Move Over, Millennial Duck Face: The “Gen Z Pout” Is Taking Over

Have you ever wondered how to tell if someone is Millennial or Gen Z?

Perhaps it’s the side part in their hair, the fact that they know what MySpace is, or even the decaying Naked eyeshadow palette that’s still in their makeup bag. Perhaps it’s an unwillingness to donate those too-tight skinny jeans, or maybe just the fact that Twilight is their most-watched comfort movie and they passionately subscribe to either Team Edward or Team Jacob. IYKYK.

These days, however, the ultimate test might just be how they pose for a photo.

Move Over, “Duck Face”

Throughout the 2010s, the “duck face” was a go-to pose for Millennials. It’s where you make an exaggerated kissy face for photos and selfies. More often than not, a peace sign was included (TBH, it still feels like second nature to throw up my hand when a camera’s light flashes). It was that influential.

Since the duck face days (which still make a rare appearance on Instagram by names like Khloé Kardashian and Lady Gaga), there has yet to be a signature pose so deeply associated with a generation — until now.

Meet The “Gen Z Pout”

While most Gen Zers would consider the duck face to be definitively “cheugy,” their own “Gen Z pout” is pretty much the same same, but different.

Instead of making a kissy face, the up-and-coming pout is all about plumping out your lips and creating a down-turned frown that gives bratty it girl vibes. And in lieu of peace signs, the pose may come equipped with a contoured lip moment (or no makeup at all), or an image with a purposefully blurry finish.

Gen Z girlies making this a trend include Lily-Rose Depp, Ariana Greenblatt, and Rachel Sennott. Billie Eilish has also been spotted making the expression, along with countless others born between 1997 and 2012.

The appeal, according to one model and influencer, is in the nonchalant attitude and maturity the pose gives off. “To me, Lily’s pout is a fascinating juxtaposition of her sweet, doll-like features, and the ennui that arises from the pose that screams ‘I’m cooler than you,’” Kailyn Shepherd, a beauty and lifestyle creator, tells Bustle. “It is a go-to for girls like us who have round, soft features, as a smile would only amplify our youthful look of naivety.”

No matter which generation you were born under, of course, a pose and a style of jeans aren’t exclusive to any single group of people. Still, it’s safe to say once you know what the Gen Z pout is, you’ll start seeing it everywhere (and maybe begin doing it yourself).