The dangers of gymcel culture
As the worlds of incels and gym nuts collide, the impacts of this are not only concerning for women, but for the susceptible men whose wellbeing is at stake as a result of these trends. By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of the infamous red pill community, whose members...
Current in Style
Gloucestershire’s ‘Wear Not Waste’ campaign is encouraging clothing reuse
The organisation wants you to think twice before tossing that jumper. As far as environmental catastrophes go, your wardrobe may not be the first culprit that comes to mind. But Gloucestershire Recycles, a coalition of the country’s councils, is here to remind us that our favourite fast-fashion impulse buys are...
Is the hype around adaptogenic drinks too good to be true?
As Gen Z abandons beer and tequila for non-alcoholic drinks, ‘functional’ beverages containing plant-based adaptogens are hitting the market at rapid speed. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that mushrooms are having their moment in the realm of wellness as of late. Scrolling on social media, you’ve probably...
The ‘taser skirt’ uses fashion as a form of protest
Beyond our need to cover our bodies both for modesty and survival, fashion can also be used as a medium to diffuse power. A protest can have multiple definitions, but all of them follow the same line. A protest could represent a strong opinion against any issue, situation, or even...
Is dopamine fasting a wellness trend actually worth trying?
Feeling nothing for a day in order to feel more later on is all the rage on TikTok, but does it actually work? Over the last decade, ‘wellness’ has become such a ubiquitous part of mainstream culture that in 2024, it’s pretty hard to imagine life without it. A term coined...
Should fashion brands make pro-Palestinian clothing for profit?
Fashion companies using the emblems or slogans of social justice movements to sell clothing is nothing new. With support for the Palestinian cause growing globally, are brands treating the conflict as an opportunity to make sales? What happens when supporting a cause becomes ‘cool’? More often than not, companies move...
Pre-loved luxury items grace London Fashion Week’s runway
Secondhand fashion is continuing to find its place on the catwalk at global events. This week, eBay will showcase pre-loved clothing collections at London Fashion Week – bolstering its presence in pop culture. This evening, eBay will stage the second round of its ‘Endless Runway’ campaign at London Fashion Week. This live, shoppable, second-hand catwalk first debuted in New York in partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)...
Could nature be the antidote to dehumanisation?
According to recent research, spending time in nature can enhance our perception of others’ humanity. It suggests that this commonly accessible experience could be hugely beneficial for the reignition of healthy social interactions in an increasingly isolationist world. If you know me, then you’ll know I’m an absolute sucker for the outdoors. Every chance I get, I’m either taking long walks the local wilderness, camping somewhere remote, or lying on...
Opinion – social media can never do enough to protect users’ body image
YouTube is the latest platform to make bold claims about restricting young people’s access to content that promotes harmful beauty standards. In light of other online spaces’ failure to address the increasingly concerning impacts of diet culture, however, will this actually have any effect? On September 5th, YouTube announced it would stop recommending videos idealising specific fitness levels, body weights, or physical features to young people, following warnings of...
Tesco is introducing a ‘product passport’ for its clothing
The high street giant is taking steps to ‘boost supply chain transparency with new sustainability rules’. According to reports, British supermarket Tesco is introducing digital ‘passports’ for all of its clothing products. With a simple scan of a QR code printed on each item, users can access detailed information about a product’s materials, manufacturing process, and - most importantly - environmental impact. The initiative arrives as the EU prepares to...
