"Loosely known as Bring Back 2016, it involves TikTokers urging their mostly gen Z audience to live 2026 like it's 2016 complete with mannequin challenges, a Major Lazer soundtrack and the promise of never-ending summer. And it's sure to get heads spinning quicker than the fidget spinners it's resurrecting. Admittedly, most of the content is just plain silly: 2016 challenges and dances (the bottle flip, the dab);"
"Remember when vintage film filters were all the rage (RIP Instagram's Mayfair and Sierra)? When videos didn't need a number of takes, lengthy edits, and border on a professional production? When it was OK to just be online without considering what it said about you as a personal brand? Or when the internet wasn't divisive politics everywhere? Well, that's 2016 according to TikTok, and it's time to Bring! It! Back!"
The TikTok trend 'Bring Back 2016' asks users to recreate 2016 culture in 2026, reviving mannequin challenges, Major Lazer soundtracks, dances, tech crazes and low-effort aesthetics. Popular revivals include the bottle flip, the dab, Pokemon Go, the Snapchat dog filter and vintage film filters. Videos emphasize simpler, less polished production values and a carefree online presence rather than curated personal branding. The trend provokes mixed reactions: some viewers embrace playful nostalgia and retro fun, while others see large-scale trolling or cringe. Fashion callbacks such as rolled-up jeans and ripped skinny jeans appear as ironic or sincere style choices.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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