Weekend Reads #249

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If you watched the TV show Lost, you may appreciate this article: Lost illusions: The untold story of the hit show’s poisonous culture. (Vanity Fair)

With plus-size pool parties, body acceptance, more people are showing skin this summer. (USA Today)

Artificial intelligence could lead to extinction, experts warn. (BBC)

Michelle Yeoh, Academy Award-winning actress and advocate offers the Harvard Class of 2023 advice from the multiverse. (Harvard Law Today)

When a building falls, who gets to be saved? (Men Yell At Me)

Why do animals keep evolving into crabs? (Scientific American)

Searching for Meg White. (Elle)

Should we know where our friends are at all times? (Vox)

Maryland students prank school by listing it on Zillow as ‘nice half-working jail'. (HuffPost)

“Quiet Luxury” and its racist implications. (Essence)

Inside the strange world of podcasts made by artificial intelligence, where even creators aren’t sure who wants to hear robot chit-chat. (Wired)

In middle age, they realized they were trans: ‘A lightbulb went off’. (Washington Post – gift article)

Hadestown is coming this week to the National Theatre in DC; use promo code SONGBIRD to save 20% on select seats on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday performances.

Why so many events have ticket lotteries now. (Axios)

I saw a TikTok from Ladies of Madison Ave. and it was a tour of one of the woman's apartments. She was wearing the most glorious zip-front caftan and shared it was Natori. I too have a Natori zip-front caftan and it's great quality (washed multiple times), great fit, and pockets. Well, Natori is having a sale and many of their caftans are in it with several under $60!

College hoop stars are the real beauty influencers. (Boardroom)

Where did all the tween fashion go? (Teen Vogue)

Our model suggests that global deaths remain 5% above pre-covid forecasts. (The Economist)

Orca attacks may be fueled by revenge. (Newsweek)

To my last period. (Lucille Clifton via Poets.org)

See/Hear/Read

We finally finished Mrs. Davis. It started off great, in the middle it got a little long, but it ended strong. So strong, I am using a second Weekend Reads to review and recommend this limited series on Peacock. There are murmurs there will be a Season 2 but honestly, Season 1 wrapped up in a pretty bow and you can enjoy it solo.

Mrs. Davis Celeste and Simone — *Celeste (played by Elizabeth Marvel) and Simone (played by Betty Gilpin)*. *Don't you want to know more about Celeste's look? Because I sure do.*

Mrs. Davis is about AI taking over the world, which feels very of-the-moment. Essentially, open source AI became so good it was a necessity for every human on the planet with internet access. Some saw it as freedom, others saw it as a prison. Simone, played by Betty Gilpin, believes the latter and is on a quest to end this AI, known in the U.S. as Mrs. Davis. Also quite timely is a part of the show where a whale takes vengeance on boats (see the article above).

cummerbund fashion | Weekend Reads #249 — *Is that a cummerbund she is wearing with her blazer and button-up shirt? Why yes it is.*

Weekend Reads #249 Mrs. Davis — *Same outfit, look at that smoky eye, that ring, those earrings that offer a delicate touch to a tough outfit.*

Fashion in Mrs. Davis show — *I was able to find this meme to show this look better, but it doesn't do it justice.*

And Simone's mom Celeste is a style icon. She's not over the top, she's not taut and toned, she's not dripping in diamonds or the latest trends. She's a badass woman with a classic wardrobe that leans towards a life of adventure and travel, experience and education.

Celeste fashion in Mrs. Davis | Weekend Reads #249 — *Celeste is on a boat, so of course she wears a Breton, a peacoat, and wide leg sailor trousers but it doesn't feel costumey at all. And look at that jaunty pocket square!*

Simone in Mrs. Davis — *In the background, there is Celeste in her chic look. Seriously, this is how desperate I was to find photos of her fashion!*

I think Celeste's style goes under the radar, one because her character is so intense and you focus on her face instead of her wardrobe. But I also think because Celeste, played by Elizabeth Marvel (Elizabeth Holmes' mom in The Dropout, President Elizabeth Keane on Homeland) looks like a 53-year-old woman. Her hair isn't thick and bouncy, her jawline isn't razor sharp, her body… I don't really know jack about her body because she wears clothes that make sense for her life and personality and that means nothing restrictive or exposing a lot of skin.

Celeste in Mrs. Davis show | Weekend Reads #249 — *Again, you can only see part of her outfit but notice the scarf and classic trench by her side.*

I was Googling and there is little about Celeste's fashion. I did find this article that discusses Simone's habit, why it is blue and why it is a jumpsuit. (The Daily Beast) and plenty about the character Wiley's rust-colored jacket, but nothing about the character of Celeste. And even finding photos of her attire in the show proved difficult.

Celeste's look in the final episode; Banana Republic should hire her as their spokesmodel for their current iteration. She's Amelia Earhart meets Katharine Hepburn meets Indiana Jones meets Miranda Priestly.

Costume designer Susie Coulthard took inspiration from Katharine Hepburn, Tyler Durden, and much more for the Mrs. Davis costumes. I'd love to pick her brain about her inspiration for Celeste and where I could buy some of those looks for myself!

For Your Entertainment

Unless you're living under a rock or don't use the internet (which clearly you do if you're reading this), the Barbie movie is coming out this summer. Directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken, the more I see about this film the more I want to see it. But the rest of the cast, and what we know of the soundtrack so far, is awesome, including the different formats (including cassette tapes!). Lizzo, Charlie XCX, KAROL G… I could go on but Dua Lipa (who is also in the Barbie movie) released the first single from the movie soundtrack and it's a perfect choice for summer:

Weekend Reads #249