optimism is still a thing

this playlist was originally made at a very ‘jessica day’ time in my life, with little additions here and there lately. if that resonates with you at the moment (or if you love bright, colorful tights), this might just be perfect for you! while i considered this playlist to be strictly twee at one point, i think it began to morph into the idea of millennial optimism in general, which i still think fits perfectly in the subgenre.

of course i had to add a couple she & him songs, mostly because i wanted to embody zooey deschanel here, and of course i couldn’t do that without the mother of twee herself.

another song i wanted to point out is outbound by after. maddie actually sent me this song awhile back, and even though it was released in 2025, it still manages to match whatever idea i had in my head perfectly. it has the whimsical, fun feeling that i associate with so many of the other songs, and it makes me feel like i’m wearing a beret with a striped scarf and the wind is blowing in my hair while i give a nostalgic chuckle and shake of my head. (does that make sense? x)

finally, honorable mention to sweet disposition by the temper trap. i have a severe attachment to it and there is no better song for the feeling of millennial optimism. in my mind at least. also, it literally plays in 500 days of summer!! there zooey goes again.