By Megha Lakha and Leighton Maynard
It seems like we just left “Hot Girl Summer” and yet now we’re good ways into “Hot Girl School Year.”
People are finally getting back into the groove with school, so what trends are popping back up? After all, trends come and go, but there will always be a hot new clothing item that everyone wants or a remarkable new phrase suddenly coming out of everyone’s mouth.
To be perfectly honest, guys don’t seem to have too many trends, but girls have tons. The Barbie Movie, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Speak Now TV, Girl Dinner, and many more were popular media trends this summer. But how do these trends start and what do they mean for us?
Sophomore Olivia Cassinelli says these trends get started from celebrities like the Kardashian-Jenners and influencers. Reese Richardson said Sofia Richie is super popular because of her classy and sleek style. TikTok is also a major influence on our fellow Lovett students. TikTok is a great way to get the “inside scoop,” many teenagers agree. 1.6 billion people use TikTok so immediately after a trend comes to the surface many people start to follow it.
Drew Kasow thinks trends are simply about timing. “I don’t think there is like one person who sets the trend, everyone is different and not everyone wants to be like everybody else,” Drew says. “It’s like timing and stuff, like one week four people wore the same jacket one day, and then the next week everyone was wearing it.”
Some popular clothing trends right now include anything from Free People Movement, New Balance 550s, Alexander McQueen shoes, Stanley Cups (as mentioned in our first On Trend Article), and more. Some clothing and accessories that have been in style since we can remember are Golden Gooses, L.L. Bean backpacks, and Northface Backpacks.
When asked about pop culture favorites, Olivia stated that “The Summer I Turned Pretty, Speak Now [Taylor’s Version], and the Eras Tour” were all common favorites. With well over a billion dollars in tickets sold, The Barbie Movie has clearly been well-loved and is truly “for the girls.”
Many people got all “dolled up” in their pink gear to watch the movie. Years from now, Drew thinks the Barbie movie will “reappear,” similar to the way a movie like “Hocus Pocus” has. Drew also thinks that Gossip Girl will come back, “because there are rumors of a reboot with a new cast.”
Speak Now Taylor’s Version was released in July, and quickly became praised and talked about, along with the Eras Tour. Pretty much anything Taylor Swift does gains popularity quickly.
Not only do trends come in the form of movies, shoes, and music, but also the language we use. If you are walking around the halls you might hear things like “you are eating” when there is no food nearby. “Eating” or “Ate” continues to be used regularly as a way to hype people up or to tell someone they did a good job. Along with “eating” the word “slay” is a close cousin. It is hysterical to think that a word defined as kill is used as a compliment but that’s Gen Z for you!
Olivia Cassinelli reminded us that you hear “flop” a lot. For example, if someone posts a TikTok thinking they were going to get TikTok famous but only got 1 like. That’s a flop. Perhaps Mr. Newman will tackle that one in his Lovett Lingo Column.
Trends come and go but there have definitely been some that have lasted. “Hydro Flasks, Golden Goose, Split 59, Lululemon, and Birkenstocks have all stayed decently popular,” Maxine Smith says. Others that have stayed in the mix? The VSCO girl and clean girl aesthetic.
(In case you don’t know what those are, VSCO girls gained momentum in 2019, and were often seen carrying Hydroflasks, wearing pukka shell necklaces, and sporting scrunchies. The clean girl aesthetic focuses on a more minimalistic look, and a sleek, fresh style.)
But Drew has a different take. “VSCO [girls were] really prominent in the summer [of 2019], but now it’s like a joke,” Drew says.
Girls may have tons of trends, however boys have a few that are less known. Sophomore Patrick Smyth listed long Nike socks, Jordan’s, and chains as some popular guy trends. Thomas Bomar said “the forced mullets and the lettuce haircut” have been in for a while. Patrick said Fantasy Football is definitely a trend right now. Adding to that, Patrick said that “Clash Royale and Clash of Clans,” which have been popular since Lower School, “are still played.” He also said social media, which is a given for high schoolers.
Speaking of social media, some worldwide crazes that are all the rage right now came from TikTok: “girl math” and “girl dinner.”
“Girl math” is a way to justify spending money on random items even if it makes no mathematical sense (like when you return an item of clothes and spend that same amount on something else, making it basically free).
“Girl dinner” includes a random assortment of foods that most girls like to put together when they’d rather not make a complex meal.
“I will admit I have fallen victim to girl dinners every once in a while,” Olivia says, “When my parents go out and are like you’re on your own for dinner, I’m like Kraft Mac ‘n’ Cheese and an apple.”
