What are Millennial Socks? 


Tell me what socks you wear and I'll tell you how old you are, what your favorite social media is, and what you like to do in your free time. In the clash between Gen Z and Millennials, another hot topic has emerged that involves a garment few people really care about, especially if they were born before 1996. It’s about socks, an item that goes unnoticed in winter but with the eager arrival of the new season draws more attention than ever, especially in cities and offices. Recently, Jennifer Lawrence was called “brave” by Vogue UK for wearing what are now defined as “Millennial Socks,” ankle socks. Going against the trend (apparently followed only by Gen Z) of wearing socks that reach mid-calf, the actress has inadvertently sparked a new debate about the style difference between the two adjacent generations, although, according to TikTok, Gen Z has been talking about Millennial Socks for some time. 

Since the topic re-emerged, on Gen Z’s favorite social media, users have started mocking Millennial Socks again, considering them embarrassing and unflattering. Once, among the fashion trends mocked by the new generations were skinny jeans worn with denim jackets, side hair parts, and an excessive taste for “fun” graphics. Over time, however, the rise of aesthetic movements like indie sleaze and post-ironic fashion has legitimized almost all these elements in the wardrobes of the younger ones, albeit with a new look. As explained by the New York Times, what a generation chooses to wear is often a reflection of what they were forced to wear as children. Millennials with Boomer parents probably wore high socks as kids, so as soon as they could, they switched to shorter ones. Similarly, Gen Z’s choice to prefer well-covered calves is related to the trends they saw thriving in the golden age of Millennials, and so on. At this point, we have every right to predict that Gen Alpha will prefer to go back to short, or even without. 

If Jennifer Lawrence was truly “brave” to be seen in public with Millennial socks, who is the real trendsetter? The image of the actress going for a walk with her family wearing The Row loafers, a leopard print Mehry Mu bag, a denim shirt, and a Mickey Mouse t-shirt. If everyone is aware of Millennial Socks and how unflattering they are, it’s possible that Lawrence deliberately went against the grain to make a statement. Or, if we want to go that far, it's possible she didn’t think about it at all. After all, it’s just a pair of socks. At this rate, what could be Gen Z’s next target, the type of hair tie? (Oh, right, Gen Z wears scrunchies).