2012 marked the beginning of le haute eye, but we are excited to share our list of the “hautest” trends, food, drinks and more for the year!

 

Haute Fashion

There were so many amazing trends in 2012, but the ones which stood out to the le haute eye team were the ones which stole the show time and time again…

Peplum- This skirted skirt really shown this year, and provided figure friendly accents to skirts of all length.  Everyone was rocking a peplum, including Lady Gaga, which let’s you know it was a trend with staying power.

photo from style.mtv.com

Leather Accents – Leather made a comeback in a big way, but mostly as an accent rather than a solo act.  You can expect to see much more of this, as many designers are pushing this trend into spring, as I heard at a NYC Zara recently.  

photos from Zara.com

 

Haute Spots

Adventure trips were on my list this year, here are a few favorites.

Iceland – This is an adventure junkie heaven, in winter or summer, Iceland has a ton to offer!  I loved the blue lagoon, and especially enjoyed the vast and seemingly desolate scenes.  I would love to go back for another adventure, and hope to finally see the Northern Lights.

Belmopan, Belize – Belize is not just for couples, but is a great spot to visit for an adventure or to relax in the jungle.  I stayed at the Sleeping Giant Lodge (https://lehauteeye.com/sleeping-giant-lodge-in-belmopan-belize-is-a) and had the most memorable, personal, and adventurous experience with friends.

 

 

Haute Eats

Magic/Miracle Berries – One of my best food experiences of 2012 involved Miracle Berries, a berry from Africa with the amazing ability to turn sour tastes into sweet treats.  The low shelf life of this fruit makes it only available in powder or tablet form, which may seem odd to some, but it’s a flavor experience worth every bite.  Many restaurants in Chicago use Miracle berries, like ING (one of my faves), and I even use them when drinking a regualar old vodka, soda and lime, turning it into a lemonade-like treat.

photo from Amazon.com

 

Haute Drinks

Cucumber Drinks – Everywhere I went, cucumber abounded this year, from mixes with Elderflower, to simple Cucumber Martinis, this versatile fruit lent well to so many great drinks in 2012.

photo from diyhealth.com

 

Burbon-based Cockatails/Mixology Drinks – These drinks throwback to the old days of drinking, like they did in the 20s, with bitters and potions making a comeback.  Spots like Hawthorne in Boston and Swig in San Francisco, made finding these drinks a cool experience, and have many coming back for more.  

 

Haute Reads

A few of my top books/series of the year were pretty obvious, but need to be listed none-the-less:

The Hunger Games Trilogy – This young adult trilogy captivated me and many an audience, and the follow-up movie made waves as well.  Following Katniss through the Hunger Games made us all feel a bit better about our life challenges.  A must read for anyone looking for adventure, drama, and a book which speaks about society

The Dovekeepers or anything by Alice Hoffman – I was recently introduced to Alice Hoffman’s work, and I am hooked.  Dovekeepers is my favorite of the historical fiction work from Hoffman, and is a deep and intense story of love and loss, set in the old world Middle East.

 

2012 had much more to offer, but this sampling reminds me of all the great things I experienced this year, and makes 2013 all the more exciting!  Wishing you all a safe, prosperous, and Happy New Year!