The Noteworthy Edit #8: the midsize movement, Past Lives, style evolution
My week in links - books and blogs and fashion inspo
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Every time September rolls around I’m always surprised by its entry into my life. It’s strange that this “back to school” feeling hasn’t ended well into my thirties. Summer is this sprawling leisure time that I am so unwilling to let go of. Long days and sunshine, even in London. The brightness of the early morning and the early evenings are my favourite. I can already feel my SAD starting to set in as the weather starts to turn.
Despite that, I do love a fresh start, which is exactly what this new season is giving.
📖 READING:
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson is the book I wish I had written and the kind of writer that I aspire to be. Have you ever come across works like that? Nelson’s prose is so lyrical and beautiful that it makes you slow down to completely savour each sentence. It’s a love story, it’s about grief and loss, it’s about Black men and masculinity - there is just so much richness. It’s a book I’m still thinking about now long after I’ve finished it and I can’t wait to return back to it regularly.
I also read Seventeen by Joe Gibson - a memoir written from the perspective of a 17-year-old boy who was groomed and sexually abused by his female teacher. A terribly sad story of lost youth and innocence, from a perspective we don’t often hear. I enjoyed it because it felt like an important story to read, but it was difficult to get through.
Stephanie Yeboah wrote a fantastic blog post about how the “midsize” movement killed body positivity. It was plus size women who were blogging about their personal style that got me into reading blogs and following Lookbook.nu in the very early days.
People like Steph who was writing as Nerd About Town then, Gabi Gregg of GabiFresh, Callie Thorpe when she was Corners of the Curve, Grace Victory, Lydia Okello of styleisstyle, Danielle Vanier…I could go on.
These are the people whose style progression I’ve followed for years and who have been advocating for themselves and in turn the rest of us in the fashion industry, to ultimately be pushed aside for more traditional body types.
I know I have moved past feeling like I need to be involved in a conversation about body positivity in the way that it affects me, knowing that people who have bigger bodies than me have never even been included at all.
Because it’s so much more than a feelings issue - how I see myself and the way that I feel about my body is separate from the fact that aggressive systemic fatphobia continues to hurt marginalised bodies. It is a socially acceptable form of discrimination denying fat people access to proper physical and mental healthcare, rejection in the education system, rejection in workplace-related issues.
Whether or not I feel “positive” about my body cannot and should not supersede the needs and priorities of fat people, of people with marginalised bodies.
🎧 LISTENING:
A few weeks ago I mentioned watching boygenius at Gunnersbury Park and Ethel Cain was one of the opening acts - it had been a little while since I had listened to her and seeing her perform live was truly a religious experience. I’ve also been fully immersed in Ethel Cain Tok as well, as my TikTok algorithm will not stop serving up her live performances there and I’m not mad about it.
As someone who grew up in the church, there is something in her voice that really resonates with me. It’s haunting —almost otherworldly— but simultaneously comforting and sexy.
If you like Florence and the Machine, Julien Baker, Neko Case, Mitski…then she is one for your playlist.
🎧 WATCHING:
I’m fully immersed in my Mubi subscription and finally watched Shiva Baby. Rachel Sennott plays Danielle who is a 20-something Jewish woman struggling with what she wants to do in life and because of this has a lot of secrets that all end up catching up with her at a shiva that she attends with her parents. It captures the messy nature of being that age, bisexuality, family dynamics, in an incredibly anxiety-inducing way. Still utterly phenomenal.
It’s been on my list for a while, especially now that the movie Bottoms has just been released, also starring Rachel Sennott, as well as Ayo Edebiri (The Bear hive, stand up!). It’s written and directed by the same writer and director of Shiva Baby, Emma Seligman.
Mubi is a streaming platform, production company and film distributor - it’s best known for having more obscure, indie films, art-house but also classic Hollywood as well. If you’re a film lover then you’ll absolutely be into it!
I also watched Past Lives which is already out and available to stream in the US but is released in theatres in the UK on September 7th. It’s the story of two childhood sweethearts growing up in Korea who are separated and then reunited decades later in New York for a week. I don’t want to spoil it too much but it’s a beautiful love story, it speaks to who we are as people and how we change, if we ever really change and how important these relationships and encounters are - how they shape us.
It really resonated with me as someone who often feels like they are on different timelines, or have lived separate lives running alongside each other. Since I moved to London as a young adult and spent the majority of my adult life here, I feel a big push and pull with my life in Virginia where I grew up.
It’s one for you if, like me, you are obsessed with the films Before Sunrise, In the Mood For Love, Lost In Translation…then you’ll love it.
I wrote a piece for Harper’s Bazaar about a similar experience of mine that parallels the film.
👗 WEARING:
Autumn/winter planning is in full-effect for me! It’s also Secondhand September so I am really trying my best not to buy anything new. As I mentioned in one of my previous newsletters, I can already feel my style evolving in a way that I haven’t quite nailed down yet - I’m not sure if it’s the seasonal change or if it’s me, but I’m excited to see what emerges.
There are quite a few people I admire who talk about their style in terms of key words, mission statements and themes, so if that’s something that interests you, definitely check them out!
Allison Bornstein is an OG stylist who I absolutely love. She coined the “three word method” (as well as the “wrong shoe theory”, I believe!) to help you hone in on your style aesthetic. She has a book out at the end of September called Wear It Well, which I’m keen to get my hands on! I find that so many stylists on Instagram only talk about style in a very minimal and simplistic way, and think that the only way to look chic is to only wear neutrals or classic pieces. Allison isn’t like that at all. She does deep dives into styles that aren’t particularly her aesthetic or way of dressing and really makes a point to showcase and appreciate the uniqueness of each individual.
I’ve spent time with Anna Cascarina at a few events now and it simply hasn’t been enough. She is hilarious and always up for a deep chat, which I love. Her personal style is quite different to mine but I love how much she knows what she likes and isn’t afraid to experiment. She came up with her style manifesto which I think is a great one if you find the three word method too simple or you want to expand a bit more. Anna is 50 and really champions mature women in the fashion space, which is such an important conversation that doesn’t get shared enough. Women don’t just disappear off the face of the Earth after 30, and Anna is a real advocate for that.
Andrea Cheong is someone who talks about fashion in an educational but accessible way. She started the Mindful Monday Method which started out as a practice of understanding why you don’t wear the clothes you already have in your wardrobe, and then evolved into looking at brands and retailers in store, looking at fabrics and compositions and assessing if they are worth the money. She’s recently released her first book, Why Don’t I Have Anything To Wear.
She’s also nailed down an aesthetic that I think I have been chasing for years but never really could figure out what the name of it is, and that’s “slutty grandma”. I’m obsessed. Despite having no children, let alone grandchildren to speak of, the slutty grandma aesthetic is absolutely me. Something about being young (which, I still am) but also older and wanting to be comfortable, chic and hot all at the same time…
I have had very oily and acne prone skin ever since I was a teenager. And the one thing I’ve learned over the years is that you don’t need a lot of products in your skincare routine. A simple skincare routine that you’re actually going to use is ultimately the best method. So as much as I enjoy recommending products, everything really is case-by-case at the end of the day!
I am lucky enough to be sent beauty, skin and hair care products and I got sent a brand called MelaVie recently, who have melanated skin at the core of their brand, which I was really intrigued by. I’ve always been a bit insecure about my hyperpigmentation after I get spots and MelaVie specifically targets that through their products. Perfect!
I have been using their Radiance Restore Serum and Antioxidant Moisturiser consistently every morning for a little over a month now, and I’ve been so impressed with my skin!
The products have key ingredients like niacinamide, alpha arbutin, kojic acid and peptides to fade the apperance of dark spots and restore the skin barrier. Their products are all vegan, cruelty-free and halal certified.
In general, the best way to stop hyperpigmentation is prevention, so trying to control breakouts more than anything is key but this serum and moisturiser combo has left my skin feeling balanced, glowy, hydrated - my skin barrier feels happy and healthy which is crucial!
About me: I'm Nicole, the writer of The Noteworthy. I’m also a content creator and the co-host of the award-winning Mixed Up podcast. Having been chronically online since the age of 13, you can also find me on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Pinterest. I’m working on my first book, The Half Of It, which you can pre-order here.