Running for office on an OTC Adderall Fridays platform
Isn't that the dream? Debunking Halo Top, Gen Z trends, and a thrifted flapper dress to jump into Friday.
The Story Behind Halo Top is Really Surprising
Did you know Halo Top was founded by two “tech bros” interested in biohacking? Each pint of Halo Top contains 3/4 of a cup of air! And, if you eat nothing but Halo Top as part of the “Halo Top diet,” you may lose weight but you may also develop copious canker sores (this “Halo Top diet” story in GQ in 2016 helped put Halo Top on the map).
The outstanding podcast Maintenance Phase explores the wacky origins of Halo Top, and how disordered eating is woven into the fabric of this product and company.
The Activist-Journalist Behind Nomadland
Are you familiar with the background behind the Academy Award-winning film Nomadland? Jessica Bruder is the author of the non-fiction book Nomadland, about older adults living nomadic lives in vans, RVs, motor homes, and mobile homes. Many lost their retirement savings in the 2008 recession and must continue to work; some adults never became financially stable enough to plan for retirement. Often, the seasonal work available to “Workampers” (as they’re known at Amazon) is demoralizing and physically brutal. Bruder lived in an RV and worked various seasonal jobs to report the book; at 37, she lasted five days at a seasonal Amazon warehouse job.
For an abbreviated version of this shocking phenomenon, read Bruder’s article “What is CamperForce? Amazon’s Nomadic Retiree Army.” (The article reads like it was the inspiration for Nomadland!
Recommended Substack: After School
If Generation Z seems mysterious or too cool to comprehend, you’re not alone. The latest cohort of teenagers are repurposing 90s clothes, developing brand loyalty to Mario Badescu, and making and watching lots of video.
A truly nuanced understanding of Gen Z trends comes in the form of the Substack newsletter After School. After School is written in a practically lyrical way and is chock full of recommended reading and breakdowns of Gen Z trends that make you feel like you could talk to a teenager, no sweat. Understanding Gen Z feels cool; plus, it’s a gesture of empathy to work to understand other age groups. After School is written by Casey Lewis, the founder of Clover Letter, a newsletter company for Gen Z girls that was acquired by Viacom!
Secondhand Finds
It’s always fun to find flapper dresses on secondhand sites (size M, Poshmark).
New blush Cole Haan slip-ons with rose gold detailing (Poshmark, size 8 and 9 avail).
New without tags (NWOT) Sperry duck boots. It’s still “mud season” in upstate New York. (size 9.5, Poshmark)
Check out the gorgeous architecture of this Catherine Malandrino shirt dress (size 8, ThredUp).
This Maeve (Anthropologie) fitted seersucker tunic with a sash for cinching the waist is more polished than preppy. (size 6, ThredUp)
A “power kimono” is like a blazer for career-oriented women who work from home. Love this Neiman Marcus power kimono (size L, Thredup).
I have followup questions about these zany Louboutin slides (size 9, Poshmark). There’s a place where these could be worn to great fanfare, and I would love to know where that is. (A pajama party at a Palm Beach pool house?)
Modcloth wedding dress (size S, Poshmark).
The sustainable fashion brand Elizabeth Suzann closed during the pandemic, but her signature drape-y, made in the USA items are available on Poshmark. These white culottes are perfect for lounge-y summer afternoons (size 22, Poshmark).