“History repeats itself,” is a mantra we’ve all heard before. Each decade has its own trends that seem more ridiculous than the last, but are they?  2016 and 2017 have brought some of the strangest, most innovative trends to the table.

Fashion. While 2016 was dedicated to a more minimalistic style of clothing, 2017 brought back trends most parents never thought they’d see again. The ‘80s and ‘90s heavily influenced fashion in 2016 and 2017 with the reappearance of chokers, high waisted jeans, and body suits. These trends seem a bit more tolerable than the ones that appeared on the runways. While “high fashion” has always had its own style, the creators really outdid themselves this year. The internet raved over the introduction of the “clear knee mom jeans,” and the infamous already dirty, muddy jeans being sold by Nordstrom. Some fashion outlets have even gone so far as to call “ugly” the new trend among clothes.

Technology. Technology has been improving for the better or worse. Just recently, Saudi Arabia became the first country to give a robot citizenship. This robot, Sophia, is not like any seen in the movie I, Robot. Sophia looks very much like a human, even wearing clothes. She is able to intelligently answer questions; she has even appeared in interviews. AI, Artificial Intelligence, enables her to do these tasks. While this is the worst fear of many (technology taking over the world), others were shocked and excited to see what else is to come.

Not only has AI being used in robots, it is also being used in video games. One game, called Hello Neighbor, which is set to release on December 7th, 2017, uses AI to get to know you. The goal is to sneak into your neighbor’s house and find the basement, which you suspect he’s hiding something in. The game memorizes your frequently used paths and blocks them while predicting your next move. The game is considered a stealth horror game that gets darker as you play.

Not only is technology getting smarter, it’s also getting bigger. Live streaming has made it possible for one person at an event to stream that same event to millions of people. Social media has made it possible for this expansion. The solar eclipse seen on August 21st, 2017, was even live streamed by NASA on Facebook. Live streaming allows millions of people to see an event that they aren’t able to on their own.

Apple Inc., a company famous for their upgrades in phones, released the iPhone X in early November. This phone enables you to do so much more than any other they have put out. The “home button” has been replaced by a screen with smaller borders. Perhaps one of the most popular updates is the Animoji. It lets the user voice and control different emojis, allowing them to express their emotions more clearly while still using the emojis everyone loves. How do they do this? Apple is using face recognition, which they will also be using to allow the user to unlock their phone. Face recognition can even recognize you with sunglasses, makeup, and a hat on. Of course, this upgrade doesn’t come cheaply. The iPhone X retails for $999.

Education. Authentic learning is becoming more and more popular in school settings. Teachers and educators are pushing toward more real life experiences to help prepare students for their life outside of school. Vocational training, or Vo-Tech, is a form of this authentic learning. Authentic learning can also be displayed in school environments rather than vocational ones with the use of simulation. These experiences help students with reflection and problem solving. Technology is also becoming popular in the classroom. Students are taking on a bigger role as they can become contributors to their community and school through different applications, such as Google’s new plethora of extensions.

Food. From plating food on tools you can find in your garage to dying food neon colors, 2016 and 2017 have been the year for creativity and artistry in the business of culinary arts. Chefs across the world have begun to think outside the box in ways some couldn’t even imagine. DŌ in New York City has become a hot spot for the many that live and travel there. Founded by Kristen, an avid lover of uncooked cookie dough, customers line up out of the door for over an hour for their edible cookie dough that can be served in an ice cream cone. Rainbows and unicorns also played a big part in coloring food. Many of our favorites, such as bagels, grilled cheeses, and frappuccinos, have taken to these new trends.

What’s your favorite trend?