UN 388 - YPulse. Style, Fashion, and Identity.

Up Next with Gabriella Mirabelli

In today's episode, MaryLeigh Bliss, Chief Content Officer at YPulse, discusses insights from their recent fashion preferences report based on a survey of 1,500 young North American consumers. She explores how the fear of seeming "cringe" leads many to avoid clothes that look "try-hard," and how comfort has become a defining aesthetic—with sweatpants now acceptable almost anywhere. The conversation also looks at how TikTok and Instagram often act less as discovery tools and more as validation loops that reinforce existing styles. Bliss explains why luxury branding struggles to resonate with generations raised on big-box retail, how thrifting is motivated more by price than sustainability, and why the renewed interest in "going-out" clothes may reflect a broader desire for in-person connection.