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Whelp, this will be a shorter Weekend Reads than usual because like most Americans, I was either doomscrolling Twitter for political updates or trying to stay as far away from the internet as possible to maintain my sanity. However, I did find a few links at times when procrastinating and some I emailed to myself before that never got in one of these posts. I hope you all are well, getting some rest, donning your sartorial armor, and getting ready for the next step for America!
How to Help
Did seeing Georgia go blue excite or shock you? It shouldn't if you know how much voter suppression is taking place in this country. Gerrymandering, lost and rejected votes, closed polling places, inaccurate information… I could go on because there are so many ways that vote suppression happens in America. Well thanks to organizations like Fair Fight, voters didn't feel disenfranchised, had the access to vote, and had their votes counted. Nothing illegal, nothing about blue versus red, just making voting fair, accessible, and equitable.
And we need to continue to fight for fair elections in America, so this week I made another donation to Fair Fight so Fair Fight can continue to promote fair elections in Georgia and around the country, encourage voter participation in elections, and educate voters about elections and their voting rights. Click here to learn more about Fair Fight, and click here if you too would like to make a donation.
Weekend Reads
This week, Steve Kornaki became America's sweetheart. (Vox)
How to throw yourself a Middle-Age-Reveal party. (The New Yorker)
Why some memories seem like movies: ‘time cells' discovered in human brains. (NPR)
I loved The Forty-Year-Old Version, a movie on Netflix written and directed by and starring Radha Blank and I loved this piece she wrote about writing. (MovieMaker)
Before you go on a road trip or vacation, consider those who live where you're going. (Vogue)
14 kid-friendly movies to help build a conversation about race and racism. (Women's Day)
How to support your fat friends, as a straight-sized person. (Human Parts)
I learned everything I know from Harriet the Spy. (Tue/Night)
The GOOP holiday gift guide is here and it's as batsh*t as ever. (Scary Mommy)
Hear/See/Read
My friend (and past WO2 columnist) Chelsea saw on Instagram Stories that I didn't like my last chick-lit book and recommended Red, White, and Royal Blue. I didn't research it, I just trusted her and decided to read it next. Dude. This book was SUCH a great distraction this week! When I couldn't sleep, when my eyes hurt from looking at screens, when I was feeling angry or numb… I read this book. It is fun and sexy and smart and especially this week was fun to dive into an alternate universe where the president acts like a president and those in her administration have hearts, souls, and believe in doing what is right for the country over what is right for their personal benefit. The sexy parts aren't graphic, the romance parts are really sweet, the sidekick/friend characters are well developed, it's not a deep or heavy book nor does it want to be and it's clear from the beginning how it's going to end but honestly? I didn't care. I was in need of a happy ending.
My husband and I started watching ‘The Boys' on Amazon Prime. I didn't give it a fair chance, I was exhausted and fell asleep. The episode ended, I got up and went to bed; my husband stayed up watching two more episodes and has been watching it any chance he has had available the rest of this week. He looooooves it and he's not even a superhero kind of person. It's too late in the game for me to catch up to him and I am so exhausted from this week I don't think I have it in me to try, but if you're looking for a new series, this comes highly recommended by K.
For Your Entertainment
Bishop Briggs blew me away with her song, “Champion” and the corresponding violent yet powerful video. I know I am not the only one who has a playlist to motivate, to get through a workout or a hard thing and “Champion” is on mine right there with “Lose Yourself” and other iconic songs of that genre. And one of her latest releases, “Higher” would fit on that playlist.
Loved and moved by the Harriet the Spy article. It was one of my favorite books and now I want to re-read it. Tell me your a Phantom Tollbooth fan, too! (And I am glad you don’t shirk away from sharing how you feel about what is going on in the world.)
Allison, do you have a Spotify account that you have playlists of your music recommendations? I’ve really enjoyed several of the artists you’ve mentioned.
Hi Ali,
Just wanted to drop a note to say that politics influence every part of our lives and I appreciate you and everything you do. It’s important and political to promote women and minority owned businesses as well as to talk about why these things matter! Honestly, there are many, many places to go to avoid politics but I’m glad this isn’t one of them. Keep doing what you do!
Add me to the readers who are tired of politics and hope that now your candidate is the projected winner you will go back to fashion and just fashion.
For another way to support Stacey Abrams–she’s a published author <3 under "Selena Montgomery".
Very often I agree with your recommendations but my husband also loves “The Boys”. I watch with him. We are now watching Season 2 and I cannot wait until it is over. I find it has too much gratuitous violence – yes, it is supposed to be a ‘cartoon’ but it is just not necessary. The level of anger in this show seems to be what I consider wrong in this country right now. I think this show only feeds that. Just in my opinion..
Allie,
I have been following you for years and always look forward to your new posts. You are a breath of fresh and realistic air!
Really appreciate you, Alison <3
Love your honesty and candor in your blog, Ally. Despite what URS says, please keep doing you.
Your political posts are getting tiring TBH. I enjoy the lifestyle, fashion, shopping parts but I am desperately trying to find escapes from the politics rather than find it in a lifestyle blog. This year it seems that the political and social content just ballooned.
I love the fact that you stand for something, Alison. If URS wants to go to another blog for lifestyle, fashion, and shopping, they can do so, but I’ll continue to follow you here!
I think that Allie has struck as fairly graceful balance: this isn’t a political blog and no one would mistake it as such, but it at least acknowledges the context of women’s lives, which includes politics–especially when the politics in question are as significant as a presidential election. Women don’t get dressed in a vacuum. Our decisions about what we wear, what we project through our clothes, and from where we purchase things both reflect values and have real economic and cultural effect.
There are plenty of blogs out there who follow the “just the fashion, ma’am” platform if that’s what you are looking for. I, for one, am tremendously glad that Allie has chosen a more comprehensive approach.
Politics affect every aspect of our lives. Pretending it doesn’t comes from a place of privilege. I appreciate your posts, Ali–all of them.
Yesterday was the first time I started feeling hopeful! I’m ready for this to be called. It’s well past time. I’m so impressed with the work Stacey Abrams has led in Georgia! Let’s hope other states start putting in that kind of effort—soon. Changing subjects—good TV! Have you seen the series Tehran on Apple? It’s SO good! My husband & I have 1 episode left, but it’s an intense show so I couldn’t take it right now. Basic premise: a female Israeli spy is sent to Iran to hack into their electric grid. Things happen! It was made in Israel & I don’t know if there’s another season coming but I hope so. I love a good spy drama (books too). Happy, happy weekend to you & all the readers here!
Middle-Age Reveal Party! Hilarious!!
The Boys is amazing – give it a second chance when you’re more energized! I just finished season two and the plot twists are epic. I’m all about dark weird shows and this is one of the best I’ve seen.
https://youtu.be/Cs-ju_L9pEQ
Sending this to add to your music list – it’s my daily listen!
This was the perfect antidote for banishing the funk left in the air after my two teenage nieces argued about donuts…. thank you for sharing!
Thank you for providing such a great reading list! However,I LOVE that sweater 🙂
I want that!!!!!
I’m sorry, i just don’t understand all the Gwyneth Paltrow hate…yes, i get that she’s not mainstream and her taste and price points are often out of reach, but…i see her as a very very successful women who saw an opportunity and seized it. Also please go back and read her involvement in the NYTimes Harvey Weinstein investigation, and think about what her early career must have been like
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/10/harvey-weinstein-gwyneth-paltrow-jodi-kantor-megan-twohey-new-york-times
She’s a snake oil salesman. I don’t care if she’s successful, but she’s made millions convincing women they need to drop $$$$$ on bogus crap backed by false health claims. She tried to sell people STICKERS USING NASA TECHNOLOGY (yes, you cannot make this shit up) and NASA was like, nah. She told women to put expensive jade eggs in their vaginas to promote sexual health. She got people to buy pine pollen sex pills. There is absolutely no real peer-reviewed science to back up any of her claims. She is the Donald Trump of women’s “health.” I do think the women who spend all this money on her crappy products bear some of the blame, tbh, but she’s literally making shit up to make more money, and it’s not like she was hurting for it in the first place.
https://www.cheatsheet.com/health-fitness/the-most-ridiculous-products-goop-suggests-you-buy.html/
And just for funsies, here’s a surprisingly generous article about the time she tried to survive on the same amount of money as someone receiving SNAP (food stamps) – $29 a week. She bought fresh cilantro and limes and lasted 4 days.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gwyneth-paltrow-food-stamp_n_7043010
I too loooved “Red White and Royal Blue.” It was such a delight and I find myself thinking about it months later.