You know those online comparisons between fifty-year-old celebrities of yesterday and today? Well, forget about them. Because millennials are proving that getting older in 2025 doesn't mean giving up your style, your passions or your eternal inner childhood. Between fluid fashion, rituals anti-aging and nostalgic remixes, a new culture of aging is taking shape. And she is leading it: the Peter Pan Generation. My wife's, to be clear: "small" until the day before yesterday, and today suddenly realizing she is in her forties and "ruling class". How did they react?
Who are millennials and what do they want?
Millennials, or rather those born between 1981 and 1996, are a unique generation. Growing up between two millennia, between digital revolutions and economic crises, they have developed their own approach to life and aging. Today, as the first of them approach the threshold of 50 years, one fact emerges clearly: millennials have no intention of “growing up” in the traditional sense of the term.
So what do they want? Staying true to yourself, your values, and your style, without being defined by a number on your registry. They want to grow old, sure, but on their own terms and at their own pace. And they can set a new standard.
Ageless fashion and the essence of Peter Pan style
A prime example of this approach is fashion. While it was once expected that after 40, one would dress “age-appropriately,” today this rule no longer seems to apply, at least for millennials. Whether it’s showing off vintage pieces, daring with provocative looks, or freely mixing trends from different eras, the imperative is only one: stay true to your own personal style.
On the other hand, in an era in which fifty-year-old icons like J.Lo, Shania Twain o Gwen Stefani set trends with their bold outfits, the very concept of “dressing young” seems obsolete. Age no longer dictates the rules of the fashion game: only attitude counts.
The wellness boom and the search for eternal youth
But the millennials' challenge to aging is not limited to external appearance. This generation is in fact enthusiastically embracing the entire world of wellness, in search of solutions anti-aging for body and mind. Supplements, LED masks, microstimulation devices, cutting-edge beauty treatments: the wellness market is booming and millennials are among the main protagonists.
The target? Slowing down the effects of time, of course, but also feeling good, fit and in harmony with oneself. A search for longevity that, for some, leads to the most extreme biohacking, as witnessed Bryan johnson in the recent Netflix documentary “Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever”. Age is no longer a static concept and millennials are spending our modest disposable incomes to turn the tide in our favor. The numbers confirm our fixation: Euromonitor International forecasts global sales of vitamins and supplements to reach $139,9 billion by the end of 2025, up from $127,2 billion in 2024.
Kidulting, nostalgia and remix culture
Wellness aside, there is another trend that is characterizing millennial aging: the return to childhood. Or rather, the nostalgic remix of icons, toys and cultural products of the past. From the sets of LEGO for adults (who are 20% of total users, eh) to mascot of the most loved brands, from cartoon-inspired accessories to clothing featuring the faces of famous characters, the kidulting It's everywhere. A trend perfectly embodied in the recent phenomenon "Lucio Corsi": between Topo Gigio and t-shirts with Sylvester the Cat, the "kidult" singer (who is thirty years old, however) has also intercepted the public in terms of clothing.
What do you say? Has it always been called “Peter Pan Syndrome”? Not exactly. Kidulting is a phenomenon that, far from being mere regression, represents a form of cultural expression typical of our times, in which trends overlap, mix and reinterpret each other at a continuous pace. After all, in an era of uncertainty like ours, rediscovering the myths of one’s childhood is a way to find oneself and, why not, face the future with a smile.
Peter Pan and the Island That Now Exists
Whether it's with an avant-garde style, an LED mask or a Hello Kitty pendant, one thing is certain: millennials are redefining aging in their own image and likeness. Irreverent, nostalgic, technological: the ingredients of their elixir of long life surprise and provoke discussion, but one thing is undeniable.
This Peter Pan Generation, suspended between past and future, between real and imaginary, is writing a new chapter in the history of humanity. A chapter in which age is just a number and youth, more than a season of life, is a state of mind. And you, are you ready to dive into this new era? The invitation is launched: welcome to the ageless world of millennials. If you want to take a step back, however, there would be my Generation X, which is also a nice journey.
