The world is rapidly changing, that much is undeniable. Technology that once took an entire room to function can now be put in the palms of our hands, and communication between two people from different countries is now commonplace. Society as a whole is changing, and societal norms are going through rapid development. Quite a lot have changed, as we enter the third decade of the 21st millennia, we’re seeing more and more change.
From the grungy look in the ’90s to whatever happened in the 00s to today, where trends still exist but in a much more vague manner. Yes, trends are ending…or so it seems. While ‘trends’ per se, will not end as long as humans are still here, our sense of what is trendy is slowly changing. Many things are now accepted and embraced by society, and people are learning to adapt to the changing times.
Geek Acceptance
Nowadays, everyone’s a geek in some form or another. People are beginning to be more tolerating of other people’s interests. Picking on someone for their niche hobbies is definitely a foul, and society as a whole is beginning to cater to those with very specific interests. And this is also observed in fashion: you see people walking around wearing Star Wars t-shirts all too often, and more people are incorporating the hobbies or media that they like in their everyday wear. You might see people wearing the shirt of their favorite Anime character or the shoes of a popular video game hero.
The geek flag is proudly flying nowadays, and you can see that many businesses are taking note of it; offering products specifically targeting this demographic. Many large companies collaborate with Anime houses to produce interesting products, like the Dragonball Z sneakers.
Tattoos and Other Modifications
It wasn’t so long ago that tattoos and other body modifications such as piercings were heavily frowned upon. And while there are people who still don’t prefer them, more and more are becoming accepting and tolerating them. Tattoos have gone from a symbol used by criminals to a valid form of self-expression, and the innovations that are borne out of embracing this ‘taboo’ have proven very beneficial. Tattoos are now used to cover up scars and other undesirable physical markings. Permanent makeup is also gaining in popularity, giving those suffering from hair loss an opportunity to address their problem.
It’s only a matter of time before tattoos and body modification enters ‘mainstream’. While tattoos and piercing are already receiving some popular appeal, we can only speculate that they’ll gain in popularity more and more.
Self-Care and Mental Care
Among the more uplifting trends to recently come out is the focus on self-care and mental well-being. But what is self-care really? It’s giving yourself time to rest, recover, and engaging in actions that enforce self-love. There is no single way to care for yourself, they’re often very different tasks to meet different people’s different needs.
The population’s awareness of how mental health affects us is beginning to get stronger, and along with it comes advocating actions and decisions that consider mental health as an important factor. With the world in the middle of a pandemic, and the collective population’s mental energies slowly draining away, this ‘trend’ is rather timely. Its steady rise in fame doesn’t show any signs of slowing down as well, and we can only hope that it continues in the future.
Embracing Flaws and Body Positivity
Along with self-care comes with ultimately accepting one’s self. We’re all naturally flawed one way or another, and this trend simply allows us to live comfortably with those flaws. Be it cellulite, freckles, skin tone, or facial hair- it doesn’t matter. Embracing your own flaws is crucial to coming to terms with situations outside within our own power, ultimately making coming to terms with our ‘self’. This bolsters realistic expectations, reducing lofty ideals that are unhealthy to chase.
Major cosmetic and fashion companies are supporting this movement too, as they begin to diversify the models they use for major advertisement drives. Sooner rather than later, we’ll be seeing representation across the board.
Trend of Acceptance
Looking over these current trends, the common theme seems to be ‘acceptance’. And isn’t that such a beautiful trend? As we navigate 2020, we’re developing awareness of our own collective self-destructive nature and are making efforts in rectifying these.
These trends are not just ‘trends’ for mere fashion, they are movements based on ideals and virtues. Acceptance and tolerance are the new ‘in thing’, and hopefully it’s here to stay.
