Size matters. Make it small
Size matters. Make it small
Tiny things are trending, but not when it comes to shoulders
I know there’s more important things happening, that y’all might wanna hear about like Nobel prizes announcements (!!!) - so far we know the winners in medicine for the discovery of microRNA, in physics on machine learning with artificial neural networks, in chemistry split between computational protein design, and protein structure prediction).
But I [Ashe] wanna talk about the ‘cuckstoel’ meme on Twitter (X).
It all started with a Dutch post on Twitter (X) about a seat on the public transit NS - instead of a quad, there’s a single seat facing two seats side by side. They called it a ‘cuckstoel’ or cuck chair because sitting there feels like you’re the cuck to the two-seat. Find out what a cuck is at your own risk.
It’s a meme that has now transcended the original language, with the virality lending to the sharing of ‘cuck’ chairs in Germany, France, Switzerland, and UK - and not just on public transport.
📝 Follow Ups 📝
The pickle craze is pickling (fermenting?) with Dua Lipa gracing us with her pickle juice and jalapeño in Diet Pepsi ‘recipe’. [Insta link for those without TikTok]
+ Even Logan (cucumber salad, Korean cold noodle guy) tried it. [Insta link for those without TikTok]
Note: Just know Ashe has been obsessed with pickles and jalapeños in drinks and needs people [like Dua] to normalize it to avert the judgement in people's eyes.Return of print media is visible in marketing - with brat (but it’s completely different) posters all over, teasing the collabs for the upcoming collab version of the album. charli xcx is gave out a print of the tracklist during her SWEAT tour set.
🚨News-y Trend Stuff🚨
Men dating AI girlfriends. Read more here.
Celeb voices in AI chats for Meta - you may not see ‘em, but you might hear John Cena, Awkwafina, Dame Judi Dench, and more.
Fragheads: Bottega Veneta has a perfume line out. The components are gorgeous.
Formula 1 and LVMH announced a 10-year partnership, kicking off next year for Formula 1's 75th anniversary. Goodbye Rolex crown photos.
Movie flops continue (after Megalopolis) - Joker II Folie à Deux, a deux fail? We’ve heard that conspiracy theories that it intentionally made bad to piss off the incels that loved the last one - one Reddit user saying it’s “supreme incel ragebait”.
Flops also on the lil screens. Kaos is cancelled - only about a month after release. But still, Netflix, please… no one wants another Love is Blind or the billionth season of Stranger Things. Invest in giving streaming shows more than 5 seconds to succeed. More here.
THHypeGuy can recommend a better use of your cinema funds. His goal to make people watch Transformers One in cinemas has gone viral through his replies to post (about other movies) with a call to action for Transformers One. Yes it’s animated, yes it’s not just for kids. Word of mouth showing its superiority over paid advertising in real time? Read more here.
Zara x Stefano Pilati collection is live and they say the menswear is better. A Uniqlo:C competitor?
onto our trend finds:
Frazzled English Woman
is the fall version of Brat summer? This aesthetic is inspired by the British romcom main ladies like Bridget Jones, Fleabag and Kate Winslet’s role in the Holiday. Think unbrushed hair, long scarves, mismatched socks, and waaaay too much clutter in your handbag. No need to buy anything new, it's all already in your closet. Zero effort – we love!
It’s all in line with the current obsession with everything Britishcore [The Guardian].
Small Is In
This autumn, size matters - we’re sensing a theme with short hair. We’ve got micro bobs galore this autumn (some fuckass bobs too) + tiny moustaches (pencil stache in?).
Keeping the upper lip barely warm and shoulders chilly seems to be the call this season.
Morning Shed
“The uglier you go to sleep, the more beautiful you wake up” has been plastered over all beauty (skincare) content. ‘Morning shed’ is the removal of the self-care products that were slept in - usually a very extensive night time routines.
Some talk about it as a ritualistic practice - often with the paradigm of self-care as a hobby [Glamour]. Others find it signalling our morbid desire to be “perpetually hot.” [Vogue].
The discourse is intriguing and brings up varied perspectives on the effect of patriarchy. The trend itself? Expensive and time consuming - but if you’re having fun, you’re having fun.
Scented candles
Diffusers and smoky incense sticks? That’s so yesterday. Even GQ is making roundups on the best-scented candles - Diptyque, Jo Melone, Byredo, Replica… it depends how much money you want to burn.
NYMag’s The Strategist roundup of best smelling candles
Big Shoulder Energy
From no-collar blazers, we’ve shifted to big-shouldered silhouettes. This is a win, considering shoulder-padded blazers are best found in the menswear section of thrift shops or, like most cool fashion trends this year, straight outta [eclectic] grandpa’s closet.
And for menswear? We hear that hefty-shouldered long overcoats are a big flex this season.
#WinterArc
Talk to your testosterone fuelled gym-bro - their winter arc is here!
Ok, it isn’t so gendered. The #winterarc is an online fitness challenge (or movement) where people are ‘locking in’ towards the end of the year. This is all about mind and body fitness with a lot of rules to stay consistent (and many teetering the line of satire). It’s about working out - body and mind - every day, with ‘no distractions’.
To some, that means they’ll limit screentime. To others, breaking up with their partners. 🤷😀 It’s kind of like a seasonally rebranded ‘Hard 30’ challenge or any of the other habit-forming challenges on fitness social media.
Nonlinear Storytelling Edits
Beyond just sharing reviews of being confused, Megalopolis has sparked a trend of ‘subtle foreshadowing’ edits on TikTok - the foreshadowing is anything but subtle.
Loosely inspired by the nonlinear storytelling style, this editing style has garnered many giggles (and maybe showcased Chekhov's Gun for a low attention span economy).
It hasn’t hit reels too much yet, so this might be the time to grab someone who has TikTok on their phone:
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season you later 🧂