Fashion Trends in the Gen Z World

Gen Z fashion. Is it really a thing? Yes, it is, and it has hit the fashion industry big time. Skinny jeans are out, and baggy jeans are in; separate feminine and masculine fashion trends are out, and gender-neutral clothing is in.

And there’s so much more. Understanding Gen Z fashion trends will take a bit of study because most millennials and previous generations are kind of confused about these Gen Z fashion choices and the fashion influencers who are promoting them.

No new fashion trends just pop out of nowhere. They are the result of changes in societal norms, and there are plenty of those changes coming from Gen Z. Let’s see what is trendy for this generation in 2024.

3 Gen Z Values Reflected in Clothing Styles

No fashion trends develop in a vacuum. Anyone who has studied the decade of the 60’s and the social norms of free love and protest can see those values in their dress. Gen Z fashion trends are no exception.
In this section, we’ll investigate Gen Z fashion trends based on the following 3 key values: diversity, authenticity, and sustainability.

1. Diversity

“In summary, a typical Gen Zer is a self-driver who deeply cares about others, strives for a diverse community, is highly collaborative and social, values flexibility, relevance, authenticity, and non-hierarchical leadership, and, while dismayed about inherited issues like climate change, has a pragmatic attitude about the work that has to be done to address those issues.”

Stanford report 

Diversity means that fashion is based on personal style and self-expression. It rejects earlier fashion enthusiasm that specific body types were ideal and people should take whatever steps necessary to achieve that body type to be attractive.

Gone is the focus on a single ideal body type. To embrace gen fashion is to embrace all body types and comfort in the choice of wardrobe staples. Squeezing into skinny jeans and other tight-fitting outfits doesn’t make sense to Gen Z. Fashion choices should be as diverse as body styles are.

In general, though, Gen Z fashion trends favor oversized clothing, gender-fluid styles, and highly diverse personal fashion choices. That diversity results in these trendy types of clothing styles:

• Oversized pieces – oversized t-shirts; oversized blazers; oversized t-shirts over bike shorts
• Chunky sneakers, combat boots, and platform shoes/sandals as opposed to heels.
• Retro style that mimics 90s Grunge
• Baseball hats (backward) but also stocking and bucket hats
• Low-rise baggy jeans and pants as opposed to Millennial skinny jeans
• Athleisure in neutral colors and baggy style
• Crop tops for both women and men
• Far less denim and leggings than the millennial is wearing
• Clunky statement necklaces made of materials other than precious metals

The point of this incomplete listing is that Gen Z fashion can best be described in two words – anything goes.

Related reading: How to Know Your Worth

2. Authenticity

Every millennial values self-expression but it has not revealed itself in a huge diversity of clothing trends. In fact, the millennial generation has pretty standard outfits for work, play, and both casual and dressy dating. The goal has been to work on having a body that would fit into the clothes that are considered the trends. And this is where Gen Z and millennials part company.

For Gen Z, authenticity means self-expression in all aspects of a person’s lifestyle, including the clothes they are wearing. In the Gen Z mindset, everyone must be free to be who they are free of societal pressures to conform. And garments are chosen to fit the body a person has. There is beauty in all bodies no matter what the shape or size.

In terms of Gen Z fashion, everyone has a right to choose a personal style that speaks comfort to them. That may be a gender-fluid outfit, vintage sneakers, statement accessories, oversized garments, vintage attire, and so forth – in short, what people wear should speak to who they are.

Are there some commonalities in the Gen Z fashion world? Yes, and many of them are mentioned above. The oversized T-shirt or sweatshirt with bike shorts, for example, or wearing boots with a skirt or dress are examples of common Generation Z fashion.

Related reading: How to Become the Most Authentic Version of You

3. Sustainability

Here is one value that Gen Z and Millennials share. They are both acutely aware of the threat to our planet as a result of climate change and the continued drying up of non-renewable resources which have reached critical points in recent years.

Gen Z are committed to doing their part to work to reverse the damage already done. This is not a casual commitment, and it translates into plenty of activism, shared by well-known celebrities too.

This commitment trickles down into two key ethical fashion practices:

• Ready to pay more for sustainable practices: Gen Z is into recycled materials. When brands exhibit these behavior patterns, millennials and Gen Z become loyal customers. A recent study by McKinsey and Neilson bore this out. Products from companies that have sustainable practices had 28% sales growth compared to similar products from companies that do not share those practices.
• Engaging in thrift shopping: Gen Z recycles their clothing and other items by donating them or consigning them to thrift stores. Also, they shop at thrift stores for clothing. Gen Z shoppers especially love to create new outfits from their finds in such places – an outfit that expresses their style.

4 Key Gen Z Fashion Trends 2024

Based on the 3 values described above, let’s see 4 key Gen Z fashion trends and see how their style of dress speaks to who they are.

1. Go Retro

From the grunge trend of the 90s to fashion trends even as far back as the 60s, this generation embraces many of the older fashion styles as they choose what to buy and wear. They just add their own twists.

Think low-rise pants, cargo pants, and platform tennies. This new generation just has fun combining all of these retro styles to create new looks in what they wear. Sometimes, style choices can just be timeless.

2. Gender-Fluid Fashion

The style that Gen Z chooses to wear for work or play focuses on gender neutrality and inclusivity. In the workplace, this is more a focus for females as they adopt the business casual style of their male counterparts with pants, white shirts, and unstructured blazers.

At play, though, it’s time to have fun. Women can shop in the men’s department for oversized shirts. They can choose to patronize retailers that honor and celebrate all body types. The same goes for guys.

3. Minimalism

While a lot of Gen Z fashion is bold with bright images and patterns, there is a segment of this demographic that favors wearing a minimalist style.

Here are some tendencies:

• Denim gives way to baggy pants
• A colorful oversized t-shirt gives way to a more fitted white shirt covered by a more unstructured shirt or blazer
• Sneakers and flat shoes complete such an outfit
• Wearing clunky accessories is probably not a choice

This is different from the minimalist style of the Millennial generation which focused on skinny jeans, more fitted shirts (often tucked in front), and hidden socks.

4. Commitment to Sustainability and Fair-Trade Practices

This is non-negotiable for Gen Z: brands do not matter. What matters is a retailer’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint from raw materials to production to shipment. And both generations will pay more for products from these companies as studies clearly show.

And here’s an interesting development. According to the US Chamber of Commerce, major retailers like Macy’s and JC Penney have partnered with ThredUp to have resale sections in their brick-and-mortar stores. This is probably just the beginning as people of any age have come on board to wear fashion clothing and accessories. But for Gen Z, this is a moment of happiness.

There’s a Good Chance You May Still be Confused

It’s okay. Gen Z fashion seems to be all over the chessboard as this demographic seeks diversity in self-expression. As stated before, there are certainly some common fashion trends that all of them embrace. Beyond that, though, anything goes as long as it brings comfort and satisfaction to the wearer.

What are the implications for people who are not of the age of Gen Z – Gen X, and Baby Boomers for example? These generations no longer sport the “body beautiful” of their younger years. Taking a look at some of the Gen Z fashion trends may provide some tips for outfits that these elders could put together that would give them the comfort that these “youngsters” have come to love.