‘What’s a trend that disappeared so quickly that it almost feels imaginary now?’: People online share what they remember about old trends that lasted too little

Giuliana Tiscioni • Writer

Nov 14, 2026 6:00 PM EST

Nowadays, we're used to seeing things come in and out of fashion faster than you can say 'trending', but it wasn't always like that, and when something faded too quickly, it was odd…

With the rise of TikTok and other apps with short-form content, it is becoming more and more common to see that things don't last. Trends go away before we have enough time to understand what they are or where they come from. Now, I know I'm a young person, and even though I spend quite a bit of time online, it surprises me how many times I don't understand what other young people are talking about. They mention new YouTubers (if they are even still a thing), new catchphrases that I don't understand, TikTok dances that I have no idea where they came from, and random brainrot pieces that come and go, and who knows why they are even considered funny. My literal job is to be constantly online, and even I miss out on things and end up feeling like a grandma. In fact, a friend of mine recently told me, 'Talking to you is like talking to my mom.' Mind you, we're the same age. We spend just as much time online, and he still thinks of me like a grandma who's not aware of anything happening online. Do the algorithms play a part in it? Absolutely. Are trends also moving faster than the time we get to catch up? Definitely.

In college, I read about a sociologist who invented the term 'liquid modernity.' He used to talk about how ephemeral everything is becoming in society. Broadly explained, it refers to how relationships are treated as disposable; people don't commit; constant change is the new norm, and in the realm of entertainment, consuming short content nonstop has replaced committing to a single book, show, or movie until getting to the end. Does any of this sound familiar?

It's not necessarily a new thing; it's been happening for quite a while now, but lately it feels like the change is becoming even more pronounced. We never get to see things last anymore, and that gets us a bit nostalgic now and then. We all miss things that we liked, but that society chose to leave behind, and in some cases, it happened so quickly and so suddenly that it feels like a fever dream. That's why all these people chose to share what they thought was a trend that ended up too quickly. We all have our favourites, so feel free to share yours with me!
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What’s a trend that disappeared so quickly that it almost feels imaginary now?

via walls_io

Trends.
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via ColorPiePhilosopher
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via Organic-Signal-721
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via Organic-Signal-721
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via Organic-Signal-721
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via ArcticThylacine
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via Typical-Night-6549
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via thatturtletouch
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via french_snail
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via lishakov

Clowns.
_{Not actual story subjects.}
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via TheButterBug
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via chicketychun_
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via top2percent
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via time4donuts
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via mchammatime2025
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via pupjoint
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via skipatrol95
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via ramalamalama1010
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via 7seth

Feet of people dancing.
_{Stock photography for depiction only.}
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via BoulderCreature
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via marthini11
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via weinthenolababy
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via Oryx