First they came for our skinny jeans and side parts, and we adjusted. Then they came for our eyeshadow , and we had an existential crisis over how much time we’d wasted in 2016 learning how to do the perfect cut crease. And now they’re coming for our socks .
Is nothing safe? Ankle socks are the latest fashion item Millennials are making the mistake of wearing, according to Gen Z. TikToks and Instagram Reels have been popping from outraged Millennials and exasperated Zoomers weighing in on the distinctive generational foot gap. Apparently, no matter how good your skin is, ankle socks are a dead giveaway you’re over 30.
Kendall Jenner (from left), Olivia Rodrigo and Hailey Bieber are all fans of the crew sock. Credit: Getty Yes, ankle socks are out, and don’t even think about sockettes. So, what’s in? Crew socks, coloured socks, textured socks – any socks that are easy to see.
To some people, this might not seem like a big deal – they’re just socks, after all – but to Millennials, this is the latest in a long line of changing trends that have shaken us to our core. And this one is unsettling us perhaps more than any other. After all, we’re trauma bonded to our ankle socks.
Loading I don’t think Gen Zs who so easily dismiss our exposed ankles can ever truly understand the (lack of) lengths we’ve already gone to once in our lifetimes to get socks right. The pain we endured if we ever got it wrong. In the 2000s, crew socks were only ever worn by your parent.