People Who Grew Up In The 80s & 90s Used To Get Made Fun Of For 9 Things That Are Now Trendy
Aline Viana Prado | PexelsThe trend cycle comes back around every 20 years, so every two decades, parents see their adult children being praised for something they were sorely made fun of for.
It's more common than we realize. People who grew up in the 80s and 90s had all kinds of habits and styles that were easily subject to judgment and criticism, but that now are incredibly trendy. With the internet shifting trends and urging people to find belonging in this popularity and conformity, the trend cycles move even faster.
People made fun of 80s and 90s kids for these things that are trendy today
1. Freckles
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If you're on TikTok or any kind of social media right now, you've probably come across videos of people fake-tanning or tattooing freckles onto their faces. New cosmetic brands are even coming out with freckle pens and makeup products to sport freckles as an aesthetic.
What were once undesirable beauty marks and blemishes are now trendy cosmetic touches and sought-after signs of the individuality that so many Gen Zers are striving to achieve.
2. Big-framed glasses
An academic look is now a full-fledged aesthetic for Gen Zers. They're dressing for "dark academia" and reclaiming the nerd title in the pursuit of knowledge. And their glasses and button-downs are now something to be proud of.
But for self-proclaimed nerds in the 80s and 90s, they knew it was nothing short of name-calling and criticism when they had a similar aesthetic as teens.
Big-framed glasses, ties and button-downs, suspenders, and even carrying around book bags or reading during downtime were perceived differently than they are today. Unsurprisingly, as more young people strive to get off their phones, it's really no surprise that evidence of analog hobbies seems chic and niche again.
3. Muted colors and simplistic clothes
In an era of quiet luxury, Gen Zers are taking a much more conservative approach to clothing, despite wanting to achieve a level of individuality and authenticity. Once-corporate dress codes are suddenly becoming casual streetwear, with blazers and sneakers, and neutral colors sticking as a trend.
It's a stark contrast to the bold, neon colors of the 80s and 90s. This generation of kids would have been ridiculed for picking through their parents' closet or wearing dull colors, but Gen Z has found a way to bring it back as an "it girl" style aesthetic.
4. Thrifted clothes
Thrifting is a new hobby for Gen Zers, meshing the affordability they need with the desire for nostalgia and gratification they crave.
Yes, distressed clothing and ripped jeans were coming into style in the 80s and 90s, but many kids remember the kind of judgment that wearing clear hand-me-downs garnered at school. Even if it was just generic clothing, unlike the Levi's and Lacoste of their peers, it was a huge contrast to the thrifting culture of young folks today.
5. Fanny packs
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If you're a Gen Xer raised in the 80s and 90s, you probably did a double-take the first time you saw the modern Lululemon belt bag, a.k.a. a fanny pack packaged with new luxury athleisure branding, on a teenager at school. It's almost the exact same bag they would have been called names for bringing to school.
But now, it's a status symbol in its own right, beside giant Stanley water bottles and faux freckles. Repackaged as belt bags, fanny packs are having an entirely new resurgence, equipped for convenience and practicality for young people on the go.
6. Slick-back hair and middle parts
If nothing else, the middle-parted hair of Gen Zers and their slick-back buns are bringing back cold sweats for Gen Xers and millennials from the 80s and 90s. They needed big hair, and sometimes, a side part that was outrageously off-center to fit in with trends of the time.
It couldn't be more different today. Big, bouncy blowouts and volume are coming back around, but for the past decade, everyone's wanted slick, smooth, long, middle-parted hair.
There are all kinds of nuances when it comes to hairstyles, especially considering that societal trends stem from a very specific demographic. But it's true that most Gen Zers' middle-parted hair is wildly different from the collective 80s vibe.
7. Handmade clothing
Right next to hand-me-downs from their older cousins and siblings, evidence of handmade clothes at school was a fright for many 80s and 90s kids. In a wave of loud name-brand clothes and bright, easily recognizable styles, having a handmade dress for prom or a knitted sweater from home often came with teasing.
For Gen Zers, who have a desire for individuality and a shift toward analog habits, having handmade clothes is cool now. There's nothing more eccentric and cool than someone with the skill to make something for themselves that nobody else can buy.
8. Crisp white sneakers
If you're a Gen Xer, picture the kind of white New Balance sneakers your dad used to wear mowing the lawn. That's what's trending for Gen Zers. The Reebok and New Balance sneakers with a crispy white finish are in, and the less worn they are, the better.
While 80s and 90s kids were all about name-brand clothes and shoes, younger generations today are bringing back simplicity. At least when it comes to shoes, athleisure is making a giant comeback.
9. Practical clothing items
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Think: barn jackets, Carhartt coats, painter pants, hiking accessories, and athleisure. Even if they're not necessarily wearing it for its intended purpose, Gen Zers are all about the quality and comfort of practical clothes.
It's pretty much what every Gen Xer's dad wore, but repurposed in the vein of fashion. In contrast to the vibes of the 80s and 90s, it's no surprise that it wasn't necessarily popular for Gen X kids.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
