We all know that girl whose Instagram feed looks like it could be an exhibit at the Perez Art Museum. Her phone is probably filled with apps like VSCO, Planoly and other feed-planning software. 

Her social media vibe is cool, and she probably is too–but in 2020 things are changing. There are new trends emerging in the world of Instagram aesthetics, and it’s time to get educated. 

In 2019, people were obsessed with the no-makeup makeup look, but this year prepare to start seeing the no-edit edit. Gone are the days of high saturation and colorful filters; instead, the new obsession is soft neutrals and the appearance of unedited posts. 

This trend, however, doesn’t begin at the editing process; it starts at the point of capture. Pics are encouraged to be haphazard and random – just like a pic of your rocking new kicks or of your aesthetically-pleasing cat getting high on catnip. 

Why is this trend a thing? Because according to Later.com, people want more genuine experiences and more authentic relationships with content creators. That’s right–those random Instagram followers want to feel like they know you just as well as your bestie. 

According to Later.com, the VSCO A6 filter is the perfect place to start if you want to achieve this “unedited” look. 

This may not come as a surprise; people on Instagram want to know everything about you. Authenticity is a huge trend in developing a successful feed in 2020. If that means posting a 30-second story of you sobbing with black mascara running down your face – so be it. 

What may be more surprising is that emojis are making a comeback. Later.com said that, in 2020, adding emojis to your posts is no longer cliché. They suggest putting the emojis in a repeating pattern in the background of a selfie or adding a few to a group picture. 

Videos and animated photos are going to be hot next year. If you’ve ever seen a post that’s not quite a video, but the sky looks like it’s slightly moving – that’s the Enlight Pixaloop app. This app allows you to set just one part of the photo in motion. 

If you can draw, you’re in luck. Later.com also said that fine-line sketches on photos and elaborate doodles will be trending in 2020. 

For stories, try out retro aesthetics, and don’t be afraid to make that funny meme you thought of last week! 

The theme of 2020 is being real. People will no longer be as easy to fool by the fictitious online realities of people with seemingly perfect lives. Look to influencers like @JenGotch and @emmachamberlain for clips of mental breakdowns and bloody pimples that, somehow, have spearheaded their social media success.

words_ginsberg olivia, photo_jakob owens on Unsplash