It’s 2024, but by the looks of some websites, it may as well be 2000. Brands and designers are embracing design nostalgia, merging today’s seamless web technologies with vibes of the aughts. Unplugged and a bit absurd, web nostalgia is making a big impact on digital branding and web design trends.
Nostalgia is everywhere: Barbie became cool, Backstreet’s back (N’Sync too, so long as Justin didn’t ruin the tour), and old Y2K fashion trends are resurfacing. Dumb phones and disposable cameras are having a moment, too.
In the digital world, today’s designers are adopting a less corporate (and decidedly more weird) aesthetic of the early days of the web.
We’re seeing digital design that’s intentionally low-fi coming from some of today’s hottest brands, like Public Domain, Nike and Starface World. Even Millennial favorites like Skittles are paying homage to their '90s branding style. Recently, the brand tapped Elmwood to refresh their visual identity, highlighting their nostalgic, absurdist qualities in a deliberately low-fi manner.
Why is nostalgia so big in the design world right now?
In design, we never fully reinvent the wheel. Like most cultural trends, whether it’s '70s inspired psychedelic fonts or Y2K design—the unplugged design waves of the past have hit on a wide array of industries, and for good reason.
“Media, fashion and entertainment often revisit and celebrate past decades,” says Alexandra Navarro, co-founder of Treep Tours. “Elements from these periods resurface as they're reinterpreted and adapted to modern contexts. This cyclical nature keeps old styles fresh and relevant.”
Less polished and more weird, nostalgic web design today is becoming intentionally low-fi. Ahead, you'll see some more reasons why.
01. We want to make web design cool, personal and playful again
The internet and web design used to be less centralized, less uniform and more playful. In the nascent web, there were more nebulous web standards, and more of an emphasis on the personality of the brand web designer (or, let's be honest, the Myspace user).
Later, having a website became a crucial part of marketing. With that, a new web design standard emerged. Design took a step back, favoring ease-of-use, SEO, web accessibility and mobile. The emphasis on the user was defined by broad appeal and minimalism. Think: clean layouts and straightforward navigation.
This made design nostalgia a solid way to capture people's attention. “I wanted to make something that stood out," says Nasir Baradari, founder of Nasir Studio. "When I looked for inspiration, the retro maximalist designs really impressed me."
This aesthetic reminded him of a quote from, Modern Family's Phil Dunphy: "While everyone is chasing each other around outside the box, you know what the box is? Empty.” Baradari adds: “I think that's why I go back to the older times.”
02. Nostalgia makes you feel something
When designers craft branding for a website design, they often seek to draw out certain emotions from their audience. Nostalgia does just that.
That's partially why we’re seeing many brands look back and create new products that embrace the qualities of simpler times. For example, opting for screen-free digital cameras like Camp Snap—a camera that promises “to make you feel like you went back in time.” We’ve also seen collaborations, like Vacation’s Arizona Iced Tea lip balms, which remind us of the lip smack era.
For Treep Tours, this concept was the inspiration for their website’s reinvention of 2000s design kitsch. “We chose this approach because it is a great way to create an emotional connection with users,” says Navarro. “Nostalgia provides a sense of connection to a simpler, more innocent time when everything seemed easier. In today's crazy and chaotic world, having something familiar and comforting can be very appealing.”
03. Design nostalgia resonates with audiences from different generations
“Nostalgia evokes a sense of familiarity and can resonate with users from different generations who have memories of the early internet era, or even those who would love to have lived in those days,” says Navarro. “We see younger generations romanticizing this retro aesthetic.”
Nostalgia has the power to bridge the gaps between generations. Today’s nostalgic trends are connecting with audiences who have grown up with the eccentric Millennial style, offering a sense of escapism. But they’re also tapping into Gen Z’s own nonsensical, absurdist aesthetic.
“Everyone is obsessed with Millennials,” says Ryan Haskins, a creative director and brand designer from Los Angeles. “We grew up with the internet. Sure, we're inheriting a dumpster fire, but if anybody can save us it's the Millennial legends.”
How can you incorporate nostalgic elements into your own work?
Today, nostalgic elements serve as a catalyst for an expressionist approach to web design, empowering designers with sophisticated design tools to make it even better for users.
The growing focus on web accessibility, user-friendliness and performance has revolutionized web technologies, resulting in a speedier, seamless and inclusive online environment. This, coupled with the current trend of making websites more interesting for users, enables designers to strike a perfect balance between innovation and nostalgia.
Here’s how to balance nostalgia with today’s user needs, with the help of some Wix Studio design tools and inspiration.
01. Look back for inspiration
“Look for references from the era, not just from websites, but also from movies, music, art, interior design and fashion,” says Navarro.
Haskins has similar advice: “Watch movies from your desired era and study the opening credits, a typographic gold mine," he says. "Look at CDs and record typography, too. Pull textures and colors that would be commonly used from that time period and mix and match sensibilities—make it your own. Unapologetically.”
Going with a '00s inspired site has the benefit of focusing on how to make it exciting and engage users. Upon entering Nasir Studio's website you're immediately greeted with a riot of color and expression of individuality that brings you back to the start of this millennium. From cats in tuxedos to neon skulls, Baradari uses animations and custom CSS to keep visitors engaged.
“Some people like feeling nostalgic while the newer generation sees it as something new and fresh. I saw this as an opportunity to go all-out with the design,” says Baradari. His advice? “Go crazy."
03. Incorporate nostalgic visuals with modern elements
In the 2000s, widespread use of Flash technology allowed for the incorporation of animations, games and interactive media, making websites immersive experiences rather than mere sources of information. But of course, it wasn’t the quality of aesthetic that we have now.
Navarro from Treep Tours shares some of her own inspiration, advising designers to “combine nostalgic elements with modern ones.” For example, “use old photographs or videos or apply filters that make them look from another era, but present them with modern movement or effects.”
For example:
Game-like visuals such as the pixelated images seen in Enigma can be achieved with vector art, transparent videos and website animations.
Visual distortions and grainy filters that are reminiscent of the early Flash technology, like the imagery in this website created by Wix Studio designer Dana Dushkin or the glitch effects of Nasir Studio’s site.
Custom cursors are an interactive way to give off the playful vibes of the '00s. Treep Tours uses kitschy 2000s imagery while the cursor on Dushkin's Wix Studio site brings us right back to the old Mac user interfaces.
Imitations of old desktop windows that are reminiscent of low-fi user interfaces, such as the homepage imagery of Public Domain’s site, the website menu of Felix De Combat and in the Treep Tours testimonials section.
04. Use retro-looking typography and colors
Icon fonts and colors are key, Navarro says. Tap into these design elements:
'70s style fonts, like the expressive psychedelic style or the more laid back vintage serifs. See how the sunscreen brand Vacation paired them with a laid-back, retro color scheme.
Going back to old-school gaming, there’s also the monospaced fonts, like those used in Enigma’s site.
Stroke fonts paired with a minimalistic black and white theme, as seen on Byline’s online journal. It’s a great example of how you can still achieve a nostalgic effect while enhancing user readability when it matters.
Bubble letters and bright colors, such as those incorporated onto Feastie’s event website, Ryan Haskin’s portfolio and Starface’s online store.
The future of nostalgic web design
The challenge for designers and brands moving forward is finding a balance between form and function. We should aim to create a cohesive design that integrates the lessons learned from the past while still maintaining a focus on usability.
Brands should still ensure two things. First, as Haskins reminds us, designers should “make sure they're using the nostalgic design trend in a way that’s unique and speaks for the brand," he says. "Otherwise, it will be confusing—even annoying.”
Second, make sure your site serves the visitor by following the principles of good web design, maintaining good performance and adhering to web accessibility guidelines. Slow loading times, broken pages and zero alt-text should stay in the past.
.jpg)
.png)
