hello,
welcome to my first round up of 2024! how was everyone’s february? this month has been very emotional for me. i know that correlation does not imply causation but tell me why it’s been so up and down the month i reinsert my contraceptive implant… yes very interesting.
i loved writing about my travels to south korea. thank you for all the lovely messages and replies. i hope you visit seoul one day too.
i really missed substack and want to keep the ball rolling as long as i can. i’ve found excitement in writing again and i already have some ideas for upcoming editions. as always, replies are on so drop me a line if you have any suggestions or want to collab :)
hoping the heat dissipates in march,
jade x
👗 fashion (right now)
the fashion in seoul was simple yet elevated and had this level of cool i so desperately wanted to incorporate in my style. i didn’t buy a lot, only black and white basic tops with a few statement pants. upon returning home, i felt compelled to clean out my wardrobe (long overdue) and reinvigorate how i dress.
lately, i’ve been wearing minimal colour, either all black or black and white. if i use colour, it’s only a pop of blue. i also wear my emis cap every day.
if i had to describe my style now, it would be seoul inspired corporate chic with a hint of coquette. it’s very capsule wardrobe, all the pieces go with each other and i’m having fun thinking of new combos and ways to style basics.
it’s hard to part ways with all the vintage pieces i’ve collected over the years so i’m going to save those looks for more formal events. although i’m leaning away from the brightly coloured vintage look, i still want to buy second hand clothing, i’m just on the hunt for neutral toned basics.
i feel like i’m entering a new era and that’s come hand in hand with my change in style, making new friends and i think my tattoos have something to do with it as well.
👢 fashion (for not right now)
i’m really looking forward to cooler weather so i can wear the knee high boots i thrifted in seoul. while the weather transitions, i plan to start incorporating shorts with my new boots. here’s what i’ve collated as inspo:
📚 three women by lisa taddeo
my favourite book, i read it every year.
three women is a riveting true story about the sex lives of three real American women, based on nearly a decade of reporting. it’s an international no. 1 bestseller and the tv show adaptation starring shailene woodley, released 16 feb.
i’m currently rereading my copy and i’m confronted by all the annotations i’ve made over the past three years: underlines, exclamation points, circles around words i like or don’t know, i’ve even written the names of men who’ve come in and out of my life next to passages that remind me of them or how they treated me.
it’s a different experience rereading a book, especially one i’ve annotated. i’m reminded of my growth into womanhood, my desires, how i feel about other women and how i feel as a feminist.
i’m completely enraptured by this book (again) and i’m using all my spare time to consume any media with lisa taddeo. here are some favourite things i’ve collated:
goodreads has a list of lisa taddeo’s kindle notes and highlights where she’s annotated excerpts from three women:
lisa taddeo - dua lipa: at your service
I think calling a woman pathetic is the most victimizing thing you can do, and it's so weird to me that we continue to do that, that we continue to want this one broad definition of feminism, when really feminism should be about owning each of our own desires and wants and being able to communicate them to one another clearly and without fear of retribution.
Rachel Uchitel is Not A Madam by Lisa Taddeo
this book means so much to me. thank you chelsea for bringing this wonderful thing into my life. i highly recommend this book. the language is easy to read and i can guarantee that it will have a significant impact on your life.
📺 screen time
vanderpump rules season 11
it’s no secret that i love vanderpump rules.
the wait is finally over… the new season is airing! my besties and i become a united front as we follow the aftermath of scandoval. i truly believe watching reality tv with your girlies makes your friendships stronger. i’ve mentioned it on my ig story before:
i’ve done some reading on why people enjoy reality tv and here are my favourite snippets from articles i’ve enjoyed:
Why People Watch Reality TV by Steven Reiss and James Wiltz
Reality television viewers are more motivated by vengeance than are nonviewers. The desire for vengeance is closely associated with enjoyment of competition (Reiss, 2000a)—in prior psychometric research, the people who said they value and enjoy getting even with others also tended to say they value and enjoy competition. Further, people who avoid conflict, anger, and competition may avoid viewing reality television shows because these shows often portray competition and interpersonal conflict.
Because reality television is widely watched, it is often a topic of discussion at the office. It is not surprising, therefore, that sociable people are significantly more likely than nonsociable people to watch reality televisions, although the differences are small.
Some have questioned the intellectualism of reality television viewers, and others have questioned the physical laziness of people who like to watch television. No support was found for either of these hypotheses. Both viewers and nonviewers were equally motivated by curiosity, and the same was shown for the motive of physical exercise.
Beyond the gossip: Why reality TV is so popular by Elena Escobar Gil
Psychologist María Cartagena of the Serendipia Psicología clinic, told Aceprensa that this is the clearest reason why people enjoy reality TV so much: “The main reason we watch reality TV could very well be rooted in how strongly we identify with, are interested in, or empathize one participant or another.” When reality shows expose someone’s daily life, viewers can put themselves in the situations they see on TV and evaluate what they would do, what they believe would be the best way to act in that scenario, the psychologist pointed out.
let’s talk about vanderpump rules s11e1
immediate ecstasy from the theme song
damn, raquel isn’t in it
vpr KNOWS how to do a montage transition while setting up context and setting
i NEED to know the brand of push up bra lisa is wearing
the epileptic edit of ariana dancing overlaid with season 10 raquel and sandoval and the iconic scene of ariana screaming, was pure art (hang it in the lourve now)
the producers are producing… is it too much though?
🎧 listening
more gelato messina mixes but on soundcloud this time
script apart podcast
📰 substack mentions
📝 diary entry - 4/2/24
i’m really sad for no reason. i’m lying in bed just feeling sad. i miss my boyfriend but at the same time, i’m okay with being alone. i’m drained and too tired for human interaction but i want a presence in the room, someone to lie next to. quitely, they can do their thing and i can do mine.
🌱 things i want to work on
communicate my feelings before i get overwhelmed by them.
analyse whether a situation is worth putting emotional time and energy.
try and be more flexible where you can, planned spontaneity is good.
🦞 food
What do we gain by eating with our hands? by Ligaya Mishan
This may be provocation, a refusal to abide by conventional etiquette and codified gestures, or simply a reminder of the importance of touch. Without cutlery as mediator, we feel everything. The nerve endings in our fingers are triggered; our senses expand. We taste more.
this past month, i went to the same restaurant three times, all with different groups of friends. it’s kind of gimmicky… it’s a cajun-style seafood restaurant and the servers pour a bag of seafood straight onto your table. everyone wears a bib and a pair of gloves and you just go for it. eating suddenly feels so primal: tearing the prawn heads off, hammering the crab shell, clawing meat out of a moreton bay bug. there’s sauce flying everywhere and snot dripping from your nose. you share the entire pile of food with your friends and you bond over the mess in front of you, “i like the peeled prawns over the shelled prawns” “no… you’re sooo crazy for saying that’, “this sauce goes better with the potatoes”, “how do i get to the meat?”, “this is how you eat from the crab claw”. we’re all in this together! the most satisfying part is finishing the meal with a full belly and seeing all the empty shells on the dining table. we all worked really hard for this meal and that definitely made the food tastier!
✂️ collage kit
inspired by three women
🗓️ march calendar
this newsletter was a long one… thank you for sticking around! i had a lot of fun making it. see you in a fortnight x