Why Are Millennial Women Caving To Gen Z Fashion Trends?

Those of us who used to feel like somewhat of an authority on fashion are now sifting through our closets in search of something that doesn’t make us feel totally antiquated.

The downturn of millennial fashion started with skinny jeans. Early in 2021, millennials everywhere were alerted that their pant of choice for nearly a decade was now unsightly. Although runways had been showcasing and celebrities had been wearing alternative denim styles for a while prior, the onslaught of hate toward skinny jeans was sudden. Many of us scrambled to find new pairs of jeans that fit the purported ideal aesthetic. 

And slowly but surely, more and more of our go-to pieces were considered unstylish. Eventually, we were left with unsolicited advice on how to update our wardrobes to appeal to fashion gods we didn’t worship. Said fashion gods were created by Gen Z internet denizens, and many of us gave strangers online more agency over our sartorial choices than we allowed ourselves.

Fashion Trends Come and Go

It’s not a surprise that we were advised to toss our fitted blazers and ankle boots aside. Fashion is cyclical, and someone, almost always an older generation, has to be the victim of a change in trends. But this change felt particularly vicious. When low-rise denim and lacy camisoles layered over long sleeves were on the outs, we didn’t tell Paris Hilton and Ashley Tisdale to set their closets on fire and get with the times. But when the sun set on millennial fashion, we were told that certain fashion choices were a tell-tale sign of our generation – and not in a good way. It wasn’t enough to be ashamed of what we were wearing; we had to be embarrassed of our age too. Seemingly overnight, millennial became a dirty word. 

And how did many of us respond to this vitriol? We fed into it, of course. We researched trends and adjusted our wardrobes accordingly. We parted our hair down the middle, purchased a few baggy items, and tucked our well-loved skinny jeans away for safekeeping. Abiding by arbitrary fashion laws set by Gen Z was more important than dressing in what made us feel comfortable and confident. To add insult to injury, many of the Gen Z-approved trends were fresh and easy to wear. Baggy jeans are decidedly easier to put on than a pair of skinny jeans, and chunky sneakers make nights out easier to withstand than even the most comfortable pair of riding boots. Still, should we have abandoned our style staples to keep up with fleeting trends?

What we should have done instead (and plenty did – kudos to the strongest among us) was wear whatever the hell we wanted. Take Blake Lively and Rihanna, for instance. These women couldn’t be more different in their approach to fashion, but both are rightfully heralded as modern fashion icons. What they also have in common is that they dress according to what makes them feel best.

Both women went through periods of ascribing to fashion trends – Rihanna was all about low-rise jeans in the mid-2000s, and Lively layered with the best of them – but it was when they started dressing for themselves that they became the revered fashion figures they are today. We’ll see them in a trendy piece on occasion, but overwhelmingly, their choices reflect who they are as people.

Style Should Come from the Soul

And at the end of the day, isn’t fashion a form of self-expression? We use clothing to tell the world what we can’t share with words. Though trends have changed throughout decades, the most fashionable women in history have been the ones who set the standard by wearing what made them feel best, not what everyone else was wearing. Audrey Hepburn is a fashion icon now, but she wasn’t always. She wore what she loved, and her authenticity inspired legions. It inspires many of us still today. We bear bits of our souls through our wardrobe. How can we share who we truly are if we only choose our clothing according to what everyone else is wearing?

We use clothing to tell the world what we can’t share with words; we bear bits of our souls through our wardrobe.

And that’s not to insult Gen Z. Gen Z fashion isn’t just comfortable – a lot of what the girls are wearing looks great (on them.) But like with any new batch of trends, not all are gems. There are plenty of outfits Gen Z has donned that they’ll look back on and wonder what they were thinking. We know this because we’ve experienced the same feeling scrolling back through our own camera rolls. Many of the outfits they’ve branded as “cheugy” are ones we’ve already recoiled at ourselves. 

Dress for Yourself

But what exactly does wearing whatever we want look like? It takes many forms, but the best course of action is to create a capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is not one divided into sections clearly defined by era. It’s a cohesive closet, one rife with timeless pieces that speak to each of us as individuals. A capsule wardrobe can be full of basics, or it can be made solely of statement pieces with stories about their purchases. It can be many things. 

A capsule wardrobe has room for trends too. Many of us like keeping up with trends, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But rather than letting trends and people you don’t know dictate your every style choice, dress according to what looks best on you and only indulge in a trend or two per season. Be sure to keep those pieces, though, because almost every fashion trend comes back eventually. We’re already seeing some of the most notorious early-aughts options for sale again.  

Closing Thoughts

There’s nothing wrong with being part of Gen Z, and there’s nothing wrong with being a millennial – we can’t control our age. What is wrong, though, is equating someone’s value with what they wear. Vilifying someone for how they dress needs to stop. If you’re a millennial woman, own your wardrobe and your age proudly. Your wardrobe is part of who you are, and your age is what allows you to know who that person is. Wear what you want, and give others the space to do so too.

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