Table of Contents
It’s no secret that Gen Z is the tech-savvy generation. From TikTok trends to hot thrift store finds, Gen Z is known for their creative fashion trends while also taking pride in their sustainable shopping habits. If you’re a fashionable trendsetter, read ahead to learn about Gen Z fashion trends and top fashionistas of the generation!
In the Throes of Fast Fashion
With the rise of TikTok, Gen Z fashion trends have been moving past us at lightning speed. One day it’s colorful Y2K sweatsuits and the next it’s the slicked-back “clean girl” aesthetic. With influencers posting about new trends every day, keeping up can turn into a never ending cycle of buying and throwing away. In fact, 39% of Gen Z TikTok users are directly influenced to purchase clothing items after seeing them in a TikTok video.
Often clothing items from fast fashion brands like Shein, Princess Polly and AliExpress sell less-than-quality pieces that are meant to be sold fast and worn short-term. Eventually, these garments end up discarded in a landfill. This is often referred to as the life cycle of a fashion trend. Unfortunately, short life cycles can have negative effects on factory workers and the environment. Learn more about the so-called “Shein Effect” by Jordan Theresa, a British commentary YouTuber.
Take a look at these Fashion Subreddits for Inspiring Fashionistas.
Thrifting as a Sustainable Alternative
With every trend comes a counter-trend. As fast fashion rose, thrifting and sustainability came to meet it. Many Gen Z creators take pride in their sustainable, second-hand way of shopping. Whether it’s frequenting a local thrift store, or using a secondhand shopping app like Poshmark, DePop, and ThredUP, Gen Z invents new from the old.
Gen Z influencers like Ashley (aka best-dressed), Emma Chamberlain, and Nava Rose, have put thrifting into the limelight. For years now, they have been showcasing how they style vintage pieces and revamp old garments!
Thrifting is seen as the more sustainable alternative to fast fashion. Generally, it’s a trend that forces fashion cycles to slow down. If you spent hours searching for the perfect piece in a thrift store (or hemming a skirt to be just right), you’ll probably want to wear it more than if you bought it cheaply online!
Studies show that although consumers ages 13 – 24 are more likely to buy a product because an influencer recommended it, they also have decreased their number of impulse purchases because they are more likely to consider the quality of a product and affordability, as well as the quality of customer service and brand authenticity.
Check out why fashion brands love influencer marketing here.
Gen Z Fashion Trends to Watch For!
Aesthetics
From e-girl to “clean girl” to even ballet core, Gen Z loves their aesthetics. And thankfully, we can’t get enough of it! Although aesthetics can easily create fast fashion cycles, when done right it can certainly up any Gen Z wardrobe.
@emsonmallari japanese americana has me in a CHOKEHOLD 😮💨 which aesthetic do you guys like the best? #fashion #tiktokfashion #aesthetic #gorpcore #streetwear #softboy
Mom Jeans and Middle Parts
Gen Z is infamously against anything that is, well, outdated. To many Millenials’ horror, Gen Z pushed out skinny jeans and side parts, bringing baggy jeans and middle parts in. Who wouldn’t love to be both fashionable and comfy? After all, comfort is a trend that’s been making a comeback with the help of Gen Z fashion.
@fashionbyally #ad Reply to @macsceneishere Gen Z vs Millennial: are you team skinny or baggy jeans?👖 @Denizen #ad #denizenyourway #jeans #genzvsmillenial #fashiontok
Gender Affirming Fashion
It’s no secret that fashion is a big part of LGBTQ+ culture for Gen Z and older generations. Gender-affirming fashion is less of a “trend” and more of a lifestyle passed down throughout the years and embraced by Gen Z.
Emma D’arcy, a non-binary actor from HBOs House of Dragon, recently spoke about gender-affirming clothing. They said, “Clothing, for most people, is central to who they are and how they express themselves. But for gender-fluid or trans people, clothes play an even more fundamental role.”
Emma said, “I’m a trans-masc presenting person, and broadly, my instinct is to wear rigid shapes softly. I used to be more into texture, but now I’m gradually getting more into bright colors. Clothes are armor for me. They’re essential to who I am, and I feel different in different outfits.” Gen Z fashion is all about presenting ourselves in a way that makes us both happy and comfortable, and we can’t get enough of that.
@cantiq.losangeles Inclusive language is important but we totally understand that it gets confusing!!! Feel free to ask us any Q’s we won’t actually get mad like this sound implies!!! #genderfluidfashion #genderaffirmingclothing #nonbinaryfashion #transfashion #sizeinclusive #genderinclusivefashion
Interested in TikTok news? Check out TikTok videos and the Shift to Longer Form Content here.
Our Favorite Gen Z Fashion Influencers
Emma Chamberlain
No Gen Z fashion list would be complete without the queen herself, Emma Chamberlain. Emma blew up on YouTube at just 16 years old when she made chatty vlogs in her car. In these routine videos, she spoke to her audience while she got coffee and went thrift shopping.
Now sporting over 16 million followers on Instagram and 12 million subscribers on YouTube, Emma is a true Gen Z star. Not only is she a Gen Z fashion influencer, but she is also the CEO of Chamberlain Coffee Co. as well as the host of her podcast, Anything Goes.
View this post on Instagram
Nava Rose
Gen Z influencer Nava Rose is a fashion and lifestyle TikToker and YouTuber, sporting over 1 million subscribers on YouTube and almost 5 million on TikTok! Nava is an “eco-friendly baddy” and proponent of fast fashion. Nava always encourages her audience to thrift and shop sustainably.
@the.navarose THANK U CUTIES FOR 4.8M 🥺💜 I love u all sm!! @bts_official_bighit #btsarmy #bangtan #tiktokfashion
For more info, take a look at TikTok Fashion: An Evolution of Style here.
Wisdom Kaye
Dubbed the “best-dressed guy on TikTok” by Vogue, Wisdom Kaye is a 22-year-old TikToker hailing from Houston, Texas. Inspired by designers Hedi Slimane and Rick Owens, Kaye’s outfits give off a 70s vibe.
He told Vogue, “There is something I love about looking like I am from a different time period. I think it stems from my love for surrealism—the juxtaposition of the contemporary world against the classic ’70s aesthetic just sits right with me.” Sporting over 9 million followers on TikTok, Kaye’s creativity and incredible sense of style puts him on our list of top Gen Z fashion influencers.
@wisdm8 Replying to @user9381720148560 like what??
Be sure to check out Content Marketing Trends You Have to Know for 2023 here.
