Because we were doing “vintage cool” before it had a filter. Gen X: the original middle-child generation. Born between not-having-seatbelts and surviving the internet’s awkward puberty.
And while we were busy being labeled cynical, rebellious, or “too quiet,” guess what? We were setting the trends everyone’s now obsessed with. From fashion to philosophy to vibes, Gen X was doing the thing long before it went viral.
So next time someone under 25 shows up in flannel and claims it’s a “new aesthetic,” feel free to pull out this list and smile knowingly. Here are 17 trends that prove Gen X was ahead of the curve—and never even tried to be.
1. Thrifting Before It Was Called “Sustainable Fashion”
You know that rush of finding a gem at Goodwill? Gen X lived for it—except back then, it wasn’t about being eco-friendly or trendy. It was about stretching babysitting money as far as possible while scoring a leather jacket with actual stories stitched into every rip.
Saturday afternoons meant combing through racks, hunting for band tees and threadbare jeans. No one was hashtagging their finds—just wearing them out with quiet confidence. Half the thrill came from knowing your look was one-of-a-kind, not plucked from a TikTok shop haul.
Thrifting was a rebellion against mall culture, a way to avoid blending in. We didn’t need a “slow fashion” label to feel good about it. Sustainability? Back then, it just meant keeping your favorite flannel alive for another semester. Trendsetters? Maybe. But mostly, we were just making our own rules, one secondhand treasure at a time.
2. DIY Everything
Ever make a zine with nothing but a stapler and wild ideas at 2 a.m.? Gen Xers invented content creation before social media—just scissors, glue, and a beat-up stereo. No sponsors, no followers, just pure, creative chaos sprawled across bedroom floors.
We made mixtapes with love and a little agony. Every song choice was strategic—a secret message to your crush or your best friend. Homemade patches, punk flyers, and hand-drawn notebook covers? That was our Instagram grid, except nobody was counting likes.
No tutorials, no YouTube, just the joy of figuring it out yourself. Mistakes were part of the charm. If it came out a little crooked, who cared? The process mattered more than perfection. DIY wasn’t a trend; it was survival, self-expression, and sometimes, straight-up therapy. Gen X was making and sharing long before “going viral” even existed.
3. Grunge Aesthetic
Flannel shirts tied around the waist, muddy Docs, and hair that said, “I found this in a mosh pit.” That was Gen X’s look—grunge before the world tried to clean it up for the runway. We wore our angst on our sleeves, and sometimes, in our hair.
The whole point was not trying too hard. Ripped jeans weren’t pre-distressed; they earned every tear from real adventures. Looking like you just left a band practice? Yeah, that was the vibe. Nothing curated, just a little messy and a lot real.
Now, designers charge hundreds for the same look. Funny how “careless” became couture. But Gen X didn’t care about validation. We cared about music, feeling seen, and finding comfort in the imperfect. If you see flannel on a magazine cover today, just know: we did it first, and we did it without the filter.
4. Side Hustles Before There Were Hashtags
Before “gig economy” was a buzzword, Gen X was hustling hard—lawnmowers roaring on Saturday mornings and stacks of babysitting cash in a Caboodle box. We did what we could, wherever we could, to scrape together spending money.
No apps, no websites, just handwritten flyers tacked to cork boards and word of mouth. Blockbuster shifts and weekend yard sales gave us independence, not just pocket change. Some of us even flipped rare CDs for double the price—long before eBay made it easy.
The hustle came from necessity, not Instagram inspiration. We learned the value of effort and resourcefulness early, and those side gigs shaped us more than any “LinkedIn skill.” Gen X knew how to work more than one angle—not for likes or networking, but for real life, real experience, and a little bit of freedom.
5. Skepticism of Authority
Raise your hand if you’ve ever side-eyed a rule just because it existed. Gen X didn’t just question authority—we turned it into an art form. Whether it was school dress codes or politicians on TV, we were born with a healthy dose of “prove it.”
Our anthem wasn’t obedience—it was rebellion, usually with a heavy bass line. Detention was practically a rite of passage, earned by asking hard questions or daring to wear something “inappropriate.”
Now, it’s called critical thinking. Back then, it meant being labeled a troublemaker. We challenged the status quo not because it was trendy, but because it felt necessary. Gen X didn’t quietly fall in line; we asked, “Why?” and sometimes, “Why not?” That spirit is everywhere now—but we were living it, loud and proud, before hashtags made it mainstream.
6. Mental Health Awareness (Through Music)
Before therapy apps, Gen X kids processed their feelings through music—curled up in their rooms, headphones clamped on, and hearts cracked wide open. Nirvana, Alanis, The Cure: we found friends in lyrics and solace in songs that said the things we couldn’t.
Nobody talked about anxiety or trauma, not out loud anyway. So we scribbled lyrics in journals and let the music do the healing. “You Oughta Know” blasted after a breakup; “Just Like Heaven” for when hope snuck in again.
Gen X wasn’t given language for mental health struggles, but we found our own. Music gave us permission to feel, grieve, and heal—without judgment or labels. That mixtape you made? It was probably more therapy than any guidance counselor ever offered. Now, playlists call it “sad girl” or “emo,” but we called it survival, and it helped us carry on.
7. Unapologetic Individuality
Some people follow the crowd. Gen X? We built our own parade. One day punk spikes, the next day plaid skirt and Mary Janes—no one boxed us in, and we sure weren’t asking for permission.
Personal branding? Please. We called it “expressing yourself,” whether that meant bright hair dye or combat boots with a prom dress. The courage to stand out wasn’t about likes or shares, just making life less boring and a lot more honest.
Trying to fit in felt pointless. Gen X culture was a patchwork of subcultures, and it was totally normal to switch gears by lunchtime. That freedom made us resilient—and maybe a little unpredictable. But if you spot someone unbothered by mainstream trends today, just know: Gen X did it with a smirk and zero apologies, way before it was cool.
8. Gender-Fluid Fashion Choices
Boys in eyeliner, girls in baggy jeans—Gen X wore whatever felt right, no matter what the label said. There weren’t hashtags for “gender fluidity” yet, but we knew how to blur the lines, mostly because nobody told us we couldn’t.
Flannel flung over anything, Doc Martens on every foot—style had no boundaries. We swapped clothes with friends across the gender spectrum without batting an eye. The lack of labels gave us space to experiment and push against outdated norms.
We didn’t have Instagram to document it, just Polaroids stuck to the wall or memories from smoky, all-ages shows. If someone tries to sell you “androgynous fashion” now, it’s just another Tuesday for Gen X. We never worried about which section our clothes came from—we just wore what made us feel alive.
9. Introvert Pride
Social recharge didn’t mean another party for Gen X. It meant slipping home early, locking your door, and sinking into a good book—or a playlist that made reality fade away. There was no shame in craving solitude; it was almost a badge of honor.
Long before we coined phrases like “social battery” or “quiet quitting,” Gen X found comfort in mysterious loner energy. We didn’t need to explain why we skipped the dance or ghosted a group outing—our friends got it.
Being “over it” was both an art and a lifestyle. Opting out wasn’t weird, it was self-care before anyone had a word for it. We celebrated those who kept to themselves, who valued quality over quantity, who could disappear for a weekend and come back with stories (or not). Quiet confidence? Gen X practically invented it.
10. Analog Detox… Was Just Life
Screen-free wasn’t a challenge for Gen X—it was just how life worked. Dinner meant talking, not texting. Road trips were for staring out the window, singing along to mixtapes, or playing “I Spy” with siblings who wouldn’t stop poking you.
We didn’t know the word “mindful.” We just knew how to be bored, and sometimes, that’s where all the best ideas showed up. Evenings were spent in backyards or sprawled across the living room rug—not scrolling through feeds.
Now, everyone’s searching for digital detox tips. Gen X laughs, because living offline was our only option. We learned patience (waiting for dial-up), real connection (passing notes), and how to sit with our thoughts. Turns out, unplugged life was the original reset button.
11. Cassette Culture
Mixtapes weren’t just playlists—they were love letters, apologies, or secret confessions. Gen Xers learned to capture entire moods on a single tape, each track meticulously planned and rewound for the perfect flow.
There was real magic in pressing “record” at just the right moment, praying nobody walked in and ruined the vibe. The patience it took! Those handwritten labels and decorated cases were worth their weight in gold.
Today’s vinyl comeback is cute, but cassettes were personal, portable, and packed with soul. We didn’t curate for clout; we made tapes for friends, crushes, or even ourselves. Cassette culture thrived on intention—every hiss, every pause, every forgotten B-side. If you ever made a tape for someone, you know: that was a kind of friendship that Spotify just can’t replicate.
12. Long-Term Friendships (Without Social Media)
Friendship bracelets, notes folded into origami shapes, hours spent on the phone until your ear went numb—Gen X friendship was built on effort, not emojis. We showed up for each other, rain or shine, because loyalty wasn’t just a buzzword.
There were no likes, no online updates, just real conversations and shared memories. You learned to listen, remember birthdays, and say sorry in person (sometimes with a mix CD as a peace offering).
Friendships didn’t need follower counts to feel real. We built trust in car rides and sleepovers, not in comment sections. If you lost touch, you tracked each other down through mutual friends or old addresses scribbled in yearbooks. Gen X kept connections the old-fashioned way—and it worked.
13. Questioning the System
“Because I said so” never worked on us. Gen X was allergic to blind obedience, whether it meant protesting the latest war or calling out school policies that made zero sense. We found our voice early and used it—sometimes loudly, always with purpose.
Our rebellion wasn’t chaos for chaos’ sake. It was fueled by fairness and a drive to make things better. We organized, marched, and wrote letters to officials before online petitions were a thing.
Today’s activism stands on those same foundations. If you see a movement that questions old systems, chances are Gen X helped lay the groundwork. We taught each other that dissent could be creative, constructive, and even a little bit fun. Being a troublemaker? Sometimes, it’s exactly what the world needs.
14. Creative Rebellion
Skateboards, spray paint, and poetry—Gen X turned rebellion into an art form. We didn’t just push back; we put our feelings on walls, in lyrics, and across skate decks, transforming public spaces into places of expression.
Rules were made to be remixed, not just broken. Graffiti wasn’t vandalism, it was a message in technicolor. Songs scribbled in spiral notebooks became anthems for anyone who felt different.
The beauty of creative rebellion was how it built community. Artists, skaters, and misfits found each other and made magic happen, turning the ordinary into something unforgettable. If you see street art or hear a raw, honest song today, know that Gen X proved you could resist—and create at the same time.
15. Pop Culture Obsession
Before fandoms trended, Gen X was already turning bedrooms into pop culture shrines. Posters, clippings, ticket stubs—every inch of wall space was fair game for whatever obsession hit that month.
We didn’t wait for Comic-Con to geek out—we created our own rituals. Trading magazine cutouts, forming fan clubs, and writing letters to our idols (with actual stamps) brought us together. Our devotion was messy, creative, and totally hands-on.
Pop culture wasn’t just a pastime; it was a way of life. We shared mixtapes, memorized scripts, and quoted lines until our parents begged us to stop. Fandom wasn’t about algorithms—it was about finding people who got you. If there’s a “stan” culture now, Gen Xers were the blueprint, scissors and tape in hand.
16. Low-Key Living
Some generations want the spotlight. Gen X? We were fine hanging back. The vibe was “don’t try so hard,” and honestly, it was authentic before authenticity became a performance.
We rocked quiet confidence and weren’t afraid to be a little mysterious. No one cared about “main character energy”—our goals were simpler: real talk, real connections, and avoiding drama whenever possible.
Being low-key didn’t mean being invisible. It meant knowing yourself and not needing outside validation. We made an art of subtlety. So the next time you see someone rolling their eyes at an influencer’s latest stunt, just nod—you’re looking at a Gen X legacy in action.
17. Being Over It—Before It Was Cool
If you’ve ever perfected the art of the eye roll, thank Gen X. We mastered the “not impressed” look long before it became a meme. Being over it wasn’t an attitude—it was survival.
Life threw a lot at us, and sometimes, the only sane response was a well-timed smirk or a heavy sigh. We didn’t pretend to care about things we didn’t believe in. Honesty trumped hype every time.
Now, “resting unbothered face” is praised as self-care. Gen X grew up being told to smile more—and we always answered with a smirk. People finally get that it’s not apathy; it’s clarity. We knew who we were, what we wanted, and how to keep our cool in a world that was always just a bit too much.