- Words Nicholas Douglas
From upcycling to core trends to forging communities, here's everything you need to know to get Instagram-ready for next year.
Post-individualism is at Gen Z’s Core
The ‘core’ revival has allowed Gen Z to find their tribes, with almost a quarter of us interested in trying out a ‘core’ trend seen on social media spaces like Instagram. Even more revealing, is that a fifth of us plan on finding our own aesthetic in 2024, through fashion and beauty looks found online.
Gen Z are Single but Not Ready to Mingle
Research suggests that Gen Z are as single as ever and they’re in no hurry to change things anytime soon. Prioritising a deeper engagement with close friends, on social media platforms like Instagram, gone are the days of surface-level relationships, as people move towards a tight community of mates who share similar IRL and URL interests.
The New Digi Romantics
Gen Z are finding new routes to romance online. Interactions have become a celebration of our individuality and we’re defining ‘love’ completely on our own terms. Instagram is helping us to showcase the aspects of our everyday lives that we want people to see, making the space more diversified and personalised to our own experiences.
Gen Z are in their Digi Flirting Era
From a cheeky swipe on dating apps to a giddy like of an Instagram post, social media is shaping how we meet, interact and flirt with each other. According to the Instagram Trend Talk 2024 findings, our favourite way to flirt on Instagram is by liking our crush’s story. DMing memes is another essential way to E-Flirt, as nearly a third of us believe the most important characteristic in a romantic partner is having a good sense of humour… and taste in memes.
Upcycling Old Trends and Predicting Future Aesthetics
Into rebuilding the fabric of fashion by customising old and new trends, nearly 90% of Gen Z are likely to engage in sustainable style practices in 2024. Revamping past aesthetics to predict the landscape of fashion going forward, we want to express ourselves freely but in ways that are more beneficial for the environment.
Safe Spaces and Friendly Faces
Gen Z are creating safe spaces for people to feel represented based on different types of fandom, the most popular being a TV show, musician, video game or sports team. These spaces also tend to raise awareness of mental health, neurodivergence, self-care, and disability to bring more stigmatised topics to the fore.
