The EOS lip balm of 2014. The aluminum USA water bottle of 2015. And the glass nails of 2015. All trends have come and gone.
Likewise, many trends have flown in and out during the 23-24 school year: the change of clothing styles, makeup products, and water bottles.
Trends typically start with a celebrity or social media influencer coming out with a new product or brand that has yet to be popular. Due to these more famous individuals putting light on an item that has not yet been appreciated, many people run to the store to buy the latest craze. Through social media, word of mouth, and even cultural influence, new items and stereotypes become trending and popular resulting in more individuals taking part.
Many boys feel their hair is the most important part of their look. The mullet style has become more popular and admired by many. The mullet hairstyle consists of the front, top, and sides of hair being cut shorter while the back of one’s hair is grown longer and typically touches the top of one’s shoulders or even falls further than that. Mullets have the stereotype of a “redneck hairstyle”, though some disagree.
“I feel like mullets are really coming back into style from the 20th century or, like, the 80’s. Me and my best friend both got mullets. It’s kind of like a mohawk, but better. You really need a good barber to enhance the flow. A good hairstyle nowadays goes a long way,” sophomore Sam Zalak said.
The clothing brand White Fox is a popular brand for comfortable sweatshirts and sweatpants, but their shop also has clothing for going out and everyday outfits. This brand became popular after many social media influencers were seen wearing their matching sets.
“They are super cute and comfy. I love how oversized it is,” sophomore Lia Mazurski said.
Although they went out of style a few years ago, French tip nails in the almond shape are back again. However, the classic pink/white is not the way to go. Instead, teens are experimenting with different colors and patterns as the design for their nail tips.
For example, for prom, many teenagers chose to match their nail tips to the design of their prom dress instead of just getting one solid color. Another nail design is having each nail tip be a different color instead of all the same.
In the picture above, the student chose to have a line of silver glitter stripped between the natural nail color and the black tip. This is just one of the ways chosen to change the design of French tip nails.
The Stanley cup was one of the most popular water bottles this year. Stanleys became so popular there began to be accessories made for them including the straw cover (shown in the picture above), chapstick holder, charms to hang from the handle, and more.
Energy drinks have always been popular for sleep-deprived teenagers. It is very clear that this year Celsius is the common energy drink chosen by high schoolers. Some of the most popular Celsius flavors include sparkling lemon-lime, peach vibe, and sparkling strawberry lemonade.
Jorts. An item of clothing that would make some people cringe, but make others fall in love. Jorts have made a tremendous comeback since the 1990s and early 2000s. Jorts is a term used to shorten “jean shorts”. When many think of the term jorts, they do not think of short jean shorts typically worn by teenage girls, but rather their male counterparts. Jorts are thought of as long jean shorts typically falling around the knee.
“I like Jorts, in a specific way. If it fits your person I think it’s a good idea. If it’s below your knees, like way below your knees, then it looks stupid. But if they’re the right length and they look good on you, then why not?” sophomore Evan Murrin said.
New Balance has come back as a very simple, comfortable shoe able to be paired with any outfit. New Balance has launched many styles of sneakers that are sleek and do not give off the “gym shoe” vibe, but instead add so much more to an outfit. New Balance shoes come in many colors, but the types most appreciated by teenagers are the ones that are all white or gray, which have small pops of color; these can be used to match an outfit very well.
And finally, Summer Fridays, which some say is the new EOS lip balm, with its sleek packaging, is just as appealing to the eyes as it is to have in one’s possession. Summer Fridays has seven flavors, including their three most popular: brown sugar, cherry, and vanilla. Lip balm is a necessity year round, and is especially appealing to the teenage group when necessity doubles as a cute accessory. This particular lip balm made an impression on WEGO students.
It seems only likely that some of these trends will fade as summer passes into fall, but for now, they stand as symbols of the 2023-24 school year.
