Are millennials cool? Depends on who you ask. Whether they’re strutting around in ankle boots or insisting on no-show socks, it often feels like this generation is nothing but cheugy in Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s eyes. But fashion is cyclical. Take a closer look at what the kids are wearing these days, and underneath the modern rebrands, you may see some familiar millennial items that have made their way into the zeitgeist again.
If you frequented Victoria’s Secret in the 2000s, you’re no stranger to the infamous yoga pants, featuring flared bottoms (themselves a blast from the more distant past) and thick, stretchy waistbands. Today, you can still find this athletic wear at the retailer and many other stores — only now, the hip-again style goes by the name “flared leggings” and comes in more cuts and with more waistband options. “The feel, recovery, and performance make it even better the second time around,” Karuna Scheinfeld, chief product officer of the clothing brand Roots, told Byrdie.
The younger generations’ love for millennial pants doesn’t end there. While high-rise jeans had (and are still having) their moment, low-rise jeans have made a clear comeback, with high-end designers like Stella McCartney showcasing them on the runway and celebs like Kylie Jenner and TikTok star Addison Rae donning them in their streetwear looks.
Zoomer and honey badger men and women are also embracing a baggy style that was everywhere in the ’90s: JNCO jeans. While young people ditched JNCOs for skinnier options at the turn of the century, wide-leg jeans have come back around — much to the amusement of some millennials. “Ha, I just donated my old ones to Goodwill a few months ago,” said one Reddit commenter. “I probably made some kid very happy.”
Others are giving props to their youthful peers for taking the styles of yesteryear in slightly different directions. “I do like seeing how a younger generation interprets an older trend when it comes back around,” 35-year-old content creator Erin Miller told The New York Times, adding, “I think they are doing it better.”
And clothes aren’t the only items the youngins are bringing back. For those who never threw away their wired headphones, you’re in luck: They’re officially considered a “vintage accessory” (and that’s a good thing), according to TikToker The Digital Fairy. Why? “My theory is that wearing wireless headphones destroys the aesthetic of listening to music. And listening to music was a literal aesthetic in the 2010s,” she said, citing the revival of 2010s Tumblr culture as another possible reason. That particular comeback could also have to do with the fact that the wired ’phones are much less likely to fall out of your ears — but that’s just one biased millennial’s opinion.
We don’t mean to just single out Gen Zers and Gen Alphas here. These days, trends are circling back around more rapidly than ever, and millennials are also revamping products from their boomer parents. Case in point: Compression socks, once mostly found in hospitals and nursing homes to help restrict patients’ blood flow, have received a glow-up from younger generations, with brands like Bombas offering an array of cute colors.
@wearwellow The highlight of my day: putting on my Wellow Compression Socks 😌 #wellow #compressionsocks #socks #cutesocks #fyp #compression #recovery
♬ Sunshine – WIRA
So before millennials start mourning the loss of their infinity scarf collections, they may want to hang onto them for a few more years — these accessories might be considered the epitome of cool again one day soon. But hot tip for Gen Y: Whatever you do, forgo using the laughing face emoji (especially three times in a row, according to one TikTok) if you’re trying to slay with the Zoomers.
RELATED: From Alpha to Z: A Comprehensive Guide to the Different Generations
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