11 Outdated Status Symbols Millennials Love That Boomers Think Are Ridiculous
Millennials love their plant children, food delivery apps and their overpriced coffees.
BublikHaus / Shutterstock Status symbols are often seen as markers of success or prestige. However, what constitutes a social symbol is not static. It changes over time as societies evolve. Different generations are heavily influenced by prevailing cultural climates, new technology, evolving social norms, and now the rise of digital influence. For example, there are several outdated status symbols millennials absolutely love that baby boomers think are simply ridiculous.
These items go to show that when status symbols shift from something that people wouldn't even have noticed just a few decades ago to something that most younger generations today cannot live without, older people are left baffled.
Here are 11 outdated status symbols millennials love that boomers think are outdated
1. Overpriced coffee
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Many of us have become accustomed to the idea that we cannot start our day without our morning coffee. And if we want to get really specific, coffee from overpriced chains that we could easily make ourselves at home. It is rare to see a millennial walking into work without a Dunkin' or Starbucks cup in their hand, often topped with cold foam and infused with the latest flavor shots.
Buying overpriced coffee frequently has become somewhat of a social norm for them. However, it doesn’t come without a price. According to Balance Coffee, Americans spend $21.32 per week on coffee from coffee shops.
While millennials may be happy with their $6 iced caramel macchiatos in the morning, boomers may prefer their freshly brewed pot they can easily make at home.
2. Smartphones with the latest features
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Since boomers grew up using rotary phones, the introduction of smartphones must have been daunting for them! Modern day smartphones allow users a seamless Internet browsing experience, high-resolution cameras, biometric authentication via fingerprint or facial recognition to unlock the phone, and AI features that likely freak out most boomers.
Millennials embrace the chaos of new features on smartphones, and they are rarely spotted without their phones on hand.
However this doesn’t mean that boomers stay away from smartphones entirely. In 2024, 76% of people over 65 owned a smartphone, per QliqSOFT. Even if they may not own the newest ones, give them a break! They are still learning about texting and FaceTime.
3. Beige home decor
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The color beige (if you even consider it a color) has become quite popular over the last few years, especially among millennials. It seems as if whenever you walk into one of their homes, you will be met with the calming sense of tranquility that beige offers.
Back in the day, boomer parents would often add every color of the rainbow in their kids playrooms, and they were often scattered with vibrant colored toys. Today, millennial parents often do not have even the slightest dash of color in their kids’ playrooms, and even their toys are neutral colors.
While boomers embrace the chaos of colors that may not always coordinate, millennials have appeared to adopt a more minimalist style when it comes to home decor.
4. Social media followers
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Millennials are heavily dependent on social media, and it is not expected to stop anytime soon. According to Statistica, they spend an average of two and a half hours per day browsing through social media, often connecting with others.
For some millennials, the amount of followers they have on their social media defines their self-worth. The more followers they have, the more people that are interested in their everyday life. Even if this is not reality, it is what many of them have been led to believe in this day and age.
Boomers on the other hand are far less familiar with social media, and are more likely to accidentally post a photo than even be aware of their follower count.
5. Minimalist wardrobes
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Millennials sure do love their sleek, minimalist accessories, and that includes their clothing! They often have a higher environmental awareness than boomers ever did, and are always striving to reduce their carbon footprint.
Part of this means cutting back the demand for cheap, mass-produced clothing and promoting sustainable, ethical fashion choices. A millennial’s wardrobe may only consist of timeless and durable clothing items, while boomers may opt for the latest trends where they will feel fashionable and comfortable.
6. Fitness tracking devices
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Boomers have become accustomed to just going for a workout without having to track out progress. When you see a millennial at the gym, they are equipped with Apple Watches doing a workout plan they obtained from a fitness app.
Recent data shows that 45% of health app users are millennials who want to keep track of their fitness journey progress, making them the most active generation in terms of using fitness tracking apps.
Fitness trackers make it possible to get an idea of how we are progressing in our own personal fitness journeys and how we can improve our workouts. However, most boomers likely stick to a particular workout they are familiar with without feeling the need to track how many steps they walked or how many calories they burned.
7. Food delivery services
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Some people, apart from younger generations, don't even know how to go up to the food counter and place their order in person since they have become reliant on mobile order or food delivery services. This allows them to order food to the comfort of their own homes without ever having to engage in face-to-face interaction.
Platforms such as DoorDash and UberEats have become increasingly popular among millennials who want to order their meals directly to them. According to a Toast study, 53% of millennials aged 25–35 use DoorDash.
Boomers on the other hand have likely never heard of DoorDash and prefer ordering their food the old-fashioned way — in person or over the phone!
8. Influencer culture
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The job title of "Influencer" is one that never existed when boomers first joined the workforce. Social media has opened the door for more job opportunities that allow people to make money just by broadcasting their everyday life to others online.
Depending on their popularity and the frequency of their online presence, social media influencers can earn a decent salary. According to ZipRecruiter, the estimated annual earnings for a well-known social media influencer in the U.S. is around $57,928 as of February 2025.
As the satisfaction of modern day work culture continues to decline among millennials, some of them are turning to the influencer lifestyle that could earn them more than what they ever could make at a typical 9 to 5! However, boomers may view this particular way of living as impractical.
9. Tattoo collections
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According to Statistica, 41% of millennials have at least one tattoo on their bodies. However, it's nothing out of ordinary to see others who are tatted on nearly every inch of skin. This is a stark difference from boomers who were often told that their jobs would be on the line if they had any tattoos that could not be concealed by clothing.
Millennials are often driven by deeper meanings in their personal lives, and tattoos offer them a unique way to honor certain milestones or philosophies with a permanent spot on their body. Tattoos are also a form of personal expression, and allow people to convey their experiences, beliefs and artistic preferences.
10. Participation trophies
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Participation trophies are a topic that seem to ruffle boomers’ feathers. They often boast about how when they were kids, only those who were the most outstanding received participation trophies. However, millennial parents are aware of the fact that participation trophies aren’t the same as winning. They just want to celebrate everyone who puts in their best effort to try and win.
“Participation trophies recognize that kids’ skill sets are wildly different and that we put kids in organized sports at young ages, when their skills are still very much in development and not clearly defined,” explained Candida Fink, M.D.
“Participation trophies celebrate every kid for being a part of the team or the activity, regardless of their skill level.”
Even if boomers prefer to play by the rules when it comes to winning, why shouldn’t everyone be praised for their efforts? Life is already hard enough.
11. Plant parenthood
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If you mistakenly read this as “Planned Parenthood,” you’re not alone! While it was common for boomer women to be encouraged into marriage and having kids, millennials are exploring different options.
According to a NerdWallet survey, 61% of childless millennials do not plan on having kids. Instead, many of them find joy in caring for pets, and even something as low maintenance as a plant. Just as a parent would nurture and care for their child, plant parents invest time, effort, and attention into making sure their plants thrive.
Millennials have grown quite fond of incorporating plants into their everyday lives, finding them therapeutic, comforting, aesthetically pleasing and far less stressful than human children!
So the next time your boomer mom demands to know when you plan on giving her grandkids, just add another plant to your collection!
Megan Quinn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.