Forget hot girl summer – cosy girl autumn is our natural habitat.
It seems more and more of us millennials and our younger Gen Z counterparts are becoming more invested in the autumnal aesthetic: more than ever, we’re posing in pumpkin patches, wrapping up in big coats and scarfs and ramping up our Halloween celebrations.
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But there’s actually far more to our newfound love of Autumn than just our penchant for Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes and workshopping costume ideas for spooky szn – and it’s all to do with ownership.
“Autumn is the one season millennials can really own,” psychotherapist Sally Baker explains. “Boomers have always been more focused with Christmas. They didn’t really grow up with Halloween in the same way, it’s more of a strange American import, but Halloween and the autumn season holds a special place for many younger people as it’s something they’ve always had.
“Autumn is also a very scenic month. It allows younger people, who have grown up with social media, to create a cosy, fantasy little world they’re completely in control of to share on Instagram.”
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For many younger people, autumn may have come to symbolise a fresh start: September is often the start of a new school or university year, a sign of us growing up and claiming independence.
“As well as school, trick or treating and Halloween parties for many younger people may be the first taste of freedom they had away from their parents,” Sally says. “It’s the beginning of independence and many young people may enjoy that sense of responsibility.
It seems almost paradoxical for younger generations, who suffer greater levels of anxiety and were the hardest hit by the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, to be so taken with a season that encourages us to stay in and seek thrills. However, Sally disagrees, saying it’s about control.
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“There’s still a lot of anxiety about the pandemic and going out, especially as Covid rates are so high,” she explains. “Autumn allows us to embrace staying in and keeping warm without any guilt.
“Consider our new approach to autumn to be like a rustic version of the hygge trend that was popular a few years ago.”
Sally also points to the cultural impact of America, as well as the power of social media, that has seen our own autumnal celebrations ramped up.
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“Social media provides a global stage for people,” she explains. “We can see what people are up to all over the world.
“America is still hugely influential on the UK, and they love to go big on their seasons. Seeing lots of American celebrities will follow, like the Kardashians, going big on autumn activities will encourage us to do the same. We take our lead from them.
“Social media allows this to spread quickly, and things can snowball. It provides an online comparison for us to compare our own lives and perhaps re-evaluate them, and we may choose to mimic their activities.”
And autumn is certainly likely to become as big and as distinct as Christmas and summer celebrations, now more and more people are choosing to get involved.
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“So many places put it into our heads about what Halloween should look like, with all the costumes and parades,” Sally says. “We need numbers to make it work – and we’re certainly heading that way."
Featured Image Credit: Pexels