Trends usually return every twenty years, usually with their own eccentric twist.
So if you’ve ever criticized a parent’s style or thought: “Why would anyone ever wear that?” be careful. Maybe you’ll be lining up for, or begging, an older relative to pass on the same pieces when they become trendy again. We’re already seeing examples of this today, with old-fashioned things that people from the 70s and 80s loved becoming cool again.
People who grew up in the 70s and 80s loved these things that are suddenly cool again
1. Scrunchies
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Unique hairstyles and trendy hairstyles are constantly evolving with each passing generation, but so do the accessories that people rely on. From headband styles to tiny bangs and scrunchies, Gen Zers are bringing back some trends we never knew were gone.
Inspired by the new wellness trends of young people, scrunchies are a comfortable, protective way to style your hair without leaving the same damage as a tight elastic. Despite slicking back their hair with gel in ways that cause all kinds of breakage, young people are still trying to protect their hair with these fashionable alternatives to regular hair ties.
2. Leg warmers
Who would have thought that leg warmers would ever make a comeback, except for practical winter purposes? Well, Gen Zers have proven everyone wrong and are now layering these unique pieces, even in the summer.
Typically a fashion choice, more than a practical choice, because when it’s cold outside, they take a page from their parents’ books from the 70s and 80s and revive this trend.
3. Teased, voluminous hair
For much of adolescence, Gen Zers went through phases that were the complete opposite of their parents at the same age, especially when it came to hairstyles. They wanted straight hair and sharp parting lines. Now voluminous, big hair is finally experiencing its revival.
There are all kinds nuanced cultural and personal elements to someone’s hairstyle, but also to their clothes, but in general this kind of volume is a trend that is coming back. For generation Z, use of mousse and blow drying their hair upside down are customs that connect them to Gen X relatives and parents in nostalgic ways.
4. Layered clothing
Layering is not necessarily a trend in itself, but a fashion pillar. Both in the high-end fashion world and in one’s casual lifestyle, layering is an act of style and comfort. We layer clothes for warmth, but we also combine pieces to create an atmosphere.
In the ’70s and ’80s, pairing button-downs with sweaters or pants and leg warmers curated the generational vibe. The same is taking shape for young people today, who play with colors and textures by layering their own pieces. It may not look the same, but there is a lot of experimentation in their style.
5. Aerobic and dance classes
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Even if they were only on tape for living room workout sessions with mom, aerobics and dance classes were a fundamental part of the ’70s and ’80s. Surprisingly, they are coming back today for young people.
Since so many Gen Zers are interested in both wellness and coping with collective loneliness from social isolation, exercise classes are a reasonable coping mechanism. They don’t do that alone appear as a form of social supportbut they also provide a sense of community in an age where you have to pay for any kind of third space.
Mixed with the fun, endorphin classes like dancing and pilates, Gen Zers with all kinds of mental health problems looking forward to these kinds of lessons.
6. Capris
Despite being the laughing stock of youth social media discourse for decades, capri leggings and jeans are coming back into fashion. People who grew up in the 70s and 80s knew they were cool before they came back, but now they’re a model of functionality and style for Gen Zers.
While they still have all kinds of controversial ideas about the fit of clothing, among other things their own ‘tight on tight’ ruleGen Zers are accepting these outdated trends that they found disgusting and embarrassing to their Gen X parents just a few years ago.
7. Gaucho pants
In addition to parachute pants and other wide jeans, gaucho pants are back and suddenly cool again. Not only are they drawn into the wellness culture and yoga for young people, but they also form a new mainstay.
With all Gen Z trends, that’s the invisible string. Or they dress for work or going out on the weekend, they are most interested in comfort, just above self-expression and authenticity. Yes, they look very different and take shape in unique, unexpected ways, but they’re a trend and an iconic style that Gen Xers couldn’t get enough of.
While we have the instinct to take these types of trends as our own and blame people for stealing our generational culture, the truth is that they will forever find a place in the culture and will continue to come back in unique ways every few decades. These trends are not ours, but merely a reflection of them generations and people that are evolving rapidly over time.
8. Mood swings
Many Gen Zers are adopt an entirely new idea of well-being in ways that overlap with trends. From splurging on organic groceries at Whole Foods to spending hundreds of dollars on skincare routines they saw recommended on TikTok, young people are seriously investing in their physical health and well-being.
Surprisingly, this new wave of wellness trends even overlaps with old-school jewelry trends. Gen Xers had mood rings that tracked their mood, and now Gen Zers have Oura rings that track their sleep cycles and heart rate.
9. Inverted collars
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Stand-up collars on button-up shirts, often called ‘popped collars’, were a fashion item in the ’70s and ’80s. Typically because of the style, but sometimes also because of the practical option to wear clothing in layers: this trend is strongly reflected among Gen Zers.
Swapping button-downs for windbreakers and half-zip fleeces with a stand-up collar, they put their unique spin on a classic. the twenty-year trend cycle comes around again.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations and policy and gender studies, focusing on psychology, relationships, self-help and human interest stories.
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