That Lorelai Gilmore is a style icon, we already know, but can we pinpoint why, exactly, her style is so attractive, and why we gravitate towards it?

It's not just the Y2K of it all that appeals to us, there's a timeless sense of whimsy that can be applied to an outfit no matter the year or age. There are a few principles that are used in every outfit:

• Whimsy

I'm sure you've noticed that in almost any Lorelai outfit, there's at least one element that's playful, creative, colorful, young, or otherwise whimsical. 

Whether we're talking about dog graphics, rhinestones, feathers, leopard print, shiny or furry textures, Lorelai always kicks her outfit up a notch with an element that's fun and irreverent. That's a way to express her quirky personality and make her style distinct from any other woman wearing a 2000s outfit.

That's a principle you can also apply to your own wardrobe. Think of ways to include your personality, interests and passions into your own style. Any outfit can become better, more stylish, and more "you" if you channel your inner Lorelai and inject some fun. 

• Casual

If there's one word that describes Lorelai as a person, as well as her style, it's "casual". She's mostly in jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, or zip-up hoodies, and damn if she doesn't make it work. It's a great way to undercut "fanciness" and make everything feel less serious. 

In the show, it serves as a great reminder and signifier that Lorelai is young, and has a bit of arrested development going on. But this style would look even better on a teen or young adult. But if you're a young spirit in your 30s, rock it, girl. 

• Hot

Obviously, a huge part of the Lorelai Gilmore style is sexyness. The trendy style of the 2000s lends itself to that with the tight and slim cuts and lowrise bottoms, but there's also a je ne sais quoi that she brings to it. A flirtiness, a confidence, and a bold ownership of elegance and sexuality. Lorelai is hot and she knows it. 

If anything, her style is a great example that being sexy is not about showing skin or cleavage, necessarily. You never see Lorelai in very short hemlines or very lowcut tops; what makes the style hot is the flirty details - sheer fabrics, sequins, slinky cuts, a well-placed ruffle, some cute heels. 

The jacket that launched a thousand Pinterest boards, this burgundy, sherpa lined corduroy trucker jacket is quintessentially 2000s in a way I can't explain if you weren't yet conscious by then. Sister to the very du jour barn jacket that's currently trending, a sherpa trucker says you're casual and practical, but still adorable, which is a huge part of Lorelai's style. Never too done up, but always seemingly effortlessly cute. 

How do I wear it in 2025? Honestly, this trucker jacket + bootcut jeans look is still fab and pretty modern. The trucker jacket is a great alternative to a typical leather jacket for fall. Less expected, less "done", more casual, and takes itself less seriously. 

In the early 2000s, when nobody but Peggy Bundy was wearing leggings and baggy jeans were soooo 90s, it was all about the bootcut jeans. Lowrise, dark denim, and usually embellished with some kind of wording, ties, or rhinestone pattern, it was oftentimes the lowrise bootcuts that completed Lorelai's most iconic looks. They pair perfectly with pointy toe shoes, another 2000s staple.

How do I wear it in 2025? Luckily for you - and for all of us, tbh - bootcut jeans are back, baby. In fact, the exact jeans Lorelai wears in the show can probably be thrifted today and they'd make a banger outfit. If you want to bring them into 2025, tie some bows on the belt loops to Coquette-ify them. 

Especially in the early seasons, a major staple in Lorelai Gilmore's wardrobe is the turtleneck sweater. Red, white, black, blue - this staple shows up time and time again and it looks perfect every time. It may seem like a boring item, but it's precisely its simplicity that makes it so versatile and easy to style successfully in a variety of outfits and occasions, whether you're going to a diner or to Friday night dinner.

How do I wear it in 2025? As a person who strongly believes that there is no such thing as a timeless item of clothing, a slim to regular fit turtleneck is pretty damn timeless. The silhouette hasn't changed much since 2000, or from 1974. Or from 1957. We wear the same slim black turtleneck now that the beatniks wore. Which means that Lorelai's turtlenecks fit right into 2025 styles. Pair them with bootcut jeans for a casual Y2K look, with a midi skirt and knee high boots for an Office Siren look, or straight slacks for an Old Money, Quiet Luxury kind of aesthetic. 

One of the hottest items on the list, pointy toe shoes - especially knee high boots - are Lorelai's favorite footwear, if we don't count sneakers. Especially for formal occasions, like a Friday night dinner or for work, a leather knee-high boot with a pointy toe is fresh, and it goes wonderful with boot mini skirts and midi skirts.

How do I wear it in 2025? Another one of the most current trends of fall 2025, pointed toe shoes are one of the items you can safely steal from Lorelai's wardrobe and not get any weird looks. They were chic then, and they're chic now. Wear them with skirts or pants, they go with everything. They're especially cute if they have kitten heels.

The leather blazer makes several appearances throughout the show, both to denote realism - people rewear their clothes! - and because it was mega trendy in the early 2000s. Lorelai pairs her leather blazer with skirts and heels for work looks or with jeans and graphic tees for casual outfits, and it looks bangin' either way. 

How do I wear it in 2025? The silhouette has changed a little bit and nowadays you're more likely to wear a slightly more oversized blazer, but leather is major for fall 2025 and I do believe it's a piece Lorelai would still wear now. Thrift stores and second-hand apps are filled to the brim with authentic vintage Y2K leather blazers, so I recommend going that route. 

You'll notice that most of Lorelai's casual looks feature a graphic tee. The 2000s were big on graphic tees, but she's also a fan because it's the perfect item to dress down an outfit. Hanging around at home with Rory? Jeans, graphic tee and a zip-up hoodie. Parent-teacher conference? Throw a blazer over the graphic tee and she's good to go. 

How do I wear it in 2025? There's still space for the humble graphic tee in a 2025 wardrobe, just try to wear it in an unexpected way. Graphic tee with skinny jeans and converse is no longer what I'd call a fashionable outfit. But a graphic tee with a cropped lady jacket? A graphic tee with an oversized blazer and a really full midi skirt? Now you're talking Lorelai Gilmore's fashion language. 

The other color Lorelai can't go wrong with is burgundy red, and luckily for us, it's a color that looks good on everyone. She often pairs it with leather, which is delightfully 2000s, and to really kick it up a notch, matching dark red lipstick. 

How do I wear it in 2025? What's the hottest color of the 2025 fall season? That's right, it's burgundy. A more modern take on Lorelai's burgundy touches is to opt for burgundy leather. That's a good compromise and reworking of her style wearing dark red and leather together. It's fresh, it's unexpected, and it works with surprisingly many colors. Especially light blue, hint hint. If you don't like to wear it, then perhaps some burgundy accessories? Shoes and bags are Lorelai's favorites. 

Shades of blue, and baby blue, in particular, are a recurring theme for the Gilmore shared wardrobe, not just because it brings out their matching blue eyes, but because - together with baby pink - it's one of the quintessentially 2000s colors. Rory's blue uniform, Lorelai's blue sweaters, even Yale's color is blue.

How do I wear it in 2025? Thankfully, it's harder for colors to appear dated than it is for styles of clothing. You don't need to wear blue the exact way Lorelai does in order to evoke her style. Consider taking a very modern, very current item, but make it baby blue. A fluffy crop top, a pair of ballet flats, or a Lorelai long, skinny scarf. 

A style of bag so iconically Lorelai Gilmore that my mother exclusively refers to these as "Lorelai purses", the armpit bag is as cute as it is useless. In some ways, 2000 was a much better time for them, because the phones were foldable, but on the other hand, we now have our entire life on our phones, so we don't need to stuff our purses with anything else. 

How do I wear it in 2025? Tiny, mini, baby purses have been hot hot hot for a few years now, so it was only a matter of time before The Lorelai Bag was back. With crossbody bags being so Millennial coded, and top handle bags being so impractical, there was a need for something fresh, and still cute. Voila, the armpit bag. It's less gross than it sounds. Just call it a baguette bag, instead, a la Carrie Bradshaw. Wear with cute mini skirts, trendy midis, flared leggings - it goes with everything. 

The ultimate casual item, the zip-up hoodie is one of Lorelai's staples. This may be surprising, until you realize that they can be seriously stylish. They're not big, baggy ones, but slim-fit, cropped hoodies worn with cute, low-rise bootcut jeans. You get a hint of skin, so it's slightly sexy, but still casual. It basically perfects the "I just threw this on and I'm hot without even trying" look. We are in awe, and busy taking notes. 

How do I wear it in 2025? Would Lorelai still wear zip-ups in 2025? I think she would. Pair them with flared leggings for a similar, but updated look. You can also color outside the lines a bit more and opt for a slinky little slip skirt or dress and throw your zip-up hoodie over it. Lorelai Gilmore meets Carrie Bradshaw.