Why have people dressed the same for the past 20 years?
The '50s and '70s were totally different as were the '60s and '80s. Why does it still feel like 2005?

What year is it?
In 1974, “Happy Days” debuted on TV, and it was a nostalgic look back on the 1950s when greasers wore leather jackets, listened to Bill Haley and the Comets, and drank milkshakes at the local diner. It was a stark comparison to the feeling in the country at the end of the Vietnam War era, where long hair, fringe, and polyester were all the rage. The funny thing is that those eras were only about 20 years apart, but fashion, hairstyles, and culture had changed significantly.
A similar comparison to “Happy Days” could be made to “Dazed and Confused,” a film about teens in 1976 Texas who wore puka shells, satin shirts, and Kangol hats released in 1993 when young Americans were obsessed with grunge and hip-hop styles. But what if someone in 2025 made a film about 2005? Would there be a big difference in any of the fashions or hairstyles? How long would it take to notice that the film is set in the past?
Dazed And Confused was released in 1993 and set in 1976.
A comparable movie today would be about the graduating class of 2007. pic.twitter.com/ZSsRA60gRe
— Eric Alper 🎧 (@ThatEricAlper) November 19, 2024
Writer Jason Pargin ("John Dies in the End") recently had a viral hit on TikTok with a video asking whether fashion has changed in the past 20 years. He did so by showing the characters in “The Office” who could walk into any building in corporate America in 2025, and no one would think they’re a time traveler. “The only signifier of which era you're in is what kind of phones they're using and how big the monitors are on their desks,” Pargin notes.
@jasonkpargin From dec 2023, we got some interesting theories on this
Some commenters felt that Pargin chose a poor example of stagnant style because office attire changes more slowly than streetwear. "The Office is a bad example because business casual hasn’t changed much," one commenter wrote. "Suits from the '60s still look about the same today, with fit slightly changing over the years. Office wear hasn’t changed much, but casual and fashion keep evolving."
Pargin’s video sparked a passionate discussion on various social media platforms. Many people on X felt that he was right and that culture had stagnated because of the internet.
It’s like evolution. But it stopped. Or slowed down. Or is this humanity’s best achievement in hair and fashion? Or laziest ?
— Jay 🇨🇦 (@theXtwitt) January 1, 2025
I have thought about this before and I think it’s because of the internet. We’re so much more connected than ever and as a weird side effect things aren’t changing as quickly as before. I don’t know how to explain it, it’s just a feeling.
— Enzee M. (@nedlaum) January 1, 2025
The internet has flattened cultural change. The only societal changes we have still are with technology and social mores.
— Scott P (@srpad) January 2, 2025
I think it's the same reason the last few decades don't have a fixed musical style. The media outlets that pushed that narrative are obsolete. Nobody has enough control over the culture to push a style/genre. It's the end of the monoculture.
— Kruton (@Krutonium) January 1, 2025
Others agreed, referencing “stuck culture,” defined as “a perceived stagnation in cultural innovation, particularly in media, where there is a notable recycling of ideas and a lack of groundbreaking content.”
Stuck culture goes beyond just sequels.
People from from 10-15 years ago have the same haircuts and dress the same as you do today.
No architecture movement. Minimalism and grey has been the standard for a long time now.
The shifts of mass culture are over. https://t.co/0GLfMzkupB
— LindyMan (@PaulSkallas) January 15, 2024
https://t.co/gjFgcCgUdb
— LindyMan (@PaulSkallas) January 15, 2024
I dont think we’re actually stuck but we’re more culturally recycling than creating new things at scale. To invest a large enough amount to reach scale you have to have some sense of expected return. Lindy things offer more guaranteed returns.
— KnowNothingLoser 🅿️ (@YoungnFeckless) January 16, 2024
Some people say that styles have changed, especially among young people, but older people haven't noticed.
Hairstyles have absolutely changed a lot over the past 20 years.
— Pyrorufus (@Pyrorufus) January 1, 2025
A lot more people have beards and funky hair colors now than they did 20 years ago imo
— Cursin Daily 🏴☠️ (@CursinDaily) January 1, 2025
One counter example. When I got married 19 years ago all my wife's friends wore jeans with the waistline as low as possible. Now women's jean waistlines are up the bellybutton again.
— Josh Foreman (@JoshuaForeman) January 1, 2025
Pargin’s video inspired a response from TikToker Kevin Earl, who believes that economics has played a significant role in why fashion doesn’t change as quickly as it once did. In 2025, clothing is more likely to be mass-produced than in previous decades, and manufacturers want a sure thing, so they produce cheaper clothes that appeal to everyone.
“When considering mass-produced clothes, the kind of stuff available to everyone. Think about the clothes at big box stores like Target, Walmart, Old Navy, places like that. Most of the clothes for sale there have pretty much been the same the last 20, even 30 years. A lot of cheap, basic t-shirts, jeans, tank tops, stuff like that,” Earl says. “Basically, these big stores aren't trying to design and sell clothes that are human-centric. Rather, they're trying to squeeze as much profit as they can out of a minimum viable product.”
In a way, just like Hollywood has been churning out the same predictable superhero films for the past 20 years, clothing manufacturers have been doing the same for your wardrobe.
@kevinearl93 Why have people looked the same the last 20 years? #2000sfashion #2010sfashion #2020sfashion #jasonpargin
We value clothing choice by price. When price is the main factor, mass production becomes a norm. Choice becomes secondary. You see the same with buildings, you see the same with pop music, movies, etc.
— Eric #Save EVIL (@explosivo412) January 1, 2025
Living in a stagnating culture is a drag. But it does open up opportunities for excitement. A stagnating culture means anyone who does something fresh and exciting is bound to capture people’s attention. If the slow pace of change bums you out, take it as an invitation to create something that stands out and captures everyone’s attention. In a world that’s gone beige, a pop of color can really grab people’s attention.
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."