As Grazia’s resident cultural soothsayer, it falls to me to divine the pop culture tea leaves for the year ahead. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, etc. That said, I love making lists – and what better time
for list-making than the start of a new year? Without further ado, here’s where I think the zeitgeist is heading in 2026.
IN
Romcoms. More specifically, yearning. If the success of horny hockey romance Heated Rivalry (above) and teen melodrama The Summer I Turned Pretty are anything to go by, we’re all after a bit of angsty love.
Going to the opera. Thanks to Rosalía’s transcendent Lux, front row at La Bohème will be the new place to be seen.
Celebrity Substackers. With Charli XCX, Lizzo and Doechii all turning to Substack to disseminate their opinions I foresee an influx of A-listers following suit (and some very frazzled publicists doing damage control when the inevitable occurs).
Marriage. Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and Zendaya all got engaged last year; Raye searched for her husband all over our airwaves. So 2026 is set to be the year of holy matrimony (although these brides couldn’t be further from trad wife).
Parlour games. After the phenomenal success of The Celebrity Traitors, the format of which comes from popular party game Mafia, after-dinner games involving strategy, deception and a healthy dose of luck will be all the rage.
Viral essays. Whether you agree or disagree that boyfriends are embarrassing, it’s been a while since we’ve had a watercooler essay that everyone’s talking about. Expect more of these moments.
Meghan Markle. I feel like 2026 is the year everyone finally stops resisting and gives in to her brand of Montecito cheer.
Media literacy. Less a prediction, more a plea. I’m begging people to fact-check news stories before resharing them. (Too many fell for the ‘Hot Louvre robbers’ story.)
OUT
Social media conspiracy theories. Sydney Sweeney’s ‘eugenics’ jeans ad, Pantone’s Colour of the Year (white) supposedly being a dogwhistle… There’s enough white supremacy out in the open – you don’t need to go looking for it.
‘I asked ChatGPT.’ Too obvious. Mix it up a little – why not ask Jeeves?
Nonmonogamy. Lily Allen’s triumphant West End Girl has put an end to all that.
Film promo showmances. Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson’s red carpet flirtation and rumoured relationship was the final straw. I’m not buying it I’m afraid. Find another way to promote your movie!
Internet witch-hunts. Hanging private citizens out to dry online à la Coldplaygate. The internet’s been around long enough now for us to know better.
Cultivating an ‘aesthetic’. Enough with the Substack essays on ‘curating’ your style or making your wardrobe ‘look expensive’. They’re making us all look the same.
White Lotus stars in high fashion campaigns. It just feels so predictable, no?
Celebrity plastic surgeons. And all the celebs revealing who did their work. I fear the pendulum has swung past ‘transparency’ and back to ‘setting unrealistic standards’.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source graziadaily.co.uk ’
