2008 recession culture
“I’m so 2008, you’re so 2000 and late.” - Fergie
Image Credit: The Guardian
The year 2008 was pivotal. When mentioned, it often evokes thoughts of economic turbulence and immense cultural whiplash; the death of McBling and the rise of the hipster. According to the Federal Reserve History site, the Great Recession officially began in December 2007 and lasted until around June 2009 (“The Great Recession”). The statistics from that period are staggering. Unemployment more than doubled, jumping from 5% to 10%, and the United States GDP fell by 4.3%. Though the technical recession ended after roughly eighteen months, its impact extended far beyond the financial realm. It restructured aesthetics, cultural trends, and the general mindset of Millennials and Gen Z growing up in the chaos.
The term recession culture describes these broader social and cultural shifts in response to economic upheaval. People were simply spending less. The 2008 Consumer Expenditures Report notes that “the increase in spending was the smallest increase since […] 2003,” and that average American consumers decreased their spending in areas like apparel, furniture, and alcohol (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
A few notable expenditure changes from 2007 to 2008 include:
Apparel and services: –4.3%
Household furnishings and equipment: –9.6%
Alcohol: –2.8% (Notably, alcohol expenditures had already dropped 8% from 2006 to 2007, creating a cumulative 10.8% decrease over two years.)
In short, people were buying fewer “superfluous” items. Aesthetics reflected this shift: more grunge, less gloss. Skins, the cult UK drama that premiered in 2007, exemplified this raw, chaotic energy. So did shows like Breaking Bad and Sons of Anarchy, both of which debuted in 2008 and embodied a darker, more disillusioned cultural atmosphere.
It’s also impossible to talk about 2008 television without mentioning the rise of reality TV. Keeping Up With the Kardashians had just premiered in late 2007 and began to soar in popularity in 2008. Jersey Shore was in development, set to debut in 2009. Shows like The Hills, America’s Next Top Model, The Bachelor, and Survivor dominated the landscape. Reality television was relatively cheap to produce, offered escapist appeal, and was highly addictive. These qualities that made it especially attractive during a time of economic hardship. Additionally, the 100-day Writers Guild of America strike between 2007 and 2008 meant networks needed alternatives that didn’t rely on unionized scriptwriting. While I’ve never been especially drawn to reality TV, I can appreciate why its popularity skyrocketed in that moment: it was economic, timely, and easy to consume.
Peep this Fall 2008 Marc Jacobs runway look!
In fashion, 2008 marked the symbolic end of the McBling era (goodbye Juicy Couture tracksuits and bedazzled Razrs) and the rise of something more muted, disillusioned, and humble. As the economy crumbled, so did the appetite for overt glamour. People weren’t buying flashy new outfits; they were thrifting, layering American Apparel basics, and leaning into what would become the hipster aesthetic. Think skinny jeans, flannel, beanies, slouchy cardigans, and beat-up Doc Martens. Fashion turned recession-friendly: vintage, DIY, and ironically detached. This wasn’t just a trend; it was a survival instinct wrapped in aesthetics. Suddenly, Skins-core grit was aspirational. Looking like you rolled out of bed in a cloud of existential dread became the look (and it was a great look). If McBling said, “more is more,” post-2008 fashion responded with, “less is kind of all we can afford right now.”
Personally, I feel aligned with the grounded, practical aesthetics popularized in this era. While I may never wear skinny jeans again (the middle school trauma runs deep), most of my wardrobe is secondhand. I gravitate toward earth tones and minimalist fits. I love Skins and occasionally indulge in the early seasons of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. And yes, I identify with the irony and nihilistic detachment of the era – but I still carry hope for something better. Is that a symptom of our current economic and political climate, or just a reflection of personal taste? Maybe ask me again in a few years.
Either way, 2008 was more than a financial crisis. It was a cultural reset that still feels oddly familiar. Perhaps in the future I'll do another deep dive into the year; I haven't even touched on the music of this era!
Works Cited
Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Consumer Expenditures–2008.” U.S. Department of Labor, Sept. 2009, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cesan.nr0.htm.
Federal Reserve History. “The Great Recession.” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Nov. 22, 2013, https://www.federalreservehistory.org/essays/great-recession-of-200709.
