upworthy

1970s

Fashion

Boomers and Gen Xers say they are delighted with Gen Z's 1970s-inspired fashion trends

"Gen Z is basically cosplaying their grandparents."

Image via Wikipedia/Warner Music, Reddit/infantilekey

Gen Z is bringing back retro fashion trends from the 70s.

Gen Z is ushering in a new era of fashion, and many popular 'fits and hair trends seem to have a retro influence.

A 22-year-old Gen Zer took to the Internet to discuss current Gen Z fashion trends, noting that he sees lots of 1970s inspiration for current styles. He noted, "Thanks to Benson Boone, most guys my age have permed mullets and moustaches. Middle-parts, flared low rise jeans, perms and even bushes are having a renaissance."

In a follow-up, he asked Boomers and Gen Xers who grew up during the era how they feel seeing Gen Z's take on some of their fashion staples. "70’s kids, teens, young adults - how do you feel about Gen Z adopting mullets, pornstaches, middle-parts and flared jeans?" he wrote. "Asking as a 22yr [old], how do those of you who lived through the 70’s feel about certain trends coming back in style?"

And plenty of Boomers and Gen Xers shared their opinions. These are 15 of their thoughts on Gen Z's fashions.

@omgulsc

@Benson song is actually on repeat. #bensonboone #fashion #style #outfitinspo #greenscreen

"The fashion is similar as in the 70’s, but the vibe is not. if that makes sense." - Flashy_Woodpecker_11

"It’s kind of entertaining. I have a rule for myself that if I wore a trend in one decade, I don’t get to wear it when it comes back around, and boy have I seen a bunch of familiar-looking clothes in the past couple of years. But as someone said, though the style looks similar, the attitude they are wearing it with is totally different." - intrigue-bliss4331

"Everything old is new again. It has always been that way. If it makes someone happy, then who are we to care if it's an old fad or new." - FortuneWhereThoutBe

"Everything seems to come in 50 year cycles. Saw a double breasted jacket in a men’s clothes shop the other day! I'm 70m and haven’t worn anything double breasted since 1973!! So it goes!" - ActiveOldster

@mgthegenius

Gen Z’s not just bringing back #retrostyle for the aesthetic — they’re using it to time-travel, heal, and rewrite the past. Let’s talk about why Y2K, 90s, and even 70s fashion are flooding your feed — and what it really says about where culture’s headed. #vintagevibes #designinspiration #contemporaryretro #y2kfashion #styleexplained

"To each their own of course. It's not me, it wasn't back then, never was, isn't me today etc. But for those who like it, rock on." - No_Roof_1910

"Whatever makes them happy. Kids get to build their tribal rituals. In other words, I’m not getting a mullet but wont disparage theirs. Rock on." - goosebumpsagain

"I think it’s freaking hilarious. 'We hate boomers, but we totally want to be them.' As a Gen Xer with older brothers and sisters and solid memories of from about 1974 on, it just makes me giggle." - Grace_Alcock

"When I was a teen in the 70s at one point, my mom pointed out to me that lots of our styles were from the 40s when she was young. She was right! Personally, I don’t care who wears what or when." - moverene1914

"Fashion, even bad fashion, repeats. Makes me laugh, but I still wear tie dye and hippy trippy stuff so I’m no critic to judge!" - Lefty-boomer

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"I love seeing them embrace anything other than the normcore beige stuff that has 0 style. I cant wait until they see videos of themselves in 30 years." - notthatcousingreg

"I was a kid in the 70s and wore those things in my 20s when they came back in style in the 90s. I love seeing it all come back again! I love the vintage clothing sub and the 70s styles are my favorites." - Wonderful_Horror7315

"Let them fly their freak flags. Life is short. In 10 years, they’ll all want to look like Boy George, anyway. Enjoy getting older, I sure do!" - AnitaIvanaMartini

freak flag, freak flags, freak flag fly, freak flag gif, freak Be Yourself Tonight Show GIF by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Giphy

"Every generation thinks they invented rebellion then just recycle the last one’s closet. 70s kids rolled their eyes at 50s greasers 90s mocked the 70s now gen z is basically cosplaying their grandparents. Fashion’s just a pendulum nobody’s original we just remix until it feels new again. The real joke is thinking your mullet is edgy when it’s literally your dad’s yearbook pic." - Thin_Rip8995

"GenX here. I LOVE it! Add in some Ponchos and Knee High sports socks for guys and you are officially Old School Cool! A rock band 3/4 length sleeve t-shirt and Blue Jean jacket for EXTRA POINTS!" - Gun5linger67

"Every generation deserves the chance to make fashion choices that they'll look back at some day and wonder, 'WTF was I thinking?!?' - LordOfEltingville

From Your Site Articles
gen z fashion
FashionPop Culture
Culture

Gen X is the 'most stressed' generation but studies show they're also the toughest

The 'Coolest Generation' is dealing with the rigors of middle age with their trademark adaptability.

via Wikimedia Commons

Gen X is the most stressed generation, but also the best equipped to deal with it.

It's official: People are more stressed out than ever. Technology, a wildly unpredictable economy, political division, and changing family dynamics have us all on edge, and it's doing a number on our mental health. But there is one group that, for at least the past decade, seems to be taking on more than their fair share of the stress.

Generation X, people born between 1965 and 1979, are America's goofy middle children sandwiched between the much larger Baby Boomer and Millennial generations — both of whom get a lot more press. Gen X prides itself on being individualistic, nonconformists committed to a D.I.Y. ethic whether that means writing a punk 'zine or launching a tech start-up.

(If you just asked yourself "What's a 'zine?" you're clearly not a member ofGen X.) It's a generation marked by an aloof cool where any personal slight can be written off with a "whatever" and one that's deathly afraid of taking anything too seriously. It's a generation that was so put off by the corporate, commercial culture of the '80s it rebelled by wearing second-hand clothes and ironically embracing low-brow '70s culture.

gen x, gen z, millennials, generations, generational differences, culture, 1980s, 1970s, 1990s, childhood, adulthood Gen Xers are a particularly proud generation. Giphy

It's the generation of hip-hop, Tiger Woods, Quentin Tarrantino, the re-birth of punk rock, John Cusak movies, and Atari. Not a bad resume at all!

A big reason Gen X is so self-reliant is that it's the generation hardest hit by divorce. According to a 2004 marketing study it "went through its all-important, formative years as one of the least parented, least nurtured generations in U.S. history."

Gen X was the first generation that experienced both parents working outside the home. But, unfortunately, at the same time, childcare centers and afterschool programs had not yet emerged to a significant extent. That's why you hear so much folklore about 80s kids being allowed to run feral throughout the neighborhood or even the whole time. This is the "come home when the streetlights come on" generation, and it shows.

Now, the "Coolest Generation" finds itself somewhere between 42 and 56 and is hitting middle age. Unfortunately, that means it's now the most stressed generation in America.

Although, in true Gen X fashion, many refuse to let anyone see they're stressed.

An extensive study by Penn State showed that stress began to hit Gen X sometime in the last decade. The 2012 study discovered that Gen X had an average stress level of 5.8 (out of ten) while Millennials (3.4) and Baby Boomers (4.4) were a lot calmer.

gen x, gen z, millennials, generations, generational differences, culture, 1980s, 1970s, 1990s, childhood, adulthood For such a chill group of people, Gen X has to deal with a lot.Eric Nopanen/Unsplash

It's not just the anxieties of hitting middle age. An even more recent study shows that the trend hasn't changed in the last decade as all of the generations have aged. In 2021, 22% of Gen Xers admitted to daily struggles with stress followed by Millennials (17%), Gen Z (14%), and Baby Boomers (8%).

The APA's Stress in America Report from 2023 indicates that Gen Z may be coming for the throne soon, though, with major financial and loneliness issues weighing them down.

gen x, gen z, millennials, generations, generational differences, culture, 1980s, 1970s, 1990s, childhood, adulthood Watch and learn, Gen Z. Giphy

A big reason for the stress is having to take care of multiple generations. Many Gen Xers have to care for their aging parents as well as their children who are just starting to make their way in a world that's become much harder to afford. And that's to say nothing of Gen X's own money worries. Even though they're starting to reach retirement age, many members of the generation are woefully far away from having enough money saved up. One estimate says the average Gen Xer is about $400,000 short of what they'd need to comfortably retire. Talk about a stressor!

Gen X may have aged its way into the most stressful part of its life, but things could be a lot worse. There's no group of people better equipped to deal with stress.

When executives at Nike studied Gen X it found the generation's hallmarks are "flexibility," "innovation," and "adaptability." "They have developed strong survival skills and the ability to handle anything that comes their way," the study says.

Gen Xers may think that's just a bunch of corporate B.S. However, it's true. Gen X grew up during the AIDS epidemic, the end of the Cold War, the Challenger disaster, the late '80s and early '90s crime wave, 9/11, the Great Recession, COVID-19, and managed to survive after "My So-Called Life" was canceled.

gen x, gen z, millennials, generations, generational differences, culture, 1980s, 1970s, 1990s, childhood, adulthood It was a very sad day when "My So-Called Life" was pulled off the air. Giphy

We've survived tough times and we'll make it through these as well. Just got to follow the advice of Gen X's poet laureate, Tupac Shakur: "And it's crazy, it seems it'll never let up, but please, you got to keep your head up."

We can also look forward to grabbing a big box of popcorn and enjoying the massive Millennial meltdown that happens when they hit middle age. It's not going to be pretty.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

From Your Site Articles
gen x
CultureJoy
Community

In 1975, a small Nebraska town created the world's largest time capsule. Reopening it was wild.

The relics found inside, including pet rocks, were groovy.

Canva

Old photographs in a box as time passes.

Time capsules are just cool, no matter how you slice them. The term, officially coined at the 1939 New York World's Fair, has been around for centuries. According to Evan Andrews's piece on History.com, "The world’s first planned time capsule debuted in 1876 when New York Magazine publisher Anna Deihm assembled a 'Century Safe' at the U.S. Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia."

Exactly 100 years later, it was opened. Andrews shares, "At a ceremony attended by President Gerald Ford, Senator Mike Mansfield said the opening had honored 'the wish of a lady who sought to speak to us from the other side of a 100-year gulf.'"

Just recently, in a small town in Nebraska, a time capsule from half a century ago was unearthed. NBC News writer Maya Eaglin reports, "Treasures from 1975, sealed inside what the World Record Academy once called the 'world’s largest time capsule,' went on display Friday, drawing hundreds of people from across the country to catch a glimpse of relics from the past."

-Nebraska Now www.youtube.com

She adds, "Thousands of letters, pet rocks, artwork, a groovy teal suit and even a yellow Chevy Vega had been preserved inside the capsule—a portal to another era—for half a century."

The letters are still being sorted, though one person, the article relays, was able to find a very special relic he snuck in. "Clark Kolterman, who was there in 1975, put his wedding invitation in the capsule. 'I can’t believe they found it,' he said, surrounded by his children."

This all begs the question: if you were filling a capsule of time of your own (other than, say, your kitchen junk drawer), what would you put in it? Redditors jumped to answer the question “What would you put in your 2025 time capsule?” just a couple of weeks ago.

The replies ranged from thoughtful and serious to downright hilarious. One person joked, "Someone with their phone on speaker, holding it at arm’s length and yelling in the general direction of it." Another, mocking chemicals found in fruits and vegetables, suggested, "Any of the supermarket fruit and veg I buy seems to not ever go off these days. I’m unsure what they now do to them, but I’d be intrigued to know if they remain edible in 50 years' time."

time capsule, time, history, relics , hourglass A brown and blue hourglass sits on stones. Photo by Aron Visuals on Unsplash

Though a few took the question to heart and gave earnest suggestions:

  • "A newspaper"
  • "A cinema or theatre ticket"
  • "TV guide"
  • "An unused games console and games"
  • "A book of stamps (if you’re a millionaire)"
  • "A favourite recipe"
  • "A USB with a video of you talking about you/your life/life in 2025"
This person has already given it a shot, though they most likely have some time before they recall everything they put in it. "We did something similar a couple of years ago and put in:- A coin from the year, a Lidl (grocery) brochure, a sealed packet of Pokémon cards, a letter and photo from us as a family, couple of bits of random tat (plastic toys) and some other stuff that I've completely forgotten."
From Your Site Articles
time capsules
CommunityJoy
Popular

Generation Jones explains how their childhood memories differ from Gen X

"Cigarette commercials on TV."

Images via Canva

Generation Jones explains how they are different from Gen X.

Generation Jones is sandwiched immediately between Boomers and Gen X. Born from 1954 to 1965, Generation Jones is also sometimes referred to as 'elder Boomers'--but they will tell you that their experience growing up was completely different than Boomers. And they say the same about Gen X.

In an online forum of Generation Jonesers, member coolmist23 posed the question: "What's a Gen Jones thing that Gen X didn't experience?" They went on to add, "I see so many posts on here that I remember experiencing as a Gen Xer. Just curious if there is anything I wouldn't remember?"

And Generation Jones spilled all the ways that they are different from Gen X. These are 15 of the most eye-opening and honest reasons why Generation Jones differs from Gen X.

"Space race and the moon landing? I had models of the LEM and CSM that could dock with each other as a kid. Driving during the gas crisis? Bobby Kennedy assassination? Elvis Dying? The Nixon impeachment?" tgoesh

"Vietnam. Not just hearing about it on the news, but actually having to worry that you might be drafted. Later Gen-Js like myself didn't have it as bad, but the earlier ones did. The war ended in 1972. but the draft continued until 1975. They weren't taking men into the army, but they would call them up and make them go through the army physical exam. It was still a looming threat. It went away for five years, and then in 1980 Carter signed the law that required us all to register for the selective service. I turned 18 the next year. It was just putting our name on a piece of paper, and there was no lottery, but for those of us who had grown up expecting to eventually have to fight in Vietnam, it was a bit spooky. I expect that most GenXers have never really thought about registration as much more than just a bureaucratic inconvenience." Outrageous-Pin-4664

cigarette commercial, cigarette, cigarettes, old commercial, commercials cigarette commercial Giphy

"Cigarette commercials on TV." lgherb

"Space Food Sticks." lgherb

"Watergate." Sea-End-4841

sex pisols, sex pistols band, punk, punk music, punk band sex pistols GIF Giphy

"The first punk bands touring and performing." Melodic_Pattern175

"Learning your home phone number with an exchange name rather than a number (like 'Butterfield 8-5000' instead of '288-5000'). I only realized this last night while watching a movie with my Gen Xer friend, a phone number conversation came up, and I asked her if she learned her phone number with a named exchange or just the number. We’re seven years apart." mspolytheist

"Comet Kahoutek." FindOneInEveryCar

tv, tv antenna, antennas, tv antennas, old tv tv antenna Giphy

"TV antenna poles with antennas on the top. Ours had the dial that would rotate the antenna at the top to turn in different directions to pick up stations. We had a regular stationary antenna before that though. We watched on a huge heavy television set that took two people to move. We also had a radiogram that had disco lights that blinked according to the music on the radio or record." BLeeTac

"Sonic booms. Banned in 1973. I thought they were cool though." Rocketgirl8097

"TV that had three channels." CantTouchMyOnion

moon, moon landing, on the moon, nasa, astronaut Full Moon GIF by NASA Giphy

"Gen Jones may remember the moon landing, RFK's and MLK's assassinations (and maybe older Gen Jones would remember JFK's), the impact of Watergate, coverage of Woodstock, Kent State, uprisings spurred by racial inequity in many cities, the 1968 Democratic National Convention, the 1972 Summer Olympics -- lots of things that older GenX may have been alive for but not old enough to grasp fully (no disrespect to older GenXers who remember these things). I was born in 1964, and I remember being sent out of the room as a very small child while my parents watched Dan Rather's reports from Vietnam. Of course, I sneaked down the stairs and peaked at what they were watching. It left a lifelong impression." GittaFirstOfHerName

"Smallpox vaccine upper arm scars. Current versions of the vaccine against smallpox do not leave these scars." dnsdiva

"Kent State Massacre." Explosion1850

"Having to wear dresses/skirts to school every day even during winter. Edit to add… and then when they did loosen the rules to matching pantsuits, having teachers literally feel the fabric of tops and bottoms to confirm they were the same fabric." jmksupply

From Your Site Articles
generation jones
JoyCulture
Trending Stories