Nostalgia Sells
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The trend cycle has had enough of the “clean girl” — and so have I.
Image Courtesy: Pinterest
In the past few months, we’ve seen an uptick in the popularity of the 2014 Tumblr aesthetic. Think Sam from “Perks of Being a Wallflower” — a quirky haircut, smoking cigarettes, posting alarmingly depressing song lyrics, Dr. Martens — you get the idea. A generally darker, moodier vibe that’s definitely a hard left from the recent popularity of the “clean girl” aesthetic.
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Those in tune with the ruthless trend cycle could’ve seen this one coming, but it didn’t just happen on its own. I partially attribute this shift to an onslaught of nostalgia marketing. This tactic has been widely utilized for ages because people are attracted to the past. Chasing casualties of time that they can only regain in their own memory. And what better way to jog that memory than by consuming things that will remind us of those times?
We use clothes and material possessions to connect us to experiences we miss or won’t ever get. Most people buying mom jeans from American Eagle in their most recent stylistic heyday probably weren’t around for the trend’s inception, but they made us feel connected to a moment in time that we’ll never be able to truly experience.
This marketing strategy is really hitting home for Gen Z this time around. This is the first time that the trend cycle has come back around to something that we remember being there for, and I think that it’s rocking our worlds a little bit. We lost some years to COVID-19so it can be hard to believe our age and that enough time has passed for us to see a trend return. The sudden swing of the pendulum is also just shocking in and of itself.
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This may be the first time we see a trend from our time come back, but it sure won’t be the last. If you’re into fashion, I’m sure you’ve already learned to roll with the punches. I say there’s no real harm in giving in to the nostalgia, so go rub on some eyeliner, blast a little Lana Del Rey, and strap in for the ride.
Strike Out,
Stella Turner
Athens
Editor: Caroline Kostuch