These are Fashion Journal’s most-read stories of 2025

13 articles you loved the most.

Well, it’s been a big year. We’ve seen the rise of skirt-over-pants supremacy, the return of traditional gender roles, the rebirth of the skinny brow and a thousand other trends come and go. We’ve released four print issues, published countless articles and posted more meme dumps than a fashion magazine probably should… 

Reflecting on 2025, we’ve seen a few strong themes emerge when it comes to your reading habits. This year was huge for at-home beauty treatments (thanks, cost-of-living-crisis), and it seemed like love and engagements were on everyone’s mind (see: Zendaya, Taylor and Dua). Also, you’re all, like, really into reading about being naked – no judgement! 

For advice on navigating the holidays, check out our Life section.

We can’t wait to show you what we’ve got cooking for 2026 but in the meantime, let’s have a recap together. Below are the top 13 stories you just couldn’t get enough of this year. Thanks for sticking with us.

Is this viral $18 Japanese hair mask worth the hype?

One of the perks of being an editor is getting sent (and shamelessly testing out) the latest and greatest beauty products. When Senior Editor Lara Daly finally got her hands on the Shiseido Fino Premium Touch hair mask, she decided to try it out against some of the newest, most popular hair masks of 2025 to see which was best for parched hair.

Read it here.

What I learnt from living naked in a medieval Spanish village for a month 

What is there to learn from a month in the nude? For writer and photographer Constance McDonald, a whole lot. In this personal essay, originally published in Issue 198, Constance shared the lessons she learned from living naked with a conspiracy theorist and a man who drank his own urine (yes, really), and encouraged readers to explore the naturist way of life on their own. As she says, ‘everything is better in the nude’.

Read it here.

Six local jewellers share their favourite engagement ring they’ve made 

2025 felt like the year everyone got engaged. It also seemed to be the year that unconventional engagement rings took centre stage. As a champion of all things unique and personalised, Lara Daly reached out to six local jewellers to see their most-loved commissioned pieces. From a perfectly imperfect gold signet-style ring to a jaw-dropping aquamarine nestled in a halo of diamonds, these designs had us drooling.

Read it here.

What to wear to workout that isn’t activewear, according to a Pilates teacher 

Georgia Lucy, a Melbourne-based physiotherapist and Pilates teacher, is more likely to wear a blouse and Bermuda shorts to class than leggings and a sports bra. FJ’s Assistant Editor, Daisy Henry, clocked this and asked her for a fashion girl’s guide to workout wear, and her advice clearly resonated.

Read it here.

Nicol and Ford’s ‘Parrhesia’ was a tribute to the queer trailblazers who came before 

No one does fashion quite like Nicol and Ford. Inspired by Magnus Hirschfeld, a German physician, sexologist and champion for LGBTIQ+ rights, the brand’s 2025 collection, Parrhesia, left writer Carmen Azzopardi speechless. Its blend of history and 1930s glamour is a sight we want to come back to again and again, and based on the reads on this article, you felt the same.

Read it here. 

After 15 years of salon colouring, I tried box dye and I’m not looking back 

In no surprise to us, another at-home hair article made the list. After FJ contributor Harriet Pudney became fed up with spending over six hours and $300 to get her hair dyed professionally, she decided to try out the unthinkable: box dye. To her surprise, the results were as good, if not better, than after a salon appointment. If you’re thinking about joining the DIY converts, this is a must-read.

Read it here.

How Angela White is spending Valentine’s Day this year 

Australian adult entertainment darling Angela White was kind enough to share how she spent her Valentine’s Day with FJ’s sex columnist, Laura Roscioli. Angela’s always done something special on V-Day but in 2025, she committed to an entire ‘month of love’ on her OnlyFans. And despite what you may think, it wasn’t all about sex (though her fans certainly were spoiled with NSFW content, too). 

Read it here.

How to grow your hair longer, faster, according to beauty editors 

Who hasn’t googled ‘how to grow hair fast’ after a particularly bad haircut or dye job? Lucky for us, beauty editors Sarah Tarca and Sherine Youssef came through with advice on growing and keeping your hair healthy (with tips for both bleached and virgin hair), covering the best supplements, serums and lifestyle tweaks for optimal hair growth.

Read it here.

What students in Melbourne are wearing to class in 2025 

If you ever want to know exactly how uncool you are, ask a uni student. Our former intern, Dylan Cohen, spent an afternoon at the University of Melbourne and RMIT campuses snapping the best-dressed students he came across. From thrifted designer pieces to simple T-shirts, their personal styles were as diverse as the students themselves.

Read it here.

From bougie to budget, these are the best bathhouses across Melbourne 

A Saturday morning at the bathhouse? Yes, please. Communal bathing is a fixture in cultures across the world and Melbourne’s no different. Our guide to the best bathhouses across the city at every price point has become a reference point for Melburnians and visitors who need a little soak to take the edge off (don’t we all). If a soak or sauna sesh is in your summer plans, check the list to find your new favourite spot.

Read it here.

Is a $250 hairbrush worth it? I tried it and here are my honest thoughts 

Would you spend hundreds of dollars on an analogue hair tool? This year we realised really expensive hair brushes do exist and many are backed by rave reviews. Here, Daisy Henry road-tested the famous La Bonne Brosse, a brush that claims to improve hair and scalp health if used correctly, thanks to its controversial secret weapon: keratin-rich boar bristles. If you’re considering making the investment, this review could be what gets you off the fence.

Read it here.

Local jewellers show us the heirlooms they’ve redesigned for clients 

If you’ve been lucky enough to inherit an heirloom ring, you’ll know the amount of trust it takes to give a piece to a jeweller to be redesigned. Some of our favourite local jewellers were up to the task this year, taking sentimental, delicate heirlooms and transforming them into modern, wearable pieces – all while paying homage to their original form.

Read it here.

My review of the Dyson Airstrait 

When Daisy was given a chance to test the Dyson Airstrait, it felt like an offer she couldn’t refuse. Her hair had historically not coped well with heat but Dyson’s air-powered tech promised less heat damage and better results than a traditional straightener. After her first try, she was dubious. Her honest review is a must-read if you’re thinking about taking the plunge.

Read it here.