Capsule #9 ft. Krystena Patton

Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here! And welcome ☺️

Hi my loves

Happy Friday! I hope you’re reading this with a nice coffee, a big sandwich, or, as one lovely reader once told me, a vodka tonic.

This week we’re diving into the concept of personal style, thinking about customising our Adidas, and noticing “glimmers” (stick with me on this one).

Photographer Krystena Patton is also here to share her Hot and Not. 👀

Scroll down and enjoy,

Holly

P.S. If there’s anyone you’d love to see as a special guest, reply to this email to let me know who, or leave it in the feedback form :)

The fashion gang are talking about…

Personal style, but not in the way you might expect. The pursuit of one's ‘personal style’ is a topic that has been written about, at length, for decades. There are books, quizzes, and more recently, TikTok creators dedicated to helping you analyse your wardrobe to discover the silhouettes and colours that feel most ‘you’. But there’s also a crowd rallying against this approach, and I’m here to share their ideas with you today.

@subwaysessions

#subwaysessions #newyork #fashion #style #new #subway #kyankri

This week, The Cut published an interview with Kristina Avakya (@subwaysessions), whose TikToks of mismatched looks on the NYC subway platform have become a talking point. Some commenters say “what the hell is going on”, and others say “this one ate tho”. Kristina says of her style in the interview:

Kristina believes her style cannot be codified; it’s based on emotions and influences from a cross-section of people who are specific to her taste (Rihanna is certainly present).

In her newsletter, Opulent Tips, fashion writer Rachel Tashjian recently described personal style as “a skill, a talent, a passion, a special kind of genius” - something most people will never have. In other words, not something a book could teach.

Inspired by Rachel’s stance, Brenda Weischer, fashion editor at 032c, a Berlin-based fashion mag, calls personal style her “main enemy”.

I bring these viewpoints not to make you feel sad about not possessing some extraordinary genius for dressing with originality. So many people dress well - we see them everywhere we go. I bring it more to encourage a sense of freedom this approach might bring - leaning into the stuff you innately like, worrying less about the concept of being trendy. The trend cycle is so fast - which iteration of jeans are we currently on? - and sprinting to keep up is stressful, bad for the planet, and bad for your bank balance. Opt for what makes you feel good, and take comfort in the fact that your experiences and your energy are the most appealing things you bring to any look.

That being said…

I actually did want to share a cute trend with you: ribbon laces. You’ve got your Sambas (or Gazelles or Spezials or Superstars) and you’re having a great time. But you’re ready to take it up a notch. Why not try ribbon laces? The girlies are having a go, inspired by balletcore and designer Wales Bonner who recently put out a Samba collab.

New fave term goes to…

Glimmers! Coined by psychotherapist Deb Dana, LCSW, glimmers are “the opposite of triggers” - tiny micro-moments of joy that allow us to feel calm and give us a sense of inner peace. Often when we hear new words for stuff we’re a bit like, eye roll… but isn’t this sweet? Glimmers for me include: choosing the exact right size container to decant my leftovers into, having a barista remember my regular order, noticing an amazing tree on a run. Once you know what glimmers are, you notice more and more of them. I challenge you to start! And reply to this email to let me know what yours are. 🥺✨ 

And finally…

The cute cardi x pearl necklace combo has been immortalised by David Hockey in his new portrait of Harry Styles. I really like how it captures the wrist of a man in a cardigan.

This week, Krystena Patton popped into Capsule to share what’s 🔥Hot🔥 and what’s Not 🙅‍♀️ …

Krystena is a photographer and social content creator based in Brooklyn. She is inspired by human connection, nostalgia, and light, and works across different mediums, including film, digital, and motion. Check out her work here.

📺 Watching: Approximately nine years later than everyone else, Detectorists. A sweet little show about two men who share a passion for metal detecting in Essex. Heartwarming, for fans of The Dig.

📖 Reading: Selected poems from Pathetic Literature, a recent anthology edited by Eileen Myles. Get it here in the UK, here in the US.

🎧 Listening to: The new Carly Rae Jepsen album - loving ‘Kamikaze’, but ‘Psychedelic Switch’ is the big bop.

Arnie thinks we’ve officially reached the peak on y2k dad-style sunnies, and welcomes different frames, especially on his fellow men. Plus, the little nose pieces get stuck in his fur, so it’s easy to see why he might be ready for a change. 😎

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

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this issue, why not forward it to a friend?

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