The Rise of Nostalgia Core: Why Gen Z Loves the 90s and Y2K

Nostalgia has always played a role in pop culture, but in 2025, it’s a lifestyle. From TikTok trends and Instagram filters to fashion and digital design, a wave of “Nostalgia Core” is dominating Gen Z and Millennial spaces—especially aesthetics rooted in the late 1990s and early 2000s. But why is a generation obsessed with an era they barely experienced?

📼 Living in a VHS Daydream#

There’s a warm fuzziness to analog imperfections. Gen Z creators, born into digital polish, are embracing the glitchy, fuzzy world of VHS tapes, CRT televisions, disposable cameras, and early MySpace design. It’s not just ironic—it’s aspirational. The Y2K aesthetic (think metallics, butterfly clips, and grainy home videos) has become a soft rebellion against the algorithmic slickness of today’s social media.

Even TikTok influencers are adding lo-fi filters, VHS overlays, and 4:3 aspect ratios to their content. The vibe is deliberately imperfect. “We’re reclaiming a world that felt more human,” says @pixxelp0p, a popular creator known for her 90s-diary-styled vlogs.

🖥️ Web 1.0 as Art#

Nostalgia Core extends to digital art and design. Websites are mimicking GeoCities pages with neon fonts, embedded music, glittery cursors, and webrings. Creators like Y2KKid and NeonMall are building full-blown visual identities around this aesthetic, offering digital zines, pixel art stickers, and HTML-like blog themes.

There’s even a resurgence of online diaries—blogspot and Neocities are seeing new users mimicking the old-school web aesthetic.

👚 Fashion: Glitter, Denim, and Baby Tees#

Style plays a huge role. From Juicy Couture tracksuits to platform Skechers, Y2K fashion has staged a full return. Gen Z isn’t just thrifting vintage—brands are reissuing their original lines. Remember butterfly tops and mesh sleeves? They’re back, showing up on Instagram moodboards labeled “2002 vibes” or “Mall Goth Summer.”

Influencers like Bella Poarch and Addison Rae wear outfits that wouldn’t look out of place in a Delia’s catalog. Even retailers like Urban Outfitters and PacSun are tapping into nostalgia by re-releasing retro collections, complete with throwback logos and 90s price tags (almost).

🧠 The Psychology of Craving the Past#

Nostalgia is more than aesthetics—it’s comfort. According to cultural psychologist Dr. Helena Farrow, “Nostalgia offers a sense of emotional safety during times of uncertainty. For Gen Z, who’ve lived through a pandemic, political chaos, and economic instability, the Y2K era represents a version of the world that feels simpler—even if it’s a curated illusion.”