Research has found that nostalgia can alleviate people’s perception of pain. As cultural memory shortens and identity becomes more nebulous, Gen Zers are confused about who they are. As such, they're turning to nostalgic familiarity as an anchor for their identity, as well as a source of comfort.

Y2K aesthetics have re-emerged into the beauty mainstream, largely due to TikTok trends and influencers. But why exactly are young social media users obsessing over retro accessories and make-up looks? And how does this interest reflect Gen Z’s approach to digital creativity in beauty and beyond?

Cultural memory is getting shorter, with mass digitisation causing people to seek solace in the recent past. But it’s not solely about innocence – ‘nowstalgia’ is fuelled by a desire to reimagine and right perceived wrongs. So, how is a meme mindset impacting Gen Z’s media consumption and style?

Gen Zers' obsession with the Y2K era is sparking a second-hand clothes boom. Young people are embracing ‘nowstalgia’, which is to feel nostalgic simultaneously for both everything and nothing. In other words, they’re increasingly adopting unattached and YOLO mindsets, fuelling the deadstock surge.