10 Ways to Tell You’re a 00s Latina

Young Latina dancing while listening to music with wired headphones

The 2000s were a great time, to say the least. From reggaeton bangers to low-rise jeans, growing up Latina in the 2000s was a formative experience. All these years later, can you still relate to the signs of growing up in the 00s?


You were obsessed with reggaeton (probably still are!)

couple dancing in a nightclub atmosphere

If Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, or Wisin y Yandel were your top reggaeton artists, you're definitely a 00s Latina. Reggaeton exploded onto the scene in the early 2000s, so classics like “Gasolina,” “Pobre Diabla,” “Dale Don Dale,” “Gata Salvaje,” and “Baila Morena,” among many others, defined your teenage years. These songs were inescapable, not that anyone would want to escape them anyway. It wasn’t a good party without them.

You also played them alone in your room to practice your dance moves, don’t deny it.

Latina artists were your fashion icons

Christina Aguilera performing during the Sanremo Story festival

Photo by Raffaele Fiorillo on Wikimedia Commons

And for good reason! I mean, who can’t forget the outfits that Shakira, Thalia, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Lopez, and many others wore in the 2000s? They were iconic and everyone wanted to imitate them. Low-rise jeans, cropped white tank tops, layered tank tops, hoop earrings (these never go out of fashion), yoga pants, animal prints, and neon colors were staples in anyone’s wardrobe.

You were addicted to telenovelas

Graphic design showcasing characters from Latino telenovelas

Luz Media

The 2000s were one of the golden ages of telenovelas, so you must’ve been addicted to a least a couple. Telenovelas like "La Usurpadora" or "Betty la Fea” probably had you in a chokehold and you didn’t miss a single episode. You may even have dreamt of finding your own Juan Soler or Fernando Colunga. If you did, good for you! If you haven’t yet, that’s okay, there’s plenty of fish in the sea. Children’s telenovelas were also great, so you probably kept up with the likes of “Cómplices al Rescate” and “Amigos x Siempre.”

You had an unforgettable quinceañera

young latina celebrating her quincea\u00f1eraQuinceañeras

Quinceañeras in the 2000s truly went all out, throwing the house completely out the window. If you opted into having one of these, you probably had the biggest possible quinceañera dress; the puffier, the better! You probably also had a choreographed dance, most likely with your friends, who were kind enough to learn some sick moves for you. Not to mention there was good food, your entire family in one place, and a good DJ.

You tried a bunch of hairstyle trends

Woman with a braid hairstylePhoto by Adél Grőber on Unsplash

One of the defining characteristics of the 2000s was the hairstyles and there were so many of them! Crimped hair was very popular back then, so you probably did that a lot. The zigzag part was also all the rage and Latinas often added small butterfly clips. Sideswept bangs were also very common in the 2000s and when you wanted to switch it up, you did the little pouf hairstyle by pinning back the bangs with a clip while creating a little poof at the top of your head.

You had a bunch of Sillybandz on your arm

A child wearing Silly Bandz

Photo by Scot Scoop on Flickr

Sillybandz are rubber bracelets that come in different fun shapes and colors. Shapes include crowns, animals, magic wands, and more, so they aren’t just your regular rubber bracelets. They were super popular in the 2000s, and everyone was trying to collect them all. You probably traded with your friends, and your entire arm was covered in them!

You had Ricky Martin fever

Ricky Martin album cover

Ricky Martin was one of those male Latino artists who ushered in the 2000s, so you were probably crazy about him. When “Livin’ La Vida Loca” dropped, everyone lost their minds and he quickly became Latin pop royalty. You probably watched that music video a thousand times! If you want to reminisce, we recommend you play the Latino pop classic right now. It will instantly boost your mood.

You were obsessed with the Disney Channel

Promotional Image of Wizards of Waverly Place featuring Selena Gomez

Disney Channel

Back in the 2000s, the Disney Channel was everything! You probably watched shows like “Wizards of Waverly Place,” starring Selena Gomez, and “Sonny with a Chance,” among others. There were also some iconic movies, like “Camp Rock” and “High School Musical,” which you’ve probably rewatched as an adult because it still holds up.

You loved your Nokia phone

black Nokia candybar phonePhoto by Isaac Smith on Unsplash

If you were old enough and lucky enough to get a phone in the 2000s, you probably had a Nokia and that thing was the best. Not only did it withstand literally anything that happened to it, but playing the snake game, or “culebrita,” as it was known, was a highlight of your day.

You were on MSN Messenger every day

MSN Messenger 7.0 shows a song name playing on iTunes.

Photo by Arthit Suriyawongkul on Flickr

MSN Messenger is one of the many things that defined the 2000s and everyone was obsessed with it. Not only could you chat with your friends and crushes (and even random people you connected with), but you could also create super long usernames with as many emojis as you wanted, display what you were listening to, create chat groups, send winks (animations) that would take over the other person’s screen, and log on and off obnoxiously to get someone’s attention. Those were the days of simplicity!

Graphic design that illustrates the pollution generated by the textile industry on the planet
Luz Media

If every stitch of fabric tells a story, the tale behind fast fashion is one of exploitation, environmental devastation, and unchecked consumerism.

Keep ReadingShow less
two young women smiling and looking at phone

This article republished from the 19th News with permission.

There’s an iconic scene toward the end of the 2002 movie “Real Women Have Curves” that cemented the film’s status as a powerful moment for Latina representation.

Keep ReadingShow less
crowd of people holding blue signs that read kamala and when we fight, we win

I sniffle through my so-called ‘liberal tears’ as I stare at the screen in front of me in disorienting disgust. It’s 2024, and America has just voted for a man convicted of 34 felonies over an accomplished woman lawyer with an outstanding track record.

I am an American Latina who loves and believes in this country. One who proudly dropped off her voting ballot, encouraged others to vote, sent voter guides to friends, and posted about the threat of another Donald Trump presidency.

Keep ReadingShow less