Weekend Reads for June 21, 2025
Weekend Reads
The secret network of sleaze underwriting female bodybuilding. (The Baffler)
The untold story of Kate Spade. (The Backrow on Substack)
Inside the exclusive, obsessive, surprisingly litigious world of luxury fitness. (The Atlantic – gift link)
And now I want to take up roller skating.
HRT is outdated, misleading, and long overdue for retirement. (The Vajenda on Substack)
Cops warn Korn fans that smartwatches mistake mosh pits for collisions and make emergency calls. (Dexerto)
The pink triangle that mobilized a movement. (Hyperallergic)
Climate change is ruining cheese. (Futurism)
In partnership with Jimmy Fallon, popular sustainable fashion brand Alex Mill has a new line of 100% cotton pajama separates and accessories (like adorable coordinating eye masks). The collection is in men's sizing so it's a broader size range than Alex Mill usually offers. So many cute choices in men's sizes XXS-XXL.
Molly Jong-Fast reflects on her mother’s dementia and the fleeting nature of fame. (Vanity Fair)
The dads getting tattoos of their kids' drawings. (GQ)
Long COVID is now the number one chronic illness in children. (The Gauntlet on Substack)
Google experiments with AI-generated podcast hosts in search results. (Mashable)
The administration to end national LGBTQ+ suicide hotline. (The 19th)
Style Inspo & Sale Alert
This is a good sale weekend, and at the perfect time as we all realize what holes may be in our summer wardrobes.
Universal Standard is having a Customer Appreciation Weekend, where one item is 25% off, two items will be 30% off, and if you purchase three or more items, your purchase will be 35% off; no code needed. Not too shabby, and especially good on the new items, as they won't be on this good of a sale for a bit (a little birdie told me some other things may be on sale starting the 26th and you know I'll be sure to provide all the deets).
As for what I am loving at Universal Standard, there are quite a few. It's interesting seeing how US has been changing their aesthetic over the years, and right now I'm liking the incorporation of bold prints and some really beautiful colors (please bring more, I'm so over muddy plum, black, and dusty teal).
- I like Universal Standard cupro; it has a better weight than a lot of brands, looks more elevated, yet feels nice even on a hot day. Sort of giving the effect of sandwashed silk, these are separates that can dress up and down with ease. I have these pants in black (did have to hem them), and am tempted to get another pair in Clover green and then matching Artist Shirt and shorts to have a mix and match year-round mini capsule. Imagine untucked with my ecru Birks and my cream Quince belt and gold jewelry, tucked in and glammed up with my Margaux gold sandals and a gold belt, and then maybe the tank in black, and I can mix and match the two colors together.
- US finally came back with a basic white ribbed tank, and it comes in some other fab colors too. Totally getting this once it's back in stock in my size (it's time to update my best white tanks piece).
- Looking for sundresses and jumpsuits that cover bra straps? This dress and this jumpsuit are both awesome and work perfectly with my favorite everyday bra.
- I already own two of the Belle Breton Boatneck (if in doubt size up though know it doesn't shrink), and now I want to get this summer version!
- I am obsessed with the print of this dress, and I KNOW, more stripes, but the neckline on this tee is so beautiful!
FitFlop is having their summer sale with up to 40% off styles you can rock right now. If you haven't checked out FitFlop in a while, you need to as the style is right on par with the support and comfort! FitFlop shoes have an ergonomic design for proper alignment, plenty of cushioning, and react to your body for additional support and stability. Regularly recommended by podiatrists, this sale is a great way to save on stylish support!
Rothy's is having their semi-annual event with up to 50% off select summer styles at this link. Sale ends July 1st. I'm partial to the Driver in Dragonfruit or Limon and the Buckle Slide in Dune.
The Soma Semi-Annual Sale is here with bras starting at $14.99, sleepwear starting at $14.99, loungewear starting at $19.99, and panties are on promotion: buy six or more and get 60% off all of them. This means you're getting great intimates for up to 70% off. I plan on stocking up on the Vanishing Edge Modern Brief, which is my favorite undetectable undies. The Vanishing Edge High Leg Panty is also a winner and if you like a bit of smoothing, the Vanishing Tummy Modern Brief gets the job done while also disappearing under sheer and clingy fabrics.
NYDJ has 50% off shorts, crops, and capris at this link. Personally U am a fan of the Berkyn denim shorts. Use code SHORTDEAL through June 23rd for this deal.
Personally? I think a good wardrobe addition this summer is a gold belt. It's an easy way to elevate linen, cupro, cotton, and gauze. From cinching a breezy dress to dressing up a matched set, I'm glad I kept the gold belts I've bought over the years and am wearing them a lot this season. If you don't own one, here are some nice ones I found online (though this is a great item to thrift or buy secondhand):
See/Hear/Read
I need to vent about …And Just Like That (HBO) for a moment. When Karl was in the Navy, he was on the U.S.S. Kennedy, which was drydocked in Norfolk, Virginia, for a while. Norfolk is approximately 3.5 hours from the University of Maryland at College Park, so we would often travel to see each other. Norfolk is a bustling waterfront city with two universities and more than one Target as well as a naval station. There aren't even rural outskirts that resemble Aidan's cozy piece of land with a swimming hole and unlocked doors. In fact, “Norfolk” was actually filmed in Scarsdale, NY.
Also, I have been to Williamsburg, Virginia, more than once, and not a single person, except tourists from farther south, has an accent like the dude at the Williamsburg Inn. And if you want Southern fried chicken, you need to head a bit further away from the Mason-Dixon line.
On to a show that I find incredibly entertaining and doesn't have me yelling at the screen: Murderbot (AppleTV). I know, a show named Murderbot didn't sound like my cup of tea either. Starring Alexander Skarsgård as a rogue security robot in the future, it sounded too much like Robocop to me. But in fact, this is a comedy, and each episode is less than 30 minutes long.
Based on The Murderbot Diaries series of books, Skarsgård plays a SecUnit (security unit), a mix of cloned human parts and robot stuff that looks like a living Ken doll (we see Skarsgård nekkid, and there is nothing down there). He is chosen as a budget-friendly option for a group of empathetic hippie scientists on a research mission.
Skarsgård's SecUnit (he is a security unit, and the humans call him SecUnit) has figured out how to go rogue, but instead of killing everyone, he spends way too much time binging trashy shows (his favorite stars John Cho and Jack McBrayer). It's funny, it's a smart look at human empathy, and just when you get comfortable, it's violent. An each short episode ends with such a cliffhanger, it's hard not to binge all the episodes currently available. I'd say this show is cute, but again, violence. But really, it is quite cute (as is Skarsgård).
For Your Entertainment
In 2023, I came across Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson, who performs as CMAT, and shared two of her videos in a Weekend Reads. I've been a fan since, and a couple of weeks ago, I almost decided to share her latest video, but didn't because I had already shared her. And then that Monday, that song by CMAT was everywhere with a cute little TikTok dance to go along with it. Keeping you hip with what's going down with the youngins, below I have CMAT's video for her viral song, “Take a Sexy Picture of Me.”
And of course, there's a YouTube compilation of celebs performing this dance, which right now is as prevalent on social platforms as Charli XCX's “Apple” dance last year.
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Yes! That whole visit to Virginia on AJLT was cringe. I lived in both Virginia Beach and Newport News (Tidewater area) when I was younger and the whole thing is so off reality. Also, I used to be an Aidan fan, but I am kinda hating him this season. Why is Carrie doing all the work? Has she learned nothing at her age? She needs to ditch him and find someone who isn’t so self absorbed. And his family situation is a mess. Kudos to Kathy for being real, and Bob is a truth teller Carrie doesn’t want to hear. /end rant.