2024 felt a million years — and trends — long. The Michigan Daily Style beat is here to tell you which of those should stay and what absolutely needs to go. Whether it’s late sleep schedules, excessive skincare routines or oat milk (yes, really), there’s something each of us are ready to be rid of as we start the new year. There are also some things we think you shouldn’t miss out on, so go ahead and use our very own Style cheat sheet to 2025. We won’t tell. Everyone deserves to start the year off in Style.
– Senior Arts Editor Cecilia Dore and Style Beat Editor Sarah Patterson
In: Cooking as a form of self-care
Some would call me a “busy bee” or even an “uptight and entirely too stressed individual.” Bee or woman with gray hair at 20 years old, it’s all the same to me. I really struggle to take intentional care of myself; I fall asleep to the sounds of whatever TikTok I happen to be on and any other bedtime activity feels pointless knowing I’ll fall asleep within five minutes. I used to love reading and doing careful skincare before bed. Now, I’m just so tired that all those simple pleasures seem too complicated. These now “tasks” instead of treats seem like a waste of time when it’s past sundown.
But, as my sister has always said, it’s about changing your habits to change your lifestyle.
I have grown to love cooking so much that the aspects I fall short in don’t feel as much like failures anymore. Chopping onions and cooking pasta has brought me so much solace when I’m on the brink of crisis. I have food to eat for the next two days so I can temporarily avoid the Panera-at-lunchtime purgatory. On top of that blissful truth, I finally found a way to spend some time to really focus on nothing more than not cutting myself or catching the house on fire. Cooking is the best distraction I’ve ever experienced. Even as a loyal sitcom watcher, my mind still wanders to the paper due or the internship I have yet to find. My phone calls to me as I read my book to fulfill my doomscrolling dreams, but in the kitchen, my attention is undivided on the stove. It’s even hard to talk whenever I’m cooking, which is really saying something.
My favorite aspect of cooking, though, is being able to give others a good home-cooked meal. I’m Southern, and the only way we know how to mitigate any of life’s complications is through food. It’s in my DNA to make sure my friends are fed and fed with love. After all, they fulfill me in such beautiful ways that cooking up sun-dried tomato pasta seems incomparable.
Style Beat Editor Sarah Patterson can be reached at sarahpat@umich.edu.
Out: Oat Milk
OK, OK, settle down, settle down. Let me present you with my qualifications to give such an opinion: I am a barista at a small indie cafe, I love boygenius and I was a loyal oat milk drinker for three years. Yet, I firmly believe that if you are not lactose intolerant and you drink oat milk, you are a victim of Queer social media. It’s okay to admit that your “stomach problems” are actually just a feeble attempt to avoid judgmental eyes from the impeccably dressed barista that has so much aura you can do nothing but cower in the face of their coolness. Go ahead and shell out the extra dollar for the iced latte, we won’t judge you, conformist. Whole milk won’t make your vegan platform Dr. Martens disappear like Dorothy’s ruby red slippers. Take some Lactaid if you need it and enjoy your latte the way it’s meant to be enjoyed: with the cow’s milk that destroys the planet without all of the artificial sugars oat milk has. I know I will. Unless you’re vegan.
Style Beat Editor Sarah Patterson can be reached at sarahpat@umich.edu.
In: Somebody’s old polka dot blouse
Polka dots, I know, duh. My Pinterest feed has been flooded with sheer polka dot skirts, polka dot swimsuits, polka dot kitten heels and everything polka dot that makes me stop and think, “Oh, wait, that’s so cute,” and then immediately after: “Who am I, Zooey Deschanel?” If you’re like me and ready to fall victim to the polka dot wave, don’t settle for the surge of poorly sewn polka dot clothing hitting the Urban Outfitters sale racks, instead, leave behind the tiny polka dots of a dress that is eighty dollars but somehow still 85% polyester. Find those old, chunky polka dots, whether they’re from a loved one’s closet or the racks of a thrift store. With trends whose inspiration can be traced back to those of merely ten or so years ago, you’re almost guaranteed to find something lightly used that will look so much more authentic and higher quality than the newer imitations. The pattern could literally be pictured under the dictionary definition of “classic,” so take advantage of its pre-existing abundance. It’ll probably be easier on your wallet, too.
Senior Arts Editor Cecilia Dore can be reached at cecedore@umich.edu.
Out: Anti-aging obsessed skincare routines
I have what I would consider a decent skincare routine — cleanser, toner, moisturizer and sunscreen. Unless it’s summer or I’m going to be outside all day, I don’t reapply the latter. This feels more than fine, but the extensive routines and practices I’ve witnessed on Instagram reels, all with the objective of aging the absolute least amount possible, put mine to absolute shame. The skincare world’s obsession with turning back the clock is nothing new, but it is something that needs to be wrapped up. Going to extreme lengths to avoid a few extra wrinkles down the line is not only time consuming, but a reflection of the uncomfortable value that’s placed on youth and a pervasive fear of aging. As Club Chalamet wrote in response to criticism she faces for being a 58-year-old running a Timothée Chalamet fan account, “For those of you who engage in ageism, you’re sending out to the universe that you don’t want to live as long as I have … and you know what, the universe might return that favor and cut your life short, just to spare you the awfulness of reaching my current age of only 58.” A harsh sentiment, perhaps, but applicable to the current anti-aging frenzy. Wouldn’t it be cool to reframe healthily and safely reaching old age as something to be grateful for, rather than something that’s ugly or undesirable?
Senior Arts Editor Cecilia Dore can be reached at cecedore@umich.edu.
In: Flower Arrangements
Growing up around Washington, D.C., spring and summertime were a romantic pink haze with Japanese cherry blossom tree petals and technicolor gardens lining every city street. I thought cut flowers were superfluous, an impersonal excuse for a Valentine’s Day gift and a waste of money. But 2024 has been the year of cold apartments and concrete jungles — with natural floral arrangements lost in ice and skylines, fewer gardens and more graying weeds buried in sidewalk cracks. I started arranging bouquets of grocery store flowers every week.
Mixing and matching, clipping stems, creating patterns and placing the creation into a mason jar on my desk became a weekly practice of self-care, even self-love. The intentionally handcrafted bouquets make my space feel more mine, more joyful and far brighter.
People often relegate flowers to feminine and over-romantic associations. It pained me to read — a tweet or TikTok caption, I think, I only remember the painful sentiment — that many men don’t get flowers until their funerals. Single people seldom get flowers until their wedding. Florals are restricted and dismissed as a Valentine’s Day gift for a girlfriend or wife. Delegating it to a single day when love is more a forced expression than a word, promise or action makes it lose all its meaning. It neglects to account for the power of a bouquet to bring about a lasting smile. Evolutionary psychology studies prove a direct causation: Flowers can instantly create lasting changes in mood.
Flowers can signify love of any kind. You think of someone’s favorite color and aesthetic and decide you want to brighten their day. This summer, my family refused to only bring food and a “get well soon” card for a very loved middle-aged male family friend who asked for something more meaningful. I bought dark purple and blue flowers. I sprinted them over to his house as the streets flooded on a dusky summer day, creating a violet haze in my vision. I imagined this colorful contrast with the beautiful yet characteristically dark city streets outside his windowsill and hoped he’d imagine the same. He loved the flowers, or at least pretended to spare my feelings. I cannot imagine a person disliking flowers or not smiling when they see their favorite ones.
Place a jar to fill on your desk. Look for inspiration outdoors. Buy flowers at the corner store or clip them from rude neighbors’ yards. Create bouquets — each beautiful and each different every time. Gift them to loved ones “just because.” Cut flowers are “in” this year, far beyond Feb. 14.
Daily Arts Writer Kaya Ginsky can be reached at kginsky@umich.edu.
Out: pre-cut fruit if you can get fresh fruit instead
Deciding to purchase pre-cut versus whole fruit is a dilemma faced by cash-time-and-space-poor students, attempting to reduce the threat of scurvy and bring nutritious sweetness into their daily diet. Thankfully, pre-cutting fruit lends accessibility, regardless of an individual’s ability or food access; it’s even sold at corner stores. But if you are aimlessly strolling Trader Joe’s wondering if you have time to cut a mango, you do.
Fruit does not require a 10-20% upcharge on pre-preparation or the single-use plastic that piles up from every grocery haul, with everything ready-made and pre-packaged. Instead of buying it peeled and prepped at its peak and letting it rot in your fridge, feel the food and let it ripen. Knock on a honeydew, smell a cantaloupe or squint at a pineapple’s yellowish color to discern if it’s ready. Fruit is a simple recipe requiring minutes of preparation and occasional patience as it readies for the perfect bite.
Slicing, seeding, peeling, cubing or dicing fruit is a way to tune out all outside the kitchen. It makes one connect with the freshest food in their fruit bowl and center themselves on preparing something indulgently flavorful for oneself or loved ones.
Preparing fruit is an immensely popular motif in love poetry, often in verses on immigrant parents preparing fruit from their countries of origin en-masse for dessert. Families from many countries cut fruit for their children in wordless “I love you’s.”
A bowl of freshly cut fruit from my parents or sister is my favorite thing to see when I arrive home. It reminds me that I am home and I am safe. I smile as I think of them searching the market for my favorite foods and carefully slicing them just for me; they know me. I love preparing fruit myself just the same. It is a labor of love to and from myself.
Preparing fruit is a careful and thoughtful act and an oddly entertaining challenge as I hawkishly watch out for fingers and desperately attempt to get every last droplet of juice and guts. Prepare a huge bundle of nutrients and sugar — pineapple, melon, citrus, mango, papaya, pomegranate — cut off pieces little by little while it stays fresh, share it or consume it all at once. Find time to savor it by preparation; it makes it even sweeter.
Daily Arts Writer Kaya Ginsky can be reached at kginsky@umich.edu.
In: Dark cherry red
It’s romantic. It’s elegant. It’s moody. But above all — it’s chic. Maybe it’s because the Lana Del Rey girls have championed it, or maybe we can’t resist the visual of vampiric drops of blood on stark white snow, but the ’90s reminiscent dark cherry red was one of the biggest style trends of the year. From colored tights to lipstick shades, everybody was offering their take on the autumnal hue. I know red can be a polarizing fashion choice for those who claim it’s too bright or too alarming for an everyday outfit. Trust me, as someone with a wardrobe littered in navy, dark green and black, I understand the hesitation towards the warmer side of the color spectrum.
However, I had a change of heart concerning this specific rendition of this sultry shade, which is a calming complement when paired with classy blacks and browns. It embodies an opportunity to look put-together or alluring without a ton of effort involved. This type of red offers the cheerful essence of a ribbon on a wreath, dark pomegranates or a cozy library book — all three visuals perfect homages to the colder seasons. On top of its inherent beauty, it can actually do wonders to kick off the day in a more confident manner. When the world is shrouded in gray (which, let’s face it, is most of the year in Michigan), it’s hard to muster the energy to get dressed up.
Thankfully, this color is so classy that it can transform the outfit to a higher level, even if the other clothes are more casual. I’ve found it to be mentally empowering to walk around in bolder, sleeker colors even if I don’t feel up to it at first. Going to class dressed up — especially in cherry red — makes me feel like I am impervious to whatever the universe decides to inconvenience me with today. It’s amazing what just a small color palette change can do to your spirit! With Valentine’s Day on the way, you’ll want to resurrect this charming seasonal favorite and give it a second life on a sweet date. I highly encourage those who prefer colder colors to give dark cherry red a try — I most certainly have been converted.
Daily Arts Writer Bella Casagranda can be reached at ijcasa@umich.edu.
Out: Beige children’s toys
Think back (way back) to the simpler days of childhood, the days of bubbly cartoons, princess dresses and light-up sneakers. What is the color palette of such an era? If your answer paints vivid memories of striking primary colors or even some fluorescent neon: Congratulations — that’s the way it should be. However, a bizarre trend has emerged with some of the newer moms on the block who don’t want their kids to get in the way of their minimalist home’s aesthetic. That’s right: They’ve substituted engaging colors for dull neutrals on building blocks and rattles. Bold pinks and purples have been replaced with gray, beige and — on a good day — a charcoal blue. I know sleek neutrals are intensely popular at the moment, especially in the new millennial mom demographic, but come on. Do you really want your baby’s formative memories to be based around uninventive, drab tableaux? Having a baby grow up around a lack of color will mean the baby grows up around a lack of imagination.
Maybe it’s the artsy kid inside of me, but it’s very dystopian to foster an environment where a child — who is supposed to be surrounded by wonder and excitement — is instead enveloped by … nothingness. A kid should be given a world filled with rainbows and tacky vibrant color palettes because part of the charm of childhood is being free from needing to look a certain way. From missing teeth to grass stains to marker streaks on faces to mismatched patterns, children should be allowed to be their own people, as imperfect as they are. When parents reduce the world to be mundane and colorless — or imply that it has to look perfect — they implicitly train their kids to view the world the same way. There’s no encouragement to explore and no acceptance of mistakes. I know that might seem like a bold conclusion to draw from just surrounding your kid in grays, but children deserve a colorful start. The world is already gray enough.
Daily Arts Writer Bella Casagranda can be reached at ijcasa@umich.edu.
In: Halting the hauls and prioritizing underconsumption
Makeup. Jewelry. Too many articles of clothing to list. The University of Michigan has an overconsumption problem — yes, we’re aware of the Stanley Cups and Super Puffs. In fact, all of America has an overconsumption problem. And I am no exception.
It’s easy to shop with friends and feel that shot of dopamine when the credit card transaction approves and you can go along on your merry way with your brand-new matching kitten heels. But then the realization hits: You already own two pairs of black heels, and what else would you wear this new pair for anyway?
Through grossly enormous hauls on social media, we are constantly being marketed to, even when scrolling mindlessly. Our consumer status never truly goes away, as there is always some new age-reversing serum or curve-defining bodysuit that seems to take the internet by storm. It’s actually quite difficult to avoid advertisements while just walking around campus. But I believe we can collectively unlock our inner strength and avoid hitting the checkout button when online browsing at Aritzia.
Underconsumption core supports minimalistic buying and thinking about your needs versus your wants. TikTok content focused on #underconsumptioncore boasts thousands of users who buy less, use their current items more and feel 10 times more satisfied with their current material items. Our planet is burning, and the overconsumption of cheap fast fashion is actively lighting the fire. Don’t get shoppers’ remorse. Think twice before buying those kitten heels.
Daily Arts Writer Tara Wasik can be reached at tarawas@umich.edu.
Out: LinkedIn as the new Instagram
As college students who are hungry for the next internship and job opportunity, it can be tempting to look towards what others are doing. LinkedIn is a powerful professional platform that makes networking virtual. Since the pandemic, the website has skyrocketed in popularity. In a post-pandemic world where Zoom meetings are the new norm, this site is here to stay. But there comes a point when our work-life balance is drastically disturbed. There has been a dramatic increase in adults working from home, and this transition has caused confusion regarding what is appropriate for work. Relying on LinkedIn and posting personal content on the platform makes it harder to relax and not think about work.
Marriage proposals. Fundraisers for the death of a loved one. Jokes about “brain rot.” These are all real things I have seen as a LinkedIn user. Setting boundaries on what is work and what is personal is extremely important, and this content supports oversharing. Unless actively looking for an opportunity, the average person should not be on LinkedIn for more than a couple of minutes a day.
Social media addiction is talked about almost irritatingly often, but I think we’re all a little too unknowingly addicted to LinkedIn. Since this platform is viewed as a professional tool, we’ve forgotten that it is still a form of social media. It’s time to take a break from checking who got the latest internship from Deloitte or Lockheed Martin.
Daily Arts Writer Tara Wasik can be reached at tarawas@umich.edu.
In: Curating a bedtime routine
Going into 2025 learning from the mistakes of 2024, it’s time we keep a routine sleep schedule. It took me a semester of school to learn that sleep is incredibly valuable. Sleep absorbs information for your brain, repairs your muscles and cleans your body — it is essential for daily upkeep. I adjusted my routine so I could roughly get seven hours of sleep a night from around 12:30 a.m. and waking up around 7:30 a.m.
By waking up refreshed, I was able to feel good about myself. I felt like a normal human who could balance my academics with a nice morning routine: brushing my teeth, cleaning my face and actually picking out a cute outfit. I was prepared for the day rather than racing through it.
A proper sleep routine is a necessity because it allows your body to function on a cycle, optimizing its ability to help you maintain your best health. When you disrupt the sleep schedule by going to bed at 3:00 a.m., it jolts that cycle. My body does so much for me, so I realized that the best thing I can do for it is take care of it and treat it with respect.
There are students who are going to bed at 2:00 a.m. or later, but I urge them to focus on their sleep this semester. Put the “go to bed” alarm clock on your phone so you can rise out of bed and shine like the sun the next day.
Daily Arts Writer Natalie Mark can be reached at natmark@umich.edu.
Out: Going to bed too late
One week last semester, I pulled two 2 a.m. bedtimes and one all-nighter. That week sucked. Needless to say, my sleep was really inconsistent, and I just felt like a zombie.
I was in a daze during classes and felt guilty because my small class should see me “locked in,” but I couldn’t no matter how hard I tried to focus. Even worse, I would space out during conversations with friends, not fully present for them. I hated that I couldn’t give the people in my life the attention and love they deserve. This daze is not worth experiencing. The extra couple of hours studying for my exam until the late hours of the night is not worth it.
Studies show that sleeping a longer duration before the night of an exam improves performance than studying late the night before. Think of sleep as an integral part of success as a student, because it is! We owe it to ourselves to leave behind our poor sleep habits so our bodies can function at a healthy level, and we can do our normal activities with a positive mindset.
Daily Arts Writer Natalie Mark can be reached at natmark@umich.edu.
In: Embracing your Natural Hair
“Your hair makes you look like Carrie Bradshaw,” a compliment my friend recently received from a total stranger that has stuck with me ever since. It led me to the conclusion that “Sex and the City’s” most meaningful takeaway, and, quite frankly Carrie’s most redeemable trait, is the consistent embrace of her curls.
As powerful as this message might be, I am a culprit of frying my hair until it looks like a wig — until now. 2025 is the year of not doing your yearly straightening treatment, letting your fancy hot tools rest and letting your hair air dry back to the most natural state it could. The newest form of self-care is not abiding by the 20-step “Victoria’s Secret blowout” tutorial we see on TikTok far too often, but finding the hair routine for you and you only. The goal for 2025 is not only healthy hair, but making the first step toward a long journey of self-acceptance.
The standard to hide your curls or waves or to style your hair before a special occasion is just one example of how hindering our society’s beauty standards are as if having some texture in your hair makes you less presentable. Hair should be the leader in redefining society’s toxic beauty standards, considering no one, despite our greatest efforts, could have the same hair. The new year brings authenticity and uniqueness which can start with something as simple as embracing our natural hair texture or color.
The next time I’m getting ready for the day or to go out, I’ll battle my inner urges and avoid using my hot tool. But the shift towards natural hair isn’t restricted to yourself and your decisions alone, it is about community-wide acceptance and uplifting each other towards this goal. Whether you start to replicate Carrie Bradshaw’s ability to rock her curls or the stranger who went out of her way to compliment my friend, embracing your natural beauty is in, and, strangely enough, it starts with our hair.
Daily Arts Writer Lucia Larach can be reached at llarach@umich.edu.
Out: Normalizing Overconsumption
“Underconsumption core,” the most recent trend on TikTok where people share how “little” they need to survive, is the epitome of how normalized overconsumption is. As an avid collector, I understand the joy of growing your thrifted sunglasses collection, ordering the latest emotional support water bottle or even attempting to improve your style by growing your closet — we’ve all been there. Nonetheless, the blurry line between a thoughtful practice and unsustainability is more real than ever.
It begins with purchasing a single item, the small serotonin boost that turns casual buyers into “shopaholics” daily. Keeping up with the trend cycle, from clean girl to brat, Stanley to Owala, and so on, has become the bane of our existence, a burden only the wealthiest can afford to keep up with. It seems as if the only trend here to stay is hedonic consumption — purchasing goods that appeal beyond their purpose to provide pleasure and emotion.
Where are the items of clothing that we are supposed to pass down from generation to generation? Instead of buying enough $5.99 Shein items to dress an entire family, our ancestors invested in a couple of high-quality pieces that lasted more than a lifetime. Nowadays, fast fashion allows consumers to keep up with the newest short-lived craze and accumulate worryingly cheap goods, though these articles won’t last more than a couple of wears until they tear. When did prioritizing quality over quantity stop? Will all these unethical and cheaply-made fast fashion items last enough to see your children? Or even the following week?
Overconsumption, more specifically the normalization of it, is the biggest out of 2025. Investing in good quality pieces, not necessarily the most expensive or what you just saw on your favorite celebrity, is not a trend — it’s a lifestyle that is here to stay. Frequent shopping hauls, weekly costly trips and owning half of Sephora are neither normal nor ethical. It is time to prioritize quality over quantity and sustainability over trend-following. Style cannot be replicated — it’s unique, so the next time you are about to succumb to the newest trend, remember that overconsumption is out for good.
Daily Arts Writer Lucia Larach can be reached at llarach@umich.edu.
In: Buttered Noodles
Looking for a comforting and cheap meal this winter semester? Two words. Buttered. Noodles. Hear me out! It’s simple. It’s easy. It’s delicious. This quick recipe is something anyone can make, and it literally only has three ingredients. In my final winter semester, I’m looking for cheap and easy meals that still feel cozy, warm and delicious. You can dress them up by choosing a fancier pasta — I might suggest an orecchiette or an angel hair — or by adding garlic or chili flakes. These little additions turn a childhood favorite into an adult staple. Gone are the days of microwave ramen. Go for something a little more sophisticated and try a buttered noodle!
Daily Arts Writer Constance Meade can be reached at meadecc@umich.edu.
In: Small Joys
In my final semester at the Univeristy and also likely my final semester at any school at all, I find myself struggling to think “big picture” on the brink of this new year. Graduating means a lot of questions. Whether it’s me asking them or it’s someone else, I simply don’t have all the answers. So, for 2025, little wins are in. Small joys is the name of the game. Finding something every day that you love or that makes you feel successful is important. It can be as small as seeing a cute squirrel on your walk and it can be as big as getting a great grade on an assignment. Personally, I love to write in my notes app about things I see on my walk that bring me a smile. Stay present this 2025 and focus on the small joys every single day.
Daily Arts Writer Constance Meade can be reached at meadecc@umich.edu.
we should talk abt this article sorry to say im holding it rn. come back from nypd already smh
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