From BeReal to Low-Rise Jeans: 25 Gen Z Trends Millennials Just Don't Get

25 Gen Z Trends That Totally Confuse Millennials

Okay, so let’s talk about the giant cultural chasm between Millennials and Gen Z. Like, we’re out here thriving with our chaotic, unfiltered energy while they’re still holding tight to their skinny jeans and Facebook accounts (yes, they actually still use Facebook). It’s not that Millennials aren’t cool—they basically invented the internet as we know it—but let’s be real, they’re kind of stuck in their ways.

Meanwhile, Gen Z is flipping the script on everything: fashion, social media, humor, even how we deal with burnout. We’ve got low-rise jeans back in the mix (traumatizing Millennials everywhere), we ditched the crying laughing emoji for the skull 💀, and we’re rocking Crocs like it’s a whole mood. Millennials? They’re out here asking, “Why?” And honestly, the answer is: “Because we can.”

If you’ve been wondering why Millennials are so baffled by our vibe, buckle up. Here are 25 trends that have them feeling like they accidentally wandered into a TikTok fever dream.

1. Low-Rise Jeans Are Back (And Millennials Are Traumatized)

Gen Z has resurrected low-rise jeans, and Millennials are not okay. For Millennials, these jeans are a reminder of their early 2000s fashion trauma (looking at you, whale tails and muffin tops). Gen Z, on the other hand, rocks them with absolute confidence—and zero fear of judgment.

2. No More Crying Emojis—It's the Skull Now

Millennials still love the classic 😂, but Gen Z has declared it dead. Instead, they’re all about the 💀 to signify they’re “dead” from laughing. Millennials, stuck in their 😂 comfort zone, feel attacked.

3. Crocs Are Cool Now

Once ridiculed, Crocs have made a stylish comeback, complete with platforms, charms, and bold colors. Millennials, who swore they’d never wear them, are struggling to keep up with the irony.

4. BeReal Over Instagram

Gen Z isn’t about the perfectly curated Instagram aesthetic anymore. They’ve moved to BeReal, where the whole point is to post raw, unfiltered snapshots of your life. Millennials, who built their IG grids like it was a digital museum, are like, “Wait, no filters?”

5. Middle Parts > Side Parts

Gen Z has deemed the side part “cheugy” and the middle part superior. Millennials, who rely on side parts to frame their faces, are clinging to their hair with everything they’ve got.

6. The Death of Facebook

For Millennials, Facebook was the social platform that launched their digital lives. For Gen Z, it’s a graveyard for parents posting Minion memes.

7. Claw Clips Over Hair Elastics

Claw clips, straight out of the ‘90s, have taken over. Millennials, still perfecting messy buns with elastics, are low-key impressed but can’t seem to make claw clips work.

8. Y2K Revival (Including Trucker Hats)

Juicy Couture tracksuits? Von Dutch trucker hats? Gen Z is all-in on early 2000s fashion. Millennials, who lived through the original Y2K cringe, are begging them to stop.

9. Digital Burnout > Hustle Culture

Millennials grew up on hustle culture, believing success was tied to working 24/7. Gen Z has flipped the narrative, prioritizing mental health and calling out toxic productivity. Millennials secretly agree but aren’t sure how to quit the grind.

10. IRL Activism with a Side of TikTok

Gen Z takes activism to the streets, blending real-life protests with viral TikToks. Millennials, used to hashtags and awareness posts, feel outpaced.

11. Gender-Neutral Fashion

Gen Z’s inclusive, norm-breaking fashion is redefining style. Millennials, raised on strict gender norms, are inspired but also catching up.

12. “Cheugy” Is a Thing

Gen Z labeled Millennial staples like pumpkin spice lattes, skinny jeans, and “Live, Laugh, Love” decor as “cheugy.” Millennials are still recovering from the roast.

13. Irony-Driven Humor

Gen Z humor is chaotic, random, and ironic to the max (think memes about Shrek or “corecore”). Millennials, who grew up on sarcastic, straightforward jokes, are confused but intrigued.

14. Tiny Sunglasses Over Oversized Frames

Millennials love their oversized sunnies, but Gen Z’s obsession with tiny, Matrix-style sunglasses has taken over. Practical? No. Iconic? Yes.

15. Cottagecore Everything

Gen Z’s obsession with cottagecore—all things pastoral, dreamy, and vintage—feels like a fantasy world Millennials just can’t step into.

16. DIY Bangs and Haircuts

Gen Z isn’t afraid to grab the scissors and give themselves bangs or messy shags. Millennials, traumatized from failed DIY beauty experiments in middle school, stick to the salon.

17. Depop Over Thrift Stores

While Millennials swear by in-person thrifting, Gen Z has taken the hunt online with Depop. Millennials, overwhelmed by the app’s chaotic interface, miss the racks.

18. Oversharing on TikTok

Gen Z’s TikToks are raw and unfiltered, diving into everything from mental health struggles to embarrassing moments. Millennials, who’ve mastered curated vulnerability, are shook by this level of openness.

19. Refusing to "Adult"

Millennials made “adulting” their brand. Gen Z? They flat-out refuse to glamorize paying bills, doing taxes, or working 9-to-5 jobs.

20. Tiny Tattoos

While Millennials went big with bold sleeve tattoos, Gen Z is all about minimalistic, tiny ink that feels personal and artsy. Millennials are low-key jealous of the subtle vibe.

21. Mismatched Aesthetics

Millennials love matching sets and coordinated outfits. Gen Z is here for the chaotic mix: cowboy boots with tennis skirts, vintage tees with silk slips. It’s a hot mess that somehow works.

22. Spam Accounts for the Win

Millennials curated their digital lives to look polished. Gen Z? They thrive on chaos, posting unfiltered, random content to their spam accounts for their closest friends.

23. Emo Revival

Gen Z is reviving emo music and style with a modern twist. Millennials, who never stopped crying to Fall Out Boy, are living for this trend.

24. Statement Rings

Chunky, colorful statement rings have become a Gen Z staple. Millennials, who leaned into delicate gold jewelry, are wondering how anyone wears them without snagging clothes.

25. Leaving Voicemails as a Joke

Millennials hate voicemails, but Gen Z has ironically brought them back, leaving funny or dramatic messages just for laughs. Millennials still cringe when they see “1 new voicemail.”

So yeah, Millennials are out here clutching their side parts and pumpkin spice lattes, completely shook by our chaotic energy. But can you blame them? Gen Z is rewriting the rules, and let’s face it—we’re thriving. Whether it’s ditching hustle culture for mental health days or rocking Crocs with ironic flair, we’re not afraid to do things differently.

But hey, maybe that’s the magic. Millennials might not get it, but they don’t have to. Every generation has their quirks, and ours just happens to involve tiny sunglasses and a love for the 💀 emoji. If anything, our trends remind them (and us) to not take life too seriously.

Stay tuned with Woke Waves Magazine for more generational tea, trend breakdowns, and all the chaos that makes Gen Z the main character energy we love to be.

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