What's hot for 2014? Your guide to the trends and events that will shape the next 12 months

Two truly global events are likely to shape and dominate 2014.

The next 12 months sees the centenary of the start of the Great War, which claimed the lives of nine million soldiers, sailors and airmen.

There will be four years of public events to mark the First World War that raged between August, 1914, and November 11, 1918.

On a far less serious note, Brazil is hosting the World Cup from June 12 to July 13 and, for once, England does not expect too much from the team.

Cinema gets all biblical with epic movies Noah and Exodus and the music world is wondering if Abba will re-form for the 40th anniversary of their Eurovision triumph with Waterloo.

Hunk Jamie Dornan, right, will have a big year as he is cast as Christian Grey in the film of Fifty Shades of Grey and will be in a new series of BBC1’s The Fall.

Fashion

Once the sales are over, the spring/summer 2014 looks will filter through.

Your options are varied.

You could channel your inner warrior and go for the tribal trend – look to Alexander McQueen and Valentino for inspiration.

If you fancy something slicker then this season’s look, influenced by the Wolf of Wall Street film, might be more you.

Metallic fabrics are perfect for anyone who likes a bit of bling and the sporty trend continues which means we can eke out our sweatshirts for one more year and just add a pair of silky, slouchy track shorts.

Girls, there is a god.

Motors

It’s the Detroit motor show later this month where concept cars, new models, glamour and glitz will flag up much of what’s coming our way.

The coupe version of Jaguar’s F-Type, right, will hit the showroom floor and Porsche’s new Macan is bound to have a big impact in the compact SUV world.

A sporty 4x4 with a Porsche badge on its nose and at a reasonably affordable price, what’s not to like?

Down the food chain the new Mini arrives in spring, Hyundai has a new i10 supermini and Honda is launching an estate version of its Brit-built Civic.

Vauxhall will facelift the Corsa in summer and fit it with a range of super economy three-cylinder engines.

Back to the sexy stuff, the Audi A3 cabriolet, hot Golf R and a high-performance Peugeot RCZ coupe are about to arrive.

Trendy: Google Glass

Gadgets

Wearable tech will take over our lives with the first commercial Google Glass (above) changing how we access the internet for ever.

TV sets will get even smarter, blurring the lines between goggle boxes, games consoles and computers.

Mobiles will get curvier as LG and Samsung experiment with flexible screens and smart watches, inset.

Apple are said to be releasing a bigger iPad, and expect to see its new fingerprint scanner on a host of products.

Titanfall, Destiny and Watch Dogs all promise ground-breaking gaming.

But Xbox and PlayStation face a new threat from Steam Machines – PCs in console form bringing a desktop experience to living rooms.

First World War

In 2014 there will be more than 2,000 public shows and displays throughout Britain to mark the centenary of the start of the Great War.

Britain’s biggest-ever First World War collection will be seen in July when the Imperial War Museum opens ground-breaking £5?million galleries in London, Cambridgeshire and Manchester.

Between now and 2018, £5million will be spent restoring and conserving Britain’s First World War graves and the English Premier League will build a floodlit football pitch in the Belgian city of Ypres, and will mark next year’s anniversary of the Christmas Truce when British and German troops stopped fighting and played football in No Man’s Land.

IWM is leading the First World War Centenary Partnership, a network of local, regional and national cultural and educational organisations.

Intense: Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor

Telly

We got a glimpse of the new Doctor, Peter Capaldi, at Christmas but here’s hoping he learns to fly the Tardis pretty swiftly.

There are loads of returning treats including Sherlock, right, the mysterious Broadchurch and dark, disturbing drama The Fall.

The altogether lighter Great British Bake Off makes its debut over on BBC1 later in the year – but will it rise to the challenge?

Brand new shows to look forward to include BBC1’s swashbuckling and swoonfest The Musketeers, ITV’s costume dramas Grantchester and The Great Fire of London, plus Queer as Folk writer Russell T Davies’ romp through 21st century gay life in Cucumber for C4.

Finally, could 2014 hold our last visit to Downton Abbey? Only time will tell...

Sport

The World Cup in Brazil and the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles are set to dominate.

England face a tough group but there is more optimism about Europe’s golf. After a miserable 12 months, expect to see Rory McIlroy back to his best.

England are likely to be rebuilding in a home cricket series against India, Andy Murray will defend his Wimbledon title and, in July, the Tour de France stages its Grand Depart in Yorkshire.

Film

Biblical thrills from Darren Aronofsky’s Noah, starring Russell Crowe, Anthony Hopkins and Emma Watson, and Ridley Scott’s Exodus with Christian Bale.

Top director Christopher Nolan delivers sci-fi adventure Interstellar, Andrew Garfield is back as Spider-Man, below, and the petrol-head outlaws return in Fast & Furious 7.

Tips for the Oscars, check out 12 Years A Slave and Dallas Buyers Club.

Music

New albums from Prince and Bruce Springsteen, below, set the pace for the oldies but goldies.

U2 follow suit in April and with their first album in five years. A world (saving) tour to follow.

Lily Allen’s first album since It’s Not Me, It’s You will face stiff competition from dance diva Katy B, Paloma Faith with a new dance direction, and Foxes.

Abba may reunite for the 40th anniversary of their Eurovision Waterloo win and Lady Gaga’s album with Tony Bennett will highlight her vocal not (lack of) dress sense.

Keep an eye on singer Rosie Lowe and blues rockers The Family Rain should make their presence felt.

Books

Cloud Atlas writer David Mitchell, below left, has a new novel out in autumn, The Bone Clocks.

Meanwhile About A Boy author Nick Hornby charts the life of a 60s sitcom star.

Barbara Taylor Bradford, Jodi Picoult and Ken Follett have new novels scheduled as do crime thriller writers John Connolly and Jo Nesbo.

For non-fiction, try Guy Cuthbertson’s biography of war poet Wilfred Owen and a new book about Dylan Thomas, below right, to mark the centenary of the poet’s birth.

All to prove: Danny Dyer in EastEnders

Soaps

After losing its five-year Christmas Day top spot, EastEnders has a lot to prove.

It will take more than Danny Dyer in a negligee to do that but powerful plots include Carol Jackson’s breast cancer and the return of Lacey Turner as murderess Stacy Slater.

On Corrie, Hayley finally succumbs to cancer in what will be a powerful exit for actress Julie Hesmondhalgh.

We’ll also see the departure of Michelle Keegan.

And will viewers notice when episodes start to come from the ‘new’ Weatherfield?

Emmerdale is building on its Inside Soap Awards triumph.

Sam Dingle’s wrongful arrest for arson has dramatic repercussions for girlfriend Rachel as well as bringing dastardly Declan and cunning Charity closer still.

Holidays

Momentous anniversaries and sporting events will influence where we go .

The centenary of the First World War and June’s 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings will be marked with coach tours to the Flanders battlefields and cruises along the Normandy coast.

Scots mark the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn in June, while in Stratford it’s Bard & Breakfast time in April for the 450th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare.

In November Berliners celebrate 25 years since the Wall fell and in August it’s the centenary of The Panama Canal, above, opening – labelled Eighth Wonder of the World and top of my travel agenda.

Winner: Sam Bailey in the X Factor final

Showbiz

Last year was all about the teenager but 2014 will be a whole different kettle of fish.

X Factor winner Sam Bailey – an ancient 36 – will be everywhere, securing a number one for her debut album and aiming to “conquer America”.

In February her boss Simon Cowell will hit headlines with the birth of his son and he’s got a big new reality show concept lined up for the autumn.

Post jungle triumph, Joey Essex will be aiming to capitalise and opening a supermarket near you at the very least.

And with Celebrity Big Brother about to kick off, it’s a big chance for boyband veteran Lee Ryan, left, to gain another few thousand Twitter followers – and maybe release another hit single.

Finally, there will be no escaping model-turned-actor Jamie Dornan now he’s filming the S&M-heavy bonkbuster movie Fifty Shades of Grey.

And, frankly, who would want to?