Soft life means luxury: designer bags, cars, brunch dates, and vacations.
Soft life also means peace of mind, comfort, and smart spending. For many, it’s about balance.
Living a soft life is prioritising enjoyment and self-care over suffering and discomfort; living smarter and not harder.
Before now, a soft life was living a life of luxury, with designer bags, luxury cars, and penthouses, but with the Gen Zs having added a twist, it’s all about living a smart, affordable, and creative lifestyle.
For most Gen Zs today, soft life is comfort, convenience, and creativity… on a budget.
The soft life dream isn’t about luxury cars or designer bags anymore. With DIY hacks flooding TikTok and Instagram, they’re proving you don’t need to break the bank to live easy.
DIY and Soft Life
Do It Yourself (DIY) is fixing or designing something on your own instead of paying someone or buying it ready-made. People do DIY to save money, learn new skills, or create things that fit their own style.
In a world where ‘quality’ means having to spend so much, Doing It Yourself means you create, design, and customize things to fit your taste and style, within your means.
DIY is thrifting old jeans and redesigning them with current trends, it is making skincare with natural ingredients instead of buying expensive brands, it is also decorating your room with everyday and handmade items or repurposed materials.
Gen Zs use DIY to show independence and personal style. DIY gives them control.
It shows they don’t need big money to look good or live well. It is also a form of self-expression showing creativity, confidence, and originality in a world where everyone wants to stand out.
“I’ve become more powerful independently.
You know the kind of power that frees you from depending on anyone because you know you can build your own world from scratch.”
Iremide, a popular creator, explained how being a multifaceted creative person has helped with her self-reliance in one of her posts on TikTok, where she designed a house plant from a twig she found in the bin.
Comfort Over Cost.
For many Gen Zs, the “soft life” is no longer about designer bags or fancy restaurants.
It’s about peace, ease, and comfort without breaking the bank. The focus has shifted from luxury to smart living. Young people are learning that self-care and aesthetics don’t have to drain their wallets.
On TikTok and YouTube, “DIY girlies” show how to live soft on a tight budget.
From making body scrubs at home to styling thrifted clothes, they turn simple materials into lifestyle statements.
“Learning how to do my own lashes was the best investment ever,” Lee explained.
These hacks spread fast because Gen Zs love practical creativity. Creators tap into that trend, teaching followers how to stretch every naira while keeping things trendy.
Many Gen Zs now prefer low-cost hangouts over luxury spots. They go to parks, beaches, and small cafés where the atmosphere still feels fun but doesn’t drain their pockets. These places give the same vibe: good music, soft lighting, and nice photos for social media… but at half the cost.
“Who needs 100k when 50k can serve looks?” Mide, a lifestyle creator, said.
Many young Nigerians call it “soft life on a budget.” They make skincare with kitchen ingredients, rework jeans into tote bags, and decorate rooms with thrift finds.
Their message is clear: comfort doesn’t always mean cash. It means creativity, peace, and small joys that feel good without costing much.
Online Influence
Soft life now lives online. Influencers and content creators shape how young people define and live it. They post DIY routines, budget hangouts, and lifestyle hacks that prove soft life is not always about luxury;
sometimes it’s ease and creativity.
With the advent of social media, content creators push trends online. They post videos and reviews of affordable hangout spots, showing followers where to enjoy without overspending. This has made “cheap enjoyment” a lifestyle choice, not a struggle.
“You don’t have to wear designer to look expensive.” Sarah, a fashion creator, explained.
Gen Zs heavily engage with short video formats and user-generated content (UGC).
These formats are where DIY content (tutorials, step-by-step guides) thrives.
Many Gen Zs follow creators and trust them for advice and recommendations; this implies DIY voices have influence.
A 2024 InsightDIY report shows that 71% of Gen Zs turn to social media for DIY inspiration, with hashtags like #DIY-holic.
Platforms like Pinterest and TikTok now act like search engines. It’s where they learn to recycle, restyle, and repurpose.
For Gen Zs, soft life reflects intentional living. It’s about using creativity to build comfort and peace, not chasing luxury. Whether through homemade skincare, thrift fashion, or budget hangouts, the ‘soft life’ lifestyle is a mindset.
It’s about living smart and making life feel good on your own terms.
The message is simple: soft life is not about money, it’s about comfort and staying true to yourself.
