theSkimm - Weekend: The Year in Cultural Chaos 🤯

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Sunday. Can you believe it’s been almost a year since the world discovered Reesa Teesa — and her 50-part “Who TF Did I Marry?!?” TikTok series? Honestly, it should have been the first clue that we were in for an interesting year in pop culture, entertainment, fashion, and beauty. And we can’t think of a better way to recap all the madness than giving you a look at the Weekend Skimm team’s group chat. Although our investigative work pales in comparison to that of a certain Real Housewife-turned-Nancy Drew (who arguably launched the first official meme of 2024), we’re here to unpack the good (see: the internet’s field day with the “this is going to ruin the tour” meme), the bad (eyeball tattooing??), and the deeply bewildering (we’re looking at you, one-legged trousers). So cheers to 2025 — may we never see another lime-green brat meme again.

— Melissa Goldberg / Senior Editor / Washington, DC

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo at the Wicked premiere.

TAYLOR TRUDON, CULTURE & LIFESTYLE WRITER: Let’s start by holding space for Wicked’s method dressing marathon, since the press tour has finally — and thankfully — ended. At least, for now.

ALEX CARR, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: I’m sad the Gladiator II guys didn’t try out method dressing. It would’ve been fun to see them in little skirts on the red carpet.

MELISSA GOLDBERG, SENIOR EDITOR: It’s also gotten confusing as to what method dressing is. People are like, “Nicole Kidman is method dressing for Babygirl,” but she’s just wearing a lace-up red gown. Personally, I’m ready for it to be over. Though, I will make an exception for The Smurfs movie next year — particularly since Rihanna already seems to be committed to the bit.

ALEX: I don’t need it — just like I didn’t need “Cracks Are Back,” one of the most questionable trends from this year. Everyone wants to look like they’re at the 2004 VMAs.

MELISSA: Hello, whale tails. I’ve never seen a 2000s-era whale tail and thought, That was a good idea.

TAYLOR: Same goes for exceptionally ugly shoes. I still shudder when thinking about the viral Alexander McQueen hoof boots.

MELISSA: And mesh ballet flats, which perhaps no one loved more than Queen of Feral Footwear Jennifer Lawrence. I simply have no desire to see your feet. All year there was this weird, unspoken competition for designers to have the most ridiculous-looking, highly impractical shoes.

TAYLOR: That explains the resurgence of jelly shoes — and the jellyfication of everything from bags to earrings to manicures. Plus, some are allegedly made of toxins…

ALEX: Everyone’s worried about microplastics in their food. Worry about the plastics in your shoes.

TAYLOR: Oh, and let’s not forget the capri comeback — which, against all odds and logic, continued deep into fall. Don’t your legs get cold??

MELISSA: I think anything the length of Bermuda shorts, capris, or somewhere in between should be banned.

TAYLOR: Can we all agree that pre-shower makeup was by far the most confounding beauty trend this year?

ALEX: Between pre-shower makeup and the morning shed, TikTok has made us so high maintenance. Why are we doing a full face of makeup for the shower? Why do I need to put 50 things on my head before I go to sleep?

TAYLOR: Speaking of doing too much, animal-themed haircuts. Can’t we just let hair be…hair?

ALEX: Also, what’s the difference between a “mushroom bob,” “micro-bob,” and “boy bob”?

TAYLOR: And let us not forget, just as there was the animalification of hair, there was the foodification of nails — as evidenced by toffee, vanilla chai, cinnamon-glazed, cherry mocha, apple cider, and maple syrup manis.

ALEX: Your nails are not cinnamon mocha. They’re brown.

MELISSA: I’ll confess, though, a small part of me does have a soft spot for the itty-bitty, food-inspired designs. Like the little olives on Hailey Bieber’s martini nails.

TAYLOR: Let’s address the Bennifer divorce.

ALEX: I think we all knew they were breaking up before they did.

TAYLOR: They’re like Ross and Rachel. They’re destined to be together. I’m predicting a Bennifer reunion in 2025.

ALEX: But now the question is which Bennifer? The tabloids need to stop this will-they-won’t-they? plot between Ben Affleck and his other ex, Jennifer Garner.

MELISSA: I let out a very audible sigh when I saw the Thanksgiving photos of Ben and Jen Garner, accompanied by headlines teasing yet another Bennifer. We’ve done it once, twice...three times if we’re counting Lopez and Garner. Let’s leave Bennifer — in any form — in 2024.

TAYLOR: While we’re on the topic of deeply speculative stories, perhaps we should discuss the Kate Middleton drama.

MELISSA: All the speculation was icky from the jump. As soon as the, frankly, ridiculous conspiracy theories started emerging, I thought, This isn’t gonna end well. And it didn’t end well.

ALEX: It was a bad time for the internet. People weren’t their best selves — which brings me to the very messy It Ends With Us situation. Blake Lively’s legal complaint against her co-star Justin Baldoni (and others involved with the film) was a real plot twist. And a reminder that Hollywood is not a fun place to be a woman.

TAYLOR: Of course, we can’t talk about celebs in 2024 without discussing the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce of it all. Technically, they started dating in 2023, but it felt like their big milestone moment was February, when Taylor famously flew from Japan to Las Vegas to attend the Super Bowl. It was like a Hallmark rom-com — kissing him on the field and declaring “jet lag is a choice”? Never forget.

MELISSA: I wish them well. Now that the Eras Tour is over, everyone is wondering what comes next for Taylor — my bet is they get engaged. Which, I know, is not exactly a hot take.

TAYLOR: Another thing that’s not quite a hot take? I wish I could erase Katy Perry's album from my brain. I know you have thoughts on that, Melissa.

MELISSA: How much space do we have? I was a very early Katy Perry fan — aka a KatyCat — and I believed KP6 (or, 143) would be her comeback. That is, until she wore the year’s hands-down most puzzling outfit — involving a 3D butterfly faux tattoo and a thong-baring, lace-up skirt — which was followed by months of equally catastrophic looks (see: “the dress equivalent of a fanny pack” and a gown with “nasty-sweaty club rat vibes”). Add to that the decision to work with Dr. Luke and all the “Woman’s World” backlash — and it was no surprise she had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad album release day. I don’t think I’ve ever seen headlines so disastrous.

ALEX: Her album was basically the Madame Web of music this year. Thankfully, other pop albums that were actually listenable and successful kind of buried Perry’s.

TAYLOR: I assume you’re talking about the ones from Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter? The pop girlies truly saved the summer.

MELISSA: To this day, I can’t explain what it actually means to be “very demure, very mindful” — but I appreciate that the enigma is still super entertaining.

TAYLOR: There was the “Man in Finance” moment, too.

ALEX: Did she find him?

TAYLOR: I’m not sure. She needs to go on Hawk Tuah’s podcast and give us an update.

ALEX: I will say (a) the name of her podcast is hysterical, and (b) I can’t believe she’s now accused of an alleged crypto scam. (She’s, of course, saying she takes the “situation extremely seriously” and is “fully cooperating” with the lawyers involved in the class action suit.) This is such a chaotic character arc.

TAYLOR: Meanwhile, there were Pookie and Jett, who had an absolutely fire year.

ALEX: We’ve really been on a journey with them. They’re parents now — and she got an Hermès bag as a push present, which must be nice.

TAYLOR: Similarly, Moo Deng is also living her best life in Thailand. I hope people have stopped throwing objects at her and that she can have peace.

MELISSA: I regret to inform you both that the viral penguin Pesto looks like a normal penguin now.

TAYLOR: That’s almost as disappointing as Raygun announcing she’s cutting back on her competitive breaking.

ALEX: I never understood why the US didn’t send Channing Tatum to do breaking at the Olympics. I don’t know much about the sport, but I feel like he would’ve won gold.

MELISSA: By the looks of it, he could really use a win these days. 2025, good luck topping this chaos.

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