Reciprocal tariffs are ruled unconstitutional
And the enormous cluster-mess of trying to issue refunds causes… consternation. Yet the administration has many more ways to enact tariffs. And they already are. For example, they’re using something called section 232 to say stuff like “in the name of National Security we hereby levy a tariff on bathroom vanities.” TL;DR: It’s a big deal if the reciprocal tariffs get struck down by the Supreme Court, but there will still be more tariffs than normal.
2026 may be a better year for the price of bananas and watches.
Neckties become the next quarter-zip
If Gen-Z and Millennials have taken to wearing quarter zips in a way to manifest their way to success in a crappy job market and a cost of living crisis, then it stands to reason neckties could be next. Never imagined the Manning brothers would become fashion icons. OR… this is all a bunch of hooey (“EEEE-LIES.”) and no one is really wearing quarter zip sweaters more than they already have been. But hey, it’s not a bad idea to occasionally practice wearing a necktie. Because one day you’ll have to.
Double manifesting.
AI shopping bots attempt to take over online shopping… with mixed results
There’s a long list of tech-based online shopping hacks, apps, and services which haven’t lived up to the hype. Honey, Capital One, Stich Fix’s algorithms, all have left many users disappointed. Even Google, the current leader in the AI Zeitgeist, can’t seem to tell the difference between “30% off” and “up to 30% off” when summarizing a promo email. The problem with all of them is the same: In the rush for (attempted) efficiency they’ve sacrificed efficacy.
“My little A.I. eye spies… a bicycle!”
The power of TikTok and Instagram influencers starts to decay
“Am I better off than I was before I started listening to these people?” That’s the question a lot of us can’t ignore. Not now, after the influencer industry and those two specific social media platforms have been around long enough. Influencers telling their followers to buy a bunch of trash off Temu, open a DraftKings account, sign up for their toxic “relationship advice” program, or buy a bunch of meme stocks… where has that gotten their audience other than poorer, sadder, and powerless? Furthermore, where has doing all that gotten the influencers peddling that nonsense? It’s a woodchipper of a way to (try to) make a living, with your dignity being the branches fed into the grinder.
J. Paul: “I’ve already won in every single way in life.”
C. Sheen: “Totally.”
F. Lucas: “…You guys sure about that?”
Summer 2026 style = desert chic
If last summer’s tropical trend inspired bright silk resort shirts and flowy pants, maybe the summer of 2026 sees desert shades and ultra airy designs. Think light and desaturated earth tones, made to reflect heat but still look sharp. Textures and coverage to elevate fabric off the skin, while also providing protection from the sun. You can still wear a blazer when it’s hot as blazes… you just gotta pick the right color and fabric.
“When in Rome a heat dome”
Luxury watches go from status symbol, to ostentatious liability
They sort of already made an entire TV show about this. If the K shaped economy keeps up, wearing a flashy high end luxury watch might as well come with a “let them eat cake” sign to hang around the wearer’s neck. Prices on pre-owned luxury watches might fall too, if the market gets flooded during an economic downturn. As the middle-class continues to get squeezed, a lot of guys with a taste for these aspirational-accessories may look to offload them for extra cash, as well as to save on pricey servicing and insurance. High profile thefts and muggings sure seem to be in the news a lot lately. Meanwhile, normal people are defaulting on their car loans because they can’t afford their insurance. Who the heck wants to insure a watch?
High profile watch thefts may continue to be in the news.
The “bigger & baggier is better” fit peaks
As cyclical as it gets. Over time fits get too tight (see skinny jeans) and then there’s an understandable backlash/rebound back towards timeless silhouettes. But then because boring is bad (and that’s bad,) people start wearing gigantic pants and shirts and suits. Eventually that cycle peaks, and we had back the other way. TL;DR: Slim and Straight fits will always be in style. Skinny and Baggy won’t. Stick to the middle ground.
Expect loose/baggy fits to peak sometime this year.
Camera-equipped eyewear becomes the new “too-much-cologne”
Officers of the law aside, wearing a camera out in public feels a bit like drenching oneself in cologne. It’s an unnecessary choice which unavoidably & significantly impacts how others feel they need to interact with the wearer. There’s enough surveillance in this world. If someone’s sunglasses have a camera in them for uploading and post things to social media, maybe a little light ostracization is called for.
Please don’t.