Fashion

15 Crazy 2014 Fashion Trends That Absolutely No One Saw Coming, But Somehow Became Incredibly Cool

2014 has proved quite the eccentric year in fashion. The fashionable set's war with food suddenly came to a treaty of sorts, baring one's chest was temporarily not a felony, and heels were passé for a moment. In honor of a year that has truly given a new name to sartorial experimentation, here are 2014's most bizarre and unexpected trends.

by Tyler Atwood

The Fast Food As Clothing Trend

Almost as if the fashion industry greats finally realized simultaneously how ravenous they were in the midst of designing their 2014 collections, food became an obsession on the runway. From Moschino’s McDonalds to Chanel’s supermarket, food was finally in fashion this year.

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The Nips Ahoy Trend

Rihanna wasn’t the only one whose chest made a grand, public debut in 2014. Miley Cyrus and Scout Willis also attempted the trend.

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The Crop Top Trend

Considering the relationship that many women have with bikini season, it is beyond improbable that a trend which displays one’s belly button and abdominal region would have taken off. However, take off the trend did, and crop tops show no signs of backing down for 2015 — not even as we plunge into the depths of winter.

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The Fairytale Trend

In light of the fact that 50 Shades of Grey brought charcoal-colored clothing back into the spotlight and movies like Gravity created a fixation on space age trends, it should come as no surprise that projects including Into The Woods and Once Upon a Time resurrected the fairytale from its childhood place of honor. Nevertheless, the Fall 2014 runways were a mess of whimsical, mystical beauty.

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The Thigh-High Boot Trend

Who could have anticipated that a trend once reserved for Julia Roberts’ character in Pretty Woman would overtake Hollywood?

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The Flamboyant Fur Trend

When the temperature dips a la the Polar Vortex, the runways are bound to show cozier cocoon shapes and comfortable silhouettes. However, the winter of 2014 saw an unexpected rise in the popularity of ostentatious furs, featuring patchworks of various colors and vibrant neons.

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The Flat Shoe Trend

Celebrities were attached at the toe to their flats this year, from booties to Converse, and feet around the globe were thankful for the change in altitude.

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The Furry, Feathery Trend

From the frighteningly adorable Fendi Buggies to the abundance of muppet fur coats, 2014 was the year of fuzzy fashion.

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The Graphic Sweatshirt Trend

2014 will be remembered as “The Year You Could Wear Your Sweatshirt Out In Public Without Looking Like A Slob”. I hope you enjoyed the trend, because 2015 the fashion industry may be back to promoting corsetry and 6-inch heels.

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The Blanket Coat Trend

Speaking of sportswear, Burberry showed monogrammed blanket coats on the runway in a myriad of earthy tones, sparking a celebrity trend and the first time in years that a throw could be worn outside one’s home.

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The Cheeky Clutch Trend

Designers from Edie Parker to Charlotte Olympia ignited a fascination with insouciantly designed clutches, or in other words, an ideal way to punctuate your look with personality.

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The Normcore Trend

This year, a subset of celebrities and street style stars made the conscious decision to forgo streamlined, urbane looks in favor of deliberately under styled looks, giving press and fans a serious run for their money.

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The Western Trend

Do you recall 2014’s western trend? If not, you’re quite forgiven; Chanel tried its hand at fringe and suede for a microsecond and Blake Lively showed off Ralph Lauren’s rustic take on the look in Vogue, but the abrupt trend was gone as quickly as it had taken shape.

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The Chunky Wearable Tech Trend

Companies from Samsung to Apple debuted smart watches and fitness trackers, and the Google Glass made a widely publicized appearance at fashion week. Though wearable tech was years in the making, no one could have predicted the way it fused with fashion almost instantly.

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The Eye Accent Trend

The eyes had it this year, and not just those lined in smokey shadow.

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