Trend!

What's the hot trend sensation rockin' the nation?

Frogs! Yes, frogs - and I know what you're thinking.. What?? But yes. And it isn't just any old frog - but frogs with crowns!! Yes! Uncrowned frogs are decidedly NOT trendy. Very common. One must keep up the family, you know...

But crowned frogs...!! Now, that's a different story!!

That's an odd choice!, you might say. And how do I know they are trendy?, you may ask.. Well, I know that they are because I read it on a sign - and I even took a picture to prove it. Look!

Now, you may also say that frogs wearing crowns is kind of a silly trend and what nation am I referring to anyway? And I may well agree with you (I do, actually). But I can also tell you that it is, in fact, very much a trend.. a huge one, at least in the part of Germany that I was in. (Ok, you say, Germany explains part of it). Frogs are EVERYWHERE (see the photos...)

And, if I get a bit reflective, I might start to think that maybe there are other trends that make about as much sense as crowned frogs. Tiny hats that won't stay on your head without loads of pins? Headbands with big bows if you're older than 11? Crocs anywhere but in the water? $200+ ripped jeans (Come on..Ripped jeans? really?? again???)

If you read that something is a trend, does that make it so? Is Katie Holmes a style icon just because they tell us she is? Or, for a slightly more updated reference, Emma Watson? Cute and all, but fashion star? hmmm..

Trends are tricky. They'll invariably make us squirm in future years when we see photos of ourselves decked out in some outdated trend du jour, (don't I know it!!!) but we fall for it (not always, but sometimes) because we're told it's so cool and see all these photos of edgy actor/rocker/artist/models/designer/stylists who actually do look cool. So, we stick our toes in the water and very often dive in. Multiple times, some of us.

Some trends stick around for a bit (e.g. shorts for going out, gladiator sandals, thigh high boots, over the knee socks), while some are best left to people who are only of the moment anyway. And sometimes there's nothing.. poof! .. and you just need to realize that .. oops! the emperor really is just naked.