new hobby ALERT
and it's scrapbooking. Plus how to spice up your emoji game and which dessert to order to annoy an Italian.
Hey! It’s Ashe here on this week’s intro. There’s been this trend on TikTok for the past week or so - people are hilariously exposing the wild lengths they went to impress their crushes via social media to a cover of Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Crazy’. I’m personally obsessed with this trend - watching the level of commitment and really putting yourself out there these people have… it genuinely warms my heart. It made my friends and I discuss what it was like to have crushes (and also what people are comfortable sharing online).
It’s a showcase how so many of us do crazy things just to get the attention of our crushes, but it’s also a wonderful showcase of how we’ve all got different approaches (and levels of confidence). I feel like I’ve missed out on doing this kinda silly (in hindsight) sort-of threat to my digital footprint type of stuff. My friends and I always say - having romantic feelings for someone (especially a crush) always feels like bouts of insanity taking over. Sometimes that insanity is entertaining.
While I’m back to scrolling through these and giggling, I’d rather you keep reading this fresh salt we’ve collected:
Three-stripes take over. Speculation is rife about which sneaker will replace the Adidas Samba as the season’s must-have with Nike Cortez being a strong contender, particularly as the kicks of the choice for our favorite on-screen chef Jeremy Allen White. Meanwhile, three-stripe pieces are spilling into other parts of the outfit— track pants and shorts are being contrasted with chic items like button-ups and pointed heels.
For guys, Adidas football jerseys and zip-ups are the key pieces of that blokecore uniform—the '90s British football fan aesthetic that lingers on. [Vogue’s men fashion trends spring/summer 24]
For some, it’s giving off Bella Hadid running errands / Paul Mescal jogging energy; for others, it’s a lad straight outta ex-USSR housing block district.
photos (left to right): @garconflo [Instagram]; Nike; @e1isabethng [Instagram] Affogato, but make it green. This caffeinated Italian dessert classic is having a moment, but especially when combined with the current craze for matcha. Mamma mia, we know.
Scrapbooking, collaging, and junk journaling are so in! People are getting super creative with paper, photos, and random bits and pieces to make beautiful, personal art. It's all about slowing down and enjoying the tactile experience of crafting something unique. Whether it's preserving memories or just having fun with art, maybe it’s time to dig out some old magazines (or tax letters from the gov) and get crafty!
These might inspire you:
photos (left to right): @martinamartian[Instagram]; @journalingkt[Instagram]; @_junkjournal_[TikTok] ASCII art is taking over from niche emojis 🫙🫧 ! ASCII art - text-based visual art made from computer characters - are making a big comeback. ‘It Girls’ are swapping out obscure emojis for cute Kaomojis •ᴗ• for a bit more exclusivity and ‘niche-ness’. It's about that MSN-era, early emoji nostalgia - except now it can be mixed with our modern emoji keyboards ₊˚ ☁️⋅♡🪐༘⋆.
Do you feel ( ꩜ ᯅ ꩜;) or ( •̀ ᗜ •́ ) about it? Either way, it’s definitely a digital communication trend to look out for!
Modeling masks are the new Korean skincare must-try! They've been popular in East Asia for ages, but were still mostly used by estheticians. MediHeal - the brand behind those viral toner pads - just released their own modeling masks, and all the skincare girlies are eager to get their hands on them. Does this call for a spa day?
Kobo > Kindle. Amazon’s e-reader monopoly days might be numbered as more people switch to the Kobo. Some mentioned perks include scribbling on pages with the added stylus, highlighting in color, and a journaling feature. Though many admit Kindle’s Unlimited reading offer is still better.
photos (left to right): geekdad.com; @cheinyeanlim [Pinterest]; withmarga [Pinterest] Perfect time to remind you we’re going to deliver you a nice hot plate of potential summer reads tomorrow.
Word on the streets of EU countries, don’t forget to vote.
That’s all from us this week.
Oh and one last thing - if you like what we’re doing, show some love and spread the word. Go ahead and pass the salt.