Yuppies Are Everywhere (Again)

In its heyday, the term “yuppie” felt ubiquitous, even if it only applied to a small slice of the population, and chances were, you were either very pro or very anti. Though the ’80s were marked by the younger cohort of well-educated baby boomers flocking to urban areas, transforming their cities of choice both geographically and culturally, the phenomenon still felt like the brief flash of an asteroid in a period defined by a massive variety of expressive styles. (The term enjoyed less than a decade in the limelight: it was first popularized in a Chicago Tribune column in 1983 and the “death of yuppies” was officially declared following the stock market crash in 1987.)

Yuppies wanted to create a “bigger, better, and shinier ” way of life, Avery Trufelman, host of the popular style podcast Articles of Interest, tells ELLE. These young, upwardly mobile professionals represented a sudden splintering in the middle class, as the income of college-educated Americans disproportionately skyrocketed, yuppies were right there to spend it, even as the bottom half of American families experienced a significant drop. Cut to 30 years later, swap Dorrian’s and The Quilted Giraffe with TikTok’s must-visit restaurants, and the trend is back, this time in an even more widespread and pervasive way.

You might have noticed it creeping in—faux tennis merch for “hot girl walks,” run clubs for singles, discourse about how “nice it is to be a West Village Girl,” flitting to and from Pilates. Health is once again the ultimate symbol of status and wealth, and so is a name-brand wardrobe. That’s not to say that designer clothing ever lost its cachet, rather that 2025 yuppies have a renewed brazenness in their spending, and social media-first living has paved the way for luxury athletic capsules, cross-industry collaborations, and influencer-driven “It” girl brands that have cemented themselves amongst the tiers of traditional luxury.

Ralph Lauren ready to wear, 1984.

In comparison to last summer’s new-wave prep revival, which brought a resurgence of boat shoes and embraced a casual undoneness, thanks to brands like Miu Miu and Wales Bonner, there’s a certain overtness that yuppie culture wholeheartedly embraces in its quest for perfection. “You’re looking at the labels. You’re asking ‘who’s wearing what sunglasses?’ The bottoms of your khakis aren’t frayed—it’s very clean,” explains Trufelman.

Tennis, golf, and sailing, while traditionally wealthy sports, are extending even further into the zeitgeist of the aspirational mainstream. For yuppies, both then and now, leisure-class and fitness-driven activities promise tantalizing access to a glowing new tier of life filled with suntans, spritzes, and the perfect summer sandals. Earlier this year, Miu Miu launched a rolling series of pop-ups for its “Gymnasium” collection, offering a selection of low-profile sneakers and elegant American sportswear, two trends that are currently dominating summer dressing. Likewise, Gap recently partnered with Malbon Golf for a course-inspired capsule, Aimé Leon Dore’s spring 2025 collection is filled with sailing-themed apparel, and Burberry is taking over The Newt, a country estate and luxury spa in Somerset, for a summer full of bespoke lawn sport experiences.

In 2025, access to the yuppie aesthetic is more likely to begin with a name-brand athletic crewneck than with a country club membership. “[Sporty & Rich] was just an aspiration of mine to be part of this world in my own way,” founder Emily Oberg tells ELLE. Since its inception in 2015, her brand has held firm in its popularization of affluent American sport aesthetics. For Oberg, who has both Canadian and Filipino roots, “it was [about] building something that represented that world, [without] necessarily having to have been born into it.” Current offerings on the website include a collaboration with Adidas in “court green” colorways, “Beverly Hills Riding Club” T-shirts, Vendome Tennis Bags, and a “Health is Wealth” baseball cap in Reagan-era red, white, and blue.

The bids are in—a still from the Frame x Sotheby’s collection campaign.

Oberg is right. The difference now is almost everyone seems in on it—at least more willingly than before. Letterboxd watch lists like “Yuppies in Peril” have yet to update to include a Gen Z version, and in the meantime, brands are tapping into the revival as much as popular culture is heralding it. Take Frame, which just released a collection with Sotheby’s featuring items like “COLLECTOR” T-shirts. Not many would think to pair a storied auction house with a customer-favorite denim brand. However the two came together, explicitly inspired by the vibrant energy of 1980s New York, where Wall Streeters and affluent art curators collided in perfect yuppie harmony.

There’s an undeniable glamour in being able to enjoy life so freely, enjoy a dose of unabashed selfishness, and look good while doing it, especially if you draw parallels to yuppies’ ’80s origins. Adds Trufelman, “It’s rather an old resurgence of this idea ‘I’m just here to have a good time,’ and in big bad New York City, there’s a group of people [recreating] the last days of disco.”