The year 2025 was full of popular trends. From fashion to humour, it had everything. Here is a list of my favourite highlights from the year, with brief descriptions of why each stood out to me.
- The Revival of Babydoll Tops
One of my personal favourite trends from 2025 is the return of babydoll tops to mainstream fashion. They’ve gone from virtual extinction to booming in all major fashion companies. Hollister, American Eagle, and many others are catching on and selling a wide range of throwback styles. They are some of the cutest tops around without being totally form-fitting, which is refreshing. I, for one, couldn’t be happier that they’re making a comeback.
- Cheetah Print
Sexy mostly, cutesy sometimes, noticeable always. Cheetah print is a staple in every girl’s closet. From low-cut tops to Tate McRae-inspired micro shorts, cheetah print has dominated trends this past year. Some say this pattern will die out as a microtrend, while others think it’ll survive. Personally, I prefer the latter.
- Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
While Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show made its official return in 2024, some felt the show was lacking. However, the 2025 rendition did not disappoint: top singers, gorgeous lingerie sets, and big wings. The critics talked, and Victoria’s Secret listened. The show’s success not only boosted sales, but also sparked a new wave of Halloween costumes inspired by the iconic models.
- Matcha
Healthy, easy to make, delicious. Three ways to describe the newly popularized drink of the year: matcha. Matcha has always been around, but in 2025, it truly peaked. Every child, teen, and adult was running to get a taste. Personally, I love grabbing some matcha at Starbucks during study sessions and would totally recommend it to anyone who hasn’t tried it yet. That said, my favourite part of the whole matcha trend is the rise of the “performative male,” a hilarious trope I find incredibly amusing to bring up whenever I see a fella carrying the drink.
- BookTok Trend
While BookTok itself is not new to the media at all, a specific trend has been blowing up my For You page over the last few months. Readers on the app are posting the books that have shaped them into who they are today and specifying the years they read them. These eras spanned from their first ever childhood books to their most recent additions. I absolutely adore this trend since, as a bona fide book worm, I totally relate. There are so many books that I could yap about for hours if given the opportunity, and I love to see which ones have touched others’ hearts. This trend has added several books to my ever-growing TBR list I hope to one day conquer, making it one of my favourite 2025 trends.
Honourable Mention: Labubus
My list is not complete without mentioning the hilariously popular Labubus popping up everywhere. You all know exactly what I’m talking about. I actually find these little toys really creepy, but if you take a walk through downtown Toronto, you’ll see at least a dozen of them on people’s keychains and bags, so I guess some people find them cute (not me, though). Regardless, Labubus are a hallmark of 2025 and are not likely to disappear anytime soon.