Social media trends are made to influence people to buy the newest overpriced product. Stanley Cups and LuluLemon are the most notable examples of this. Influencers are paid to encourage you to buy these $50 water bottles and $100 leggings, convincing you it is the new coolest product you need to have to fit in. 

Fortunately, as this happens, other people on social media will give you reasons why you do not need these overpriced products and why your cheap ‘knock-off’ version is adequate. This ‘de-influencing’ has started to happen with almost every trend. 

When leopard and cheetah print started trending throughout 2024, it was put on everything from pants to bed sheets. People were purchasing everything they could get their hands on that had this print. De-influencers reminded them of the 2020 cow print trend and the 2021 checkerboard pattern trend. Those are both examples of trends we collectively look back on and regret. It is important to buy timeless pieces of clothing that you aren’t going to associate with a trend that isn’t going to age well. However, if you’re buying cheetah and leopard print simply because that’s your style, then that’s a perfect reason, just make sure you aren’t doing it to be ‘trendy.’ 

When it comes to new purchases, make sure this reflects your style and your personality, not something that your favorite Tiktoker says ‘You just have to buy.’

2024 was yet another year filled with memorable memes, some for good reasons, and some due to the controversy tied with them. No matter how they’re remembered, the memes of any given year play an important role in defining how we as a society look back upon a year, so it’s important to reflect upon the most massive memes of 2024.

Most internet users also become familiar with The Costco Guys and their young friend “The Rizzler,” who took the internet by storm with their videos eating the food found in Costco food courts, along with rating them using a “boom or doom” scale. Since then the trio has gone on to greater fame, with appearances in AEW wrestling and even on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”

While other memes like the Low Taper Fade meme featuring popular gaming streamer Ninja or the “No Chick Fil A sauce?” girl were also important in defining how many will remember the internet in 2024. There are simply too many memes to remember in just one little article, but their impacts on internet culture are too profound to go unremembered to most.

This year, a trend that has become increasingly popular is people taking the color wheel into consideration when putting together their outfit for the day. Specifically, the use of color theory as a way to make clothing styles more cohesive and visually appealing. Seeing how art can be incorporated into something as mundane and common as getting dressed shows that creativity can be found in anything.

The way people dress has always been the most common way to show the world how you express yourself and how you want them to perceive you. Colors especially are a huge factor to someone’s style, whether those colors are muted earth tones or cheerful pastels, and understanding how colors compliment each other can be a huge part of creating your own unique look. 

Self-expression and how you present yourself to the world is a fun thing to experiment with, and freedom that many people don’t think twice about. This rise in popularity of including color theory into something already so artful says a lot about how people are just inherently creative, showing how this is one of the best trends this year.

Water bottles, from Hydroflasks to Stanleys to the freshly popular Owala, have remained a top trending item throughout the years. In 2024 the Owala rose to fame on social media apps like TikTok and Instagram. Many people, teenagers, in particular, purchased this water bottle for its great design. 

The best thing about the Owala is that the lid allows you to sip through a straw but also chug water without a straw. This is marketed as their “FreeSip” spout, being easy to use and even easier to clean. The lock that closes the lid even serves as a handle on the bottle. The countless color options of the Owala are another reason for its popularity. 

In 2024 Owala faced a fierce component, the Stanley cup. The Owala came out on top numerous times for its convenient size, cheaper price and temperature regulation. Stanleys are chunky, awkward and heavy. The plastic straw is also a pain to clean, proving the Owala’s supremacy. 

Though I know 2025 will bring a new trending water bottle, I never will abandon my Owala. This is the best bottle we’ve seen in years and I have hopes that it will stay around for a while.

Whether you want to style a baggy top or a fitted top of any color of your desire, I assure you that it will look phenomenal paired with baggy jeans – it’s truly the way to go. That is truly the beauty of these pants, they are extremely versatile and easy to form outfits for any occasion. Looking for a semi-casual or business outfit? Pair baggy jeans with a loose white shirt tucked in a tiny bit at the front and wear high heels or plain white sneakers; tons of jewelry and other accessories can also be added to give the outfit a boost. Just want a casual outfit? Pair it with a fitted fun-colored top with a pair of dunks to match. It’s no wonder why baggy jeans have made a comeback in 2024. 

Baggy jeans originally became popular in the mid-1990s and have ever since become an on-and-off again trend; they can never truly completely vanish due to how prevalent and loved these pants truly are. Baggy jeans are timeless. Baggy jeans are the only jeans that I find myself wearing as they not only look good but are also extremely comfortable. They can be purchased with thin fabric for the summer and as well as thick fabric for warmth in the winter. There’s no doubt that baggy jeans are the best trend of 2024 for their versatility. 

Virtual reality has really grown this year and people all over the world are realizing that it is a really enjoyable experience. It is a really interesting concept and many people have had a great time with virtual reality headsets this year. I believe this product has the potential to change the future and possibly the world. 

People are constantly trying to find ways to stay entertained, and virtual reality is a perfect option. It gives people the opportunity to explore a different world entirely and lets them have fun while doing it. This technology offers us the chance to achieve remarkable feats, and it is just the beginning. 

Virtual reality headsets such as the Meta Quest 3 have outstanding graphics and allow you to play all sorts of games from a first-person point of view. Although they are on the pricey side they are extremely worth it. The amazing graphics and the unique idea make the product an amazing choice to cure your boredom. That is why it is the trend of the year.

If you haven’t heard of it already, TikTok Shop acts itself as the new and improved Amazon Prime. With several free shipping options and infinite coupons, TikTok shop paved its way to popularity in 2024. While TikTok Shop launched in 2023, the shopping platform didn’t rise to fame until the later months of 2024. 

TikTok presents various opportunities for creators. On the platform, they can purchase products from the shop and promote them through videos, earning a commission for their efforts. Additionally, small businesses can list their products in the shop, increasing visibility and attracting more interest to their ventures.

TikTok Shop makes it super easy for people to find and buy items straight from videos, livestreams and profiles. It mixes fun with convenience, allowing brands and creators to show off their products in cool, interactive ways. By tapping into TikTok’s algorithm and its huge user base, they really boost their sales. This fresh take on social shopping has turned TikTok Shop into a go-to for connecting with younger, tech-savvy shoppers and is changing the way we shop online.

Following its release in June, Charli XCX’s album, “Brat,” sparked a wave of trends collectively known as “Brat Summer.” Characterized by grotesque neon greens and unbothered messiness, the Brat aesthetic embraces elements of anti-fashion and that of the traditionally ugly. 

What is brat, exactly? It’s a mood, a vibe come alive. It’s politics, it’s culture and it’s rave girls shame walking at dawn. As Charli puts it, Brat is “that girl who is a little messy, and likes to party and maybe says some, like, dumb things sometimes… is very honest, is very blunt [and] a little bit volatile.” It’s not a traditional trend as much as it is a state of mind. It’s a stark contrast to other popular trends and cores like “clean girl” and “coquette,” which are characterized by strict standards of convention and “objective” beauty. Brat Summer is meant to be effortless and customized to the individual. As Charli herself says, Brat can go the way of being trashy or quietly luxurious. 

Brat Summer taps into Y2K and indie-sleaze fashion, propped up by clubbing culture. Staple products include white tank tops and babydoll tops reminiscent of the rave scene. Most recognizable of all is the aesthetic’s distinct neon yellow-green color, which the public initially met with disdain. However, as the aesthetic and album gained traction, so did the color’s public perception.

Brat Summer as an aesthetic differs from others because of its wide influence. Rather than remaining within the pop culture realm, Brat extended itself into the American political race. Following Charli’s endorsement of presidential candidate Kamala Harris, memes began to circulate on social media in support of the Democratic party nominee.

Given its deep cultural impacts, Brat Summer rightfully holds the title as the best trend of 2024 by far.

One big hit of 2024 was candy salad, which became a trend often carried out in large gatherings. Usually, everyone brought their own distinct candy to add to the bowl. On occasion, there would be stories or personal anecdotes that went along with the candy salad. This trend became most popularized via TikTok, where people would record their names and the candy they brought before dumping it in the bowl.

Some of the most common candies to bring were Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids and gummy worms. One of my preferred candies to bring was Sour Patch Watermelon.

Now, while short-lived, I truly believe that candy salad was a wonderful trend of 2024. It opened up conversations and let people reveal things about themselves. Also, who does not like a bowl of candy made by all your friends? From sleepovers to holiday parties, candy salad ruled the social scene in late 2024.

With music platforms like Spotify and Apple Music taking over the digital music world, songs of all genres are at our disposal, simply a click away. While this is convenient for listeners, these streaming services fail to capture the chic and sentimentality associated with its predecessors, particularly the vinyl record.

Vinyl records, invented in 1948, were the primary medium used for listening to music throughout the 20th century. However, there’s been a resurgence of vinyl records within the last few years, and they’ve become especially popular in 2024 among younger generations. Big retail chains, like Barnes & Noble and Target, have begun selling vinyl in their stores for as much as $400. So what exactly is their appeal?

Besides being aesthetically pleasing, vinyl records also have incredible audio quality, containing a polished warmth unheard of in its electronic equivalent. Decades ago, artists recorded their songs simply for the sake of vinyl, so why not reminisce about their music the way they intended for us to? 

Additionally, vinyl records offer great opportunities to foster community and relate with others. Music already brings people together, but sharing a physical collection of songs rather than just looking it up on the internet creates a special type of connectivity. Needless to say, if you’re looking for something that’s both classy and nostalgic, yet is also pleasing to listen to, vinyl is the way to go. 

Over the past couple of years, it has become a trend to make a theme inspired by a movie and go see it at the movie theaters. Various examples of people getting creative with their clothing choices include “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” from 2023. This year it has become more of a trend to start coordinating different outfits inspired by the new film on the block. 

Many films this year have hopped onto this trend to make the movie theater experience more fun and exciting. Some films from this year include “Wicked”, “Mean Girls”, “Gladiator II”, “Dune: Part Two” and more. I think the film that has taken full effect of this trend is “Wicked” because many fans have gone to the point of creating whole costumes just to go to the movie theaters. I remember watching many videos and seeing so many pictures of people dressing in pink and green or even wearing a full-on Glinda The Good Witch costume.

I have been absolutely entranced by people’s creativity throughout the past couple of years with this trend, especially this year. It just keeps getting better and better as time passes. I have even tried dressing up for certain movies to have a little more fun when going to the movies.