Trend Spotting Week 2

Hand Sanitizer Key Chains

Most college students' key chains consist of bottle openers, maybe a car and house key, and a handmade hemp lanyard. This fall season, many students have added hand sanitizer to their key chains. Though flu season hits us a few times a year, the rise and paranoia around H1N1 virus or Swine Flue has caused a great increase in hand sanitizer use. While hand sanitizer enthusiasists have mainly been germaphobe mothers, college kids have picked up their usage of the simple product due to slews of email warnings from the University administration. This trends growth may be out of both pure necessity and fear of contracting H1N1, but companies like Purell and Victorias Secret have made staying germ free fun by creating colorful hand sanitzer key chains.  

Satchels

Expensive designer bags branded with prestigious logos will never completely go away, but

they are less prevalent this fall with the takeover of satchels. Satchels are smaller bags that have a top handle that can be carried like a briefcase. At CU however, most satchels are worn with their detachable strap that goes over the shoulder, with the strap laying diagonally across the body. Higher quality leather satchels, vintage satchels, and satchels with fringe are making their mark all over CU campus. This trend, which really hangs out only with college girls, has emerged due to it's prevelance in the high fashion world. Whats interesting however, is that the trend has adapted to fit the college lifestyle. By wearing the satchel over the shoulder, you have free hands to carry books, a waterbottle, and most obviously, your cell phone. 

YouTube as a Instructional Tool

We all know and love YouTube, but for so long it has been a place to go for entertainment or just a good laugh. More recently, YouTube has become an instructional source used by students

and professors alike. I learned how to sew a zipper on my sewing machine via a YouTube video. One of my professors taught us how to count binary numbers on your hand via a YouTube video. Worldwide, people have begun to upload videos that are educational and useful instead of just humiliating and funny, and everyone on CU campus has taken advantage of 

that. "YouTube for Education" has caught on because, simply, where else can I conveniently find a video that will teach me how to insert a zipper? We are innately visual and in this era of technology overload we choose to watch a 2 minute video over read a page of instructions. Professors are smart and know that capitalizing on this budding educational resource will compliment their students learning styles and make their lectures more effective. Kudos. 

Face In Hole 

Face in Hole (Faceinhole.com) is the self-loving college kids favorite time waster. Also popular among Facebook addicts, Face In Hole is a website that allows you to upload your photo, your face in particular, into "scenarios" such as art, advertising, magazine covers. Face In Hole is prominent on both high school and college students Facebook's. Often the source of hilarity, students jazz up their profile pictures with digital face peek-a-boos. Sites like these that cure i boredom go up at the beginning of the school year when the weather is still nice and students are antsy to get out of class and go outside. Plus, what 15-20 year old doesn't love to look like 

at themselves in a funny light and share it with the world? 

Trend Spotting Week One

Cell Phones as Security Blankets

Having your cell phone out at all times, whether in use or not, is not "trendy" as in cool but "trendy" as in there are numbers to back it up. I counted. I sat on the steps of Norlin Library between class and for 100 people who walked by 66 of them were either using their phone or had it at the ready.

Though this may not be a new for the 2009-2010 school year, it is a trend that lives prominently on our campus and other campuses alike. Since we must be occupied with some sort of stimulation 24/7, cell phones fill the silent void of walking to class. Also, cell phones act as a social security blanket for college students. If someone walks by who we don't want to say hello to or to stop and have a conversation with, pretend you are mid text message and it is acceptable to pass by with nothing but a nod.

Fantasy Sports

Though I have been roped into a fantasy football league, this trend is mainly a guy thing. Through a made up league, each member drafts a team of professional athletes and monitors the athletes stats, manages the team, and competes against other fantasy teams. Though the world of fantasy sports is not new news, the sport has seen exponential growth in the past year. Fantasy sports started out with football and has ventured to cover everything from golf to nascar. Not only that, but new types of fantasy sports have emerged. For example, a game called "Pick 'Em"  where each week you guess the winner of a future match. The player with the most points at the end of the season wins (either a pot of money or bragging rights). 

The trend of fantasy sports and non traditional fantasy sports (like Pick 'Em) are only going to grow and continue to catch on quickly. Just as guys and girls alike are finding and maintaining friendships on social networking sites, fantasy leagues are now turning into the same resource for guys. With more chat capabilities, daily interactions between opposing teams, and more sports and types of fantasy games offered this online trend isn't slowing down soon. 

Flower's In Her Hair

Not real flowers, though that's pretty too. Flowers are popping up everywhere on girl's headpieces at CU -- headbands, barrettes, flowers of all colors and shapes, flowers with embellishments, you name it. This trend initially stemmed from Blair Waldorf , the infamous New York socialite from the hit show Gossip Girl. But Blair has been sporting flowers or large bows in her hair accessories for a few seasons now, and still this trend persists on our campus. 

Flowers serve as a statement accessory that can dress up any drab outfit. When girls cant afford to update their looks with new clothes or mix and match just wont do, a statement accessory like a bright headband with a few flowers can completely revamp your look. In the same spirit of saving money, flower headbands have turned into a DIY. Traditionally, flowers were worn as a symbol of being single or taken in Hawaiian culture. In modern american culture they are work for weddings or more dressy occasions. Fake flowers on headbands allow girls to use and abuse all the while still being just as pretty. 

Rompers

Rompers are a one piece garment similar to overalls. This infantile fashion emerged in the early 1900's as, well, a children's garment. The romper has since come back as popular lingerie and beachwear in the '60's and now as both a street and high fashion statement.

I believe this trend has emerged again with new found versatility. Unlike a summer dress, the rompers seen around campus are casual enough for class with some sneakers or flat sandals. Like the typical "going out dress" rompers can be dressed up with wedges or heels. It's a double whammy. Not only that, this adult sized play-suit is just that--playful. Created as a roomy outfit that made it easier for babies to play, the playfulness has carried over and in a classy way. Long gone are the tight, denim onesies seen in J.Lo videos. CU's campus is littered with girls in frilly, floral printed rompers trying to get their latest fashion statement out and about before fall begins.