As an avid listener of the podcast, “Anything Goes,” hosted by Emma Chamberlain, I genuinely look forward to each episode released on Thursdays and Sundays. There’s a certain comfort in hearing Chamberlain discuss various topics ranging from deciding whether or not to undergo a social media detox to debating whether certain fashion pieces are trendy or timeless. I vividly recall when the podcast first debuted in 2020 because I had been a fan of Chamberlain for quite some time prior and purchased a piece of her merchandise with my birthday money. Overall, as I’ve grown, I have always truly admired her clear-cut honesty and conversation skills, as well as her commendable fashion sense, through both her famous vlogs and podcast episodes.
Despite always being eager for new episodes of “Anything Goes,” in mid-December, I am most enthusiastic for her prediction episode, where she discusses what she personally believes will be “in” for the year ahead. Notable for her almost-flawless trend predictions, many of which she starts herself, Chamberlain dives into various fashion, beauty and lifestyle forecasts. Without further ado, I’ll be sharing the trends that she highlighted within the episode, as well as a few predictions I’m personally hoping to see this year.
Playful & Chill accessories
Diving into the 11 trends Chamberlain expects to see for 2026, she starts off with very playful and fun forms of fashion. As the podcaster typically reserves a separate installment for discussing upcoming clothing trends, she touched on the subject only briefly, particularly regarding accessories. In the episode, Chamberlain makes note that this year appears to be very free-spirited and has more of a relaxing energy, especially with fashion.
She personally believes that toe rings and chokers will enter the zeitgeist, as well as anklets (which is lovely to hear myself since I got a permanent gold anklet this past summer that I am very much attached to). Chamberlain claimed that she plans to partake in the potential toe ring trend herself and is enthusiastic for an era of “chill jewelry.” The term suggests jewelry to be worn in a very casual, effortless and instinctive manner, chosen for more personality or comfort than for a more polished intention.
MUSICAL Bands & Dynamic personalities
Following that, she spoke briefly on the rise of musical bands similar to ABBA, The Beatles and The Spice Girls. For the past couple of years, it has appeared that many have primarily focused on solo artists, though Chamberlain personally believes this year will see an influx of bands and fans of musical groups. The podcaster then went on to address individuals coming to accept and recognize dynamic personalities in 2026 and no longer staying within a specific aesthetic “bubble.” Chamberlain went on to make very fun examples, such as recognizing that a goth girl may also be a pilates princess.
lip stains, free will & Texting pen pals
Now, let’s jump into three more of Chamberlain’s lifestyle predictions. First, Chamberlain dove into lip stains and how she feels they will replace the classic lipstick and lip gloss. The reasoning behind this is that you can do much more when it comes to wearing a lip stain; you don’t have to constantly reapply it even if you eat, drink, kiss and talk. That lip is secure. I have been personally wanting to try a lip stain and am very much open to recommendations. Second, the podcast host spoke on what was one of my personal favorite topics, utilizing free will in the sense of being random. Chamberlain directly explained the potential trend as, “being spontaneous, breaking your normal routine, being bored on a Tuesday night and taking yourself out to dinner.” The prediction does sound very freeing and truly ties in with that 2026 energy of just obtaining a fun lifestyle. Lastly, Chamberlain spoke on the trend of having a pen pal via text messages. She revealed that she doesn’t think it’s going to be communicating daily, but more like once or twice a month, just checking in and catching up, truly just staying connected with one another.
Convertible cars
Moving on, she also discusses the potential rise, as well as interest in convertible cars. Chamberlain proceeded to state that it isn’t necessarily the car specifically, but the fun and freedom that a convertible emits. It’s more about the carefree, wind-in-your-hair energy of a convertible than actually purchasing one. She proceeded to have the audience imagine driving the car with a headscarf on with sunglasses and picture the feeling of such.
articulate vocabulary & Communication with strangers
On a more academic social note, Chamberlain switched the tone in stating that she personally believes that a stronger vocabulary will become quite the trend of 2026. She even dove into stating that she hopes individuals will utilize a dictionary and begin to have more eloquent word choices. Furthering her prediction on more articulate vocabulary utilization, Chamberlain discussed the potential rise of communicating and having friendly conversations with strangers (in a safe manner of course). I honestly believe that this will become more frequent as well, with people casually talking in elevators, trains and cafes. Overall, I definitely agree with the podcaster, as I feel this will become much more apparent within our society, for it seems many people simply want to have fun and hear others’ stories.
peanut butter & croissant sandwiches
Along with all of that, Chamberlain looks forward to seeing more of two specific foods in 2026. Starting off with peanut butter. Though that might sound a bit silly, it has appeared that, especially in larger cities, the iconic spread has been replaced with other butter forms, such as almond, soy and sunflower seed butters. With that, Chamberlain seems to be hoping and fully predicting a resurgence of the classic spread. Regarding the other food that the podcaster speaks on, she discusses the hopeful trend of croissant sandwiches. After her example of mozzarella, tomato and pesto combined on top of a flaky, buttery and light croissant, I hope to see this come true as well because it sounds divine.
Overall, I am very much looking forward to seeing firsthand whether the predictions that the podcaster discussed will come into effect, as they do highlight potential lifestyle shifts. Before concluding though, I wanted to play the part of Chamberlain for a moment and discuss five potential trends that I personally see either continuing from the past year into 2026 or just beginning to emerge.
polka dots & ballet flats
Starting off, I definitely think there will be a continuation and growth in the popularity of both polka dots and ballet flats. I have been truly obsessed with polka dot print recently, especially on a maxi satin dress or as a nail design. Along with that, regarding the ballet flats, I have loved seeing them on influencers, such as Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber. Chamberlain has even been seen wearing the Maison Margiela Tabi split-toe flats, which are more of a controversial shoe for its unique design. I honestly just dream of owning a pair of Miu Miu satin ballerina flats myself.
Neck scarves
Now, I wanted to address one more clothing prediction that I have. I truly love fashion, I greatly enjoy flipping through my Vogue magazines and scrolling on Instagram to see what pieces are becoming more prominent and trying them myself. With that, one that I did predict, and that I am beginning to see emerge, is the return of neck scarves. Once considered a more vintage and traditional accessory, it appears that neck scarves are appearing once again. I personally love neck scarves, I feel that they are a very versatile accessory, since they can be worn for a very classy and elegant event or just be added to elevate a simple outfit, such as a long black dress. The accessory can also be implemented in numerous ways to an ensemble, such as around your head, tied to a purse, or the classic knot around your neck. I recently purchased a pink and black polka dot neck scarf that has “Paris” written on it and I truly cannot wait to style it with an outfit of mine. It truly seems to be a trend that is making its way amongst a variety of brands, from Dior to Anthropologie.
Simplistic beauty routines
Next, I definitely predict heavy makeup to be out and many curating a more simplistic beauty routine. I think a great example of what I’m thinking of is Addison Rae on her “Addison” album press tour. Throughout that experience, Rae was seen completely bare-faced with the occasional hint of blush or lip gloss. I really love this concept of creating a more natural routine, for I think it’s beautiful when others just embrace their true skin and just add hints of products that they enjoy.
candle warmers
Circling into more of a product prediction that I expect is the continuing growth of candle warmers. I actually received a candle warmer recently and I absolutely adore it, since it emits a sense of wellness and warmth. The product also seems to release more scent than a typical lighter would. The initial reason I wanted a candle warmer though, was for the eclectic and unique design of them. Mine personally looks like a drooping glass rose, which I think is a beautiful addition to any room.
In the end, as I stated previously, I truly look forward to hearing what Chamberlain personally believes will be trending within the world this year, from fashion to beauty to lifestyle. Analyzing her predictions, as well as others, it does appear that 2026 will be a very freeing and exploratory year that encourages self-expression and an openness to new experiences. I’m excited to see which trends take off and which ones I’ll try for myself, and even if a few of my personal predictions come true, I will truly feel like Chamberlain myself.