Happy Sunday. To decompress this weekend, I’ll be rewatching this Oscar-worthy Sex and the City parody featuring Barbie dolls, contemplating Gen Z’s obsession with eye-color beaded bracelets (yes, those Y2K bracelets), and indulging in some retail therapy, which, thanks to Bella Hadid, may include a “girlhood trend”-inspired baby tee. And while I could use a new pair of flip-flops for the beach, unfortunately, Kylie Jenner’s $650 ones are slightly…out of my budget. Same goes for Blake Lively’s sequined-bra-and-tutu ensemble. Finally, I’ll be getting a much-needed manicure. Though I’m still deciding between Selena Gomez’s Orange Julius-esque polish or Hailey Bieber’s (surprisingly adorable) farmers market-chic look, I’ll probably pass on Megan Fox’s studded French tips. That’s one way to use your old Bedazzler.
— Taylor Trudon / Writer, Culture & Lifestyle / Brooklyn, NY
🍟 According to TikTok, Gen Z has a new insult they’re slinging at millennials. And we thought “cheugy” was offensive…
💉 “Notox” treatments might be in, but undereye concealer is supposedly out. Because who doesn't love to hear that they look tired.
☀️ Among this week’s perplexing influencer trends, millennial parents are trying to raise “‘90s kids.” Let’s hope Gen Alpha at least gets Tamagotchis out of this.
😮💨 Not “so Julia” enough to participate in “Brat Girl Summer”? Welcome to “Ben Affleck Summer,” where stress levels are high and the caffeinated beverages are unlimited.
Glen Powell might be the only thing the country can agree on these days. Blessed with the looks of a “youth pastor who is about to whip out a guitar” and the “most Congressman-sounding name” ever, the actor has managed to win over everyone from your mom to your teen sister. This week, he continued his charm offensive when he posed on the red carpet at the Twisters premiere with his extremely cute dog (naturally, Brisket has his own Instagram) and Daisy Edgar-Jones (Powell’s hand placement caused quite the stir). He also took adorable selfies with his family members (megawatt smiles are apparently genetic), performed dorky TikTok dances (that would be criminally offensive from any other 35-year-old man), and this weekend, effortlessly shotgunned beers on stage with his fellow cast members at a Luke Combs concert.
Like the character she plays in Lady in the Lake, Natalie Portman is stepping into new territory. The Apple TV+ series — which is based on the bestselling novel by Laura Lippman — is the Oscar winner’s first time producing and starring in a TV show. In the 1960s-set drama, Portman plays Maddie Schwartz, a Jewish housewife living in Baltimore who dives into investigative journalism following the homicides of an 11-year-old Jewish girl, Tessie Durst, and Cleo Johnson (The Queen’s Gambit’s Moses Ingram), a Black activist and fellow mother struggling to provide for her family amid the Civil Rights Movement. But as Maddie digs deeper into Cleo’s world, she creates a terrifyingly dangerous situation for herself. Described as “gritty” and “surreal,” the seven-part noir thriller is about two women who have big dreams — and the price they pay for them.
Why are people chanting “boots and a slicked-back bun”? The viral TikTok earworm, which has become an anthem for young women hyping each other up, actually began when three friends from London were getting ready for a night out, and one mentioned her outfit: “boots and a slicked-back bun.” Presumably after a few cocktails, the girls turned the phrase into a rallying cry and filmed it for a TikTok video that now has over 9 million views — and countless spoofs. (We’re partial to this pitch-perfect TheParent Trap one.) It even caught the attention of Amy Poehler — who posted her own version of the meme featuring comedy legends Rashida Jones, Rachel Dratch, and Seth Meyers. (Though Meyers appears both bun- and bootless.) We’ll start the petition to get the Londoners booked on SNL, stat.
Even though jelly sandals were once a status symbol on elementary school playgrounds, we still shudder to think about our sweaty, blistered feet and that pungent, plastic-y smell. So we can’t help but have complicated feelings about the jelly fashion movement that’s taken over this summer, featuring sold-out $900 (yes, $900) mesh flats from The Row (obviously millennial footwear icon Jennifer Lawrence nabbed a pair), translucent Dansko clogs, sky-high orange platforms, and studded toe ring sandals. But the jelly-ification doesn’t stop there. There are also jelly Telfar bags, manicures, and earrings. However, our real hesitation has nothing to do with aesthetics. According to Vogue, there’s a “darker side” to jelly shoes, namely, that they’re mostly made of toxic chemicals — so they’re bad for the environment and also you. Which is all to say, maybe some trends are better left in the ‘90s.
You might know about the “skinimalism” movement, but if not, it’s exactly what it sounds like — using fewer products and letting your skin’s natural texture be what it is. We’re here to make a case for whatever the hair equivalent of that would be, starting with this multipurpose hair mist. One editor initially bought it purely as a detangler — and it does that job well on her long, tangle-prone hair — but she was pleasantly surprised to find that it also made her hair softer, less frizzy, and just easier to manage when it air-dried. This is pretty much all you need, but if you have 10 extra seconds to spare (rare), we like to follow it up with the JVN Air Dry Cream. Now move on with your life.
Trending products and brands our shopping team has been loving recently.
These comfy and stable earbuds have a cuff-like, open-ear design that make it easy to hear the world around you while you’re on the go — without pressing pause.*
Anyone else seeing this cool water bottle popping up on their social feeds? If not, you will now. You're welcome.
PS: Want more product recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram.
Unleash your competitive side with today’s games and puzzles. Choose from an anagram word search, digital jigsaw puzzle, or crossword (with a twist). Better yet: Try them all.
Mental health-related leaves of absence are up 300% since 2017 — and women accounted for 69% of those taken in 2023, according to one analysis.
In a world where it can feel challenging to take control of your mental and physical health, we’ve got you covered. The Skimm Well newsletter gives you expert-backed advice and info to do just that.
