What’s Trendy? 2026 Is The New 2016

Have you seen this trend making the rounds online? What does it even mean, other than a look back 10 years?

I went through old Facebook posts and shared some online. Talking to my daughter, I said “I feel like I shared too many pictures!” and she said, “Nope. That’s the point. To share a look at life from 2016.”

NO surprise this is another TikTok trend.

This new trend is about going back to simpler days. That old-school-vibe – think oversaturated Instagram pics, the Snapchat dog filter, throwback fashion, and classic simple memes. TikTok even has a ‘2016’ filter so you can recreate that look. It started as a Gen-Z joke, but now it’s turned into a real wave of nostalgia because it seems a lot of us miss when the internet felt simpler and more fun – before doomscrolling, clickbait, and AI junk took over.

So yeah it would seem the internet is having a full throwback moment. I kinda love it.

I won a workplace fitness challenge that started my own health/ wellness journey and a home workout platform I still use today. I learned healthier dessert swaps and got exctied about fitness.

I got started on my Happy Planner addiction. (I’ve since stopped. I was collecting too many stickers and not using it enough). I was in my Sons of Anarchy era. I felt like I was part of the cast with my hoodie.

There was the face swaps which were so fun. My dad and my oldest daughter swapped faces and I couldn’t stop laughing. The best therapy is a good laugh.

I was still colouring my hair. My kids were still young enough to hang out with me and plan vacations together in the summer. It was the year of Gilmore Girls – A Year In The Life. We had a party and ate so much junk food while we watched the four episodes.

Have you looked back on your own life from 2016? What stands out to you? What do you miss? What did you forget?

cbuchanan@blackburnmedia.ca

Categorised in: Afternoons

This post was written by Carrie Buchanan