When it comes to embracing trends, millennials are sort of sticklers for what they know and love. Sure, every now and again they’ll rip some trends from Gen Z, but for the most part, they’re set in their ways. (See: side parts, Instagram.) However, there is one generation the 26 to 41 demographic has recently taken to: their grandparents. Below, five geriatric trends millennials are loving right now…none of which involve avocados.
Once relegated to a crowd prone to bridge clubs and power walking, these days, millennials have taken to this nifty hobby, touting its therapeutic benefits. Indeed, according to Mental Health America, knitting can help calm anxiety and stress, may help with chronic pain and, if nothing else, can help form social connections. Ryan Gosling certainly agrees with the latter. That’s right. Back in 2013, the millennial hunk had us all swooning when he admitted he had fallen in love with the hobby while filming Lars and the Real Girl. Eight years later, it seems the knitting bug was still very much alive when, during the 2021 Olympics, British diver Tom Daley went viral on the socials for his love for knitting in between events. The then 27-year-old would knit scarves, doggie jumpers and even made a little pouch for his medal, claiming the activity helped with “finding calm, mindfulness and [it] relieves stress.” Could he be anymore millennial?
You’d be hard pressed to pry a millennial from their skinny jeans. Heck, even the mom and dad jeans wave couldn’t get them to let go of their fave cut. But, and this is a very strong but, it seems like millennials are now making a switch to looser, airier coastal grandma fashions. For those who don’t know, the coastal grandma look originated on TikTok, and it’s all about ditching binding clothing for loose-fitting button downs, crisp chinos, cozy, light cardigans and comfy fisherman sandals. In other words, exactly what your Nana might wear to her 5pm dinner reservation. But don’t trust us, trust millennial fashion queens Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez and Anne Hathaway.
The pandemic made us realize a lot about ourselves. Some discovered their love for baking (that banana bread era was a moment), others discovered their love for TikTok dancing, while others turned to…birdwatching. The activity was so popular that in April 2020, Conde Naste Traveller even published a spotter’s guide titled “How to Birdwatch From Home” highlighting all the benefits of birdwatching, the types of birds you might see and even gave tidbits on what makes a good feeder should you want to start one. Proving birdwatching’s budding new and dedicated audience, the first week of May 2021 saw an unprecedented spike in searches for “birdwatching binoculars.”
The list of activities that an 80 year-old and a 30 year-old can enjoy together can be slim. So when there’s some crossover, there’s definitely cause for celebration. Such is the case with pickleball, which also garnered astronomic popularity during the pandemic. “Pickleball became an activity we could all do together...and separately,” wrote our executive editor, Dara Katz back in 2021. “Me and my husband could play with our friends or we could pair up and play doubles with my dad and his friends. In fact, now my 34-year-old husband is on a text thread with my dad's 60-plus friends, coordinating games and talking smack.” How’s that for an adaptable crowd pleaser?
Millennials on spring break used to scoff at the notion of being led through a European city or national monument by a tour guide. (They had Wikipedia, after all). Post-pandemic, however, as solo and revenge travel peaks, this demographic is much more eager to participate in group tours and other travel they don’t have to plan themselves. A study conducted by TripAdvisor found that 63 percent of millennials had plans to book a group tour or activity on a trip last summer, compared to 41 percent of Americans of all other age groups. And nine percent were open to future packaged group tours, compared to five percent of other generations. (No better place to pull out those coastal grandma vibes than a group tour in Yosemite National Park, if you ask us).
