15 Trends That Will Be HUGE in 2017

Updated on 2/26/2017 at 1:30 PM

This year, we can indulge in legal weed while shopping directly from brands that are disrupting old-school industries. We can experiment with futuristic makeup looks and discover new cocktails by asking the voice-enabled gadgets in our cozy homes. And amid one of the most divided moments in our nation's history, rainbows and unicorns rule our social media feeds right alongside political posts.

Most certainly, 2017 will be dominated by uncertainty. But it's no coincidence that the year's biggest lifestyle trends seem custom-made to bring us joy and comfort. Based on the insights of POPSUGAR's editors and our 100 million monthly visitors around the globe, we're curating the 15 big ideas you need to pay attention to this year — or, more likely, won't be able to avoid. What's clear is that current events will impact trends in a positive way, elevating the need for self-care and encouraging women to embrace their bodies. Here's what will power your style, friendships, and home life this year.

Athleisure Evolution of the Year: Workleisure

Today it's totally acceptable to wear leggings and sneakers on the weekend without having any intention of actually working out. What's been defined as athleisure is now popular from coast to coast. Even New Yorkers who once wouldn't dare be caught dead in leggings and sneakers on a weekend brunch day have embraced this trend. In 2017, the emphasis on comfy and stylish clothing will spread to professional settings.

Vice of the Year: Weed

Potheads are getting a makeover. The image of the sloppy dude who won't budge from his couch will be replaced by the "power pot woman." She does Ganja Yoga, dabbles in elevated edibles like weed-infused dark chocolate brittle with smoked almonds and crunchy toffee bits, has a high-end smoking accessory like this Ombre Pipe, and experiments with cannibis-infused beauty products.

Realness of the Year: Periods

This is the year of menstrual realness. Half of humanity has had to deal with having periods since the beginning of time, and women are fed up with pretending it's something to be embarrassed about. Thankfully, we're getting an assist from the revolutionary upstarts who are disrupting the period space.

Instagram Food of the Year: Magic

Feeling like you need a reprieve from all the stressful political news on social media? Fantastical food videos on Instagram will do just that in 2017. Cakes that bust open with cool stuff inside are the new cute animal videos. Magic. That's the secret ingredient for viral food videos this year. Building off the rainbow-everything trend of 2016, you'll see metallic sprinkles and edible glitter.

Colors of the Year: Extreme Metallics, Glitters, and Glows

Rose gold has infiltrated home decor, jewelry, and even your hair. Its next target? Your face. Metallics of all kinds will end up on your lips, eyes, brows, and cheekbones in 2017. New products like the Metalmorphosis 005 Kits created by leading makeup artist Pat McGrath will provide a liquid metal finish. And if that's not enough shine, you can expect glitter everywhere.

Mood of the Year: Cozy

Long before you craved the perfect night in, the Danish had a word for it. It's hygge, pronounced "HOO-gah," a Scandinavian way of life that celebrates coziness, shared meals, and interactions with friends and family. Built around warmth, kinship, and an appreciation for the little things, hygge is a familiar tradition in Denmark, which ranks No. 1 in the latest World Happiness Report. The Danish desire for coziness is spreading to the States, thanks to a slew of books on the topic in 2017.

Accent of the Year: 3D Flowers

Are brooches back? Yes, but with an update. We'll be pinning our personality to ourselves with 3D flowers. These playful, feminine accessories add dimension and can change a look from Winter to Spring. High-end brands are creating options like this floral brooch from Gucci made with handmade Italian silk. And brands like Delpozo are sewing them right onto their designs.

Gucci Floral Silk Brooch - Bright orange

From

$350

Cocktail of the Year: Gin Anything

Be prepared to drink a lot of gin this year. Specialty bars and amateur at-home mixologists alike are experimenting with twists on traditional gin drinks. Larry Piaskowy, lead bartender at San Francisco's Aatxe, oversees a menu that includes 86 types of gin — with more added each month. He believes gin's versatility gives it a leg up on some other spirits.

Motif of the Year: Cacti

Replacing the pineapples and palm trees of last year, cacti are the mother-nature-derived motif of choice for 2017. As evidence, just look to the cactus offerings from Australian brand Sunnylife, which brought us Instagram's ubiquitous swan pool floats. Prepare yourself for the brand's cactus neon lamp, "Cactoss" pool float game, and cactus candles. Cacti have also appeared on the runways, in collections by Jeremy Scott and Kenzo.

Parenting Hack of the Year: High-Tech Outsourcing

It's a whole new world for babies born in 2017 — and for their parents. The tech industry has matured to a point where it can make a real impact on parenting.

For proof, look no further than the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, held in January, where family-centric gadgets dominated.

Shopping Trend of the Year: Direct to Consumer

We're used to purchasing everyday commodities on catch-all sites like Amazon (and, admittedly, we don't plan to stop anytime soon). But direct-to-consumer online shopping is the retail trend poised to dominate in 2017 for two reasons: more convenience and better value. Shoppers are identifying with specialty brands that sell both a specific product and aesthetic.
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Wedding Trend of the Year: Back to Basics

Call it the wedding paradox: couples get so intent on having a "personalized" wedding that they all start to look the same. Signature cocktail? Check. DIY photo booth? Definitely. But rather than send a unique statement, these overdone details send the message that you're just like everyone else. And with so many brides using Pinterest to plan their weddings, the social media site has helped create a homogenized, over-the-top wedding culture.

Futuristic Trend of the Year: Voice-Enabled Tech

While self-driving cars and virtual reality get a ton of buzz and investment, it will take time before that futuristic technology is integrated into our everyday lives. Voice-enabled tech is much closer, and 2017 might be the year we finally have meaningful conversations with our phones and other devices.

Travel Destination of the Year: Cuba

Just like Tulum, Mexico, exploded as a hip vacation spot, Cuba will be the destination of choice for young, adventurous creative types in 2017. First Beyoncé went there. Then Chanel hosted a fashion show there. And last year Barack Obama became the first US president to visit Cuba in almost 90 years. The visit followed improved diplomatic relations between the two countries, including the lifting of many travel restrictions beginning in December 2014.

Fashion Trend of the Year: '80s Nostalgia

We should have seen this decade revival coming. For one, America's new president has both a look and policy agenda that seem more at home in the 1980s. But despite how you feel about Donald Trump, anyone can get on board with the fashion industry's take on the decade.

Additional reporting by Lisa Sugar and Nancy Einhart. Illustrations by Tara Block.