The 2016 trend on social media is giving me absolute chills. But could it be the cure for this new-year funk? | Eleanor Burnard

"Lately, you'd easily believe we've travelled back into a sepia-toned, bygone era. Social media has been inundated with grainy images of purple sunsets, selfies adorned with flower crowns and outfits that largely consist of ripped jeans, plastic chokers and olive-green utility jackets. Where the hell am I? And what year is it? There's no way to avoid it; 2016 nostalgia is in full force."

"Arguably the poster girl of 2016's spirit (for better or worse), Kylie Jenner, even hopped on to the trend and shared images that were the envy of almost all young girls at the time. Millennial pink hair. Thigh-high boots styled with T-shirt dresses. Heavy, full-glam makeup that revitalised the entire cosmetic industry. Absolute chills. You just had to be there, she captioned the post."

"But, in my best attempt to emulate the great Carrie Bradshaw, I couldn't help but wonder if everyone who was romanticising this particular moment of time actually were there. Don't they remember that 2016 was, well, kind of a shit one? I recall a lot of people concluding that 2016 felt rather rotten by the year's end. After all, this was the year that kicked off Brexit, saw Pauline Hanson's return into Australian politics and, most notably, the transformation of Trump's presidency as a punchline"

Social media users have revived 2016 aesthetics through grainy filters, flower crowns, ripped jeans, plastic chokers, and olive-green utility jackets. Influencers and public figures repost decade-old images, and celebrities like Kylie Jenner resurfaced millennial pink hair, thigh-high boots, and full-glam makeup. The nostalgic focus on fashion and curated moments often obscures significant political and cultural turmoil from 2016. That year saw Brexit, Pauline Hanson's political return in Australia, and the elevation of Trump's candidacy into the presidency. Pop-culture shocks also marked the year, including several beloved celebrity deaths and polarising media moments that complicate rose-tinted recollection.

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