Many Gen Zs are now discovering looks from the 2000s for the first time and embracing these once-familiar trends. SINGAPORE – Have you spotted any Gen Z outfits recently and felt whiplash back to the 2000s? If you are old enough to remember, think back to the designs worn by socialite and reality TV star Paris Hilton, 43, or ex-actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, both 38, more than 20 years ago. Many Gen Zs – born between 1997 and 2012 – are now discovering these looks for the first time and embracing these once-familiar trends.
Bayonetta glasses Gisele Bundchen in a scene from The Devil Wears Prada (2006), wearing thin-framed Bayonetta glasses. PHOTO: 20TH CENTURY FOX The geeky look of thin or rimless glasses that Gen Zs scorned just a few years ago is now in style. The term Bayonetta glasses references the titular character of a Japanese action-adventure video game, Bayonetta (2009), who dons a pair of thin-framed glasses.
Most notably worn by supermodel Gisele Bundchen in The Devil Wears Prada (2006), these glasses exude what Gen Zs are calling corporate or librarian chic. The search term “corporate chic” saw a 950 per cent increase from April 2023 to April 2024, according to Pinterest’s Summer 2024 Trend Report. Similarly, an 870 per cent increase was observed in searches for “geek chic”.
The best part of this trend: You can get your hands on a pair at your local optician, if you do not want to go big with luxury iterations. Model Belicia Gwee wears the .
