With the rise of Gen Alpha, Gen Z is getting old. Therefore, the majority of Gen Z is probably in their most nostalgic era. As a recent high school grad, I’ve found myself and my peers constantly thinking about simpler times—missing when our biggest stressor was what Disney Channel show would play next.

Lately, people are starting to channel that nostalgia into their fashion. We’re seeing an influx of the kinds of outfits that used to be the punchline of fashion jokes—think Ashley Tisdale layering a graphic tee over 3 more tank tops, Selena Gomez in bubble skirts and knee-high Converse, Demi Lovato in fingerless gloves and plaid vests. What used to be tacky is suddenly cool again.The outfits we once swore we’d never wear again are suddenly comforting, even chic. It’s like we’re dressing the way our inner child—or tween—would want us to. Fulling living our best of both worlds fantasy.

Think denim mini skirts with UGGs, shrugs over camis, layered tank tops, and statement belts slung way too low. Celebs like Olivia Rodrigo, Bella Hadid, and Addison Rae have fully leaned into the Y2K and 2010s revival, rocking outfits straight out of a 2008 J-14 magazine. It’s childish in the best possible way. As a child, I dreamed of being a teenager, like the ones I saw in the movies and tv shows.

Fashion has always been cyclical, but this resurgence feels more emotional than trend-based. Maybe it’s because growing up during a pandemic, social media burnout, and economic anxiety has made us cling to anything that reminds us of innocence and joy. We’re reclaiming the cringe, the clunky, the chaotic—and it looks good.

– Kai Love