Beige colors, loose curls, wide-brimmed hats, knee-high boots, and skinny jeans: what image comes to mind? Last Thanksgiving, I saw a resurgence in “Christian Girl Autumn” or “Basic Girl Fall” posts making fun of the (usually) millennials who have had their neutral Thanksgiving outfits on lock since 2018.
This made me think, does Gen Z really have the right to speak? I looked at what I wear and realized that I am a totally hypocritical basic fall girl. I even own the same brown skirt pictured in the memes I was seeing.
I went out to see what other members of Gen Z think of millennial fall trends and what the younger generation is wearing this Thanksgiving. Are we repeating the past in a slightly different way or are there new trends to completely replace what was once an internet movement?
Some people think we are still using elements from the original movement and just changing them to align with new trends. “I think all the proportions are a bit off. Like I think today [people] would [wear]…the wider jeans that are a lot more in style,” says Anna Williams (27), “I also do have that skirt. I would say [I would wear it] mostly just [at] Thanksgiving. I wouldn’t wear it just in my normal life [just for] like Fall events… I wear a sweater on top of it… not to hide it but to go with it…[or] a vest. I love puffer vests. I think they are so fun.”
People can also not like the millennial origins but recognize their contributions. “Skinny jeans are atrocious,” says Ruthie Scott (27). “The heels [they wear] are also kinda ugly. I feel like now it’s more Uggs…So the boots are something, but the off-white sweaters I would wear … the jeans kinda look like a jean skirt which is popular right now, but they are also really ugly and they all look like the same person… we all do [too] but you know…”
It is also possible that we are forever moving away from the original style to create something more current. “I have not seen [the original basic girl autumn] meme but I can imagine that. I think the Gen Z version of that is downtown girl, more like dark wash jeans and…red crewnecks. We are not here for basic girl fall but as downtown girl falls,” says Sara von der Lieth (‘27), “The millennials are like a turkey baster, bastering in their skinny jeans and scarfs.”
In the end, it comes down to personal taste. I represented in my brown skirt, black turtleneck shirt, and tights along with all the other basic fall girls, regardless of generation.
