Listen, I am a millennial girly through and through. But today I’m stepping out of my comfort zone to chat about Gen Z. Specifically, I’m going to walk through five Gen Z fashion trends that I believe are worth trying. Am I thrilled this generation is bringing back Y2K cringe fashion? No. But, there are a handful of Gen Z trends that I can get on board with! Because while I believe in finding your personal style and sticking to it, I also support dipping your toes into trends that resonate with you now and then.So today I’m going to walk through the Gen Z style trends that this *cough cough* almost 40-year-old thinks are worth trying. And just for fun, I’ll also throw in a handful that I will not be taking for a spin!
Who Are Gen Z and Why Their Fashion Trends Matter
First and foremost, let’s talk about who, exactly, is included in Generation Z? Born between the mid-to-late 1990s and the early 2010s, Gen Zs came after Millennials and before Gen Alpha. This makes them roughly 13 to 28 years old at the time of this post.
Needless to say, they grew up in a digital world with social media and internet access literally at their fingertips. So it’s no surprise their online presence, and in return their sense of style, is widely prevalent everywhere you look!
Top 5 Gen Z Fashion Trends to Try in 2025
As I said, I’m not about to go throwing my millennial styles out the door to embrace every trend. But, there are a few that the younger girlies make look so cute! Most of these styles are ones that I have worn for years and are either making a comeback or never really went out of style, in my opinion. Here are my top five for 2025!
1. Wide-Leg & Relaxed Denim
I am all on board to kiss my skinny jeans goodbye, or at least to hang them up for a year or two! I’m currently loving high-rise straight-leg, relaxed-leg and even wide-leg jeans. I actually did a whole post discussing how to style wide-leg jeans, and I’m considering writing a similar post for baggy jeans!
Personally, I love how a more relaxed or oversized fit provides the perfect opportunity to style a tighter tank and a fitted blazer. I also love how the proportion of a baggy, cropped jean looks with a pair of sleek flats.
Although I will say, just as I’m getting far more comfortable with these new fits, I recently saw the ultimate Gen Z it girl, Alix Earl, trying to bring back skinny jeans. And while I still love my skinnies for tucking into winter boots, I’m not sure if even Alix can bring this style back that fast! You can shop my jeans above here.
2. Socks with Loafers & Ballet Flats
A great sock and shoe combo can be the ultimate statement maker. I love that Gen Z is embracing the styling of socks in a way we haven’t seen in a very long time. And if I am being completely honest, I wish they would also bring back knee-high and thigh-high socks — personal favorites of mine!
While there are lots of different ways to embrace the current sock trends, I’ve been leaning into the preppy take. I love the pairing of a great classic ballet flat with a nostalgic ruffle sock. I also love the idea of wearing a pair of preppy loafers with a more athletic or argyle sock. And if you really want to take it a step further and combine a few Gen Z fashion trends, you could pair either of those combos with a great mini skirt.
3. Maximalism
Charms: Roxanne Assoulin and Petite Chou
Maximalism is where I really overlap with Gen Z. Does this surprise anyone? I’m guessing it does not! I love that this generation is all about having fun, embracing color, and adding personal touches.
A few of the maximalism Gen Z styles I plan on incorporating into my closet include oversized, colorful sweaters and bright shades. And did you hear that bag charms are back!? YES, I am so excited for this trend! If you’re also a fan of adding a little sparkle to your bag, you won’t want to miss this amazing kit that just launched.
On the flip side, I will not be partaking in the neon and tie dye styles that have grown in popularity. I’ll leave these Gen Z fashion trends to the younger crowd!
4. Touches of Athleisure
In my mind, athleisure never really goes out of style. After all, it’s more of a lifestyle dressing choice rather than a trend that comes and goes. However, Gen Z has really taken this style and made it their own — from embracing the Samba and Gazelle sneakers, to incorporating the sports bra into high-fashion looks, to the return of the baseball cap, to bringing back all things windbreaker. There really has been a creative resurgence of how athleisure can be styled.
One part of this trend that I’m willing to take for a spin includes styling my sneakers in new ways. I’m down to give the “wrong shoe” trend a try! I also like the idea of adding a lot more tech fabrics to my closet. I have also embraced the ball cap. I think there are some really fun ways to style these in unexpected ways.
But unlike Gen Z, when I am wearing athleisure I try to style it a bit more polished or feminine. These adjustments make the trend feel more like “me”. A prime example of this would be embracing the jogger and hoodie combo…but in a luxe cashmere fabric!
5. The Mini Skirt
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The hemlines have gotten higher with this generation, and I am not mad about it. I will FOREVER be a midi skirt gal, but I also love a great mini. You can see here, here, and here how I have been wearing mini skirts in recent months. In my opinion, this cut is a bit easier to style in the fall and winter, as I like to mix it up with layering, adding tights, or even pairing it with a boot!
Gen Z Fashion Trends I Won’t Be Trying
Popular Gen Z styles I won’t be trying in 2025? In addition to neons and tie dye, here are a few other trends that I’m going to leave to the youths.
- Low-Rise Bottoms: Low-rise anything is a no for me. Been there, done that, and it isn’t something that I personally find comfortable or chic on my body.
- Crop Tops: These look stellar on so many people, but this trend simply isn’t for me.
- Y2K Sunglasses: This is another fad that I won’t be adding to my closet. These sunnies are too small and too much of a reminder of somewhere I’ve been and don’t need to go again!
A Note About Trends
Before signing off, I wanted to share a quick thought about fashion fads. The thing about trends is, if you stay true to who you really are at your core, you will find yourself “on trend” every few years. A stopped clock is right twice a day!
While I do embrace trends where it makes sense, I always try to stay true to my own fashion point of view. Personally, I like to think of my style as the intersection of colorful, quirky, feminine, and sophisticated. I shared an entire post about how to find your personal style that is worth checking out if this is something you’re looking to nail down!
2025 Gen Z Fashion Trends
I don’t know what it is about Gen Z fashion trends, but I find them sort of fascinating! Maybe it’s just something about a younger generation influencing our style? Who knows! But I’m excited to see what they come up with next!
If you enjoyed this fashion post, you might also like my posts on basic outfit ideas, how to wear blazers, comfortable airport outfit ideas, and how to style wide-leg jeans.
The post 2025 Gen Z Fashion Trends: What’s In and What’s Out appeared first on Atlantic-Pacific.
