Polyester Team End of Year Picks ⭐
As the end of the year draws to a close and we’re stuck in that strange period between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, we thought we’d ease your boredom and share our favourite Polyester moments from 2022!
IONE GAMBLE
Why Are Fictional Cannibals So Hot?
Our cultural commentary has been so strong this year if I do say so myself. Picking this piece on hot cannibals as saw Bones & All on the weekend and absolutely adored it.
Fast Fashion Purgatory is the Shoot Exploring Where Your Trashed Outfits Go
Everything about this shoot is a dream, from the takedown of fast fashion to the makeup looks and most importantly the PRIVATE JET LOCATION
Beauty Archivist: Cabaret’s Makeup is an Argument Against Winged Eyeliner
Grace's makeup column has definitely been one of my favourite recurring pieces of content this year. The perfect mix of industry insight and contextual history. This one on Cabaret is my fave as also just saw the stage show earlier this year.
Rachel Sennott is Living, Laughing & Loving
Not to humble brag but interviewing Rachel Sennott was definitely a personal highlight for me this year!! She was an absolute angel and the editorial is one of my personal forever faves.
Plus In A Perfect Industry Editorial
THIS SHOOT LIVES IN MY MIND RENT FREE
The Quiet Feminism of Chick Lit
Also love this on chick lit ❤️
GINA TONIC
Rachel Sennott is Living, Laughing & Loving
I loved the Rachel Sennott cover and interview!! It felt so quintessentially Polyester and Ione smashed the interview.
Party Favours: Notes on the Intricacies of Female Friendship
I also adored this essay on female friendship, the writing is almost narrative and it really made me feel extra special about being a girly.
Film Fatale: Safe (1995)
Charlotte's column on the film Safe really sat with me for a while, it was a perfect pick and analysis for that time of year.
Culture Slut: Dissecting the 'Mean Gays' Trope
Misha's Culture Slut dissecting the mean gays trope was iconic too and really changed the way I perceive that stereotype!!
Hot and Sexy Digital Collage
And I loved this collage series by Hannah Youngblood too, it's gross, fun and makes a point, just like all the best artwork does.
CHARLOTTE LANDRUM
The Content Culture Crisis
loved content culture crisis - perfectly described how overwhelmed we feel with the thousands of videos we see every week, and gorgeously written.
The Future Is…Femcel?: The Regressive Punchline of “Sad Girl” TikTok
This viewpoint on femcels which was such a big topic this year.
Fast Fashion Purgatory is the Shoot Exploring Where Your Trashed Outfits Go
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This recent editorial is incredible, the hair, the makeup, the concept!!
EDEN YOUNG
Culture Slut: Lost In Late Night Movies
Loved Misha's essay about Film 4, late night movies and the accessibility of transgressive cinema. As a teen who also spent late nights also watching weird films on Film 4 this really really spoke to me.
I Want To Be An Almodóvar Girl
I Want To Be An Almodóvar Girl was a great essay about the women of Pedro Almodovar's films. He's one of my favourite directors and this essay nailed the reasons why I love his work. Women!
Chloe Cherry is TV's Most Loveable Bimbo
The Chloe Cherry editorial was obvs iconic. I love her so goddamn much! The breakout star of 2022 for sure.
Titane Captures the Weird, Wonderful World of Chosen Families
Daisy Jones' essay about Titane for our collaboration with MUBI was one of my favourites this year too. Titane is a goddamn masterpiece that has a lot of heart and I feel that was overlooked because of the other shocking events on the film. But Daisy sums up the tenderness of the film beautifully.
ISSEY GLADSTON
Shahed Ezaydi's The Othered Woman is an Essential Addition to Intersectional Feminism Discourse
I really enjoyed reading this interview by Muna Ahmed with Shahed Ezaydi about her upcoming book emphasising the need for discussion on gendered islamophobia which mainstream media lacks! Shahed is currently crowdfunding to self publish her book here (Opens in a new window)!!
How Will the Cost of Living Crisis Impact Our Relationship with Fast Fashion??
I loved this essay which deconstructed the idea that consumers only have a choice between luxury ethical brands or fast fashion. Instead it proposes a sustainable middle ground and an interrogation of our consumerist desires.
Maze on Neurodivergent Partying, Sober DJing and Being Daddy
Oops one of mine! But I know the rest of the team are big Maze fans after having them DJ at a few of our events. This was one of my favourite pieces of the year because it's been so beautiful seeing a friend go from strength to strength in their own artistic and self expression and find a community that accepts them!!
The Itching Coochie Diaries: How I Snuck Into NYFW And Lived To Tell The Tale (pt. 1 + 2)
Nimay’s Instagram never fails to make me cackle in public so I really enjoyed reading her account of sneaking around NYFW!
OLIVIA GRAHAM
The Sleepover Club: How The Media Have Spun The Cost Of Living Crisis Into Poverty Porn
The Sleepover Club: Why Is Everyone Obsessed With Representation Politics Again?
The Sleepover Club: The Return Of Skinniness & Why Body Types Are Still Treated As Trends
I loved these podcast episodes!
Brooke Candy is Shifting the Vibe Back
All the Brooke Candy gorgeyness
The Linda, Lindas on Their New Record, Ageing & Community
Party Favours: Notes on the Intricacies of Female Friendship
The Danny Beard stuff with Misha gorg also (Opens in a new window)
MISHA MN
Beauty Archivist: Cabaret’s Makeup is an Argument Against Winged Eyeliner
I really loved Grace’s look at the make up in Cabaret, was very exciting to see the beauty in imperfections and verité.
Dressing Dykes: What is the Future for Lesbian Fashion?
Also loved the whole of the Dressing Dykes series, the subtle art of lesbian coding seems to be increasingly overlooked, and it’s important to honour that history.
Film Fatale: I Married a Witch
Very into Charlotte’s deep dive of I Married a Witch with Veronica Lake, was a fun inciteful look at a film most people only learned about through an extended joke in AHS Coven. (Also, fun fact, was trying to get a Veronica Lake print for Charlotte’s secret Santa, but couldn’t find a good one)
HATTI REX
When we asked Hatti why she chose her end of year pics her response was that they looked nice, which is reason enough in the Polyester world.
Fast Fashion Purgatory is the Shoot Exploring Where Your Trashed Outfits Go
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Tommy Genesis, The Founder of Fetish Rap
Sugar Coma is the Editorial Taking Food Photography to the Next Level
KIDCORE is Melanie Lehmann's Latest Sickly Sweet Editorial
GRACE ELLINGTON
Film Fatale: Watching Badlands During a Heatwave
My fave essay is Film Fatale - watching Badlands in a heatwave because it’s one of my favourite movies and Charlotte writes so beautifully about it and really encapsulates the reasons why I love it
Chloe Cherry is TV's Most Loveable Bimbo
My favourite editorial is the Chloe Cherry one because she’s an icon and I feel like Polyester really showed her as a star just as she was breaking and the styling is impeccable
Rachel Sennott is Living, Laughing & Loving
And then the Rachel Sennot interview! Sorry I know everyone’s picked it lol but it’s really good and she’s amazing
See you next year!
xoxo
