Survey Reveals the Best (and Worst) Fashion and Beauty Trends
With social media apps like Instagram and TikTok fueling a frenzy of trends, fashions change faster than ever. You may find it hard to make sense of current tastes and styles — as soon as you’ve figured out the Y2K resurgence, coastal grandmothers start taking over.
To find out which fashion and beauty trends Americans love — and which ones they hate — we surveyed 1,000 Americans about their favorite styles, from sportswear to western accessories, and asked them to tell us how they feel about 48 specific trends. We also conducted a Google Search analysis of these trends to see what local fashion and beauty tastes look like in each state.
Key findings
- The most popular fashion trends among Americans are cargo pants, tie-dye, and matching sets.
- The most popular beauty trends are center parts, colored eye makeup, and acrylic nails.
- Extreme fashion and beauty trends are least popular: 4 in 5 dislike tiny sunglasses and micro handbags and over 9 in 10 dislike fake dimples and bleached eyebrows.
- Over half (54 percent) of Americans try more throwback trends thanks to affordable second-hand options.
Recycled fashion makes throwback trends more accessible
Sustainability is in, and recycled fashion (both figuratively and literally) makes some trends more accessible. Over half (54 percent) of Americans said they keep up with throwback fashion trends because second-hand and vintage shopping makes them more affordable.
Nearly half of Americans check out second-hand options when they’re hunting for trendy items: 52 percent of Americans purchase trendy items from online second-hand stores, like Poshmark or vintage retailers, and 47 percent purchase trendy items from thrift stores.
Gen Z Americans, especially, leverage these second-hand sources to stay on trend. 64 percent of Gen Z said they try more trends thanks to the availability of affordable, second-hand options.
The trends Americans love
Americans favor function and nostalgia. Over seven in 10 Americans said they love the sportswear trend and over half like chunky, comfortable footwear (57 percent) and throwbacks from the 2000s (56 percent). Younger Americans are especially fond of fashion’s return to the 2000s: Three in five Gen Z and Millennials love Y2K throwbacks.
The most popular fashion trends
These days, sporty and functional is the new “cool.” The most popular fashion trends among Americans are:
- Cargo pants
- Tie-dye
- Matching sets
- Sporty sunglasses
- Neon colors
Cargo pants, in particular, have a broad appeal. They’re three times as popular among Americans as low-rise pants.
Forty-five percent rated sporty sunglasses as “cool,” and 36 percent rated cargo pants as “cool.” The top trends also strike a nostalgic note among Americans. Thirty-one percent rated tie-dye as “nostalgic,” and 25 percent rated neon colors as “nostalgic.”
The most popular beauty trends
The most popular beauty trends also harken back to the ‘90s and early 2000s. The most popular beauty trends among Americans are:
- Center parts
- Colored mascara and eyeliner
- Acrylic nails
- Dewy skin
- ’90s layers
Low-maintenance, throwback hairstyles are most popular among Americans right now. Center parts are nearly three times as popular as blunt bangs, and if you’re thinking about a fresh cut, ‘90s layers are the most popular choice.
When it comes to skin and makeup, whimsy wins — glistening skin and playful makeup are among Americans’ favorite beauty trends of the moment. Nearly a third of Americans (32 percent) rated acrylic nails as “cute,” and 29 percent agree that colored mascara and eyeliner and hyper-moisturized, dewy skin are “cute” trends too.
The trends Americans hate
When it comes to fashion trends, impractical sizes and exaggerated cuts are less popular among Americans. Nearly three in five Americans (58 percent) hate the over- and under-sized accessories trend.
The least popular fashion trends
Y2K fashion may be back in style, but that doesn’t mean Americans are all onboard with low-rise pants. The five least popular trends are:
- Ultra low-rise pants
- Micro handbags
- Tiny sunglasses
- Patchwork pants
- Clogs
Not all chunky footwear is created equal. Dad sneakers and Crocs are cool, but over a third of Americans (36 percent) rated clogs as “ugly” — they’re considered the least cool of all the fashion trends we analyzed. Patchwork pants are also relatively unpopular among Americans — and 29 percent rated these as “ugly.”
The least popular beauty trends
When it comes to their beauty routines, Americans are wary of more extreme interventions and exaggerated looks. The least popular beauty trends are:
- Fake dimples
- Bleached eyebrows
- Tattooed freckles
- Laminated eyebrows
- Lip filler
Some of these trends are not for the faint of heart. In our survey, Americans rated fake dimples (54 percent), laminated eyebrows (47 percent), bleached eyebrows (44 percent) and tattooed freckles (44 percent) as just plain “weird.” A third rated lip filler and overlined lips as “ugly.”
Trending styles by state
To figure out where certain fashion and beauty trends are uniquely popular, we conducted a Google Search analysis to see where Americans are most likely to search for certain styles.
Unique fashion trends by state
We found chunky, functional footwear preferences differ the most by state, with Uggs, Crocs, Birkenstocks, and cowboy boots on rotation for Americans in different parts of the country.
Those in Northeastern states like New York and Pennsylvania are most interested in Uggs, while those in the West (like California, Oregon and Arizona) are more likely to search for Crocs. Cowboy boots are most popular in states like Montana and Wyoming.
Unique beauty trends by state
Many Americans are curious about curtain bangs. Interest in this trendy hairstyle spreads from coast to coast but is concentrated in the West (California, Utah, Arizona), the Midwest (Ohio, Illinois), and Northeast (New York, New Jersey).
Americans in the South (like Texas and Louisiana) and Northeast (Pennsylvania and New York) are most into acrylic nails, while those in the Northwest (like Oregon and Washington) are most likely to search for microbladed brows.
Americans want to keep fun and functionality, but stop some of the extremes
Trends will always change with the seasons, but some do have lasting power. We asked Americans to tell us which trends they hope will stick around, and which ones they’d like to see stop right now.
Keep: low-maintenance fun and function
Americans really want to keep low-key, functional trends, as well as cute and nostalgic styles. The five trends they really want to keep wearing are:
- Cargo pants
- Tie-dye
- Matching sets
- Sporty sunglasses
- Mom jeans
They also want to keep colorful embellishments and relaxed retro hairstyles. The top five trends they hope will last are:
- Colored mascara and eyeliner
- Acrylic nails
- Center parts
- ‘90s layers
- Curtain bangs
Stop: fussy extremes
Two in five Americans have tried socks with sandals, but they’re eager to see this footwear style and some other extreme proportions go by the wayside. The top five trends Americans hope will stop are:
- Socks with sandals
- Ultra-low rise pants
- Clogs
- Tiny sunglasses
- Micro handbags
Americans want some more involved beauty interventions to fall out of fashion, too. The top five beauty trends they’re ready to lose are:
- Fake dimples
- Bleached eyebrows
- Heavy facial contouring
- Lip filler
- Laminated eyebrows
Conclusion
Americans love functional and sporty clothes and are feeling playful with their beauty routines, especially when it comes to hair and makeup. Staying on trend is as simple as taking a trip to your local vintage store or booking a stylist to get that layered ‘90s hairstyle and some fun acrylics.
Methodology: We surveyed 1,003 Americans on May 31, 2022. The gender breakdown was 48 percent men, 49 percent women, and two percent nonbinary. The age breakdown was 13 percent Baby Boomers, 23 percent Gen X, 45 percent Millennials, and 19 percent Gen Z.
To find the unique fashion and beauty trends in each state, we conducted a Google Search analysis of 48 fashion and beauty trends in all 50 states.
