Skip to main content

 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

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

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

0 comments

Would you like to be the first to write a comment?
Become a member of Polyester Zine and start the conversation.
Become a member