Hot Trends for 2009

Dec. 27, 2008 — -- Elle magazine's creative director, Joe Zee, gave "Good Morning America" a sneak peek at what's "in" and "out" for 2009. From cheap chic fashion to new fitness technology depicting what a thinner you would look like.

With the economy in rough shape, Zee predicted the big trend in 2009 would be a look back at the simple life. Everyone will reminisce over a classic lifestyle while craving modern technology, he explains.

Trend: Fitness

Out: Fitness Gaming

In: Fitness Web sites

Everyone's most popular New Year's resolution is getting in shape. Fitness games, like Nintendo's Wii Fit, were huge in 2008 (the game is sold out at electronic retailers, though many people are finding them at trade shops like GameStop). Zee says the one thing the games can't do is predict future results. New for 2009, fitness Web sites like WeightView.com, MyVirtualModel.com and WeightLossPose.com lets users see a thinner virtual version of themselves. Here's how it works: submit a current photo, and a photo of the user at a thinner weight is e-mailed back the next day. Zee is predicting that users will even post these retouched images as their profile pics on social networking and dating Web sites.

Trend: Fashion

Out: The Statement Dress

In: The Trouser Pant

Zee says 2008 was the year of the Statement Dress. Big, bold prints and colors were sashaying into our fashion magazines, adored by celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Amanda Bynes and Rachel Bilson. But starting in 2009, Zee is anticipating a quiet, more somber direction in fashion, to reflect the times. Instead of memorable Statement Dresses women can't often rewear, Zee advises investing in one classic piece: a men's style trouser pant. Think Catherine Hepburn. It's a more subtle look, can be worn day and night, and rotated more frequently in daily wear than a dress. Zee is finding his favorites at the GAP ($35), Zara ($40) and Banana Republic ($60).

Trend: Accessories

Out: Chunky Necklaces

In: Chunky Earrings

The one accessory Zee is warning that women can't live without in 2009 is chunky earrings. Just like the Statement Dress, big, chunky, necklaces were everywhere in 2008. Blake Lively and Joy Bryan were never without them. As an extension, Zee foresees the trend moving up the body to the ears -- with earring like Forever 21's silver hoops. Don't throw out statement accessories, Warns Zee. They don't have to be expensive, so they're a cheap way to update an old outfit.

Trend: Beauty

Out: Fake Eyelashes

In: Protein-Enriched Mascara

Zee sees the Beauty industry going high tech in 2009. Big, fake hyper-real eyelashes were huge, literally, in 2008. Everyone from Lindsay Lohan to Aubrey O'Day was obsessed with the look. Like fashion and accessories, beauty will take on a more quiet and more somber look -- but the new accessories will also be infused with the latest technology. Protein-enriched mascara like Talika Lipocils ($40) should be in every woman's arsenal in 2009, Zee says. The protein acts like conditioner for eyelashes, strengthening and growing them.

Trend: Technology

Out: HD Video Cameras

In: Mini HD Camcorders

With money tight, most families could cut new gadgets from their budgets. Zee advises that only one new piece of technology is a must-have -- the Kodak Zi6 Pocket HD Video Camera ($179). In 2008, affordable HD home video cameras hit the market for the first time, but they were still a couple hundred dollars, and included features most people never used. Zee believes 2009 will be the year of simpler, cheaper electronic gadgets, like mini HD camcorders. They're cheaper than ever and as user-friendly as iPods. It has a pop-out USB connecter to instantly plug into a computer and upload pictures and home video.