By the time millennium rolled around, Mariah Carey had conquered the charts, broken records, and set new standards for what a pop star could be. But the next two decades would test her in ways the 90s never did. They brought setbacks, reinventions, and triumphs that ultimately confirmed her as one of the most enduring artists of all time.
2001 — Glitter and a Year of Turmoil
The 2001 release of Glitter was meant to be Mariah’s big Hollywood crossover, but instead it became one of her most infamous setbacks. The soundtrack was released on September 11, 2001, the same day as the terrorist attacks on New York. The timing was disastrous, and the film itself was panned by critics.
Fashion from this period leaned heavily into Y2K sparkle. Pink metallic gowns, rhinestone-studded minis, daring cutouts. Critics dismissed it as over the top, but in retrospect, those looks functioned almost like an armor or sorts during a time of vulnerability.
Mariah later reflected on this period as one of her lowest, both personally and professionally. Yet in the years since, fans have reappraised Glitter, even sparking the viral #JusticeForGlitter campaign in 2018 that pushed the soundtrack back onto the charts. What was once seen as a failure has become part of her story of resilience.
2005 — The Emancipation of Mimi and Grammy Comeback
By 2005, Mariah was ready to reclaim her crown. The Emancipation of Mimi wasn’t just a comeback album, it was one of the most successful of her career, selling over 10 million copies worldwide and winning three Grammys. The lead single, We Belong Together, spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, solidifying her dominance.
At the 2005 Grammys, she walked the carpet in a champagne satin gown that perfectly captured the polish and assurance of her new era. She leaned into bronzed makeup, glowing curls, and curve-skimming gowns that balanced sensuality with sophistication. “Mimi” was the name she chose to represent her truest self, the part of her she wanted fans to see. As she said at the time:
“Mimi is who I am. It’s the fun side, the real side. Not the diva or the image, just me.”
2005 — We Belong Together and the Wedding Gown Reclaimed
In the We Belong Together music video, Mariah made one of her most symbolic fashion choices. She wore the same Vera Wang wedding gown from her 1993 marriage to Tommy Mottola, a dress once associated with control and confinement. This time, she used it to tell a story of escape and empowerment. The video featured actor, Wentworth Millar and ends with Mariah running from the altar, choosing freedom over a scripted future.
It was more than a video, it was a reclamation of her past through art. Fashion became the tool by which she reframed her own narrative.
2009 — Obsessed and Fashion as Parody
By 2009, Mariah had learned to put humor to use. In the video for “Obsessed” she played both herself and her own stalker, donning everything from sequined gowns to hoodies and even a bellhop uniform. It was clever, self-aware, and perfectly timed in the height of paparazzi culture.
Fans and critics alike noted that Mariah was ahead of her time. Long before pop stars routinely used music videos to parody tabloid images, she was reclaiming the story by turning it into performance. “Obsessed” also became a fan favorite for its camp sensibility and quotable hook.
2010s — Vegas Residencies and Holiday Dominance
By the mid-2010s, Mariah shifted into another mode of longevity: Las Vegas residencies. Her first, #1 to Infinity (2015–2017), ran at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and featured every one of her 18 Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles at the time. The show was a dazzling retrospective of her career, filled with sequined gowns, crystal-embellished microphones, and diva spectacle.
In 2018, she returned to Caesars Palace with The Butterfly Returns, a residency that ran until 2020. Unlike the hit-parade of her first residency, this second show was more intimate and fan-focused. She mixed deep cuts with classics and shifted her styling accordingly, softer gowns, more relaxed silhouettes, but always punctuated with sparkle.
These residencies reaffirmed her as a live powerhouse, bridging nostalgia and contemporary relevance. And every December, All I Want for Christmas Is You re-emerged as a global phenomenon. In 2019, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time, 25 years after its release, proving her ability to dominate across decades.
2025 — The MTV Vanguard Award
In 2025, Mariah Carey finally received her first MTV VMA trophy, the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, presented to her by Ariana Grande. It was a long-overdue recognition of her influence as a visual artist as well as a vocalist.
On stage, she joked: “What in the Sam Hill were you waiting for?” — a nod to the decades she had been overlooked by MTV. She also reminded the audience of her lifelong commitment to visuals:
“Music videos aren’t just something I do, they’re my way of life.”
This moment wasn’t just about nostalgia. Mariah also used the stage to usher in her next chapter. Her upcoming album, Here for It All, is slated for release today, September 26, 2025, and includes her singles Type Dangerous and Sugar Sweet. The project reflects her evolution as a woman, mother, and artist, weaving together personal stories with contemporary R&B.
Why Mariah Carey’s Legacy Endures
From the vulnerability of Glitter to the triumph of Mimi and the glamour of her Vanguard moment, Mariah Carey’s story across the 2000s and beyond proves that endurance is as much about strategy as it is about talent. She has weathered scrutiny, reinvented herself, and learned to wield fashion as both performance and power.
Her story is not just about sequins or gowns, but about knowing when to shift, when to surprise, and when to remind the world of her brilliance. For women everywhere, she remains proof that reinvention is always possible. That same philosophy is what SHOOFIE embraces: practical luxury for women who live life on their own terms.