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2016 Mania Has Arrived — Here Are 5 Fashion Trends From the Era That Are Actually Worth Reviving

Hello, Rio de Janeiro filters and satin bomber jackets. It's been a while.

By Stacia Datskovska Plus Icon

Stacia Datskovska

Senior Commerce Writer for WWD

Recent Articles by Stacia Datskovska

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January 15, 2026, 4:23pm

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taylor swift and gigi hadid pictured circa 2016, next to a satin bomber jacket, printed leggings, and fancy choker necklace

Courtesy Allen Berezovsky, Alo Ceballos/Getty Images, Manufacturers

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Since turning their calendars to the Year of the Horse, people have been obsessed with trying to resuscitate the age of the Mannequin Challenge and the fidget spinner. Outlets report that searches for the term “2016” surged by over 400 percent in the first month of this year, with both everyday sentimentalists and celebrities digging up the archives to find authentic representations of themselves from the time.

This turn of events is not unprecedented, though. For a while now, millions of social media users have been collectively expressing the notion that 2016 was the last good year. It was the year of the world’s initial acquaintance with “Stranger Things”; car stereos blasting The Chainsmokers’ “Closer” on repeat; platforms like Vine and Musical.ly exploding in popularity; the Rio Olympic Games; Instagram’s then-new Stories feature; and Leonardo DiCaprio’s first Oscar win. On the fashion side of things, 2016 was also when chokers reigned supreme (and were given a seal of approval by everyone from Gigi Hadid to Rihanna), not to mention ankle boots, all-too-skinny skinny jeans, graphic tees, and normal tees that were shortened by way of tying a flimsy knot right below your belly button.

If some, or most, of these moments feel questionable at best, that’s because they are. Still, it seems like we’re all too tempted to look back on this era with something close to yearning. And what better way to honor said emotion than by initiating the return of select circa-2016 sartorial trends (emphasis on select) to our closets? Sure, you might never want to be caught applying the “flower crown” and “tongue-out dog” Snapchat filters over your face ever again, but bomber jackets, logo-adorned tops, and maximalist leggings that are a far cry from Alo’s latest just might be the healing salve we all need in an increasingly unstable, rapidly changing world.

Below, the five distinct fashion trends that had their heyday 10 whole years ago but which are, someway and somehow, appearing in our shopping carts once more. Some things never change (and shouldn’t).

Bomber Jackets

Gigi Hadid on December 14, 2016, in New York City. Courtesy Alo Ceballos/Getty Images

In 2016, the New York Times reported a “500 percent year-on-year increase in Google searches involving the term ‘bomber jacket,'” which is not at all hard to believe considering the likes of Pharrell Williams, Hailey Bieber (well, Baldwin), and Gigi Hadid all opted in to this outerwear style — originally designed for military purposes — at around the same time. No matter if you sourced yours from Gucci or Forever 21, bomber jackets were edgy: especially when paired up, like in the Hadid visual above, with skin-tight bottoms and round, flimsy-looking sunnies that gave off major model-off-duty energy.

And while leather bombers have actually had their time in the sun as recently as last year, seen on the spring/summer 2026 runways of designers like Rick Owens and worn by what felt like the majority of Paris Fashion Week attendees, we’re advocating for a comeback of their satin counterparts specifically: previously adored by Drake and Kendall Jenner alike. Featuring attractive luster and in many cases a cropped silhouette that can work well with your high-waisted denim picks, satin bomber jackets are the transitional-weather buy that will get you through the tail end of winter this year (and be there for you when summer turns to fall). Don’t miss the moment and shop some bestsellers today.

Sacai Cotton Chino x Nylon Twill Jacket

$1,420

Buy Now at nordstrom

Price upon publish date of this article: $1,420

Michael Kors Satin Ciré Bomber Jacket

$219 $452 52% off

Buy Now at farfetch

Price upon publish date of this article: $219

Millennial Pink Everything

Elle Fanning on June 22, 2016, in New York City. Courtesy Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images

2016 marked the first time that color authority Pantone (yes, the one behind this year’s controversial “Cloud Dancer” shade better known as white) crowned not one but two hues as its Color(s) of the Year. They were a light, dusty pink and a baby blue, joined for the sake of relaying the “gender blur as it relates to fashion” experienced at the time, according to Pantone. The proclamation held water — turning said pink into a veritable sensation by way of Millennial Pink mania, itself responsible for making headlines (and instant influencer magnets) out of phenomena like the Paul Smith Pink Wall on Melrose Avenue.

The color has once again entered into the cultural conversation: perhaps spearheaded by the fashion set’s penchant for the coquettish and dainty, perhaps not. Either way, we’re not mad about its return one bit, seeing as how Millennial Pink can infuse easy elegance into even your most casual of ensembles. See our pink-swathed favorites below.

Staud Midnight Cashmere Cardigan

$395

Buy Now at net-a-porter

Price upon publish date of this article: $395

Afrm Ryan Cotton Barrel Sweatpants

$63.70 $98 35% off

Buy Now at nordstrom

Price upon publish date of this article: $63.70

Chokers… but Make Them Elevated

Taylor Swift on May 10, 2016, in Beverly Hills, California. Courtesy Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

Gracing city streets and red carpets, chokers were ubiquitous in 2016, especially in conjunction with off-the-shoulder tops — working to further accentuate their wearers’ necks, collarbones, and shoulders. You likely remember the prevalence of faux-tattoo chokers made from woven black plastic, whose accessibility was contrasted by the more upscale appearances of diamond- and crystal-clad styles sported by the Hollywood elite. There’s a particular photo of Taylor Swift that still lives in our heads “rent-free”: taken in May 2016 at the BMI Pop Awards, to which she came dressed up in a velvet Monique Lhuillier dress rounded out by a black diamond choker that popped against the backdrop of the star’s rebellious, bleached bob.

Knowing it’s probably not going to go over well, our fashion editors aren’t recommending you bring tattoo chokers back. Instead, interpret the trend through the lens of all that you now, gloriously, know about fashion — going for selections that are layer-ready and made from the finest of materials. Good news: There’s no plastic in sight here (and no Claire’s visit is required to hop on the bandwagon).

Ettika Crystal Sparkle Choker Necklace

$60

Buy Now at nordstrom

Price upon publish date of this article: $60

Polène Eroz Necklace

$390

Buy Now at Polène

Price upon publish date of this article: $390

More-is-More Activewear

Alessandra Ambrosio on October 4, 2016, in Los Angeles, California. Courtesy BG004/Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images

While your arsenal of leggings these days is likely marked by some combination of black, magenta, navy, and gray, life was different in the previous decade. Read: Everyone ran around in bolder-than-bold activewear and didn’t bat an eye. Mesh cutouts on leggings were cool, and so were prints of palm leaves, paint splatters, galaxies, and marble. Back then, it was definitely a “party on the bottom” situation all around, with A-listers from Sofia Vergara and Alessandra Ambrosio to the aforementioned Swift allowing their pants to do all the talking — whether they were running to the gym, from the gym, or simply checking errands off their to-do lists.

While galaxy-printed leggings are not on anyone’s bingo card this year (well, maybe we should speak only for ourselves), it’s fine time to spice up this apparel category vis-à-vis statement designs. All that will be missing? A muscle tee and some neon-colored Nikes, of course.

Beach Riot Piper Print Leggings

$108

Buy Now at nordstrom

Price upon publish date of this article: $108

Lululemon Align High-Rise Crop Leggings

$39 $88 56% off

Buy Now at lululemon

Price upon publish date of this article: $39

Quiet Luxury Who?

Rihanna on November 8, 2016, in New York City. Courtesy Raymond Hall/Getty Images

Move over, stealth wealth: If you wanted to signal you were someone in 2016, you wore Supreme, Gucci, and adidas, making sure people knew your clothes were sourced from there by leaving zilch to the imagination. As a result, the year of the Kylie Lip Kit also gave rise to logo-forward tees and those featuring graphics or cheeky phrases. Think Bella Hadid’s long-sleeve shirts with “Tommy Jeans” written on them front and center and luxury labels’ slogan-centric pieces presented on runways (remember Dior’s “We Should All Be Feminists” tee?).

While you won’t catch us going to work in something that has the name “Calvin Klein” dominating its exterior, 2016 street style also showed us that vintage band T-shirts are an apt choice of garb — and so is precious tour merch, for that matter. Never managed to bring home a souvenir from Justin Bieber’s Purpose World Tour? It’s socially acceptable to snag one off Amazon right now.

Who would’ve thought?

Nike Sportswear Graphic Ringer Tee

$35

Buy Now at urban outfitters

Price upon publish date of this article: $35

Desigual Embroidered Graphic T-Shirt

$99.95

Buy Now at nordstrom

Price upon publish date of this article: $99.95

Why Trust WWD

Since 1910, WWD — often referred to as “the fashion bible” — has been the leading industry voice of authority for senior executives in the global women’s and men’s fashion, retail and beauty communities, while also informing the consumer media that cover the market. Today, WWD’s breaking news and trend coverage continues to be a trustworthy resource for both fashion insiders and consumers alike. Our shopping editors continue to uphold WWD’s editorial standards and values with quality, expert-backed product selections. Learn more about us here.

Meet the Author

Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on fashion trends, including throwback ones, worth shopping. In 2016, at the ripe old age of 13, she was busy telling her 200-something YouTube subscribers what to wear on a night out and how to make money fast as a teen.

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2016 Mania Has Arrived — Here Are 5 Fashion Trends From the Era That Are Actually Worth Reviving

Recent Articles by Stacia Datskovska

In this article

View More

2016-Inspired Fashions to Shop in 2026

Sacai Cotton Chino x Nylon Twill Jacket

Michael Kors Satin Ciré Bomber Jacket

Staud Midnight Cashmere Cardigan

Afrm Ryan Cotton Barrel Sweatpants

Ettika Crystal Sparkle Choker Necklace

Polène Eroz Necklace

Beach Riot Piper Print Leggings

Lululemon Align High-Rise Crop Leggings

Nike Sportswear Graphic Ringer Tee

Desigual Embroidered Graphic T-Shirt

Related Articles

Bomber Jackets

Sacai Cotton Chino x Nylon Twill Jacket

Michael Kors Satin Ciré Bomber Jacket

Millennial Pink Everything

Staud Midnight Cashmere Cardigan

Afrm Ryan Cotton Barrel Sweatpants

Chokers… but Make Them Elevated

Ettika Crystal Sparkle Choker Necklace

Polène Eroz Necklace

More-is-More Activewear

Beach Riot Piper Print Leggings

Lululemon Align High-Rise Crop Leggings

Quiet Luxury Who?

Nike Sportswear Graphic Ringer Tee

Desigual Embroidered Graphic T-Shirt

Why Trust WWD

Meet the Author

Tags

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