One thing you can count on in pop culture is that trends follow a predictable cycle, almost like clockwork. Take lip products, for example: if you’re tuned into beauty trends (or if your beauty feed is as stocked as mine), you know the familiar parade of “must-have” lip products. First, we had Clinique’s Black Honey, then Dior’s Lip Oil, then Summer Fridays, Rhode Peptides, Ole Henriksen and Gisou. And ten years ago? It was about EOS balms, Maybelline Baby Lips and Lip Smackers. Every few years, as reliably as a seasonal shift, the next must-have lip product rolls in, only to fade out when the new star arrives. The best part? In mid-recession, this lip cycle is almost guaranteed to come back.
Now, let’s talk about a different kind of resurgence on the rise: reading. Yes, reading is “cool” again. It’s the newest cultural wave, offering a social connection that’s hard to ignore. Think back to the surge of running clubs—a way for young people to meet like-minded friends, find a casual date or just enjoy a healthy, social activity. Today, reading mirrors that scene but with a more introspective twist. Thanks to platforms like TikTok’s #BookTok, there’s a whole community of readers obsessing over the latest fantasy, romance novels and cookbooks. This return to reading didn’t happen overnight, though; it has been a slow but steady climb, gaining momentum in the shadows. Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, for instance, has championed female-driven stories for years, producing some of your favourite films—Daisy Jones and the Six and Little Fires Everywhere—while also running Reese’s Book Club, which has become a mainstay in independent bookstores and social feeds alike. Walk into any bookstore, and you’ll see her curated picks front and center.
So, why this collective passion for reading, and why now? Perhaps it’s not just the books themselves, but what they represent in our current world. With screens constantly commanding our attention, reading offers a refreshing silence, with only the words on a page. It’s a quiet way to step out of the digital noise and into something slower, richer and more personal. The focused attention that comes with reading is starting to feel like a need in an age of endless screen time. This much-needed reclamation of balance has become a way to prioritize self-care in a world dominated by screens.
I’ve felt the pull myself, almost splurging on a piece of this trend with Kaia Gerber’s Library Science merch. I came so close to spending $50 on a Library Science shirt. While it would look great in my closet, I held back. Instead, I took a cue from Kaia’s book recommendations, diving into Gabriel Smith’s Brat. It turned out to be such a good read—a book I’m still thinking about weeks later. Reading felt like an invitation back to my younger self, and I can feel this experience resonating across my friend group, too. We often talk about feeling overstimulated by social distractions, apps and daily life, so taking a break with a good book feels like pressing the reset button.
Then there are the celebrity endorsements, which are adding momentum to this rise. Celebrities are catching on that reading fits the new mood. We’re moving away from the “do more” era into the “feel more” era. Not long ago, it was all about pilates routines and green smoothies; now, the “it-girls” are bringing book clubs into the influencer toolkit. Dua Lipa has her Service95 reading list, Kaia Gerber started her own Library Science club and Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club is front and center in bookstores. In Hollywood, it seems that men launch tequila brands while women create literary spaces. Reese’s Book Club, Emma Roberts’ Belletrist and Kaia’s Library Science all tap into our collective need to slow down and savour stories.
In the end, it’s about finding a new way to connect—both with ourselves and with others. Reading is about taking a breather from the relentless digital flow and choosing something meaningful over something mindless. I make it a routine: a few evenings a week, I settle down with a book, don my favourite Indigo pyjamas, sip tea and enjoy my “Reading is Sexy” mug (a classic, circa 2018). Reading is back, and it’s not just a fleeting trend—it’s a lifestyle shift that’s here to stay. So go on, lose yourself in a book. If you need a recommendation, I’m your girl.