Gen Z: The Generation Of Nostalgia

The second youngest with the oldest souls of them all. A generation obsessed with all things vintage, no matter the era. And yes history always repeats itself, but it was never this quick. We are actively speedrunning through each era of fashion and culture not knowing our true desire is color. Color in a sense of chicness, culture, and intentionality. We grew up in the 90s and early 2000s with so much purpose and color around us. And it was all ripped away from us the second we got older. Where did all that color go? Why didn’t we get the chance to have our own version?

When it came to today’s fashion I was always weary of those with a vast interest in it for a multitude of reasons. I can always see right through them. It’s never genuine. For the past couple years I observed as Tiktok has done almost irreversible damage to the fashion industry. Making it so oversaturated, the real innovators are outshined by people who only want to cop “pieces” for the sake of having them. But, after digging deeper I came to a realization. It’s not their fault at all. They just wanted something to grasp onto because our generation has nothing. Yes the idea of thrifting is getting watered down, but that’s only because our stores don’t sell anything of purpose anymore. We’ve seen the current state of our fashion  and turned to the past for answers. The overconsumption is an issue in and of itself but it’s deeper than that. We have no identity and no purpose within our generation. 

The 80s dominated with neon athleisure and new wave clothing, the 60s + 70s  introduced colorful floral patterns and bell bottoms paired with platform shoes, and the 90s took the lead with alternative fashion and streetwear. Each decade had their staples, and we’re left with boring black, white, and greys. And, truthfully it goes beyond fashion. I still remember the day I was riding in the backseat of my mom’s car and we rode past a Mcdonald’s just to see all of its vibrant colors replaced with black and white. I remember being so confused on what the purpose of that was. Just to later understand this boring sentiment would later seep into every section of our lives. Our fashion, food, toys, and lives have no more color. So we look to the past to try and recreate those times of rich culture. I no longer judge those who’re searching for their identity in this way, because we have no choice. I hope there’s some kind of revolution to birth our own renaissance because we truly deserve it. We waited our whole lives to be given nothing. 

The Rise Of The Awkward Black Girl

We’re no longer the sassy sidekick or the overbearing bestfriend of the film industry. Since the mid 2010’s there has been an influx in films and tv shows containing the “awkward black girl” trope. And if you’re unfamiliar, this is a genre in which the show’s main focus is centered around the daily life of a black woman who is neurodivergent, has social anxiety, or both. We’ve had minor appearances of this trope in various tv shows and movies of the past but to have entire shows focus on dark-skinned black women in this way is unprecendented. And, it’s such a refreshing concept to see. We’ve all had enough of the stereotypical black best friend, or the oversexualized black main character. Film has always had a deep infatuation with forcing black women to degrade themselves in various ways to drive their narrative forward. But, with this it’s a new beginning. It’s a fresh start to what could truly be a revolution in the film industry. 

With Insecure (2016) still doing rounds within the black community to this day, it’s safe to say this has become a true staple. This is our Sex and The City. But, Issa Rae didn’t begin here. She started out with a webshow on Youtube  titled “The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl”. The show spanned from 2011-2013, and was reasonably popular. It follows the life of “J” as she interacts with coworkers and various love interests who all leave her in uncomfortable positions. This same concept was then taken and placed on a larger scale to birth Insecure. Another similar show to mention is Chewing Gum (2015) written and created by Michaela Coel. It was based on her one-woman play from 2012 titled “Chewing Gum Dreams”. This show is quirky, hilarious, and very left field. And Michaela’s character is much more out there than any of the other shows we’ve seen, but that’s exactly why we love her! Both of these shows flipped our usual stereotype completely on it’s head and kickstarted a revolution.

As I mentioned before, we’re tired of seeing borderline trauma porn of us on screen. The film industry degrades, tortures, and stereotypes us nonstop to push this narrative of “the strong black woman”. And, if society is already doing this in real life, why would we want to see this on film? Hollywood has always had such hurtful representations of us, so I’m truly glad that we’re starting to slowly shift away from that in the mainstream. And as we move deeper into the future, I can only hope that we go farther into the quirkiness, the neurodivergence, and the social anxiety of it all. Because, believe it or not this does exist within black women. We are not a monlith nor are we anything like what you’ve been seeing in the past. We have only scratched the surface but I’m still so grateful for creatives such as; Ayo Edebiri, Quinta Brunson, Issa Rae, Michaela Coen, and so many more. They have truly paved the way for us to be represented in such different ways.

Classic Rockstars and Gender Expression

From Prince’s high heels to Bowie’s extravagant beat every concert, the 70s and 80s were a complete fever dream. A time where even the manliest of men were dressed down in crop tops and flared jeans. And most of the time it was never even about the music. Their expression of self was genuinely their presentation to the world. It was never an act, or a ploy to get more album sales. They toyed with the useless roles of gender and mesmerized everyone in the process. 

Most rockstars of this time changed up their look so much, we could barely keep up. Each album introduced a new look. Which further proves their gender expression was truly a part of them. With David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” and “Aladdin Sane” completely taking over the rock scene of the 70s. His costumes featured one-legged unitards and silk designed kimonos with a bright red mullet to match. Freddie Mercury of Queen often showing up to concerts in leotards and ballet flats. The fluid nature of this era allowed them the freedom to truly express themselves. Everyone was in tune with their inner-self and how they wanted to present to the world. 

But, of course with any movement there was some pushback from the traditional conservatives who were stuck in the past. But, who could blame them? Just ten years before The Beatles and The Beach Boys were dressed in suits and ties singing about Surfin in the USA. Their life was completely turned upside down. And, with Prince being the most controversial of them all. He often pushed the envelope just to see how far he could take it. His risqué wardrobe greatly reflected his music. But, he just didn’t care because that was Prince. It wasn’t an act. He no longer cared to uphold the forged image of a “professional” music artist. And for that, he ultimately paved the way for artists like Steve Lacy, Blood Orange, Frank Ocean, and so many more. These spaces wouldn’t even exist for black artists if he didn’t wear lace, ruffles, and heels everywhere for a decade. 

The 70s were a time of fluidity, experiments, and music. Everyone was doing everything and everyone. There were no rules on this side of society. And the 80s were a more-developed child of that. Fashion, music and technology were all advancing and were very interlinked with each other. The musicians of these eras completely shaped society with the clothes on their back and the music they produced. But unfortunately, this type of pure authenticity is hard to recreate with everything being so scripted and forged now. However, there are still some very talented artists who are passionate with their craft and in tune with the way they express themselves. I truly hope we can somehow bring back that type of freedom of expression, and implant it into the mainstream again because that was a true movement.