Gen Z Fashion Aesthetics (2024)

FAQs

Gen Z Fashion Aesthetics? ›

Barbiecore, plazacore, indie sleaze, weird girl and coastal grandma were just some of the fashion “aesthetics” to go viral in 2022. Slapping a punchy name on thematic fashion styles has become a Gen Z hallmark.

What are Gen Z aesthetics? Gen Z design aesthetics are often inspired by nostalgia, particularly for periods such as the early 1990s that the generation perceives to have been more stable than their childhood years.

“With shorter trend cycles, a lot of Gen Z creators are moving away from dressing to fit hyper-specific aesthetics,” says TikTok content creator Pierrah Hilaire. “They overlap, and trends like cow print or deconstructed fashion can transcend a lot of niche fashion styles.”

Hickly: Gen Z is obsessed with aesthetic culture because we are a generation that struggles a lot with identity and belonging to certain “aesthetics” gives a sense of belonging.

The opposite of Cottagecore, for example, would be hardcore. Cottagecore is a laid-back, more “unplugged” way of living that draws upon the countryside and old English gardens.

Gen Z is all about authenticity, individuality, and inclusivity, and they are more interested in celebrating imperfections than meeting impossible standards. This has impacted the way social media tools are being used and brands are increasingly paying attention.

Several key influences on Gen Z's clothing purchases come from online sources: influencers, ads, and product reviews. However, above all, Gen Z valued the opinion of their friends. The key aspects of the clothes themselves for Gen Z were quality and comfort, with environmental considerations scoring relatively low.

Many believe this has to do with the generation's increased focus on body positivity and ensuring that fashion trends look good on all figures, not just slim ones. This also explains why Gen Z prefers baggy jeans to skinny jeans, which millennials have an affinity for.

Normcore is a unisex fashion trend characterized by unpretentious, average-looking clothing. Normcore fashion includes jeans, t-shirts, sweats, button-downs, and sneakers.

What's the most popular aesthetic 2023? ›

Indie sleaze—the Tumblr-inspired aesthetic that fueled last year's rise of miniskirts, ballet flats and tank tops—matures into Elevated Indie in 2023. Led by designers like Khaite and Saint Laurent, the downtown-cool aesthetic appeals to a broader demographic that appreciates timeless denim and leather pieces.

Gen Z subcultures

The subcultures in this category are streetwear gamers and gamer girls – think a mishmash of MTV, esports, fashion and music cultures, whereas the gamer girls are fueled by inclusion and lifestyle. The groups have a median age between 20 and 21.

While personal memory drives a love for '90s fashion among Millennials, for Gen Z, it's more an appeal of aesthetic tastes. The '90s represents a far-off fashionable fantasy depicted in film photos and polaroids for the younger generation, whereas the 2000s are a distant but recognizable reality.

Another reason why millennials and Gen Zers love Y2K fashion is that it makes them feel confident. In a world that is constantly changing, it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends. But by wearing Y2K fashion, millennials and Gen Zers can relax and be themselves without having to worry about what is in style.

Cottagegore (also known as Goth Cottagecore or Dark Cottagecore) is similar to Cottagecore, in the sense it has a strong focus on country life, baking, and vintage items, but contrary to its name, it instead includes darker aspects of nature (including rotten mushroom or plant aesthetics, forest cryptids, spirits or ...

Grandmacore. Grandmacore refers to an aesthetic that is based around cottage and stereotypical grandma related things ie. gardening, soft knitted fabric, crocheting, farmland animals, fresh baked bread, etc.

The aesthetic is accused of being Eurocentric and heteronormative and does not promote people of colour (POC), queer, or disabled creators with the same fervour as they do with the former. The idea of homesteading, popular in the Cottagecore community, was made famous in the United States during the 19th century.

Gen Z are starting to splurge on luxury shopping as young as 15 — up to 5 years earlier than their millennial counterparts did. 'Precocious' teens are set to become the biggest buyers of luxury goods by 2030 as the demographic of shoppers in the sector get younger and wealthier.

There's an increased awareness in the younger generation of the connection between mind, body, and skin, Jefferies said. In other words, the typical Gen Zer thinks of beauty as a way to express themselves, not as a way to attract others.

What are Gen Z top skin concerns? ›

As of the year 2021, the most common skin concerns mentioned by Generation Z in North America were wrinkles and eyebags, with a percentage value of 15.8 and 15.4, respectively. These were followed by visible pores, acne, and dark spots. Dark circles and sagging skin were mentioned the least.

Gen Z is not always consciously looking for gender-neutral fashion. For them, it is natural to interact with brands less restrictively and manifest freedom of expression by disregarding stereotypes. It became more important as Gen Z purchasing power grows.

Members of Generation Z, or Gen Zers, have been undeniably shaped by the Great Recession of 2007–09 and the COVID-19 pandemic.

They tend to be much less attached to specific brands, instead preferring to shop around for the best deal. They place high importance on brand ethics and corporate responsibility, even more so than Millennials. Out of all the generations, they're the most likely to shop via social media.

Low-rise jeans, maxi skirts, baguette bags, and Ugg boots are just a handful of the trends seeing a 2023 resurgence.

Pop artist Billie Eilish is arguably one of the most popular Gen Zers. By the age of 19, her album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? has been streamed billions of times and she has won multiple Grammys – five at the 2020 Grammy Awards alone.

Gen Z turns to mascara, concealer, and blush for go-to daily makeup products.

This point is significant to Gen Z, who see gender in more fluid terms than their parents. Rather than being a political statement, many Gen Zers simply see bras as unnecessary, the imperative to wear one less linked to their gender than the size of their breasts.

On the flip side, Gen Z'ers prefer straight-leg jeans, followed by relaxed, wide, and boyfriend fits.

The Gen Z argument is essentially that side parts are less flattering and make a person look older, so they're urging all millennials rocking side parts to do themselves a solid and reclaim their youth by achieving that elite scalp symmetry.

What is boujee aesthetic? ›

Boujee visuals tend to be very decadent, affluent, and over-the-top in its luxury, showing off things such as name brand luxury items, high-end fashion, expensive jewelry, etc.

Pearlcore was one of the biggest trends of 2022, taking the runway, high street and our wardrobes by storm. As genderless fashion flourishes in 2023, pearly staples are set to be more popular than ever. As Grace Kelly once said, 'the pearl is the queen of gems and the gem of queens'.

Dreamcore is a surrealist aesthetic that uses motifs commonly associated with dreams, daydreams or nightmares, portrayed through media such as images, videos and, on occasion, music.

The 2010s were defined by hipster fashion, athleisure, a revival of austerity-era period pieces and alternative fashions, swag-inspired outfits, 1980s-style neon streetwear, and unisex 1990s-style elements influenced by grunge and skater fashions.

The Y2K aesthetic is an aesthetic that was prevalent in popular culture from the late 1990s to early 2000s. It comprises futuristic design, synthetic tunes in music, distinctive hardware design, encapsulating fashion with fur and plastic, and cyber-inspired movies and video games.

From clothes to housing, the “poor aesthetic” is one with the characteristics of something old and/or something used.

'Poor core,' also called 'homeless chic,' became popular in the 1980s and, like most trends, comes back into style every 20-or-so years.

Related aesthetics

Weirdcore is a surrealist aesthetic centered around amateur or low-quality photography and/or visual images that have been constructed or edited to convey feelings of confusion, disorientation, dread, alienation, and nostalgia or anemoia.

Gen Z and Millennials are transforming what “pop culture” means—creating a whole new set of rules for the brands that want to reach them. While reliance on a media calendar of set events has been the norm for brands, Gen Z especially is shifting attention to a less predictable set of moments driven by social media.

Who are Gen Z Alpha? ›

Generation Z (also known as the iGeneration, Zoomers, or Centennials) refers to those with birth years between 1995 and 2010. Generation Alpha encompasses those born between 2010 and 2025. Gen Z is the first digital native generation, while Gen Alpha is the first generation to grow up in an entirely digital world.

Researchers and popular media typically define the birth years for this micro generation as including individuals born between 1992-2000, although some sources include those born throughout the early 1990s-early 2000s.

But why is Gen Z so obsessed with the middle part? A theory posed by The Cut is that the younger generation is more open to accepting flaws and they therefore feel less need to hide part of their face behind their hair.

Gen Z, while focused on their goals for now, believe the average age they will get married is 27.

Gen Z Natural Texture

This often means growing the hair to a longer length and using hair care products that enhance the hair's natural texture rather than hide it. Styles like the curly fringe, the shag, and the textured crop have all become popular choices.

Generation Z members say they want sustainable clothes but buy fast fashion instead – new research. Nine in ten surveyed bought fast fashion and only one in six could name a brand which made sustainable clothing, according to the study by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University.

What is Indie Sleaze? Indie Sleaze is the latest take on the indie rock style of the 2000s and 2010s. According to Vogue, it "is a messy amalgam of '90s grunge and '80s opulence, topped off with an almost pretentious take on retro style" and it's apparently being adopted by Gen Z.

Barbiecore, plazacore, indie sleaze, weird girl and coastal grandma were just some of the fashion “aesthetics” to go viral in 2022. Slapping a punchy name on thematic fashion styles has become a Gen Z hallmark.

What is Y2K aesthetic? ›

What Is the Y2K Aesthetic? The turn of the millennium saw design trends move away from the grunge and grit of the 90s, instead favoring bright, obnoxious colors, kitsch textures such as plastic, metallics and faux fur, and bling as far as the eye could see.

Related aesthetics

In the design world, chic means elegant, fashionable and trendy. Although the word has French origins, chic can be used to describe practically any style with a casual, understated look that is still hip, fresh, updated and modern.

It's been over eight years since the term normcore entered our collective consciousness, and while its popularity has ebbed and flowed, the fascination with the aesthetic is still going strong.

In the simplest terms, the minimal aesthetic involves creating a clean space without clutter. This means only adding the essentials to the room, such as the main furniture piece and perhaps a few additional pieces, depending on the room.

Darkest Academia, also known as Gothic Academia and Goth Academia, is an academic aesthetic that incorporates gothic studies, literature, poetry, arts, architecture, music, the occult, and general Gothic related topics. It is related to finding beauty within the darkest places.