Redeem now - A TikToker made a video reflecting on the "uncomfortable "going-out clothes she wore in college.
- Ally Rooker said she appreciates Gen Z students dressing much cozier, with baggy pants and simple tops.
- However, millennial viewers reflected fondly on their style, and some called Gen Z fashion "lazy."
Ally Rooker, a 30-year-old millennial woman from Michigan, has gone viral with a video comparing the formal clothing she used to wear for nights out to the starkly different outfits she has observed Gen Z college kids wearing nowadays.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in.The clip has inspired other millennial viewers to reminisce on their mid-to-late 2000s fashion and argue over whether Gen Z fashion is innovative or uninspiring.
In Rooker's video, which has been viewed over 800,000 times since it was uploaded on November 19, Rooker said she is "obsessed" with what Gen Z wears for a night out.
@allyrookeri love you gen z #millenial #genz #goingoutoutfit #millenialfashion #genzfashion #greenscreen
♬ original sound - Ally RookerRooker said she went out in her college town "for the first time in years" the night prior and was startled by what she saw. She noticed a lot of baggy cargo pants with plain black tops, and large black jeans paired with tank tops. For footwear, she said she also saw many simple white sneakers and clogs or slippers.
Rooker told Insider that she saw several hundred people on her night out, and said about 60% of them were dressed like this.
She was shocked by how cozy and comfortable the outfits were compared to what she wore in college, which was a lot of rompers and dresses.
"Everyone was wearing rompers, the most uncomfortable outfit you could imagine to get drunk in," Rooker said in her TikTok while showing a photo of herself in one. She said she also often wore wedges or heels.
She showed a picture of herself from a college party in a black dress and described her outfit as "a Pretty Little Liar going to a funeral," highlighting her black business heels.
If the outfit wasn't uncomfortable, Rooker added, then it meant they were wearing business casual, which is equally bad.
"I'm just…I'm very happy for you guys, because why was I walking to the bar in four-inch heels and a bandage skirt when it was snowing?" Rooker said at the end of her video.
"I love you Gen Z," she wrote in the video description.
Rooker told Insider that she already dresses more comfortably now than she did in college because she's "older" and her style "has kept up largely with the times." Still, she said she was galvanized by Gen Z's attire and the way they prioritize practicality and honoring their own personal styles.
"I was inspired by how confident they all seemed and how it didn't appear they were largely dressing just to look hot," Rooker said.
A cluster of commenters who identified as millennials flocked to Rooker's comment section to reflect on how they wore similar outfits and missed the days of dressing up to go out.
"Lmfaoooooooooo I was not ready for the romper!! So nostalgic," one person wrote. "I actually loved going out as an excuse to get all hot. It's a rite of passage. Save the sneakers and leggings for school and the weekend," another person commented.
"Seriously though: peeing in a romper at a bar getting drunk that has 1 stall bathrooms," one user wrote, adding a crying emoji.
While a few viewers thanked Gen Z for shattering nightlife attire conventions ("I'm soooo jealous of the gen z going out vibe," one user said), others denigrated the younger generation's style as "lazy" and "terrible." Many people said that dressing up is half the fun, so they couldn't conceive of why someone would wear the equivalent of pajamas to a bar.
"Feels like everybody dresses down and won't even dance anymore in the club like… what is the point then??" one commenter asked. "Am I just getting old?"
@jessbritvichIn memorandum of “I need more going out tops” #jeansandacutetop #jeansandagoingouttop #goingouttop #funpants #millenialfashion #genzfashion #updatingmillenialoutfits #millenialsoftiktok #cutetopandjeans
♬ original sound - Jess BThe fellow millennial @miranderzee made a video agreeing with Rooker, saying she often wore "jeans with a cute top" and appreciated how Gen Z was changing the culture and notions around fashion. She also called out millennials for being "defensive" about change.
TikTok has been rife with clips comparing millennial and Gen Z fashion. One viral video from user @jessbritvich earlier this year theorized that Gen Z's adaptation to the "jeans and a cute top" staple was fun pants and a tank top.
"RIP to the jeans and a cute top...it had a great run, it really did, but it's the season of the fun pant, apparently," @jessbritvich said in her video.
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