Gen Z & Millennial Fashion Trends

Though sweat-suits have been dominating the world for the past two years, new (non-comfort-oriented) fashion trends have developed during the pandemic. You may recall that cottage core was fashionable in 2020. Last year, we saw the trend continue. Additional aesthetic-based styles, such as dark academia, were introduced as well. Y2K-era fashion, which has been popular for a while, especially among Gen Z, has recently risen in popularity. According to fashion experts, the return of low-rise jeans, cutout mini-dresses, lace-up tops, and sequins, is rising as Gen Z & Millennial fashion trends along with platform boots, sheer tops, and “naked” dresses.

We analyzed some of the most popular fashion and style predictions from celebrity stylists and experts like Pinterest, Lyst, Trendalytics, and Instagram, as well as our own data.

Gen Z & Millennial Fashion Trends in 2022

Maximalism & Dopamine Dressing

Young customers spurred a boom in the athleisure and loungewear industries by wearing comfortable, at-home wear in quarantines at the start of the pandemic. However, many young people began experimenting with mixing and matching brilliant, colorful clothing and vintage products to express themselves as they returned to the world—a movement known as “dopamine dressing.”

As young people use Instagram “as a medium for excitement, optimism, and self-expression,” Instagram forecasts
that maximalist fashion will take over.
Searches for tulle mini-skirts have increased by 158 percent. Those of sequin pants have increased by 147 percent. And the ones for feather trim dresses have increased by 138 percent, according to Trendalytics.

Embracing quirky clothing isn’t about going out and flaunting one’s beautiful ‘fits; it’s about bringing the “human factor” back into fashion, according to content producer Maxine Wylde, who coined the term “kid core” to describe the growing interest in multicolored ensembles.
When decorating their houses, young people were already experimenting with the maximalist aesthetic. Gen Z will indicate their wish to dress more aggressively and wear brighter cosmetics in the new year.

Dystopia-core

Photo Illustration by Erin O’Flynn/The Daily Beast/Getty and Balenciaga

Of course, every trend has an antithesis, and dystopia-core may be the antithesis to dopamine dressing.
The look is also heavily influenced by the goth and emo punk renaissance that has swept social media recently. Rick Owens, a fashion designer, has already embraced the trend by making various avant-garde apocalypse-inspired outfits.

Formal dresses, brightly colored looks, and more toned-down minimalist fashion are among the fashion trends in which Gen Z and Millennials are interested, indicating that “dystopia-core” and “dopamine dressing” coexist.

Luxurious Casual

Luxurious Casual outfits

According to research, most 13 to 39-year-olds believe luxury brands should offer cheap things so that more people may possess them.
As young people begin to go out again, “everyday casual” is rising significantly. According to Lyst, “quiet luxury,” defined as simple neutral-tone wardrobe-building fundamentals, will also be in demand this year.

According to their report, searches for white shirts have increased by 40%. While searches for wide-leg suit pants have increased by 25%. Free-flowing shapes are also popular, with “oversized” and “maxi” among the most popular dress keywords. While searches for “oversized shirts” have increased by 84 percent in the last two months.
Prada’s Monolith “It” shoe has sparked a 70 percent increase in searches for leather loafers in the premium world.

Pearlcore

Barbie Ferreira wearing "pearl-encrusted dress"

Barbie Ferreira wearing a “pearl-encrusted dress”

Cottagecore and lovecore are probably two dainty and softer themes you’re familiar with. “Pearlcore” is a newer “core” fashion trend that has recently exploded in popularity, according to Pinterest’s annual trend report. According to the firm, trending search terms include “pearl gown” and “pearl ring,” but it’s also likely to become a closet staple.

Even though pearls are frequently associated with “preppy aesthetics,” fashion expert Deni Todorovi feels that they will bring “edge, texture,” and a “beautiful iridescent glow” to everything from street style to red carpet appearances. For example, Euphoria star Barbie Ferreira’s “pearl-encrusted dress” was one of the most talked-about Met Gala ensembles last year. According to celebrity stylist Amanda Sanders of InStyle, fashion designers have started making pearls appear more youthful to attract younger generations.

Grandpacore

Pay attention, people. It’s all the rage right now to dress up like your grandparents! The Wall Street Journal claimed this spring that Gen X and Millennials were adopting “grandpa style” and turning to the elderly for more “invigorating” attire. Their “effortless and fresh” fashions that don’t follow fads and trends—comfortable looks that “skew more gracefully traditional than normcore”—are appealing.

The hashtag #grandpacore has 12.4 million views on TikTok, and Instagram accounts like @gramparents have been promoting older generations’ bold and timeless fashion choices. It’s striking a chord with young customers. According to Trendalytics, “grandpa come” will be the new normcore in 2022 and particularly popular in men’s fashion. Oversized cardigan searches increased by 173 percent, grandpa sweater searches increased by 157 percent, and relaxed jeans searches increased by 5%.

Bottom Line on Gen Z & Millennial Fashion Trends

While the fashion and cosmetics sectors sometimes disregard older generations, Gen Z and Millennials appreciate, if not copy, their innovative and timeless designs as young customers explore beyond loungewear. Young people go to their grandparents’ closets for future style inspiration; the grandpa-come trend correlates with our Cult of Ugly trend analysis and is a continuation of it.