Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and the Closest Thing America Has to a Royal Wedding
When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce got engaged, the news didn’t just land as a pop star marrying a football player; it was treated like history. Headlines declared it “the closest thing to an American royal wedding,” as though an engagement could double as a coronation. People magazine even called it “our answer to a royal wedding,” complete with balcony-kiss comparisons to Charles and Diana. TikToks flooded timelines, NFL dads shrugged in amusement, Swifties wept, and for one surreal moment, America behaved as if it finally had royals.
The Great Lock In: 2025’s Reset Trend For Self-Improvement
This phenomenon has taken the world by storm and interested not just the health fanatics, but another wave of Gen-Zs who want to buy into the latest craze. From 5 a.m morning routines, to breathing exercises, to extravagant facials, self-improvement and wellness trends have given people an outlet to de-stress and feel invigorated. “Locking-in” is another Gen-Z trend which has taken the internet by storm. Cue the thousands of TikTok videos all about it. Just in time for the autumn season, we’re buying planners and new stationery, beginning the ascent to achieving our own goals. Mass consumerism, an occurring trend many of us buy into like clockwork each year, seeks to perpetuate these high standards of “goal-achieving”. Perhaps we should make an effort to reduce our consumerist habits, especially in an age of climate change and the cost of living crisis. We don’t need to be buying expensive notebooks and planners. Vision boards, early mornings, and feel-good routines that work for us make it easier to “lock in” and be productive in this new phase of the year.
Simone Rocha SS26: The Next Chapter of Girlhood
Simone Rocha has spent over 15 years quietly reshaping what femininity can look like on the runway. Recently, we’ve been on a journey of femininity and girlhood with Rocha’s collections. Last season, Rocha gave us a full-on nostalgia trip full of childhood memories, messy adolescence, that space between play and reality. This time, she’s clearly taking us on a journey through the early years of girlhood. Spring/Summer ‘26 felt like chapter two of her coming-of-age story. Think secret diaries and sleepovers, all filtered through Rocha's narrative-driven, subversive flair
(Don’t) Stop Filming me Courtney: Paul Black on Virality, Class, and all things Glasgow
When Paul Black speaks, it’s as if Glasgow itself has picked up the mic: fast, self-aware, and never quite willing to take itself too seriously. He’s the kind of performer whose offhand catchphrases end up tattooed on fans, whose earliest “punk edits” on Tumblr made him internet-famous before he even showed his face, and whose Glaswegian humour now pulls in thousands who see their own lives reflected in his work. In conversation, Black moves between razor-sharp wit and moments of sincerity, weighing the chaos of viral fame against the realities of being a working-class artist from his home city.
Critical Thinking Is Dying and ChatGPT Is Holding the Knife
For generations, education has prided itself on more than just memorising facts, but also the ability to think critically, to ask questions, to weigh arguments, and to sit with uncertainty. That habit is now slipping away, and the culprit is not ignorance, but convenience.
ChatGPT and similar tools offer a sense of quick clarity on demand. They generate paragraphs that flow, essays that read well, and convincing arguments. But fluency is not the same as thought. By outsourcing our thoughts to a machine, we risk losing the very skill education was meant to protect: critical thinking.
“What You See Is What You Get”: Kira McCaffery on Growing Up, Going Viral and Staying Real
There’s a certain type of warmth that some people carry with them, a brightness that doesn’t beg for attention, but draws it anyway. Kira McCaffery, content creator and self-described “centre of attention Leo”, is exactly that kind of person. You hear it in the Glaswegian lilt of her laugh, the way she names her childhood teddy “Sharpay” after High School Musical’s finest diva, or how she tells you, quite frankly, that being on telly just felt right.
Ethel Cain: Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You - Album Review
Have you ever heard of Cancer Alley?
In Louisiana, there is a stretch of land, about 140km, with a massive concentration of America’s petrol refineries. In this naturally stunning area of the United States that stretches out into the Gulf of Mexico, residents are 95% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer. This image of an area in the marshy south of the United States, radiating with carcinogens is one that I could not escape when listening to Ethel Cain’s new album, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You.
Hayden Anhedönia, performing as the character Ethel Cain, has always had this element of tortured southern gothic tone to her music. Her debut album, Preacher’s Daughter, rides a fine line between Bible-Belt nostalgia and post-modern doomerism. Her recent follow up Perverts dives head first into the doom, with an industrial ambient album that was far removed from the almost-pop music of before; the drones of the album would almost be more fitting with the sound of a geiger counter clicking in the background.
The Far-Right’s New Muse: Sydney Sweeney and her “great genes”
Well, so much of Sydney Sweeney’s public image as it existed before was her straddling herself between the two camps. She has had several appearances on the left-wing comedy show SNL, while a surprise party she threw for her mum's 60th birthday drew attention when photos were shared of guests wearing MAGA-style hats and “Blue Lives Matter” shirts. Whenever her public appearances garner attention from the right wing, she never comments on where she stands or condemns the attention.
Love Island 2025: Society on Steroids - Power, Race, and Gender Dynamics
UK Love Island Season 12 is a revealing microcosm of society’s persistent tensions around patriarchy, misogyny, and racial bias. As the contestants navigate love, friendship, and conflict under the relentless spotlight, we witness a condensed performance of social codes and power struggles that shape everyday life. The Majorcan villa becomes a pressure cooker, intensifying the complex intersections of gender, race, and power in ways that are uncomfortable, captivating, and all too familiar.
From Underdogs to Icons: The Lionesses and the Rise of Women’s Football
With another victory under their belt, England’s Lionesses have once again captured the nation’s attention, highlighting the continued rise of women’s football.
What was once a side-lined sport is now firmly in the spotlight, with growing audiences, increased investment, and a new generation of fans. The momentum behind women’s football reflects a wider cultural shift: attitudes are evolving, representation is expanding, and young women are seeing new possibilities, both on and off the pitch. A game long dominated by a male narrative is finally opening up to new voices, and they’re making themselves heard.
Addison Rae Sheds Her TikTok Persona, and Her Last Name, with Debut Album
Released to mixed reviews in 2021, Addison Rae’s single ‘Obsessed’ was praised by some but regarded by most as dull and uninspired. As an artist she was viewed as just another influencer exploiting the utilities at their disposal brought on by the privileges of fame. With such an overwhelming outpouring of negativity, it was back to the drawing board for Rae. Leaks of an original scrapped album that was led by ‘Obsessed’ went viral, and were later released- in 2023, leading some to re-evaluate opinions on her music, although some were still left sceptical. Either way, fans and critics alike have been anxiously anticipating an album from Addison Rae for quite some time now.
Review: Mike White’s ‘The White Lotus’ (Season 3)
Mike White’s The White Lotus has, for many years, depicted the monstrosity of affluence among wealthy Americans. From Hawaii to Sicily, we were rocked by the twists and turns of events throughout their stay at the iconic hotel. Season 3, now set in Thailand, was perhaps the most hotly anticipated TV series this year, and it certainly did not disappoint! We were introduced, yet again, to another ensemble of wealthy Americans eager to put their minds at rest from their everyday materialist lives. A holiday in Thailand was quite the choice!
The Social Class Satire: How the Ultra-Rich Lost Their Allure
Poking fun at those in positions of power or privilege is nothing new; in fact, it’s the very foundation of satire. Yet, the 21st century has introduced a new generation of the rich and famous, complete with a fresh set of mannerisms and stereotypes for those on the outside to laugh at. Films such as Triangle of Sadness – a scathing satire centred on models, influencers, and oligarchs – and TV series such as The White Lotus – a darkly comedic take on luxury resorts – suggest that being inordinately wealthy has lost its chic, if fact, it’s actually quite embarrassing.
Why the Vampire Trend is Immortal
Twilight was a big deal. The 2008 supernatural romance film hit screens with a bang, and everyone had something to say about it. Even though the craze for the saga has faded with time, nobody can deny the impact it’s had on teen pop culture. Hitting the peak of its popularity with the final film’s release in 2012, it seemed that every girl had an opinion on whether glistening vampire Edward or broody werewolf Jacob made the better match for Bella. This was the pinnacle of the so-called ‘vampire trend’, which also saw the success of TV series like True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. Many look back at this time with nostalgia (even if such feelings are met with ridicule from the actors themselves), but the 2020s are seeing a resurgence in vampire-related content.
Christmas Films and the Demonisation of the Big City
The Hallmark Christmas movie formula is one so well-known that it has an almost mythical status in popular culture. A woman living in the city, with a high-powered career and an endless stream of meetings and espressos, goes back to her rural hometown, falls in love with a man in a plaid shirt, all while discovering the joys of Christmas, and ultimately, becoming a housewife. They’re undeniably cosy and sweet, and the formulaic approach means you can half-watch whilst wrapping presents and still follow the plot. But why does festivity have to come at a cost to life in the metropolis?
Why the 2022 John Lewis Christmas Ad Matters
Every year, British retail giants John Lewis release a heart warming festive advert, and 2022’s edition has been met with both praise and criticism. Ranked as the 3rd best Christmas ad of this year (Saville, 2022), ‘The Beginner’ tells the story of a soon-to-be foster father learning to skateboard, trying his best to fit in practice sessions between his regular 9 to 5; at first, it appears as though he may be pursuing a hobby simply to escape the mundaneness of life, as much as it may hurt and frustrate him. It’s then revealed that he’s doing it to share a common interest with a teenager he’s fostering, who arrives at his doorstep with her own skateboard, nervous about joining a new family for Christmas (John Lewis, 2022). Viewer opinions seem to be divided; on the one hand, some appreciate the sentiment that the idea of a picture-perfect biologically-related family on Christmas doesn’t have to set the standard for ‘traditional’ norms. On the other hand, some viewers have noted that the ad could be misinterpreted and any foster children watching might receive the wrong message (more on this later). You may also be wondering how 2022’s ad has compared to previous years — and what other elements have led to the public deeming it a success or a flop.