-best friend, there’s one that’s really made its resurgence and we have Kath Day-Knight and Kel Knight to thank for it. Hot Girl Walks. The simple concept of walking to feel your best is something the duo regularly did, complete with matching ensembles. The practice was so very addictive that Kel even continued to get his HGW in while on his meat retreat.