Let’s set the scene: Snow is gently piling up outside, the yellowed streetlights have just flickered on, Mom is pulling one of her delicious desserts from the oven, and you’re dressed in your favorite seasonal attire. Maybe it’s a hand-knitted sweater from Grandma or a velvet dress from JCPenney or the white button-down worn at school concerts. Regardless of what it is, just the feel of the fabric is a warm embrace that ushers in the familiarity and comfort of another holiday season. As family and friends assemble for a holiday gathering, children quickly gravitate toward a corner all their own rife with toys, books, colorful paper chains, and a boho fort packed with pillows and blankets. It’s the perfect spot to dream of presents, decide which video to watch later, and draw a picture for a best friend. The mood is warm, relaxed, and incredibly comforting.
If this scene sounds familiar to you, then it is very possible you are a member of the millennial generation. Born between 1981 and1996, millennials are considered the last generation to have experienced childhood mostly tech-free. Before the iPad and streaming services and ChatGPT, there was the family desktop computer everyone shared, the ever-celebrated classroom tv cart with built-in VHS player, and the long family meals where you could talk for hours without the fear of being interrupted by a text or notification. Now that many millennials have entered the phase of raising their own children, they are nostalgic for their own childhoods. They want to recreate the childhood joy they experienced for their own kids. While this influence spreads to the types of toys parents are purchasing and activities they do, it is also reflected in the clothing their children are making their happiest memories in.
At today’s holiday gathering, Lilah, Harry, and Sebi have arrived at the party wearing their winter wonderland best. Lilah, the dancer of our group, is ready to play in a beautiful knit top and tartan skirt. Tights and ballet flats finish off the look, signaling she is ready for the holidays but also prepared to pirouette at a moment’s notice. Harry looks like an actor from Dawson’s Creek in his relaxed blue trousers and white button-down shirt. In white socks and brown Oxfords, he too is ready to entertain, whether it’s reading his friends a story or rocking out on the ukulele. Last, but certainly not least, in a dress that looks as if it were plucked from a chic Fifth Avenue boutique in December 1995, is Sebi. She glows in her ruby red velvet dress as she plays pretend in the wonderland around her.
These looks are not remarkable on their own, but they convey a recent past that is very comforting to many. The muted colors and gentle patterns of these simple looks stand in contrast to the bright colors and t-shirts with pop icons one tends to see on the racks of local department stores. With originality sometimes feeling out of reach in this over-saturated market, parents have decided to channel their youth, head to the thrift store or their local small business, and find pieces that speak to their childhood and the memories they wish to make for their children. Whether it is in the foods they eat, the games they play, or the clothes they wear, at the end of the day, it all culminates in a feeling that they will carry as a cherished memory with them always.
Photographer: Autumn Layne (@autumnlaynephoto)
Models: Lilah, Harry, and Seb from by Mary Therese Friel Modeling Agency
Set design & outfit: styling by Caitlin Kenyon (@pureslate)
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2026 issue of (585).
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