It makes sense that norms are shifting in this direction as Gen Z’s influence spreads. Raised on social media, with access to once illicit bad-taste touchstones like Rocky Horror just a click away, they’ve largely replaced IRL subcultures with a constellation of aesthetics—cottagecore, dark academia, Y2K—to be performed, then discarded or demoted... See more

To bolster our analysis, my research team also conducted a representative survey this year of more than 2,000 adults in the United States. We found that most Gen Z adults — 68 percent — reported feeling nostalgic for eras before their lifetime.

They binged Girls , snapped up digital cameras on eBay, and wore low-rise jeans with visible whale tails. Print magazines experienced a renaissance, with Gen Z driving demand for “something tangible and collectible” at a time when everything felt ephemeral. Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding said “half the audience are Gen Zs” at her book... See more