American youth fight over baggy jeans

Gen Z brought back the fashion of the 90s with mom jeans, causing discontent with the Millennials who preferred tight-fitting models.
Choosing the right type of jeans has been a difficult problem for generations. Young Americans have their answer: wide-leg pants, tapered or flared below, bright blue and high-waisted.

The model above is called mom jeans, once associated with the convenience and comfort sought by middle-aged women, now very popular with Gen Z (those born between 1996 and 2010). Washington Post . “The pants fit anyone who wears them. They are very comfortable and cover the belly. You can combine it with a crop top and still look decent,” said Aymee Batra, a senior living in upstate New York. Wide leg mom jeans are favored by Gen Z because of their comfort and ease of coordination. Photo: Pinterest. Every time is different In 2006, journalist Jill Hudson Neal wrote on Washington Post : “Mom jeans are not flattering at all. Although designed to highlight a woman’s full figure, the truth is that it only makes the buttocks, thighs, hips bigger. The opposition of Millennials (born from 1981 to 1995) to mom jeans is reflected in the opposite design: tight jeans that fit to “pull” the legs and show off their pretty shoes. But now only women who have passed their heyday wear such pants. “I felt stupid when I wore skinny jeans before,” said Batra, 21. Although it is normal for women’s clothing to change fashion, the rise of mom jeans has caused many Millennials to react strongly. At retail chain Etsy, the “Side part and skinny jeans FOREVER” shirt is on sale. Many articles on the site Buzzfeed affirming the permanence of Millennials’ fashion style and refuting Gen Z’s dressing style. Why such a backlash? Is this just about a pair of pants? Skinny jeans are popular with Millennials. Photo: Lovin.ie. Fashion psychologist Dawnn Karen says the intergenerational rivalry stems from different needs for control and stability. The popularity of ’90s jeans and tie-down shirts, crop tops, and puffy sleeves is a way to master and create Gen Z’s own. While skinny jeans won’t really be taken away, fashion houses may pay less and less attention to the needs of Millennials. Gen Z will be the main customer reach group. They are using that power to make skinny jeans obsolete, while mom jeans are increasingly trendy. The executives of youth fashion label Forever 21 were surprised when sales of mom jeans suddenly skyrocketed at the beginning of the year. CEO Daniel Kulle says other ’90s favorites, including flared and embroidered jeans, are also making a comeback. Generational or individual issues? Fashion is trend, but style is personal. So, not everyone in Generation Z likes wide-leg jeans. Emma Delattre (19 years old, Connecticut, USA) shared: “I will never wear mom jeans. They make me look like a rectangular block.” Generational conflict is not a good lens for observing the changing fashion trends. Associate professor of psychology David Costanza at George Washington University (USA) said the difference between Millennials and Generation Z is not real. “What we see is simply how things change over time, but many researchers attribute those differences to a generational character,” he said. Millennials are looking to wide-leg jeans, even if it’s simply a personal choice. Emily Teague (29 years old) is ready to give loose jeans a chance. The result wasn’t so positive: the pants accentuated areas she didn’t want to accentuate. “I don’t feel confident at all. The pants make me feel like an old lady trying to be stylish,” she said sadly. “I remember when skinny jeans first became popular, I thought they were ridiculous,” says Bethany Harbison (31 years old, California, USA). Now she’s transitioning to mom jeans, though still hesitant. “They’re not cute, but they’re very comfortable,” she said. Haribson in comfortable loose-fitting mom jeans. Photo: Washington Post. What if Millennials actually took Gen Z’s advice and started wearing mom jeans? Will there be peace among the younger generations? According to Batra, having Millenials follow this trend will make it less cool. “Mom jeans are really going to be the pants for moms,” she says.