A 2026 in-and-out list, courtesy of my students

In: Yearning, gay smut, dry humping. Out: nonchalance, baby!!!!

Jessica Bennett, Sharon Attia, Timi Sotire, and 3 others

Jan 01, 2026

You’re reading Wait, Really?, an occasional newsletter unpacking what’s in the culture, with a feminist spin. This one is a collab with the NYU Graduate Journalism Class of 2025 — and my students in “Reporting the Zeitgeist,” a class I teach each spring devoted to documenting the way we live today. Enjoy!!

THE IN LIST

IN: Testing Boyfriends

The evidence: Orange Peel Theory; Bird Theory; Princess Treatment; this viral Vogue article, “Is Having a Boyfriend Embarrassing Now?”; general heteropessimism

IN: Everything being “slutty and little”

The evidence: Jonathan Bailey’s “slutty little sunglasses,” slutty little bags, dresses, kitten heels, lashes, etc. “It’s like if the clean girl aesthetic turned 21.” — Katie

IN: Deer print/doecore

The evidence: First it was leopard print, then cow print. Is this the new polka dot?

IN: Savory girl snacks as the evolution of “girl dinner”

The evidence: All the girls who don’t want a “sweet treat;” this entire TikTok account; that woman who went viral for eating sweet potatoes stuffed with butterkäse)

IN: Yearning!!!!

The evidence: Heated Rivalry; Year of the Yearn; this song that keeps being suggested to me on Spotify. (Related IN: Gay smut)

IN (also related?): Dry humping?!!?

The evidence: “Idk why I keep seeing dry humping propaganda on my fyp but alas: bam, bam, bam” — Amaya

THE OUT LIST

OUT: Beige aesthetic

The evidence: People were really mad about Pantone’s color of the year this year, which was Cloud Dancer, i.e. a very sad shade of white.

“Optimism is resistance and funky colors combat evil beige sentiments.” — Jelinda

OUT: Nonchalance

The evidence: Get over yourself, it’s OK to care!!!!

Out: Anything-maxxing

The evidence: Much in the vein of the Boomerization of “6-7,” our media pals have decided to take -maxxing — fibermaxxing; smellmaxxing; testosterone-maxxing; fertility-maxxing — to its grave. Also: maybe moderation is in??

Out: Hair transplants

The evidence: r/balding and r/bald subreddit communities are helping guys embrace their hairless heads and make the leap. Bald = in!!

Misc other ins and outs:

Pen pals/19th century letter writing (in); restaurant reservations (out, thank god!!); last pic of a dump being unserious (in). What are we forgetting?!