something refreshing
soft serve and cold soups + is men's fashion taking over?
Hey there, it’s your slightly sleep-deprived, loyal trend-forager Ilze here, reporting from Amsterdam as I’m putting ice cubes in my coffee because it’s summer. Finally!
I've always had difficulties sleeping. Rushing through the day, I'm opening too many tabs in my mind that all need to be revisited once I fall into bed: I should get my wisdom teeth out. I should take advantage of the sales. I should learn to play tennis.
Now, now, before you go all Andrew Huberman on me (anyone who suggests getting morning sunlight exposure in the Netherlands during winter deserves to be canceled), I already have all the info:
sleep in a cool, dark room;
no screen time before bed;
avoid caffeine 8 hours before;
write down your thoughts (to wake up with a nightstand full of post-it notes – me).
Magnesium. Magnesium. Magnesium.
I know that you struggle too, as we collectively are in our delulu-era, avoiding news massively [according to a new Oxford's Reuters Institute report].
The thing is, during summertime, we have the usual responsibilities plus the obligation to HAVE FUN. The duty to eat ice cream. The duty to hang out by the waters. The duty to overstay the happy hours and wreck our whole bedtime schedule. So more mental tabs are being opened.
It reminds me of childhood when grandma reprimanded me for sitting in, watching telenovelas while it was sunny outside (your girl had to learn crucial Spanish like está muerto, adelante, and nunca, ok?).
All this to say, don’t surrender to the good-weather shaming. If you feel like bed-rotting while it’s hot and sunny outside, do it.
We’re gonna do it tonight anyway, cuz the Bear's Season 3 is out. Let it rip!
[Here’s DAZED article on deep sleep being the new status symbol.]
Men’s > Women’s fashion.
While the political divide between genders is widening (girls leaning liberal, guys more conservative), in fashion, we're more united than ever. Even guys who don't usually follow fashion are catching on, and paying attention to their outfits. Girls are rocking bloke-core, guys are embracing crochet, and everyone's slipping into Bermuda shorts, loafers, and socks like a one-happy family.
Even the recent Men’s Fashion Weeks were more thrilling than the oversaturated February one, from A$AP Rocky’s fashion debut to Dries van Noten’s final show. As Lucien Pagès said, “It feels like Paris men’s week is cooler than ever.”
[A recent study on Gen Z’s political leanings.]
Softserve is serving 💅
Our feeds swirl with soft serve because gelato is so last season. So, what else is hot in the frozen dessert world? Olive oil and other savory twists. It probably all kicked off when Dua Lipa announced how she upgrades her vanilla ice cream with olive oil and sea salt, sparking a full-on TikTok trend earlier this year.
Now, folks across Europe are lounging on sidewalks, sipping wine, and devouring ice cream— a trend likely inspired by Folderol in Paris [their olive oil one is a banger. Coincidence?]. Ideally served in sleek metallic cups – as we reported a few weeks back.
If you’re in London, check out Anya Hindmarch’s The Ice Cream Project pop-up, where you can sample ice creams inspired by pantry staples like Heinz Beanz and Filippo Berio Pesto. Brother eww?
Matty Matheson recently made an ice cream with olive oil and caviar for Jimmy Fallon [Video].
We’re not over paisley print.
While bold florals and animal prints are touted as THE pattern this summer, everyone—girls, guys, queers, dogs, kids—is saying yeee-haw to the classic paisley more than last summer when it first made a reappearance. Miu Miu’s latest L'été148 capsule collection features some paisley pieces. The French brand Call it By Your Name - soaking totes and everything else in the pattern - is also gaining popularity.
Drinks and fits are getting spicy. 🌶️
Chilli peppers are this season’s berry (yep, they’re berries). They’re in our drinks, on our ice cream, and even on our ears and tees, following the food iconography trend we noted before. Spicy margaritas have been winning hearts lately, but now folks are adding all kinds of capsicums to other cocktails too.
⚠️Trigger warning for Aperol Spritz fans, for the recipe below.
Cold Soup Controversy.
With Europe heating up with the summer (and heatwaves around the West), cold soups are providing some much needed cooling. The Korean Naengmyeon (Cold noodles in chilled broth) and Bibim Guksu (Spicy Cold Noodles) are newly refreshing European palates since their popularity last year.
But among the plethora of European cold soups, there’s the battle of the Baltic beet soups: we’ve got Latvia and Lithuania rehashing the age old argument (now online) about who owns the ‘pink soup’. Is it originally Latvian Aukstā Zupa, or Lithuanian Šaltibarščiai?
They’ve even got their tourism agencies beefing online over it: there’s Latvia’s diss track and Lithuania’s response with their Pink Soup Fest. Will Poland enter the chat soon?
Collagen Craze.
Ok, maybe the supplement itself isn’t new to any of us - but we’ve moved past just the pills. Collagen products on your face (like the viral K-Beauty facemasks), collagen supplement pills, and now, collagen powder. Many people - including an increasing number of men - are utilizing scoops of collagen protein powder into their health regimes for better skin, better joints, and better gut health.
+ bone broth isn’t just for the girlies anymore either - guys are getting a spoon in too. Even though supplements allegedly carry more collagen per serving than a bone broth, this collagen rich goodness is the low-calorie side to meals that many have been looking for.
Now, the [scientific] jury is still out on how effective using collagen truly is for the rewards, but anecdotally people have noticed changes while taking collagen everyday.
Word on the streets of London…is that everyone is trying to be a DJ.
One person even said everyone they’ve hook up with recently has a Pioneer DJ DDJ-200 in their apartment - they’re tired of seeing it! We wanna know how they can recognize the exact model so quickly (or are they being introduced to the setup each time?).
+ will the UK overthrow the Netherlands in the most amateur DJs per capita list?
stay hydrated and enjoy the summer (+ don’t forget we’ve got a list of possible summer reads for you, if you’re still looking)