Trends have undergone drastic changes over the years. Many people have immense nostalgia for previous years, including those from 2010 to 2020. 

With 2026 starting a month ago, many people are striving to bring back traditions and trends from 2016 to reminisce on “better times”. This trend specifically started on TikTok, a popular social media platform consisting of short filmed videos to music. 

The song “Lush Life” by Zara Larsson, made in 2015, gained popularity through a dance on TikTok, stirring up the urge for a similar feeling to the past. More trends followed this, like Adidas sneakers, filters, and similar music tastes. 

Many celebrities, including  Selena Gomez, Emily Ratajkowski, and Karlie Kloss. One thing that makex 2016 2016 is Kylie Jenner’s lip kit. On January 15, 2026, Kylie Jenner looked back on her “King Kylie” era on Instagram. 

When students were asked which year they liked more, 2016 or 2026, 100% of students chose 2016. Some things that were most commonly enjoyed by students were Fidget Spinners, hover boards, unicorn frappuccinos, Drake songs, Vine, the mannequin challenge and the fashion of the time. 

“My favorite trends so far from 2026 are Dubai Chocolate, NeeDohs and Sonny Angels,” Teana Sims (10) said. 

Although many things have changed since 2016, VSCO remains a popular photo editing app that is used to put filters over original photos. With the new saying in place, many people are steering towards using more nostalgic photo filters. 

Specific clothing brands like Hollister are working on bringing back old-fashioned clothing styles like joggers and bright colors. Unlike 2016, 2026 is focused on “clean girl” effects and keeping things more natural. The main push for the 2016 aesthetic comes from people believing life lost its color.  

Trends are changing constantly from year to year. When looking back at the past, many become nostalgic; it is important to remember what led to trends today.