6 Trends That Will Dominate Summer 2024, According to PureWow Editors

Summer cocktail season has officially kicked off, and this year, those in the know are setting aside the prosecco and bitters in favor something sweeter and tarter, but just as fizzy. Think of the botanga as the love child of a Cuba Libra (rum and coke) and a margarita, but with more sophistication and nuance than either of its spring-break-ready parents. Crafted with blanco tequila, Mexican Coca-Cola, lime and a salted rim (and stirred with a knife, per tradition), the botanga makes for a light, refreshing cocktail that’s totally sippable but won’t get you too woozy on a summer afternoon. As for why it’s so popular now? PureWow Senior Food Editor Katherine Gillen says it’s as easy as a little TikTok fame plus a growing interest in tequila drinks in general. (Psst: You can sub in Mezcal if that’s more your jam.)

Want to look effortless and chic, but also like you just got of a pool? Then you’ll love the hydrobob, summer’s hottest hairstyle, recently spotted on the likes of J. Lo, Sydney Sweeney and Rihanna. Per PureWow Beauty Editor Chelsea Candelario, “the Hydro Bob is basically a slicked-back, slightly wet chin-length bob. Known as the softer version of the wet look from the runways, this style adds definition to your locks and enhances your natural texture,” and she maintains it’s a clear extension of the baroque bob and box bob trends that have emerged earlier this year.

How to do it? After washing and while your hair is still wet, section it off and apply a smoothing cream or serum, followed by an oil. Air dry and tuck behind your ears for a look that’s, according to celebrity hairstylist Tom Smith, “slightly androgynous and…drenched in gloss and moisture.”

You could blame Zendaya. Or you could blame the upcoming Olympics. Or you could blame pickleball, which arrived on the scene several years ago and captured the hearts (and dinks) of millennials and boomers alike. Either way, this summer we’ve hit peak tennis, with the look getting its own “core,” mostly applicable to fashion (think polos, varsity skirts and aviators), though also applicable to things like patio furniture and even candles.  Says PureWow Fashion Editor Abby Hepworth, “Tenniscore has been trending for a few summers now, but with the help of the movie Challengers, the sporty aesthetic is back in full swing (pun very much intended).”

Chalk it up to post-pandemic indoor-outdoor living, but long gone are the days of hard, plastic patio chairs that can withstand the elements but kill your back. In step with this year’s country club/cabana-stripe vibe comes an outdoor seating trend that’s as deliciously comfortable as it is bad-weather-unfriendly: bean bag chairs! Indeed, PureWow Associate Home Editor Sydney Meister says she’s seen an uptick in big, floofy sofas and loungers designed to be used on decks, grass or even in the pool. (She also cites a 2023 Google trend report which named them the top trending item in yard and patio furniture.) These al fresco chairs are, of course, made with weatherproof performance fabric, but I’d still be wary of plopping your butt in one the morning after a summer storm.

Not to be antisocial, but this summer it seems we’re all about doing things…by ourselves. Per a report by American Express, 76 percent of Millennials and Gen Z’ers say they are planning a solo trip this year with most citing self-care and pampering as the reason. PureWow’s Executive Editor and travel expert Dara Katz attributes this to “a post-pandemic tourism boom and 'experience as self-care' mindset among younger generations.” And PureWow’s Food Editor, Taryn Pire agrees, saying she’s still seeing a rise in solo dining and cooking for one in the world of hospitality.  She’s also watching a hot new app called Timeleft which, after a quick personality quiz, makes a reservation for users with five complete strangers at a surprise New York City restaurant. Not a solo experience per se, but certainly an independent one.

Carpenter, that is. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that “Espresso”is the catchiest earworm to hit beach blankets since “Watermelon Sugar.” I’m not only calling it as the song of summer, but I’m also predicting this is the season when its singer, Sabrina Carpenter, fresh off touring with Taylor Swift, will emerge as the the hottest act around. The former Disney Channel personality got frisky at Coachella in April, debuted on SNL at the end of May, played Governor’s Ball in New York in early June and is set to release a new album in August. She also has a beefy new boyfriend (Barry Keoghan of Saltburn) who gives off major Travis vibes—not least because he was recently spotted in an Eras tee shirt.