I sense a bit of hopefulness in the world. Infection rates are dipping; vaccines are rolling out. People are beginning to price airline tickets and plan trips for the future. There may be an end to the locked-down feelings. This season won’t last forever, although it has already felt like an eternity.
I have predictions for the upcoming year particularly in the areas of makeup and fashion. Both what I think will happen and what I hope will happen.
- Lips Will Be Big. We’ve hidden our faces for over a year now and hardly seen another person’s full countenance. We’ve dropped off the entire makeup routine each morning, because no one sees it anyway and it just stains the inside of our ubiquitous masks. I believe that makeup companies will encourage us, once it’s safe to fully ditch masks, to add a pop of color on those long-hidden lips to welcome them back to the public view. But what I really want to happen is to see smiles and hear lips that speak truth and kindness. We’ve heard more than enough contempt. Let’s use our freed faces to encourage others.
- Hair Cuts Return. I predict that new hair styles and particularly hair colors will be another “right of lockdown passage” as we re-enter society more fully. I think fun color combinations and short locks are in our future. I haven’t gotten a haircut for over a year now. My hair is longer than it has been in a decade. I wore a scrub cap to work so few have actually seen my hair for a year. I’m not even sure if it’s curly anymore! I’ll be excited to unveil a new style, something bouncy and free. I’m ready to ditch the scrunchy and bust out my Hair Flair again.
- The Reintroduction of Clothing Fasteners. Even though I have continued to work outside my home, my scrubs have elastic waists… so I know for a fact that I have donned pants with a button exactly twice in the last year. Once to procure a mortgage and once to close on my home. That’s it. I predict that others feel the same as we have lived a year of our lives in leggings and sweatpants that the reintroduction of buttons and zippers will feel foreign and yet familiar. Each snap we fasten, belt we loop, and lace we tie will symbolize the end of quarantine and the exiting of the Covid season.
- Blousy Clothes. I predict that clothing manufacturers will have a new line of “Hide those Covid Fifteen” clothes. Tiered dresses, blousy tops, and forgiving bottoms will be marketed to those of us who added a bit more than caution to our lives over the past year. But what I really hope will happen is that clothes will be made with beautifully warm and soft fabrics to welcome the return of hugs. Because I’ve really missed hugs.
- Shoes. Many have worked from home and rarely donned anything other than a house slipper. We’ve trudged from bedroom to home office and worn business tops and pajama bottoms for incessant Zoom meetings. I predict along with the reintroduction of clothing fasteners, that shoes will be very big this year. Boots will be advertised to encourage us to adventure, hike, and explore. Dress shoes will be marketed to encourage us to return to dinner dates, theater shows, and girls’ nights out. The rugged, utilitarian shoe will be just as popular as the dainty flat for both experiences were lost this past year. On this prediction, I want the exact same thing for me. But what is most important personally is that it is shoes, plural, not just shoe. I haven’t worn two shoes for six months. My companion fracture boot has been useful, but I’m excited for both feet to match again in a pair of shoes.
So those are my hopes and predictions. We shall see what happens on each front! What do you predict for 2021?