If you’ve been on the internet in the past couple of weeks, you know one fundamental truth: 2026 is the new 2016.
For someone my age, this is interesting to think about. I was 11 in 2016, and I spent my days watching RCLBeauty101 and scrolling through Pinterest posts, aspiring to one day be just as trendy as the influencers (Were they called influencers back then?). I imagined my older self dressing like them, wearing my hair like them, doing my makeup like them. What I wasn’t thinking about was that the trends would change, and the photos that inspired me would soon become relics of a simpler time.
But now 2016 is back.
This gives us (me, really) an opportunity to take a look back at the trends we once aspired to. Do they hold up? Will they come back? Should I buy a fidget spinner?
Here are my thoughts.
Galaxy Print
Oh, galaxy print. What a chokehold it had. Every article of clothing you can think of came in galaxy print. I wanted galaxy leggings so badly. My desktop wallpaper was galaxy, my phone case was galaxy. You could find DIY videos of how to make a galaxy version of just about any beauty product you could think of. There was something so enchanting about the stars and clouds of blues, purples and pinks that just made everybody want this print stamped on everything.
9/10, I still want those leggings.
Rock Studs
I don’t think I ever liked rock studs. The only reason I’m including them at all is because some evil, twisted person on the set of The Devil Wears Prada 2 decided to bring them back in a pair of shoes worn by the one and only Miranda Priestly. I could make a whole other post about that, but that’s neither here nor there. These were also pretty popular on combat boots, which is not great but a little more excusable in my opinion.
0/10, I hate rock studs.
Chokers
All the cool girls wore chokers. Myself, I had several. They came in every color of the rainbow. They could be plastic, metal, lace, what have you. Bonus points if they were stacked with another necklace (or two). If you dreamed of having an emo phase, you needed a black choker.
8/10, Is it too late to become an e-girl?
Full Glam Makeup
In Kylie Jenner’s defense, this was the look of the time. In 2016, a full face of makeup meant at least three layers of product on every square inch of skin. Bronzer, matte lipstick and Instagram brows were all crucial elements of any makeup tutorial, and it was godawful. We did a full 180 as we entered the 2020s, with cottagecore and pandemic-era minimalism coming to the forefront. Maximalism has been on the rise in the last few years, but only time will tell if we’ll be seeing the full glam look make a return.
0/10, I don’t ever want to see this again.
Skater Skirts
I loved them. I had one. I would never wear one again. Skater skirts are actually not a bad look, but they’re not the most flattering for my body type and honestly not to my taste. Still, they’re fun and cute, and I wouldn’t be mad about seeing them styled in a more modern way.
6/10, I’ll allow it.
Flower Crowns
Bring. Them. Back. Remember when everyone wanted to dress like they were going to a certain music festival? Part of the boho trend, flower crowns were great because of how customizable they were. Any size, any color or any kind of flowers you wanted could be made into a crown. I vividly remember the girls in my sixth-grade class selling these in the hallways, and I would love to see them make a comeback.
9/10, Bring back whimsy.
Cold Shoulder Tops
Cold shoulders, they will never make me hate you. I felt so cool and fashionable in my cold shoulders, and I would love to wear them again. Cutouts in general ruled the 2010s, and I’ve always been a fan of this trend. It was a fun way to explore silhouette, and there’s a lot of potential to combine them with the styles of the 2020s.
8/10, Sometimes overdone, but cute nonetheless.
Scrunchies
I will never let go of my scrunchies. I’m wearing one right now. I do not believe in traditional hair ties. Scrunchies were big throughout the late 2010s, but I think of them as having really re-emerged in 2016. They came in every color and every fabric. Some had bows, sequins, glitter, pom poms or any other embellishment you could think of. The peak of fashion was matching your scrunchie to your outfit, and I hope it never goes away.
10/10, I need to buy more scrunchies.
Sartorial Onscreen 
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