The information is compiled on an annual basis by analyzing the “aggregation of trillions of search queries over the year,” says Google Canada trends expert Aaron Brindle. Accordingly, comfort was important to Canadian fashion lovers, as leggings topped the list of searches and sweatpants made it to the number seven spot. It was the year of abbreviated fashions with crop tops, bob haircuts and booties making the list as well as more creative statements like floral and plaid patterns in addition to braids.
It begs the question, however, what drives a trend? “Trends are driven by inspiration or motivation to learn more,” Brindle explains. “We see spikes in searches during major events, for example the World Cup, which drives Canadians online to find more information. The same can be said for fashion trends. The fashion search trends are driven by Canadians who knew that leggings, crop tops and all of the 2014 top searches were in style and wanted inspiration on different styles, celebrities sporting the trends and, of course, where to buy them. Online search trends offer a bit of real-time fashion anthropology and reflect back to Canadians what we wore this year.”
Here’s the official breakdown of Canada’s top trending fashions for 2014:
- Leggings
- Floral
- Plaid
- Crop top
- Bob haircut
- Neon
- Sweatpants
- Braids
- Booties
- Midi skirt
