Happy Sunday! A reminder there about what day it is, since everyone may still feel stuck in the “holiday taint”—a.k.a., the week between Christmas and New Year’s. And while our Sunday edition is typically a “Skinny Mini,” it’s a rule-breaking week and we’ll return to our regular schedule next week (Wednesday or Thursday edition, plus an occasional Skinny Mini on Sunday). 

What we’re covering: 

• Top five for what’s IN for 2025, including: new preppy, the return of actual milk, protein power, “conscious communing” & dupe culture 

• And, our bottom five for what we hope and/or predict will be OUT: sugary coffees, alegria art, “probiotic” soda, overcomplicated skincare & espresso martinis

• Plus, FDA’s updated definition of “healthy” for food packaging, Bogg Bags, and a new DC restaurant’s “exploration into the psychedelic mind”

💡Did you know: all The Skinny editions are online and searchable—which means you can easily find topics/recipes/items we have written about in the past. Bookmark this link for reference.

🔗If someone already in the know sent this, you can subscribe here.

Our crystal ball

What we’re looking forward to in 2025

The Skinny: A

1) Calling Bunny, Hunter, Poppy, & Skip: A triumphant return of “old Preppy” (distinctly different from “new Preppy,” which primarily means a colorful, mostly pink aesthetic + a Stanley cup). Yes, we’ve seen it pop up in fits and starts with rugby shirts, tenniscore and oversized cardigans and v-necks. But per Glamour, today’s “Preppy Handbook” looks will be more modern and rule-breaking, such as the men’s trompe l’oeil or asymmetrical button-downs from LOEWE or by pairing something like a Lacoste dress with heels and socks. 

Add to cart: This giant bow, a preppy cardigan and this awesome pleated skirt that we just ordered.  

P.S.: Nicole has bona fide creds here, playing field hockey as a prep school grad, and while she owns an original Preppy Handbook (and the 2010 version), if you’re looking to get your mitts on one today, it could set you back $325. 

2) We covered this last year, but old fashioned cow’s milk continues to muscle its way back into favor, following oat milk’s downfall (and Alo Yoga might need a gut check, since they just dropped an “oat milk” color). Milk has even churned up the beauty industry this year, from fragrance—luxury gourmands with notes of fresh cream and latté rising to the top—to face milks and products made with vegan goat’s milk (not to be confused with sour donkey milk—supposedly Cleopatra’s beauty bath of choice).

3) Protein, and more protein! As you’re aware, our spoonfuls of love for the humble cottage cheese are limitless, so we are manifesting more innovations like Smearcase—a cottage cheese FroCo billed as “your new protein dealer.”  And in the news, the U.S. News & World Report best and worst diets list is out. The high-protein Keto and Atkins diets ranked as the Best Fast Weight Loss (though not sustainable), and Atkins also graced the top 5 Worst Overall along with new entry the Dukan diet. The very best, once again, was our favorite—the Mediterranean diet, which ranked as top overall and second (behind Weight Watchers) for best Weight Loss. It’s no wonder that CAVA is consistently one to watch on the market…

4) NYC PR friend and M Booth Chief Creative Office, AG Bevilaqua, pens an annual trend forecast each year that we look forward to for 2025, a shout-out to No. 10 on her list: Conscious Communing. Rooted in the spirit of connecting, appreciating/accepting differences and as an antidote to the “loneliness epidemic,” this movement shows up as wellness centers focused on the power of connection, and group “commons” experiences like the 90-person performance sauna at Othership. Joining this free flowing energy are group fitness classes, rising once again, wellness-themed social clubs (like NYC’s Remedy Place, which has a “bottle service” of waters that run up to $155 for a taste of the Brazilian rainforest), and “social sports” mega-complexes such as Ballers Philly.

For the outdoorsy, running clubs and urban group bike rides are going strong and if you’re sober, there’s even a Sober Outdoors (more TK in next week’s edition). As for running, Our friends at Dogfish Head have brought back their run club, which you can join IRL in Rehoboth Beach or virtually via Strava. To quote Haruki Murakami on running, where "pain is inevitable, suffering is optional," seems like it’s gotta be better with others, and with a cold one waiting at the end. All this? “Well” worth it since studies show that fostering strong social connections and relationships can increase longevity. 

5) Finally, long live dupes. We love and respect high-quality, luxury items for splurges, and certain items/brands for their value as longer-lasting, high-quality items. But, we foresee the stigma of lower-priced items continuing to lessen. Yes, the Walmart Wirkin (ICYMI, currently causing an Interwebs frenzy) knows its place and that—quality, heritage and craftsmanship-wise—it doesn’t remotely compare to a true Birkin. But some might argue, since very few can get their hands on the real deal, proudly carrying an imposter is the next best thing.

Saying goodbye  

What we’re excited to see in the rear view

The Skinny: And now, for what we’re hoping to bid adieu to:

1) File under unpopular opinion but as reported earlier this year, our prediction is that probiotic sodas fizzle out. Filled with dubious “health claims” and way too expensive, these all end up looking the same. While the influx of better-for-you sodas are welcome—although for those, we prefer a brand like RAD that keeps soda, soda—we still have heart for the OGs and Jarritos.

2) Alegria art, which has the unique ability to make us both sad and angry. Hoping it will fade out, along with Magic Spoon and its $10/box cereal (which has apparently been spotted in the discount bin)!

3) Over-the-top sugary coffee. We’re not Starbucks regulars, but if we go we always seem to end up behind a massive 10-item frappuccino order with whipped cream and syrup spilling over the counter. While these are surely “rlly good,” we dream of a 2025 with a slower-paced coffee culture, and one where it’s not OK to browse the luxury boutiques in Soho with your giant, messy, whipped cream coffee in hand.   

So, the next time you’re enjoying a cup of coffee (ideally in your local shop or a place like this adorable hideaway in Japan), here’s the best list we found of global coffee culture, including what to order in each country. 

And watch out, Starbucks: on the opposite side of the coffee spectrum is China-based Luckin coffee, which offers an affordable cup of Joe and operates via app. Designed for efficient, grab-and-go service, customers can purchase and pick up/take away coffee from their phone.

4) Cosmopolitan tackles what’s in/out for skincare in 2025, and we agree that overhyped and over consumed skincare is OUT. Proof point: consider the rise of “ugly” beauty products on TikTok (like Vaseline that are tried-and-true, but untrendy). The short list for IN includes salmon sperm as a key ingredient, and body care remaining strong (we’re on board with dry brushing, plus a sensorial body wash like Nécessaire—first discovered on our epic Chamonix ski getaway).

Espresso martinis, which Delish named on the bartender’s list of the most annoying cocktails you can order. Instead, we’re keeping our eye out for cherry martinis while embracing dirtier and the dirtiest martinis (a roundup of NYC’s absolute filthiest), as well as all the many dirty martini food variations sullying up social feeds (stuffed potatoes, dip, pasta). Santa also brought us Filthy, an amazing ready-to roll-brine for our dirrrrrrty martinis and we give it two thumbs and a bottoms up.

LAST LICKS

This week’s newsfeed

• In order to help consumers “build more nutritious diets,” the FDA released a new set of rules for the use of “healthy” on food packaging. This is the best consumer-facing explainer we found, which also notes that “healthy” hasn’t been updated as a definition since the ‘90s.  

• We love our totes, and it’s on good authority that Bogg Bags—with their holiday-themed drops (Valentine’s collection incoming)—are already basically the new Stanley Tumbler. 

• #CulinaryAwakening? ’Shroom fever continues with Sagrada, a restaurant opening soon in Washington, DC. A unique concept from two James Beard nominated chefs, it’s being promoting as an exploration into the psychedelic mind through “flavors, stories and self-discovery.” Here’s hoping that Masha, from Nine Perfect Strangers, is invited to the opening…

*If you purchase something linked in The Skinny, we may get an affiliate commission—but at no additional cost to you.