Clearly, there’s nostalgia at play here. All of the aforementioned items are pieces that millennials wore as kids in the ‘80s and ‘90s. And, as it turns out, there might be a psychological reason why they’re turning back to them now. “Nostalgia is a fascinating way that people can feel more socially connected and satisfy their needs for encouragement and support,” explains Rutgers University–Camden researcher Andrew Abeyta. Plus, according to Edited, a trusted retail data firm, “Nostalgic fashion can be used as a form of escapism as consumers face global issues including the pandemic, recession and civil unrest.” In other words, while we were following stay at home orders and cut off from our usual social lives, we were inadvertently dressing in a way that created a social link to a simpler time when we were safe, cared for and, yes, spoon-fed apple sauce.
On a more personal level, I can attest that the one item I pined for this summer was a $20 H&M dress...that happened to be nearly identical to one my great aunt handmade for me when I was just a few months old. While the floral prints might have been done up in different color schemes, the tent-like silhouette and overall carefree feeling of the frocks—which were designed three decades apart—were nearly identical. And that's not all; I saw sparkly swimsuits that reminded me of my fave Limited Too purple one-piece that I wore in fifth grade, and even reverted back to wearing tiny denim summer-camp shorts (despite promising myself I'd aged out of them last year).
Even as our world starts opening up slowly, we’re clinging to these comfort-first pieces like they’re a security blanket, and we’re most certainly not giving up on last season’s ultra-cozy fabrics. (Think: teddy bear coats, plush fleece jackets and VSCO girl-approved socks and Crocs.)
