Gen X Fashion Trends That Younger Generations Just Don't Understand

The Gen X era was a very special time. Those who were born after baby boomers and before millennials grew up as latchkey kids who were blessed to have been around at the start of the internet. AOL dial-ups, getting dysentery while playing The Oregon Trail, and MTV were a big part of Gen X's lives. And who can forget all the wild fashion trends that they spearheaded? With no Instagram or TikTok then, folks had to rely on good old-fashioned magazines and posters of pop stars to tell us what was rad.

Gen X experienced a lot of sartorial changes. The '70s were all about disco 'fits and hippie wear, which transitioned to preppy looks, neon colors, and lots of spandex the following decade. Then, grunge fashion dominated in the '90s with plaid and band tees being all the rage. Many of these looks were probably head-scratching to younger generations, but this age bracket will defend them until the end. While we may not see some of these trends ever again, they hold a special spot in the hearts of what's fondly known as the forgotten generation.

If you look at a quintessential '80s outfit, you'll likely see a pair of leg warmers added to the mix. It didn't matter if it was the dead of summer — Gen X fashionistas had a pair of colorful fluffy tubes around their calves as accessories. Leg warmers were originally worn by dancers who needed to keep their lower legs warm to prevent injuries. Then, when "Flashdance" came out and pop stars like Madonna adopted the aerobics aesthetic, leg warmers instantly became a thing people actually found attractive in the '80s.

Millennials were born from 1981 through 1996, so when leg warmers were trendy, they were either too young to rock them or weren't even around yet. Although the craze has passed, some Gen X folks still love them for their functionality, with one sharing on Reddit that she wore a pair to a yoga class and received an unexpected response from a younger woman. "My normally composed and serene Millennial instructor squeaked 'OMG, leg warmers are real. I thought my aunt was kidding' and started giggling. I gave her 'y'know it baby' and giggled along," the OP wrote. Hey, you don't have to be a dancer or pop star to sport a pair of leg warmers, and much like other '80s fads, they just might make a comeback.

One of the best things about growing up as a Gen Xer was getting to experience some of the greatest music ever made. Songs by The Cure, Depeche Mode, Nirvana, and Garbage were played on Walkmans everywhere, with concerts being much more affordable than they are now. Fans showed love for their fave bands by wearing their T-shirts, and you could instantly bond with strangers over shared music tastes. With Gen Z and Gen Alpha rocking '90s fashion trends that have come back in style, the younger folks have made grunge trendy again, which means donning vintage band tees. However, many have no idea who any of these iconic groups are, and wear the shirts just for aesthetic purposes.

One disgruntled Facebook user asked, "Can somebody explain why there are so many young people walking around wearing T-shirts with the Ramones, AC/DC, and Nirvana on them? Is it just to look cool? Is it a fashion statement? These kids weren't even born when any of those bands broke up." Another answered, "My students all wear them. As they pass my room in the hallway, I always ask them what's their favorite song from the band on their shirt. Half of them don't even realize they are wearing a shirt with a band's name on it!!" We bet if they listened to any of the aforementioned bands, they would become true fans.

Denim trends are always coming and going, and one of the biggest ones during the '80s and early '90s was acid wash jeans. The distressed, bleached look was in vogue amongst everyone from surfers to heavy metal bands. And acid wash wasn't just reserved for pants, either. It was also seen on shirts or jackets, sometimes even bedazzled with rhinestones. While this was popular with the Gen X crowd, you won't see the younger generations touch this outdated jeans style that looks anything but fresh. Millennials favored skinny jeans in various shades, while Gen Z is all about loose and baggy in soft denim colors.

While acid wash jeans are considered out of style these days, and non-eco-friendly to boot, many Gen X folks fondly look back on this trend. A Redditor shared, "Does anyone else miss acid-washed jeans? And all of the other crazy denim finishes that were popular in the late 80s and early 90s? I LOVED those things!" A lover of the bleached style predicted, "I still have my acid wash jeans skirt. Told my 3 daughters that they will come back in style." This look is very divisive among denim-wearers, even with Gen Xers, so perhaps lead with a more subtle version if you ever decide to hop on this retro trend.

The prepster aesthetic will never go out of style, but it particularly had a stronghold in '80s and '90s fashion. While the look originated around the 1900s, Gen X brought it back with a vengeance, with many dressing in button-ups, plaid skirts, and sweaters tied around their necks. Hit movies like "Pretty in Pink" and "Clueless" all leaned into preppy wear, which further made folks want to dress like they're lunching at the country club.

These days, ask any Gen Alpha to define "preppy," and it'll be a completely different version of what it meant for those born between 1965 and 1980. According to Business Insider, school-aged kids think preppy is all about bright pink clothes, cutesy accessories, and a Stanley water bottle in one hand. This is a far cry from the quiet luxury neutrals yuppies loved back in the day, but at least Gen Z is more in line with the collegiate aesthetic. They're still going for the yachtie look but making everything oversized and edgier, per Purewow. As Cher Horowitz would say, "As if!"