Pinterest 100. Craving a simpler time.
Lilac hair, mushroom coffee and gold wedding gowns: a glimpse into the curious global trends of 2019 via Pinterest’s newly released top 100 searches.
Poring over this year’s fascinating Top 100 Pinterest report is like taking a deep dive into the global collective consciousness. There’s nothing like seeing the world through 250 million eyes to make you realize what a tiny bubble we live in and how limited our own individual perspectives can be.
From fashion to food, style, travel, hobbies and even celebrations, it’s magical to see how ideas spark and take hold, wax and wane. Some are isolated and unique, breaking away from the pack, while others suggest a general shift towards global movements that are strong predictors of future consumer behaviour in our ever-changing world.
One of the overarching themes that continues to come through for me was a sense of harking back to a simpler time, a nostalgic nod to the ‘good old days’ when people made do with what they had, and we lived more lightly and gently on our planet. From using a simple elastic band for resistance training at home or on the go, to home preserving, using beeswax wraps instead of cling film, creating your own hand built pottery, and even wooden boat building, the theme of DIY and make-do-and-mend is reinforcement of a growing rejection (or at the least conscious evaluation) of mass consumerism.
Interior style, entertaining and fashion speaks strongly to this wistful trend, with 1950’s geometrics, mustard and gold accents offset by bold botanical prints, cacti, natural fabrics and textures, especially on our walls. Gold wedding gowns evoke a sense of old Hollywood glamour, while neon signs and donuts suggest the childhood fun and innocence of a Happy Days diner.
Men’s fashion continues this fifties feel with throwback watches, light-wash denim and preppy plaids, cropped trousers and bare ankles with groovy three-quarter socks. Meanwhile women’s fashion brings fifties fringes, colourful sneakers and oval sunnies, with natural accents such as bamboo structured handbags and tortoiseshell earrings. Natural makeup is offset with Greta Garbo bright red lips or pastel lilac hair (as sported by Lady Gaga at the Golden Globes), while genuine grey and silver hair is making a statement in more ways than one. There is a continuing push away from the mass-produced; towards eco-friendly, ethical and sustainable living, reusing, recycling and even rentable clothing.
Tourism is turning more planet friendly too, with a whole new wave of adventurers taking the road less travelled, seeking out secluded ruined castles, natural hot springs and rustic retreats, and moving around by bus or bike, at quieter times of year such as autumn when the masses have moved on. At home natural pools and decaying décor bring an old-world charm and rejection of over-engineered perfection.
Health and nutrition is following suit, with forays into coffee and chocolate made from mushrooms, ginger in absolutely everything and a big shift towards an alcohol free Pegan diet (part paleo, part vegan). Grazing tables, home made oat milk and goat milk soap, slow home cooking and new superfoods like chocho (chayote) and elderberries are the order of the day. Natural beauty products, hand made skincare, growing your own avocados and rustic bread baking are all further evidence of this return to back-to-basics living.
In times of change people search for security, simplicity and innocence, and businesses who leverage this will certainly be rewarded with loyal custom. It’s not enough to pay lip service to these trends. Today’s savvy customers are seeking authenticity in the brands they buy from, along with a genuine desire to do better in terms of ethics, sustainability and overall intentions. Those who combine a modern, holistic outlook with good old fashioned values will do exceptionally well.