Written by: Taylor Duff | Lifestyle Editor

Fashion has been a decade-specific vital component of style as generations’ styles and trends evolved. Clothing went from being functional and necessary to becoming a status symbol for designers and high-profile personalities. People dressed more modestly in the ’40s and ’50s, whereas the ’60s and ’70s introduced a new rebellious style of attire that offered more individualism rather than uniformity. The 1980s and 1990s made those designs more distressed and destructive and discovered a method to combine high fashion with more basic and inexpensive apparel. The 2000s were chaotic, but the 2010s and beyond showed potential for consistency. Music has a major effect on fashion, with artists using their outfits to make statements and grand impressions. Hip-hop has been a major contributor to this for decades. Artists like MF Doom, Erika Badou and Nelly have worn accessories representing their individuality and music. Musicians see clothes as a statement about who they are and their uniqueness. 

Millennials were the generation born between 1981 and 1996, with ages currently ranging from 28 to 43. Fashion for millennials has advanced significantly, particularly in streetwear. Brands include Supreme, DCs and Adidas. Musicians in the period, such as Soulja Boy and Avril Lavigne, wore baggy pants with belts and chains, as well as skate shoes like Converse, Vans and DCs. Some notable millennial celebrities who have made fashion statements include Paris Hilton, who has worn items that have sparked trends, such as velvet Juicy Couture tracksuits; Britney Spears and Christina Aguilar. Together they helped popularize the 2000s Y2K look. There’s also Billy Porter, who is known for his outlandish ensembles that make androgynous looks work. Finally, Timothée Chalamet stands out for his powerful but experimental style on the red carpet. Aside from developing music and apparel, all of these superstars grew up in a generation that valued fashion as a vital part of their brand. It’s not surprising that when celebrities and original influencers donned specific apparel, people followed suit. Clothing companies would pick their inventory based on what was popular at the moment, and millennials worldwide would loot the shelves for those tracksuits, Hillary Duff’s new jewelry piece or J.Lo’s perfume.

Now, millennial fashion is bright and trendsetting. 

Generation Z was born between 1997 and 2012, which means their ages range from 12 to 27. Gen Z introduces a new style of fashion onto the scene, where trends have resurrected. In today’s world of rapid fashion and social media, trends come and go quickly. With trends coming and disappearing, it’s tough to pinpoint where Generation Z gets their style. A popular motif is a return to basics, with teenagers and adults now wearing plain-colored clothes and focusing on accessories and layering. There is also an edgy aspect that is prominent in many Generation Z styles, seen with renowned celebrities such as Billie Eilish, who is rather experimental with her attire. She wears masculine style and feminine apparel in a variety of hues that are well-planned and adorned. Emma Chamberlain has also made her YouTube channel the focal point of her fashion offerings with a preference for vintage and modern apparel, which gives her style a nostalgic feel. Lil Nas X is among the most outlandishly dressed celebrities. Nas takes his outfits extremely seriously — they are always well-thought-out and resemble costume designs. Every item of Nas’ clothing tells a narrative, and everything is designed to work together seamlessly. And, of course, Zendaya, who is possibly the Gen Z “queen of fashion” with her seamlessly fierce looks. A fan favorite at the Met Gala, audiences look toward her movie premieres to see what she pulls out of her fabulous bag. She’s a true talent for Gen Z and knows how to be original and unique. For Gen Z, clothing is more of a statement piece in terms of impressions, since it is about adding a specific item to a look rather than the appearance itself. For example, a new trend has been to wear hair bows of every color and size. Gen Z’s clothing preferences are always changing, thus many trends may or may not last, and many people will forget about them. While constant change might be a negative, it also allows Gen Z to experiment and be creative with their wardrobe. Combining complementary colors and accessories opens up a world of options. Generation Z has the potential to recycle vintage items in ways previous generations did not, and much of it is paying off. With the emergence of fast fashion, Generation Z is turning to charity stores and secondhand sites to discover excellent quality things that they can incorporate into their wardrobe — a return to vintage styles with a new perspective.

Overall, every generation has its ups and downs, and everyone will always believe that their generation’s dress was more cool and right for the period. Fortunately, the nicest part about new generations is that they can take a little bit of each generation’s style and trends and either reuse them or even make the decision to let them go altogether. Individuality and culture have never been more widespread in previous generations with everyone having the opportunity to develop their distinctive style. Millennials are responsible for the existence of Generation Z fashion for they did the dirty work of finding what looks good and trendy, and without them, many of the celebrities of this time wouldn’t have such a stance on iconic pieces. Gen Z continues to thrive, so maybe things will change. But until then, this one goes to the millennials.   

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu