As a member of Generation Z, I can attest to the fact that this generation is stuck in a constant cycle of reminiscing. Aesthetics for every possible niche have been created. I’m sure you’re familiar with the widespread nostalgia for Fall 2022, centered around Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit” and the infamous downtown girl aesthetic, which has made its comeback for three consecutive falls. I’ve yet to see any nostalgic posts about Fall 2023 or 2025, though; those were clearly flops. Another era that’s been idolized is 2016, when YouTube was at its peak and fidget spinners and hoverboards were on everyone’s wish list. Earlier this year, communities across social media platforms decided 2026 would be the new 2016. An era I’ve seen brought into the spotlight more recently is the early 2000s, with aesthetics ranging from teenage dirtbag (think Rodrick Heffley and The All-American Rejects), to Tuscan home decor, and the yoga mom that eats Chicken Salad Chick while listening to John Mayer. The point here is that the rise of nostalgia for a specific experience, season, or year is an ongoing phenomenon and says a lot about Gen Z. Right now, the most popular, and honestly shocking, trending aesthetic that has overtaken social media platforms is “millennial optimism.” Gen Z is suddenly hyperfixated on what it would be like to live as an adult during the early 2010s, when being cringe was more acceptable.
But I thought millennials were weird?
In the eyes of Gen Z, millennials have always been a running joke. They’ve been repeatedly ridiculed for their lack of humor, bad style, and cringy behaviors. Take the “millennial burger joint” meme from last year, for example: guys with man buns decorating their burger restaurants with stools, fairy lights, and a chalkboard menu consisting of wildly loaded milkshakes. Millennials are also notoriously made fun of for the emojis they use, because they give off silly, goofy vibes, a level of cringe Gen Z strongly opposes and strives to avoid. The rise of this newly desired aesthetic isn’t necessarily a return to that genre of millennial, though. Instead, it’s the quirky side that’s being romanticized: mustache art, Polaroid selfies, bangs, and beanies.
Authenticity IS chic
If Gen Z has spent so much time dismissing the millennial lifestyle, when and why did this sudden change in perspective happen? At the beginning of this year, a shift occurred across fashion trends and social media content. Whimsical became the adjective everyone wanted to associate with. This is the origin of the latest desire to live like a millennial. Being whimsical, rather than cool, has gained attention because it brings back fun energy and authenticity. People are now purposely trying to break the status quo and stand out. As a generation that collectively opposed millennials and had a chronic fear of being labeled “cringe,” Gen Z is now embracing the freedom of self-expression and has completely transformed their opinions on what it means to be cringy. It’s now considered chic to be yourself, with quirks and styles that are uniquely you.
Millennials shaped our childhood
A major aspect of millennial optimism is the young adult aesthetic. However, many videos on TikTok have used this new trend to articulate what the era felt like for fellow Gen Z members. Montages are being made of brown, pink, and green polka dots, owl-designed bulletin boards, dimly lit classrooms, and Scholastic Book Fairs. Now, millennial optimism has split in two: early 2000s childhood and 2010s adulthood. Which aesthetic makes you the most nostalgic? Either way, you have to admit that millennials were behind the design of both and are finally receiving credit after years of being thrown under the bus.
What does this say about Gen Z?
Mass media has given Gen Z the tools and inspiration to create vision boards, collages, and video content, and with that comes the romanticization of everything. It’s common for people who shared an experience to look back and reminisce on it, similar to how parents today miss the ’80s; however, Gen Z has undoubtedly taken it to a new extreme. I’ve seen videos expressing nostalgia over the pandemic and framing the year 2020 as a fun year that’ll be missed. As of recently, I’ve even seen people already reminiscing about the Michael Jackson movie which was released just five months ago! I believe Gen Z has become far too performative. There’s this constant need to make everything cute, picture worthy, or like-able. It appears to be a coping mechanism to fight off dissatisfaction in the present moment. Ironically, this time of year has a good chance of being turned into an aesthetic in a few months, and while you may not feel it now, you’ll want to relive this era once it’s passed.
Is it all just another trend?
So, is this sudden gravitation towards millennial lifestyles genuine or is it just another trend? It’s honestly hard to tell. This may be an aesthetic that lives on forever and is revisited often, such as Fall 2022 and the early 2000s. Or it could simply be a passing phase similar to the brief romanticization of neon preppy fashion, which has yet to resurface. Maybe Gen Z is just reaching adulthood and trying to find a fun way to approach it. After all, this generation has always been humorously unserious. The adversities they face are softened with the use of jokes, and the pressures of today’s online world are causing them to seek relief.