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The Allure of Millennial Nostalgia
What’s fueling the obsession?
No•stal•gia: a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.
The other day, I stumbled upon something in my Instagram discover feed that stopped me in my tracks. It was an account dedicated entirely to the American Girl Doll catalog from the ’90s, which I used to obsess over as a little girl.
For me, this discovery was more than just a fleeting moment of online nostalgia; it was a portal to a simpler time in life where my beloved Samantha doll served as a comforting companion through the ups and downs of my childhood- which included the divorce of my parents and an international move to Norway at the age of 12. Sadly, my doll was lost in that move, and I often dream of finding her in a forgotten corner of my parent’s attic.
As I delved deeper into the account, I couldn’t help but feel a rush of memories surging through me. It was like stepping through a time machine, whisking me away to a more innocent world where doll outfits and meticulously crafted furniture sets excited me like nothing else.
It took a moment to remember I was in 2023 and now an adult with responsibilities like making sure my taxes are filed on time.
It seems to be a trend that has been gaining momentum for a while now — millennial nostalgia. Our childhood treasures and youthful experiences have taken center stage in pop culture discourse, and there’s no clear reason as to why.
Notable examples:
- Barbie is the movie of the year
- Taylor Swift, the Pop Queen of the Millennials, is on a global tour featuring “eras” through the years
- Y2K fashion is back with a vengeance
- 90’s con was a thing, and thousands of people showed up
- Harry Potter is being remade into an HBO series
- *NSYNC is rumored to reunite, and Usher is making his comeback and headlining the Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show
- Nostalgia influencers have taken over millennials’ algorithms
