Zero Vibes, No Frills, & a Side of Parm
Recent Reads Ed. 11
I recently declared “virgin vampire wife” a trend.
It started as a joke, after reading this piece in Airmail about the internet trend vibes that go viral despite being somewhat ridiculous.
Writer Cazzie David covers the fact that “nonsense sells” because everything from hot rodent boyfriend to shutter very mindful, very demure have taken over our lexicon. I received so many subject lines with the latter that I started deleting on sight.
David declares that anything can become a vibe. She’s not wrong.
On vibes: “Even ‘zero vibes’ could soon be a vibe trend, as long as you market it correctly, maybe by tweeting ‘get yourself a normal non-vibe girlfriend’ with a photo of an incredibly normal person doing absolutely nothing.”
To prove her point, she crafted a witty and utterly nonsensical chart to streamline your own viral marketing campaign. While I love red wine corporate wife (def a vibe trend uptown) and Aperol spritz cowboy core (ie. Aspen), it’s virgin vampire wife that has really come to fruition.
In Nola, it was the whimsi-goth interior design of the Columns. At New York Bridal Fashion Week, it was the black calla lilies against the white lace of Sydney Watters’s latest collection. It was the maximalist bathroom at a coffee shop in Soho, a soloist work at New York City Ballet, and some bedding at CB2.
Telling you, it’s a thing. Try it for yourself (and drop in comments!)
Carbone, Pitch decks, Jackie O, and Vegas
Virgin vampire wife may even be enough of a vibe to kickstart your dating pitch deck because according to The New York Times, that’s the newest way to land a SO. We already covered how dating apps are incentivized to keep you on the app (and line their pockets) so savvy singles are hopping off the phones and into IRL dating.
The way to stand out now? Open Powerpoint.
On decks: “I think daters are at a point now where they feel if they really want to prioritize dating, they have to get brave and creative.”
I absolutely love the nerdery here, but let me just say, I don’t know if I would have done it! As someone with absolutely zero graphic design skills but a serious eye with high expectations, I would be spending a pretty penny making it look absolutely fire. More up my alley are the singles throwing it back to old-school calling cards. Danny Ocean, anyone?
It does beg the question, when you get a date, where do you go? Wine bars are out, but apparently Carbone is alive and well, despite the food critic Priya Krishna finding plenty of faults. She ate at every location of the restaurant in the States.
I’m personally shocked when a conversation partner proclaims how much they love Carbone, because, well, I don't find the food very good, and I dislike their pretentious attitude even more. I lived down the block when the OG opened, and it was comical to observe the circus on a regular basis.
On Carbone Las Vegas: “The restaurant feels tailor-made for a city where everything is over-the-top, expensive and knowingly absurd.”
It seems Krishna agrees, calling comparing the restaurants to “a movie franchise that keeps getting rebooted, even though the original hasn’t aged well and the sequels aren’t stellar, either.”
The most ironic part of her entire review is that she seemed to have the best—and most authentic—food at the Las Vegas destination. Apparently, it is the only outpost that served genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy, rather than, as she puts it, parm from Wisconsin. Among other things.
So I wonder: Is Carbone becoming the high-end version of Olive Garden?
Speaking of dating and wives and even Vegas, may as well discuss weddings, and in particular, the fact that Jackie O’s Valentino wedding dress she wore to marry Aristotle Onassis recently sold at auction for nearly $25,000. The dress is as legendary as the silk taffeta she wore to wed JFK, but for very different reasons.
On the wedding chapel: “No frills, just happiness.”
Instead of saying “iconic bride,” as her first dress did, her short, very ‘60s Valentino number said IDGAF—does a wedding need a cream puff?
The Telegraph recaps her bridal fashion evolution.
Jackie O is revered for being ahead of her time, and this was certainly Example A. During NYBFW, we, of course, saw all enough fancy strapless ball gowns to please any inner 5-year-old princess, but also less conventional looks like mini skirts and mini mini skirts. Not every bride is going to don it for the ceremony, but at least wedding fashion is having a bit more fun.
Which is EXACTLY what couples are doing when they combine Vegas (and possibly Carbone?) with a less-is-more approach to their “big day.” Noting the made-for-Instagram vibes of today’s weddings, Town & Country declares “the no-fuss Sin City wedding has started to reemerge as the most genuine declaration of love.”
One wedding chapel owner explained that couples can actually have fun at a Vegas wedding. Though she's biased, I don’t fault her for the proclamation.
In the past few weeks, I’ve had several conversations about the state of the wedding industry, namely, the role social media plays in the production of the day. Are brides wearing dresses for themselves or the type of dress that will land them a feature in Vogue?
There is a rise of content creators to capture every moment for Instagram and TikTok alongside photographers setting up high fashion photo shoots and videographers releasing 30-second wedding teaser videos.
Are we creating memories or just images for a box on a phone?
At what point is the wedding about the couple or about what they want to project on social media? I have stumbled on something, percolating, and will be penning soon.
Thanks for reading. Cheers 🥂
Legit just images for a box on a phone. So many young couples blow through their wedding day wanting what looks best on IG.