Decade Theme
2010s Class Reunion Themes: Instagram, Drake, and the Meme Decade
The 2010s was the Instagram decade — when how you presented your life became as important as the life itself. It was also the decade of Beyoncé and Drake, of Game of Thrones and Marvel, of the iPhone's complete cultural takeover. A 2010s reunion theme is one of the most recently nostalgic — and somehow that makes it harder, not easier.
The music: pop, hip-hop, indie, country crossover
The 2010s playlist needs to span the decade's split personalities:
Pop:"Shake It Off" and "22" (Taylor Swift), "Single Ladies" and "Halo" (Beyoncé), "Uptown Funk" (Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars), "Bad Romance" (Lady Gaga), "Rolling in the Deep" and "Hello" (Adele), "Royals" (Lorde), "Wrecking Ball" (Miley Cyrus).
Hip-hop and R&B:"Hotline Bling," "One Dance," and "In My Feelings" (Drake), "Empire State of Mind" (Jay-Z), "Thinking Out Loud" (Ed Sheeran), "Old Town Road" (Lil Nas X — late 2010s), "Sicko Mode" (Travis Scott).
Indie crossovers:"Somebody That I Used to Know" (Gotye), "Pumped Up Kicks" (Foster the People), "Take Me to Church" (Hozier), "Riptide" (Vance Joy), "Ho Hey" (The Lumineers — the banjo wave was real).
EDM and pop-EDM:"Closer" (The Chainsmokers), "Wake Me Up" (Avicii), "Titanium" (David Guetta), "Lean On" (Major Lazer).
The fashion: pick your sub-aesthetic by year
The 2010s had distinct phases. Encourage classmates to dress as themselves circa graduation:
- Early-2010s hipster (2010-2013): skinny jeans, plaid flannels, beards, glasses without lenses, Toms shoes, vintage cameras, ironic t-shirts, beanies indoors
- Coachella boho (2013-2016): flower crowns, fringe everything, denim shorts, crop tops, ankle boots, festival wear
- Mid-decade athleisure (2014-2017): Lululemon yoga pants as everyday pants, oversized sweatshirts, sneakers everywhere, baseball caps
- Streetwear (2016-2019): Yeezys, Supreme hoodies, oversized sweatshirts, joggers, distressed denim
- Universally 2010s accessories: Apple Watch, AirPods, ironic fanny packs, oversized scarves, knit beanies, choker necklaces (2014-2016 specifically)
- Beard era: elaborate facial hair was the male signature of the mid-2010s
The decor: Instagram-ready everything
- Flower wall photo backdrop — peak 2010s wedding/event decor, perfect for a reunion
- Neon LED signs — "Class of [year]," "Welcome Home," or a song lyric
- Edison-bulb string lights overhead — the 2010s lighting signature
- Mason jars everywhere — as drink glasses, vases, candle holders, table numbers
- Chalkboard signs in script lettering — "the bar," "photos this way"
- Succulents as centerpieces — the indestructible plant of the decade
- Copper accents — copper pots, copper mugs (Moscow Mules), copper-framed signs
- A meme wall with printed and framed iconic 2010s memes (wholesome ones only)
- A "Live Laugh Love" sign as ironic decor — the most-mocked sign of the decade
- An Instagram-themed photo frame as a prop — guests pose "inside" the Instagram frame
The food: brunch culture and charcuterie
The 2010s changed how Americans eat. Lean into the era's signatures:
- Avocado toast bar — multiple bread options, multiple toppings, the joke is the point
- A massive charcuterie spread — the defining food of the late 2010s
- Kale Caesar salad — peak 2010s healthy
- Cauliflower-crust pizza station
- Taco bar — universally loved, on-trend the whole decade
- Brunch foods: mini waffles, breakfast tacos, mini frittatas
- Drinks: Aperol Spritz, Espresso Martini (the late-2010s comeback), rosé, kombucha alongside the cocktails, cold brew station
- Dessert: a Pinkberry-style frozen yogurt bar, mini doughnuts, edible cookie dough
- Cake pops — the dessert that defined the decade's aesthetic obsession
Pop culture program ideas
- A Snapchat-filter photo booth — the dog ears, the flower crown, the rainbow vomit. The defining selfie aesthetic of the decade
- "Best Instagram caption" contest — classmates submit captions for a goofy photo, vote for the winner
- A "Tinder bio" icebreaker — classmates write a 50-word self-description in Tinder voice (read aloud at the table for laughs)
- 2010s trivia between courses — the royal wedding (2011), Gangnam Style hitting 1 billion views, the dress (white-gold vs. blue-black), the ice bucket challenge, the harlem shake, the iPhone X launch
- "Songs you couldn't escape in [year]" game — DJ plays clips, classmates guess the year
- A Polaroid-style instant photo printer — give classmates a physical photo to take home
- An optional "greatest selfies of senior year" slideshow — submitted by classmates in advance
- A Game of Thrones-themed trivia round — half the class will dominate, the other half will groan
Why the 2010s theme is the hardest
The 2010s nostalgia is the trickiest because the decade is recent enough that some classmates haven't fully "left" it — the music still feels current, the fashion still half-lives in their closet. The trick is to commit hard: print the memes, build the flower wall, demand the flower crowns. The classmates who think it's too soon will change their minds the second they see the photos.
2010s Reunion Theme FAQ
What songs should be on a 2010s class reunion playlist?
The 2010s essentials: 'Single Ladies' and 'Halo' (Beyoncé), 'Hotline Bling' and 'One Dance' (Drake), 'Shake It Off' and '22' (Taylor Swift), 'Uptown Funk' (Bruno Mars), 'Blurred Lines' (Robin Thicke), 'Royals' (Lorde), 'Somebody That I Used to Know' (Gotye), 'Rolling in the Deep' (Adele), 'Wrecking Ball' (Miley Cyrus), 'Closer' (The Chainsmokers).
What's the 2010s fashion aesthetic?
Multiple distinct waves: early-2010s hipster (skinny jeans, plaid, beards, glasses without lenses, Toms), mid-decade athleisure (Lululemon, joggers, yoga pants as pants), Coachella boho (flower crowns, fringe, festival-wear), and late-decade streetwear (Yeezys, Supreme, oversized hoodies). Mustaches were ironic, then sincere. Beards became serious. Crop tops everywhere.
What decor works for a 2010s reunion theme?
Instagram-era decor: a flower wall photo backdrop, a 'Live Laugh Love' or chalkboard-script sign (peak 2010s), neon LED signs, Edison bulb string lights, mason jars (everywhere), brunch-table flat-lay aesthetic, succulents as centerpieces, copper accents. A 'meme wall' with iconic 2010s memes printed and framed.
What 2010s TV and movies should we reference?
TV: Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Parks and Rec, New Girl, Modern Family, Stranger Things (late 2010s), Bachelor/Bachelorette, Real Housewives. Movies: The Hunger Games, Twilight, Avengers/Marvel run, Wolf of Wall Street, Bridesmaids, La La Land, Get Out, Black Panther, Wonder Woman.
What food should we serve at a 2010s reunion?
The 2010s brought avocado toast, kale Caesar, cauliflower everything, cold brew, kombucha, charcuterie boards, brunch as a religion. Serve: a build-your-own avocado toast bar, a charcuterie spread (the food of the decade), a taco bar, cauliflower-crust pizza, kombucha and cold brew alongside the cocktails. For drinks: aperol spritz, espresso martinis (the late-2010s comeback), rosé.
How can we incorporate 2010s pop culture into the program?
A meme wall photo backdrop with iconic 2010s memes (Distracted Boyfriend, Pepe the Frog era memes are too touchy — stick to wholesome ones). A 'best Instagram caption' contest. A Snapchat-filter photobooth. A 'songs you couldn't escape in [year]' game. A 'Tinder bio' icebreaker — classmates write a 50-word self-description in Tinder voice.
Plan a 2010s reunion classmates will Instagram every minute of
Free to set up. $39 — RSVPs, payments, name badges with senior photos, committee dashboard.
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