Top trends to follow versus trends to trash

By: Kerry Ingram, Associate Arts & Life Editor
Featured image courtesy of gq.com

 

Never in my entire collegiate career have I seen as big of an abundance of fashion and beauty trends in one season than I have this spring. From social media influencers sharing their latest finds, to conventions and showcases premiering the newest unique looks, there seems to be a new trend popping up every single day.

And to put things quite simply: I’m shooketh.

Considering the name of this column, it’s assumed that I have a slight obsession with looking out for the latest and hottest new things and sharing them with Towson students. However, I have never done a seasonal trend update twice in one semester.

That is, until today, my friends.

I found it necessary to not only compile new trends that have been birthed since the beginning of this semester and notify you about them, but ALSO to warn you of the “trends” that I think are absolutely ridiculous (because somebody has to be honest).

To make things fun, I’m also going to be mentioning trends outside of beauty and fashion — from social media trends to things people just seem to really be into all of a sudden.

So buckle up your designer brimmed pant belts, Tigers, because we’re in for a bumpy seasonal ride.

Spring Trends: Beauty

  1. Yellow – So remember when everyone was talking about the Pantone Color of the Year and how cool tones were taking over 2018? Well, let’s forget all of that for now, because the warm tones are here to stay (much to my enjoyment)! Yellow has replaced the trendy eye color to wear (R.I.P. all warm orange and red makeup looks of 2017’s past). This fun and bright color only makes sense — the warmer weather that is *hopefully* approaching totally compliments the golden hue.
  2. Gloss/Metallic Lips – Mattes are never going anywhere; sometimes the best lip looks come sans the shine. However, people are craving more hydration in their beauty routines, and that goes for makeup as well. With different well-known brands leaving their matte comfort zones for a more glistening look, from Urban Decay to Tarte, the glossy/metallic lip is sure to make waves this season.
  3. Gel-Cream Moisturizers – This one is for my skincare fanatics. Everyone needs moisturizer (and if you’re reading this and rolling your eyes because you have oily skin, you actually need it the most — your skin is drier than “dry skin,” hence why it’s over-producing oils to make up for the neglect you’ve been showing it) and brands have been formulating new versions of the skin savior to hydrate your face. From Belif’s Aqua Bomb to Peter Thomas Roth’s Water Drench moisturizer, your skin now has the option to be well-moisturized, minus the heaviness.
  4. Dry Shampoo –  I have no clue why this has become a trend recently, but I’m happy about it. As a curly-haired individual, I’ve never had to use dry shampoo since my hair never really gets greasy (curly folks usually have to worry more about dry scalps and hair than trying to get rid of moisture). However, I have numerous friends with naturally straight hair who feel like they have to wash their hair everyday to keep grease at bay. The gag is: NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO WASH THEIR HAIR EVERYDAY! Unless you work as a construction worker and get tons of dirt and debris lodged into your hair every shift, you can go at least a day or two without washing — over-washing dries out your scalp and, much like oily skin, can be the cause of greasiness all together. With dry shampoo, you can absorb oil without stripping your hair of the necessary moisture. Bonus: you save time by only having to wash your hair three to four times a week. Seems like a win-win situation to me.

BEAUTY TREND TO TRASH

UNICORN/MERMAID THEMED PRODUCTS – Can we please let this go already? The majestical obsession started last year, and although the product packaging tends to be cute and glittery, it’s also getting old. Too Faced Cosmetics launched its unicorn-themed collection earlier this year; Tarte just released another line of mermaid-themed brushes to Sephora; even The Makeup Eraser, a brand known for its microfiber cloth that takes off all of your makeup with just water (side note: I own two of these and they are amazing), revealed their new branding plans to use mermaids at New York City’s 2018 IMATS convention Saturday. I think it’s been a fun ride, but it’s time for something new.

Spring Trends: Fashion

  1. Tie-Front Tops – A lot of influencers have been hauling or showcasing these types of tops lately. From floral print designs to solid colors in bright hues, tops that tie in the front are going to be this season’s spin on the traditional crop top.
  2. Straight Necklines – A trend I’m truly excited for, straight necklines have been showing up on an abundance of dresses and tanks lately. Rather than having a traditional V-shaped cut or a rounded bust, the straight neckline clothing pieces provide that same body-hugging flirtiness but with a bit more class. I think this is a trend that’ll last well into the rest of the year.
  3. Racer Styles – This is something I don’t usually go for, but the more I’ve seen it done, the more I understand it. From check-print crop tops that make you lowkey look like you work at Checkers, to cool jogger styles with racer stripes down the sides, this punky style has been making its way into the closets of many, without looking tacky. I’m interested to see where this trend goes, or how long it lasts.
  4. Logos – This season is all about showing off what you worked hard to earn! Designer logos are in, however in casual forms, like accessories and tees. Rather than shelling out thousands of dollars that we don’t have for one extra piece of clothing, the designer trend this season is all about incorporating subtle nods to designer labels into everyday outfits, making it an affordable trend for college students to partake in.

FASHION TREND TO TRASH

“DAD SHOES” SNEAKERS – I’m sorry but this is hands-down the ugliest trend I’ve ever seen people trying to make happen. These sneakers, which look HORRENDOUS, first became popularized when celebrities and influencers began wearing designer versions of the style, the most popular being the Balenciaga version. This sneaker first emerged last fall, but has slowly grown in popularity this season, and I think this is absolutely ridiculous. Who in their right mind would pay over $800 to wear shoes that are the epitome of “What are those?” I seriously cannot with this trend.

Spring Trends: Social Media

  1. Instagram Takeover – Move over Snapchat, because Instagram is coming for the gold. As Snapchat begins to bounce back from its recent publicity struggles, from Kylie Jenner bashing the platform to its lawsuit with Rihanna over an ad that poked fun at domestic violence, Instagram has become the go-to source for storytelling through socials. I predict that by the end of 2018, more people will be using Instagram’s story feature than their Snapchat accounts in general, especially since it’s a bit easier to track your analytics and following through Instagram. With Instagram also recently changing its algorithm to showcase more posts in chronological order again (although not all posts), the social media giant is sure to be the platform of the year, let alone season.
  2. Live Posts – Another trend that seems to have been growing in popularity these past few months is the notion of live social media posts. Why show your followers something that’s already old news when you can showcase your experiences and interact in-time, as things are actually happening? From the success of influencers who engage their followers through live stories, to the amount of people who stayed up late Saturday night in order to watch YouTube’s live feed of Beyonce’s Coachella performance, living in the moment on social media seems to be hot this spring.
  3. Yodeling Boy – If you haven’t seen the video of the boy yodeling in Walmart, where have you been? Extra points if you have heard at least one of the many music remixes of his voice.

SOCIAL MEDIA TREND TO TRASH

MEGA INFLUENCERS – I admit, I have a love-hate relationship with this idea. I love me some mega influencers — Jackie Aina, FunHaus, and All Def Digital are my top three YouTube channels to watch and soak in. However, mega influencers seem to be making an abundance of sponsored posts lately, and although the ones I previously mentioned are transparent with this, others are not as clear. With social media allowing for just about anyone to have an influence nowadays, more people are looking towards their own circle of friends and/or micro influencers for ideas on products to use, things to do, what to follow, etc. Time will only tell if influencer impact will live on.

Spring Trends: Lifestyle

  1. Gym Memberships – Maybe it’s because we’re only four months into a year’s resolution; maybe it’s because summer is right around the corner. People have been emphasizing the fitness lifestyle lately, and I am living for it. Getting a gym membership is made easy nowadays, and with personal trainer access being readily available online, for those who can’t make it to a gym, there are very few excuses people can use as to why they aren’t taking care of their physical health. For Towson students, we have literally no excuse — Burdick Hall is new and improved, and already paid for within our tuition. If a gym’s intimidation factor is what scares you, sign up for a group class — it’ll get you outside of your comfort zone while also placing you in a support system with people going through a similar experience.
  2. Bullet Journals – I give major kudos to people who do this. A bullet journal, which is basically like if a planner, a diary, and a scrapbook had a baby, is something that allows for you to be creative and productive at the same time. Although I personally have not tried my hand at creating one, I’ve seen and heard so many people rave about them, and I can only see this Tumblr-esque trend growing as we near the summertime.
  3. Self-Care – This is MAJOR, and a trend I think all people should take part in, no matter what. Whether you view self-care as treating yourself to your favorite meal, pampering yourself to a DIY spa day, or just allowing yourself an hour of no responsibilities, taking care of your mental and emotional well-being is super important. This is a trend that needs to stay. Do you, boo boos, and be happy!

LIFESTYLE TREND TO TRASH

DOING THINGS FOR THE ‘GRAM – This may seem hypocritical, considering I’m a blogger and previously listed social media trends, but you should never live your life for the sake of capturing a picture. Period. I love seeing well-thought out photos, and love posting aesthetically pleasing things myself, but it’s important to know how to balance when to capture your life and when to live it. Prime example: I went to New York this past weekend for a makeup trade show, and as much as I thought it would be great to blog about it the entire time and post a video about it, I decided to take a few pictures (of things I would’ve taken pictures of even if I didn’t have social media accounts) and enjoy the rest of the day without technology. The result?

I enjoyed every single moment of the show, and felt like I was living my best life. I advise you to do the same.

This is the running list of updated spring trends to follow (and to trash); which trends were your favorite? Let us know on Twitter @TheTowerlight 🙂

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