We teens are now growing up in a world that constantly demands more. Whether it’s a mixture between social media pressure, school exhaustion, or financial issues, you name it, it’s all around us; it’s quick to feel like the present day is a lot for you. Lately, nostalgia has not only become a memory; it has become a way out when life feels overwhelming. We find comfort in our past, an escape from reality, a safe place.
From Y2K styled clothing, 2016 trends, Musically, old songs, and more, nostalgia is everywhere and there’s no escaping it. Nostalgia shows up today in fashion. Y2K clothing, including low-rise jeans, baby tees, jackets, and specific brands, are popular once again and are everywhere, even though most of us weren’t alive or very young when it was first popular. Teens now hunt thrift stores for vintage clothes, online shops, or even go through older relatives’ closets to find pieces of old clothing because what was once “old” is not considered trendy. Walk through Hamilton or any high school hallway, and you’ll see girls wearing their style of clothes: vintage and trendy pieces. Everyone’s sense of style becomes incredibly visible. I believe wearing clothes isn’t just about fitting in with the trend or about style, but a way to connect to a time we imagined as carefree in order to express ourselves.
Plus, it doesn’t just show up in clothing. It lets us imagine a time when life was calmer and more lively, before technology ultimately took over our generation. Many of us say we miss the 2016 times, when we would look at old YouTube videos where it was pure imagination. Those videos of kids mailing themselves to special locations with their snacks (and thinking it was real), to pancake art challenges, to monster high makeup tutorials, and to toy unboxing reviews. When one thinks of this, it feels like you’re missing a person; when life was so carefree and creativity was floating in the air. Even looking back at Musically videos or old trends is nostalgic. You’ll remember looking back at old memories, smiling, longing for that time again. The memories of our childhood, playing around with others, recording where family is present, and almost living in a magical world compared to the constant screen time we’re exposed to now. We see it as an escape from stress, reminding us that life doesn’t always have to be stressful. A hand holding onto the past as a way of reliving the past in a way we couldn’t as kids.
Perhaps the past isn’t just about wanting to go back, but it’s also about wanting to feel safe. To relive a time when we were carefree, when there was no judgment or standard to be compared to. When we could simply express ourselves as we once did. It gives us a sense of comfort and familiarity. A reminder that even if life gets messy or overwhelming, there is a part of you that clings to the nostalgia that makes it all manageable. And perhaps, that’s all it takes to keep us sane.
