Left: Organic Beauty Magazine's premier issue comes out in February. The new magazine will focus on everything related to natural, eco-friendly and organic beauty. Middle: Fashion statements in 2009 will include a casual, more hippie look with layers and embellished clothing, such as this shirt from Marshalls. Right: The trend of getting one's nutrition from organic food sources is expected to continue into the new year.
This May 23, 2007 file photo shows Mauricio Genore, left, as he leads a fitness "boot camp" at a park in New York. The camps have grown in popularity as people continue to look for a way to enjoy the outdoor environment while avoiding the hassle of the gym and the cost of a personal trainer.
Target offers mint-colored sheet sets, ranging in price from about $25 to $50, made of bamboo. Manufacturers and retailers of many bamboo products are quick to tout its sustainability.
Change is the theme for 2009. The economy is changing from day to day; the Oval Office will undergo change; and so much more change is to come.
The color palette of 2008 is departing. Irish names will take a lead in the baby-naming game and people will look for fitness inspiration outdoors. The new year will bring new challenges in technological advances as well.
Local experts share their predictions for 2009:
FASHION
Sheer is making a comeback, but not the bare-all kind of sheer.
"Just the subtle sheer, for a hint of glamour," local stylist Adam Nonner said.
Bright colors of the '80s will be found on the store racks for spring — even neon pink, yellow and green — although they will not be contrasted against black, according to Nonner.
"They will be accented with softer shades of the colors," he said. "This will mellow them out a bit."
On the other end of the fashion spectrum, the earthy look will return, albeit with a twist.
"Structured hippy is the look," Nonner said. "It won't be the rags and long, droopy look of yesteryear, but a more structured hippy look with fringe and fun accents on clothes."
Some of these accents include embroidery, beads and other embellishments. The look will make its way into the workplace as more casual businesswear steps through the office doors, Nonner said.
FITNESS
This ever-changing industry will have people heading outdoors to find health and wellness in 2009.
"Less people can afford the gym memberships because of the economy," trainer Nancy King said. "They will look for alternatives and find ways to burn calories in nature."
For those who do join a gym, workout techniques, such as circuit-training, will take a backseat to shorter workouts with more intensity and a concentration on building muscle over cardio.
"The muscle is what helps us to stay strong as we age," King said. "We need it to burn the calories and to maintain any weight loss that happens."
NUTRITION
One word: Organic. Again: organic, organic. From baby formula to frozen foods to treats, such as cookies and yogurt, consumers are saying that pesticide residues and livestock antibiotics shouldn't be part of their diet.
Buy fresh, buy local; environmental stewardship; animal welfare; and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (accumulated during transportation of produce from far-flung locales) are mantras driving an increased interest in locally sourced food from family farms. Farmer's markets will continue to grow in popularity as they've been doing for the past few years.
"Organic" and "local" will be the catch phrases on every foodie's lips, according to www.rimag.com, the Restaurant & Institutions magazine's Web site.
CONSUMER
Thrift shopping will take become more popular, since saving money will be at the forefront of many consumers' minds.
In a November survey of members of the National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops, the organization reported that almost 75 percent of the respondents said their sales had increased in September and October. Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania has seen sales up about 10 percent.
HOME DECOR
Color will explode in 2009, according to a recent press release from Decor Place, a home decorating firm in Las Vegas. More people will be spending time in the home and will be looking to make their homes restful and soothing via color.
Fuschia, salmon rose, vibrant greens and lavenders are noted on the Pantone Color Institute's Web site as the spectrum for 2009.
Patterned fabrics, wood and metals and the outdoors brought indoors will also be implemented decorating techniques.
Home designers and decorators will become even more environmentally friendly by using building materials that are eco-friendly or using recycled and salvaged items in new ways.
BEAUTY
2009 will focus on the ingredients and benefits of beauty products.
"Consumers are caring more and more about what they put on their faces," Shannon Nelson, spokesperson for Pierce Mattie, a company who forecasts beauty trends, said. "Green and natural are the way that beauty is moving and ingredients are key."
The inclusion of natural elements — such as Goji berries, blueberries, turmeric and Acai berries — will be seen in all sorts of makeup and beauty products, according to Nelson.
"Women, and men, are educating themselves," Nelson said. "They want the best products out there with the best things for their skin."
E-mail: cesbenshade@lnpnews.com