Gabby Sweda ‘25, Photo Editor
Wanna get your new year off on the right track? 2024 is starting off strong with many new lifestyle trends to help start our year off right. Lifestyle is a big category for upcoming trends, and it’s becoming even bigger in the upcoming new year. From mental health to social media and consumer behaviors, there is a lot to change—hopefully for the better—this new year.
A big craze following us into the new year is health and wellness. Over the last couple of years, there has been a noticeably increased presence on the importance placed on such—advertised and advocated for across many different social media platforms. Wellness retreats are on the rise with places all around the world according to Conde Nast Traveler, and some of the best retreats are in Turks and Cacos, Arizona, Sweden, India, Portugal, Connecticut, Austria, Germany, South Africa, California, etc. Many of the wellness retreats include spas, dermatology services, a wide variety of exercises, nutritional meals, breathtaking views, calming excursions, and so much more. These retreats are meant to recharge and reset you so that you can be the best version of yourself, and experience a well-deserved getaway.
Along with health and wellness, restrictive diets are on their way out. After many years of toxic diet and food culture, restrictive diets are finally leaving. People are instead making more conscious choices as they listen to their bodies at the same time. As the harmful diet culture including overwhelming calorie counting, excessive workout routines, and extremely restrictive eating in the U.S. comes to an end, healthy culture is making its grand entrance. People are embracing their bodies and focusing on their needs and not societal wants including not only changing diet culture but also mental health and consumer behavior. People are listening to their bodies and eating what they want along with personalizing workouts for their benefit.
Next consumers are becoming more conscious of where their money is going as they begin welcoming experiences rather than objects. People are done flaunting their Gucci belts and Louis Vuitton bags, and are instead trading them in for Taylor Swift tickets and trips around the globe. Society is starting to find more joy living in the moment instead of materialistic happiness. As a result of post-pandemic people want to experience things after having that freedom taken away for so long. Junior Anna Tsitinis said, “I have recently liked spending my money on concerts, movies, and things I can do with my friends and experience instead of materialistic things.”
Along with consumers becoming less materialistic, they are also becoming more conscious of where they buy from and are choosing brands that make a positive impact on consumers. People are also starting to buy from more sustainable brands as climate change is becoming more prevalent. People are becoming way more aware of the impact their purchases make and are making a conscious decision to put their money towards good. For example, consumers are making a conscious decision of where they put their money as they purchase from Patagonia, a sustainable brand rather than H&M or other fast fashion and unsustainable brands.
Although 2024 has just begun, we are definitely in for some good trends this year. From mental health to new consumer behavior hopefully, these trends are as promising as they sound and begin to shape a better society for a better year.
Lyon Life 