Zara Larsson, a pop singer who took off in 2016, has made a recent comeback with her top hits “Lush Life” and “Symphony” appearing on many “For You” pages, with “Lush Life” even making it to the Billboard Top 10. Larsson’s trending music, along with clothing and social media trends have created an overarching trend where 2026 is referred to as ‘the new’ 2016.
Because of this resurgence in popularity, she has even released new music and will be on tour in early 2026.
During the final spirit week, Monday’s theme was ‘ten years ago today,’ where students dressed up like it was 2016. Many students came decked out in graphic tees, Adidas, and emoji print.
“On spirit day, I wore a colorful turtle tank top with skinny jeans, Converse, chokers, and dream catcher earrings,” said sophomore Avery R.
As much as the spirit day was enjoyed by students and staff, it brought up some mixed opinions as many struggled to find outfits, or wore clothes that aren’t necessarily deemed as “trendy.” Some have pointed out that the so-called ‘2016 trend’ is more about digital aesthetics than tangible items.
“I feel like the stuff that was more popular [in 2016] was more online appearance rather than an actual trend that people were participating in. So some of the stylistic and clothing trends I don’t necessarily see back, but I see people editing their pictures a specific way online or posting on VSCO or Instagram in a specific way,” said social studies teacher Crystal Curcio.
Because of the aesthetics of 2016 being pushed online, many clothing stores have started leaning into more nostalgic styles and colors as a marketing tactic. Stores like Hollister and American Eagle, which were popular in 2016, have been able to use this trend to their advantage.
“I think people are starting to dress in different colors that they used to dress in in 2016,” said junior Graham S.
2016 was known for its brighter colors and overall more fun, careless mood. Bringing it back may feel like bringing back a piece of one’s childhood, especially as high schoolers who were in elementary school at the time make up the majority of social media users.
“2016 was the most well-known and well remembered year from most of the kids in this high school. It was kind of right in the center of everything for a lot of kids here,” said Graham.
Whether or not 2016 can truly be considered ‘back,’ many can agree that its music and trends bring a sense of nostalgia and fun. 
