It’s 2022 and ‘BBL fashion’ and “lockdown loungewear’ are a thing of the past! It seems to me that after months in lockdown and many people in and out of quarantine, fashion trends have become more expressive and personal. Current trends of fashion are heavily communicated through Instagram and TikTok. The sense of self-expression on an online global platform speaks to the way that trends have been set and changed so often. However, something that has stuck (uniquely) has been the influence of thrifting and vintage pieces. This is very much a statement of fashion for millennials, the sense of nostalgia that we get wearing ‘throwback’ pieces that remind us of an old 90’s music video or sitcom is what keeps this trend alive. Whether it’s a clash of vintage and modern styles, celebrity ‘it girls’ like Bella Hadid, Zendaya, Jordan Daniels, Faith Jaggernauth and Paloma Elsesser are doing it effortlessly.
Style inspired by unique pieces allows us to do exactly what it is intended to do: express ourselves. What’s great about thrifted clothing is that you don’t have to go completely maximalist to fit the brief: wearing one statement and focal item will do the job! Pairing a plain white vest with statement pants and some chunky jewellery is a simple way to get the current millennial look. If we’re talking about heading the maximalist route, that means clashing colours, prints and textures, and you can never under-accessorize. It’s like the saying along the lines of, “when you leave the house always take one item off.” Maximalism, however, means always adding an item- think in terms of a pair of sunglasses, or a funky hat.
Millennial fashion really doesn’t entail one sort of style, so we can’t define it by simplicity versus being extra. It’s more to do with being unique and expressing personal style. Certain looks can be simply what suit you best, and what fits your mood specifically. I’ve seen a lot of self-expression stemming from how we feel on a daily basis. I think this goes hand in hand with the sort of individuality and personal styling that links to millennial fashion. I’ve seen people on social media and friends just one day deciding to be edgy, and the next day deciding to be your typical Pinterest girl. What makes it so distinctive is that you can clash styles and eras of clothing as a means to express your personality.
Although we obviously can’t forget that certain beauty expectations are still very prominent within certain trends, we see a more common style of clothing that doesn’t necessarily have to fit you perfectly. They don’t have to fit you in a certain way in order for you to be “stylish”: the focus is more on the pieces you’ve put together, and the ways in which you’ve done so. This is where certain prints, colours, and accessories come into play because it all adds to your whole outfit and aesthetic. All the style icons I’ve mentioned previously differing styles, but they still all fall into the category of millennial fashion.
So, this way of dressing is a way to reflect your interests as well as what made you “you” while growing up. It incorporates that sense of nostalgia. Let’s think of it this way: it’s like when you go thrifting and see an old t-shirt from your favourite TV show or pants that look like they’re from your favourite music video. These things become the basis of your outfit, and we see this in a lot of these celebrities’ outfits. They’re simply wearing their interests, as well as mixing and matching what they think goes.
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCT chapter.