Gen Z is getting sentimental about an era that feels both recent and impossibly far away. A viral TikTok trend dubbed “Outfits I Wore In High School” has users sharing nostalgic slideshows of their high school outfits from the mid to late 2010s. Whether they’re rating their questionable outfits or expressing genuine yearning for their teenage selves, the photos are almost always paired with synth-pop audio and captions romanticizing the aughts.
“Outfits I Wore In High School”: A new wave of mid-2010s nostalgia
While older generations romanticize decades they never lived through, Gen Z has mastered the art of longing for their own recent past. These TikTokers, now in their early 20s, look back fondly on an era that was just a few years ago. Despite the short time span, they’re treating 2017 as if it were a distant cultural moment.
The slide shows typically feature 5 to 10 photos showcasing their high school fashion. From Forever 21 rompers to short skirts that barely passed dress code, the outfits speak to a very specific aesthetic. Each image is paired with the viral TikTok sound “Use this sound for a free kiss” by @tankhiill, which lends a dreamy, synthy vibe to the videos. The track now features in over 21.4K uploads.
Fashion flashbacks and fancam feels
In many of the clips, creators rate their outfits from each school year or show their style evolution across all four years. Some opt for humor, pointing out just how little fabric their outfits had. Others embrace full-on nostalgia, tagging friends or noting how confident they felt back then and talking about their favorite articles of clothing or outfits. The aesthetic overlaps with the late millennial “indie sleaze” era; think digital camera selfies, American Apparel basics, and lots of smoky eyeliner.
These throwbacks also echo the broader trend of early-2010s content resurfacing. From Broad City gifs to mason jar cocktails, TikTok’s algorithm loves a rewatch moment. Unsurprisingly, Gen Z is leading the charge. They don’t just miss Tumblr-core; they miss their own awkward, expressive high school selves.
Though not every video using the trending audio fits the exact theme, the bulk of them focus on outfit nostalgia. And the vibe is clear: low-rise jeans, Urban Outfitters everything, and an era when getting dressed was an event. As this trend continues, it’s more proof that Gen Z’s brand of nostalgia isn’t about decades—it’s about vibes. And sometimes, a slide of blurry selfies in chokers and crop tops says more about growing up than any yearbook ever could.
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