Activewear

So new year comes new diet and exercise regime right? Yes I know we are almost in February but come on.... Half of January is spent eating all the leftover sweets and chocolates. Anyway, new exercise regime means only one thing... NEW ACTIVEWEAR!

Googled trends of 2014

Now since my school days me and my friends would always search “boys are…” and then laugh at what Google would suggest after. So when the Google annual A Year in Search survey is released every year, I can’t lie I love it. However, I have grown up a bit now and now I am by far most interested in fashion. What caught my eye was the most searched fashion trends – which did make me laugh a little still.

(Source: Getty Images. Image by: Bertrand Guay)

So what was the most Googled fashion trend of 2014? Normcore. And why did this make me laugh? Presumably it was the most searched because nobody had a clue what it was. This dubious trend involves everything from sports-luxe to stonewashed mom jeans to knitwear.  This term turned average looking outfits into phenomenal outfits. This is why I love this trend – everyone can pull off looking like a homeless person right?

The idea behind this trend however, really interests me. It’s tiring and rather expensive trying to be different to achieve fashion status. K-Hole, the founder, has a good point here. So really it is standing out by fitting in. It is being different without shouting about it. Personally, I love it.

 Following Normcore is Health Goth, which personally I didn’t have to Google before I had an idea of what it was. Think Goths/punks in sportswear. The term actually comes from Health Goth Facebook page, founded by Mike Graberek, an American musician, and quirky designer Jeremy Scott.

  

(Source: Getty Images. Image by: Randy Brooke)

When Adidas Orginals launched their new collaboration 

with Mary Katrantzou in October, which seemed impractical to work out in, I knew this was Health Goth and I absolutely loved it! - Another made-up trend which is totally odd, but works. It’s like trackie bottoms and heels? Perfect combo. I wondered how we hadn’t thought of this earlier. It made me feel okay to wear my gym kit all day long without feeling totally uncool.

(Souce: Adidas. Image by: Unknown)

Athlesiure comes in at number three, showing that sportswear was a massive part of 2014. Athleisure involves anything from designer leggings to cashmere sweats to layering pieces of rather expensive gym clothes.

(Source: Getty Images. Image by: Target Presse)

Both the media and fashion industry used this term without any hesitation; however it threw me a bit. Athletic and leisure are completely opposite terms? You can’t really relax while you’re working out? This trend however turned out to be a massive hit as it targeted women who do yoga to those who just want to look as if they do. Very much like Health Goth, it’s about wearing activewear, but not actually sweating in it.

Much more straightforward searches included over-the-knee boots, full skirts, culottes and mules. Crop tops was up at number five - a nineties trend which has never really disappeared. However, this year, the trend, which has had women working their abs off for, became so big that it even became popular in menswear. Designers have been trying to take off this trend over the last years but thanks to Kid Cudi and his red crop top, 2014 was the year it did. It led to men posting pictures of the abs and um… beer bellies, out on Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram using hashtags such as #Boysincroptops2014 and #croptopmovement.

(Source: Getty Images. Image by: Kay-Paris Fernandes)

Now, Mod Style may have only come in at number 16, but I couldn’t not mention this trend. But I did wonder when seeing women and men wearing this style if they knew where it had come from? This is why Mod Style making it in the top 20 Google trend searches made me smile. In the late 50s Mod was not only a style but a lifestyle. Short for modernist, mod style was characterised by very bold and bright fashions that would break the traditional image. I have noticed this trend is very popular on the high street in stores such as Urban Outfitters. It includes Mazey’s jackets, oversized jumpers, miniskirts etc. in block colours such as black and white. 

louie