Welcome back for another Youth Updates!
Trends: Deja Vu
Teen clothing seems to be a slow carousel of the fashions from the 90s and 00s right now, and this summer’s fashion trends solidify this. Boys’ fashion appears to morph and change slower than girls’ fashion, though the shift from skinny fit jeans to wide leg still holds true. Meanwhile, girls’ fashion is certainly a throwback to years past right now with the resurgence of low-rise jeans, shorts and skirts, the return of baggy shorts (or jorts as they’re called), handkerchief tops and even, it seems, the beginning of a dress over jeans renaissance.
For the millennials out there, a step into Urban Outfitters right now is like a time machine back to being a child or young person themselves, and it may seem a little ironic that a generation that often likes to poke at the fashions of millennials online is so keen to replicate what they wore at the same age!
Issue: The Rise In Witchcraft
If you recently feel like you’ve noticed witchcraft popping up more frequently, then you certainly aren’t alone. There’s been a notable up-tick and rise in witchcraft – particularly amongst young people and young adults. One article states ‘Witchcraft has become more prevalent with Millennials and Generation Z with its focus on using spells for the benefit of the self. A whole community of young witches can be found on sites such as Tumblr or TikTok (labelled WitchTok), allowing the spread of information such as important dates to acknowledge, tips on how to assemble your altar and the sharing of spells.’ ( The rise of Modern Witchcraft in a secular society (gaudie.co.uk))
Indeed, social media’s open platform means that there are many people creating content including guides to witchcraft, spells and even live tarot readings, and (due to the way social media algorithms work)these videos don’t have to be found but often just appear to users of the apps. Ironically, they often piggy-back on hashtags to do with faith or spirituality meaning Christian young people might actually be more likely to see them.
However, it’s not just the online world where this rise is taking place. This year’s Eurovision had a controversial entry from Ireland which was full of pagan symbols and the singer even said in an interview that they’re a practicing witch. Furthermore, many town markets and even high street stores sell crystals, tarot cards and books on the subject making them extremely accessible and often, appealing.
For a generation that are seeking spirituality and a solution to life’s problems, it’s certainly something to be aware of and to consider if the young people we know are equipped to respond wisely when faced with these things.
Hot Topic: Gap Years
It’s that time when older young people are thinking about what to do next as they step out of education either this year or next year. For many, they’ll choose University or enter the world of work but there has always been a steady stream of those choosing a gap year.
In 2023, it was estimated that between 183,000 and 232,000 18-24 year olds took a gap year with around 30,000 students deferring a University course to take a gap year. With the cost-of-living crisis and economic struggles it would perhaps be assumed that less people would be taking a gap year than normal but there’s still a significant amount of young adults stepping into this space.
However, what’s interesting is that around 83% of gap year takers will stay in Britain whilst 16% will work or volunteer abroad. Whereas historically a lot of gap years took place abroad, there are many more young people and young adults choosing to stay on home turf. This is something that has even been noticed in the Christian world with more young people choosing to do gap years at their home churches or UK charities compared to a decade or so ago when volunteering abroad was often the first choice.
Word Of The Month: Ate
Ate = Smashed it/Did really well at something (often used in conjunction with an outfit or successful performance)
e.g. ‘Zendaya ate at the Met Gala’ (because her outfit was amazing) or ‘He ate that’ (after doing an amazing rap)