The Best of 2019: Fashion and Beauty

2019 was a year of awakening for fashion and beauty trends. Unconventional styles began to take stride, making its way to the forefront of mainstream style. I felt the tide begin to shift midway through 2018, seeing and hearing the voices of alternative styles and personalities rise up across the internet and even making their way into the designs of more traditional fashion houses. On the beauty front, technology-powered accessories and smartly formulated products started trickling into the headlines of major beauty publications. After careful analysis and testing, the following trends and products made my highlight reel. Welcome to the UNOFFICIAL edit, the best of 2019: fashion and beauty!

The Best of 2019: Fashion

Statement Sneakers

Love it or hate it, bold is here to stay. That goes especially for sneakers: from StockX favorites to designer cult faves. Wilder colorways, oversized designs, and a landslide of rhinestone-studded shoes have become almost as ubiquitous as yoga pants. In order to master the trend yourself, it’s all about finding a color you identify with. The following designs are my personal top faves and recommendations for those easing into the trend:

Sustainable Fashion

After coming face to face with my over purchases in my late twenties, I started to venture out to find a better way to build my closet. Personally, nothing stresses me out more than the thought of waste, especially when it comes to my wardrobe. The faster fashion purchases I made hardly ever sold to consignment stores or even at Buffalo Exchange (too fancy), and it left me feeling frustrated. Furthermore, the fact that most of those brands were at the top of the list for wasteful production practices. The following brands have taken off this year, alongside some of my longtime favorites that are guaranteed to be one of the best investments you can make for your closet future:

Biker Shorts

A trend that isn’t going anywhere fast. I traded my leggings the past two years for biker shorts during the warmer months, and loved the casual yet put together feel it gave. Pair them with your workout fits, or throw a blazer over a vintage tee for a more refined yet sporty feel. My favorites:

The Best of 2019: Beauty

Collagen

This has been one of my top beauty secrets for a while, and it’s now become even more accessible across all forms of beauty products. I’m talking about the standard powder form, gummies, and smartly designed products, and a whole lot more. In about a month or two, you’ll find your skin is plumper, nails are stronger, and injuries like stress fractures hardly ever happen again. I keep a canister of powder at the office to add to my morning coffees and incorporate it into my skincare on the regular.

At-Home Skincare Treatments

It’s the top of the list for beauty trends this year, and rightfully so. I did some work this past year on incorporating tools that were gifted to me and others I purchased, and have to say, the world is on to a major movement. My results were mindblowing: by using these tools throughout the week, I was able to stretch all my medspa appointments out. To the tune of over 50% longer in some cases. The proof’s on my skin, literally.

This past year alone, it allowed me to wear far less makeup during the day, and I get more compliments than ever when I’m out errand shopping with no makeup. The secret’s also on your wallet: you’ll save over 70% on actual medspa treatments throughout the year. If you’re on a budget, it’s the best way to get these treatments for less, and in your own home on your own time. Scoop the following products below, and you’ll get your money’s worth in less than 3 uses:

Single Process Hair Color

Open up any major fashion or beauty magazine, and you’ll see the trend for yourself starting to seep in. While balayage is still a classic choice, more and more gals are going back to a single color all over. The best part? It’s easier and less costly to maintain. I tried it myself this year after needing to breathe some newness into my almost six year long stretch of balayage. My top recommendation I trust to anyone out there dying their own hair: Madison Reed. Not only is it completely natural and chemical-free, but it also produces the highest level of natural shine. There are also some drugstore front runners that are making major improvements in the quality of more affordable options. All my top picks backed by countless reviews are below:

’90s Nail Colors

We saw hints of it last year, and now it’s in full swing: welcome in the throwback metallics and pastel colors of the ’90s! The top colors this past year were chalky pinks and blues, and deeper holographic metallics. My favorite colors and brands below deliver the longest wearing formulas, even for super active peeps. I’ve been able to keep these colors on for a week and a half, and 9 consecutive Krav Maga classes. They might be pricier, but the ROI will be higher based on how long it lasts and how often you use it because of that. Press on nails have also made huge advancements in functionality. My picks for all these trends below:

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Photos by Mari Uchida