Fashion trends are cyclical, and while some millennial staples have already faced rejection from Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012), a few items are particularly puzzling for younger generations. Skinny jeans, ankle socks, and now, high heels, seem to have fallen out of favor for Gen Z, who prioritize comfort over style.
During the 2010s, millennial women would slip into their favorite high heels, ready to spend the night dancing to Katy Perry and Flo Rida hits. But nowadays, Gen Z would rather trade in six-inch heels for a more comfortable pair of sneakers. As flats and sneakers have become the go-to choice for younger generations, many find themselves confused by how millennials could ever endure the discomfort of high heels.
However, one woman, Lindsey Piette, 43, from Ontario, Canada, offers an existential explanation. According to Piette, millennials were “just built different” when it came to fashion. She recalls dancing for hours in painful heels and enduring the agony by drinking her way through it. Blisters and swollen feet were left for tomorrow, she says, as the focus was on having fun.
“It was youth, energy, and excitement,” Piette shared with Newsweek, reminiscing about how life felt simpler back then. She continued, “The biggest difficulty was choosing which business-casual dress to wear to the club or which pair of heeled boots would stick the least to the floor.”
Reflecting on how millennials endured the discomfort of high heels, Piette explains: “We wore heels to go dancing for hours on end because we were drunk and couldn’t feel our feet. If we could feel the pain, we would grab another tequila shot.” The only part of high-heeled nights she misses is the euphoric feeling of dancing for hours in a crowded club, surrounded by loud music, singing the same song, with the walls shaking from the bass.
Piette recently shared a video on Instagram (@lindseyjayn) recalling how millennials learned to dance all night in high heels. The video went viral, garnering over 1.5 million views and 61,200 likes at the time of writing.
After observing Gen Z’s more comfortable approach to fashion, Piette admires the younger generation’s preference for clothing that prioritizes comfort. “I think we looked cute back then, and dressing up felt good, but I think the culture has changed,” she said. “We used to dress for the male gaze, but now women dress for comfort, and if they dress up, they do it for themselves, not for men.”
As a mother to a 13-year-old daughter, Piette enjoys sharing some of the iconic fashion pieces from her younger years. Many of these trends have come back into style, such as skater jeans and baggy tees, although high heels remain absent from the resurgence.
Reflecting on how drinking culture has evolved, Piette points out how binge drinking was more normalized in the past. While fun, she recognizes the long-term consequences of that behavior. “We have amazing stories, but I love seeing the new generation taking better care of their bodies,” she remarked.
Piette’s Instagram post has garnered a massive response, with many fellow millennials sharing their own nostalgic memories of those simpler times. Through this viral video, Piette hopes to remind people of all generations to “find fun in our lives,” whether it’s dancing in the kitchen or hitting the dance floor at a bar. She encourages everyone, whether in sneakers or heels, to dance as if nobody is watching.
The post continues to generate buzz, with over 1,300 comments in just a few days. One Instagram user commented: “Millennial girls at the club were unstoppable.” Another shared, “This just made me happy—I’d forgotten that glorious happiness feeling! Unmatched!” And one user simply wrote, “A good night meant my shoes came home in my bag.”
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