Gen Alpha Shocked Mom Knows About Her 'New' Style Discovery

Newsweek

2 days ago

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A mom has shared the hilarity of her Generation Alpha daughter proudly revealing the "new aesthetic" she is into—only to find out her mom lived through it the first time.
Sarah Linville (@moonlitlichen) said on Threads that her 11-year-old recently became obsessed with the "scene" style and described it to her as if it were a groundbreaking discovery. The post quickly gained more than 35,000 views.
"I told her I was during the Myspace era and her jaw was on the floor when I started talking about it. I guess she thinks I'm a square or something. I was there when the old magic was written child, you've come to the right place," Linville wrote.
The mid-2000s trend was defined by: big black hair, neon hair streaks, layered bracelets, teased hair, skinny jeans and facial piercings.
Stacy Jones, founder and CEO of Hollywood Branded and a pop-culture marketing expert, told Newsweek: "Back in the mid-2000s, 'scene' wasn't just a look—it was a whole mood; Myspace profiles with the perfect auto-play song, late-night photo booth marathons, neon bracelets stacked to your elbows, and hair that could rival a skyscraper. It was all about standing out, building your personal 'brand' before that was even a thing, and finding your people online."
The trend coincided with the first massive wave of digital photos that still circulate online today. Now, Jones said, Gen Alpha and younger Gen Z are embracing it as something new, fueled by TikTok trends and emo/pop-punk nostalgia, while older generations watch in a mix of recognition and amusement.
Millennial fashion expert and stylist Samantha Dawn told Newsweek that fashion has always recycled trends, but newer generations are experiencing them for the first time while millennials and Gen Xers have already been through them.
"I find that millennials and Gen Xers have a harder time with today's fashion, because they've evolved past that identity of skinny jeans and layered tanks. They're in a new phase of rediscovering who they are and what style expresses exactly that," Dawn said.
She added that millennials and Gen Xers are in a phase of rediscovering personal style, dressing for themselves rather than for trends—something she credits to maturity and "adult money."
Stock image: A young woman poses with black and pink hair, reminiscent of the mid-2000s trend.
Stock image: A young woman poses with black and pink hair, reminiscent of the mid-2000s trend.
EyeEm Mobile GmbH/iStock / Getty Images Plus
The post sparked a flood of relatable responses from Threads users. Crispine posted: "I was called an 'emo prep' by a preteen this weekend and I laughed so hard and said 'I'd actually prefer pixie goth'. and then we talked about emo vs goth."
Caleigh wrote: "Me, age 12, explaining to my dad that Blink-182 and Sum 41 were this new genre of music called 'punk'. My dad used to hang out with the punks in Montreal in the 70s."
Another user commented: "Do not cite the dark scripture to me young child, for I was there when it was written, with an asymmetrical haircut and that Féria box black dye that was blue in the right lighting."
Ashley added: "LMAO [laughing my a** off] mine did this too. I had to break out the artifacts on Photobucket and show her the truth."
Amanda shared: "There's emo teens that live on my street, and I've watched them roam around in all black, full sleeve and full pants attire in nearly 40C degree weather. And every time, I get a little tear in my eye. Nostalgia—how I long for thee."
Newsweek reached out to @moonlitlichen for comment via Threads. We could not verify the details of the case.
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