You Are Where You Scroll
Headphones, hoodies, and hyper-specific corners of the internet
The Shackles of Athletic Wear
If you listen to the fashion purists, they’ll say Gen Z has given up on personal style, that the athletic wear takeover is proof younger generations no longer care. But scroll a little further, and it becomes clear: that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Traditional fashion moves too fast, fits too few, and costs too much to keep up with. In contrast, athletic wear offers exactly what Gen Z is looking for: consistency, comfort, and clothes that actually fit their bodies. It’s not a fashion cop-out, it’s a quiet protest of the fact that fashion has simply become too much.
In our recent survey, 87% of Gen Z respondents said they wear athleisure because the items are more comfortable. 48% like the flexible sizing and stretch that enhances curves instead of making them look bigger. And 50% say activewear feels polished without trying too hard. Brands like Aritzia, Set Active, and Alo Yoga aren’t just winning the gym crowd; they’ve basically become default wardrobes for everything from errands to work.
That said, the mood is shifting. “I think it’s getting boring. I love seeing unique style,” said a 22 Y/O Youthteller from Iowa. “Everyone in solid-color leggings and a sports bra? It’s boring imo.”
Translation? The desire for personal style never went away. It’s just waiting for something as easy, inclusive, and soft-waisted as the athleisure sets Gen Z keeps reaching for.
Brands, It’s Time to Find Your Corner of the Internet
Fast-paced goals and catch-all strategies might look great on a corporate whiteboard, but when it comes to Gen Z? That scattershot approach is the quickest way to lose this generation.
The more you peer into Gen Z’s internet behaviors, the more you see how nuanced, hyper-specific, and deeply embedded they are in their own corners of the internet. They don’t just have preferences, they have a side of the internet. And when they stumble onto content that doesn’t align, you’ll know. The most common comment? “I’m in enemy territory.”
No brand wants to be the villain in someone’s algorithm, but the message is clear: relevance doesn’t come from being everywhere anymore. It comes from owning somewhere.
Look at the biggest players in any youth-driven space, they’ve niched down, not blown out. Skims didn’t try to become the next Victoria’s Secret, instead Kim built a brand around curves and comfort. Starface turned acne into a badge of pride. Crocs didn’t try to become cool or try to change their brand, they doubled down on being weird, and Gen Z rewarded them for it. MSCHF drops products that half the population doesn't understand, and that’s exactly the point. They’re not trying to appeal to everyone. They’ve found their people, their references, their inside jokes, and built a community around them.
You don’t need to be Wendy’s in the comments or the next Apple product drop. What do you need? A subsection of the internet that claims you and that you claim right back, even if you have to sacrifice a little.
That means building a tight community, not a massive one. Sending PR to superfans, not just influencers. Dropping content that resonates with your people, even if it confuses everyone else. This is why Charli XCX blew up, why Rhode got bought for so much, and why some people only shop at Trader Joes. Having a corner of the internet, an aesthetic, owning some subsection of culture builds a community that adores your products like a cult. And with Gen Z craving a place to belong in an increasingly chaotic world it’s all the more important to this generation.
Because the internet isn’t one big feed anymore. It’s a hundred little corners. And the smartest brands are choosing one, and making it theirs.
What Gen Z’s Headphones Say About Them
Headphones are no longer invisible tech. They’re aesthetic cues, accessories, and even micro-status symbols. And if you think Gen Z isn’t clocking what’s on (or over) your ears, think again because they are definitely paying attention.
Scan the comment sections of influencers wearing wired headphones and you’ll get what we mean. Those ‘vintage’ wired earbuds? So undeniably chic in a way that gives a downtown cool girl walking home from a cafe with a tote full of zines, niche books, and an intellect that bites. Meanwhile, inner-ear AirPods are kind of the straight leg jeans of headphones, functional, yes. But also a little... bit of default. They say you’re safe. And maybe a little basic.
Then there’s the AirPods Max crowd. You already know them. They’re the clean-girl-core people who journal, gua sha, and take their vitamins every day with protein shakes. These are headphones as a fashion statement, and at $500 a pop, they happen to be the ultimate status symbol.
The point is, the more you scroll, the more you see it. Every earbud highlights which niche subsector of Gen Z you fall into. No longer are they just about music or even cancelling out background noise, they are an item of personal branding and an accessory to your outfit. As new tech comes at us fast, Gen Z is curating them into moodboards to explain who wears what and exactly what that item means.
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