Autumn’s cool breath gently blows on our simmering, sun-kissed skin, chillingly reminding us of the “Hot Girl Summer” that simply did not go our way. But, as pumpkin spice season swings into full effect, allow the luscious taste of your favorite spicy latte to cool your sunburnt skin.
We’re finally in the last quarter of 2025. Welcome to your “Great Lock In,” where you will achieve all the delusionally ambitious goals you set for yourself during last winter’s post-final exam motivation.
The final stretch of 2025, although bittersweet, has certainly made a grand entrance. Witnessing a bear-skinning in my dorm was the last thing I’d expected to bring in the fall, but it certainly was a wake-up call to change the trajectory of my life… and change it fast.
But Cornell’s Beargate scandal is not the only thing churning my stomach this September, given the current state of social media fads overtaking our feeds and infiltrating our closets. So, let’s talk about some trends to ditch this fall if you want to reclaim 2025 and enter, your new and improved “Hot Girl Fall.”
1. Tread with Caution… The Y2K Revival
I’m always here for a nostalgic fashion statement. The resurgence of iconic baggy low-rise jeans, coquette baby tees and belly chains had me in a chokehold all summer, too. But, this whole Y2K era thing is being taken way too far, and I fear we may soon pay the price.
Head-to-toe rhinestones? Absolutely not. Low-rise everything? No. A controversial point: Why are so many shirts ungodly cropped nowadays? The poor insulation of these shirts is a calamity for winters in Ithaca, and the only uncropped tees on the market are chafing bodysuits.
I think modernizing Y2K is a coping mechanism — Gen Z returning to a time when life was quieter, peaceful: When we were babies.
But, if we’re going back to the 2000s this season, next season might just be… the 2010s. Shuddering intensifies. Mark my words, I will be fleeing the country if I see skinny jeans appear on my For You page.
Let’s also not forget the terrors of the 2000s: over-plucked eyebrows, extreme hair accessories, unhealthy obsessions with thinness and excessively shimmery make-up products. These were all the rage, and I swear, if I see someone with a fruit-flavored, glittery, roll-on lip gloss, I will be raging.
Overall, I’m not completely opposed to Y2K fashion, but I fear the potentially disastrous implications skinny jeans may have on societal harmony.
2. From Baggy to Barrel & Balloon?
Wasting too much time that I could have used reviewing for my back-to-back prelims, I studied thousands of trending looks for this fall. Unfortunately, pants seem to be a loaded topic this season. One concept is abundantly clear: Baggy jeans are still the look of the fall. Thank God. But, why are some newly trending baggy jeans diaper-coded?
Barrel jeans give the illusion of an inverted, uncomfortable standing position. They also pose a lack of inclusivity to the vertically challenged. I struggle finding jeans I don’t trip over as is, and I don’t envision this style doing well without extensive hemming. Let's keep the short-statured in mind with our fashion statements.
Meanwhile, balloon pants are the epitome of the Genie from Aladdin. I will admit, they seem comfortable, but so are sweatpants. Let’s just stick to sweats and ditch the overconsumption train on this one!
3. The Doomscrolling Dead End
You bombed that prelim last night, missed class after waiting too long in line at Zeus and tripped down the slope during the morning class rush (again). It happens to the best of us. To build momentum and bounce back from all of last week’s fiascos, I lovingly ask you to put your phone down. It’s doing more harm than good. Ignoring your unrelenting workload won’t make it disappear.
Now, this is not to say delete TikTok (we all know that never works). Ditch the doomscrolling and replace the habit with reading, mindfully perusing motivational Pinterest boards, using coloring books or apps or listening to music.
Your future self will thank you when you don’t cave to impulsively buying a new skin-care device you never intended on using but thought might ease the pain of rejection from that overly-judgmental project team.
4. Labubus
Part of designer Kasing Lung’s “The Monsters” series, Labubus are the baleful-looking plushies that took over social media by storm late last year.
I’m not here to push the widespread conspiracy theories claiming these toys are satanic. But, in my humble opinion, they are hideous — threatening, beady eyes following you everywhere you go, daunting teeth flashing a menacing smile in your direction. And, not to mention, the absolutely diabolical price tag for a figment of your childhood nightmares.
As part of the Great Lock In, focusing on budgeting is key. I would rather treat myself to a few more weekly sweet treats than drop my entire paycheck on a disorienting doll. And I’d better not see another Labubu hanging from anyone else’s backpack — they genuinely scare me.
All in all, social media has shifted toward even more overconsumption in recent months. This fall, we are reclaiming our control. We will not cave to any old trend that stumbles on our For You pages, no matter how enticing.
Let’s make the most of 2025 by locking in and logging out of our relentless social media addictions. Maybe we can even go on a little shopping spree to celebrate the start of the Great Lock In season!
Ava Tafreshi is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at ant63@cornell.edu.
