Happy Sunday. It seems like just yesterday we were collectively trying — and failing — to nail Parker Posey’s White Lotus accent (to “Piper, no” avail). But like Belinda and the $5 million in her bank account, 2025 is sailing off into the sunset, taking with it: emotional support Labubus, Etsy witches, the most wildly random celeb couples, and at least 6,7 questionable internet trends (sorry, had to). We can’t think of a better way to recap all the madness than to give you a look at our group chat — which covers the year’s good, bad, and deeply bewildering cultural moments. We may never know what Ariana Grande whispered to Cynthia Erivo at the end of Wicked 2.0, but we do know we’ve been changed for good by this wonderfully weird year.
— Melissa Goldberg / Senior Editor / Washington, DC
JAMIE FELDMAN, CULTURE & LIFESTYLE WRITER: I need to start by coming clean. I began the year saying I would never, under any circumstances, wear a “sneakerina.” But I’m now the owner of a pair. I blame Jennifer Lawrence.
MELISSA GOLDBERG, SENIOR EDITOR: In fairness,they’ve had an evolution. I remember when I first saw the headline “Behold, the Ballet Sneaker” — and they were essentially a chunkier, strappier version of my grandma’s shoes. But this year, they ditched the fugly platform soles and embraced a slimmer, sleeker silhouette. So, I get it. One thing my feelings haven’t changed on? The latest “innovations” from Kim Kardashian’s Skims.
MELISSA: There was also the merkin, which against all odds and logic, sold out almost immediately. I know this was the year of “Full Bush in a Bikini,” but, respectfully, no.
JAMIE: It felt tailor-made for millennials who regret getting laser hair removal.
MELISSA: That reminds me, we must take a moment for the Saddest Millennial Thing™ to happen this year: The death of Forever 21’s US stores. I hadn’t been in one for at least a decade, but those highlighter-yellow bags and twinkly floors will always live rent-free in my mind.
JAMIE: I feel like it would’ve actually been really helpful this year, when we collectively decided to go all in on animal prints.
MELISSA: The wildest part was that Fran Fine-approved leopard spots were almost basic. You had cow and snake print, zebra and tiger stripes, and cosplaying as…Bambi? I’m not sure where we go from here, but my money is on porcupine spikes.
JAMIE: Compared to this year’s most unexpected style stars — namely,newborns,Captain Jack Sparrow,and Aladdin — that might actually be an improvement.
MELISSA: We can all agree that the year’s most memorable beauty moment was thatKylie Jenner comment, yes?
MELISSA: I mean, I can imagine a world where knowing she had “310, high-profile, extra-filled, silicone” implants would be helpful info. It’s like showing celeb haircuts to your stylist — but on the next level.
JAMIE: Which is precisely what 99% of the population did after seeing Leslie Bibb’s “C*nty Little Bob.”
MELISSA: I think that was the moment 2025 became The Year of the Bob. That is, until this fall, when the ’90s pixie became the chop du jour — something I have no doubt will lead to many regrets. While I firmly believe there’s a bob for everyone, the same can’t be said of a pixie.
JAMIE: What I’m about to say is undoubtedly more controversial, but that’s how I feel about bangs. There is a bang for everyone.
MELISSA: How are we defining bangs? Are we including low-maintenance and nearly nonexistent waterfall bangs? Then sure, absolutely. But if we’re only talking about styles like the very questionable jellyfish bangs, not so much.
JAMIE: She and Keith Urban just seemed to match each other’s freak so perfectly, for so long.
MELISSA: Equally shocking (albeit, in a very different way) was Lily Allen’s scorched-earth divorce album, seemingly about her soon-to-be-ex husband David Harbour. Duane Reade bags will never be the same.
JAMIE: Even if you hadn’t thought about her since “Smile,” you could not look away.
MELISSA: But for everysplit, you also had a Mad Libs pairing of people, starting with Jennifer Aniston and her “hot hypnotist” — which is somehow both wildly random and the most Hollywood thing to ever happen.
JAMIE: You can’t tell me that doesn’t not sound like a Friends plotline.
MELISSA: One of the details that’ll haunt me until I die is, yes, the Microsoft Clipart-like invitations. But also, at the reception, fancy Italian slippers were handed out to the men, while the women got…slippers from Amazon.
JAMIE: When you rent out all of Venice, I guess you have to cut corners somewhere.
