The Digest 34
cold blooded bags and cow-based wellness
Welcome back!
In The Spread this week, I shared that I have turned my paid subscriptions on. For now, things will proceed as usual here at The Composite. I’m working on a paywall strategy that will eventually reserve certain content for my paid subscribers. If you enjoy the work I do here and want to upgrade, it is so appreciated. No matter what, thank you for reading and supporting — whatever that looks like for you.
PS: If you want to see and hear me talk about one of the topics I wrote about in The Spread this week, I made a TikTok about it!
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At The Composite, we serve up a curated collection of culture and critique. Think of The Digest as your quick, thoughtful read to replace the doom scroll, offering a bite of everything you need to stay in the loop. Come hungry. Leave questioning everything.
Aperitif
A little taste of what’s to come
Trending Tidbits:
These trends are tracked not just for following, but for what they reveal. Not necessarily an endorsement, but a thought starter
➡️ Touchable Textures in nail art
➡️ Savory Cocktails and Umami Flavors
Recommended Reading
📖 Why Cardi B’s Merch (fat) Joke Isn’t Funny
📖 Americans Are All In on Cow-Based Wellness
📖 Ozempic Is Shrinking Appetites. Restaurants Are Shrinking the Food.
📖 TikTok’s ‘LA 10’ trend shows how class and beauty are intrinsically linked
📖 Why Nutritionists Warn Against TikTok’s '“Three Bite Rule”
📖 How Ozempic Is Changing The Way We Travel
The Main Course:
A selection curated to keep you fed
Chili’s is currently the crowned jewel of chain restaurants. Their social media game is top tier. They sold cowboy boots made from 100% genuine Chili’s booths. Big fan
Kendall Jenner and her tequila brand collaborated with Chris Stapleton to create a cocktail called the “Calabasas Cowboy”
Um hello, *I* saw it coming!
The Rizzler and Arizona tea teamed up to create an aRIZZona Rizzberry Tea. The comments on this article are horrifying, unfortunately
Landlines are back. A dedicated brand, Tin Can, is making landlines for kids to “give back their social independence — analog-style”
The next big beauty boom is the “skinification” of hair products. See also: “hair longevity” and “skin longevity”
Tatcha just dropped a Longevity Serum, with Steph Shep as the face of the launch. Interestingly, their founder says about the launch “Aging is not something to reverse, it’s something to honor.”
Goth for fall? Groundbreaking. The face of the trend is certainly Jenna Ortega, but it seems to be seeping into the mainstream.
“Fall’s Makeup Trends Are All About Raging Against the Machine”. Tightlined eyes, garnet-colored lips — and don’t forget Tired Girl Makeup
“Doll-Like Makeup” is also trending for fall. This aesthetic has been rising for quite a while
Boy Smells just dropped a body mist in collaboration with Bratz (true cultural icons) scented like “orchids, strawberry and powdery plastique accord”
Well, yes! “Rise in Foodie Perfumes May Be Linked to Weight-Loss Drugs” with a 24% increase in dessert-themed fragrances over the last year alone
Wait, I have to tell you - I smelled the new Rare Beauty perfume yesterday and I couldn’t leave Sephora without it… it’s GOOD, guys
I mentioned Gab Bois in the last Digest. Coveteur just interviewed her about her fantastic work
Jordyn Woods’ brand has not previously been on my radar, but I just saw that her new shoe collection is “designed to fit all calf sizes”. I’m having a hard time finding the size chart to corroborate this
The newest episode of Who What Wear’s podcast is all about the plus size bridal landscape. Very excited to listen
Elle just launched an advice column called Tender Tips with Jemima Kirke of Girls fame. This is genius considering the virality of this IG story q+a she once did which became a ~moment~
Noticing this type of post from lots of brand socials lately - see here too
Vera Bradley joined the legion of brands creating episodic social content with their nostalgic y2k-inspired series “Most Perfect Couple”, starring Devon Sawa and Kristen Mulroney
Taco Bell is bringing back fan favorite menu items from the Y2K era. They previously have mentioned the power of not only nostalgia, but also fauxstalgia
Wet n Wild very coyly mentioned the recent e.l.f. controversy in this IG caption
I’ve been writing about colored tights forever, and I’m so excited to see this collaboration between L’Eggs and LAPOINTE which features tights in “signature LAPOINTE runway colors” Chartreuse, Vivid Pink, Dark Brown, Sage, and Black Leopard Print
Melanie Bender, one of the minds behind brands rhode, Merit, and Versed, is launching a fragrance brand called Lore — “scents that take you somewhere”. More on this soon
Tracee Ellis Ross’s Pattern Beauty launched body care, and the imagery is inclusive and beautiful! Amazing that it really is ~that easy~
Brands want to work with influencers who have full time jobs. Related: “5 to 9” content is continuing to grow in popularity as creators show what they do outside of their working hours
Very unsurprised to see HypeBae writing about “trash core” which feels very in line with the apocalyptic aesthetic phenomenon I’m interested in
Tattoos are still being wielded as a marketing device — both temporary AND permanent. Fish Wife had a “trout and tat” picnic with temp tats while AWAY offered (real) flash tattoos at a recent pop up
Digestif:
A download on this week’s hard pill to swallow
Nothing major to share here. Always a good sign.
Dessert:
A spotlight on a positive moment as the cherry on top
I am so excited about a new bookstore opening up in my neighborhood — Gladys Books & Wine. From what I’ve seen on social, they’ll have a cafe, wine bar, and a coworking space in addition to a bookstore!
If you’re not local, you can support by following their social accounts and engaging with their content. You can also sign up for their newsletter! If you *are* NYC based, their grand opening is next Saturday, Sept 6th but their soft opening continues this-Saturday and Sunday from 7-10.
From my scroll: things that caught my eye or match the themes of this week’s letter, formats I think will catch on - you get the vibe
If you’re here for a new perspective on fashion, beauty, and culture, you’re in the right place. Pull up a chair. The table is wide, and the conversation is layered.