Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Nymphet Alumni
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep. 174: The 19th Century w/ Mandylion Press | 01 Oct 2026 | 01:04:52 | |
This week, Biz is joined by Madeline Porsella and Mabel Capability Taylor of Mandylion Press to get to the bottom of what really happened in the 19th century… From Victorians’ obsession with clothing to why the bohemian weirdo authoresses of the 1800s were actually a bit basic. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 173: Dictator’s Wife | 23 Sep 2026 | 01:17:46 | |
In this episode, we examine the aesthetic of the Dictator’s Wife, a 20th century archetype of conspicuous luxury, scary elegance, and icy detachment. We catalog the aesthetic’s signatures, from exotic furs and bulletproof coiffs to monochrome coordination and maximalist millinery. We consider how rigidly controlled femininity functions as armor and propaganda and survey the historical canon: Imelda Marcos’s infamous wardrobe, Elena Ceaușescu’s ugly-chic vanity crashouts, Asma al-Assad’s Vogue-approved Euro minimalism, and more. We also relate these issues to America’s current political climate, including the “edifice complex” ravaging our nation’s capitol, Melania's beleaguered glam squad, and the gilded tyranny of Mar-a-Lago glamour. Links: Cardi B by Szilveszter Makó for Vogue Arabia Rama Duwaji by Szilveszter Makó for The Cut “Fashion Twitter is mad Daniel Roseberry Dressed a MAGA heiress.” by Louis Pisano on Substack Louis Pisano’s “Couture & Corruption” series on TikTok Lady Macbeth monologue from Act 1, Scene 5 of Macbeth “Shoes, furs and hypocrisy: Why we love to hate despots' wives” by Rebecca Seales in BBC News Bond villain nationality masterlist “Womanliness as a Masquerade” by Joan Riviere “Women Behind the Throne” by Camille Paglia MAGA women research by Style Analytics on TikTok The Kingmaker (2019) dir. Lauren Greenfield Generation Wealth by Lauren Greenfield Imelda (2003) dir. Ramona S. Diaz “5 Shopping Sprees So Wild, They Made History” by Maureen O’Connor in New York Eva Peron Rainbow Tour of Europe cover story for Time Santa Evita by Tomás Eloy Martínez “Behind Mugabe’s fall: Gucci Grace versus the Crocodile” by Norimitsu Onishi in The Sydney Morning Herald “The Vanity Cult of Elena Ceausescu – Hated Wife of Romania’s Dictator” by Matthew Gaskill in Vintage News “Ceausescu sale: Everything must go” (auction report) by Kate Connolly in The Guardian “The Party that Toppled a Dynasty and Changed the Middle East Forever” by Jeff Zhou in Young Diplomats Society “Asma al-Assad: A Rose in the Desert” by Joan Juliet Buck in Vogue “Syrian first lady Adma Al-Assad’s outfits” by Aya Lowe in Monocle “How China Fell in Love with Syria’s First Lady” in Worldcrunch “Armour of Couture” by Szilveszter Makó in Vogue Hong Kong Gucci Spring/Summer 2026 “La Famiglia” portrait campaign by Catherine Opie Melania Trump’s “I Really Don’t Care. Do U?” Zara jacket This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 171: The Ballad of Nimrod Workman | Study Break | 02 Sep 2026 | 01:13:05 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the coiffed Californian camp of Ryan Murphy’s The Shards, KATSEYE’s continued reign as the queens of sensory overload brainrot pop, and a new cast of nominatively absurd figures including Igby Rigney, Stella Lefty, Chanty Beluga, and Nimrod Workman. We also ponder Ella Langley as the new poster girl of American alt-lite, and we consider the uncomfortable indignity of life after fleeting virality as illustrated by Jools Lebron and the Love Island USA cast. Perhaps most importantly, we pause to mourn the loss of American Founding Mother and universal aphorist Dolly Parton :( Links: Dolly Parton and her parents sing “In the Pines” (1976) “Evening Shade” by Dolly Parton Dolly Parton last health update vide on Instagram TikTok #searchfordolly audition videos (exhibit A, exhibit B) “How ‘The Shards’ Blew Up at HBO — and Ended Up in Ryan Murphy’s Hands” by Benjamin Svetkey in The Hollywood Reporter Kaia Gerber and Homer Gere shot by Steven Meisel for Vogue September 2026 Cover Story Kaia Gerber prompts BBL accusations in Alaïa F/W 2026 Kaia Gerber says she had an exorcism performed on her with a didgeridoo Nymphet Alumni Ep. 6: The Milf-ification of Billie Eilish (Emergency Roundtable) First look of Billie Eilish as Esther Greenwood on the set of The Bell Jar dir. Sarah Polley Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Official Teaser from HBO Max “Happee Birthdae Harry” merch in the Harry Potter Japan Store Poppi x RushTok x Love Island USA (exhibit A, exhibit B) Jools Lebron original GoFundMe video and her Jeffree Star read KATSEYE (캣츠아이) – “Hootie Frutti” (Official Music Video) KATSEYE choreographer Grant Gilmore on TikTok Ella Langley –“Be Her” (Official Music Video) Ella Langley’s Shiner beer collab party trick Ella Langley feat. “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees “The Untold Story of Sierra Ferrell: Train-Hopping to Stardom” on YouTube Stella Lefty – “Boston” Review in Pitchfork (“Stick Season” obsession evidence) A woman named “Chanty Beluga” introduces herself at a pool party Evan Lazarus in defense of Chanty Beluga Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez’s wedding shot by Juergen Teller for Vogue This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 170: Loner Girl [UNLOCKED] | 26 Aug 2026 | 01:12:09 | |
Hi Nymphies — as summer comes to an end, we’re unlocking an all-time fan favorite: the Loner Girl episode. We hope the Loner Girl, with her layered knits and rich inner world, is a source of back-to-school inspiration as we head into fall. <3 In this episode, we reflect on what we call the Loner Girl aesthetic, an eccentric style epitomized by the vulnerable yet spunky YA protagonistas of decades past, best accessorized with a messenger bag, sneaker flats, and a starry-eyed disposition. We reinvigorate the teen traumacore literary canon, including the works of John Green and Ellen Hopkins, and discuss its associated social phenomena, mental health themes, and expression through personal style. We also take stock of Manic Pixie Dream Girl discourse and discuss early-career Marc Jacobs, “Banal Eccentricity” at Prada, the forgotten appeal of eggplant purple, and our own personal thirteenth reasons ...Links:Image boardThirteen Reasons Why book cover stylingRelated aesthetics on CARI: Hipness Purgatory, Corporate GrungeWhen Miuccia Prada Invented Ugly Chic – NSS Mag (Prada S/S 1996)Marc Jacobs Fall 2005 RTWYour Fave is Problematic: John GreenThe Teen Whisperer (John Green 2014 New Yorker profile)Why John Green Likes Writing for Teenagers (2019 NYT interview)John Green and his Manic Pixie Dream Girls – LA Review of Books Mori-kei – Japanese Fashion Wiki This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 169: Giallobrutalism w/ Ella Dorn | 19 Aug 2026 | 01:35:54 | |
This week, Alexi is joined by music critic and columnist Ella Dorn to unpack her viral essay declaring Giallobrutalism as the defining visual language of mid-2020s pop, informed by the stylish delirium of Italian giallo cinema and a pervasive unease about surveillance and stardom. We discuss the aesthetic’s formal signatures—cool temperatures, split diopters, painterly tableaux, and more— as well as the rise of early-onset popstar histrionics, the existential glamour of centripetal girls in centrifugal settings, and the decade’s watershed fashion moments so far, from Miu Miu micro-minis to Sandy Liang mega-bows. We also challenge the default Y2K reading of modern pop aesthetics, arguing for a closer look at their 20th-century antecedents, and reflect on our shared past as stans of doomed K-pop girl groups. Links: “‘Giallobrutalism,’ or why everything looks like that” by Ella Dorn on Fairyland! K-Pop Music Video Analysis w/ Alexi One on Top of the Other (1969) dir. Lucio Fulci A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin (1971) dir. Lucio Fulci “Music, Fashion, Film is Charli xcx at her subversive best” by Ella Dorn in The New Statesman Film Noir and the Spaces of Modernity by Edward Dimendberg “The realities of being a pop star” by Charli xcx on charli’s substack Ep. 102: Just Dance w/ Lexee Smith Nicole Kidman wearing Miu Miu S/S 2022 for Vanity Fair’s 2022 Hollywood Issue cover Our Aesthetic Categories: Zany, Cute, Interesting by Sianne Ngai “In Defense of the Leopard Print Midi Skirt” in Paper magazine (the original @leopardmidiskirt Instagram account is GONE omg) New Giallobrutalist canon entries we discuss: YENA (최예나) – “캐치 캐치 (Catch Catch)”, aespa 에스파 – “Switchblade (Feat. Ty Dolla $ign)”, Gracie Abrams – “Look at My Life”, ifeye (이프아이) – “r u ok?” , aespa エスパ – “KISS N TELL” LOONA/ODD EYE CIRCLE – “Sweet Crazy Love” (Official Music Video) LOONA/Kim Lip – “Eclipse” (Official Music Video) The iconic abandoned Brutalist building from every K-pop MV Ghosts of My Life: Writings on Depression, Hauntology and Lost Futures by Mark Fisher Federico Fellini: Painting in Film, Painting on Film by Hava Aldouby no na - “honk!” (Official Music Video) no na - “superstitious” (Official Music Video) Elliot Shields on Instagram (creative consultant on Aespa’s “Kiss N Tell”) Rocket Girls 101 (火箭少女101) K-pop plagiarism overview This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 167: Situational Awareness | Study Break | 05 Aug 2026 | 01:12:16 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the questionable decisions behind the scenes of the Possession remake, the historical accuracy cottage industry reactivated by the release of The Odyssey, the latest in infidelity surveillance via Jay Guapo, and new releases from Adela, Tyla, and KATSEYE. We also highlight a recent cornucopia of Euroweird excellence from the Depardieu family’s blissful film festival outing to the fabulous brainrot opera debut of Beata Mona-Lisa, Greta Thunberg’s perplexingly buxom sister— plus we react to fashion announcements including Marine Serre’s bankruptcy and the upcoming John Galliano–themed Met Gala.Links: Margaret Qualley and Callum Turner on the set of the Possession remake in New Jersey Julie Depardieu and Philippe Katerine pose with their 2 sons Billy and Alfred at the Monte Carlo Television Festival (Alexi’s viral QRT) Billy Blanchard at Jean-Paul Gaultier F/W 2026 Couture via Lyas “EXCLUSIVE: Marine Serre Seeks Investor Amid Financial Restructuring” in WWD The Met Announces the Spring 2027 Costume Institute Exhibition, John Galliano: Horizons “John Galliano Returns to Fashion Via a Creative Partnership with Zara” in Vogue “An Uncomplicated Man” (review of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey) by Emily Wilson in The London Review of Books Millie Bobby Brown responds to bad wig accusations on BBC Radio 1 @chthonicthorn on TikTok (Hellenistic practicioner?) “Greta Thunberg’s Sister Beata Mona-Lisa Does the Splits” by Billy Parker in Interview Nymphet Alumni Ep. 114: Grisch “The Folk Singer Linda Perhacs Is Found and Is Safe, Authorities Confirm” in The New York Times Tyla - “THAT GIRL” (Official Music Video) Nymphet Alumni Ep. 147: Cherry Emoji Dark Feminine Tyla in custom Phoebe Pendergast polka dot hair clip at Disney with Kai Cenat “Valley of the Marc Jacobs Dolls” by Carwyn McIntyre in ToBe “The Surreal, Sublime Worlds of Szilveszter Makó” by Lauren Jackson in The New York Times Adam Green’s Aladdin - Full Movie (Official) on YouTube KATSEYE (캣츠아이) - “Animal” (Official Music Video) KATSEYE EP 3 ‘WILD’ (Wild heart ver.) teaser images on Instagram ADÉLA - “Ain’t In LA” (Official Music Video) Gabbriette in custom Matières Fécales bridal Andrea Mauri @babedrea33 on Instagram “Married elite NYC lawyer, 45, is caught red-handed with underling, 29, in passionate Central Park rendezvous” in The Daily Mail “How Leopold Aschenbrenner, the ‘golden child’ of the AI trade, was laid low” in The Financial Times This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 166: Feng Shgay w/ Ben Mora | 31 Jul 2026 | 01:17:04 | |
In this episode, the ladies welcome America’s favorite game show host Ben Mora for a survey of the interior design landscape among Millennials and Gen Z. They discuss how bedroom stratigraphy reveals the history of interior design fads, the never-ending influence of the long ‘90s, the tyranny of mid-century modern, blackout curtain pleasure caves, Pinterest boards, the housing crisis, various gay predispositions, and more! Ben’s profile in New York magazine!! Printed out Pinterest Moodboard TikToks $4,300 in missing rugs, online shame, 7 hours in NYPD custody: A stooping story Samantha Wynn Greenstone (girl who married a gay guy and had a baby) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 164: My Forehead Isn't Ready | Study Break | 09 Jul 2026 | 01:03:53 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we go deep on Sombr’s ED summer track “My Body Isn’t Ready,” make the case for Obsession star Inde Navarette as this generation’s Dead Wife Montage Stacy, and extol Erling Haaland’s universal Homo Erectus charm. We also assess Olivia Rodrigo’s and Gracie Abrams’ claims to girl-loserdom and the influence of children’s literature on men’s fashion week. Links: sombr - My Body Isn’t Ready (official video) James Blunt - You’re Beautiful (official video) James Blunt’s 13 most savage tweets Olivia Rodrigo addresses the “baby boy, honeybee” allegations Olivia Rodrigo - the cure (official video) Gracie Abrams - Look at My Life (official video) Gracie Abrams - Daughter From Hell album art Grace Abrams - The Secret of Us album art Dior Men’s Spring 2027 Ready-to-Wear Collection Celine Men’s Spring 2027 Ready-to-Wear Collection Prada Men’s Spring 2027 Ready-to-Wear Collection Worldpeace DMT - Love Yourself (official video) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 163: The Man and The Mirror | 02 Jul 2026 | 00:48:42 | |
In this solo minisode, Sam enters the wilderness of mirrors to unpack Michael Jackson: child star, King of Pop, fairy-tale monster, walking logo, and one of the strangest cultural phenomena of the 20th century. Using Margo Jefferson, Wendy Lesser, Mark Fisher, Foucault, Bakhtin, Peter Pan, The Little Prince, Shirley Temple, Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor, Bob Fosse, P.T. Barnum, Neverland Ranch, pork pie hats, patent leather shoes, and white spats, Sam pursues Michael as a figure of inversion: the child who was an adult, the adult who became a child, the Black man who became white, the man who became a woman, the innocent who became the guilty. Along the way, she considers the glamour and horror of child stardom, the maternal diva archive, the carnivalesque body, the freakshow of Wacko Jacko, and why Michael’s legacy remains endlessly unresolved. Stargirl’s 100th episode, we love you Emma <3 On Michael Jackson by Margo Jefferson On Michael Jackson, with Shannon Taggart by Weird Studies The Resistible Demise of Michael Jackson, edited by Mark Fisher His Other Half: Men Looking at Women Through Art by Wendy Lesser Moonwalk: A Memoir by Michael Jackson The Autobiography of PT Barnum by PT Barnum Rabelais and His World by Mikhail Bakhtin My Family, The Jacksons by Katherine Jackson Michael Jackson’s Interview in Gold Girl Magazine, 2002 Michael Jackson - Thriller (Original) Who’s Loving You - The Jackson 5 on The Ed Sullivan Show Interview with Suzanne de Passe, Motown Costume Designer Human Nature, Wembley ‘88 - Michael Jackson Sylvester Stallone on Michael Jackson Bob Fosse, The Little Prince, and Michael Jackson MJ Productions’s Letter to The Little Prince Marianne Williamson officiates Elizabeth Taylor’s wedding to Larry Fortensky Elizabeth Taylor surprises Michael Jackson with an elephant Nymphet Alumni’s Ep. 157: American Freakshow This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 162: Crayola Casual | 24 Jun 2026 | 01:30:36 | |
In this episode, we kick off the summer by denominating a colorful attitude toward dress manifesting bicoastally. Epitomized by brands like Emily Dawn Long, Brooke Callahan, and Cleo Camp, Crayola Casual is the funky counterpart to freaky minimalism— accessory agnostic, anti-synthetic, built around hot saturated colors and the art of the easy-on easy-off. We review this aesthetic’s historical antecedents, from fluid disco formalwear of the 70s (Halston, Stephen Burrows) to globalist chic sportswear of the 80s (Esprit, United Colors of Benetton). We also discuss Downtown New York’s Maryam Nassir Zadeh as the missing link, classics of rainbow urbanism including Sesame Street and the Vignelli Subway Map, our predictions for an aerobics renaissance, and the creative exuberance of a season of parades, pop-ups, and pennants. Links: “Vintage Sportswear Will Crush Your Alo Yoga Sets” by Liana Satenstein for Neverworns Ventriloquist Sophie Becker for Paloma Wool “The Accidental Trendsetter” by Emilia Petrarca in The New York Times (Emily Dawn Long profile) “The Sisterhood of the Unraveling Pants” by Sarah Shapiro in Puck (on the rise of the easy pant) “The Sexy Sincerity of Maryam Nassir Zadeh” by Rachel Tashjian in Harper’s Bazaar “How Does Maryam Nassir Zadeh Stay in Business?” by Madeline Leung Coleman in The Cut “1970–1979” from FIT’s Fashion History Timeline “A 1970s Fashion History Lesson: Disco, Designer Denim, and the Liberated Woman” by Lilah Ramzi in Vogue “The Halstonettes” by The Museum at FIT from the 2015 exhibit Yves Saint Laurent + Halston: Fashioning the 70s “Stephen Burrows, the CFDA’s 2024 Lifetime Achievement Winner, in the Words of 7 of His Closest Collaborators” by Laird Borrelli-Persson in Vogue “The Radical History of Sesame Street” by Figgy Guyver in Frieze “The Quintessential Urban Design of Sesame Street” by Anna Kodé in The New York Times “Towards a Better Way: The “Vignelli” Map at 50” (Digital Exhibit) – New York Transit Museum Supergraphic Ultramodern – Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute “The rise and fall of Esprit, San Francisco’s coolest clothing brand” by Joshua Bote in SFGATE “opening ceremony’s founders on how esprit changed fashion (and the world)” – i-D “Esprit’s Brand Books” by Jill Singer in Sight Unseen (on Esprit: The Comprehensive Design Principle from 1989) “From Plain Jane to Esprit: The Making of a California Icon” by Bertrand Pellegrin “Benetton: Celebrating a Colorful History” by Amanda Kaiser in WWD “Khaki Swing” – 1998 Gap Commercial on YouTube Something Wild (1986) dir. Jonathan Demme – Official Trailer Excerpt from Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There by David Brooks “Everything You Need to Know About the Battle of Versailles on the 50th Anniversary of the Event” by Laird Borrelli-Persson in Vogue “Fashion” - The 1973 World Book Year Book “Yanks Pull Off Paris Fashion Heist” by Eugenia Sheppard in The Los Angeles Times Big Bad Wolf workout class on TikTok エアロピクルス｜Aeropickles on YouTube “1988 Crystal Light National Aerobic Championship Opening” on YouTube Audrey Hobert live performances: trenchcoat reveal, mini trampoline Audrey Hobert x Fishwife Tinned Fish Bundle “Forget Euro Summer. Brands Are Having a Wet, Hot American Summer” by Madeleine Schulz in Vogue (pop-up economy write-up) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 161: The Paranoid Style w/ Anika Jade Levy | 17 Jun 2026 | 01:29:43 | |
In this episode, Sam is joined by friend of the pod Anika Jade Levy, author of Flat Earth and founding editor of Forever Magazine, for a sprawling investigation into the paranoid spirit of the United States of America. Beginning with the America’s founding fantasy of paradise, Anika and Sam trace how the country’s utopian dream soured into a national aesthetic of suspicion: from Puritan invisible enemies and the feminized conspiracy of the Salem Witch Trials, to the pastoral terror of data centers humming in the American wilderness, to cyberpunk stealthwear, urban camouflage, hollow earths, Atlantis, visions of a lost world, and much, much more. Drawing from Leo Marx, Richard Hofstadter, Adam Curtis, Cotton Mather, Anette Kolodny, Silvia Federici, and Anika’s own novel, the girls move through history, politics, media, and fashion to uncover what conspiracy reveals about American self-invention. Links: Agens Denis’s A Confrontation: Battery Park Landfil The Machine in the Garden by Leo Marx The Paranoid Style in American Politics by Richard Hofstadter The Lay of the Land by Annette Kolodny Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici The Significance of the Frontier in American History by Fredrick Jackson Turner Wonders of the Invisible World by Cotton Mather The Cultural Cold War by Frances Stonor Saunders The Century of the Self by Adam Curtis MAGA as Fan Fiction by Gideon Jacobs Player One and Main Character by Gideon Jacobs New Models: The Online Marketplace of Ideas with Joshua Citarella The New Age Bible by Sheila Heiti This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 159: I Know Dada w/ Chase Rutherford | 03 Jun 2026 | 00:59:00 | |
In this episode, we’re joined by legendary TikTok creator, Slushy Noobz creative director, and certified #SWAG Dadaism pioneer Chase Rutherford to further interrogate the ideas introduced in our previous episode. We discuss the freedom of default aesthetics and the legacy of normcore, the provocative power of readymades over a century after Fountain, how Kanye anchored the preppy misfit years of Chase’s youth, and how Chase resisted the siren song of LA influencer culture in favor of creative autonomy. We also discuss the art historical impact of Beyoncé and Jay-Z at the Louvre, how Sombr’s personal brand might still be salvaged, and the importance of reframing transient microtrends—from clout goggles to Brazil baby tee—as the significant cultural artifacts of our time. Links: Slushy Noobz official merchandise This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 157: American Freakshow | Study Break | 13 May 2026 | 01:20:55 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the less-than-triumphant return of Euphoria and Sam Levinson’s pivot to everythingsplotation Western, Michael Jackson’s new hagiography and the grotesque legacy that transcends it, and recent fashioncore highlights from the literalism of the Met Gala to the nostalgia of The Devil Wears Prada 2. We also discuss the Substack truth nuke that rocked the indie music scene, Olivia Rodrigo’s coquette comeback, The Drama’s fresh take on the tribulations of female adolescence, and more. Links: Suga Free the Pimp on Instagram Pimp: The Story of My Life by Iceberg Slim “Why Is Everything So Ugly?” in Issue 44 of n+1 “Fashion Is Not Art (And That’s OK)” by Valerie Steele in Someone Else “See Every Look from the Met Gala 2026 Red Carpet” in Vogue Hudson Williams MUA Aika Flores Pinterest board leak Hudson Williams heading home at 7am following the Met Gala after party “Freaks and the American Ideal of Manhood (Here Be Dragons)” by James Baldwin, originally published in Playboy, January 1985 Rabelais and His World by Mikhail Bakhtin Michael Jackson describes his first sexual encounter with Tatum O’Neal (2003) Telephone Stories: The Trials of Michael Jackson on Spotify On Michael Jackson by Margo Jefferson “Meryl Streep and Anna Wintour on Power, Fashion, and Acting the Part” (April 2026 cover story) by Chloe Malle in Vogue Synopsis: Innocence by Kaija Saariaho from the Metropolitan Opera Olivia Rodrigo – drop dead (Official Music Video) Olivia Rodrigo – begged (Live) on Saturday Night Live “Fake Fans” by Eliza McLamb in words from eliza on Substack Nancy Pelosi Endorses Jack Schlossberg For Congress Acquired Style x Swan Beauty Viral Bachelorette Party This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 156: #SWAG Dadaism | 06 May 2026 | 01:02:20 | |
In this episode, we coin a new term for one of the most interesting creative impulses of our generation: #SWAG Dadaism. Like the original Dadaists responding to the whiplash of industrialization and WWI, a certain subset of young creatives are responding to the vertigo of global instability and breathless technological futurism through fashion assemblage, IP maximalism, and a fearless embrace of all things chopped and random. We conduct a historical survey from Clement Greenberg’s theory of kitsch and the avant-garde to the early days of meme culture to explore page fashion parodists of the past decade. We also get into Justin Bieber and Timothée Chalamet’s parallel #SWAG rebrands, the collapse of the secondhand market and its unexpected creative upside, and how #SWAG exists as the antithesis of refinement culture. Links: Dada Manifesto by Tristan Tzara (1918) “Avant-Garde and Kitsch” by Clement Greenberg from The Partisan Review (1939) “The First Meme of 2026 Is About Not Explaining Yourself. And Buttons.” by Madison Malone Kircher for The New York Times Chase Rutherford on Instagram (referenced posts one, two, three) Chase Rutherford interview for Perfectly Imperfect @kalebphobic on TikTok re: digicore sampling Canal Street Research Association and Shanzhai Lyric on Instagram “Bags, Bootlegs and Art: A Quirky Communion on Canal Street” by Siddhartha Mitter in The New York Times Ava Nirui / @avanope interview in Office magazine (2017) “Meet Ava Nirui, The Creative Force Behind Marc Jacobs’ Heaven Line” by Eni Subair in Vogue (2020) “Go To The Thrift Store That’s Where The Heat Is” on Know Your Meme @harmonytividad “filet minion” post on Instagram Middle school boy bar crawl on TikTok Tung Tung Tung Sahur boxers outfit on TikTok @twylatoktok on TikTok (referenced posts one, two, three) @turtlewithhat_ / Izzy and Emma pink leggings outfits This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 153: Catalan Chicslop w/ Clairolime | 18 Mar 2026 | 01:21:08 | |
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by critical mastermind Caroline Cai (aka Clairolime) to unpack what we’re calling Catalan Chicslop, the downtempo, sophisticated, quietly freaky aesthetic championed by brands like Paloma Wool and Gimaguas. We discuss how this look evolved from avant-basic dopamine dressing, its influences from ‘90s minimalism to early 20th century experimental couture, Barcelona’s history as a modernist aura farm, post-Phoebe Philo feminist-lite brand mythos, and strategies to transcend the tyranny of chicness. We also analyze the aesthetic’s appeal to women across successive life stages, from 13-year-old Penelope Dissick to microinfluencer gallerinas to mysterious pregnant brunettes. Links: Relevant brands: Paloma Wool, Gimaguas, Susmie’s Collection, Belle Anna, Deiji Studios, Buci, Geel, DémodéMODÉ “How Spain’s Indie Fashion Scene Nailed Global Growth” in Business of Fashion “These Brands are Putting Spanish Style on the Map” by Zoe Suen in W “Paloma Wool: From Cool to Basic and Back Again” by Yola Mzizi in The New York Times Paintings by Ramon Casas (Ex. 1, Ex. 2, Ex. 3, Ex. 4) Paloma Wool’s “San Sebastián 2025” campaign featuring Carlotta Baan “Studio Visit: Paloma Wool” in Sleek magazine (2023) “Where Are All the Women Designers?” by Emma Childs in Marie Claire Chicslop runoff examples from Miaou, Frankie’s Bikinis, Guizio, Jaded London, Revolve house brands Lioness and Lovers and Friends, With Jean, UNIFHAIM - Relationships (Official Music Video) Crumbs from Penelope Dissick’s deleted TikTok photo dump Emma Chamberlain’s “i got rid of (almost) everything” closet video “T-boy swag: Claiming space where trans people feel we don’t inherently belong” by Reanna Cruz in NPR Note from Alexi: I’m sorry I mispronounced Phoebe Philo omg put your chic pewter pitchforks down!! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 152: Fake Minkhia Asylum | Study Break | 11 Mar 2026 | 01:17:02 | |
In this edition of Study Break, the girls review the latest cultural dispatches, including the newest wave of attention-seeking fashion week stunts (from Fakemink at Balenciaga to Bryan Johnson lurking at Matières Fécales), the Buffalo Bill realness of Robert Pattinson and Zendaya’s Interview Magazine cover, Tyra Banks’s wacky legacy, Hillary Clinton’s bleach-and-tone, the rise of Wuthering Heights womanslop, and more! Links: Brian Johnson for Fecal Matter in Paris Robert Pattinson and Zendaya for Interview Magazine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 151: Romantasy | 05 Mar 2026 | 01:09:40 | |
In this week’s episode, we discuss Romantasy, the Franken-genre that has conquered the publishing world and defined the libidinal landscapes of a generation of women. We decode the genre’s DNA from dimestore bodice-rippers to high fantasy epics, examine the sociological profile of its authors and audiences, and explore how it’s mutated in the digital age via AI visualizers and high-budget audio erotica. We also talk about Renaissance faires, fujoshi discourse, the mirror image of male vs. female gooning in popular culture, Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights as the BookTok movie of the century, and more. Links: Image board Sam’s Romantasy Spotify Playlist “Did a Best-Selling Romantasy Author Steal Another Writer’s Story?” by Katy Waldman in The New Yorker “She Fell in Love With ChatGPT. Then She Ghosted It.” (r/MyBoyfriendIsAI profile) by Kashmir Hill in The New York Times “Sexual Scripts: Permanence and Change” by William Simon and John H. Gagnon in Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 15, No. 2 “How the Renaissance Fair became America’s favorite fantasy” by Kelly Faircloth in National Geographic r/AskAHistorian discussions about medievalism and high fantasy (one, two, three) The Oxford Handbook of Victorian Medievalism ed. Joanne Parker and Corinna Wagner Hard to Be a God (2013) dir. Aleksei German Candlelight Ecstasy Romance Guidelines c. 1980 Love Story magazine ed. Daisy Bacon (1921–1947) (see covers here) “The Uses of Reading Mass-Produced Romance Fiction” (Harlequin study) by Susan B. Neuman (1985) History of the “sex and shopping” genre by Pascal Tréguer “Girls Who Love Boys Who Love Boys” by E. Alex Jung in Vulture Interview with Quinn founder and CEO Caroline Spiegel in Refinery29 “Aural Fixation: Celebrity Audio Erotica Is 2025’s Answer to the Centerfold” by Hannah Jackson in Vogue “The Importance of Critical Thinking in a Zombiefied World” (Why romantasy is crucial to understanding Apple TV’s hit show Pluribus) by Maris Kreizman in The Atlantic “Liking Books is Not a Personality” by Hannah McGregor in Electric Literature @shauna_the_author on Instagram This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 150: Wolk Mind Virus w/ Ivy Wolk | 18 Feb 2026 | 01:19:50 | |
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by actress and generational internet phenomenon Ivy Wolk (Anora, The English Teacher) to discuss her sartorial origins from roller derby to riot grrl to rockabilly, the sorry state of the Theatre, the evolving identity of the character actor, the cult mystique of a volatile decade-long online presence, and why cultural curiosity may be the closest thing we have to world peace. Ivy also weighs in on the uncanny e-girl invasion of the latest Guess campaign and reflects on the spirit of authentic Angeleno style. Links: Theatre and Film on Tape Archive at NYPL for the Performing Arts Mike Tyson’s “fat and nasty” MAHA Super Bowl ad Peloton’s Kendall Toole in viral “get ‘em banned” clip This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 149: The Horn of Plenty Honky Tonk | Study Break | 11 Feb 2026 | 01:06:25 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we survey the triumph and tragedy of the 2026 Grammys and deliver our official assessment of the Momania (The Moment + Melania) double feature. The declaration of war on Sombr is formally expanded to include newcomer Olivia Dean, and the strange theater of Latino representation in Hollywood comes under review. Elsewhere, several urgent notes are issued to the pop music PR puppeteers who seem to have lost motor control of talents like Jelly Roll and Billie Eilish. We also unpack the honky tonk heartbreak of Bella Hadid and Adan Banuelos, Gaga’s McQueen resurrection, Justin Bieber’s soulful Captain Underpants realness, the newest wave of Windrush Generation excellence, and more! Links: Sacheen Littlefeather accepting an Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando Adan Banuelos Arrested for Public Intoxication Bella Hadid dancing in a Honky Tonk with Adan Banuelos Theo Von on Jelly Roll Acceptance Speeches This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 147: Cherry Emoji Dark Feminine | 28 Jan 2026 | 01:14:57 | |
In this week's episode, we examine a specific brand of dark femininity that feels like a vestige of 2016, embodied through dramatic imagery of luxury accessories, cartoon vixens, and predatory wildlife, and expressed through a paradoxical strain of man-hating male centrism. We discuss this aesthetic’s positioning in opposition to the Clean Girl and how interpersonal dynamics popularized by sex work inform its understanding of power and money. We also investigate why the dark feminine resonates so deeply among women of the so-called “Latina belt,” drawing connections to chola culture and Arabic literary traditions to explore how this affect functions as a negotiation between patriarchal tradition and Western ideas about female sexuality and autonomy. Finally, we identify the aesthetic’s greatest arbiters and muses, from Helmut Newton and Riccardo Tisci to Maddy Perez and BLACKPINK’s Lisa.Links: Ralph Bakshi: A Forgotten Pioneer Rihanna - B***h Better Have My Money (Explicit) (Official Music Video) BbyMutha - RULES (Official Music Video) Why Men Love B*****s: From Doormat to Dreamgirl by Sherry Argov “How the Cholo Clown Became the Face of L.A.” by Frank Rojas for LA Times (“Smile Now, Cry Later” history) Ghazal History – Encyclopaedia Iranica BLACKPINK’s Lisa introduces “Vixi” “The Wild World of Chris von Wangenheim” by Daisy Woodward for AnOther Chris von Wanghenheim on TheFashionSpot “Pomellato Revives Helmut Newton’s Daring ’80s Campaigns in a New Show” by Annie Davidson Watson for W Ricardo Tisci by Donatella Versace for Interview Givenchy Fall 2011 Menswear on Vogue Runway Givenchy Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear on Vogue Runway Givenchy Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear on Vogue Runway This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 146: Blonde Hair and Black Gold | Study Break | 14 Jan 2026 | 01:05:57 | |
In the first Study Break of the year, Biz and Sam survey the state of the world refracted through the prism of pop culture. They discuss Odessa A’Zion’s wig allegations, the hypernormal clownery of Nicolas Maduro’s kidnapping, Bella Hadid’s blonde hair omen, and the pop-princess perfection of Zara Larsson. Plus: a meditation on time in the second quarter of the 21st century, viewed through the anamorphic looking glass of Hollister’s 2016 anachronism, Cameron Winter’s Dorian Grey agelessness, and North West’s prodigious beat-making potential. Links: Stateside + Zara Larsson by Pink Panthress North West’s Beatmaking Sample Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall Carnival Time, Hardness, and the Machines That Process Excess by Sachin on Substack Work-Hardened Archetypes by Sachin on Substack Venezuelan Oil Explainer in The Guardian Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques Oil Company Pushback in The Guardian Rama Duwaji Profile in The Cut Previous Episodes Referenced: Ep. 25: America (with Light Townsend Cummins) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 145: Pastel Grunge Revival | 31 Dec 2025 | 01:06:49 | |
This week, we herald the coming of the Pastel Grunge Revival, a new wave of candy-colored femininity characterized by an eclectic and deliberately unsettling fusion of childlike innocence and overt sensuality. We discuss the style’s influences— soft grunge Tumblr imagery, cartoon nostalgia, Harajuku fashion, sex worker style, and more— and unpack the social functions of age regression, self-objectification, and homosocial fantasy that resonate with young women online. We also provide a brief overview of pastels in visual culture from the 1950s to present, and we explore the myriad reasons why this aesthetic emerged from Los Angeles in particular. Special thank you to Monica @finalformfemale for this episode idea!! Links: Ashley Williams – Vogue Runway f5ve – I Choose You (Official MV) PGR It Girls and Creative Forces Masterlist: Mazzy Joya, Savannah Hudson, Miss Madeline and Chase Icon, Cannelle, ADÉLA, Manon Macasaet, Lexi Kingery, Kennedy Dechet, Natasha Somerville, Aerin Moreno Shopbluedream.us and @shopbluedream on Instagram for an inspired selection of PGR clothing Misc. PGR brands: Lovett, OGBFF, OMIGHTY, Poster Girl, I.AM.GIA, Poison Candy Apple, WeedSlut TikToks of girls posting their younger selves to sad songs Accidentally getting a job as a stripper in Japan TikTok storytime fakemink - Easter Pink (Prod Suzy Sheer) (Official MV) Rhode remakes Richard Avedon’s iconic Versace 1994 campaign OG Soft Grunge It Girls: Joanna Kuchta, Shelby Hamilton aka meowshelbs, Erika Kamano fka Erika Bowes Gwen Stefani and the Harajuku Girls (2005) Nicki Minaj explains Harajuku Barbie (2009) (+ Nicki’s iconic pastel necklaces by ONCH) Rapper CeeChynaa shows off her vintage doll collection This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 144: The 2025 Nymphies Awards | 18 Dec 2025 | 00:57:52 | |
After a brief hiatus, the Nymphies are BACK!! In this annual ceremony, we honor 2025’s greatest achievements in fashion and culture with awards from us at the Nymphet Alumni Academy of Arts and Sciences, including categories such as Best and Worst Rebrand, Outfit of the Year, Best Sillyboy, and Best Brainrot Trend, featuring exclusive access to our careful deliberation process. We lay to rest dearly departed aesthetics of years past, and we end the evening by announcing the winner of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, immortalizing one true legend in the Nymphet Alumni canon. For the first time, we’ve also tallied up your votes for the Reader’s Choice Awards! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 142: Gearing Up w/ Avery Trufelman | 05 Dec 2025 | 01:06:06 | |
In this episode, we’re joined (again!!) by Avery Trufelman, the grand dame of fashion podcasting, to discuss the latest installment of her podcast, Articles of Interest, titled Gear. In this meticulously researched series, Avery dives deep into the history of tactical/outdoor fashion and the ways in which the United States Military and the world of high-tech performance wear continuously influence each other. She answers our pressing questions about American frontier cosplay, the symbolism of the modern field jacket, the innovations behind lightweight tech, and why gear has reemerged as a major fashion language. We also touch on the future of patriotism ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary and the rise of meme-ified military archetypes among Gen Z. Links: Articles of Interest on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 141: For Good and For Worse | Study Break | 26 Nov 2025 | 00:59:49 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the return of press tour psychodrama surrounding Wicked: For Good, the concerning midwittery of the Met Gala’s recent theme announcement, DLlegations in the highest office of the nation, and profiles in infidelity and iMessage confessionalism featuring Olivia Nuzzi and Lily Allen. We also review Vanity Fair’s latest Hollywood issue while reflecting on the bygone golden age of Hollywood ensemble editorials, and we launch a counteroffensive against Sombr in his war on 25-year-olds. Links: Vanity Fair’s 2026 Hollywood Issue: “Let’s Hear It For the Boys” Twilight cast for Vanity Fair December 2008 “Hollywood’s Next Wave” in Vanity Fair August 2008 (feat. Kristen Stewart, Amanda Seyfried) “It’s Raining Teens” in Vanity Fair July 2003 Druski + Timothee Chalamet hold auditions for Coulda Been Records in Brooklyn Viral Sombr concert review on TikTok + Sombr’s response Anime cardboard cutouts kid (Tobyn Jacobs) Bob Army – Saturday Night Live sketch on YouTube Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Spring 2026 Press Release – “Costume Art” Ken Burns | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #615 “I Left My Home” US Army Cadence on TikTok Cassius Thundercock on KnowYourMeme Nicki Minaj speaks at the United Nations on behalf of the Trump administration “Postscript to an Open Marriage: On Lily Allen’s West End Girl” by Jean Garnett – The Paris Review “Olivia Nuzzi Did It All for Love” by Jacob Bernstein – The New York Times Red Lobster CEO Damola Adamolekun Ice Spice - Big Guy (from The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants) on YouTube
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 140: Scientifica | 19 Nov 2025 | 01:02:13 | |
In this week’s episode, we develop a theory of Scientifica, a fashion aesthetic that borrows from the visual language of science, with influences ranging from Victorian taxonomy to Utopian Scholastic nostalgia to legacy science-fiction world-building. We examine recent manifestations of this impulse—runway shows that feel like scientific exhibitions or presentations, references to astronomical phenomena and archival display, and couture idealization of intellegentsia femininity—and question what it means when the fashion world aligns with objective inquiry and institutional knowledge in the face of epistemological crisis. Links: “The Universe According to Timothée” by Mattie Kahn, shot by Annie Leibovitz – Vogue (December 2025 cover story) Chanel Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear by Matthieu Blazy “The pioneering ‘great men’ of Victorian science were once attacked for being unmanly” by Heather Ellis – The Conversation “Victorian Egyptomania: How a 19th Century Fetish for Pharaohs Turned Seriously Spooky” – History Answers Utopian Scholastic – Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute “Understanding the Japanese Influences Behind Star Wars” by Ollie Barder – Forbes “The Complicating Role of the Private Sector in Space” by Victoria Samson – Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists “Goodbye, $165,000 Tech Jobs. Student Coders Seek Work at Chipotle” by Natasha Singer – The New York Times College Board Research Brief on U.S. High School Students’ Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence “Historians See Autocratic Playbook in Trump’s Attacks on Science” by William J. Broad – The New York Times Tech oligarch freakshow: Elon Musk says AI is more dangerous than nukes, Peter Thiel’s creepy ahh lectures on the Antichrist, Sam Altman creepy ahh references to an AI kill switch Vogue Paris December 1998/January 1999 Discussion – TheFashionSpot The Price of Illusion: A Memoir by Joan Juliet Buck Prada’s spacesuit design for Axiom Space, “the world’s first commercial space station” “As Prada Pairs With NASA, a Look at the Best Space-Inspired Looks From the Runway” by Laird Borrelli-Persson – Vogue “Was Timothée Chalamet’s Vogue Cover Really So Out of This World?” by Jacob Gallagher – The New York Times “Michelle Obama Is the Perfect Partner in Matthieu Blazy’s Modern Chanel Suiting” – Vogue Venice W. Spring–Summer 2026: Sparkling Sea (Symposium) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 138: I Like Ur Look w/ Kim Petras | 04 Nov 2025 | 00:48:00 | |
In this episode, we are honored to be joined by pop princess and fashion icon Kim Petras to discuss the world of inspiration behind her newest project, especially the Fashioncore anthem heard around the world, “I Like Ur Look.” Kim walks us through her formative fashion memories, from aspirational MTV programming to inaugural designer grails, and tells us about her latest archival obsessions, including her special connection to Marc Jacobs-era Louis Vuitton. We also discuss the tension between authenticity and reinvention, the heritage of electronic music in Europe, our proposal for party reform, and more. Links: Kim Petras - I Like Ur Look (Official Music Video) Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton (dir. Loïc Prigent) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 137: One Showgirl After Another | Study Break | 17 Oct 2025 | 01:14:55 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the ragebait spectacle of Paris Fashion Week, darksided news from Hollywood featuring Tilly Norwood and D4vd, lives of showgirls everywhere from Taylor Swift’s possible schizophrenia diagnosis to Addison Rae’s vintage scream queen moment to Zara Larsson’s sublime vocal talent, and the cultural warfare fallout of Bad Bunny’s road to the Super Bowl. Sam also reviews Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another and we discuss the curious case of Chase Infiniti. Links: Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2026 by Duran Lantink Cardi B “she was so happy to look a mess” Tweet (Gypsy Sport Spring 2016) Balenciaga Spring 2026 by Pierpaolo Piccioli Maison Margiela Spring 2026 by Glenn Martens “When Did New York Fashion Week Get So Boring?” by Rachel Seville Tashjian for The Washington Post Keith Urban and Maggie Baugh affair rumors amid Nicole Kidman split Tilly Norwood Official Website “Hollywood is Already Falling Behind on AI Video” by Lucas Shaw for Bloomberg “Everything We Know About D4VD” – Billboard Chase Infiniti’s K-pop dance cover of “OMG” by NewJeans Addison Rae’s performance in Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story Addison Rae performs “Diet Pepsi / New York” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Taylor Swift explains her song “Actually Romantic” “Irony and Proverb Comprehension in Schizophrenia: Do Female Patients ‘Dislike’ Ironic Remarks?” in Schizophrenia Research and Treatment Zara Larsson on Sweden’s Got Talent in 2008 El Chavo Del Ocho (English Version) - Saturday Night Live starring Bad Bunny This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 136: Jane Birkin w/ Marisa Meltzer | 08 Oct 2025 | 01:20:56 | |
This week on Nymphet Alumni, Biz is joined by journalist and author Marisa Meltzer to talk about her new book It Girl: The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin — the first comprehensive biography of the actress, singer and myth-muse. The two get into the making of Birkin’s image and the unseen real life behind it, plus how aging, style and selfhood intersect. Also discussed: the horrors of Serge Gainsbourg’s man-cave, Timothee Chalamet as inheritor of the Jane B legacy, and why swag might just come from getting older. Links: It Girl: The Life and Legacy of Jane Birkin by Marisa Meltzer (Out now!) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 135: Chinese Century Romanticism w/ Olivia Kan-Sperling | 01 Oct 2025 | 01:04:40 | |
In this episode, Alexi is joined by writer, editor, and dear friend Olivia Kan-Sperling to discuss the aesthetic universe of her brand new novel, Little Pink Book, a lyrical and decadent romantic tragedy set in Shanghai. In unpacking her wide range of influences, we explore shabby chic Orientalism, avant garde florists, Chinese romantasy web novels, baroque bespoke beverages, the emerging field of Wasian studies, the triggering qualities of Clairo’s “Pretty Girl” music video, the possibility of Labubu as a literary format, and much more. Links: Little Pink Book by Olivia Kan-Sperling from Simon and Schuster Olivia on Instagram @dianadiagram Alexi’s interview with Olivia in Interview magazine Diane Severin Nguyen: In Her Time (Iris’s Version) Empire of Signs by Roland Barthes Molly Tea’s domineering CEO romance receipt promo via Dr. Candise Lin The Architecture of Taste by Pierre Hermé - Lecture to the Harvard Graduate School of Design (2013) Julian Castronovo review of Little Pink Book in BOMB magazine Shanzhai: Deconstruction in Chinese by Byung-Chul Han This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 134: Fashion and Psychoanalysis w/ Dr. Valerie Steele | 28 Sep 2025 | 01:02:25 | |
In this episode, we welcome back none other than the “Freud of Fashion” herself, Dr. Valerie Steele, to discuss the Museum at FIT’s latest exhibition, Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis. Dr. Steele walks us through central theories on mirrors, masquerade, and eroticism, exploring the deep-seated fears and fantasies that drive what we wear. We dissect how the theories of Lacan and Freud play out on the bodies dressed by Schiaparelli, McQueen, Versace, and many more fashion history greats. Links: Visit Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis at the Museum at FIT (up until January 4, 2026)! Register for the Fashion and Psychoanalysis Symposium at the Museum at FIT, Friday November 14th! Audio Analysis for Dress, Dreams, and Desire (four items) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 133: Clown Town (Emergency Roundtable) | 24 Sep 2025 | 01:02:25 | |
In this emergency roundtable report, we discuss how clownery has become a dominant mode of aesthetic and ideological expression, perhaps symbolizing the defeat of authenticity. Recent carnivalesque incidents include the chaotic spectacle of this year’s VMAs, the meteoric rise of the Savannah Bananas, Jay Guapo’s Italian Brainrot Block Party, the political role reversal of the troll and the triggered, Audrey Hobert’s debut album Who’s the Clown, and more. Links: Top Clown Town outfits at the VMAs: Conan Gray in Erik Charlotte, Megan Stalter as hot dog vendor, Doja Cat in Balmain, Ariana Grande’s outfit changes, Sabrina Carpenter in Valentino Sabrina Carpenter Performs “Tears” | 2025 Video Music Awards “I need to see you spin first, sista” from Sex and the City S4 E18 Chappell Roan Performs “Pink Pony Club” (Live From The 67th Grammy Awards) “Chappell Roan on the Queer Origins of her Signature Makeup Look” – Gay Times Flash Mob! The Savannah Bananas Crash The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon “As Savannah Bananas ursue ‘a billion fans,’ are they real competition for MLB?” – The New York Times Jay Guapo’s Brainrot Block Party Tyler Robinson’s bullet casing inscription breakdown – PBS News Hour The story behind FBI Director Kash Patel’s seemingly random ‘Valhalla’ reference Trump’s presidential portraits from 2017 to 2025 “What Is ‘Dark Woke’?” – The New York Times “Why has Gavin Newsom gone ‘dark woke’?” – BBC Mexican influencer Marian Izaguerre dies after posting goodbye video in clown makeup Audrey Hobert Who’s the Clown interview in Teen Vogue “The Clown at Midnight: Coulrophobia, Counterculture, and the Decadent Pierrot Mask” by Samuel Love – Sequitur Passages from Mikhail Bakhtin on the grotesque body and the carnivalesque sense of the world This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 130: Magazine Girl | 20 Aug 2025 | 01:15:35 | |
This week, we discuss the glamorous world of the Magazine Girl, dissecting the real and fictional lives of women who worked at glossy magazines during their heyday. Through profiles of icons including Diana Vreeland, Anna Wintour, Franca Sozzani, Carine Roitfeld, and Plum Sykes, we distill the shared qualities that made these women so foundational to high fashion media. Inspired by Anna Wintour’s recent resignation and the buzz around The Devil Wears Prada sequel, we also ponder who, if anyone, carries on the Magazine Girl legacy today. Links: “The Divine Mrs. V” by Eleanor Dwight for New York “Who is Plum Sykes?” by Taylore Scarabelli for Interview “The Plum and Lucy Show” by Bob Morris for The New York Times The Price of Illusion: A Memoir by Joan Juliet Buck Assorted costumes from The Devil Wear Prada 2 in Dazed “Anna Wintour: Behind the Shades” interview for CBS Carine Roitfeld interview for The Guardian “Could You Have Landed a Job at Vogue in the ‘90s?” Quiz in The New York Times Anna: The Biography by Amy Odell Interview with Anna Wintour biographer Amy Odell in Hunger A Dash of Daring: Carmel Snow and Her Life In Fashion, Art, and Letters by Penelope Rowlands Excerpts from Diana Vreeland’s Why Don’t You column in British Vogue Franca Sozzani obituary in Vogue “The Condé Empire Was One Big Beautiful Grift” by Emilia Petrarca on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 129: The Jeans of it All | Study Break | 14 Aug 2025 | 01:04:22 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the suspiciously overblown controversy of Sydney Sweeney’s AE ad spot, our box office takes on Ari Aster’s Black Lives Matter COVID Western and the new Superman, fascinating late night musical debuts from Pinkpantheress and Jessie Murph, the summer of female sexual aggression, our love of senior dating and romance, and more. Links: Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans – American Eagle Brooke Shields Calvin Klein Jeans Commercial (1980) Biz on the genes/jeans of it all Sydney Sweeney as Lacanian super predator tweet @default_friend on AE’s busted copy “The Disembodied Body of Marilyn Monroe” by Wendy Lesser There You Are: Brad Pitt for Chanel No. 5 Commercial Pamela Anderson and Liam Neeson editorial for You magazine “Sex After 60 in Sag Harbor” by Candace Bushnell for New York magazine A24’s Eddington dir. Ari Aster – Official Trailer “Everyone Wants a Piece of Pedro Pascal” – Vanity Fair cover story “Can David Corenswet Save Superman?” – GQ cover story Ryan Murphy Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy styling backlash “Golden” from K-Pop Demon Hunters hits No. 1 on Billboard PinkPantheress: Illegal/Girl Like Me/Tonight Medley on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Rhythm Heaven music edits by @therealstoinkle Jessie Murph: 1965 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Chappell Roan - The Subway (Official Music Video) Sabrina Carpenter brings out Earth, Wind & Fire at Lollapalooza Manon and Lara of KATSEYE lez out on stage at Lollapalooza Rachel Zegler’s gratitude surge at Evita curtain call RFK Jr. launches federal crackdown on 7-OH Lola Young - One Thing (Official Music Video) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 128: Hamptons Face w/ Emily Sundberg | 29 Jul 2025 | 00:12:54 | |
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nymphetalumni.com This week on Nymphet Alumni, Biz interviews New York newsletter phenom and Feed Me founder Emily Sundberg. They discuss the West Village-ification of America, the curious case of Hamptons face and what’s aspirational to young people in New York in 2025. Plus, Emily shares her advice on how to find your voice and how to protect your digital soul. | |||
| Ep. 127: Opium | 24 Jul 2025 | 01:09:53 | |
In this week’s episode, we explore the cryptic and chaotic world of Opium, the record label founded by Playboi Carti in 2019 that has since evolved into a full-blown subculture of chronically online and fashionably darksided super-fans. From botched merch capsules and vampire cosplay to early TikTok dances and baby mama drama, we descend the Opium iceberg and trawl the Cartinese dark web in attempt to understand the Chrome-bejeweled and Rick-adorned figures shaping youth culture in their image. Links: Opium (Record Label) on KnowYourMeme “Playboi Carti Against His Own Game” by Nolan Kelly – Spike Art Magazine “Playboi Carti and His Offspring Ponder Life After Rage-Rap” by Jon Caramanica – The New York Times Is Playboi Carti Rap’s Next—or Last—Rap Superstar? – Popcast “The Rowdy World of Rap’s New Underground” by Jon Caramanica – The New York Times [PHOTOS] Misc. video essays on YouTube: * The Opium Aesthetic Explained * The Rise of Opium: Playboi Carti's Unstoppable Label “Will Playboi Carti Ever Drop His New Album?” – Rolling Stone NEVEREVER by Ken Carson kitten videos on TikTok “The History of Playboi Carti’s Baby Voice” by Greg Gaffney – Complex “Playboi Carti on His Cut-and-Sew Fashion Line ‘Narcissist’” – Paper Magazine “5 Things You Should Know About VLONE” – NSS Magazine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 126: Mamacitas and Materialists | Study Break | 16 Jul 2025 | 01:15:21 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the mass psychosis of Love Island USA, major couture debuts at Dior and Celine, the sauceless hypergamy parable of Celine Song’s Materialists, Cate Blanchett’s chilling epilogue cameo in Squid Game, and current Latina affairs from Katseye’s “Gabriela” to the Sanchez-Bezos midlife nuptial extravaganza. We also review Addison’s stadium debut at Wembley and report on courtroom happenings including Sean “Diddy” Combs and Min Hee-jin. Love Island USA Hearts on Fire Challenge – Teaser on YouTube Cierra Ortega apology video on YouTube @loveislandusastyle on Instagram “Cierra & Vanna & Ethics & Vanity” – The Review of Beauty by Jessica DeFino Bad tattoos on Love Island USA The New York Times on the Sean “Diddy” Combs Verdict Tiny Harris reacts to the Diddy verdict on Instagram Dior Homme Spring 2026 Menswear (J. W. Anderson debut) – Vogue Runway Celine Spring 2026 Ready-to-Wear (Michael Rider debut) – Vogue Runway Marc Jacobs Fall 2025 Ready-to-Wear – Vogue Runway “Materialists Costume Designer Talks About Style Symbolism” – The Zoe Report Cate Blanchett cameo in Squid Game finale on YouTube KATSEYE (캣츠아이) "Gabriela" Official MV on YouTube The Daytona Wind Acting Challenge from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 on YouTube Lauren Sanchez and Jeff Bezos Wedding Exclusive – Vogue Addison Rae opens for Lana del Rey at Wembley NewJeans / HYBE / ADOR / Min Hee-Jin Megathread on Reddit This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 125: Manchile (Sam's Birthday Special) | Study Break | 25 Jun 2025 | 01:06:24 | |
In this edition of Study Break, in which we subtly celebrate Sam’s birthday, we discuss a variety of women’s issues: the discourse meltdown brought on by Sabrina Carpenter’s chauvinist comeback and her aesthetic shift from pastels and pin-ups to Helmut Newton and Halston; the mass crisis of female reproductive unwellness; Addison Rae’s kaleidoscopic showgirl debut; and the upsetting regression of Sydney Sweeney’s bathwater hustle. We also discuss some boy issues: Luigi Mangione’s lovably centrist birthday dispatch from prison, putting the Guy Fawkes mask on and embracing Redditism, Trump and Elon’s toxic yaoi best friend breakup, and more. To stay subscribed to exclusive episodes and all the glamour of our premium content, head to https://www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe and add your payment info <3 Links: “How Sabrina Carpenter Dream-Come-True'd Her Whole Life” – Rolling Stone Sabrina Carpenter Man’s Best Friend album cover J. G. Ballard on Helmut Newton in The Art Newspaper, 1999 Sabrina Carpenter - Manchild (Official Video) Sports betting based on period cycles Recent PCOS/PMDD celebrity press: Lorde, Bella Hadid, Miley Cyrus Nadya Okamoto/August on TikTok Addison Rae – Addison Pitchfork Review (8.0) Addison Rae Interview: From $20 TikToks to Pop’s Most Promising Prospect – Popcast Addison Rae with superstar vocal coach Eric Vetro Addison Rae – Times Like These (Official Video) (feat. Gio the line cook!) Luigi Mangione’s gratitude-pilled birthday letter from MDC Alex Cooper Accuses Her College Soccer Coach of Sexual Harassment – Vanity Fair Martin Lawrence on The Jennifer Hudson Show (interview flop) Sydney’s Bathwater Bliss by Dr. Squatch Sydney Sweeney W Magazine cover story Belle Delphine bathwater PayPal controversy – Business Insider This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 124: American Scammer | 18 Jun 2025 | 00:11:53 | |
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nymphetalumni.com In this episode, we oscillate between antebellum steamboat grifters and prosperity gospel televangelists to unpack the archetype of the American con man: a self-made myth-maker cloaked in charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. We discuss itinerant preachers, LA hypebeast cyber-apostles, Herman Melville, identity theft, April Fool’s Day, man-on-the-street content creators, jewelry dropshippers, and more, tracing the legacy of scammers through primary sources from 1850s op-eds to influencer snark pages. Links: | |||
| Ep. 123: The Miss Course w/ Angel Money | 06 Jun 2025 | 02:07:39 | |
This week on Nymphet Alumni, Alexi interviews Angel Money, New York nightlife darling and visionary of beauty and commerce. Over the course of more than two hours, we discuss her past life as a Tumblr-famous pale grunge blogger, her balance between New Age spirituality and hedonistic abundance, her intimate knowledge of custom Chinese manufacturing, her fashion controversies from cultural appropriation to exotic animal pelts, mad scientist gray market beauty treatments, the implicit influence of trans aesthetics on 21st century femininity, the mental and physical architecture of transsexuality, and much more. Angel also shares her exclusive recipes for a perfect night out—including her precise methodology for a 48-hour glam—and her high-fantasy vision for the ultimate immersive nightlife experience. Links: Listen to Money Talks with Angel Money Angel’s Share – Document Journal This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 122: Welcome to Chumbo w/ Emily Segal | 28 May 2025 | 01:25:59 | |
In this episode, we’re joined by the legendary Emily Segal: writer, artist, cultural clairvoyant, and co-founder of K-HOLE and Nemesis. We talk about her brand-conscious NYC upbringing and art school education-by-osmosis, AI and telepathy, the collapse of unified worldviews, and what it means to be a creative director when every pair of jeans is trending at once. Emily also unearths the lost downtown dream of Chumbo and unpacks for us the group polarization and identity negotiation of contemporary parenting culture. Links: The Generational Triennial: Younger Than Jesus at The New Museum Mother Media: Hot and Cool Parenting in the Twentieth Century by Hannah Zeavin This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 121: Whimsimod | 20 May 2025 | 01:33:29 | |
In this episode, we introduce the concept of whimsimod to explain the recent trend of pattern-printed and adorably tailored fashion among sensitive indie starlets and Instagram baddies alike. In the process of unpacking this polished yet playful re-envisioning of femininity, we discuss the aesthetic shift from “kiki” to “bouba” over the past year, the history of girly youth diffusion lines like RED Valentino and Blugirl, the current hemline crisis and the accompanying novelty hosiery movement, seminal lady designers including Carolina Herrera and Kate Spade, and more. We also provide a forensic cultural history of the polka dot throughout the decades. Links: “The Power Of Two Claires: Miss Claire Sullivan Talks Designing Clairo’s Grammys Look” — Nylon “Reflections of Clairo” by Clairo — Byline beabadoobee — “Beaches” Jimmy Kimmel Live performance on YouTube beabadoobee slayful Getty Image Patternalia: An Unconventional History of Polka Dots, Stripes, Plaid, Camouflage, & Other Graphic Patterns by Jude Stewart “The Polka Dot’s Past Is Weirder Than You Think” by Nancy MacDonell — The Wall Street Journal Blondita, Lauren Perrin, Ben Doctor, Lucila Safdie TJ Maxx psychosis monologue TikTok (?) Miu Miu Fall 2023 Ready-to-Wear Collection — Vogue Runway Addison Rae’s polka dot catsuit by Miss Claire Sullivan at Coachella Addison Rae Vogue France cover story Disney Channel’s Former Costume Designer Doesn’t Get the Y2K Resurgence Either — Vogue “That’s So ’80s:” Wes Gordon Finds Treasures in a Scrapbook From Herrera’s Past — Interview “Carolina Herrera: Portrait of a Lady” by Anamaria Wilson — Harper’s Bazaar Lynn Wyatt's Glamorous Life: Celebrities, Couture, and Castles | Paper Trail on YouTube @chloyorkcity’s 80’s Excess series on TikTok Surrey glasses on EyeBuyDirect “The Enduring Legacy of Kate Spade’s Witty, Misunderstood Life” by Rory Satran — The Wall Street Journal Vogue’s extremely belated trend report on statement socks and tights at NYFW “1960s-Style Tights Are Back. How to Wear Them in 2022.” by Nancy MacDonell — The Wall Street Journal Cero Magazine Issue 9 — Kiko Kostadinov Special Edition featuring our interview with Laura and Deanna Fanning! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 120: First Glam Ever in Space | Study Break | 14 May 2025 | 01:13:36 | |
In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the emancipatory joy of Justin Bieber’s public glow-down, shocking displays of tactical romantic psychosis by girls online, the despair wrought by the all-female Blue Origin space flight, the self-titled musical bonanza of Addison and Jonatan, the subversive pots-and-pans earworm Gnarly by Katseye, reflections on Californian millennialism from HAIM to Meghan Markle, our field trip to Pope Francis’s memorial mass, and more. To stay subscribed to exclusive episodes and all the glamour of our premium content, head to https://www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe and add your payment info <3 Links:“Hailey Bieber’s Dangerous Decade-Long Obsession [Reupload]” on YouTube Justin Bieber e-bike bong photoshoot “I’m Dating A Fan” by Caspar Lee on YouTube (and his gf’s viral TikTok) Benny Blanco reveals Selena Gomez used to wait outside his house for 30 minutes before dates Alexandra French’s “First Glam Ever in Space” Instagram post Katy Perry Sings in Space, Reveals “Lifetimes” Set List Levi Coralynn by Elizaveta Porodina for Alla Carta Addison Rae’s Elle April 2025 cover story KATSEYE (캣츠아이) “Gnarly” Official Music Video dearALICE by SM Entertainment (boy group whose name i couldn’t remember lol) PSYCHIC FEVER “Just Like Dat” Official Music Video Encyclical Letter Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship) by Pope Francis Michelle Obama on the Shocking Cost of Living in the White House Meghan Markle Netflix snarking on YouTube This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 119: Sam's Jurassic World (Minisode) | 06 May 2025 | 00:05:26 | |
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nymphetalumni.com In this solo debut episode, Sam introduces us to her fantastically anachronistic obsession: dinosaurs and their recurring impact on fashion and culture. From the “Bone Wars” of the Gilded Age to the fossilized postwar fantasy of The Flintstones to the mass Dinomania surrounding the release of 1993’s Jurassic Park, Sam explores paleontological and prehistoric aesthetics as a reflection of cultural anxieties and technological advancements. She also walks us through major fashion moments including Jeremy Scott’s electroclash cavewomen (S/S 2010) and Gucci’s retro roadside dinosaur encounter (F/W 2017). | |||
| Ep. 118: Mukbang | 30 Apr 2025 | 01:29:53 | |
In this very special video episode of Nymphet Alumni, we convene in Hell’s Kitchen to perform our first-ever mukbang. Filmed the evening after our tiki-themed Substack launch party, we attempt to recover with 30 Chick-fil-A nuggets, two Cokes, two large fries, one chicken sandwich, and six Crumbl cookies. Along the way, we unpack the economics of fast food franchising, explore the theological divide between Protestant and Mormon desserts, debate the integrity of Chick-fil-A’s pickle batter and more. Bon appétit! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 116: Hari Files w/ Hari Nef | 15 Apr 2025 | 01:47:22 | |
In this episode, superstar model-actress-writer and certified Tumblr icon Hari Nef joins us to discuss the electric energy of the mid-2010s New York fashion scene— VFILES, Hood by Air, Eckhaus Latta, and more— and the collision of early online content and the fashion industry that birthed some of the most brilliant creative personae of our generation. We learn about Hari’s cutthroat electioneering of the Dazed 100, her double life of uptown collegiate excellence and downtown nightlife chaos, street casting in SoHo and shitposting on the main grid, reflections on a decade of woke ideology, and so much more. We also get exclusive scoop on Hari’s upcoming Candy Darling biopic! Links: Kalifa (fka Le1f) profile in The Washington Post Venus X on the origins of GHE20G0TH1K, a club night that shaped the 2010s – Dazed VFILES Model Files Episode 5: Nodels (Not Models) on YouTube VFILES Model Files Season 2 Episode 1: Save SoSo on Youtube “Where Fashion Blogging Began” (Fashin F*gs profile) in The New York Times i-D Meets: Hari Nef on YouTube Hari’s scarily spot-on gay identity prediction tweet from 2014 Enigma (dir. Zackary Drucker) in Variety @FilmUpdates announces the upcoming Candy Darling biopic Hari Nef’s Hottest Fashion Opinions – The Run-Through with Vogue @marcitlali’s legendary amish b***h Tumblr post This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 115: Paillettes and Paella | 10 Apr 2025 | 00:16:13 | |
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nymphetalumni.com In our first exclusive episode on Substack (yay!), we discuss the Ibiza fashion craze, unpacking the sparkling, sunset-hued resortwear fantasy that looms over the coming summer. Using our revolutionary theory of “trickle-down Ibizanomics,” we leave no sequin unturned, from the couture treasure trove of Annie’s Ibiza to the injection-molded accessories of Amazon influencer storefronts. We analyze the aesthetic’s cultural context through the Balearic club scene’s seedy history, 2000s rom-com costuming, White Lotus hypergamy discourse, EDM tourism, traditional Indian fashion, the moodboard-to-stimboard-to-vision board pipeline, and more. | |||
| Ep. 114: Grisch | 26 Mar 2025 | 01:18:19 | |
In this week's episode, we take a deep dive into Grisch, the fascinating niche style gaining traction among Sweden's affluent youth. Drawing on our listeners' firsthand accounts and a century of Scandinavian cultural history, we dissect its surprisingly long lineage— from fin-de-siècle dandies and Eurotrash dudebros to gangster rappers and old money influencers—all culminating in a high-stakes world of designer denim, puffer vests, and luxury low-profile sneakers. We ponder how the complex relationship between class, age, nationalism, and masculinity embodied by Grisch might result in its global domination. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 113: Information Age Grindset w/ Ezra Marcus | 19 Mar 2025 | 01:18:23 | |
In this episode, journalistic superstar Ezra Marcus joins us to chronicle his journey from the ashes of millennial digital media to the frontlines of today's most exciting investigative reporting. We extol his epic track record—the Sarah Lawrence sex cult, the culinary horror story of Horses, the galaxy gas epidemic, and more— and discover what draws him to the shady fraudster kingpins that personify online hustle culture. We also discuss the true crime documentary slop machine, moonlighting as a party-pumping DJ, the idea that men are the new women, and what it means to stand at the brink of the Chinese century. The Stolen Kids of Sarah Lawrence How Do You Make a Weed Empire? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe | |||
| Ep. 112: Halal Clean Girl Prison Uniforms | Study Break | 11 Mar 2025 | 00:05:18 | |
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nymphetalumni.com In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the Hollyweirdness of the Oscars (notably that James Bond humiliation ritual), Pretty Little Thing's rebrand from Love Island resortwear to halal clean girl prison clothes, the Losercore undertones of Prada's FW 2025 show, the abjection of the Shrek 5 trailer and the gravity of Shrek's highbrow legacy, the revolt against millennial burger joints and craft breweries, plus Biz makes a special announcement. | |||