Buy or Bye? Teen Girls Give Their Unfiltered Verdict on Today’s Hottest Fashion Trends

In a new segment called “Buy or Bye”, we asked four members of the SheKnows Teen Council — Olivia (17), Greta (17), Kaya (16), and Anaïs (16) to give their unfiltered verdicts on what’s worth buying right now and what’s better left on the rack — and they did not hold back.

Cheetah print came up with mixed reviews. Olivia didn’t hesitate: “It’s been overdone.” Greta agreed, and Olivia doubled down: “Once it reaches, like, the 12-year-old demographic, then you gotta let it go.” Kaya was a bit more forgiving, saying it depends on the material, while Anaïs thought the frenzy had calmed down enough for her to enjoy it again. By the end, Olivia had moved on to a new animal print crush — zebra — and a determination to “make it a thing.” 

Bubble skirts got a much frostier reception, with all four teen girls giving the trend red flags (eek!). Greta admitted, “I’ve seen people look cute with them, but I would never buy it,” and Olivia didn’t hesitate to say the same. Kaya said the name alone “just reminds me of, like, the Victorian era,” and Anaïs simply wasn’t into how they looked.

Micro shorts, on the other hand, had way more fans, garnering green flags across the board. Kaya called them “very 2000s” and said she liked them; Anaïs thought they were cute and easy to style; Greta said she’d definitely buy a pair. When talk turned to where to shop, Greta mentioned Edikted, and Kaya pointed out new collections from Hollister and Aeropostale — both brands currently enjoying a Y2K-era resurgence. In fact, Hollister recently overtook Lululemon as the top apparel brand among upper-income teen girls, according to Piper Sandler’s Spring 2025 “Taking Stock With Teens” survey.

Like micro shorts, cowboy boots were an easy “buy” for everyone. Greta said, “I have a pair and I love them.” Olivia even has a sentimental pair: “My dark brown ones are my mom’s old Frye boots that she got when I was born … they’re vintage.” (Parents, let’s take a moment of silence for those of us old enough to have teens who refer to our own teenage style as “vintage.”) That mix of personal history and trend is right in line with teens’ current love for nostalgic, unique pieces — a big reason vintage shopping is booming, with ThredUp’s Resale Report predicting that the secondhand apparel market in the United States will reach $74 billion by 2029. 

When the topic turned to mixed-metal jewelry, it became clear Greta was ahead of the curve. “I have both silver and gold jewelry, and I kind of just started wearing them together ’cause I didn’t care that much, and then the trend started, and I think it’s cute,” she said. Olivia agreed, admitting Greta had been doing it long before most people she knows. A self-professed “hardcore gold girl,” Olivia only recently started mixing metals with her rings. Greta swears by vintage store finds — “It’s the best thing to have since it’s not basic” — and Olivia’s on the same page: “I like my jewelry to be very unique.” That hunt for individuality is a consistent theme in teen fashion right now, with the need to be “not basic” likely one of the main forces behind the uptick in thrifting.

From animal prints to accessories, our “Buy or Bye” game made one thing clear: trends may come and go, but the way teens make them their own — and call out what’s tired — is what really keeps fashion interesting.

Interested in joining our Teen Council or learning more? Email us at teencouncil@shemedia.com.