Are Generation Z claims that Millennials are unfashionable right?
Fashion trends are revived and abandoned every few generations — with particular attention recently being given to which trends Generation Z will cast aside from their elders, the Millennials.
After social media stars who are part of Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) began making jokes about Millennial (born between 1981 – 1996) style preferences on TikTok, media outlets declared certain Millennial choices a thing of the past.
And while signature Millennial trends (think: side parts and skinny jeans) may eventually be overtaken by Gen Z’s taste, a new YouGov poll shows that Millennial staples still have some fashion milage in them.
The side part isn’t dead (at least not yet)
Despite proclamations that Gen Z killed the side part in favor of a middle part, Gen Z and Millennial women are similarly likely to consider the middle part fashionable. YouGov data shows that Gen Z believes that it is both fashionable to part your hair in the middle (62%) and to use a side part (56%).
Most Millennial women (56%) say a middle part is fashionable, while a similar number say it is fashionable to part hair off to one side (55%). A side part is also generally seen as fashionable by Gen X women (54%) and Baby Boomer women (55%).
Older generations are less likely to believe it is currently fashionable to part hair down the center. Half of Gen X women (48%) and one-quarter of Baby Boomers (37%) view the middle part as vogue.
Is it still fashionable to wear skinny jeans?
While some have claimed that Gen Z will cast aside the wearing of skinny jeans — a widespread icon for wardrobes of the 2010s — YouGov data shows there's still a little time for this Millennial go-to.
Millennials, who were teenagers and young adults at the height of skinny jean domination, are the most likely generation to believe tight denim is still fashionable (54%).
But Americans overall (49%) and each generation still recognize the figure-forming pants as more fashionable than not. About half of Generation Z calls skinny jeans fashionable (48%), a similar view held by Generation X (46%) and Baby Boomers (46%).
Bucket hats have been reclaimed by Millennials and Gen Z
Floppy bucket hats — a fashion trend of the 90s — recently made their way back into the mainstream culture with Gen Z’ers reviving the brimmed headwear.
Gen Z’ers (36%) and Millennials (36%) are the most likely generation to call bucket hats a fashionable choice, but they are still slightly more likely to be seen as unfashionable (40-41%).
By contrast, only 15% of Generation X considers the headwear a trendy choice, and just one in 11 Baby Boomers (9%) consider the fisherman-style hat fashionable.
Most Americans reject fanny packs
If mainstream fashion is your vibe, stick the fanny pack back in the closet — it has not quite reached the point of being more fashionable than not among either generation. Three in 10 Gen Z’ers call this item fashionable (29% vs 46% who say it is not fashionable) compared to one-third of Millennials (33% vs 48%).
This utilitarian item is deemed unfashionable by two-thirds of Gen X (16% call it fashionable, 65% say it’s not) and Baby Boomers (11% vs 68%).
For more information, reach out to uspress@yougov.com
Methodology: This YouGov poll of 2,349 US adults was conducted March 22 – 24, 2021. There were 306 adults from Generation Z (Born 1997 – 2012), 698 adults who are Millennials (Born 1981 – 1996), 515 adults from Generation X (Born 1965 – 1980), 711 adults who are Baby Boomers (Born 1946 – 1964), and 119 adults from The Silent Generation (Born 1928 – 1945) surveyed. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).
Image: Getty