Older Women Are Sharing "Baffling" Things Younger Women Do, And I'm Truly Shocked At Some Of These (2025)

A while back, we wrote about things that older women find "puzzling" about younger women. And the responses range from majorly petty to SOoOOooOo valid. Then, some readers even shared their own responses. Here are the best ones:

1. "The short-ish shorts worn in combination with long T-shirts!! Why do you want to look like you don’t have any bottoms on?!?!"

—Anonymous, 43, NC

2. "Recycling and renaming trends. I know that trends are cyclical, but it seems to me like Gen Z has very few trends of their own; whereas, my generation came up with a bunch of our own trends and fashion statements. I feel like everything Gen Z wears is a copy of something I've seen before. They don't take many risks, and I don't see very much in the way of individual style."

—Anonymous, 40, California

3. "What is it with young women these days who constantly video themselves burping and farting and thinking this is perfectly acceptable behavior! It’s grim, whether you’re male or female! Have some self-respect!"

—Anonymous, 44 UK

4. "Why do younger women place so much priority on looks rather than getting educated and having a good career?"

—Anonymous, 75, Vista, CA

5. "Gen X here. What is with everything anyone does being called 'core.' If the Zoomers at work (that's what we call Gen Z) ask what I did on the weekend and I say 'I went thrifting,' they respond, 'Oooh, you're so cottagecore,' or if I say I baked something, they say, 'So cute, so grandmacore.' Children, I made cookies, calm down."

—Anonymous

6. "What’s with all those furry spider false eyelashes? Everyone looks like Snuffleupagus every time they blink. It doesn’t enhance their looks but rather looks ridiculous. Add the platypus injected lips and you have a cartoon!"

—Anonymous, 60+

7. "Shaving all of their pubes."

—Anonymous

8. "Young women talk way too loudly in restaurants."

—Anonymous, 73 Arlington Hts, IL

9. "Saying you have a personality disorder or are neurodivergent because you took an online survey, or you read someone's memoir, or however you came to the conclusion without an actual diagnosis from a licensed therapist. This bugs me to no end. I know people with personality disorders. Speaking as someone who is diagnosed on the spectrum, you young people probably don't have a personality disorder."

—bribri18

10. "The exaggerated acrylic nails... They're just so NOT FUNCTIONAL."

—Anonymous, 39, Edmonton

11. "I marvel that young women still change their last names to their husbands'."

—originalqueen177

12. "I'm a divorced Gen X'er who now thinks big weddings are a colossal waste of money and who thinks the concept of marriage is totally archaic. The fact that younger generations haven't killed the whole 'huge rock on the finger,' 'big wedding,' and 'bridezilla' concept yet. On top of that, they have these super expensive bachelorette parties that cost thousands. Then they complain they can't buy a house. Stop this stupid wedding crap already and go have a small ceremony. And ladies...the big rock is nothing more than him tying you down and showing the world you're taken before you actually are!"

—Anonymous

13. "They eat too much junk food."

—Anonymous, 63, Uganda

14. "I'm not in my 40s, but still, Gen Z feels multiple generations younger than me. Thong bikinis!!!!! OMGOMGOMG, WHY?! Sure, maybe it's my own problem that it makes me uncomfortable, but it 100% makes me uncomfortable, especially when you're at a beach with young kids/families. Why are you trying to be sexy in these situations? Nothing's wrong with a little bit of modesty, but seriously — do less. I feel like that's Gen Z's vibe in general. They're very in your face about everything and total try-hards. But yeah, I SO hope that this trend dies. I totally hate it."

—Anonymous, 32, DC

15. "I don’t get the slit in the eyebrow trend. It looks like they have a medical condition."

—crispybutterfly80

16. "Potty mouths! I cringe at how often they drop swear words into regular conversation. It’s too bad they don’t realize how unintelligent it makes them sound."

—Anonymous, 34 Chicago, IL

17. "It's appalling to me how readily this new generation resorts to insults and name-calling when faced with any sort of difference of opinion. That is on display even in this comments section. Absolutely uncouth."

—Anonymous, 52 Pennsylvania

18. "Guys who don't do 50% of the housework are babies? That's a recent idea in human history. If a guy is providing 90 or 100% of the money and does all the home and car repairs, etc. That's over the top."

—Anonymous

19. Lastly, "I'm so, sooooo tired of this generation criticizing that generation. Don't we have enough stuff separating us? Do we really need more? Why can't we accept, enjoy, and learn from each other?"

—Anonymous, 78 VA

Responses have been edited for length/clarity.

So, older women of the internet, do you agree with these? What other "puzzling" things do Gen Z do? Let us know your comments! Or, if you want to remain anonymous, leave a comment using the form below.