Capsule #8 ft. Róisín Lanigan

Hey loves ❣️

I hope you’ve all had a nice week. And if not, it’s Friday now, and in a few hours time you’re likely to be in a better position to turn things around. It’s okay! Good, even.

This week’s newsletter contains references to the following: serotonin and the weather, pink underwear, mystery vintage boxes, abbreviations, Sally Rooney, Michael Cera, 100 gecs, indie folk, and Converse. I hope at least one of these piques your interest :)

Have a gorg weekend,

Holly

If you find vintage shopping a bit overwhelming…

The personalised style box might be right up your alley. That is, a surprise box of secondhand goodies curated for you based on stuff you like (and your size). For example, you could tell a seller you want a retro sweatshirt, Carhartt-esque cargos, and an oversized graphic t-shirt and they’d send you a box for around £50/$70. I’ve not done this myself so I can’t vouch for it, but the ones being shared across TikTok look pretty good, and I like the way it solves choice fatigue. More isn’t always more! And sometimes we love things for sentimental reasons - like, how it might feel to feel seen by a vintage seller who only knows a few key details about you. The trend is also veering into homeware. This curator pulls together mystery boxes of home decor bits, like this one, made for someone’s sister who “loves cottagecore”. Cute, no?

@lbvintageboxes

Example of what you receive in our deluxe boxes #fyp #personalshopper #personalstylist #personalstylistonline

I spent a bit of time this week wondering why…

Bad weather affects our mood so much. Like, what’s the science? Why does the colour of the sky have such a hold over us? It turns out we aren’t all just dramatic, but that the weather impacts our mood through symbolic associations. For example, sunshine and blue skies make us think of picnics, swimming, being outside and generally having a nice time. Rainy days remind us of disappointment and cancelling plans. A study asked people their mood on rainy and sunny days, and you won’t be surprised to hear that people reported higher levels of momentary happiness during the sun, and felt lower on the rainy day. Another study found that, when asked on a super sunny day, people felt higher levels of satisfaction with their life overall. You get the point.

But what do you do when it’s kind of grey, it’s July, you don’t want to feel shitty, but you still do? The answer is stuff we know to be true but usually need reminding: go outside anyway, exercise, and don’t isolate yourself. Light boosts serotonin, endorphins from exercise ease stress, and being with people you love is good for just about everything. A reminder for us all this weekend.

The latest abbreviation I have to share with you is…

Exi stenno, short for existential crisis. Commonly uttered by friends of Capsule, Clodagh and Sophie. It works because it makes you laugh, which helps pull you out of said crisis.

Tip of the week…

Comes from Ice Spice, who shared that she always carries spare pink underwear in her Chanel bag for Vogue’s In The Bag series. In her own words: “I always keep a panty because, like, you just be having to change your panties.” Literally can’t argue with this. She’s so right.

This week, Róisín Lanigan popped into Capsule to share what’s 🔥hot🔥 and what’s not 🙅‍♀️ …

Róisín is a writer and editor based in London. She currently works at i-D, and her first novel is coming out in Spring 2025. Róisín also wrote a great essay on Sally Rooney’s Normal People for Prospect magazine this week. She argues that the TikTok, romanticised “dark academia” reading of the novel are kind of missing the crux of the story, which is one of class, power dynamics, and Irishness. Read it!

📺 Watching: This new short documentary with exclusives from an Andrew Tate whistleblower made by my colleague and friend, Freddie. It’s great! And terrifying and gross. I hate acknowledging this stuff but it’s hard to look away given Tate’s impact and the broader manosphere stuff.

📖 Reading: Profiles! This lovely one Michael Cera by Rachel Connolly, and this one on 100 gecs by Naomi Fry for the New Yorker. I also read this whole deep dive into Ariana Grande’s recent breakup, if you also suffer from an unquenchable thirst for relationship analysis. 🫣

🎧 Listening to: Runnner, an artist I only found recently but sits at the exact juncture of indie/folk I like. Start with ‘Eggshell’. For fans of Pinegrove, Alex G, and Hovvdy.

Converse never really went anywhere but Louise predicts a resurgence in the specific 2000s flavour of the Converse With A Dress trend. Not only is the combination practical (increasing the likelihood of a fresh uptake), but Ms Demi Lovato is also on the case. In her iconic 2008 song ‘La La Land’, she sings ‘Who said I can’t wear my Converse with my dress?’. There are now rumours swirling that Demi is partnering with the brand to release a new line of Converse and dresses. Louise says don’t wait, start enjoying that bare leg, comfy shoe feeling today.

If you’d like to adopt Louise or one of her friends, click here to learn more.

Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear how you’re finding Capsule - let me know here. See you next week 💋