trend

Hollywood is baby crazy right now! Natalie Portman kicked off the trend at the end of 2010, and then Victoria Beckham, Jane Krakowski, Marion Cotillard, and Kate Hudson followed in the New Year. Is it part of a larger trend? If it is, then there are only more pregnancies to come.

For 10 of the 16 years between 1990 and 2006, August was the most popular month to give birth — though Oct. 5 is the most popular day — and February was the least. That would mean August babies are conceived in November.

If November is for baby-making and August is for childbirth, then February and March are for baby announcements. Because celebrities, and their conception dates, are just like us, right?

Everyone loves cupcakes, and it seems like the finance world loves them, too! Crumbs Bake Shop, the biggest cupcake chain in the US, has plans to go public, according to the New York Times. Going public a.k.a. doing an IPO or initial public offering means that everyone is allowed to buy shares of the company. As of now, Crumbs runs about 34 stores, but plans to operate about 200 stores by 2014.

I feel like cupcakes aren't just a trend, because the craze has lasted more than a handful of years ever since it was triggered by Sarah Jessica Parker biting into a cupcake on Sex and the City. I also noticed that in every city I go to, there is a never-ending source of cupcake boutiques around to satisfy my sugar cravings. Cupcakes are such a booming industry that it's no wonder investors are hungry to cash in. Other notable "sweet" stocks that are publicly trading include Sara Lee, Nestle, and Hershey. What do you think — would you be interested in buying some cupcake shares?

Source: Flickr User lamantin

When it comes to popping the question, guys are always looking for the most creative, over-the-top, awwww-inducing means possible. Whether they're motivated by that male desire to one-up the competition, they've simply been pressured into it by all the other guys who've made grand gestures, or maybe they just really want to show how much they care, guys have come up with some crazy ways to ask for your hand.

One of the engagement trends making waves is taking a turn toward the techy, be it proposal videos at movie theaters (bonus if Muppets are involved!), on blogs and social media, or, as of this week, proposing via Groupon. But apparently the expectations are stressing fellas out, since the other big trend in the soon-to-be-married world is engagementcations, package deals sold by companies who will plan your perfect proposal.

These virtual, viral marriage inquiries take the public proposal to a whole new level. And while I think the effort put into elaborate "will you marry me" moments is commendable, a proposal doesn't need to be a huge ordeal. Foreign countries and clever Internet-savvy aren't necessary to be sweet, sentimental, and successful. After all, when I asked what your response would be to a casual, no-frills proposal, a whopping majority of you so far said, "I do."

What do you think about these engagement trends?

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The menswear trend has already hit big — remember Leighton Meester's recent suit-and-tie getup? OnSugar blog Dressing Up In Daisies tackles the trend and offers some super-chic options to help you get your androgyny on.

Lately I have been drawn to menswear inspired looks. I think it has something to do with my obsession with stylish men such as Johnny Weir and Brad Goreski. Or maybe it's just my fashion instincts predicting a trend for Spring 2011. . .

Either way, I'm becoming obsessed with little oxfords and blazers, and even fedoras and bow ties, too. Today I even bought a flannel button up and a striped sweater from the guys' department. Sometimes the girls' section simply just doesn't have what you need, and getting boyish pieces from the actual "boys" department is as authentic as it gets.

Want to see more? Follow OnSugar blog Dressing Up In Daisies now! Or start your own OnSugar blog. We may just feature your post on FabSugar!

Yesterday the Centers for Disease Control announced two of the three STDs it tracks are on the rise. While gonorrhea continues its steady decline to all-time lows, dropping another 10 percent last year, chlamydia and syphilis rates are ticking up.

Chlamydia, which is rampant among young people but curable with antibiotics, surprises me far less than syphilis, which I thought was contained to Charles Dickens's novels and the crazy lady in the attic of Jane Eyre. But, actually, it rose 39 percent since 2006.

Unfortunately, STDs travel in subgroups as different races, ages, and sexual orientations are at different risks. While gonorrhea is on the decline among the whole population, the rate among blacks is 20 times higher than whites and almost 10 times higher than Hispanics. Young black women, 15 to 24, are most affected by chlamydia, while men who have sex with men account for nearly two-thirds of syphilis cases.

Whether you're in a high-risk group or not, it seems like concern about STDs has been on the decline for the last decade, even as people are more likely to get an STD from an ex or friend with benefits. Would you say you're more worried or less?

Here's another trend to add onto our list of baffling effects of the recession: more single women over fifty are moving in with roomies they find through their version of Craigslist, according to SmartMoney. They are turning to agents who work for home-sharing companies that specialize in matching these golden girls up. One reason for this shift is financial necessity, and another is pure loneliness. Moving in together with someone gives these women a sense of comfort and a chance to socialize, says Ken Dychtwald, an expert who studies aging. Dychtwald predicts that numbers of older women living together "will unquestionably multiply in years to come."

This burgeoning trend sounds like it can be a good idea if the pair-up is right. After all, you certainly don't want to deal with nightmare roommates when you're facing retirement issues!