LAST WEEK, I asked a slew of the city's design and lifestyle professionals to give their assessment of 2014's highlights and lowlights. But fashion is more at home when it's looking toward the future, and so we present the predictions for what we will be wearing and loving in the New Year. Opinions abound! See portlandmercury.com for the complete version of this article.

I hope to see the continuing trend of manufacturing and shopping locally. Especially here in Portland, I think there is a huge market of consumers who want to hear the story of where their products come from. And no more normcore, please.—Krystal Gaynor, operations manager, Mercantile Portland, mercantileportland.com

Hoping to see less of the cropped top. Very sick of going shopping and having to put a sweater back because it lost its practicality when it lost its bottom half. Would also love to see less detailing on the backs of shirts, whether it's a large diamond-shaped cutout, complicated straps, or zippers. Less lace, more silk! We don't think the athletic trend should go anywhere. It's not only super functional, comfortable, and cute (when done correctly), but it's also a great way to encourage people to get outside and get active.—Emily Backerman and Bridget Donegan, vintage sellers, Milk Money, etsy.com/shop/shopmilkmoney

We will see more talented people who we had never heard of in 2014 absolutely blow 2015 out of the water. More independent designers, magazines, and artists will be what we buy, view, and listen to on a national level. The boring will perish and the weird, wild, and honest will shine.—Holly Hoover, founder, Eyes + Edge, eyesandedge.com

Due to enhanced interest in the apparel industry from different sectors of development, Portland will muster some cohesive support for designer acceleration. This includes UP/NXT, the FashioNXT emerging designers development program, the longest and only [such] program in place in Portland. This may sound like blatant self-promotion, but as I look around to find other infrastructure or programs that are incubating emerging fashion designers, UP/NXT is the closest I can find.—Tito Chowdhury, executive producer, FashioNXT, fashionxt.net

Stevie Nicks, Jane Birkin, and my mother will be proud: I think we will all be searching Goodwill for those long, gauzy hippie dresses (unless you can afford Valentino's versions) and chunky ceramic jewelry. Floral and botanical patterns seem to be hanging on, as well as art-teacher-chic smock dresses and kimono tops, so go ahead and skip yoga class, and take up pottery instead!—Anna Fickle, owner, Branch Birdie, branchbirdie.com 

I hope menswear continues to loosen up. I want the same plethora of choices that women have. There was a period—late '60s/early '70s—when men were free to wear pretty much anything, and I'm hoping that freedom comes back full force.—Brett Glass, freelance writer

I hope the minimalist trend carries through 2015. It definitely makes picking out an outfit in the morning easier!—Tonya Smith, student and fashion blogger, the Moptop, themoptop.com

Hope big eyebrows never go away, and blanket coats stay around for a very long time. Who doesn't want to feel like you are wearing a robe around all day long? Bring on the double-breasted coat, and please keep wearing cozy sweatpants and sweaters so we aren't the only ones. We pray the overwhelming comfort trend will stay—we love when our feet don't hurt! Natural faces and hair, because it's easy to maintain—dare you to just stop looking in the mirror! All things white, black, navy, denim, and gray. This is also convenient, because then everything goes together, and it makes getting ready super easy and quick! 

May all these trends perish and take a VERY long time to resurface: "stiletto nails"—get rid of the claws, ladies! Patterned leggings (the worst), and piggybacking on that, patterned pants, in general. Jean shorts with tights under them—convenient?! Wedges—it's just time to move on. Dresses with cutouts!!—Jacquelyn Caballero and Mikola Accuardi, co-founders, Portland Supply Co., portlandsupplyco.com

Anything hunted, skinned, tanned, and fashioned. We eat a shit-ton of meat in this city, and we should wear the parts we don't. Kill it, eat it, and wear the rest. I am looking forward to an elk skin bikini this summer, and I'm curious to see what fashion designers can do with some goat intestine—a practical neck warmer? —Kelley Roy, founder, ADX, adxportland.com

I am constantly pushing the idea that you can be comfortable and still wear real clothes. I hope that catches on; expressing yourself with your clothing is more interesting than pretending you just worked out. (You know not everyone wearing yoga pants just came from yoga class, right?) More women seem to be requesting high-waist jeans, which seems like a good sign that we can kiss the muffin top goodbye for good! Yay! I think the basic skinny jean and slouchy top is not going anywhere for 2015. It's too comfortable to give up! Please stop saying, "I have to stop wearing black." Women seem to be fighting the color black... why? It's so good! Black is bold and timeless, and everyone looks great in black! Add color, yes, sure, but don't throw the baby out with the bathwater!—Sarah Bibb, owner/designer, Folly, follypdx.com

Honest self-expression inspiring a wider range of looks. Let's squash us all looking the same (I'm looking at you lumbersexual dudes and boho-witchy chicks). We'll continue to see unisex fashion and the tomboy look for ladies.—Caroline Marie Griffin, creative consultant and designer, Atelier Cornelia, ateliercornelia.squarespace.com

Indigo—don't call it a comeback, it's been here for years.—Dawn Yanagihara, co-founder and creative director, Kiriko, kirikomade.com

We may reject gimmicks such as Fitbit, but will choose anything that saves times and delivers convenience. Some version of Google Glass will hit the market so we can text, tweet, and shop for shoes while walking and gardening. We'll demand to be entertained 24/7. Comfort (still) is king. Blame Juicy Couture, but the tracksuit will be the staple from New Jersey to Newport. We can look stylish and athletic even when we've just rolled out of bed and haven't worked out for days. No longer velour, the fabric of choice becomes cotton Lycra.

Congress will (unknowingly) kill the dream of re-shoring. Congress belongs to the highest bidder. The highest bidders are Wall Street firms who chase the lowest price for production, as production moves from China, to Bangladesh, to Vietnam, to wherever people are willing to work for low wages in unsafe conditions. Our salvation is innovation and design. Let's hope our leaders wake up to see that investing in education and small business will keep us ahead of the Chinese and build jobs for taxpayers. Meanwhile, the scrappy folks in Portland, Oregon, will lead the way to a new way of seeing American industry.

Copper is the new black. We will return to colors from nature: maroon, bark, toffee. They warm and comfort us as we hope for better days.—Sharon Blair, director, Portland Sewing, portlandsewing.com

I predict we'll be seeing more vintage-style tee-shirts. The new "girly tee" isn't fitted, but more like a boyfriend tee with a scooped neckline that's more feminine than the crewneck, with bad-ass images and wordage like: "Pizza Is My Boyfriend," "Crazy Wiener Dog Lady" (Bean Goods, beangoods.com), and "Red Fang." The zeitgeist in fashion is an abundance of variety: vintage revival from almost all eras; basics; futuristic; fitted; volume.—Katie Guinn, apparel designer (and Mercury contributor), katieguinn.com

I hope we see some apparel brands grab a stronghold in Portland and stay for the long haul, like Pendleton. We have an amazing amount of talented folks here, maybe 2025 for that one? Go Portland!—Alyson Clair, apparel designer, Clair Vintage Inspired, alysonclair.com

We will get more granola (Birkenstocks) and then get really preppy (khakis). Trench coats; patent leather; big hair and/or black pixie cuts. Colors: oxblood, mahogany, burnt umber, sienna—deep and rich.—Sierra Gardiner, founder, Oneironaut, a forthcoming line of "dream wares for serious oneironauts"

My hopeful prediction: We will stop buying crappily made clothes as an afterthought during a Costco/Target/Fred Meyer binge. Instead, men and women will turn to their own closets, local boutiques, consignment shops, and their friends for sartorial inspiration. 2015 will be the year of intentional, creative fashion moments made possible by ingenuity rather than excess.—Holley Shepard, fashion stylist, puttogether.net

Well, Wild just came out, and with that the Danner Mountain Light Cascade boot has been reissued. I remember this boot from my childhood. In fact, when I think about a hiking boot, I automatically think red laces. Keep in mind my family didn't camp, nor did we hike—this was all from popular culture. You will definitely see me sporting them in 2015.—Marissa Sullivan, founder, Portland's Pretty, portlandspretty.com

In 2015, I am envisioning graphic black-and-white prints, boxy herringbone coats, androgyny, metallic shoes, and big volume in dresses and shirts. I am obsessed with a particular image of David Bowie in a suit jacket and clear glasses—I think this will inform many of the style decisions I make in the next year! Having lots of plants and handmade objects in your living space will make your home feel more vibrant, and our number one priority in 2015 should be fighting systems like racism and sexism that keep us from loving and respecting each other.—Sara Bergman, eponymous apparel designer, ilovesarabergman.com

I love the monochromatic colors coming into style, and don't see them going anywhere—clean, simple, and very fashionable. From your clothes to your accessories and your makeup, monochromatic colors are gonna be what 2015 is all about. I also think Transcendental Meditation will be coming to the fore. It has been getting so much buzz [because of] how it can really relieve stress and depression, and I feel it is a life-changer. I can attest to this, being a meditator myself. With more and more celebrities coming out of the woodwork and praising the effects, I think more people need to take notice and get on that train. It will make the world a better place, and we need that right now. And after a year of recording and touring with legend Tony Bennett, I think we are gonna get something really new and innovative in 2015 from Lady Gaga. I am always eager for a new album, but something tells me there will be something special from her this year.—Kelly Peach, master stylist, Hair M|W, kellypeach.com