Jeans And A Chic Top
Jeans and a cute top nostalgia, what Gen Z is buying secondhand, and preloved tops perfect for a night out
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You know what I recently realized that my wardrobe is missing? Going out tops. Over the last four years, I’ve somehow amassed a wardrobe of oversized sweatshirts, enormous blazers, printed maxi dresses, and not much else. Whenever I have a night out, I’ve found myself staring at my closet wishing that an evening-appropriate top would magically appear (spoiler alert: it hasn’t). My going out top angst has ratcheted up exponentially since my leaving-the-house-at-night activities have increased roughly 500% YoY in the past month. I’ve pushed through by wearing my new-to-me blazers with deep v-necks that are almost night-out appropriate if I squint my eyes and add a lot of necklaces.
Like everyone else, I’ve been inspired by Joanne’s going out tops in Nobody Wants This and have been hearting versions of these right and left on secondhand sites. It’s making me nostalgic for the jeans and a cute top formula that I followed religiously in the late 2000s, except in 2024 it’s jeans and a chic top. This time around I’m absolutely not wearing low rise jeans or getting my tops from Zara or Forever 21. My denim is a minimum 12” rise and I’m searching for tops secondhand, mostly for the circularity but also to align my highly aspirational tastes with a preloved budget.
Wait, The 2000s Are Vintage Now?
The return of the going out top has been bubbling up since pre-pandemic and it’s still hanging on in late 2024. Stemming from Gen Z’s intense nostalgia for the Y2K aesthetic, this could also be called a form of fashion escapism from today’s always-on digital world. The good news is that Gen Z aren’t only shopping for their going out tops at ultra-fast fashion brands, but also looking for them secondhand by thrifting vintage tops…from the year 2005 (cue the melting face emoji for anyone that wore these tops as part of their actual going out outfit in 2005). Case in point: Depop users are overwhelmingly Gen Z and a quick peruse of the site’s search bar shows that “#y2k” is tagged in 4.7M results and “going out tops” returns 1.2M+ items.
Gen Z & Luxury Recommerce
I’m always fascinated by The RealReal’s annual Resale Report since they break out user trends by generation. Their 2024 report found that Prada is Gen Z’s top-searched brand with Manolo Blahnik searches +22% YoY, coinciding neatly with Sex & The City’s Netflix launch.
Going back to their 2023 report, The RealReal shared that Gen Z is investing in “fewer, better” things and looking for timeless designs from Celine, The Row, and Khaite (although tbh that feels universal, at least across Substack). Sofia Richie’s aesthetic was a big driver of this trend for Gen Z and beyond - I definitely have some SR images saved to my inspo folder. There’s also a parallel increase in searches for Y2K era brands: Blumarine and Anna Sui searches on TRR were through the roof last year, +4,054% and +1,328% respectively.
There’s also the paradox that Gen Z is considered the most sustainably-minded generation to date, but they’re also digital natives growing up in a time where social media has normalized clothing hauls, ultra-fast fashion, and disposable culture. Add on the rising cost of living and it’s a perfect recipe for what’s known as the say-do gap, where what consumers say they want to do (shop sustainably) and actually do (buy Shein) are two different things. I wholeheartedly agree with Gen Z on the responsibility piece in this gap - the onus should be on brands to make meaningful environmental changes instead of on the consumer where it falls today. I’ve done deep research on this topic and will plan a more thorough future post - I have a lot of thoughts on this and my own role in the say-do gap.
On a side note, ask a site merchant where they look to see product trends bubbling up and it’s their website’s internal search bar. Are customers looking for a brand or item that you don’t sell? Are they searching for sequins a month earlier than usual? Do you need a category for barrel leg jeans on your global site nav? It’s all there. Not a site merchant, but still curious about fashion trends? Google Trends is a good place to start for fashion keyword searches. Or check out
on Substack or Instagram where Molly uses data to analyze fashion trends within the broader cultural context. 10/10 recommend.
Onto The Secondhand Chic Going Out Tops
I’m sharing the preloved chic going out tops (CGOT) that I’ve been hearting in the hopes of not having to stare mindlessly at my closet every weekend. I’ve been learning about product evangelism in class and would like to offer my services to The RealReal since every preloved option that you’re about to see below is from their website. I could write a dissertation on how they’ve made resale more accessible, democratized luxury, and reduced the stigma around shopping secondhand. Until then, if you’re new to the The RealReal and need some pointers on how to shop the site, I wrote a guide here.
The Off The Shoulder
I love a long sleeve one shoulder/off the shoulder moment. Talking about 2000s nostalgia, Joanne’s bodysuit is from Abercrombie & Fitch and it’s pushed me over the edge to finally buy one of the options that I’ve had sitting in my TRR obsessions for the last few months. By the time you read this, I’ll have bought one of the bodysuits in the top row and will report back. I’m especially interested by deep brown as a sophisticated night out alternative to black.
The Sheer Lace
When I saw this fun Shopbop visual explainer on low-rise vs. high-rise jeans, I immediately zeroed in on this lace top as the perfect holiday CGOT. Long enough for stomach and arm coverage and sheer and form fitting enough to feel exciting for a night out. I’m team bralette, but also love the idea of layering with a cami if the idea of wearing only a bra underneath is a step too far. Sharing a couple of options that capture the spirit of the inspo top and one that’s pretty spot-on.
The Peplum
It’s hard to beat Cecilie Bahnsen for a dreamy top and The RealReal is a treasure trove of her best peplums right now. I’m a big believer in shopping secondhand out of season so I don’t miss out on a one-of-one piece that will almost certainly sell out if I wait for its actual season of origin to buy. I also love a peplum done right - one of the few things that I still have from my early 2010’s Zara phase is a textured solid cream peplum jacket that still looks fresh today thanks to its minimalist (or should I say timeless?) lines.
I’ll leave you with one last inspo pic that shows the versatility of a sheer top. I’m always so inspired by @abimarvel's style and love how she makes this sheer Dissh top/bralette combo a CGOT for day events. A friendly heads up that The RealReal sells Dissh in case you’re looking for this top preloved. If you’re not already following Abi on Instagram, another 10/10 recommend for her incredible style and imagery.
Hopefully this gave you a little inspo for your circular shopping journey. Please drop a comment if you’ve found any great CGOTs lately - I’d love to hear more. See you next Wednesday with some insights on Black Friday/Cyber Monday!
I have been Foster sister obsessed since seeing them at TechCrunch… who would have thought that would be a sentence. And of course the show is a highlight. Now I just need to transform the fashion inspiration into a second hand search and addition to my wardrobe. Also jeans are definitely my go to, now just need to add the chic-ness to my tops. Thanks for the inspiration!
Kristin Bell’s most recent characters always have this formula!! I loved her character’s wardrobe in “The Good Place” too … though they were more comfy cozy and less ‘going out’ 🤣