Gen Z redefines the hangover as a badge of honor
For many, a hangover means shame and regret. But for some Gen Zers on TikTok and Instagram, it's an opportunity to romanticize the aftermath of a fun night. They post videos showcasing dark circles and headaches as evidence of a good time, often with a glamorous filter.
One woman captioned her clip, 'Romanticizing my hangover bc I’m a young ho and that means I had a fun night... Like that’s lowkey a beautiful thing.' Another shared a sunny walk, writing, 'Feeling hungover but full of love and happiness.' A third creator turned her hangover into a flex with Frank Sinatra's New York, New York playing over her 'rotting' in her NYC apartment after a night out.
A rebuttal to wellness culture
This trend pushes back against the obsession with biohacking and restrictive diets. 'People are sick of hearing about wellness culture,' said Mary Anne Porto, senior editor at Punch. 'It’s about not beating yourself up over having a good night. They’re saying it’s OK to have balance.'
Posting hangover content feels transgressive in an era of hypercurated feeds. Dave Infante, who writes Fingers newsletter, said, 'Alcohol and hangover content taps into that “I’m colorfully destructive” devil-may-care type of thing, which has always been attractive to young people.' He cited figures like Cat Marnell and Chelsea Handler as predecessors.
Influencers and the hangover aesthetic
One TikTok referencing influencer Alix Earle garnered over 222,000 likes. Earle built her brand on documenting her hard-partying college days. Allana Blumberg, a 26-year-old content creator, posted a reel showing her hangover routine with candles, cappuccino, and a Kindle. 'Just because you go out doesn’t mean you have to continue doing things that aren’t great for your body,' she said. 'You can trick yourself into thinking your hangover isn’t real and feel like you’re in a romcom.'
Hangover remedies as covert commercials
Young users also showcase products to ease hangovers, from almond milk to Red Bull and Electrolit. Drinks like Diet Coke are touted as essentials. This isn't entirely new—people have long sold dubious remedies like hair of the dog.
Gen Z drinking less but romanticizing more
Despite being called 'generation sensible' for drinking less, many Gen Zers still get hangovers. Infante notes that Americans of all ages are sobering up, and Gen Z ranges from 14 to 29, with many too young to legally drink. A survey found 75% of Gen Z cut back on social plans involving drinking due to cost, making a hangover a rare achievement.
The limits of hangover chic
TikTok’s hangover content avoids graphic scenes like vomiting and focuses on average hangovers, not extreme binging. Most creators are under 30 and can bounce back quickly. Blumberg joked, 'I used to think a hangover is a mindset, but it’s definitely starting to get worse.'
