From Gatorade bottles and Starbucks cups to Hydro Flasks and Stanleys, water bottles are participants of a steadily changing trend cycle. Although on the surface they promote healthy lifestyles through proper hydration, water bottles have come to represent different aesthetics and personalities.
Reusable water bottles have continued to surge in popularity as environmental awareness has been on the rise. As a more sustainable practice than single-use plastics, reusable water bottles are a symbol for environmental values. While fashion trends vary among different cultures and lifestyle trends vary among different age groups, water bottle trends are more easily integrated into the lives of various demographics. For this reason, as new water bottles become popular, they are adopted by individuals with diverse lifestyles.
The purchase of a new water-bottle is often associated with making strides towards an improved lifestyle as hydration is essential to human health. Senior Rachel Vonderhaar has stayed up to date on all the water bottle trends ranging from Gatorade bottles during her elementary sports to the present day Stanley water bottle trend. “Quality is a big factor for choosing my water bottles. I also tend to drink more water when I have a cute water bottle to carry around,” Vonderhaar said. With a new water bottle, Vonderhaar feels she has a fresh start and is motivated to improve her lifestyle.
The newest water bottle trend is the Stanley water bottles. As styles and prices vary, the most popular stanleys are 40 oz. and priced at $40. Senior Malyna Albertson received a Stanley over the holidays and has been using it ever since. “I like how aesthetic it is and I was able to get one that matched my look. I also drink lots of water because I always have it on me.” said Albertson. “And even though it’s big, I never feel awkward having it because so many other people have them too.”
In 2020, a popular aesthetic on social media was the “VSCO Girl” look. This trend was heavily dependent on the Hydro Flask water bottle. Initially, the water bottle was popular among teenage girls and younger, but it has since become a water bottle utilized by all age groups. Student athlete Jacob Mumey invested in a Hydro Flask just last year. “It’s a great quality water bottle in terms of size and function,” Mumey said. “I was looking for a new water bottle and seeing that some of my friends used them, I thought they must be good.”
Trends are adopted in every fact of life, including workplaces, athletics and schools — and water bottles are no exception
Trends are continuously cycling through and leading people to make new purchases and changes to fit in. Although each water bottle trend can be thought of as “just another fad”, they often promote healthier habits and showcase different personalities within various groups – which can not be said about all trends. “Water bottles that trend are generally good quality and have customizations to reflect my style and interests,” said Vonderhaar. Reusable water bottles that have been trending allow for endless customizability as people have a selection of colors and can decorate their water bottles with different stickers.
In most cases the water bottles that are trending are backed by valid reasoning. They are often versatile for different activities, good quality, easily portable and fit various aesthetics. As water bottle trends come and go, people feel more inclined to excessively purchase new water bottles to participate with the masses, but at the end of the day, they are encouraging healthy drinking habits.
Water is an essential part of being healthy and with fresh water in a fresh water bottle, people are motivated to embark on an improved lifestyle.
