2010 vision: What will be the lifestyle trends this year?

INTERIORS

SUSTAINABILITY is one of the biggest buzz words in interiors for 2010, not least because second-hand furniture (and the price tag that comes with it) looks mighty inviting in the current economic climate.

"People are drawn to quality second-hand furniture for a number of reasons, but next year a combination of a focus on the environment and a desire to save money will be key," says Jim Currie of Edinburgh-based Retrospective, which specialises in second-hand mid-20th-century furniture.

"The one thing people are really looking for at the moment is quality pieces that will last, at an affordable price, and they know they won't get that combination at Ikea. Classic retro pieces from the 1960s and 70s will be big in 2010 because they can be effortlessly teamed with contemporary furniture for a slick, minimal and up-to-date look."

Second-hand furniture fits well into the growing trend for an eclectic look. With the crash in the housing market, people are viewing their properties as more long-term residences and are therefore looking to an interior aesthetic that reflects this by building up one-off pieces rather than buying everything at once.

FOOD

THE big trend in food for 2010 will be Cream. No, not of the clotted variety, but Cancelling the Restaurant to Eat At Mine. Last year, the recession saw many of us entertaining in our own homes to save on eye-watering restaurant bills, and this year we should expect more of the same.

"It's all about simplicity for food in 2010," says Wayne Edwards of food consultancy group www.thefoodpeople.co.uk. "We'll be enjoying home-cooked meals more often and eating together as families. As for dining out, French food will enjoy a renaissance. We'll all be looking to foods that are comfortable and familiar, and French food was our first taste of exotic cuisine all those years ago."

Nostalgia will remain big this year, with baked Alaska and mince'n'tatties on the menu both at home and in some of the country's top restaurants (which will, no doubt, rustle up some of our old favourites with more than a dash of irony). Other trends? Food from the US, street food, simple Japanese, home-brewed coffee, Argentine steak houses – and even customised muesli.

FITNESS

WE'VE seen pole dancing and hula-hooping, power plates and MBT shoes, but what will be the big fitness trend for 2010? We all know that good old-fashioned blood, sweat and tears is the best way to lose weight, get fit and tone up, but that doesn't stop us being on constant look-out for a shortcut.

Happily there are (as yet) no crazy fads on the horizon in the fitness world for 2010. Pilates, already popular for improving core strength, will enter the mainstream, and yoga will become even more popular. Then there's boot camps, wherein you subject yourself to sustained, intense exercise over a period of days (possibly with a retired army major barking instructions in your ear) in order to lose half your body weight. It is likely to become a staple this year.

"We've been seeing a lot of people training in small groups of two to five recently, and that promises to be a big trend in 2010," says Edinburgh-based personal trainer to the stars Mike Heatlie ( www.mikeheatliepersonaltraining.com).

"People want a personal service but they're also watching what they spend, so they'll save money by getting a personal trainer to work with them and a friend or partner. It can be a more social way to work out, and many people find it less intimidating, too."

TRAVEL

ONE would imagine that all the publicity surrounding the recent Copenhagen summit on climate change might have resulted in a trend for travelling less. Far from it. While a combination of the weak pound, the flailing economy and an increased awareness of environmental issues is still fuelling the trend for the "staycation" (wherein travellers holiday in their home country, thus saving money and the planet) experts are predicting that luxury tourism will gradually begin to flourish once more in 2010.

According to research by travel website paradizo.com travellers are pushing for customised trips to more and more exotic locations, with a definite luxury edge. Think luxury safaris, heli-ski trips, personalised art tours, or tailor-made gastronomic courses.

Destination-wise, Ecuador, Tanzania, Belize and New Zealand as well as old favourites such as Sardinia, Ibiza and Provence will be popular destinations, but there's also a trend for niche cruises on the horizon. This could mean eco cruises or special interest cruises, but regardless, it will be a definite move away from the buffet-and-sequins formula.

What else is looking popular? Home swaps will be on the rise, allowing people to save money on pricey accommodation and be less constrained by costs on their trip.

BEAUTY

TRENDS in beauty will often say rather a lot about what's going on with the economy, and this year is no different.

Where in 2009 we saw minimal make-up on the catwalks as we scrimped, saved and generally tried to resist splurging on pointless glittery fripperies, this year is looking a little more optimistic.

Nail art in the form of hi-tech transfers in intricate patterns (leopard-print anyone?) will be huge, along with bold eyebrows, messy "bed" hair, grey hair and even shaved heads.

And get this: research by Mintel has found that one of the biggest trends for the year will be "mood beauty", wherein cosmetics will contain chemicals that claim to improve your mood, lacing all your favourite lotions and potions with "ingredients that act on neurotransmitters". Spooky.

For those looking for something a little more low-key, try bronze nails, blood-red lips and 1980s-esque eye make-up in chalky opaque pastel shades.

FASHION

AH, FASHION is a fickle thing, and in 2010, it's also as bizarre as ever. We'll start with the good news. Those ridiculous "stripper" shoes with skyscraper heels and weapon-worth platforms that have become tediously ubiquitous, are on their way out. Flats remain popular, but if you do go for a heel it'll be mid-height, as seen at Marni and Chlo.

Also utterly redundant is looking like a couture-clad Guns N' Roses girlfriend in leather leggings and pumped-up shoulder-pads. 2010 will be much softer – all pastels, ruffles and minimalism. Happily, the word "extreme" seems to have been erased from the fashion designers' dictionary. No longer must shoes be as high as possible, shoulders as big as possible and legs as twiggy as possible.

Which brings us to our next trend. Could the "size zero" craze be on its way out? It's been predicted before, but it's never quite gone away. After all, the rich and thin will always believe that you can never be too rich or too thin.

However, one of the biggest names in the fashion world this year will be Crystal Renn, the formerly skinny and now plus-size model, who grabbed our attention back in 2006 when Jean-Paul Gaultier put her on his catwalk. The recent release of her autobiography, Hungry, has put her on the mainstream map, however, and this year she'll be everywhere, starting with a high-profile shoot this month for American fashion magazine V.

Now for the bad news. Fashion trends for 2010 include cycling shorts (infantile), leather for summer (sweaty), and bunny ears (blame Louis Vuitton). All ridiculous, each less wearable than the last, and most likely accompanied by ludicrous price tags. But then, that's fashion.