It’s been a while!

These are unprecedented times. I’ve been on the sidelines for a bit, but Gen Z has decided to interfere with our Millennial wardrobe choices once again. The bat signal has been lit in the Gotham of generational war internet banter.

Before we jump in further…

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Deep(ish) Millennial Thought of the Week

Leave our ankle socks alone, Gen Z!

Over the past week or so, various reports from unidentifiable sources (TikTok posts mostly it seems) claim that Gen Z has banned Millennials from wearing our beloved ankle socks. As the owner of a freshly-bought 8-pack of Kirkland ankle socks from my favorite fashion retailer, Costco, I am infuriated. As a quick aside, the origin story of this very newsletter dates back to critical styling choices we Millennials face every day such as whether you can wear your cap backwards and or still sport a graphic t-shirt past the age of 30. So, this became personal with me.

After spending a good 15 minutes trying to find out just how this violation of Millennial wardrobe rights had started, all I could really find were articles like this one from Buzzfeed. I get it. Styles change. Wardrobes need to evolve. Finally, we are all writing things for clicks and engagements. Opting to potentially let this all slide, my real concern came as I saw fellow Millennials in my Twitter feed (it’ll always be Twitter to me) begin to post foot photos of them sporting tube socks. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pair of tube socks. But I’ll be damned if you take away my right to show a little ankle every now and then. Gen Z does not have the right to cancel innocent choices like what we wear on our feet.

Why am I coming out of newsletter semi-retirement to write this emergency response? Am I a fan of less fabric on my feet and legs? Sure, where appropriate and especially in this heatwave we are undergoing, I definitely think ankles socks should still rule the day. But that’s not at the heart of this return. I wanted to directly address Gen Z not a hostile lambasting, but an offer of peace and a simple message.

Please stop cancelling our clothing choices.

That’s it. It’s simple. Life is hard, folks. Gen Z, I know it is equally hard for you, if not even more stressful having grown up on social media. Us Millennials, well, we were spared that mostly until high school and college. But you’ll soon see (with the impending Gen Alpha takeover) that life gets even more complicated as you get older. Things start hurting more. Bills get more expensive. The last thing Millennials need to deal with is replacing our “outdated” wardrobe just because you may not understand it. We’ve already lost skinny jeans. Well, that was actually probably a favor to us, so thank you.

At the end of the day, just as I have said before, let people wear what they want to wear. We all are in this journey together. We may not always understand each other, but instead of bashing ankle socks and calling us old, why don’t you pick up the phone and give us a ring to chat about why we still wear ankle socks? A little human-to-human contact is a wild choice, I know, but we’ll all be better for it.

THE VERDICT: All socks can co-exist in your dresser drawer in peace and harmony, no matter what age you are.

Less Deep(ish) Millennial Stuff of the Week

• MILLENNIALS ARE QUIET VACATIONING. Unlimited PTO has given Millennials fear of taking off. (CNBC)

• MILLENNIALS BANNED FROM SAYING “LOL” and more. I’m not sure we should have kept this going anyway. (Buzzfeed)

• MILLENNIALS MAY LIVE LONGER DESPITE WORKING LESS. We just want as much time to show off our ankle socks. (MSN)

Millennial Product Spotlight

When you are making choices on what to put on your feet, let me tell you something. MILLENNIALS LOVE ANKLE SOCKS.

I have no idea if this is true, but allegedly the ankle sock dates back as far as 5000 BC when cavemen decided to make foot coverings out of plants. Wild. A few thousand years later around 8th Century BC, the Greeks fashioned socks made from animal hair, as referenced by poet Hesiod in “Works and Days.” These were worn under sandals and not mocked by Gen Z.

Personally, I love ankle socks, especially these from Bombas (not sponsored but desperately always looking for one). As the marketing copy states, they are “absurdly comfortable” while giving the rest of my leg a chance to breathe.

SOCK IT TO ME.

That’s all for this episode…

Before I go, a little about me:

I’ve been in omnichannel marketing, business development, sales and operations for startups and big brands alike for over 16 years now. If you’d like to talk with me about consulting, find me on LinkedIn, Twitter X (ugh, this branding still stinks) or reply to this email. You can also book some time with me on MentorPass. Or you can get creative, I know you have it in you!

Thanks for tuning in. Ankle socks 4 lyfe.