So what are Gen Z & Gen Alpha Wearing in 2025?

I surveyed real teens to find out exactly what’s trending in schools, what’s on their wishlists, and where they’re spending their money.

Part 1 of this article relates to fashion and clothing trends, part II will take a closer investigation into beauty trends. 

In January of this year, I surveyed a pool of young people born between 2000 and 2013 (a mixture of both Gen Z and Gen Alpha) to get an understanding of what these age ranges value in terms of beauty and fashion consumption. What trends do they favour? What are all their friends wearing? And what are some upcoming trends? I sought to find this out and the results were interesting. 

As someone who runs a fashion styling account on both Instagram and Snapchat, I am always in direct communication with what young people (mainly young girls) are wearing, buying and styling. I find these super interesting in conjunction with the era we are living in and using this data to forecast what might be popular in a few years from now. I hope you find this just as insightful. 

What was your favourite trend of 2024?

2024 seems like the year of nostalgic, bold, and comfy trends. Among the most notable trends of the past year, Gen Alpha favoured leopard print which dominated survey results, Adidas Sambas, baggy jeans (JNCOs to be specific), and bows trailing closely behind. It was interesting to see how old styles such as Y2K, Stockholm chic, and grunge were also favourable among this group, with many claiming that Pinterest was their main source of influence and inspiration. 

A Full Breakdown of Results:

Animal Prints (Leopard/Cheetah Print) - 25%

• Leopard and cheetah prints were everywhere. Gen Alpha gravitated towards these bold, retro designs, usually pairing them with streetwear staples like sambas and baggy jeans. This reflects a playful and confident aesthetic with a nod to maximalism which will probably have its moment in 2025.

• 🐆 Why it resonated:Leopard print has historically been bold yet versatile (and very much a nod to the early 2000s). Perfectly aligning with Gen Z and Gen Alpha’s love for blending modern and nostalgic elements together. 

  

Baggy jeans - 15% 

• Baggy silhouettes remained a massive hit, styled with baby tees, corset tops, or oversized sweaters. They scream comfort while still being effortlessly cool. The popular trend on TikTok under the hashtag #utahfitcheck was particularly favourable, showcasing teens in Utah repping this style in schools and wearing obnoxiously baggy jeans such as the brand JNCO, which was once popular among the skater crowd.

• 👖 Why it resonated:Baggy jeans balance comfort and style, ideal for Gen Alpha who want to dress like their friends, yet still be laid-back with their fashion. Skinny jeans will never truly be out of fashion in the real world, however, young people are increasingly switching to their larger jean counterparts.

Adidas Sambas, Gazelles, and Campus Sneakers - 12%

• Adidas shoes were iconic in 2024, especially Sambas and Gazelles. They tied into the “clean girl” and “streetwear” aesthetics. “How to style Adidas Campus?” and “Which Sambas should I buy?” were common questions in my DMs. 

• 👟 Why it resonated: Retro athletic shoes are functional, stylist, and gender-neutral. They also look good with everything and are in a different direction compared to chunky shoes in the late 2010s like Nike Air Forces and Jordans. Their multiple colour-ways also allow young people to still fit in, yet showcase their personal tastes.

Bows and Girly Aesthetics - 10%

• Bows, pink hues, and coquette-inspired looks trended big. Many described bows as adorable but acknowledged their overhype became polarising. 

• 🎀 Why it resonated: Gen Alpha’s interest in softer, feminine styles highlights their openness to experimenting with hyper-girly looks, influenced by TikTok aesthetics like “coquette” and “vanilla girl” which can also be seen on Pinterest Shuffle wishlist collages. 

Streetwear & Stockholm Style - 8%

• I am honestly surprised this was not featured higher as it is a style aesthetic I get asked styling advice on daily. A minimalist meets-casual vibe, the Stockholm style emphasises clean lines, muted colours, and practical fits with beautiful bouncy hair and minimalist makeup. This trend was popularised by influential IT girl Matilda Djerf and often pairs structured jackets with sneakers or flared jeans.

• Streetwear on the other hand is very highly requested in terms of outfit ideas on social media from both Generation Z and Generation Alpha.

• Why it resonated: Simple yet polished, it aligns with the “effortlessly cool” Gen Alpha identity. 

  

Notable Mentions: 

• Uggs

• Camo print/Grunge

• Linen pants

• Jorts

• Chunky jewellery

• Maxi Skirts

• Flared jeans and flared leggings

• Blowouts 

• Ballet flats 

• Boston Birkenstocks

• Crocs 

What is at the top of your clothing wishlist? 

This surprisingly didn’t stray too far away from favourite trends.

Hoodies (Oversized/Branded/Designer) - 25% 

• Gen Alpha were particularly favourable of Essentials hoodies, White Fox hoodies, Aelfric Eden dachshund hoodie, Greg Star cheetah hoodie, the brand Scuffers and Brandy Melville sweats and hoodies.

• Why it resonates: Hoodies are by far a very popular item among Gen Z and Gen Alpha alike due to their mix of comfort and style and the demographic favouring more oversized silhouettes, and trendy brands. 

Jeans - 20% 

• On the wishlist were True Religion jeans, 90s mid-rise jeans, Ed Hardy jeans, Miss Me Jeans, JNCO jeans, and denim mini skirts (mostly from Edikted, Princess Polly or Brandy Melville. Brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, Pacsun, Pull & Bear and Hollister are also well-loved. 

• Why it resonated: Jeans are timeless but versatile. I was surprised to find that baggy and flared leg jeans were more favourable than low rise jeans among Gen Z. 

Shoes - 15%

• Brands: Adidas Sambas (navy, maroon and pink were popular colour options), Adidas Gazelles, UGG boots (with bows), Birkenstocks (Boston Birkenstocks to be specific), New Balance 530s and Converse. 

Tops (Baby Tees, Cute/Fitted Tops) - 12% 

• What Gen Alpha wants: Fitted baby tees, lace tank tops, tube tops, off-the-shoulder tops. 

• Why it resonates: These tops are casual and playful, fitting perfectly with Gen Alpha’s desire for wardrobe basics that also make a statement. Brandy Melville in particular was on the wishlist and nails these tops, although lacks size diversity.

Sweatpants/Comfy Pants - 8%

• Examples: linen striped pants, camo sweatpants, cargo sweats and track pants. Gen Alpha likes brands such as Brandy Melville, White Fox and Glass Angels. 

Estimated Percentage Recap:

Key Insights:

• Comfort is a big motivator to purchasing clothes: Not only do hoodies and sweatpants dominate wishlists for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, but I believe this also aligns with the rising trends we are seeing of “bed rotting” being seen as therapeutic. There is clearly a desire for trendy, yet relaxed clothing to wear. 

• Nostalgia and Luxury: It is not secret by now, the fascination our youth has on y2k culture, mainly the fashion, wearing designer and vintage pieces. 

• Practical wardrobe staples: You will come to realise, as I did, that these two generations are not too fussy when it comes to what they want: they just want basics and staples which they can wear on the daily and coordinate with their friends. Everything from baby tees, jeans, to workout sets. There is a preference for essentials that can be mixed and matched with each other - ideally to suffice for a whole school week. 

• Main sources of inspiration for fashion were Pinterest, TikTok creators like demetradias, paisleejaine2, 1aylablue, embreighcourtlyn and iampresleefaith.

How Much Money does Gen Alpha (or their parents) spend on clothes? 

In the survey, I included the question, “Do you have a job or any way to make money” so as to account for allowance money, small businesses or social media, in case participants did not have a “traditional” job. Approximately  41% claimed to have a job and around 59% claimed not to. I then followed up by asking how much they would usually spend when shopping (either their money or what they receive from parents/guardians). Here are the results: 

What are they Spending their vast majority on: 

1. Clothes for everyday outfits - 45%

2. Jewellery - 28%

3. Footwear - 10%

4. Workout/Gym Clothes - 10%

5. PJs: 7%

What are their favourite clothing brands?

I decided to include all the brands which have been mentioned and based them off popularity.

Most Popular Brands: 

1. Hollister 

2. Brandy Melville

3. H&M

4. Lululemon 

5. Cotton On

6. Pacsun

7. American Eagle/Aerie

8. Supre 

9. Zara 

10. Garage 

11. Shein 

12. Nike 

13. Bershka

14. Edikted 

15. Urban outfitters 

Moderately Popular Brands:

16. Adidas 

17. Pull & Bear

18. Glassons 

19. Princess Polly 

20. Abercrombie & Fitch

21. Stradivarius 

22. Forever 21

23. White Fox 

24. Target 

25. Thrift Stores / Vintage Shops

26. Aritzia 

27. Champion 

28. North Face

29. Ralph Lauren 

30. Nike 

Less Mentioned but Notable:

31. Ghanda 

32. City Beach

33. Aeropostale 

34. Tilly’s 

35. Venroy 

36. Stussy 

37. Urban Planet 

38. Subdued 

39. Universal Store

40. ASOS

41. Ally Fashion

42. Hot Topic

43. Factorie

44. Gina Tricot 

45. Scuffers

46. Madewell

47. Ed Hardy

48. Banana Republic 

49. Primark

50. New Yorker

51 & Beyond are More Niche Mentions and are still recognised by Gen Alpha but not the most popular:

51. Altard State 

52. Weekday 

53. Rosemunde 

54. Pretty Little Thing

55. Motel Rocks

56. Djerf Avenue

57. Miss Me

58. Vintage Esprit

59. Beginning Boutique

60. Elie Tahari

61. Boot Barn

62. C&A

63. Zumiez

64. Old Navy

65. Gap

66. Daisy Street 

What is Everyone at School Wearing?

Gen Alpha from what I have gathered, are ok with having a pretty homogenous style. One of the questions I was curious about was if they would be ok with dressing like their friends, or preferring to have personal style. In an era where it seems that personal style is all the range (and something I believe will be a topic of conversation for a while in 2025), I think it’s fascinating that Gen Alpha, for the most part, are ok with just putting together a basic outfit and embracing it. TikTok influencer Demetra Dias for example, rose to popularity (she has over 3 million followers on TikTok) due to her simple outfits and that “girl next door” persona. 

Top 10 Most Popular Fashion Items/Accessories: 

1. Uggs: by far the most mentioned item, including mini and Tasmans.

2. Sambas (Adidas): very popular, frequently mentioned as a go-to shoe

3. Gold hoop earrings: A classic accessory, loved for its simplicity and elegance

4. Clogs: Birkenstock Bostons and other varieties, mentioned repeatedly

5. Jewellery (Gold necklaces, bangles and Pandora charms): A consistent favourite, especially leaning more towards minimalism and chunky over minimal and sleek.

6. Lululemon leggings: A staple for casual and athletic wear

7. Pandora bracelets: Often mentioned as a stylish addition to outfits and the desire to collect small trinkets.

8. Adidas Campus Sneakers: frequently listed as a favourite sneaker choice. Could potentially take over from the Sambas craze?

9. Longchamp Bags: A fashionable and practical accessory, especially in tote style.

10. Headbands/Bows: Popular for styling hair, especially in schools with strict dress codes. 

Potential Trends?

The final question to my audience was what trends they see around school and among their peers which could be an up and coming trend for 2025 and beyond. Please note that these trends can be regional specific trends and some students attend schools where uniforms are mandatory. I have aggregated this into different categories:

1. Footwear Trends 

• New Balance 550s 

• Hey Dude shoes

• Ugg trainers

• Ugg Tasmans 

• Birkenstock Clogs

• Inuikii Shoes

• Havaianas

• Ariat the brand (boots)

2. Clothing and Accessories

• Brandy Melville striped socks and polka dots

• Scuffers hoodies

• Mea Culpa beanies

• Gap sweaters

• Dandy Sweatshirts

• American Eagle sweaters and jeans

• Canada Goose jackets

• Graphic hoodies and sweaters from vintage/thrift stores

• Ghanda & Supre (Australian brands)

• Matching bandanas (occasional wear)

• Small scarves (similar to Loewe scarves)

• Themed pyjamas

• Mixing both gold and silver jewellery

• Pearl bracelets 

3. Bags and Accessories 

• Adidas lunch bags

• Athleta (Old Navy brand)

• Hair clips

• Burga phone cases

• Cute and themed keychains (Lululemon)

• Jellycat Bag charms 

• Patchwork duffel bags (floral print)

4. Water Bottles & Drinkware

• Frank Green bottles (popular in Australia and New Zealand, less so in the US)

• Owala water bottles

• Hydro Jug

• Hydra Flow bottles (similar to Stanley Cups)

• Air Up water bottles (adds flavour through air)

• Lululemon water bottle

• Stanley Cup

Conclusion 

Overall, Gen Z and Gen Alpha seem to actually not care as much about fashion and trends when it comes to how they want to dress and actually prefer dressing similarly to their friends and peers in school, so long as it means they are comfy and look “put together” which is honestly quite admirable amongst TikTok and social media’s obsession with young people finding their personal style. However, where this demographic can improve is on sustainability expectations - but this could be due to their lower spending power and desire for affordability (this is a clear opportunity).

If you’re interested in a detailed report, full dataset, or deeper insights tailored to your brand or campaign, feel free to reach out. I’m happy to share custom breakdowns, trend analysis, and actionable recommendations based on this research.

Contact: threadloopfits@gmail.com

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Thank you for reading, let me know your thoughts. God bless x