It was a perfectly balmy New York summer night when the first guests started streaming out of the elevator and into The Standard's Penthouse in the East Village for our 20th birthday party. They were greeted by sweeping views of Manhattan, plus some undeniably nostalgic decorations and outfits — the bash was Y2K-themed, after all. The entire night was a celebration of the enduring impact of the 2000s and our Aughts Effect cover stories and package.
Fittingly, Monique Coleman, one of our cover stars, was in attendance in a hot pink going-out dress. She chatted throughout the night with another former Popsugar cover star, Taryn Delanie Smith, who was clad in a cheetah print number. Other notable attendees included Kaylor Martin, Azzy Milan, and, of course, much of the Popsugar team.
To step inside the party, keep scrolling through all of our photos below.
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Monique Coleman poses next to her Aughts Effect cover at Popsugar's 20th birthday party at The Standard in the East Village.
1 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Popsugar team members cheers at the start of the night.
2 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Torin Dunn and "Love Island USA" alum Kaylor Martin pose outside.
3 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Creator Azzy Milan takes photos in our photobooth.
4 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Taryn Delanie Smith, a former Popsugar cover star, takes in the view.
5 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Our gift bags were stocked with nostalgic goodies.
6 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Popsugar Editor-in-Chief Kelsey Castañon poses as the party gets started.
7 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Peloton's Aditi Shah poses outside.
8 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests lounge on 2000s blow-up couches.
9 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests take photos in the Majestic Photobooth.
10 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Monique Coleman and Taryn Delanie Smith strike a pose.
11 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Tooth Jem adorns our guests with tooth gems.
12 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests grab some Magnolia Bakery cupckes for later.
13 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Creator Lola Faith and a guest pose on our blow-up couch.
14 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests brought the ultimate Y2K accessories.
15 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests pose outside.
16 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Kaylor Martin hangs out outside.
17 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Alexis Jones, Jessica Harrington, Sarah Wasilak, and Adi Giesey are all part of team Popsugar.
18 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Sarah Wasilak and Jessica Andrews hang out outside.
19 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests pose outside.
20 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Monique Coleman greets fans.
21 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
DJ Denise Isaac spins the ultimate 2000s playlist.
22 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests pose outside.
23 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Creator Lola Faith shows off her tooth gem.
24 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Our Popsugar gift bags.
25 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests line up to get specialty drinks like The Cheetahrita.
26 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Melissa DeLuca rocks butterfly clips.
27 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
The Magnolia Bakery team hangs out outside.
28 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Melissa DeLuca, Jill Dehnert, and Joey Dehnert are 2000s ready.
29 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Monique Coleman and her guests pose outside.
30 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Creator Julia Wettreich and a guest pose outside.
31 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Creator Connie Zen strikes a pose.
32 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Jessica Andrews and Alexander Julian Gibson pose outside.
33 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Kelsey Castañon and Briana Sciaca snap a selfie.
34 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Yerin Kim, Kelsey Castañon, Lena Felton, and Kelsey Garcia pose outside.
35 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Taryn Delanie Smith and Michael Webber smize for the camera.
36 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Summer Bockart and Sara Abdelbarry chat outside.
37 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests' accessories scream Y2K.
38 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Sarah Wasilak smiles in a group.
39 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests came in their best 2000s outfits.
40 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Kelsey Castañon blows a kiss.
41 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Mia Marquez and Noah Sams pose outside.
42 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Avery Riester and Kellyn McMullan cheers inside.
43 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Emily Zirimis and Summer Bockart cheers outside.
44 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Kaitlin Hatton admires her new tooth gem.
45 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Guests strike a pose.
46 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
A guest dances inside.
47 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
48 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
The Popsugar team celebrates the launch of a successful Aughts Effect cover and the start of the party.
49 / 50
Image Source: Marissa Alper
Lena Felton (she/her) is a senior director of special projects at PS, where she oversees sponsored packages, tentpole projects, and editorial partnerships. Previously, she was an editor at The Washington Post, where she led a team covering issues of gender and identity. She has been working in journalism since 2017, during which time her focus has been feature writing and editing and elevating historically underrepresented voices. Lena has worked for The Atlantic, InStyle, So It Goes, and more.
