I predict ascetism will be a trend of the 21st century and will find favour amongst people for whom body modification is no longer a novelty. Such people will be prepared to spend an immense amount of time perched on poles in deserts or sitting motionless in caves while wearing extremely uncomfortable clothing. Going shoeless or without warm clothes will also amuse them. These things were supposed to be have been done thousands of years ago for religious purposes but they could well have been done then for kicks as well. Who really knows?
I predict that many people will decide to stay married “for the children” instead of getting divorced. I think many people who are children of divorce will decide not to put their children through what they suffered.
I’m not making any moral judgement here. This isn’t a personal issue, my parents are very happily married. I just get a vague feeling from the media and people I know that the idea of “staying married for the children” is coming back into favor.
I also think Hollywood movies are going to get worse and worse. They will finally reach a point where we pay to avoid seeing the latest “blockbuster.” With the increase in interactivity, we will be able to pay a fee to prevent movie trailers from being shown on our TVs. Hollywood will finally reach it’s ideal state, where producers make billions of dollars for proposing ideas for terrible movies.
I think the next big trend will be “cosmetic amputation.” Remove your earlobe, the tip of your baby finger, maybe the end of your nose.
Bottle-green bowlers. Men will start wearing bottle-green bowlers.
You mark my words.
Prostetic nipples.
Many colors, many sizes, mix and match!
You’re all geniuses!
I happen to be sitting at a desk outside in the snow right now, wearing nothing but a bottle-green bowler, bearing proudly the 38 prosthetic nipples arranged in two rows down my back and partially amputated left arm.
I’m so hip, I just can’t stand myself!
In the relatively short term, I predict that hair colors previously relegated to anime will become popular. This will apply to both men and women, more popular with teenagers but not uncommon among young professionals, and of course, celebrities.
I predict that 70’s style dress will come back into style with the younger generation. (Afros, large pointy collars, plaid pants, etc…)
It’s already happened. I work in a Vo-Tech center and approximately 30% of the student body has their hair dyed some funky flourescent color.
I predict that they will start making that weird 50’s show with Ed Woods ol’ pal again. You know, the one with the guy in the beginning that predicts strange things for the year 2000 and such? What was that called again?
Only this time Cecil Adams will do the predicting, but only if he can master that voice: “I-i-I-i-I PrrrRReeedicccT!!!”.
Anyone have other candidates for the leading role?
— G. Raven J.
“Raven is my middle name”
That reference to the 1950s reminds me of another of my predictions: A fashion for black and white photographs on the Straight Dope people pages. They’ll be put there by dedicated followers of Coldfire’s retro look.
Heh 
And to think I’ve got a new colour picture right here on my HD to submit!
Should I stick with retro, ya think?
What about a tinted one? That way you could add colour, stay retro and still be the originator of a bizarre trend in photography.
I also predict that the sixties generation a.k.a. the baby boomers will eradicate the stigma attached to having grey hair. As geriatrics, they will see the potential in silver as a hair colour and will sport shiny metallic locks. They will not ignore gold, bronze and chrome and Christmas tinsel effects.
This of course, is just a small variation on hair trends already predicted by others in this thread.
I predict that the new dance craze will be ‘finger dancing’.
And I also predict that frontal nudity will be on prime time sitcoms before 2005.
That clothing will become more elaborate, yet comfortable…
(ah, a girl can dream, can’t she?)