From Swedish clogs making it back into haute fashion, to 90s nostalgia and #longhairdontcare, lets take a look at what was big in 2013 and what The Drift thinks will be the big trends in Brooklyn in 2104.
Into fashion? Check out the top trends for 2014!
Have you walked down Grand Ave. in Williamsburg recently and seen a girl—or several—looking like a cross between a gypsy and a witch, with some Navajo thrown in for good measure?
There's a reason for that, and dressing like Stevie Nicks is just the tip of the iceberg with this trend. From succulents, to kilim rugs and turquoise jewelry everything, this hybrid of southwest aesthetics and dark magic is now being seen in middle America and West Elm, thanks to Instagram and Pinterest. Get your pentagrams out from middle school and start rocking them again.
Head of the Class: Pamela Love, Ariel Alasko, The Stone Cold Fox, Stella Dallas Home, Bona Drag
Hyper That LocaleBrooklyn is no stranger to the local movement. And we aren't just talking about food. From textiles, to chocolate, to post-production houses, we like keeping it all in the family/borough. But 2013 saw an increased hyper-realization of neighborhood borders and pride, especially in "up-and-coming" hoods like Bed-Stuy and Gowanus.
Look for more neighborhood-centric events and marketing in 2014, not just in Williamsburg.
Head of the Class: Do or Dine (Bed-Stuy), Lavender Lake (Gowanus), Ft. Defiance (Red Hook)
It's Cool... I Don't CareThis may not be a 2013/2014 trend, but we've seen an increase in irreverence and the #sorrynotsorry mind frame. Now, lazing, creative types in New York aren't exactly a novel idea—just read The Great Gatsby. And we all like day drinking and people watching, but with the proliferation of passive hashtags on social media—remember #nonewfriends?—the not-taking-anything-too-seriously way of living has reached a fever pitch.
This can be seen in our beloved fancy sweatpants and wedge sneakers to our evolving office culture in Brooklyn and Manhattan (have you seen a start-up office lately?).
Head of the Class: You, me and everyone you walk past on the street under the age of 35 and living in—but not originally from—Brooklyn.
#Throwback
Brooklyn now has a Wisconsin AND Minnesota-themed bar, nostalgic music venues and racks of white, puffy sneakers and scrunchies. Proceed with child-like enthusiasm.
Head of the Class: Lake Street Bar, Whiskey Soda Lounge, Baby's All Right, Reformation, In God We Trust, Twin Peaks
The weird and wonderful have always had a place in our city, but we think there will be even more deviation and self-identifying in 2014. From the surf and skate rats who declared #summerforever on all of their Rockaway pictures on Instagram, to the tatted-up biker kids who opened some great new bars this year and the B-Boy/Girl street style declaring Commes des Fuck Down, keep on the look-out for new niches, even if they are only surface deep.
Head of the Class: Rockaway Taco, Three Diamond Door, Passenger Bar, underneath the BQE
Mash-UpFrom borrowing cultures, to thinking up new ways to combine two foods, we're going to see way more mixing and matching in 2014. And the kimchi taco was just the beginning. Just this winter, the Bruffin was born!
Don't forget to mix your fancy sweatpants with a nice oxford. This mash-up trend will continue to move into fashion. One of the biggest cues? The dress over pants look that was a common thread in many Spring '14 collections.
More Predictions for 2014
More of a focus on Midwest food; more ways to abbreviate and consolidate everything (the way we communicate to the way we carry our gear); the year the text message started to become obsolete; getting away from farm-to-table living and focusing more on eating and living on what you can forage from your immediate area; also, a backlash against new technology and smart phone-centric lives.
