Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling the latest trends in the fashion-and-beauty space through the lens of Who What Wear’s own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.
This summer, fashion feels a little less concerned with perfection and, thankfully, it’s a lot more because of it. The coolest fashion people I know aren’t dressing around curated TikTok aesthetics anymore and instead leaning into personal style. One day, they’re wearing vintage board shorts with a sculptural watch and jelly sandals while the next day, they’re pulling on a pocketed carpenter belt styled with a tiny lace tank and studded capri pants. From the LES to Silver Lake, personal style is back in full force, and the vibe is playful, chaotic, hyper-individual, and deeply Gen Z coded.
What’s emerging this season isn’t one singular trend but a wave of micro-trends that feel simultaneously nostalgic and entirely new. There’s still an appreciation for polished, luxe pieces—think micro watches and artful timepieces from brands like Movado or runway-inspired shield sunglasses as seen on the likes of Bella Hadid—but they’re being styled in intentionally unexpected ways.
This season, the cool Gen Z style set is clearly dressing for themselves, for their friends, and, of course, for the photo dump. Whether it’s tomato-red swim shorts, sheer T-shirts layered under tanks, or workwear-inspired accessories, these are the seven micro-trends defining what Gen Z cool looks like this summer.
Shop the Best Gen Z Summer Micro-Trends
Carpenter Work Belts
After my colleague (and fellow Gen Zer), assistant shopping editor Josephine Hadjiloucas, called out this accessories trend a few weeks ago, she and I have spotted the pocketed work belt trend on every single cool girl.
Zara
100% Leather Waist Belt With Pockets
Dolls Kill
Ashtin Earle Festival Pocket Belt
Free People
Monaco Pocket Belt
Micro Watches
There’s something so alluring about a small luxury timepiece, especially as Gen Z pivots back into the fine-watch-and-jewelry space with ultra-dainty watches. Brands are leaning into this growing demographic of watch-conscious shoppers too—with Movado being one of my favorites to pick up a piece from.
Movado
Museum Velura Mini
Board Shorts
Sporty, colorful, and oh so ’90s—board shorts, lacrosse shorts, and swim trunks as bottoms are having a full-blown moment among the Gen Z style set this summer.
Relax Lacrosse Brand
R1 Lax Short
Aimé Leon Dore
Novelty Mesh Shorts
Lattice Jelly Flats
Jelly sandals may have had their moment last summer, but they’re not quite out just yet, with Gen Z preferring a sleeker, more full-coverage lattice ballet flat style instead of the traditional rubber flip-flops.
Los Angeles Apparel
Jelly Flats
Layered T-Shirts
The heat waves in L.A. and NYC might be a deterrent for some people to dress in layered shirts, but Gen Z is leaning in. Cropped T-shirts and tanks layered over each other, sometimes in different colors, provide a fresh retro feel to an otherwise basic outfit of sweatshorts or jeans.
Collusion
Double Layer Mesh Top in Red and Burgandy
Asos
Double Layer Short Sleeve Top in Pastel Blue
Jaded London
Easy Tonal Triple Layer
Shield Glasses
Gen Z doesn’t have to tell you shield glasses are in—they’ve been leading the conversation on this Y2K-inspired accessories trend for months now. The bigger the better with these eye-catching, oversize aviator-inspired shades.
Miu Miu
Runway Sunglasses
Tory Burch
Shield Runway Sunglasses in Brown
Statement Denim
Boring low-rise blue jeans, begone. Gen Z is opting for statement denim this spring featuring embroidery, studs, patchwork, and colorful prints. Instead of your basic black bootcut flares, take a walk on the wild side and experiment with the colorful, head-turning denim look.
Zara
Low Rise Striped Straight Leg TRF Jeans
Khy
Sunset Studded Mid-Rise Jean
