HOT: Deep-fried fare. Market research
firm NPD Intellect Group Inc. reports the number of deep fryers
sold in 1999 was up 32 percent from 1998, while sales of steamers
remained flat.
NOT: Battling the bulge. "Low-fat is
out," insists Phyllis Ann Marshall of Costa Mesa, California,
food-industry consulting company FoodPower. "People are just
sick of it!"
HOT: Dream rooms. Treating work as a lifestyle has turned
the conventional office on its ear. New York City PR firm Quinn
& Co., for one, has softened harsh corporate standards by
replacing its conference table with a comfy, purple sofa-and
dubbing it "the dream room."
Content Continues Below
NOT:Conference rooms: "Office
environments are becoming more home-like," says Florence
Quinn, president of Quinn & Co. "Calling it a conference
room is too harsh and corporate-sounding. We also have candles lit
at our desks and dress casually, but that has been going on for a
while."
HOT: Full-service restaurants. According to the National
Restaurant Association, dining out at traditional, well-managed
restaurants is expected to play an even bigger role in our everyday
lives. Sales at full-service restaurants this year are projected to
grow 5.9 percent (from $121 billion to $128.1 billion).
NOT: Themed eateries. The eye-catching
monstrosities set up in high-traffic tourist traps; the cheesy,
logo-emblazoned paraphernalia; the overly decorated walls; the
outrageously priced diner-style meals-all have lost favor among
21st-century consumers, leaving themed restaurants in the dust as
an official '90s fad.
HOT: Latin flavor. Beverage expert Robert Plotkin says
Caribbean rums, mojitos and sangria are all big trends for the new
millennium. The same goes for Latin rock clubs, such as the Jimmy
Smits Congo Room in Los Angeles.
NOT: Cigar culture. Humidors and cigar clubs have
lost their potent flavor. Though famous faces Demi Moore, Jim
Belushi and Arnold Schwarzenegger are still seen puffing on
stogies, USA Today reports industry sales are expected to
fall at least 10 percent this year.
HOT: Group cycling. Group fitness activities have taken
center stage, based on results from a trend report released by the
International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).
According to an IHRSA survey, 61 percent of health clubs offered
group cycling classes in 1998, up 46 percent from 1997.
NOT: Stationary bikes. Don't delude
yourself-riding at home alone in front of the TV does not
make you sweat like a group spinning class.
HOT: Form-fitting fashion. It's all about simplicity
and good form in fashion these days, according to Young &
Rubicam Inc.'s Brand Futures Group (BFG). Clean-lined clothes
that show off the well-sculpted bods among us will be seen all over
the place this year, predicts BFG trendspotters.
NOT: Unisex looks. Ditch the drippy cargo pants.
BFG reports baggy and uniform looks are waning. It's all about
individuality. Think simple . . . not
singular.
HOT: Motorcycles. American Demographics notes that new
registrations of large motorcycles are up more than 150 percent
since 1991. Chris McIntyre of EagleRider Inc., a Harley Davison
rental franchise, says, "With a Harley, you're able to
integrate with society and truly experience the American dream. The
whole thing is about enjoying life and experiencing it. That's
what a Harley is."
NOT: Boats. Setting sail on the open sea isn't
the norm anymore, according to American Demographics. Boat sales
have grown a mere 25 percent since the end of the recession in
1991, paling in comparison to the two-wheeled hog.