Gen Z’s 2024 dating trends revealed: Why ‘micro-mance’ and ‘future proofing’ are hot right now

For singles, 2024 was the year of hoodfishing.

And it appears that the quest for lasting love is only going to get more complicated in the new year.

Bumble has just dropped its annual dating trends for 2025, revealing an insight into how young lovers are set to court one another.

The dating app polled more than 40,000 millennial and Gen Z Bumble users in September to reach their findings.

According to the data, women are heading into 2025 with new certainty about how and who they want to date — and it’s creating several new trends.

“We’re seeing women confidently saying what they want and drawing their lines,” the report declared.

Below, the new trends being driven by ambitious single ladies.

Micro-mance

5

There’s set to be a new trend with a new name, according to Bumble, with women wanting to be wooed with smaller, more thoughtful gestures.

Micro-mance, a combination of “micro” and “romance,” consists of simple gestures to show that you care.

Don’t get it twisted — people still want romance. More than half of women surveyed (53%) are self-proclaimed romantics who love love, and 1 in 3 women respondents (37%) shared that a lack of romance had a negative impact on their dating life.

The difference in 2025 will be the focus on small gestures rather than grand gestures. A majority of singles surveyed (86%) said that “micro-mance” behaviors such as sending memes, sharing a playlist or having inside jokes is the new way to show affection.

Future-proofing

5

Looking to the future is a huge part of dating, and women no longer want to waste time with a man who can’t meet their various needs.

Uncertainty around things such as finances, job security and housing have become huge red flags. According to 95% of the singles surveyed, worries about the future are impacting both who and how they date.

A majority of women respondents (59%) are looking for a partner with emotional stability. They want someone who is emotionally dependable, steady and who knows what they want in life.

These types of conversations are likely to be brought up sooner rather than later, with 1 in 4 (27%) of women saying that these topics are pushed from the get-go to make sure they are on the same page with a potential partner.

DWM (Date With Me)

5

On TikTok, users’ pages are full of dating GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos, live-streamed breakups and post-date debriefs.

According to Bumble, this social media content resonates with women and it’s only going to become bigger in 2025.

A sizable 35% of respondents share that realistic, positive dating content helps them feel hopeful about their own love lives.

Additionally, this content helps people feel less alone, with 42% of women saying they feel less self-conscious and lonely because of all the relatable dating stories on social media.

Male-casting

5

This year, single ladies have been looking for a a “babygirl” vibe.

And discussion about different male stereotypes and an interrogation of traditional masculinity is only set to become more prolific in 2025.

Over half of women surveyed (53%) in the Bumble study agreed that these conversations would continue into the new year, having a huge impact on dating.

Guys that get it

5

The rise of the guy best friend means women are relying on males to help find them matches.

Nearly one-third of single women surveyed said they’re more open about their dating lives with their male friends than they used to be. Among women, 22% said they ask their male friends to vet potential dates, and 54% rely on the men in their lives to offer advice and insight on men’s dating behavior.