The 2010s are coming back. While I scroll through social media, nostalgic videos from the 2010s overwhelm my feed. Videos and pictures of outfits, celebrities, songs, and inspo are suddenly all trending again. Nostalgia “bait” is a prominent part of social media- it always has been. Trends usually recycle themselves, but they typically follow the 20s rule. After 20 years, old trends come back again. But these trends have only been out of the public eye for around 7-12 years. So why are they already coming back?

My hypothesis for this is that Gen Z is already done with “Y2K”. We have already mass-produced clothing and trends for this era, and now we are ready to throw it out and start anew. By anew, I mean we are ready to start recycling trends from a new era again. This era is the 2010s. More specifically, around 2013 to 2017.  About half of Gen Z was too young to experience what it was like to be a teenager or young adult during this time, so it’s making its rounds again. The other half of Gen Z that were teenagers during this time are not participating in these trends, rather feeling aged by them. Posting “Am I old now?”, but no- this generation just likes to romanticize everything and anything. 

We push away the negatives of each era- the fact that promoting eating disorders and drug habits were normalized- and instead look back on the positives. Looking at old celebrities’ Instagrams, reviving old Tumblr trends, and listening to The 1975 & Imogen Heap. Victoria’s Secret fashion shows coming back. Glitter and flash photography, partying all night. The best of the best, are now being brought up once more. I wouldn’t be surprised if more Shein hauls of 2010s fashion started becoming more prominent with influencers. 

All of this to say it’s ironic. Just five years ago we were looking back at these eras and saying how cringe they were, and now they begin to circle around online once more. But perhaps this time we will leave behind the self-destructive behaviors and portray the healthy habits we idolize.