Annie Robinson
2011 was full of surprising trends: from music and media to fashion and beauty! This year definitely offered a wide variety of fads. Love them or hate them, 2011 was a year of crazes not soon to be forgotten. Refresh your memory on the biggest trends of 2011:
Song Fad: 2011 was a year for great music! Pop queens Rihanna, Katy Perry and Lady GaGa continued to deliver, and emerging artist such as Adele wowed us with incredible vocals. But, it was 14-year-old Rebecca Black’s nasally anthem to end-of-week excitement “Friday” that was stuck in our heads 24/7. Rebecca Black was the girl of 2011 who everyone loved to hate; her whiney music and corny video were perfect for picking on. One of the most viewed Youtube videos of the year, “Friday” by Rebecca Black was a huge fad this year. The question is: will we be seeing more of Black in 2012? She got her 15 minutes of fame, time’s up.
Nail Fad: Nail polish has definitely become a must-have when it comes to beauty! With hundreds of different celebrity inspired capsules and thousands of different colours, nail polish is big. Shatter nail polish was one of the biggest nail polish trends of the year. When it first came out in black, shatter nail polish was all the rage and was sold out everywhere. Crackle nail polish was the magic enamel that literally split up over your nails within seconds of applying. Crackle polish comes in every colour under the rainbow, but now that the novelty has worn off, it is heading out as fast as it came in.
Summer Style Fad: Summer 2011 brought two big fashion trends for girls: rompers and crop tops. While these cute micro-minis were sweet for the summer, there is much speculation as to whether they will be back in a big way in 2012.
Accessory Fad: Nerdy glasses! 2011 was the year of geek-meets-chic style, and with this look came the incredibly popular nerdy glasses. Best characterized as thick rimmed, oversized frames, these glasses were “it” in a big way in 2011. This is one fad that has been exhausted; it’s likely nerdy glasses will not be a big hit in 2012.
Food Fad: Cake pops, whoopie pies and cupcakes were the hot treat of 2011. These cute and sugary indulgences have become available at every coffee shop and treat boutique in the city. These delicacies are adorable, but top chefs are already pinning down pies as the hot dessert for 2012.
Celebrity Fad: Charlie Sheen’s antics began in early February and he quickly became a celebrity fad of 2011. The public was obsessed with his bizarre rants about having “tiger blood” and “winning.” On March 7th, Sheen was fired from Two and a Half Men and from there his wacky appearances, interviews and blurbs in the spotlight spiraled out of control, and eventually out of sight.
Shoe Fad: TOMS shoes were definitely popular this year. The lightweight, colourful canvas, slipper-like shoes were a major trend starting late spring 2011 and carrying through to mid fall. What many people probably don’t know about TOMS is that they are a not-for-profit company based in California. The company was founded in 2006 and is all about giving back! With every product sold, TOMS donates a pair to a person in need. This feel-good shoe fad was very popular in 2011.
Hair Fad: Girls were flocking to feathered hair extensions in 2011. Ranging anywhere from $30-$300 depending on where you got them done, these funky hair accessories were trendy in 2011.
Pant Fad: Jeggings, the infamous mix between jeans and leggings, were surprisingly popular for 2011. Love them or hate them, these neither-here-nor-there pants were a popular pick for girls in 2011.
Celeb Wedding Fad: Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries reportedly spent $10 million on their wedding, which was dubbed one of the most extravagant celebrity weddings of 2011. What stirred up more controversy came 72 days after Kim & Kris wed, as “I do’s” turned to “I don’ts,” and the couple filed for divorce. This scandal triggered trauma in the Twitter-verse and sparked thousands of tweets tagged on things that lasted longer than Kim’s marriage. The one thing that lasted longer than the marriage without debate? Society’s obsession with the Kardashian clan.
Game Fad: Angry Birds hit an all time high in 2011. Praised for its victorious mishmash of addictiveness, humorous graphics, and low price, Angry Birds was big this past year. With a combined 500 million downloads, this must-have game has gone beyond the screen with Angry Birds hats, jewelry, key chains and even stuffed toys!