It wasn’t long ago that the internet had, seemingly all at once, turned wildly and vocally against “millennial style,” the style of dress popularized by freshly out-of-college grads in the mid-2010s, and deemed identifiable by a few key items — namely leggings as pants, skinny jeans and peplum tops. As the Y2K-McBling resurgence peaked, so too did the disdain for the quintessential “yo-pro” aesthetic, and suddenly, looking a little too put together became, for lack of a better word, kind of lame. Now as the resurgence of early aughts fashion fades into the background, as the story of the pendulum swing goes, runways and street style alike reveal that young adults are dusting off their pencil skirts and kitten heels, and taking semi-business casual ‘fits to the club again.
While skinny jeans and side parts remain deemed temporarily uncool, the trending notion of building a “forever wardrobe” filled with timeless investment pieces (a familiar sentiment now heightened by the recession), seems to play a part in encouraging the mid-2010s aesthetic revival. As the first and last generation to experience life pre and post-internet during the formative time of youth, it makes sense to see their interests take a reflexive approach to the nostalgia of their own generation in comparison to generations past.
These days, there’s no better indication of a looming trend (if only micro) than what the industry’s It-girls are wearing out and about. Julia Fox, confirmed millennial who has managed to win over Gen Z, pointedly brought back statement belts this past Fashion Week, albeit in a much more sultry way than we may have seen in the past. Zendaya, awarded CFDA’s 2021 Fashion Icon Award, wore a Louis Vuitton backless suit vest and pleated trouser on the Cinemecon Red Carpet in April. Florence Pugh, recently appointed Valentino ambassador, sported rockstud bags and heels in a new campaign, while Gal Gadot, new ambassador of Tiffany’s feted the brand’s new NYC cafe in a full Sportmax suited look. Even Ryan Gosling has been seen returning to his roots in skinny jeans and graphic tees.
Designers such as Bottega Veneta and Prada have concentrated on ways to produce collections that encourage timeless classics that may be refreshed and punctuated by a seasonal accessory. Other youthful designers such as Johnathon Anderson of JW Anderson and Loewe have also embraced this notion whether it be the viral balloon heels or the furry shoes seen across the runways of brands such as Heron Preston, Gucci, and Burberry. In relation to the increased sightings of peplum tops both on and off the runways, trend forecaster Maragret Blatz tells Beyond The Pines, “When the consumer spends this amount of money, it’s not to look too trendy or too dainty, it’s to add an item that makes them feel confident in their high-low wardrobe.” Even Dries Van Noten successfully reinvigorated the idea of a skirt over a pair of tailored trousers.
Lyst’s quarterly Fashion Index confirms these trends (or indicators of the “end of trends,” as they call them) don’t just exist in the vacuum of TikTok discourse. For instance, Miu Miu, which revolutionized statement prints in the mid-2010s with its iconic swallow- printed dresses and matching wedges ended the quarter in the number one slot. Then, Burberry, at number 15, made a popular comeback with Daniel Lee’s debut collection, which honored the traditions of the heritage house and Christopher Bailey, seemingly erasing the last five years of the Tisci-streetwear era that the brand underwent. More parallels can be drawn between recent item-specific trends and some of the most prominent markers of 2010s style. In 2023, the fanny pack became Uniqlo’s coveted round shoulder mini, the floral maxi skirt is now the ever-trending denim style, Adidas’ signature Stan Smith sneaker gave way to the Adidas Gazelles, and so on.
The underlying commonality to this aesthetic shift emphasizes an economic scarcity and longevity that the millennial generation has become accustomed to through the major events such as the 2008 recession, which defined a time when much of this subset was entering the workforce burdened with student loans in an unemployable and crumbling market. In turn, the clothes they look to purchase today often aren’t the temporary, virality-driven fashion of the internet’s accelerating overconsumption culture. “As Millennials come into the prime age and economic bracket to purchase luxury goods,” Blatz says, “They are going to be more wary of treating themselves. When they do, it’s nice to feel like the piece stands out from the rest of [their] wardrobe, and isn’t just another flash trend that doesn’t fit.”
In comparison to previous eras of nostalgic resurgence in fashion, which can be seen in the industry’s obsession with archival regurgitation from the past five years, the subtle shift to buying new clothing for now, and forever, idealizes a similar concept to the elusive and mythological “25-piece” capsule wardrobe that dominated the idea of feminine dressing in the mid-2010s, emphasizing functionality punctuated by personal flair. The irony is, because of this style’s longevity, skinny jeans as their counterparts were never totally written off by (most) millennials, The rest of the internet has just finally come back around.
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