Happy 2014! The New Year is always an opportunity for a fresh start, but let’s be honest, 2013 was pretty great. Even though the past year was quite memorable, there are a ton of things you might have missed out on. Every year there are movies I never saw, products I never tried and albums I never knew released. Here’s a quick recap of a few noteworthy things you might have missed in 2013!
1. Music – Beyoncé
OK, OK, no one can miss Beyoncé. Just in case you live under a rock, Beyoncé dropped a surprise album on December 13 available only on ITunes for the first few weeks of release. The self-titled album comes equipped with 14 audio tracks and 16 music videos. The holiday surprise was received well by fans, “Beyoncé” raking in record breaking numbers for first week sales and ITunes downloads. The Beyhive don’t play.
2. Movies – The Kings of Summer
Directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts, this coming of age film was one of my favorites from the past year. Unsatisfied with their nagging parents and ritual home lives, Joe, Patrick and Biaggio build their own house in the wood that lines the main highway of their small town. This movie was consciously made with smart, cutting edge cinematography unlike most films of its kind. And yes, Rico from Hanna Montana is in this film!
3. Beauty – Naked 3 Palette by Urban Decay
The beauty world was buzzing in November after the release of the Naked 3 Palette from Urban Decay. The palette features 12 new shades of eyeshadow in hues of pearl, metallic and matte. Beauty junkies were stoked when the company pushed the launch date up after international bloggers leaked the release of the coveted product. The palette is priced at around $50 (good lord!) at your local Sephora.
4. Television – “Orange is The New Black”
This one was also pretty hard to miss, but so many people did. The Netflix original series “Orange is The New Black” aired in July, 2013 and took the internet by storm. I could not scroll down my dashboard for weeks without seeing a ton of gifs from this show. The only way you missed it was by choosing to ignore it. Go ahead and give in! It’s a must watch!
5. Culture – Miss America
In September of 2013, Miss America crowned its first winner of Indian descent, Nina Davuluri. The 24 year old New Yorker received the honor with grace, despite the negative feedback on her crowning from Twitter and YouTube users. Although I’m not a follower of the pageant world, it’s great to see things changing in all aspects of American pop culture. It’s about time!
6. Books – “The Cuckoo’s Calling”
I actually missed this one too! Did you guys know that J. K. Rowling released a book titled “The Cuckoo’s Calling” under the pseudonym name of Robert Galbraith? Yeah, me neither. The mystery novel follows the investigation of a dead supermodel and the detective hired by her brother to shed light on her death. Crazy right? I’ll be picking that up this week!
7. Fashion – Triangle Skort
One of my favorite fashion trends of the past year seemed to be swept to the side by more popular pieces. Modeled by the beautiful Patricia Bright, the triangle skort is sleek and asymmetrical. It looks great on every fashion blogger I follow, but hardly did I ever see this piece in person! Most girls I’ve seen chose the more popular skater skirt. Both are great trends, but if you missed out on this cute cut last year, put it on your must-have list for 2014!
What else did you miss in 2013? Let us know!