Recently, I wrote an article about a TikTok published by the New York Times opinion channel in which opinion editor Jessica Bennett talked about being a self-described “geriatric millennial” who noticed that she dresses like younger people (because she never really changed her style) and she doesn’t want to sink into “cultural uselessness”.
And in addition to dressing the way we want and following pop culture, Jessica discusses the fact that unlike previous generations, millennials are aging without the compromises that were becoming “uncool,” like owning a home, saving for retirement . , have a stable job, etc.
Jessica’s views on aging as a millennial were very thought-provoking and made me realize that I think millennials are the generation that could change what it means to grow old while still being “with it.” And, apparently, many of you felt the same way or had thoughts about it, as the post received a lot of comments.
I’ve rounded up some of the best comments from BuzzFeed millennial and Gen :
1.
“As a 31 year old, I don’t particularly care about being ‘culturally relevant’. I just do my own thing…but what struck me was what she said on the fact that for previous generations, yes, you were getting old and uncool, but by then you had a house and a family and a steady income, so it seemed like a fair trade. Like many millennials (including including myself) don’t have these things, it’s much harder to deal with aging.
—opheliax
2.
“I’m 42 and I’ve never been afraid to be relevant. I do my thing, I keep to myself and I don’t subscribe to that bullshit. Do people really care?”
—yerbutt
3.
“Meh! I don’t care about keeping up, I’m in my early 30s and I don’t care about trends. Wear what you want, just be yourself. The kids will grow up!”
—jolimarronmarron
4.
“I’m 39 years old. I already knew I wasn’t cool because my 12 year old son reminds me of it daily. I was made fun of for wearing a fanny pack over my shoulder. It’s awesome when you are with three children! DGAF, what you think when it comes to the way I dress is what I like, what suits the situation best and what I feel.”
—my daddy daddy
5.
“I am a young member of Generation X, and I have youthful spirit and vitality. Always have. I vote to be the change on what aging looks like. Following the same old tropes from last generation, “is ugh. Let’s change the dynamic; we don’t have to be our parents and grandparents. Take the good stuff and incorporate it into the new. Not the remix, though, eek!”
—tracibennett
6.
“IDGAF, how I dress, and I have ‘kids’ (30 and under) who literally stop me in stores just to excitedly say, ‘I love… ALL of this!’ or “OMG, I LOVE your style” or “Your whole VIBE”. I don’t try to impress people, I just wear what I like, and apparently people are attracted to that. I don’t I won’t apologize.
However, the BEST way to not embarrass yourself is to wear *timeless* clothes. I wouldn’t get caught dead in Y2K fashion THEN, and I certainly won’t NOW. (This is also how people think of my grandmother as my mother. She’s not trying to be hip, but dressing relentlessly makes you timeless!)
TL;DR: Don’t follow crazy trends, but also don’t care what people think. The easiest way to stay whatever age you want.”
—violetnylund
7.
“Being in your 30s and early 40s is not “old!” “Stop trying to make me believe I’m 70.”
—google_111418049240359221019
8.
“‘Trends’ are what define ‘age.’ When something is “out of fashion,” it is considered “old,” and vice versa when something is “in.” My question has always been: why do we let the younger generation (teens and twenty-somethings) decide what’s cool and what’s not? I was a reckless teenager and in my 20s lived by the mantra “strive”, when my 30s were only “prosperous”. I was striving to “be someone or something” without realizing that I was becoming more and more who I am, authentically.
As we age, we gain wisdom, a broader conception and understanding of the world around us. There is no such thing as “keeping up with the times,” it’s an illusion that the fashion industry, and many other industries, have implanted into our culture.”
—emmab211993
9.
“I’m 65 and I’ve watched this cycle several times. The only thing I find off-putting is when old bastards try to stay relevant by embracing youth culture.”
—d8mach
ten.
“I’m not going to feel ‘uncool’ doing something that my generation initially made ‘cool’, but I was never cool in the first place. I definitely won’t wear those baggy jeans again! I didn’t wear them because I was made fun of for wearing leggings, and I wish I hadn’t given in. The same people who made fun of me wore leggings a few years later when they became fashionable Being yourself is definitely the most timeless trend.
—katienlarsen
11.
“Crush ageism! Do what you want and don’t give it to AF!!!”
—cactusqueen1989
12.
“I’m 45 and I don’t feel old at all, but that’s from my perspective. The way a 20-year-old thinks of me is probably akin to being a dinosaur. When I was teenager in the 90s, the Beatles “
—lit alarm clocks
13.
“The elder millennium (1981) here; of course we are sliding into cultural irrelevance! And that’s good!!! Every generation is going to find new and exciting ways to dress, create and consume art, to create culture. Enjoying the culture of the younger generations and seeing them benefit from our contributions is fantastic, but I don’t have the reins of culture and I don’t want it either!
Personally, I’ve always been an awkward, geeky kid, and it’s been fantastic to see all the things I’ve always loved have their moments in the cultural zeitgeist. But sooner or later they will be outdated and something else will be cool. I’m not going to chase this thing, and I’m not going to be sad that my thing is over. I’m just going to continue to be myself and be a fan of the young guys.”
—loquinmalieb
14.
“I’m Gen dementia all point to new experiences that are also important for brain health.”
—elliestew1212
15.
“I’m 36 years old. I wear what suits me and what suits my style. If something I already like comes back into fashion, that’s great. If something I like isn’t not fashionable and suits me well, I always wear it.!”
—clarkem5
16.
“I’m 33 years old and I love revisiting the trends I wore in high school and college, and revisiting them in a way that feels more authentic to me than when I was still so young and didn’t understand very much what I was personally. the style really was.
Let it come! However, I will never wear a low waist again; that one remains in the past! 😂”
—Juliaharbaugh
17.
“Some of the things that were/are fashionable in high school I wasn’t allowed/couldn’t afford to have, so I buy them now. And I’m not sorry.”
—kimharmon04kh
18.
“I’ve never been cool, and I don’t think I EVER could be even if I tried, so I just do my own thing and don’t worry about it – but I’m always open to new things if I like them. eye. I think it’s good for you to notice when there are new things that you will like, because it enriches your life, but you don’t need to put pressure on yourself to stay fashionable with everything forever.
—gem face
19.
“As a member of Generation X, I agree that it’s important to stay up to date with what’s happening in the world, including entertainment. Nothing makes you look old like complaining about not knowing anyone at the Grammys/Met. Gala/MTV Awards. That said, entertainment is more fragmented than ever. You can know all the best pop music and have no idea who the hottest EDM artist, and that’s great. Plus, I have a 14 year old daughter, and she thinks anyone over 25 is “old”, so no matter what you do, You’ll always look old to teenagers, so no need to worry about that.”
—popculturemom
Alright, fellow millennials, where do you stand in this conversation? Do you want to follow trends and pop culture and somehow rewrite what is likely to get old? Or are you okay with falling “into cultural irrelevance?” » Let us know in the comments below!