Fit check: Nine ways to dress in the Gen Z aesthetic

There isn’t a pair of skinny jeans in sight.

While wide-leg jeans are a de facto Gen Z signature, expect unisex and oversized pieces as standard

When it comes to fashion clout, Gen Z is peerless. This is the cohort born between 1997 and 2021; the one that cancelled skinny jeans; the digital natives who create viral TikTok cores, and the sartorial nemesis of their millennial precedents. Revered and feared in equal measure, their distaste for all things prescriptive (sartorial or otherwise) ironically makes them easy to spot in the wild. Not trend-led per se (they set the agenda); their aesthetic reflects common elements of style that demonstrate how they move through the world.

Here’s what they do best: comfort. While wide-leg jeans are a de facto Gen Z signature, expect unisex and oversized pieces as standard, including roomy shirts and gender-neutral accessories like retro sneakers, bucket hats, and UGG boots. Nineties-inspired leather and suede jackets, slub knits and hems for days make the ‘fit that fits best. Spoiler alert: last year’s striped pyjama pants continue their daywear reign, and I’m not mad at it.