Things now, that 90's kid would have mocked?

[H202too]

This is light hearted. Working in a school it is interesting to see how trends change. Sure some of this is regional, but what things do kids do now that just wasn't the done thing in the nineties?
I have noticed

1. Double strappers. This was so uncool at the time. I am sure I still get shoulder pain now from carrying mountains of books on one shoulder. Single strap now is a bad thing. ( Good!)

2. The star spot patches. Some kids wear about 6. Not seen any adults do this yet.

3. Boys with massive brushes in their pockets which they whip out and swish their fringe. They even borrow each others and swish each others fringe. It is actually quite cute. My mind chuckles when I think of the 90s boys spiking their hair with pointy hair gel. But absolutely no to carrying a brush about.

4. Water bottles. I once got in trouble for taking a drink from my water in 1998 in a lecture. In 1991 it just wouldn't have been a thing to have a watsr bottle.

I am sure there is more. AIBU to think most new trends are probably better but to miss the 90s nostalgia.

Kids of today would rip us for backing our books in wrapping paper.

Maybe not mocked so much as not really 'getting'. Over Christmas we were doing the radio times crossword and dd (11) was really struggling to understand that there was a time with no Internet, and then a time with the Internet being only available on a big immovable computer. She could not understand how we dealt with those situations where you (for instance) can't think of the name of a song or actor etc, or that you'd have huge books full of info just in case!

Yes to double strappers. And on the backpack theme, actually wearing them so they sit on your back properly. They had to be a low slung as possible at my school.

Also (and admittedly I see more Mum's doing this) the white socks over the leggings. That would've been ripped the piss out of (but maybe the kids are ripping the piss out of their Mum's for this? 🤷‍♀️)

Getting a lift from your parents to school beyond the age of about 8 or 9.

Selfies!

I remember my bestie and I using timers on a camera so it looked like someone else took the photo of us 😂

Putting your hands down the front of your pants! We would have absolutely laughed at a boy doing that in the 90s!

I was going to comment the socks over leggings thing too!

I've had a teacher incredulous that I was 6th form before we had a computer with internet access. She thought that my school must be behind, but it was quite forwards and better resourced than many schools I trained/ worked in in the early 2000s.
I'm not sure how I have colleagues born in the 21st century...

What amuses me is the revival of the 1990s Nike/ Air Jordan bags that my classmates used to have.

I like the way there is more freedom for the "alternatives" (as we would once have called ourselves) to express ourselves more individually. The 90s was more conformist and fixed in its tribal subcultures, but that comes from being pre-social media and relying more on sources like magazines for youth culture.

I was saying this to my 19yo the other day. She replied that her generation don't care about this stuff anymore, they're more interested in feeling good than how they look. Self care and all that.

Music! These days, my teen and tween love all sorts of music including stuff from all decades. In the 90s, it was the albums I got from Our Price and HMV! Definitely didn’t admit to listening to my parents stuff!

With clip on ties, youths can no longer assert their petty rebellions by having short, stubby ties.

I remember in 6th form knotting my laces then tucking them into my shoe so the fastening could barely be seen as trainers must not be ruined with a bow.
I secretly thought it was daft and uncomfortable then.

If I wore new balance trainers in the 90s, I would have been mocked so much they would have been unwearable.

It's lovely really but it still makes me chuckle seeing kids walk along the corridor brushing each others hair.😆

Boys singing at break. When I started teaching most boys past Year 4 would refuse to sing as it was considered "gay". Now they warble away to each other. As long as I can't hear the lyrics, it's lovely.

As a really positive one... No one really cares when DD "came out" as a lesbian at school. I was rather scared for her. But no bullying or mocking etc. Just complete acceptance.

Her playing Rugby however... that causes confusion. We were very Girl Power, you can do whatever you like.

Crocs! (Sure we had Jelly shoes but those were cool and definitely different 🤣)

Agree with spot patches. My inner 90s child always cringes when I see someone with them on

That is definitely a good thing.

We had this a few years ago

I mentioned that when I was young,if you wanted to know something you asked my dad/teacher/your bestie or a trip to the library

My dd was agog-she didnt believe me at all

Im stood there insisting that I was telling to truth

'Im going to phone grandad' (my dad who is very intelligent/just says the facts/doesn't pull her leg like i do)

She couldn't wrap her head around the fact I was telling the truth as he backed me up (I think she thought he was in on some joke so googled it)

Do you think we will see adults at work with them as they all enter the work place?

It is mind boggling for them. It is hard to imagine myself. Imagine not having a phone. It really was another lifetime.

I've already seen adults at work in them tbh

Yes! It's already happening. I have colleagues in their 20s who wear star or flowr shaped spot patches to work. I kind of like it, then. Plus I work in an arty workplace, so it fits their aesthetic.

I had absolutely no idea what OP and others meant by star spot patches, had to Google. Are these actually used outside the house??? In what regions? They’ve not caught on at all in rural Highland Scotland.

Shopping and wearing clothes from Primark. Would try so hard to hide the labels in the clothes my Mum bought for me from Primark. I remember buying a coat from Topshop (must have been in the sale!) and proudly having that label on show!

Being gender fluid 😬

I was furious when they became trendy, they're the best fit for my feet and I used to be able to pick them up for £30... 😤