OPINION: The influx of run clubs, the glorification of getting 10 hours of sleep, having the perfect skincare routine, and refusing to go out on work nights. When did we all become so boring?
I grew up in the era of mid-2000s MTV, with ‘Jersey Shore’, ‘Tila Tequila Shot of Love’, and ‘16 and Pregnant’ as my go-tos. Yes, that means Snooki practically raised me.
Trash makeup, all-nighters, and constant partying were all the rage and I couldn’t be more excited to turn 18 (well, give or take) so I could experience life like that.
I also experienced the era of Paris Hilton, when celebrities called the paparazzi on themselves while leaving the clubs with their skirts riding up. Always in full glam wearing the highest heels and the skimpiest outfits.
Skip forward to 2024, and we've been stuck in a clean girl rut for some time.
One that’s characterised by 'less is more' and glorifies looking after yourself by cancelling on your friends if you’re not feeling up to a night out. Where heavy eyeliner and lashes are frowned upon in the office. Where you feel judged if you don’t hit the gym at least nine times a week.
And while I’m all for looking after your mental health and knowing when your partying is becoming a problem, I’m worried we’ve headed too far in the opposite direction, where everyone is afraid to express themselves.
The evolution from Y2K trashy to clean girl vibes is well illustrated by one of pop culture's most significant reality TV touchstones - 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians'.
When it started in 2007, it was once a chaotic show featuring hand-bag slinging and trash-talking, but has now evolved into a polished, over-edited watch that doesn’t offer up anything thrilling to us.
For 2025, let’s get messier and less judgmental.
Wear that see-through sequin dress to that dinner you’ve got on Thursday night. Whip out your black liquid liner that’s been collecting dust at the bottom of your makeup bag. Dance on tables at that nightclub on the weekend.
Let’s bring back all the excitement we once had in our lives and channel that Y2K energy for the new year.
