What 2019 trends should be left in 2019?

Please, please, please no more Greek restaurants, even though I know we have one or two on the cards for next year. I even say this as someone with Greek-Cypriot blood. Dubai now has some excellent Greek restaurants, each ticking different boxes, so diners have more than enough choice.”

Samantha Wood - founder of impartial restaurant review site Foodiva

Enough biker shorts

Biker shorts are one of those trends that need to stay behind in 2019 unless you’re a real biker. The trend actually started out in early 2018, but I hope it doesn’t continue to be popular in 2020. Also, really large sun hats never made sense to me either. They look like they require a lot of effort to keep balanced on your head.

Ahmed Mekki, UAE-based designer for 5ive Pillars, a streetwear clothing brand

Stop wearing tiny sunglasses

What is the point of sunglasses that are so small they don’t even cover your eyes? I hate those so much. I can already tell in 2030, (if we haven’t already eradicated our existence through our own destructive habits) we will look back at ourselves as well as influencers wearing tiny sunglasses and wonder what we were thinking.

Hiba Hani – Business Development Manager at ZAL Lighting Design

No more fad diets

We all tend to jump on bandwagons and follow diets that people are talking about, whether its keto, vegan, paleo or anything else. While there is no harm in trying these out, I always encourage seeking professional or medical advice before embarking on any diet. But most importantly, people need to listen to their bodies. What signs and signals is our body giving us? For 2020, I want people to generally live cleaner. Focusing more on produce that’s seasonal and local, and eating less packaged and processed food. We should also aim to live cleaner by choosing natural, organic, eco-friendly products on our skin and at home, and using air purifiers for cleaner air. Toxins we are exposed to through food, air and beautify care products end up inside our body and can affect hormones, mood and our immunity. Moving forward, I would like to see more clean living in both diet and in our homes. Leave behind what’s trending and work on having a wholesome life!

Farah Hillou - A licenced nutritionist, registered dietician and a certified practitioner of functional nutrition.

Designer streetwear

I am against the direction street wear is going. I feel like it started out with great intention, then it started moving into the luxury brands. Extremely expensive sneakers, sweatpants and it’s just too much now. These days, designers who don’t know much about streetwear are taking advantage of the movement and charging a lot of money for it.

Other things I think need to stay in 2019 are people who call themselves entrepreneurs, when all they have is a side hustle. I also hate super niche restaurants that only serve a certain thing, basically an “anything only” restaurants, just be inclusive of everyone.

Tarek Roumie – Business Founder based in Dubai

Less social media voyeurism, more into authentic interactions.

This year I unfollowed a lot of stuff that I don’t want to see on social media. I want more of the things that I love to see. Having said that, I would like to see people being more social on social media. So many people just ‘view’. They don’t interact or engage. Sometimes if you try and reach out or engage over social, they act too cool for school, when you let someone know that you appreciate them. Some people are just busy while others are introverts, but it would be cool for people to be less into social media voyeurism and more into authentic interaction.

You know what else annoys me? When I am scrolling through Instagram and I come across a video, that could be interesting or educational, but it’s paired with lame EDM (that’s Electronic Dance Music). Sometimes it will literally be an educational video and there it is, lame EDM accompanying the video. People need to pair music and video better.

Tamir Ali – Street Culture Specialist, Consultant, Events and Talen

The too many influencer collaborations

Although social media is a very powerful and imperative tool for most businesses, it's gotten to a point where influencers are being pulled left right and center to do appearances at some of the newest venues in town. The disconnect comes when these venues bring a stampede of people with a few thousand followers, or the same old pack of socialites which becomes very obvious to the viewer not only at the other side of the screen, but also at the venue. I'm not against coverage, but think it needs to be done right, with the right match of collaborators.

Samuel Rito – A business owner and Dubai resident

“Perfect” face filters

I am so tired of that perfect face look. Having the snatched nose and the slimmed down cheeks and bright eyes needs to not be a thing. We all know your face on Instagram looks nothing like your face in real life. Embrace your natural beauty.

Mara Eskanovia – A Beauty technician based in Dubai

Teens being silly on TikTok

Oh my god. Like, why do people enjoy making fools out of themselves on the internet? These people doing choreographed dancing, showing their ‘hot moms’ and how rich they are. I think misbehaving on TikTok might just come back to haunt us, especially when applying for jobs in the future.

Menna Fahmy – An Event Manager

Trendy and misrepresented “self- love”

Everywhere you look on social media, influencers are posting photos and videos of “self-love”. More and more I am hearing about the importance of self-love. It's everywhere. But I think people have gone too far and they are doing it all wrong. You self-love by taking an afternoon off, switching off your phone or meditating, not by blowing all your money on spa days and trips and shopping. That doesn’t help your mental health.

Lara Geadah –Social Media Manager and blogger based in Dubai