Upcoming Trends, Slang, Pop Culture, Etc

[methodwriter85]

I came of age in the 2000's, and I thought it'd been interesting to talk about upcoming trends, slang, movies, pop culture, etc etc that's coming up for the CAP characters. One thing about Mark's writing is that he really likes incorporating contemporary touches into the pieces, because he likes caputuring the "feel" of the period. So what are some things you'd like to see Mark incorporate into CAP? (This thread is different from the other one, as the "How Should The CAP World End" one is more about world events and character events you'd like to see in the story.)

 

Here are some touches I'd like to see Mark bring into the story...

 

1. Emo kids. Seriously, they' WERE the 2000's, in my opinion. Straight-edge kids were closely related. For whatever reason, circa 2001 the goth kids were replaced by the emo kids, who were all about wearing Buddy Holly glasses and shopping at Hot Topic. They blogged about their angst on Livejournal until Myspace rose circa 2004. Which brings me to...

 

2. Social networking sites. Tim's right, it's somewhat weird that none of the main characters are on the internet or social networking sites. It's going to be completely unavoidable for when Mark gets around to documenting the class of 2004 with JJ, Marie, and Will. First it was LiveJournal, then it was Myspace, and then Facebook...although you gotta remember that Facebook only allowed college kids until about 2006, 2007. Some kids were on Friendster as well. There really weren't that many kids from JJ's cohort who weren't on the internet, chatting online and using social networking sites.

 

3. Mean Girls. I think Mean Girls is probably the closest movie I've ever seen to getting that generation right. It's also the one chick flick I remember guys were able to admit they liked.

 

4. The O.C. EVERYONE was talking about this show circa 2003-2004. It was huge with girls, but it was also big with guys because, as they said, "The girls were hot".

 

5. Grand Theft Auto at this point (2000), Halo by 2004-2005, and then Guitar Hero by 2006-2007. Dance Dance Revolution and Lazer Tag are also big.

 

6. Brad's probably going to get an IPod within a year...most techie-adults started carrying those around early in the decade. By about 2003, that's when IPods started showing up at an average high school.

 

7. Camera cell phones start showing up in common teenaged usage around 2003 as well.

 

8. Hipsters. They were the yuppies of the 2000's, just dressed badly and drinking PBR for the irony. I didn't start seeing them until about 2006, but I'm assuming that hipsters were around well before that on the West Coast. I think Marie Hobart will wind up a hipster after spending high school and college as a hippie vegan war protestor.

 

9. Some early 2000's clothing trends: short-sleeved shirts over long sleeved-shirts over a pair of cargo shorts and flip-flops for guys, peasant skirts/blouses on girls. Another girl trend would be low-rider jeans to show a girl's thong, i.e. the whale tail. That's big starting around 2001-ish, and lasts until about 2006/2007. I can see Jack flipping out about Marie wearing thongs when she's in 9th grade.

 

10. Livestrong bracelets, starting around 2004. They were EVERYWHERE. You literally couldn't walk without seeing a teenager/college-aged guy wearing a Livestrong bracelet.

 

Any trends for this past decade you'd like for Mark to incorporate into CAP?

Edited November 18, 2011 by methodwriter85

[methodwriter85]

Hey, I was curious about something.

 

People from Southern California- was "sick" as a slang word to mean something "cool" used as early as 2000? I know sick was at least used as slang on TV's Laguna Beach, which was filmed in 2003-2004. Could a SoCal guy have said something was "sick" as in cool as early as 2000?

 

What were some other popular slang terms from around the start of the '00s? I hear "clutch" a lot.

 

*looks expectantly at Tommy and Timmy*

Edited February 26, 2011 by methodwriter85

[methodwriter85]

The current "literally feathered hair" trend has me rolling. If we do manage to hit 2011, I'd laugh my ass off at Stefan and Claire reacting in horror to Courtney and Marie running around with feather hair extensions.

[Canuk]

I came of age in the 2000's, and I thought it'd been interesting to talk about upcoming trends, slang, movies, pop culture, etc etc that's coming up for the CAP characters. One thing about Mark's writing is that he really likes incorporating contemporary touches into the pieces, because he likes caputuring the "feel" of the period. So what are some things you'd like to see Mark incorporate into CAP? (This thread is different from the other one, as the "How Should The CAP World End" one is more about world events and character events you'd like to see in the story.)

 

Here are some touches I'd like to see Mark bring into the story...

 

1. Emo kids. Seriously, they' WERE the 2000's, in my opinion. Straight-edge kids were closely related. For whatever reason, circa 2001 the goth kids were replaced by the emo kids, who were all about wearing Buddy Holly glasses and shopping at Hot Topic. They blogged about their angst on Livejournal until Myspace rose circa 2004. Which brings me to...

 

2. Social networking sites. Tim's right, it's somewhat weird that none of the main characters are on the internet or social networking sites. It's going to be completely unavoidable for when Mark gets around to documenting the class of 2004 with JJ, Marie, and Will. First it was LiveJournal, then it was Myspace, and then Facebook...although you gotta remember that Facebook only allowed college kids until about 2006, 2007. Some kids were on Friendster as well. There really weren't that many kids from JJ's cohort who weren't on the internet, chatting online and using social networking sites.

 

3. Mean Girls. I think Mean Girls is probably the closest movie I've ever seen to getting that generation right. It's also the one chick flick I remember guys were able to admit they liked.

 

4. The O.C. EVERYONE was talking about this show circa 2003-2004. It was huge with girls, but it was also big with guys because, as they said, "The girls were hot".

 

5. Grand Theft Auto at this point (2000), Halo by 2004-2005, and then Guitar Hero by 2006-2007. Dance Dance Revolution and Lazer Tag are also big.

 

6. Brad's probably going to get an IPod within a year...most techie-adults started carrying those around early in the decade. By about 2003, that's when IPods started showing up at an average high school.

 

7. Camera cell phones start showing up in common teenaged usage around 2003 as well.

 

8. Hipsters. They were the yuppies of the 2000's, just dressed badly and drinking PBR for the irony. I didn't start seeing them until about 2006, but I'm assuming that hipsters were around well before that on the West Coast. I think Marie Hobart will wind up a hipster after spending high school and college as a hippie vegan war protestor.

 

9. Some early 2000's clothing trends: short-sleeved shirts over long sleeved-shirts over a pair of cargo shorts and flip-flops for guys, peasant skirts/blouses on girls. Another girl trend would be low-rider jeans to show a girl's thong, i.e. the whale tail. That's big starting around 2001-ish, and lasts until about 2006/2007. I can see Jack flipping out about Marie wearing thongs when she's in 9th grade.

 

10. Livestrong bracelets, starting around 2004. They were EVERYWHERE. You literally couldn't walk without seeing a teenager/college-aged guy wearing a Livestrong bracelet.

 

Any trends for this past decade you'd like for Mark to incorporate into CAP?

 

Ok we are now getting scary...this is my childrens age.... yes "sick" was THE word. And I recall discussions on "gay" as well. I recall buying them v primitive iPod sort of things, and they definately had mobile phones (cell phones) with photo capability, but I don't recall social media (but that might be just me), just email and texting. Neither of mine had feathers (they both went to a boarding school and as liberal as it was (there were out gay boys) feather in the hair would not have passed muster.)

 

I am sure there was a lot more, but I have tried to hide it!!!

[methodwriter85]

Feather hair extensions is a 2011 trend, sparked off by Steven Tyler on American Idol wearing them. It's only really teenaged girls and twentysomething women wearing them, it seems like.

 

Social media is around, but it really takes off in 2004-2005 during the rise of Myspace and Facebook.

[methodwriter85]

Some early 2000's slang words:

 

Beast- Something good, someone or something being awesome. "This sound system is beast." "Jason's a beast at beer pong!"

 

Chill- The definition morphed a little bit. In the 80's, it could mean someone needing to calm down, "you need to chill." Or it could mean hanging out- "let's chill at my crib." But by the early 2000's, "chill" started to mean someone or something really cool or nice. "Ryan's totally chill once you get to know him." "Yeah, the party scene at UD is pretty chill." Or it could mean the state of being surprisingly content with or in an unfamiliar circumstance. "I'm not used to this scene, but it's mad chill."

 

Dank- Really potent weed. "Damn, that shit was dank." Also could mean someone or something of high quality. "That party was dank."

 

Badonkadonk- Someone with a nice, big round ass. When Jennifer Lopez was ascendent during the late 90's/early 2000's, the phrase was used more. I'm not sure how much the phrase would be used by the CAP people, because it seems like Mark writes everyone as liking small little asses, but I do think JLo influenced the trend of women wanting to have bigger asses, aka badonkadonks. I think it might be the influence of hip-hop and the beauty standards within that culture- less of an emphasis on having a big chest, and more of an emphasis on having a broader backside. I actually had an interesting conversation with my roomate about that once- how guys my age aren't so much on the big boobs, as opposed to guys that came of age in the 80's who were reared on the Pamela Anderson look.

 

"Are You On Crack?" - Your reaction when someone says something that you just can't believe, or is totally foolish and stupid.

 

Jeremy S. Circa 2002- "You know, I think Mari is a pretty nice girl."

 

Jeremy T. - "Are you on crack? She's a total bitch!"

 

"Ignorant"- Someone either stupid, or someone totally rude.

 

"That girl be totally ignorant, yo. She don't know how to spell nothing!"

 

"You showed my pictures from elementary school? You are so ignorant!"

 

Someone actually said that to me back in 8th grade.

Edited February 5, 2012 by methodwriter85

[PrivateTim]

This is too contemporary, but too funny and too true. So spot on it is scary.

 

[methodwriter85]

Shit, that was so true. Especially the drunkenly singing "Someone like you" part. I actually got nudged into singing it with some gay guys I hang out with. And in any event, since I think Mark will eventually get to the late 2000's/early 2010's(somewhere around the year 2030), it's totally relevant. Although I'm thinking Will seems like in his 20's he'd seek out more low-key gay guys instead of queens. Honestly, I think JJ would be more likely to be friends with these types of guys.

 

Which made me think...

 

Boi- the early 2000's gay way of writing "boy". God, that was annoying as hell. I'm glad that's over.

 

bro- Seriously. It's to my generation, Mark, what "man" was to yours. "Bro, that weed was dank!

 

Since Generation 4 will eventually get over to college...

 

 

The dubstep stuff will be a little too contemporary for Will and JJ's college year era(mid-2000's/late 2000's), but it's still pretty spot-on, especially with the "bro" and "sick" part. And since JJ might wind up taking a looooonnnnggg time to graduate...he might still be in college by the 2010's.

 

 

This is an incredbily good primer on how a 2000's preppy/sorority girl talks. The "Wait, what?" was especially accurate. (The card bit was special to Vanderbilt.)

[Mark Arbour]

When did "bro" become popular? Anyone?

[methodwriter85]

I definitely feel like bro should be around at this point, but I could be wrong. I'm pretty sure "bromance" was used on an episode of the O.C. in 2003, but I'm not sure if that term was widespread in California in 2000

 

"Dawg" was for sure getting used in 2000. Same as "chill" and "beast." (You've already used it.)

Edited February 9, 2012 by methodwriter85

[PrivateTim]

When did "bro" become popular? Anyone?

 

"bro" has been around for ever in beach culture, it was a variant on the Hawaiian "bra" so it would be completely normal for So Cal beach kids.

[methodwriter85]

Yeah, that seems right.

 

After doing research through these "Shit People Say" videos, I'm scared for when "totes" makes it over to the East Coast. It may take a while, though. Los Angeles and New York City seem to be the prime places that generate national slang...is "good look" out in California yet, Tim n Blue? "Good look", I believe originated sometime in the late 2000's in New York City, then hit Jersey, then hit Delaware, and is now making it's way down the coast. I wonder if it's hit California yet.

[PrivateTim]

Yeah, that seems right.

 

After doing research through these "Shit People Say" videos, I'm scared for when "totes" makes it over to the East Coast. It may take a while, though. Los Angeles and New York City seem to be the prime places that generate national slang...is "good look" out in California yet, Tim n Blue? "Good look", I believe originated sometime in the late 2000's in New York City, then hit Jersey, then hit Delaware, and is now making it's way down the coast. I wonder if it's hit California yet.

 

I would say "good luck" has been a staple in Hollywood sitcoms for a decade or more now.

[methodwriter85]

Not good luck, good look. It's been getting said a lot on Jersey Shore, it's short for "good looking out." Say like your friend does something good for you, you say "good look, bro" as a way of thanking him. It seems to have morphed into being anything good. My Jersey friends were saying it; I liked the use of it.

 

So like if something's bad, you can go, "Dude, not a good look." Or something.

Edited February 10, 2012 by methodwriter85

[PrivateTim]

Not good luck, good look. It's been getting said a lot on Jersey Shore, it's short for "good looking out." Say like your friend does something good for you, you say "good look, bro" as a way of thanking him. It seems to have morphed into being anything good. My Jersey friends were saying it; I liked the use of it.

 

So like if something's bad, you can go, "Dude, not a good look." Or something.

 

I meant "good look", not "luck". Been around a while.

[methodwriter85]

Alright.

 

Hey, are popped collars in yet in 2000? I know they became popular in the Philly metro area circa 2003-2004, which means they're likely back in on the California coast already. I'm assuming Hollister is already in as well. I kinda see John Hobart as rocking the two-polo popped collar.

 

Mark, "popped collar" refers to this early/mid-2000's trend of guys and girls who would take their polo shirts and flip up the edges of their collar so it would stand up, like this:

 

 

I gotta admit, I LOVED popping my collar. I could never get the damn collar to stay up, though. Apparently I should have used hair spray. Every now and then, I like to pop my collar in an ironic ode to the way I used to dress when I was 18-21.

[B1ue]

Oh god, I could not stand that. Bugged the living f**k out of me. Not parties though, there I only thought it looked dumb. But I mostly saw people wear polo shirts at work, and there I felt (and feel) strongly that a popped collar is just innappropriate for a professional appearance. I made my workers put it back down. One guy that refused got sent home for being out of uniform.

 

So yes, that's definitely early 2000s. I can't recall noticing them before 2003 or so, but I may be mistaken. I certainly wouldn't have taken notice of them before 2002. And yeah, John Hobart will likely try to do this, though Claire I think will be on my side about this. I alos recall the pink shirt thing. That was weird.

[methodwriter85]

Oh god, I could not stand that. Bugged the living f**k out of me. Not parties though, there I only thought it looked dumb. But I mostly saw people wear polo shirts at work, and there I felt (and feel) strongly that a popped collar is just innappropriate for a professional appearance. I made my workers put it back down. One guy that refused got sent home for being out of uniform.

I thought there was just something really cool about popping your collar. It made me want to hold my head up higher, made me throw back my shoulders and slouch less...I LOVED the look.

 

So yes, that's definitely early 2000s. I can't recall noticing them before 2003 or so, but I may be mistaken. I certainly wouldn't have taken notice of them before 2002. And yeah, John Hobart will likely try to do this, though Claire I think will be on my side about this. I alos recall the pink shirt thing. That was weird.

 

Actually, I think Claire would encourage it- remember, she was the epitome of 1980's prep, and the popped collar was definitely part of the look. Around 2002-2003, 1980's styles came back in, including ruffled mini-skirts for girls and popped collars for guys and girls, as well as feathered hair. (But only really on guys.) I think the O.C. had a MAJOR influence on fashion- it brought back surfer/prep styles to the mainstream after things had been tending more towards an urban look. Suddenly guys were wearing polos again like Seth Cohen. And pastels came back in a big way during 2003-2006.

 

I remember when some guys wore these t-shirts that said, "Real Men Wear Pink". That was around 2004 or so. I have a pink polo somewhere.

 

Mark, if you want a really good premier on how teenagers dressed during the 2002-2005 era, I'd watch the Social Network. They nailed that era.

 

Edited February 12, 2012 by methodwriter85

[Mark Arbour]

I thought there was just something really cool about popping your collar. It made me want to hold my head up higher, made me throw back my shoulders and slouch less...I LOVED the look.

 

 

 

Actually, I think Claire would encourage it- remember, she was the epitome of 1980's prep, and the popped collar was definitely part of the look. Around 2002-2003, 1980's styles came back in, including ruffled mini-skirts for girls and popped collars for guys and girls, as well as feathered hair. (But only really on guys.) I think the O.C. had a MAJOR influence on fashion- it brought back surfer/prep styles to the mainstream after things had been tending more towards an urban look. Suddenly guys were wearing polos again like Seth Cohen. And pastels came back in a big way during 2003-2006.

 

I remember when some guys wore these t-shirts that said, "Real Men Wear Pink". That was around 2004 or so. I have a pink polo somewhere.

 

Mark, if you want a really good premier on how teenagers dressed during the 2002-2005 era, I'd watch the Social Network. They nailed that era.

 

Claire may have her fashion roots back in the 1980s, but that doesn't mean she didn't adapt with the times and that she doesn't appreciate new trends. There are no shoulder pads in her closet.

[methodwriter85]

Right. I'm just saying I don't really see Claire cringing at John popping his collar. And it'd be a familiar trend to her.

 

How do you think Claire will react to the boho Siena Miller trend? I'm thinking Marie would probably get into it.

 

 

 

That's another big look for the mid-2000's. I can't see Claire rocking the boho chic look, but I could see Marie doing it. There's a mild version of the look that A LOT of girls dressed in, which basically just consisted of a peasant skirt worn with a tank top:

 

 

A lot of girls starting around 2003 rocked the above look.

 

 

Mark, was it funny for you when you started seeing trends from your youth coming back in- like puka shell necklaces, popped collars, and feathered hair on guys? It'd be funny for Brad to comment on the resurgence of puka shell necklaces sometime. Mainly because of the line in Be Rad, where Brad chuckled about how a couple of years ago, he would have been wearing Puka shell necklaces and was glad that ridiculous trend was over. That's one thing I really loved about Be Rad- the constant references to clothing trends and the like.

Edited February 12, 2012 by methodwriter85

[PrivateTim]

Alright.

 

Hey, are popped collars in yet in 2000? I know they became popular in the Philly metro area circa 2003-2004, which means they're likely back in on the California coast already. I'm assuming Hollister is already in as well. I kinda see John Hobart as rocking the two-polo popped collar.

 

Mark, "popped collar" refers to this early/mid-2000's trend of guys and girls who would take their polo shirts and flip up the edges of their collar so it would stand up, like this:

 

 

I gotta admit, I LOVED popping my collar. I could never get the damn collar to stay up, though. Apparently I should have used hair spray. Every now and then, I like to pop my collar in an ironic ode to the way I used to dress when I was 18-21.

 

Popped collars were gone from CA by 2000. Long gone I would think. That seems more like a late 80's, early 90's thing in CA.

[Mark Arbour]

Popped collars were gone from CA by 2000. Long gone I would think. That seems more like a late 80's, early 90's thing in CA.

 

That's what I initially thought as well, but wasn't there some sort of resurgence?

[methodwriter85]

Yeah. The resurgence was, as Blue put it, starting around 2003 and lasting through the mid-2000's. A lot of guys were doing it- some girls as well. This is pretty funny, and spot-on for the times. The only thing missing is a Puka shell necklace or a hemp choker.

 

 

The Livestrong bracelet and the many knockoffs. You STILL see those around occasionally.

 

What do you think of the boho chic look, Mark? Do you think Claire would embrace it, or cringe in horror at her daughter dressing in peasant skirts?

Edited February 12, 2012 by methodwriter85

[B1ue]

Defintely was an in thing at the time Jeremy says, much to my dismay.

[PrivateTim]

That's what I initially thought as well, but wasn't there some sort of resurgence?

 

Not in my social circle. Maybe in {cough} Delaware.