2025 has seen a variety of new trends including barrel jeans, camo print, Labubus, quarter zips, and more. These trends have permeated into teen culture over the past year, popularized by celebrities, social media, and fast fashion outlets. Upon entering 2026, predictions are made for fashion trends, based on recent runways, social media, and the 20 year trend cycle.

Barrel Jeans

Jean style has varied widely in the past five years, from high-waisted skinny jeans, to flared, to low-waisted, to baggy. Low waisted baggy jeans have been widely adopted by young adults and teens for its stylish cut and callback to the 2000s.

“I can’t get enough of them,” said senior Seiya Mahaffey. “Even if baggy jeans go out of style– which they probably will eventually– I will stay rocking them.”

However, 2025 saw a new style that has the width of baggy jeans, but tightens around the ankle to make a barrel shape. While some find barrel jeans flattering and unique, others have criticized the jeans for their clown-like, unusual shape. 

Plushie Keychains

Labubus, Munchhichi, and Sanrio characters were a trendy addition to purses and bags during 2025. These fuzzy, animal creatures could be found clipped onto the designer purses of celebrities like Rihanna and Lisa from BlackPink. Soon they bled into the zeitgeist of Gen Z fashion, where they served as a childish and cute accessory to everyday looks, hanging on backpacks and belt loops. Labubus are the most popular of these keychains, fluffy, cute, monster-faced, and bunny-eared coming in a variety of outfits.

“I genuinely do not understand why someone would pay dozens or hundreds of dollars for [a Labubu],” said Mahaffey. “They are not all that.”

Labubus can range from $30 to $200, leading to minor controversy on whether the whimsical and eccentric accessories are worth the price tag.

Quarter Zips

Is there anything more Gen Z than a viral TikTok sparking a fashion trend? Jason Gyamfi made a TikTok in November of 2025 in which he joked that he upgraded from coffee and Nike Tech sweatshirts, to matcha and quarter zips. The video went viral, leading to many other young men making videos of their switch to quarter zips. 

“Most men aren’t actually trying to replicate the performative male model by deciding to suddenly wear flannels, drink matcha, and listen to Clairo just for female attention,” stated Mahaffey. “I feel that a lot of young men are feeling more inspired to dress better and improve how they look, regardless of their motives, as a result of the content they consume online.”

The  popularity of quarter zips falls in line with the preppy and “old money” style which has been fashionable for the past few years. OnDec. 2, 2025, Chanel’s recent Métiers d’Art extravaganza opened with a tan quarter zip. Quarter zips mark a trend that has flooded social media, pop culture, and the runway.

Camo Print

While camo print has been popular in past fashion, notably in the 2000s, which saw celebrities wearing camo cargos, 2025 saw a new resurgence in popularity and camo variations. 

“I think [camo] is timeless and a staple in fashion,” Mahaffey said. “It’s very versatile and looks pretty cool in my opinion.”

The camo print which has shown major popularity this year more closely resembles a hunter camo, with branches and leaves printed on it, instead of the previously trendy rounded army print. On popular brand sites, such as Hollister, this hunter camo can be found on various articles of clothing: jackets, pants, sweatshirts, shorts, and skirts. The color ranges of the print also vary to include hues that wouldn’t camouflage anywhere: pink, blue, white, and even purple.

2010s Coming Back

Junior Erica Milli spoke about her thoughts on new trends and made educated guesses based on personal observations of runway shows featuring styles for 2026.

“People have been saying that ‘2016 is the new 2026’ and I think this will lead to more fitted jeans to be in style. Similarly, I think that ripped/distressed jeans…will be in again,” Milli claimed.

The return of 2010s style demonstrates how fashion trends get recycled years after their original peak. Crop tops, athleisure, oversized statement necklaces, and wedged sneakers are just a handful of pieces that were popular in the 2010s, and are making a comeback just a decade later. 

“Trends come in cycles, nothing in fashion is ever ‘new.’ Every trend has appeared before at some time or another. However, some trends stay consistent across many seasons due to versatility,” asserted Milli.

UGG Shoes

One such trend that has stayed consistent throughout the past two decades have been UGGs. UGG is a footwear and apparel brand that features boots and slippers known for their long-lasting comfort and stylish nature. This stylish nature has remained because of its versatility created through shoes that feature the same fluffy interior, just in numerous styles.

“I also think that the UGG boot will be more popular than the UGG slipper,” said Milli.

It wasn’t just due to practicality and comfort that led to the popularization of UGG shoes, rather the use of celebrities. Public figures such as Oprah Winfrey and Kate Hudson helped propel these shoes to become more mainstream and expand their breadth of popularity.

“What influences me to follow trends is two things, whether or not I feel like it aligns with my style from an aesthetic standpoint and whether or not I agree with the ideas behind the trend,” Milli added.

Deer Print

Sometimes trends come back with slight alternations from past trends.. An example of this is animal print. Since the early 2000s, animal prints such as cheetah have been popular yet controversial. Styles such as Y2K are large proponents of cheetah print, but not everyone shares this sentiment. As 2026 begins, a new print may expand in popularity: deer print. 

This print has already been seen on the runway, found on the fall/winter Tory Burch runway show in 2025. 

Mahaffey spoke on his opinions about taking part in this trend.

“Maybe, if I were richer and more experimental with my fashion, ” Mahaffey asserted.

He proposes that deer print has the potential to be a trend more so seen on glamourized models as opposed to high schoolers’ everyday attire. 

Bold Makeup

“Clean girl” makeup has been popular for the past couple of years, a style that praises individuals’ natural beauty, enhanced through minimal cosmetic application and emphasis on skincare. 2026 has the potential to bring out the exact opposite makeup style as the new trend. Bold makeup, hailing from the 80s, is thought to return. Bright eyes, glitter, and loud color combinations will bring back maximalism, a chance for makeup users to make a statement with the colors and shape they create on their own faces. 

Versatility and individuality is a large by-product of these trends; being able to adopt trends and alter them to one’s own vision. As for the popularity of these trends, it relies strongly on their social media presence. As discussed by Milli and Mahaffey, in the modern era, social media can aid the popularization of trends.

“After meeting new people and discovering new things online, I started to realize the importance of taking care of your appearance and expressing your individual identity through media like clothing,” concluded Mahaffey.