Top 10 Iconic 2010s Trends You Forgot About
The 2010s were a decade of rapid transformation, bridging the gap between the analog leftovers of the 2000s and the hyper-connected digital landscape we live in today. It was an era defined by the explosion of social media, the rise of the influencer, and some of the most bizarre internet challenges in history. While some 2010s trends like smartphones have become permanent fixtures of our lives, others have faded into the corners of our memory. Letâs take a nostalgic trip back and rediscover the 2010s trends that defined a generation.
1. The Era of Viral Video Challenges
If there is one thing that truly encapsulates 2010s trends, it is the viral challenge. Before TikTok perfected the short-form video, platforms like Facebook and YouTube were home to massive global movements. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was perhaps the most successful, raising millions for charity, but it was followed by more eccentric fads like the Planking craze and the Harlem Shake. These moments turned the internet into a giant, participative playground.
2. Vine: The Birth of Six-Second Comedy
Before there was TikTok, there was Vine. Launched in 2013, Vine limited users to just six seconds of looping video. This constraint birthed a new form of comedy and a new breed of internet celebrity. Many of todayâs biggest YouTubers and musicians got their start on the platform. Although it was discontinued in 2017, its influence on digital storytelling and short-form content remains one of the most significant 2010s trends.
3. Hipster Culture and the Twee Aesthetic
The early-to-mid 2010s were dominated by the "hipster" aesthetic. This involved a mix of vintage fashion, thick-rimmed glasses, and a fascination with artisanal products. Culturally, this manifested as "Twee"âa style characterized by Zooey Deschanel, ukuleles, and Peter Pan collars. This specific branch of 2010s trends emphasized a quirky, innocent, and retro-inspired lifestyle that felt like a direct reaction to the polish of the previous decade.
4. The Rise and Fall of the BlackBerry
At the start of the decade, the BlackBerry was still the ultimate status symbol for professionals and teenagers alike, thanks to BlackBerry Messenger (BBM). However, the smartphone revolution moved fast. As the iPhone and Android devices introduced better touchscreens and app ecosystems, the physical keyboard became a relic. The decline of the BlackBerry is a pivotal moment in 2010s trends, marking the total shift to the "slab" smartphone era.
5. Neon Fashion and "Indie Sleaze"
2010s trends in fashion were famously chaotic. The decade began with the "Indie Sleaze" lookâa messy, party-centric aesthetic involving American Apparel leggings, smudged eyeliner, and flash photography. This soon evolved into a fascination with neon colors and galaxy prints. Whether it was a t-shirt covered in nebulae or bright "shutter shades," the early 2010s were visually loud and unapologetically synthetic.
6. The Dominance of EDM and Dubstep
Musically, the 2010s saw Electronic Dance Music (EDM) move from underground raves to the top of the Billboard charts. Around 2012, Dubstepâcharacterized by its heavy "bass drops"âbecame a global phenomenon. Artists like Skrillex became household names, and the influence of electronic production seeped into every other genre, from pop to country, defining the sonic landscape of 2010s trends.
7. Fidget Spinners: The Ultimate Playground Fad
In 2017, you couldn't enter a classroom or an office without hearing the whirring sound of a Fidget Spinner. Originally marketed as a tool for focus, these small ball-bearing toys became an overnight sensation. Like many 2010s trends, the craze burned brightly and vanished almost as quickly as it arrived, leaving millions of plastic spinners in junk drawers worldwide.
8. The "Mustache" Obsession
One of the more baffling 2010s trends was the ubiquitous "mustache" motif. For a few years, the silhouette of a handlebar mustache was printed on everything from finger tattoos and t-shirts to coffee mugs and phone cases. It was the peak of "random" humor that characterized early internet culture during the decade.
9. Pokemon GO and Augmented Reality
In the summer of 2016, the world changed for a few weeks when Pokemon GO launched. It was the first time augmented reality (AR) truly went mainstream. Thousands of people flocked to parks and city landmarks to catch digital creatures on their phones. It remains one of the most positive 2010s trends, as it encouraged outdoor activity and community gathering on a massive scale.
10. Peak "Hustle Culture" and Influencers
As Instagram grew, so did the concept of the "Influencer." The late 2010s saw the rise of "hustle culture," where personal growth, fitness, and productivity became a performance sport. This era of 2010s trends was defined by hyper-curated feeds, avocado toast, and the "girlboss" archetype, setting the stage for the creator economy we see today.
Reflecting on a Transforming Decade
The 2010s trends were more than just fleeting fads; they represented a society trying to figure out its relationship with new technology and global connectivity. From the simplicity of a six-second Vine to the complexity of global social movements, the decade fundamentally changed how we communicate. While we might look back at our galaxy-print leggings and mustache tattoos with a bit of embarrassment, those trends were the building blocks of the digital culture we navigate today.