Trending Now: Snarky Cards, Sparkly Bracelets, Scrumptious Eats

By Jordan Schraeder in 40 Acres, Sept | Oct 2012 on September 17, 2012 at 10:43 am | 2 Comments

SomeEcards

With its parodies of popular Hallmark sentiments, free online ecards site SomeEcards has captured the hearts—and funny bones—of UT students with deadpan humor. Take, for example, a card in the college category that reads: “Good luck on final exams to someone whose major is as real as Santa Claus.” Created back in 2007, SomeEcards’ popularity has skyrocketed with increased sharing on social media sites like Facebook and Pinterest. Card categories range from conventional (sympathy and birthdays) to out there (breakups and confessions).

Oldify

Ever wanted to see what you’re going to look like 20, 40, even 60 years down the road? Students are doing it with Oldify, an app that provides an eerie look into the future by aging and animating a photo. The 99-cent app is a favorite of Longhorns, who are Oldify-ing everyone from friends to celebrities to the occasional professor. A sister app of Fatify and Baldify, Oldify is prompting many to begin wearing sunscreen while on the Forty Acres.

Arm Parties

This is one college party even parents will approve of! Coined by a blogger on style site ManRepeller.com, an arm party simply means piling on bracelets. Colored bangles, leather cuffs, metal watches, and beyond: there’s no need to match. Throw your entire bracelet collection on and there’s a party right there on your arm. Kristina Medhus, BA ’06, helped the trend gain momentum when she spearheaded an arm party contest on her blog, Pretty Shiny Sparkly, over the summer.

Gastropubs

A portmanteau of “gastronomy” and “pub,” a gastropub is a hybrid of good beer and gourmet food—what’s not to love? Originating in the UK, gastropubs made the jump across the pond in the early 2000s, and Austin hosts a few. Barley Swine has been hailed as “the food Mecca of Austin” by Southern Living. And Hopfields is a student favorite for its frites, beer selection, and location near campus on Guadalupe and 31st.

Chevron Print

This zig-zag pattern, popularized by Italian design house Missoni, is having a moment. From dorm-room decorations to iPhone cases and even men’s bowties, chevron print-everything is permeating the Forty Acres. Getting its name from the word chevron, meaning a stripe in the shape of a “v”, this print makes a bold statement.

Tags: Arm Parties, Barley Swine, Gastropubs, Hopfields, human sexuality, Missoni, Oldify, Pretty Shiny Sparkly, SomeEcards, Trending