If you spent any time on social media over the summer, you probably noticed there seemed to be a trend for almost everything. Summer is the best time for people to hang out with their friends, take on new hobbies and interests and create new trends. From clothing and style changes, to dances and TikTok audios, there was a whole new set of trends taking over the internet. Here is a look at the trends that Tologs think really took off this summer 2026.
Firstly, new songs and albums took over social media.
One of the biggest music releases this summer was Olivia Rodrigo’s third album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl so in Love”. Released on June 12th, 2026, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 200, with all thirteen songs from the album reaching the Top 30. “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl so in Love” quickly circulated through social media, generating many trending audios on TikTok and new trends that spread through people’s For You Pages.
The album quickly became a hit among Tologs, with students sharing their favorite songs and using them for social media posts.
“My favorite part of the album was how it sounded so different from her previous albums. I also kept hearing it all over TikTok,” said Mallory Harden ‘29.
The constant use of Olivia Rodrigo’s songs helped introduce even more people to her album and make it one of the biggest albums of the summer.
As summer fashion trends also took over social media, one of the 2000s’ biggest pieces returned: capris.
TikTok and other social media platforms helped bring back capris, with users teaching people on how to style the short pants. As a result, capris quickly appeared in stores as more and more people started styling them with casual sneakers and dressy tops
“I love a good capri because it gives 2000s yoga mom vibes,” said Jazzy Briseño ‘28.
Along with the return of 2000s fashion, bright colors also had their moment this summer.
Two of the most popular colors this summer were teal and coral. These colors were everywhere, from pants and shirts to nails and accessories. No matter where you went, someone had something coral or teal on. These colors added a fun and vibrant touch to many summer outfits.
“I like the colors because they remind me of summer and everything happy,” said Imani Bowser ‘29.
These bright hues stood out against the neutral tones that have been popular in recent years, giving this summer a colorful and carefree feel.
This summer gave Tologs a lot of different things to listen to, wear and try. From Olivia Rodrigo’s new album, to the comeback of capris and vivid colors, social media played a significant role in what became popular this summer. While some trends may fade this fall, others may stick around for a little longer. Whether the trends do end up disappearing, they made summer 2026
