Let’s bid turkey and beige farewell as we welcome Jell-O and tall socks into 2025
Illustration by Sage Blackwell.
IN – Cards & letters
As we become increasingly wary of tech going “too far,” I think that 2025 is the year we turn to cards and letters for intentional, thoughtful communication. Now that the Canada Post strike has ended, more people will get into the groove of addressing and mailing their correspondences.
OUT – Doing your hair
Gone are the days of perfectly curling your hair every day just to go to school. As everyone gets just a touch lazier, I predict that we will all learn to embrace our hair as it exists on our heads, without excessive styling or concern. Products to enhance natural patterns, like curl creams, will be enough to satisfy our desires.
IN – Tall socks
Heel socks have been passé for a while now, with crew socks firmly taking their place as the acceptable height for such staples of footwear. I recently saw a photo from the ’70s featuring a girl wearing knee-high socks with chunky heels, and I can’t stop thinking about it. Tall socks will be the prime fashion necessity of 2025, since they fit nicely under the taller, 2000s-throwback boots.
OUT – Strawberries as the aesthetic fruit
I really do appreciate what strawberries have done for fruit aesthetics in the last five years. I believe, however, that they are on their way out this year. Strawberries are to our generation what pineapples were to millennials, and we might find ourselves cringing over fabric patterns and home accessories in the months and years to come. I’m not sure what the next great fruit will be, but strawberries have had their turn.
IN – Equestrianism
While few of us have the luxury of spending time around horses, anyone can admire an equestrian aesthetic from afar. Whether it’s the cowhide splendor of western riding or the classy, leather look of English riding, the idea of horse culture will permeate the 2025 aesthetic landscape.
OUT – Plastic in the kitchen
I think we’ve all heard of the dangers of microplastics by now, but the recent news about the specific danger of black plastic kitchen utensils was enough to push us over the edge. New research suggests that this type of cookware contains toxic chemicals that are linked to cancer. I predict a mass exodus from kitchen plastics of all forms in 2025, including serving spoons, spatulas, and cutting boards.
IN – Cleaning
I love cleaning, and so should you. It’s the classic activity that gets put to the side in favour of other tasks, but I predict that 2025 will be the year that we all accept how important this simple duty is. There is an undeniable influx of influencers dedicating their platforms to house cleaning, and this is the type of new year energy I expect to see stretch into our daily lives.
OUT – Doing schoolwork on the couch
I am so guilty of this one, but it’s very out this year. No one wants to be the friend who agrees to watch TV and then quietly types out an assignment. Not to mention how bad couch work is for your posture. This year, we should all resolve to work only at desks and chairs. It’s the sophisticated type of productivity, and it helps to divide our lives between rest and work.
IN – Pickleball
This sport offers a fun halfway point between oh-so-fancy tennis and grandma’s-basement ping-pong. It also gives us the opportunity to succumb to trends, which can end up as the wholesome realization that, sometimes, activities are popular for a reason. And there’s no denying that recreational exercise is nothing but positive for our health.
OUT – Beige
This year will mark a turn away from the beige we’ve all become too familiar with. It hit its worst when the world caught a glimpse of Kim Kardashian’s sad beige house. 2025 will be the year that we run to deep, vibrant colours and away from the bland, lifeless beige that once gripped the design universe.
IN – Jell-O
Reaching the quarter of a century naturally makes us all nostalgic for the past, as we reflect on the passage of time. I predict that the most mid-century dessert possible, Jell-O, will launch itself back into the height of pop culture. Expect to see layered recipes and “salads” galore in the year ahead.
OUT – Turkey
Turkey is fine twice a year and at no other time. I can’t express how out turkey will be in 2025. As we move farther away from the blatant food-replacement style of diet culture, “healthy” turkey alternatives like turkey patties and turkey bacon will die the death they deserve.
