Reader's Digest on MSN: Don’t toss those outdated clothes! Here’s when scientists say they’ll be back in style Don’t toss those outdated clothes! Here’s when scientists say they’ll be back in style Yahoo: Math researchers confirm ’20 year rule’ in fashion trends and it’s uncanny Math researchers at Northwestern University have confirmed that the '20 year rule' holds up in terms of fashion trends.

Understanding the Context

Math researchers confirm ’20 year rule’ in fashion trends and it’s uncanny 'A year' can be any year without any specification. But 'the year' means a particular/specified year or the one which is already mentioned and thereby known. E.g: In a year there are twelve months. (means any year or all years) I was born in the year 2000.

Key Insights

(in that particular year) Grammatically 'a/an' is known as indefinite article and 'the' is definite article. The indefinite article (a/an ... The second and final year gives the impression that you mean one specific year, which was at the same time your second, as well as your final year. For example: In the fifth and last year of the war, the motivation was dwindling. Of course, in your sentence, this interpretation is impossible because you use between, but I did get confused at first.

Final Thoughts

Unless you're talking about Chinese (or Persian) New Year, the name of the celebration isn't New Year but New Year's Eve, and it happens on the last day of the old year.