Opinion – Viral beauty trends on TikTok have gone too far
Social media is adept at consistently making us question whether or not our appearance meets an extremely high standard, all while continuing to shove algorithmic ‘sameness’ down our throats. Isn’t it time we stopped letting the Internet dictate the way we perceive our facial anatomy? Ever since TikTok took over...
Current in Style
Is shopping for skincare now more complicated than ever?
The rise of no-nonsense, ingredient-focused skincare lines promised to streamline our self-care regimes. But with new product lines, formulas, and beauty trends popping up every month, has taking care of our skin become over-complicated? The beauty industry has seen massive growth over the last few years, especially in the skincare...
Opinion – January should be about happiness as much as health
A new year brings new goals. But these restrictive and often daunting wellness trends can do more harm than good. Ah, January—the month when the air is filled with a sense of renewal, and social media is flooded with images of kale smoothies, gym selfies, and the ever-elusive promise of...
Menstrual cycle linked with increased suicide risk
In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists have uncovered that suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts are most common in the days just before and after bleeding begins. Though the average woman menstruates for 2,535 days of her life (that’s seven years total of pads, tampons, ruined underwear, cramps, and red rivets...
Has fashion truly addressed its ties to Uyghur forced labour?
In 2020, a coalition of human rights groups said it was ‘virtually certain’ that as many as 1 in 5 cotton products sold across the globe were tainted with modern slavery. Has the apparel industry stopped sourcing so extensively from Xinjiang and are brands’ supply chains as ethical as...
Almost 1 in 10 teenagers have used harmful weight-loss products
According to a new study, around 9 per cent of adolescents – especially girls – have used non-prescribed diet pills, laxatives, and diuretics in their lifetime. As remarked by one of the authors, this is a ‘pretty big public health concern’ for young people around the world. In 2023, social...
The implications of a male-dominated fashion industry
Hyper-femininity is one of the dominating forces in fashion right now. But women are not well-represented in top positions at most major brands – meaning that those dictating trends in women’s fashion are ultimately men. Considering that the fashion industry has long been viewed as catering significantly more to the female portion of the population, its offices are surprisingly void of women employees. In 2018, it was reported that there...
Black Friday in the age of conscious consumerism
As we approach the end of yet another manic Black Friday weekend, is it time we reevaluated this longstanding tradition of unnecessary spending and started striving to shop more consciously? Walking through London last November, weaving through the hordes of Christmas shoppers and Black Friday bargain hunters, I came across a sign outside independent store Lone Design Club urging passersby to stop and think about the...
Opinion – Clothes should not be a legal issue in 2023
A new Wisconsin Bill marks a milestone for Indigenous students. But we should be questioning why legal intervention is necessary in the first place. Under new Assembly Bill 210, students in Wisconsin will now (legally) be allowed to wear tribal regalia – like beadwork and eagle feathers – to their graduation ceremony. The news may sound positive, but the legislation has sparked debate online. Many think it's grossly overdue, given Wisconsin...
Opinion – Consumers are becoming savvy to performative inclusivity
UK beauty brand Pink Honey has come under fire for a recent influencer trip. The backlash proves consumers won’t stand for vapid marketing. Brand controversies seem to be on the rise. Everywhere you look – particularly on social media – a company is facing ridicule for short-sighted campaigns or shallow marketing tactics. But the increase in backlash isn’t necessarily a sign that brands are growing lazier, rather that consumers are demanding more from...
