There was something in the air in 2016. I turned ten, summer was great and my tweenage self was embracing the real world. At the tail end of the Tumblr and Vine era, we were starting to define the boundaries of social media, turning towards Instagram, Musicl.ly and YouTube for our cultural comfort. And with that came a distinctive style. We rocked graphic tees with empowering slogans, skinny jeans so tight and ripped that you could see what you had for breakfast, combat boots and army green bomber jackets just to name a few. TikTok is nostalgic for this time. But which of these trends still looks chic now? And what should remain in the past? Here’s a full rundown of the clothes I love, and the ones that don’t quite make my 2016 inspired wardrobe.
Graphic Tees – Hit (and miss)
I wear graphic tees all the time. Over turtlenecks and long sleeves, plain and simple with skirts, or casually to lounge around in. They’re my favourite thing to throw on for the gym. But a 2016 graphic tee was…a little different. They were usually cropped, in strange colours and with wording you’d only see nowadays in a Primark pyjama section. The 2026 version, however, is great!
Skinny Jeans – Miss
Unfortunately, skinny jeans are not made for everyone, and what’s worse is that they’re uncomfortable. As someone with bigger hips and thighs, skinny jeans have never been my friend. Now that we’ve gone back to widened legs, I’ve started to love wearing jeans again, and I know that plenty of other people would agree with me.
Combat Boots – Hit
This may just be the alternative girl in me speaking, but combat boots make up a huge part of the shoes I wear. Whether they’re heeled, ankle length or mid-calf high, you can wear them with just about anything. They add a certain edge to a look, and though not everyone likes that, if you’re trying to embrace your inner 2016, you need a combat boot in your shoe rotation.
Bomber Jackets – Miss
They might look cute when branded with sports teams, but most bomber jackets in 2016 were poor quality and cheap looking. They also failed to fulfil the most basic duty of a jacket, to keep the wearer warm!
The Coachella Hippie Revival – Hit
If you grew up watching popular YouTubers in 2016, you definitely wanted to go to Coachella. Cowboy boots, jean shorts, long and sheer cardigans, cowboy hats, fringe on clothes, bell sleeves, the colour cream and so much more. This style of clothing suited everyone.
Choker Necklaces – Miss
Again, another staple piece for me as someone alternative, but not for everyone. In particular, I’m thinking of the plastic tattoo choker. We all remember. Insanely itchy, but we wore them anyway. I personally love chokers, but they’re not a necklace that really fits in in 2026.
Off-the-Shoulder – Hit
This went out of style for a few years but has swiftly made a return. From the way Ariana Grande wore hoodies and jumpers, to bardot tops and showing off our black bra straps, we loved our shoulders in 2016. I for one wasn’t allowed to wear off-the-shoulder when I was still a child, but the urge hasn’t gone away and I am deeply enjoying the shoulder revival.
Bralettes as Tops – Miss
Like with skinny jeans, this is not an inclusive fashion trend. Wearing corset tops to go out nowadays is hugely popular and I think this stems from this 2016 style choice. But I feel much more comfortable in a corset top than I ever have done wearing a bralette.
Ripped Jeans – Hit (-ish)
I specifically adore ripped jeans with fishnets under. I’ve worn this pairing for years and I love the way it looks. But we did sometimes take it a little too far in 2016. From what I remember, there was more rip than jean!
Athleisure – Miss
Another trend that has stuck around for many years, it’s cute for working out, but not to go out in. 2016 fashion icons paired jogging bottoms with stilettos, a choice I hope doesn’t circle around again in the near future.
Flares – Hit
Now our jeans may have been incredibly tight in 2016, but not all of our trousers were. Flares didn’t become popular in 2020 like many people may remember, they found a renewed interest in 2016, drenched checkerboard, zebra print and flame-like patterns. This also coincided with the 2010s jumpsuit trend.
Army Green Anything – Miss
A lot of our 2016 trends seem to have centred around army gear. We’ve definitely found much better shades of green to be playing with in the 2020s. Army green is not a colour that suits everyone. It is muted and fairly boring. There’s a reason why soldiers have adopted this colour, but the general public doesn’t have a need to be camouflaged.
Big and Bold Makeup – Hit
I hate the clean girl makeup trend. I’ve always wondered why bother to put on makeup to make it look like you’re wearing none. Big eyeliner, smoky eyeshadow and bold lips were all the rage in 2016. The kids these days call it birthday makeup, I call it the best era of beauty.
Space Buns – Miss
Cute, but impractical. We really liked wearing hats in 2016, so I don’t quite know why we also decided on a hairdo that doesn’t work with a baseball cap.
Colourful Hair Dye – Hit
This was the era that started my hair dye journey. Though I didn’t touch dye until I was 15, the second that ten-year-old me saw influencers with bright and fun hair, I knew I was destined to try all the colours under the sun. And I hope that for her sake, one day I achieve that goal!
Style is subjective and it’s clear that our tastes have changed over the years. But the clothes we wore in 2016 evoke a sense of nostalgia within all of us. With the end of our teenage and university years looming, perhaps reminiscing on our younger selves will remind us just how far we’ve all come, and the greatness that lies ahead!