Looking back at 2022, we might call it a year of comebacks. Wide-leg pants and low-rise jeans returned to popularity. Tom Brady came back from his 40-day retirement. “The Lord of the Rings” returned with a TV show spin-off. And even Brendan Fraiser returned from his Hollywood hiatus.

But that’s just a glimpse of last year. Here’s a closer look at 2022 in review.

2022: Year in Review

What do you think of when you think about the biggest moments of 2022? Maybe Wednesday Addam’s funky goth dance, which absolutely broke TikTok? Or perhaps Elon Musk’s gutsy move to buy Twitter for $44 billion?

Here are just a few of our favorite 2022 moments.

The Most Viral Pop Culture Moments in 2022

Before Wednesday’s dance became viral, there was “the slap.” Will Smith’s jaw-dropping slap at the Academy Awards.

Then, the summer brought about a much more lighthearted viral moment: The interview with the adorable “corn kid” took the internet by storm, and everyone fell in love with the young corn enthusiast.

Photo credit @Phil_Lewis_ – Tariq the “Corn Kid” in in partnership with Green Giant.

2022’s Most Talked-About Fashion Looks

2022 was also filled with some jaw-dropping — and controversial — fashion moments.

One that none of us will forget was when Kim Kardashian wore Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress to the Met Gala. She wore the $4.8 million dress just for a few minutes — but it was still enough time to start a debate.

Another equally controversial yet memorable fashion look of 2022 was the Diesel AW22 miniskirt. This leather belt wrap skirt was a particularly head-turning piece, giving Y2K vibes while also raising concerns about its functionality.

And if there’s one thing that everyone can agree on, it’s that Rihanna absolutely slayed in her pregnancy looks. She continued to be a trendsetter with her belly-baring outfits, which featured lace-up shirts, crop tops, and cutout looks.

Unforgettable Sports Moments in 2022

2022 started with a bang in the sports world, with both the Olympics and the Super Bowl in February. Keeping with the theme of comebacks, the Los Angeles Rams made a late-game comeback to win the Super Bowl last year. And we can’t forget the strong end to 2022 with Messi (finally) leading Argentina to its third World Cup win.

Speaking of wins, rising basketball star Ja Morant won the Most Improved Player award in May 2022. We could look at a reel of his best 2022 dunks all day.

2022’s Coolest Kicks

Speaking of basketball, we can’t talk about 2022 without mentioning the best basketball shoes of the year. The Air Jordan XXXVI made waves in 2022 with the release of multiple colorways, as did the fashionably worn-in Air Jordan 1 Lost & Found sneakers.

Sneaker collaborations were also hot in 2022, as seen with the adidas x Gucci Gazelle and the Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers. JJJJound and New Balance also created the 990v3 Montreal sneakers that were initially only available in — yes, you guessed it — Montreal.

And, of course, we can’t forget the mass release of the General Purpose Shoe by Tom Sachs and Nike that redefined the sneakerhead world with accessibility and wearability.

Get Excited About 2023

Now, it’s time to get excited about what’s coming in 2023. Make sure you are up-to-date with the latest styles by following JD’s 2023 sneaker release calendar. Here’s to another stylish and exciting year!