Generation Z doesn't know how to dress?
There has recently been a debate online about the way Generation Z dresses, after a photo circulated of a group of girls allegedly on a night out. They were all dressed similarly: baggy jeans , a black top and white sneakers. For many, this was a source of surprise. But why?
What is surprising now was surprising in the 2000s, when everyone dressed similarly. The difference is that this is a more laid-back generation, which prioritizes the basics, the comfortable, the simple — and this can seem strange to those who were socially pressured to stand out, to be “extra” in an era when standing out was almost an obligation. There is a quiet strength in choosing to be comfortable. Dressing for yourself can be more revolutionary than trying to impress.
The truth is that this same photograph, if taken in 2010, would probably show a group wearing black dresses instead of jeans and tops. And then, perhaps, it wouldn’t cause such a stir. After all, what seems to bother people is not just the similar style, but the fact that, in the eyes of many, the clothes are not “appropriate” for the occasion — a night out. I agree that clothes should suit the context, but what if this generation is making a difference precisely through simplicity? A generation that prefers the comfort of loose clothing to the discomfort of tight clothing? Contrary to what people say, perhaps it’s not for lack of effort — perhaps it’s a new form of expression.
Generation Z didn’t come here to shout “I’m here”. That was already done by Generation X. This generation celebrates the vintage of the previous ones, showing that you can be extravagant with subtlety, that you can reject hot pink, but still embrace a good animal print . Maybe it’s the most “easy going” generation, and maybe that’s exactly what bothers me.
Everything that young people do seems to cause a reaction — simply because it’s different. It also raises criticism that they don’t want to build great careers at the expense of their mental health. But if they were obsessed with work and fought fiercely to get ahead in life, no one would be shocked. Because that was the “normal” thing in other times. But it’s not by being like previous generations that we evolve.
Generation Z is often misunderstood and unloved. They are told they are wrong, but they are just trying to do the right thing. They are trying to exist in a world shaped by the choices of those who came before. Today, they criticize the way they dress. Yesterday, it was their cell phone use. But is this really the generation that uses cell phones the most? Is this really the generation that doesn’t know how to dress? Unlike other generations, who followed trends dictated by magazines or catwalks, Generation Z consumes — and creates — fashion on social media. They are the ones who dictate what is fashionable today. If fashion also defines what it means to “know how to dress,” then Generation Z — like it or not — is definitely fashionable.
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