I Have One in Every Color

How could I have waited this long to mention this fad?! I'm pretty sure all of America is aware of this one...

The explosion of the Nike running shorts. 

Back when I was a freshman trying out for the field hockey team, I was still wearing my cheesy, cheetah-print spandex under some mesh shorts that had a strip of field hockey sticks printed down the sides. I was feeling pretty good in those. As a matter of fact, over the course of my middle school years, I had probably collected about six pairs of spandex and five of the shorts. However, the older girls seem to have drifted to a different style...

My initial thought was that these shorts that everyone was wearing were way too short. And....what? They had built-in underwear? As in, I wouldn't need to wear spandex? This was news to me. My ears perked up, however, when my older cousin (and role model, may I add) informed me that her field hockey team had a nutritionist come talk to them, and tell them all that a little bit of "breathing" down under was good for you. And, she said, they were very flattering. 

I was sold. I needed a pair of these trendy athletic shorts! My mom, sister and I went to City Sports and grabbed a pair that was on sale. I still have them: brown with a white stripe on the side, and green lining on the stripe. Unfortunately, this particular pair seems to have miraculously shrunk (haha... I guess I could have grown...). Either way, these shorts are what I consider necessities in the spring and summer sports season. Thank goodness for that conversation with my cousin. If it weren't for her, I may have never tested them out!

PLL

Three years ago, it was Gossip Girl. Four years ago, it was Grey's Anatomy... well, I guess both of these shows are still fairly popular. But what show is being watched by the girls at HC today?

I have three letters for you. P L L.
Also known as Pretty Little Liars.

The fact that a show has been shortened and renamed to simply three letters must mean something. People must talk about it a lot if they have become too lazy to call it by its first name. When speaking about the show constantly, taking the entire two seconds to say "pretty little liars" clearly is just way too much of a mouthful.

I wish I could say more about these four best friends who are being stalked by their ex-best friend who is dead... but I'm sorry, I don't watch the show. But take my word--it is most definitely a fad at my school! I am only a part of a minority that does not find this show interesting. I guess I can understand everyone's fascination... I mean come on, don't these girls look absolutely charming?!

Get Greek

No, I am not talking about Greek life in college. (Although, having a brother at a big state school in Texas and two cousins in Louisiana, I must say that sorority and fraternity life is quite the popular choice come time for college.) What I am talking about is the new obsession with Greek yogurt.


When I was younger, my experience with yogurt was the deliciously sugar-packed Go-Gurt by Yoplait. And, of course, Trix yogurt. There was none if this Greek stuff. Now, I don't even have the tolerance for yogurt that isn't Greek. The brown paper bags at school all hold Chobani or Fage Greek yogurt. This approach to yogurt is healthy and new, and nutritionists say it's the way to go. The word must have spread some kind of fast because all I see now is Greek yogurt!








There's nothing I love more than a nice, YUMMY fad that I can follow, while benefiting my health at the same time.





Go Greek!

Four Wallets, One Look

Notice anything familiar about these four wallets?

They each look practically identical.

Here's what we have here: Michael Kors, Tory Burch, Mark Jacobs, and Coach. Each of these wallets is owned by at least one friend of mine, if not more. The one on the bottom is mine... so yes, I am a part of this fad too. I honestly don't even know why these particular wallets are so popular, but I will admit that I really love mine. They are simple, attractive, and the perfect size. Although the price is not cheap, I'm assuming that they are expensive for a reason. They will last a long time, extending the period of time that the fad will remain. But, seriously, how crazy is it that they each look practically identical?!

Lulu

 

This is the symbol worn on the clothes of my fellow classmates pretty much every free dress day. 

Lululemon clothing and accessories seem to have taken over the halls of my school. Whether it be yoga pants (also known as "yogas") or head bands, this symbol is being worn by females to an extremely large extent. There will be, literally, seven out of the twelve heads in a classroom decorated with a Lululemon headband.

This trend makes more sense to me than the Mane Message trend. See, these headbands are rather large. They fit around your entire head, and are generally about two or three inches wide. Much more noticeable than a tiny little hair tie. Like the hair ties, these head bands come in multiple colors and patterns. They even can be purchased in different sizes and shapes--the width varies, as does the trim. Also, I will not fail to mention the one aspect of this product that truly sells it: the strip of rubber that lines the inside, ensuring a slip-free, sturdy hold of your hair. How nice! Absolutely NO cases of the dreaded nurse-head! (If you're wondering what that is, please see below)

   

                

                       

I remember when I got my first Lululemon headband. I had asked for it for my 15th birthday, along with a pair of yoga pants. I've worn the pants so many times that they now have a whole in them. Looks like it's time for a new pair! As for the headband, it has never failed me. 

The Mane Message

When I first noticed this next fad that I will be discussing, I thought it was a little odd that it was so popular. I thought of this particular item as fairly insignificant--no one really sees it, no one would notice it, and it's simply so small. So why, then, is every ponytail at my school being held up by this same exact item?? Something must be special enough about Mane Message Hair Ties to make them superior to the regular old hair tie. Is it the way they look? They do come in an array of colors... including tie-dye and glitter. Or is it the fact that they can be worn as bracelets? Maybe they're just more durable and longer-lasting than a plain tie. From the looks of my school, it is all of the above.

I, personally, have never invested in a set of Mane Message hair ties.  

I stole one from my friend, though, the other day when I was at her house. 

I've been using it for my hair ever since!

The One Fad That Never Seems to Get Old

Who here likes Starbucks?

I have yet to meet a person--besides my dad--who would blatantly say "no" to this question. And even then, my dad will still give in to the pressure and purchase his "plain, you know, with none of that stuff in it" coffee every once and a while. I'm not saying there aren't people out there who dislike Starbucks. I'm positive that there are plenty of these people. But, I am thinking that the reason I have never met such a person is partially due to the fact that the girls at my school drink it as if their lives depend on it.

Okay, that was a complete exaggeration. But in all seriousness, if you were to walk into the locker room at about 7:55 in the morning, when students start arriving, you will without a doubt notice an excessive amount of white cups with a green logo of a mermaid on it. It's almost overwhelming. This scenario (walking into the locker room, or anywhere at school for that matter) is one that I have been experiencing ever since the sixth grade. Of course, when we were all in middle school, these cups were filled with hot chocolate. Now it's more along the lines of a vanilla latte, white chocolate mocha, chai latte, or a caramel macchiato... you know, all the classics. This being said, I think it's fair to say that this fad is one that may be a keeper. Drinking hot beverages in the winter never gets old. Wearing an extremely puffy loop around your neck, on the other hand, will get old eventually.

For those of you who refuse to pay four dollars for a cup of coffee that some say "tastes like dirt", good for you. For the rest of us, cheers! Enjoy your completely-worth-it, warm, flavorful, four dollar Christmas-in-a-cup beverage.

To Infinity... And Beyond!

It's that time of year where the hats, gloves, and scarves all are being worn on a regular basis in order to fight the cold. Especially on a day like today... it's currently 21 degrees out! Luckily for us, seniors at my school, we are given the privilege of wearing scarves with our uniforms. Naturally, we take advantage of this opportunity. Not only are we kept warm and cozy in our neck warmers, but we are also able to spice up our uniform in the process. As I walked through the halls today, I noticed a similarity amongst the majority of the scarves being worn by the students. Most of the girls were wearing what is the latest trend: the "infinity scarf". For those of you wondering what the word "infinity" added on to "scarf" could possibly mean, I will explain.

 This scarf is unlike the normal scarf. This piece of fabric is a continuous loop that can be wrapped around the neck as many times as one desires. It is also known as the circle scarf. Now, why would anyone choose this scarf over a regular one? Well, there are many reasons. These scarves are considered accessories... in any fashion magazine, you can find advice on how to "spice up your look" with an infinity scarf. They add a pop of color, all the while keeping you warm. Also, imagine how easy it is to throw on such an item! For those of us who find it rather challenging and confusing (and, in my case, very frustrating) to tie a scarf, the infinity scarf has been created to help us. Who wouldn't want such an addition to her wardrobe this winter?! I asked for one for Christmas... Santa must have forgotten. But as my birthday approaches, I plan to continue in my pursuit of the perfect infinity scarf.

The Cupcake Craze

Before I begin this blog post, I would like any reader to please note my closing comment on my previous blog post.

Next, please take a look at the date that post was written, and compare that to the date this post was written.

It turns out Fad Number Four kicked in a little early for me and is lasting quite a while. It's okay, though, because I'm back and ready to discuss some fads. So, let us begin!

As I write this, I am currently sitting at the computer desk in the senior lounge. If I turn around to face the  room, there are three things that stick out the most to me.
1. Almost everyone has a Macbook in their laps (we've already discussed this...)
2. There is an excessive amount of the color pink
3. On each table there is some sort of baked good... and as usual, the most popular one is the cupcakes.

The norm in the lounge... casual.

Personally, I love cupcakes. They taste the same as cake to me, so I will not argue that they are superior. However, there is one important aspect of a cupcake that makes cupcakes (rather than cake) more appropriate for the senior lounge. Cupcakes are smaller, easier to distribute, and less messy. Is this why, then, cupcakes take over the senior lounge on a regular basis? They are far more popular than cake in here. As a matter of fact, it surprises me that there is even a cake in the lounge today.




This cupcake craze is not just at HC. I see this craze everywhere, from the streets of Bethesda to the television shows on TLC. That being said, I think it's fair to conclude that this particular fad is going to last a while.

The picture says it all... cakes are just too messy!!!!