Quarantine has shown us the good, the bad, the ugly and…the weird. Confined to our homes, plagued by the omnipresence of boredom, we’ve all enlisted the power of entertainment as a means of coping with our new standard of normalcy. Hopping on the newest trend is fun, exciting, different from the bland monotony of normality…and, combined with the chaos of quarantine, has definitely become weirder. We’re all isolated within our homes; however, we garner a sense of unity in the outlandish microtrends that we’ve all resorted to picking up. Check them out below!
Hair Dye
You’re probably rocking a different hue of hair color at the moment. Since hair salons are closed, individuals have been taking the creativity up a notch by coloring their hair vibrant colors at home. According to W Magazine, a multitude of celebrities have flaunted their neon locks across social media: Dua Lipa debuted pink, Kristen Stewart went for bright orange and Hillary Duff opted for a “moody blue.” Right now, in essence, is the perfect time to take that daring hair move, as social distancing permits us to try out new things without fear of being seen in public. So, what shade are you going for?
Banana Bread
You’ve definitely seen banana bread all over your feed. According to Eater, “the number of people searching “bread” hit an all-time high” on March 25. This comes as no surprise, as the number of people baking bread, specifically banana bread, has sky-rocketed as individuals resort to whisks and measuring cups as means to combat the stress of isolation that we’re all feeling. The New York Times reports that Mary Louise Kelly, an NPR anchor, posted to Twitter: “Anyone else in their kitchen sipping red wine and aggressively baking banana bread at 9:40 p.m.? No? Just me? #coronavirusbaking.” Immediately, thousands of likes and comments flooded into her inbox, aligning human beings on the basis of stress baking. We don’t know how much longer we will be quarantined within our homes; however, we do know one thing: bananas exist.
Virtual Photoshoots
Virtual photoshoots are having a moment right now. Social distancing is our new standard of normalcy, and, because of this, it’s impossible for models, photographers, stylists, makeup artists and hair stylists to congregate and host photoshoots. As reported by Allure, models everywhere, in response to this predicament, “are now participating in “virtual photoshoots,” a restructured variation of the traditional shoot that involves a lot of video calls and online coordination to produce content that still gets the intended message across to audiences.” While the concept of virtual photoshoots appears to be odd, outlandish, it is surprisingly effective. On May 5, supermodel Naomi Campbell made headlines for doing her own hair, makeup and styling before “turning the lens on herself to do what would become the first-ever ESSENCE magazine cover shot entirely on an iPhone,” according to ESSENCE. Bored? Channel your inner Naomi Campbell and host a virtual photoshoot with your friends.
Tie-Dye
If coloring your hair isn’t your thing, coloring your clothing might be. USA Today even went to the lengths of declaring tie-dye as “quarantine’s biggest DIY fashion trend.” Bored human beings in quarantine everywhere are trading the monotony of solid sneakers, yoga pants, tee shirts, bathing suits, socks and any other clothing item that they have for the vibrancy, zest of tie-dye fashion. Need something creative to do to pass the time? Head to your local art supply store, snag some dye and embrace the artistry of tie-dye. It’s taking over the world–– sorry monochrome!
Virtual Parties
Let’s be real: we all miss our social lives. We’re human beings, social in nature, so we’ve resorted to the world of video conferences as a means of satisfying our need for connection, interaction. According to the Los Angeles Times, virtual parties are trending, with events such as “powerpoint parties,” parties during which “everyone prepares a short presentation on a topic they’re enthusiastic about and then take turns sharing,” and virtual scavenger hunts during which “the host names an object and everyone else has a certain amount of time (say, 30 seconds) to find it in their own house. “ While the idea of a party based around a Microsoft software might seem weird, they’re wildly popular and a great outlet to combine fun and social interaction (two concepts that we’re all currently lacking). Grab your friends, head to the chatroom and hop on the virtual party trend to alleviate that quarantine solitude!
Dalgona (whipped) coffee
Stuck inside, individuals have gotten creative with their caffeine. According to Bloomberg, “Google Trends show searches for Dalgona coffee accelerated sharply from early March onward.” The concoction of equal parts instant coffee, sugar and hot water whisked until the mixture transforms into a fluffy whip, is trending right now as people look to recreate the experience of cafes and coffeehouses within their homes. It’s all over TikTok, Instagram and Twitter, and it’s nourishing our desire for the aesthetically captured coffee photos in cafes that we all miss on our social media feeds. Tired of your standard latte? Hop on the Dalgona coffee trend and try something new.
