Natalie Whatley

As one who enjoys observing the world and all that goes on in it, I keep my finger on the pulse of the wild roller-coaster ride we call life. I thought for some time about the new year we have before us and decided I didn’t want to look back. So, let’s all take a breather from what has been and look to what will be.

I have no expertise in predicting future trends, but I can Google with the best. Below, you’ll find a synopsis of what some in the know say will be hot, hot, hot for 2009. Fashionable highfalutin types claim that those of us who hang our hats in the Southern United States take about two years to catch up with pretty much everything. I’m doing you a great service here; many of our brethren won’t catch on until 2011. Here’s your chance to look very avant-garde.

I’ll start with women’s fashion because, honestly, is there anything else? (For those who are without the curse/benefit of knowing me outside of what you read here, my tongue is firmly planted in my cheek. I despise shopping. I’ll be forced to relinquish my female card as soon as this is published. Worse, I’m perfectly fine carrying a purse from Target or even Payless. Hey, I’m ahead of the recessionista trend bucking to upset many fashionistas.)

Starting at the top and working my way down: Braids, twists, and buns with a feminine yet functional look will rule well-coiffed tresses. ‘Smart’ make-ups, and not just foundations, that automatically adjust to the natural tones of your skin will abound. (I may actually like these products. No thought required. Just apply, and voila!) There will be variations of the mini-dress (start working on the legs now) with futuristic, boxy, boyish tailoring and geometric prints in sherberty pastels and hot brights. The new neutral will be hot pink. The must-have shoe: metal cage boots. (I kid you not –don’t know what they look like, but it doesn’t sound like something that goes with a dress.) Anyone else getting a visual?

Jewelry will be bigger and bolder than ever. Oversized pieces made from natural materials (look for wood and coral) will complement (not so sure about that given the clothing description above) the year’s fashions.  

Moving along, the new rage in investments will be “green” products or companies looking to “go green”. Stem-cell research is also looking promising.

Technology will bring us even more consumer electronics with the big splashes this year being made on the “home hospital” front. Cool medical gadgetry once only available to medical personnel will be yours for a moderate price, of course. But mobile personal technology will be the center of the universe for most new applications. (New applications? Good grief. How much more “wired” can we all be?)

On the exercise front, be on the lookout for all sorts of programs boasting very brief, but extremely intense workouts. (This is one I just may have to investigate. I am curious as to whether shorter, more intense suffering will garner results.  If I actually try it . . . well, you’ll probably hear me scream.)

Near the end of my semi-exhaustive trend review, I was tickled almost hot pink and felt far from neutral when I ran across the comment, “Things that are really hot for 2009 are friends and family you enjoy spending time with, clothes you can afford and feel comfortable in, jewelry from someone who loves you, and food and drink you enjoy.” Cheers to that!  Happy New Year!

© 2009 Natalie Whatley

Tags: hot trends, New years