A Gen Zer has left people feeling nostalgic after a 2000s thrift store discovery, which came with an unexpected bonus.
Nicole Randone, a content creator in her mid-20s from New York, was thrilled when she picked up a vintage Hollister skirt in a local thrift store. But it wasn’t just the low-rise silhouette and bright stitching that captured her heart—it was what she found tucked inside the pocket.
In the pocket there was a movie ticket stub dated July 18, 2004, for a 7:40 PM showing of A Cinderella Story at Jersey Gardens theater, the year the film was released.
Finding it felt serendipitous. Like an omen that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be right now.
Starring Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray, the film loosely echoes the plot of its namesake fairytale. Set in an L.A. high school, Jennifer Coolidge plays the “wicked stepmother” to Sam Montgomery, played by Duff, who she lives with along with her two “evil stepsisters,” with Murray unsurprisingly cast as “Prince Charming,” aka Austin Ames. Although this modern-day Cinderella leaves behind her cell phone, rather than a glass slipper.
The discovery has since taken TikTok by storm, with Randone’s video showcasing the skirt and stub amassing over 2.1 million views since it was shared earlier this week.
“I found the skirt at a local thrift store I visit pretty often,” Randone told Newsweek. “I was instantly drawn to it because it had that early 2000s Hollister vibe I love.
“Low rise, fun colors, and super nostalgic. It looked like something right out of Laguna Beach, and that’s totally my style.”
But it was the 2004 movie ticket stub truly thrilled her. “I couldn’t believe it! I was already extremely excited about the skirt, but when I found the A Cinderella Story ticket stub in the pocket, I had a visceral reaction. A Cinderella Story is my favorite movie of all time, and finding it felt serendipitous. Like an omen that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be right now,” she said.
Randone, who shares early-2000s-themed content on TikTok and Instagram, is going to put the movie stub in her collection. “Absolutely keeping it. I cannot emphasize enough how safe it is in my hands. I’m planning to frame it, but until I do, it will be safely tucked inside my A Cinderella Story DVD,” she said.
The reaction online didn’t disappoint, with fans of the 2000s aesthetic heading to the comments to share reactions.
@misss2005/TikTok
“I’m screaming crying throwing up cuz I wanna know what it feels like to be a teen/young adult in ’04 going to see that in theatres,” said one commenter.
While another commenter shared a mix of delight and unease. “Amazing yes… but am I the only one thinking this skirt hasn’t been washed since 2004?”
“It makes me happy to see how many people are just as shocked and excited as I am,” said Randone. “It sparked conversations about fashion, memories, Chad Michael Murray, and growing up in the 2000s. I think it resonated because so many of us are drawn to those nostalgic moments. It reminds us of a special time and the media that shaped us.”
The viral video has tapped into something deeper—a cultural longing for the simplicity and esthetics of the early 2000s. With Y2K fashion firmly back in style and TikTok fueling a revival of all things sparkly, low-rise, and Hilary Duff-approved, reboots of classic 2000s shows like Gossip Girl, That’s So Raven and Malcolm in the Middle have sparked joy.
In tech, people are turning back to flip phones, Tamagotchi’s and disposable film cameras. For millennials, it’s about comfort and familiarity, while Gen Z are rebelling against hyper-polished high-tech norms, yearning for a time when everything felt more tangible and less curated.
“That is literally a historical artifact omg,” said one TikTok viewer. While another said: “I’m so nostalgic for the early 2000’s. I was just a girl, listening to the radio, climbing trees, having my first crush. Summertime was so sweet.”