Trends of 2014 - Fashion to food and every trend in between

Heather Elliott, Overseas Contributorand Fashion Insider

Last year was perhaps the most controversial in the past decade, filled with eye-popping pop-culture moments, including some unforgettable fashion hits and misses. How could one forget a very pregnant Kim Kardashian at the MET gala in a floral Givenchy dress reminiscent of our grandma's Christmas curtain, or our favourite British singer, Adele, at the Grammys in a head-to-toe floral Valentino frock, who some say resembled their neighbour's upholstered couch. According to 'Twitterverse' - now officially the world's social authority - both Kim and Adele's looks were very "rachet". (A word we learned in 2013 and one which will definitely be carried into 2014).

Thinking back to 2013, we can recall the shock on fashion followers' faces when a black girl, Malaika Firth, (well ... light-skinned) graced the Prada campaign for the first time in 20 years, or designer Rick Owen's 'Stomp-The-Yard' style runway debut at London Fashion Week. Never mind the all-floral-everything 'rachetry' and the incredible open-mouthed moments. But as no one topped the next-to-nothing wearing, tongue-popping, lollipop-licking, rabbit-ear-wearing, twerking Disney alumnus Miley Cyrus, who fashionably and culturally 'wrecked' 2013 in her favour.

Style for Cyrus was derrière-baring boy shorts accompanied by cropped tops, accessorised with funky gold costume jewellery and flirty nail polish. Love her or hate her, the self-proclaimed queen of twerking (the trend we are so happy to leave behind) was the number-one thing of 2013.

As trendy as Miley was across the globe, in our eyes, everyone paled in comparison to our home-grown trendsetter, Tessanne Chin, who made our most memorable style moment of 2013 in the black faux crystal Jovani number she wore on the final night of 'The Voice'. Of course, we can't talk about an unforgettable 2013 without mentioning the Queen B, who stopped by the swanky Trident Hotel for a brief visit in December. Mrs Carter showed off our island to her millions in the beehive with Red Stripe in hand in a curve-hugging Jamaica tank top. Talk about a superb endorsement!

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We can't predict who will upstage Miley for 2014, nor can we tell when Beyoncé will return to the Rock, or if we will have another 'Voice' winner from our shores (let me not even get started about L.A. Lewis), but we can certainly tell you we are ready to dig into the fabulous offerings of everything stylish in the year ahead.

Grab some bubbly, get cosy in your lounge chairs and let's take you on a marvellous journey in style. We will explore hot trends in clothing, accessories, shoes, food, gadgets and even the top trends in travel for this year.

Although we feature trends from a global perspective, we encourage our fashionable readers to shop locally and affordably and find trends that work for you and your budget. Much of the fashion trends predicted are based on runway presentations for spring/summer 2014 and most likely will take root mid-year or later. Don't be surprised if some of these trends do not take off, but in our book, it is always en vogue to be enlightened on what's hot and what's not. Here's what's trending for 2014 in Flair's style issue!

Hottest Fashion Trends

We are seeing a lot of repeats from previous years, but a few standouts made our list for this feature. Here are our top fashion trends that we think will catch on with our stylish bunch in this neck of the woods.

Fringe

Mostly seen as an embellishment in designs for houses like Lanvin, Herve Leger, Jean Paul Gaultier, Calvin Klein, Moschino and Cheap & Chic.

Coloured Rhinestone

Prada, Herve Leger, Dolce and Gabbana and Nina Ricci showcased riveting pieces adorned with the sparkling gemstones. You can recall Tessanne's Maxi Jovani couture dress on 'The Voice' finals drenched in clear cystals over black fabric.

Asymmetry

It was only a few short years ago that we welcomed asymmetrical cuts into our lives. Well stytlistas, they're back! You will certainly see some top designers like Bottega Veneta, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Zimmermann utilising this trend. Caribbean designer and CFW staple, Claudia Pegus may be the one, regionally, to count on for something in this trend.

Flare Pants

Here we go again! Get ready to kick your heels up and flaunt your flare-foot trousers like the first time you went to Disco Inferno. '80s glam is back in trousers in a big way. Not too many of your favourite designers were running with this on the runways for spring/summer 2014, but if design houses Armani and Olympia le tan' thought it was hot, so do we! Picture a hot pair of flare pants at Sumfest this summer. Being airy and stylish, it works great together in an especially hot and crowded environment.

Ruffles, tutu skirts, sporty apparel and ballerina outfits were some of the fashion trends that made debuts on the catwalks of New York, Paris and London for all of the 2014 presentations, but something tells me, we are not in a hurry for these to catch on, on the Rock. The verdict is out on this one!

Colour Trends

A serious fashionista understands the importance of wearing the right colours not because it's a colour of the season, but simply because a particularly shade enhances your natural beauty. Let's explore the colours in clothing trends that's a must for Spring/Summer 2014 and best for the warm Jamaican climate.

While the runway presentations lacked 'Radiant Orchid' the Pantone colour of 2014 (a captivating combination of fuchsia, purple and pink undertones), there were plenty of other great colours making a splash nonetheless. Find your colour and have fun with your wardrobe.

White

A classic and timeless exhibition of innocence and purity. The runways were saturated with impressive looks in white as seen in Cushnie Et Ochs, DKNY, Lyn Devon, Mulberry, Versace, Victoria Beckham, Burberry and Nina Ricci. Wearing white is always a must in the tropics and local design House Drenna Luna is known for some elegant flowy divine pieces in this trend while fellow Jamaican designer Lubica experiments with more fitted white fusion designs.

Disco Coloured Palettes

Yep the 80's are definitely back! Emilio Pucci, Lanvin, Gucci, Versace among others brought out the trend in their 2014 presentations to much fanfare. Jamaica is festive and the featured Emilio Pucci sequin tulle dress number will hit the mark at an exclusive late night soiree for the fashionable and ultra rich among us. It retails for upwards of US$7,000. But scrap that, we think it's too ridiculously overpriced even by 'Carrie Bradshaw's' standards. Try alternatives that are equally as fabulous. I wouldn't count out emerging Jamaican designer Ashley Martin to pick up on this trend.

Shades of Olive

Sorry martini lovers, Olive is being served up a whole different way this season. May I have my dress in a shade of Olive please? Not a favourite colour of mine, I must say the trend takes us away from the bold and neon of last year, so it's a welcome change to have something a little more moderate but fun at the same time. N.B. Be careful with the hues though as Olive tends to look better on some skin tones than others.

Carrot Red (pic to come)

Oh let's just call it Orange ... can we? Who knew there was such a colour as Carrot Red! This colour goes well on naturally sun-kissed skin tones and will certainly make heads turn when you walk into a room. Perfect a as a monochrome piece, feel free to wear carrot red with less dramatic pieces to compliment your ensemble. I can envision this trend making waves at SPF this year in flowy beach maxis and casual wear. Beach chic anyone?

Shades of Lemon

Move over LIME, lemon is the new talk of the town ... Moschino, Cheap & Chic, DKNY, Nina Ricci showcased some great looks in this delicate colour this season. A crisp lemon ladies pant suit would be an awesome choice for an executive breakfast or corporate luncheon at The Spanish Court or Terra Nova. With this colour, I say stick to pencil skirts, dresses or simple pant suits.

Accessory Trends for 2014

White Tights - Don't ask, I won't tell. Well to be honest, I have no idea for the inspiration behind this trend. I can remember wearing white tights (stockings) as a child to church on a Saturday and I don't recall every wearing it again after the age of 12 or so. Enter 2014 and I have already copped a couple pairs of Mui Mui white tights for the season.

Chokers - You have fellow islander Rihanna to thank for this trend. Chokers my fellow fashionistas are still a hot accessory for the fashionably inclined and expect to see this continue as a hot trend this season. Lanvin, L'Wren Scott and Alexander McQueen made remarkable statement chokers for the 2014 offerings. (pic to come)

Scarves - Scarves are here to stay. Might I say they are the eternal accessory for the classy stylish woman. The more pricey the scarf, the better! Of course, for the financially unrestricted diva, a screen printed hand rolled Hermes scarf should accompany your crisp white shirt with your fitted jeans and your stilettos every time. For the budget conscious style mavens, an equally great looking but less pricey one is not too hard too to find. This look is great for Polo matches at Caymanas or a great Sunday brunch with the gals at Terra Nova. (pic to come)

Socks and Shoes-No, I didn't stutter, I said socks and shoes as in, it is OK to wear your socks with your stilettos and formal sandals as a statement (if you are under 30 ?). I thought this trend was so last season as I had seen this trend on the generation Xers' last year and maybe the year before, but apparently Saint Laurent and Prada thinks it's still hip. Who are we to judge?! Jamaica has the right amount of party digs for you to bust out in this trend. We are still keeping an eye on this trend. (pic to come)

Shoe Trends

Sad to say but 2014's shoe trends offering pretty much mirror that of last year, although the spring/summer presentations featured a wonderful shoe lovers cornucopia as expected. Beautifully patterned loafers, sleeker pumps, cut-out wedges and more chunky robust platforms. We did see a lot of white pumps, ankle cuff heels and laced heels that we think might be the hit in Jamaica. (pic to come)

Culinary Trends

2013 was a big year in food for Jamaica. Hot chefs, new hot spots, award winning fare, multiple foodie initiatives and ceremonious events helped us fulfill a great year for Jamaican restaurants and the food industry overall. Expect this year to be no different because as far as I hear, Restaurant Week 2014 is already a hot calendar item. Just as eager as we are about our new fashion trends, we are equally as eager about our palettes this year. We scoured the globe for the hottest trends in food predictions for 2014 and listed our top five faves. Set your tables and let's gobble up what's on the food trends menu.

I can't say if first lady Michelle Obama's 'Eat Healthy initiatives' has any real influence on our shores, but what we are seeing locally and globally is that today's food lovers are more interested than ever in what they eat and where their food comes from.

Locally sourced Everything - This is a global trend and certainly nothing new to Jamaica. I see that we are importing a lot of organic and fancy foods in some areas, but nothing is better for the economy than a visit to the local markets to buy directly from the farmers. That's a trend that we can certainly appreciate. Here's to former Agriculture minister Chris Tufton and his "eat what you grow" campaign initiative!

Healthier kids meals-Childhood obesity will soon be a thing of the past if some of us have our way. Parents are now getting more savvy with meal preparation and are doing a lot more to safeguard our children's health. What's big for the little ones this year? More apples and yogurt instead of fries and fritters.

Gluten Free - If 'The Voice' host Carson Daley had his way, Gluten would be history for 2014. His 2013 countdown included Gluten as things we want to leave behind forever but not so fast Carson-Gluten-free cuisine was identified as a top five trend of 'What's Hot In 2014' by the American Restaurant Association and something tells me that our culinary authorities feel the same way. Buckwheat, Quinoa and grains are as hot as ever this year. Just ask personal trainer Juliet Cuthbert and she will concur.

Chicken Wings- When I saw this showing up on the trends list at a culinary seminar I attended in San Francisco recently, I chuckled hard, as in my mind, when was this ever not a trend? Whether you are watching your waistline or digging into a juicy savoury batch of wings just because you can, expect to see more of your favourites being prepared in the most exotic ways imaginable. Trini Tamarind, Bombay, Tumeric are some of the ways I have experienced this trend recently. FOOD will certainly be exploring this trend! (pic to come)

Umami- In a foodie's world, taste is everything! Umami is what is now considered the world's 'fifth taste', (Sweet, Bitter,Sour, Salty). Umami has a mild but lasting after taste that is not too easy to describe, which I think makes it so intriguing. Get ready world, Umami is destined to make a big splash on our palettes this year.

Electronics and Gadgets

Curve Phone Screens- Some say they are a gimmick with no added benefits so the verdict is still out on this one. However, according to some, your regular phone screens are so yesterday! Enter Curve Phone screens like this LG G Flex shown. Let's wait and see if we will see a whole lot of curves in the very near future as the trend catches on with other major phone manufacturers.

Roolen Breath- As beautiful as our paradise of an island is, for some, Jamaica can be a nightmare for severe allergy sufferers. This moisture detecting humidifier is so sophisticated; you will want to keep it on forever.

The Edgertronic Camera- You will pay a pretty penny for this neat yet powerful device (about $550, 000.00 JMD) but what an output. This high speed video camera can shoot nearly 18,000 frames per second. Move over Speilberg, here comes the Edgertronic generation.

The Libra Scale- The Libra scale not only displays your weight, it also calculates your body fat, muscle, mass, water content and bone mass. This necessary luxury retails for about $130.00 USD.

Wine Predictions

If you are wine lover like me, you know that it's pretty hard to predict wine trends, but it doesn't stop us from prognosticating our list based on beverage industry drivers and the myriad of wine tastings and dinners I have attended in Napa alone last summer…plus I have Sommeliers in high places.

Year of the Chardonnay- Based on industry predictions, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Northwest and California are particularly excited about producing more chardonnay this year. Some say they believe they have the right clones and vine age to produce superior fruit. Some producers have started to cut back on the use of new oak barrels to amplify the expression of fruit and vineyard. Look for chardonnay to regain that 'it' factor that made it the world's favourite white wine in the first place. We are sure Bin 26, Uncorked and similar spots can't wait to serve you some of their finest Chardonnay around.

Brazilian Baby- Move over Portugal and Spain, Brazil is the next trending wine producer in South America. Already very palatable on the pocket, the region has produced excellent quality wines and has been recognised with over 2,000 international awards. Vamos a Brazil! (pic to come)

Trends in Travel

I am a frequent flyer and as much as I love to land somewhere, I just hate getting there. Anything other than long TSA lines, crying babies and peanuts snacks will enhance my trips on most days, but landing wherever and waiting in line at a hotel front desk will put me right back in a funk. I think 2014 may be my best travel year yet as based on what I am seeing, the trends in travel looks pretty good. Here are my top five travel trends for 2014.

Space Travel- Oh Yes! You have Richard Branson to thank for that…and well, at least $250,000 US to reserve your space' for a trip on Virgin Galatic. So far, more than 600 persons have reserved including 'Wolf of Wall Street's Leonardo Dicaprio'. What wouldn't I do to float mid-air with Leo.

Social Media Bookings- It's no secret that Twitter and Facebook offer huge travel advantages to both customers and companies. We've seen social media-specific promotions and discounts to hotels and airlines creating customised "social media hotlines" to respond to customer questions via these channels. The only thing that has never been done is to actually book via social media. Well, that was back in 2013. Loews Hotels was the first hotel chain to launch a twitter booking process. I am very sure we will see more Twitter bookings in 2014. Hashtag #SocialMediaBookingsAnyone. Don't believe us? Just ask USA Today http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/hotels/2013/11/14/loews-hotels-twit....

TSA Upgrades- Your trips to Miami will soon get easier. US customs and border protection has initiated more TSA pre-checks, but that's not all, you can look out for more passport kiosks, more advanced online pre-check initiatives, and certainly shorter security lines all due to advanced screenings in 2014. (pic to come)

New places to go- According to Travel and Leisure, some of the top places to visit this year are Warsaw, Bahamas, Zimbabwe and Nashville, Tennessee. Go figure!

Your Phone will soon be your room key- Who has time for key cards and metal keys in 2014? No one! It was only a matter of time before getting into your hotel room became a mobile application. Aloft Hotels was the first to make this happen. How trendy! Hint Hint Spanish Court…

additonal reporting by GG