If you haven’t been living under a rock, then you know about the 2016 resurgence happening all over social media. On TikTok, users are using audios from the time period and on Instagram people are posting their throwback pictures of themselves in 2016.
Considering I was chopped in 2016, you couldn’t pay me money to do that, but there are some trends that I am happy to see return.
The music
As mentioned, TikTok is going ablaze with music that was released in 2016 (or between the 2014 and 2018 if we are really being honest). People are wearing 2016 inspired outfits or even recreating Musical.lys, including the mannequin challenge, while the sound of nostalgia plays in the background.
My favorite trend from this is the dance created to “Lush Life” by Swedish popstar Zara Larsson. The song is upbeat and vibrant and the type of sound that reminds you of the best part of your childhood.
Zara Larsson herself has made a comeback, and it all started with a meme—in true 2016 fashion. The meme of a dolphin jumping through rainbows had her music popularized on TikTok, and she leaned into it by releasing an album, Midnight Sun.
The album has bright colors, rainbows, and is inspired by summer because no one knows more about warm weather than Swedish people. Additionally, Major Lazer, who sang “Lean on” and “Light it Up” in 2015, announced that they will start performing again this year.
A$AP Rocky even released an album called “Don’t be Dumb” after being on a ten-year hiatus. If only he could convince Rihanna to release one, too…
The fashion
While people have insisted that 2016 fashion trends should be making a comeback, there is a common misconception about what these trends were. I have seen people post outfits with the lethal leggings, knee high boots, and shorts combo then caption it #2016, but that was an early 2010s trend.
Even worse, people are trying to bring back skinny jeans, but seem to have forgotten that in 2016 skinny jeans would hit your chest and cut off your circulation because they were high rise and as tight as humanly possible. The TikToks I’ve seen are bringing back the wrong type of skinny jean as they are mostly low rise. That is an early 2000s staple so maybe 2026 is the new 2006?
Cherry picking trends means the full 2016 revival cannot occur to its full potential. We need to really commit and wear Supreme hoodies with Filas. Or, if you want to be more high fashion, the “model off duty” look sported by Gigi Hadid is the way to go. It consists of ankle boots, black sunglasses, and Isabel Marant.
The only trends I see coming back that were actually from 2016 are chokers and Coachella fashion.
Another reason why certain 2016 fashion trends may not sneak their way into 2026 is because the trends were tailored for the body type trending at the time. Most people wanted to be curvy. I think there was no chance a “slim thick baddie” from 2016 would have advertised Ozempic to their audiences.
The fashion influencers and celebrities who set these clothing trends are now way thinner than they were ten years ago, so the trends won’t flatter them in the same way. A trend I would like to see come back is the body positivity trend. Women were encouraged to be happy with how they look, but now “thin-spo” from the early 2000s is the trend that is coming back more than anything.
Oh, and by the way, commenting, “You look like you would give good hugs,” under a plus size person’s posts is not an example of body positivity. Just an FYI.
The hair and makeup
How heavy can I do my makeup without looking like a drag queen?
That is the question people asked themselves in 2016. The eyebrows were thick, the lipstick was rose pink matte (matching the rose gold iPhone 6), and the eye shadow was a glittery gold. This directly contrasts with the clean girl makeup we have become accustomed to now, but that does not mean heavy makeup is not due for a comeback.
For example, a makeup trend slowly coming back is having heavy blush and glittery eye shadow. And, of course, King Kylie herself re-released her song “3 Strikes” and posted herself in her signature colorful wigs. While she teased her comeback all throughout 2025, when it finally happened fans were overjoyed. But since 2026 began, she has slowly retired King Kylie and not a single wig has been put on her head.
The whole stunt was believed to promote her new King Kylie Makeup she released late last year (and clearly it worked). but it begs the question: Is the 2016 trend just a cash grab from capitalists? People miss when times were simpler and want to relive that period so businesses may be using that to sell them products. It’s essentially nostalgia bait.
Kylie Jenner is not the only one who has done this. Disney made a Zootopia sequel and managed to get both kids as well as people who watched the movie as kids flooding into cinemas. They doubled their profit.
Corporations are likely to use the 2016 trend to make money, disregarding quality, and that may be why the trend does not feel genuine. They lose the spirit of that year which was about being genuine and experimental by being greedy and inauthentic.
In short, I do not believe that the 2016 revival will not extend beyond people loving pop music again because the spirit of 2016 is simply not there.
Social media during that time was about making friends and having fun. Fully embracing the art of being cringe. Social media is so polished and put together in the present day that most people are afraid of being perceived as cringe. Without that, 2026 cannot possibly be the new 2016.