6 social media trends you shouldn’t miss this September 2026

1. Kinda chic

Audio: Steve Lacy – oh yeah?

Forget brat summer; a new trend is taking over, and it’s kinda chic.

In this format, creators overlay a butter-yellow font reading “kinda chic to” over a photo, video, or carousel, completing the phrase the average person wouldn’t normally consider chic. Think staying in on a Saturday night, wearing your hair natural, or.. being paid to write your nan’s Christmas cards for her.  

This simple trend aims to romanticise the mundane, giving creators the chance to reframe the ordinary, unglamorous parts of their lives as something worth celebrating. 

It’s already racked up over 100k hashtags on Instagram and has even been adopted by celebrities like Reece Witherspoon and Drew Barrymore, cementing its status as one of summer’s defining phrases.

For brands, it’s an easy trend to jump on without feeling forced. The format lets you showcase your brand’s values without being too polished or serious, whether you declare it’s “kinda chic” to still be figuring out things about your small business, or reply to customer emails yourself outside of work hours.

Source: jaymejo (TikTok)

Source: izzigshore (TikTok)

2. Gold star behaviour

Original audio

This photo trend gives creators and social media influencers the opportunity to share habits and choices they think deserve a gold star. 

Creators choose a photo of a backdrop, add the “gold star behaviour” title with a playful or descriptive subtitle like “if I do say so myself”, then scatter a handful of gold stars around the image. Under the stars sits a different habit or opinion they want to praise, from outfit repeating to admitting when you’re wrong.

Rather than focusing on massive achievements, the trend rewards small, everyday wins that often go unnoticed. Lots of the habits also point to buying less, not more – a clear rebuttal against haul culture that dominated social media throughout the 2010s and early 2020s. 

For brands, this is a chance to position your products or values as part of a good habit, rather than a hard sell. This could involve slotting your brand naturally into a list of feel-good behaviours, whether it be batch cooking, using your ingredients, or swapping fast fashion for well-made clothing that lasts. 

Source: katrinawest (Instagram)

Source: blussomly (Instagram)

3. It was a bad dream

Original audio

This simple trend takes inspiration from the classic “it was all a dream” trope, bringing everyday objects to life and giving them their own fears for comedic effect.

It starts with a disastrous scenario: a product about to fall from a table, a phone about to fall into a sink. Then, before it hits the surface, the video cuts to the object tucked up in bed, waking up from a bad dream and looking around in confusion.

The beauty of this trend lies in its simplicity. No scripting, no dialogue, just a well-timed cut and a startled reaction. 

It’s the perfect opportunity for brands selling products to hop in on. Just film the worst-case scenario your product dreads the most, whether it be dropped, left out in the rain, or broken, before cutting to it “waking up”, relieved it was just a bad dream.

Source: alinborodin.ugc (Instagram)

Source: nadiah.ugccreator (TikTok)

4. 10/10 habits

Original audio

Gen Z is locking in this September with this new 10/10 habits self-improvement trend. The format sees creators share habits designed to help followers unlock their potential, with each video kicking off with the line “10/10 habits to…”. 

Most are offering advice on how to build extreme discipline or reduce screen time. From staring at a wall for ten minutes before studying to reset your dopamine levels, to deleting all social media apps for a month, the habits embrace being uncomfortable in order to reap longer-term rewards. 

It’s a clear pushback for a generation raised on the infinite scroll. Instead of giving in to endless distractions, social media users are encouraging each other to stay accountable and self-disciplined when trying to achieve their goals. 

For brands, the numbered list format is an easy one to co-opt. Just swap “discipline” for whatever aligns with the outcome of your product, from saving money to being more productive or being healthier.

Source: jessicawhitaker (YouTube Shorts)

Source: mekashantel (TikTok)

5. You can’t do that

Audio: Dance Till You’re Dead (Official Tram Remix) – Jaydon Lewis 

Nothing screams main character energy like arguing with a hater who exists purely in your imagination. 

The “you can’t do that” trend involves creators posting a video or image with the text “you can’t do that” layered over the top. It continues saying “of course I can…” followed by a deadpan comeback like ‘you whimsical loser, or you uncreative loser”.

In essence, the trend showcases confidence through exaggeration. The joke isn’t really about the insult, but about the creator refusing to let doubt have the last word.

Similar to the “kind of chic” trend, the format is self-empowering, letting creators flip criticism or self-doubt on its head, rather than letting it knock them down.

For brands, the trend is an opportunity to turn doubts or negative self-talk into a cheeky flex. The key is to keep it self-aware rather than boastful – the humour only lands if it feels like you’re on the joke.

Source: stephanie__allen (Instagram)

Source: laurenbrownconsulting (Instagram)

6. Cat in the hat

Audio: eerie ambient soundtrack

Now to the downright spooky. Fear has been spreading across social media after images of the Dr Seuss character Cat in the Hat prowling the streets of England went viral online. 

Not helping to fight the “England is not a serious country” allegations, pictures of the figure based on Mike Myers’ 2003 adaptation have spawned from numerous accounts claiming to be the real deal, with some even organising phony “meet and greets” events in the woods to give fans the opportunity to meet the killer cat in person.  

But those with a phobia of talking felines can rest assured – police authorities have dismissed the sightings as fake and confirmed the images are AI-generated. (Sigh of relief).

For brands brave enough to take on the trend, this is a chance to have a bit of fun with “sightings”. Whether you drop a comment on a viral video or post mock sightings near your workplace, it’s a low-cost way to claw your way into the conversation.

Source: realcatinthehatni (TikTok)

Source: invernesstouristboard (Instagram)