Food:
While 2017 was a year full of crazy trends and new flavors, 2018 is supposed to be even more wild. In 2017 foods like avocado dominated, with variations like avocado toast, burgers, and dips. Unicorn drinks also exploded, starting with Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappuccino, and devolving into millions of homemade recipes made popular by the thousands of people trying to get with this colorful new trend. Even powders like activated charcoal made a comeback in 2017. Gwenyth Paltrow kicked off this trend with an article in her magazine, “Goop” saying that activated charcoal lemonade was the best juice for a detox, even though it is not as helpful as it seems to be. In 2018 though, expect more natural diets. According to a Winsight Grocery Report consumers are now basing the purchases off the brand’s values, and not just the food being sold. Brands that are cruelty-free, GMO- free, and fair trade certified are stealing the limelight from the usual mass produced and preservative full brands. Whole Foods predicted a number of trends that may take off in 2018, including floral flavors and foods like elderberry flower syrup, mezcal hibiscus cocktail, and lavender lattes that are predicted to have a big boost this year. Sparkling beverages, already starting to become popular in 2017 will continue its ascent into 2018. Beverages like La Croix, IZZE, and Bai Bubbles are some popular sparkling beverages who will continue to grow well into the new year. Root to stem eating, a trend where every part of the food is utilized, from carrot tops to broccoli stems, is predicted to make a return in 2018. Already there are recipes for asparagus stalk soup, celery stalk stuffing, and chard stem pasta, just to name a few. With many new and exciting trends to keep up with, 2018 will be a year to watch out for.
Tech:
With every year that passes by, we get closer and closer to the futuristic technology we could only dream about twenty years ago. Smart technology, AI, and VR/AR were some of the most popular technology trends of 2017. Smart technology, like smart watches and the Samsung Family Hub Fridge are revolutionizing our daily life and the way we interact with the things around us. Home AI like Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Google Home are also changing how even the simplest things are done. Who needs to manually change the song when you can say “Alexa, play the next song”. Both of these things are made to make life easier, but one could argue that with all the other technology out there, we’re letting it do all the work for us. VR/AR, or virtual and augmented reality were also big parts of 2017. With mega popular games like Pokémon Go and Project Tango, AR has really taken off. Major companies also got into the VR action last year. With Playstation, Facebook, and Samsung all releasing VR headsets in 2017, it boosted the VR frenzy, with lots of major companies trying to get in on the action. In 2018, there’s supposed to be even more high-tech gadgets to marvel over. Convertible laptops seem to be on the rise in 2018. With its dual functionality and relatively cheap cost, these products of the future will continue to see a rise in popularity throughout 2018. With the Iphone X release comes a wave of companies, especially security ones, trying to reproduce its facial recognition software. Driverless cars and their creators are gaining more and more momentum, trying to get the government to allow their products on the road. GM has already petitioned the federal government to allow its cars with no steering wheels or brake pedals on the roads by 2019. With all the amazing new tech products coming in 2018, there will be much to look forward to this year.
Fashion:
2017 was an interesting year for fashion, with the eighties getting a revival, and denim coming back in full swing. Before we delve too deep into 2018 fashion, lets take a review of 2017.
Female:
Ripped jeans became insanely popular, transforming the usually judged style into a fashion must have. As with many trends though, some took it too far, creating entirely detachable jeans, mud splatter patterned jeans, and jeans with holes so large there was more space than actual clothing.
Making a strange return from the sixteenth century, corsets became popular again last year. From models to celebrities like Kylie Jenner, everybody seems to be excited about this trend.
Male:
The male counterpart of the romper, the “romphim” became popular in 2017. With exciting patterns and pastel colors, the “romphim” was one of the most exciting trends of 2017.
Bandanas were a subtle but appreciated trend of 2017. Adding a pop of color or a bold pattern, bandanas were multifunctional and a great way to add culture to any outfit.
Unisex:
Denim and fanny packs, were the more controversial trends of 2017. With designers going crazy, making denim dresses, jackets, and even shoes, many argued that this trend had gone too far. And with fanny packs being ridiculed as an accessory for years in the past, many were startled to see that it had become stylish.
With some cool and some... questionable fashion trends from 2017, lets see what 2018 has in store for us.
Female:
With sheer clothes, especially dresses, taking over runways and red carpets in 2017, its no wonder that this trend is continuing into 2018. This trend is taking celebrities by storm, and will be a popular style this year for the red carpets.
Utilitarian clothing, or clothing that values practicality over style, is a complete reversal from the sheer trend. This style is all about muted solid colors, pockets, and useful jackets.
Male:
Loose pants, especially comfortable ones, are predicted to be popular in 2018. Some designers went wild, making pants with bold and bright patterns, or fleecy materials, and yet, some are more like fashionable sweatpants.
Athletic clothes, like hoodies and sweatpants are also coming back in 2018. Also called athleisure, this mix of athletic and comfortable are what we have been looking for.
Unisex:
Bold colors and fringe are two are two trends that are predicted to blow up in 2018. Fringe can make an excellent addition to any outfit, to add color and style. Bold colors, especially on men, add for a flair of fashion .
Politics:
2017 was a big year for politics, with many much needed milestones for women and minorities. Danica Roem was the first openly transgender person to be elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Ravinder Bhalla was the first Sikh mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, and Elizabeth Guzmán and Hala Ayla were the first two Hispanic women elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Tyler James Titus was the first transgender man to serve on the Erie School Board, making him the first openly transgender public official in the state of Pennsylvania. In 2018, expect more great things. Since President Trump’s inauguration in January of last year, there has been an uptick in the amount of women running for public office. The number of Democratic women challenging incumbent House of Representatives members is up 350% from the 41 women in 2016. There is also more women running for governor, with 79 exploring runs in 2018. Many Democratic, and some Republican, women have been spurred into action by Trump’s win and the candidates the G.O.P. supports. With our president accused of sexual harassment (and even videotaped bragging about it) and the Alabama judge Roy Moore (accused sexual predator who preyed on teenage girls) who ran for senate, the G.O.P supporting them, has discouraged many women. Instead of that getting them down however, many decided to take it into their own hands and run for public office instead. And, of course, I can’t talk about politics without discussing President Trump. any of his campaign promises have not gained much ground. He said he would repeal Obamacare, and in an attempt to repeal and replace it with the Graham-Cassidy bill, senator John McCain (R. Arizona) cast a decisive no, ending the attempts to repeal and replace for a little while longer. President Trump also promised to build a bigger and better wall between the U.S. and Mexico, and make Mexico pay for it. Although the border wall has been rebuilt and revamped in places, Mexico has payed for none of it. The one major campaign promise Trump has been able to deliver on is the promise to cut taxes. On December 22nd, 2017 he signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which cuts corporate tax by 14%, lowers income tax rate, although it will revert to the usual by 2026, and eliminates personal exemptions. 2017 was a decisive year for politics, but look forward to many more diverse candidates in 2018.
Disclaimer:
These are the opinions of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the Paw Print or Greenwood.
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