I dressed like Lizzie McGuire for a week and it was surprisingly easy

This is what dreams are made of.

In the early 2000s, I remember springing out of my bed at an ungodly hour each and every weekend to watch Saturday Disney. It was the highlight of my Foxtel depraved week, the time I could indulge my girlish crushes on both Zac and Cody, sing and dance along with the Cheetah Girls and dream of someday being as bad-ass as Kim Possible.

But for all the characters I loved and the bizarre plot lines I relished, for me, Lizzie McGuire was the show that sat above the rest. The series itself was great of course – who doesn’t love the iconic soundtrack, wacky jump cuts and zoom in transitions? But it was Lizzie herself that made the show.

It wasn’t just her quick-witted remarks or her wholesome (yet at times tumultuous) friendships with Miranda and Gordo that I loved, it was her zany fashion sense. Her wild, unadulterated and chaotic sense of style kept me glued to the screen.

Looking back, many of the outfits could be described as hideous, but Lizzie’s signature pieces still hold their own today. With tie-dye, head wraps, spaced-out bangs and a general love of all things early-2000s making a comeback, it seems Lizzie’s eye for style might have actually been before her time.

The unruly way that Lizzie dressed (and accessorised!) was and still is something to be admired. Much of my style, then and now, is influenced by this haphazard approach to dressing.

After hearing the announcement that the much-loved TV show was set to return to our screens, with none other than Hilary Duff herself portraying Lizzie, it seemed only right to try to emulate the original, and frankly iconic styles.

Unfortunately, production of the reboot has since been placed on hold, but I’ve got my fingers crossed that it will make it to our screens sometime soon.

In the meantime, in lieu of rewatching the original series, and firmly holding onto a compliment I once received that I looked somewhat like the child star, I tried my best to channel Lizzie McGuire for an entire week and (finally!) fulfilled my school girl Saturday morning style dreams.

Sporty pink tie-dye

This is my take on sporty Lizzie, incorporating a few of the things she does best – colourful bandanas, choker necklaces and bright tie-dye prints. Modernised by the bike shorts and a bum bag slung across my body, this look is appropriate for anything from tie-dying sheets in your backyard with Gordo to gossiping with Miranda in the hallway of Hillridge Junior High.

Date night dress

In channelling Miss McGuire’s cute date night look, I once again recruited the help of some pastel tie-dye pieces. The half-up, half-down hair look is a cute and easy style made all the more reminiscent of ’00s Disney with the addition of the fuzzy scrunchie. Throw on a denim jacket, or throw it around in my case, and voila! Totally Lizzie.

The classic white shirt

I’ll be the first to admit that Lizzie is wearing the heck out of her white shirt and my attempt pales in comparison but when coupled with a pair of trusty wide-leg jeans and a fun shoulder bag, it has to be one of her most wearable looks.

Surprise surprise, more tie-dye

Remember when Lizzie befriended a ‘bad girl’, got a nose piercing and started wearing black? Yeah, same. This was probably one of my favourite Lizzie looks as it’s the closest to my own style. The tie-dye, messy hair buns and chunky jewellery are essential. As the cherry on top, I added my own element of classic ’00s styling with a cute handmade Hello Sisi colourful logo bag.

Pinstripe get up

When I first came across this iconic ’00s style moment, I knew I couldn’t not replicate it. Yes, I’m well aware it isn’t actually Lizzie but rather her real-life counterpart (probably on the red carpet of a Teen Choice Awards) but something about this look felt so earnestly 2000s that I just had to. This low-rise pinstripe pant and cropped singlet duo was a joy to put together and my only regret is that I didn’t have a jean chain and sparkly wrist band to top off the look.

Sequins for days

Lizzie’s heavily sequined look, incorporating both a sparkling lime singlet top, shimmery black and white mini skirt and clashing jewellery could be one of her most chaotic. In my attempt to emulate this, while simultaneously paring it back a little, I coupled a sequined printed mini dress with a V-neck cropped sweater and matching zebra print baby purse.

More pink, and more mini-skirts

For my final look, I flipped one of Lizzie’s iconic poster looks by wearing pink on the bottom and white on top. This classic colour blocking is key to Lizzie’s style and the mini silver bag, matching pink headscarf and chunky colourful choker all add a fun and, of course, zany element to this look. I think Lizzie would be proud.