From the LES to Silver Lake, Gen Z It Girls Are Wearing These 7 Summer Micro-Trends
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
