Recently, my best friend and I were reminiscing about the birth of our friendship during our awkward, middle-school era. Now, well over a decade later, we are still best friends navigating the adult world together from two different cities. Over the years, we have bonded over boy bands, a shared chai addiction, our fan-fiction consumption (which evolved into a love for fantasy novels), a mutual obsession with “The Witcher,” a deep love for Thai food, and, at one point, being fully committed to the emo aesthetic.
Since then, we’ve outgrown some of these parts of ourselves, and our friendship has left some of these interests in the past (as well as the questionable wardrobe choices). However, we have noticed a spike in dopamine when we give in to these guilty pleasures. So, as we live lives in our mid-twenties, is the key to happiness actually just fully embracing our inner middle school self?
Tumblr, being a teenager, and the age of not GAF!
Fourteen-year-old me was unapologetically herself—a true Aquarius by nature—and now I am looking back and taking some notes. Whether it was the vibrantly dyed hair, the skinny jeans, or the horribly applied eyeliner, fourteen-year-old me was onto something. All in all, she simply did not GAF (give a f***) about social norms, trends, or expectations. Young adult life often means we lose some of that teenage whimsy and the general ability to be uncaring. Social expectations and societal conditioning play a role in shaping the way people present themselves and engage with one another.
Were our unapologetic teenage selves onto something? Perhaps shifting our perception from “cringe” to noteworthy is the first step toward embracing individuality and building confidence.
It seems that the internet has caused teenagers to lose this essential, evolutionary experience. I hear a lot of elder Gen Z discuss their “cringe” childhood looks, but younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha do not seem to be sharing this transformational experience. Although some photos from the end of the Tumblr era in 2014-2016 are hard to look at, I also believe it was a truly iconic time in life to be a teenager.
The debate remains
One could argue that younger generations are saving themselves from embarrassment, but in reality, they might be missing out on a time to be carefree and cringeworthy. From personal experience, the pictures may be painful, but the vibes were immaculate. Whether or not this is the case for younger generations remains up for debate. That being said, this article aims to share a few ways anyone can embrace their inner middle schooler.
First, and arguably one of the best ways to do so, is creating a playlist. Music is a great way to bring you back to a specific moment in time. Certain albums or artists are inextricably linked to specific years or eras of life. For example, the release of The 1975’s first album, “The 1975,” will forever be tied to my middle school and high school years. It was also the foundation of my relationship with my best friend. Similarly, there was a time when Halsey’s “Badlands” was causing a fangirl frenzy due to her moody blue and pink color palette, her grungey aesthetic, and her iconic MAC lipstick release. During this era, she embodied the Tumblr girl of my teenage dreams!
So is 2016 the new 2026?
That seems to be the talk of the internet. With 2016 trending on TikTok, millennials and Gen-Z are showing off throwback pictures, trends, and memories from a decade ago. Shifting away from the grunge Tumblr era of approximately 2012-2014, 2016 became a specific new era of its own. Gone were the days of space buns, glitter, and fishnet tights. 2016 was a time of heavily filtered beach pics on Instagram, bomber jackets, white Converse, and EOS chapstick. The questions remain: Is this a trend we should bring back? Is this fashion era one worth re-adopting? Here is what people are saying on TikTok.
Creating an iconic throwback playlist
Music is an easy way to return to a specific timeline. Curating niche playlists is a must! Streaming platforms make this process incredibly easy, even if you have deleted music from your account over time. First, finding a cover photo that matches the vibe of the playlist is essential in order to set the mood. Try searching the year and the word “aesthetic” on the Pinterest app, e.g., “2015 aesthetic.”
Next, on any streaming platform, find a song, artist, or album that is reminiscent of a certain time period. This playlist is meant to be silly, meant to be cringe, and is fully expected to be an iconic time capsule. By adding song music to the playlist, the platform begins to do its thing and recommend songs. This process helped me rediscover artists and bands I hadn’t heard about in years. Soon, my playlist was thriving, and yours will be too! Turning on this playlist instantly brings me back to my little emo self and creates some major feel-good energy. Looking back, my teenage self was definitely onto something, and maybe she was even cooler than I will ever be.
Fashion statements & the return of 2016
Although many of us are probably stoked to have dropped some of the trends of the 2010s and ’20s in terms of fashion, incorporating smaller elements can be fun, nostalgic, and a little ode to a younger you. Bling string and henna tattoos have been making a comeback, although henna seems to remain a summer staple every single year. These subtle but intentional accessories add a little spunk and creativity to every outfit.
Some forgotten trends are projected to make a serious comeback, according to various TikTok content creators. Bright colors, floral embroidered denim, and crushed velvet skater dresses? Say less! Perhaps in 2026, we will be recreating 2016 fashion, but better.
Goodbye “clean girl,” hello maximalism!
Overall, the clean girl aesthetic seems to be making its way out as we enter a maximalist, funky, cool girl summer! I have been seeing, and hope to continue to see, color, patterns, layered jewelry, and embracing natural, unstyled hair. Of course, do what makes you feel good in your skin and the way you present yourself. That being said, little elements of your younger self being incorporated into everyday looks bring a sense of warmth and healing.
Fashion blogs have deemed this summer the end of the clean girl and the official takeover of maximalism. Whether it be clothing, makeup, or hair, being nonchalant is coming to a rapid close. We are seeing beads, we are seeing embroidery, and we are seeing loads of color and prints. Goodbye creamy tones and neutrals, as vibrancy is being turned up this summer.
The psychology of healing your inner
From a psychological perspective, this is about so much more than outfits and playlists. Through these methods, we are actually giving our younger selves a big hug and healing our inner child piece by piece. Whether it be rocking some Sillybandz, heavily filtering already fuzzy photos, crafting and wearing flower crowns with friends, or listening to Calvin Harris’ Summer, these little acts of joy are also tapping into your childhood self and giving your teenage self a (probably much-needed) hug.
Gen Z has already experienced an incredibly untraditional childhood and young adulthood, having lived through a global pandemic. However, the internet seems to have declared that our twenties are actually just our teens with more freedom and financial flexibility. This is some fun, easy self-care that anyone can practice. Like this friend group that went viral on TikTok, playfulness and unbridled joy can, and should, be incorporated into adulthood! That being said, it is time for Gen Z to embrace our cringey youth, wear outfits that feel nostalgic, and dance to some music that brings us back.
The joys of aging
If you resonate with some of these feelings and tactics, check out this article about growing up fast and ways to cope, written by Miles Evans. The article highlights the experience of growing up too fast as a generation and the impacts this can have on confidence and self-doubt, as well as ways to process this experience. The author emphasizes the importance of having hobbies throughout life. Even though adulting may be scary and overwhelming at times, tapping into your inner child is a key way to navigate big emotions. Fashion, hobbies, and other forms of artistic expression are wonderful ways of incorporating this child-like whimsy and joy into your daily life!
