Trends can become popular from an influencer, or simply could be something friends have. People are influenced to buy new items because others have them and love to use/wear them.
Clothing trends covering jeans, tops, and store brands into style every year. Some of the trends highschoolers’ parents used to participate in are coming back into style in 2025.
A trend that has made a comeback into society is the use of digital cameras. Many highschoolers use old cameras to take pictures at birthday parties, homecoming, and football games.
“I wanted to start an Instagram page where I post all of the pictures from my digital camera,” junior Sidney Johnson said. “Instead of everyone asking for them I would post them edited for them to find.”
Many parents of current high school students used digital and non-digital cameras when they were in high school, simply because that was their only way to document experiences as they did not have cameras on their phones.
Walking around Elkhorn North there are a variety of different tennis shoes among girls and guys. Popular brands like Nike, Adidas, New Balance, and Birkenstock continue to produce popular shoes in our age group. Some kids choose performance shoes like On Cloud or Brooks, which are still considered trendy.
Shoes that are extremely popular among teenagers and young adults right now are Adidas Sambas and Campus’. With multiple different color combos of each shoe, they are worn with everyday outfits and not just for special occasions. New Balance shoes are seen everywhere.
“I love matching sets, many girls wear cute color matching sets,” sophomore Regan Freeman said.
Matching sets is a trend many take part in. Whether it’s a sweatshirt and shorts or sweatpants and a tank top, matching sets have come back into style. Individuals wear sets from popular stores like ALO, Free People, Comfrt, Lululemon and more.
Skinny jeans were once considered popular and have now been pushed off the market to make way for a baggier fit.
“New trends come around and people forget about the old ones,” junior Hailey Coe said.
A trend can die just as fast as it becomes popular. Less individuals use Stanley water bottles and they now choose recognizable brands like Owala and Hydrojug. Items can be popular, but once a better product comes around, many only focus on the new trends.
“If a famous person stops wearing an item, then many will not want to wear it anymore,” freshman Maclin Wills said.
Celebrities on social media have a big influence on what people purchase. The clothes and makeup, the bags they buy, the cars they drive, even the way they decorate their own house can be influenced by celebrities.
Celebrities tend to have more influence because they have high social status and viewers want to listen to their opinions. Tiktok Influencer Alix Earle is known for her “Get Ready With Me” Tiktoks. She became an overnight success and gained over seven million followers.
Everyone seemed to love those videos and bought products just because she used them. Products that became popular off of her videos were water proof mascara and drunk elephant bronzing drops.
Since many like to follow trends, they lose sense of style. Everyone tends to wear the same brands and outfits everywhere. Rarely does anyone branch out from popular brands and have their “own style.”
More importantly, it can be expensive to participate in a trend. People spend tons of money each year to have an item everyone else has.
Instead of a whole friend group purchasing the same trendy item, many groups will do clothes swaps. Friend groups get together and trade clothes for the week. It is a good way to save money and gives them the opportunity to wear new clothes they may have wanted to buy.
Whether someone wants new shoes, clothes or makeup there will always be a new trend that comes along. Individuals want to “fit in” and participate in a trend that will be out of style in a few months, which is why it is good to keep a style that is important oneself, while also participating in trends once in a while.
