Let's talk plaid. Specifically, the kind Olivia Rodrigo's been sporting lately. The chunky boots, the shrunken cardigans, the way she throws a tattered plaid skirt over ripped tights like it's the most natural thing in the world. It's a look, there's no denying that. But what is it saying?
Is it a simple case of grunge revivalism? A yearning for the angst-ridden anthems of Nirvana and the raw energy of Hole, channeled through a Gen Z lens? There's certainly a familiarity to it. That unmistakable whiff of rebellion, the deliberate disregard for polished perfection. It's the uniform of a generation that grew up on their parents' stories of mosh pits and mud-soaked festivals, even if they themselves were still in diapers when Kurt Cobain left the building.
I remember those days, of course. The Seattle sound bleeding out of every storefront and car radio. The way it felt like something real, something raw, in a world increasingly obsessed with image. It wasn't about being pretty, it was about being heard. About feeling something, anything, in a world that often felt numb.
But Rodrigo, and her ilk, they're not just mimicking. There's a knowingness to it, a self-awareness that feels distinctly Gen Z. They're not looking to replicate the past, but rather to remix it. To take the spirit of grunge, the DIY ethos, the rejection of mainstream expectations, and filter it through their own experiences.
And what are those experiences? Growing up online, for one. Facing a world on the brink of climate collapse. Navigating the ever-shifting sands of social media and the pressure to present a perfectly curated image, even as they champion authenticity. It's a different kind of angst, perhaps, than the one that fueled the grunge movement of the 90s. But angst nonetheless.
So, is it a revival? A coup? Honestly, it's probably a bit of both. A generation raised on the echoes of the past, finding their own voice in the dissonance. And maybe, just maybe, reminding us that some things never really go out of style. The need to rebel. The desire to be heard. The enduring appeal of a perfectly worn-in plaid shirt.
One thing's for sure, though. Whether you see it as homage or appropriation, Rodrigo and her generation are making plaid their own. And that's something worth paying attention to.
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