The Resurgence of the Yuppie
Today’s menswear styles are a nod to the 1980s yuppie—worn with a healthy dose of irony.
The reign of the skinny jean has long been over, usurped by the now-ubiquitous dad jeans. With a loose, vintage-inspired fit and mid-rise, the dad jean can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. The silhouette re-entered the fashion conversation as part of the “normcore” aesthetic that was introduced in the 2010s by brands like New Balance and North Face, and was a callback to ‘80s and ‘90s looks (think Seinfeld). In 2023, the relaxed fit of the dad jean is paired with preppy-meets-athletic pieces like loafers, rugby shirts, and blazers.
The return of late 20th-century yuppie fashion, ignited by the prevalence of dad jeans, has overtaken menswear and womenswear alike, reaching far beyond denim. We've witnessed the revival of boxy men’s suiting and oversized trenches that recall the chic and super-dark mystique of American Psycho’s Patrick Bateman—contrasted with baseball caps and sneakers.
The irony of celebrating styles so deeply rooted in a period of economic surplus—and one forever remembered for rampant greed and inequity—has not been lost on millennials and Gen Z, who have reappropriated and repurposed these styles through keenly sought thrift finds and vintage-prep brands like Aimé Leon Dore. This professional-meets-casual look of Manhattanite yuppie fashion now appears at DIY shows and in TikTok vintage hauls, as opposed to on the bodies of young working people. It’s a tongue-in-cheek sartorial nod to the bygone concept of “better” days.
