Noticed: That trend you’ve been seeing everywhere, explained

Have you ever noticed that all bridal shower invites use the same bouncy cursive font? Or that every restaurant, from huge chains to tiny cafes, has the same industrial chairs? Or that more and more movies have title cards popping up mid-film? Well, we have. And we’re here to tell you why.

Noticed is Vox’s column that explains the trends you’ve been seeing all over the place — whether it’s paint-dipped kitchen items or grown-up sticker packs. We want to tell you when a trend started to take off, why a certain style or trope is suddenly everywhere, and what it says about our larger cultural moment.

This is the column where we answer the questions you didn’t even know you had. If you’ve noticed something that you want more information about, tweet us @thegoods or @voxdotcom and it might spark our next investigation.