Words by: Shannon Valentine
Hey Upper East Siders,
Today’s topic of gossip asks us, ‘what’s more stylish in 2021 than the With Jéan Andy dress?’
That’s right, the Gossip Girl reboot! A highly anticipated successor of the iconic series that ran from 2007-2012.
… Gossip Girl 2021: A Review
Words by: William Huynh Art by: Marissa Hor
2021 was the year that as a Melburnian, I was able to get a taste of normality again. Of course, this freedom was short-lived as slow vaccine rollouts, the Delta variant and snap-lockdowns ultimately defined a significant part of my year — and its Google searches.
Thus, here is a list of things I googled in 2021.
… Google Year in Review
Words by: Simone Kealy
When I scroll through Instagram and TikTok during pride month and see all the ads from companies, changing their logos to rainbow, I cannot help but cringe. When I was younger and did not know better, I thought companies acknowledging the queer community was a step in the right direction. Surely it was, especially after decades, even centuries, of discrimination against the LGBTIQ+ community perpetuated by companies and society alike. Little did I realise the insidious nature of businesses donning the rainbow colours of the pride flag. Now, it makes my blood boil.
… A Rainbow Façade
Words by: Kiera Eardley Art by: Ruth Boneh
We’re wearing baby tees and miniskirts, toting baguette bags and arranging butterfly clips in our hair. Space Jam is in theatres, Paris Hilton is on TV and Crocs are having a real moment.
It must be 1998? Nope. 2005, surely? Think again.
… The Sweet (Sartorial) Escape
Words by: Vivian Tang Art by: Brooke Stevens
As the year 2021 bloomed, a prevailing pandemic saw us once again recoil in our homes, clinging to any frothy distraction. Enter Big Brother, The Bachelor, RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under — shows at the epicentre of Australian reality TV to cure us from our daily burnout. Yet even they no longer provide a place of security or refuge. A misguided fantasy. BIPOC evicted. Sashayed away. Given a rose, only to be punctured by a thorn.
… The Real Mirror
Words by: Madeena Rohaizad Art by: Adrienne Aw
You may have heard of the lockdown blues, but thanks to TikTok there’s a new colour tinting our once-achromatic routines. The ‘Follow the Colour’ trend encourages spontaneity in our generally structured lives, asking us to choose a colour and simply follow it. This colour influences our actions and choices for the day, and thus breaks up an otherwise monotonous routine. As someone who has found themselves in a bit of a slump during Lockdown 6.0, I felt that this was a recurring trend for me, so I decided to switch things up. That’s why, on the 27th of August 2021, I let purple run my day.
… The Several Shades of Lockdown
Words by: Stephanie Booth Art by: Ruth Ong
We oscillate daily between hopeless optimism for spring and summer liberation and the inevitable knowledge that freedom may be farther from reach as cases increase and vaccines decrease.
… How to Party When the Virus Particles Depart
Words by: Sarah Arturi Art by: Anita Thuon
Dear TikTok,
You went from being an app that I figured was going to be another millennial phase like Musical.ly or Dubsmash — one where in two years time we look back on the videos and ask ourselves: ‘just why?’ Instead, the day eventually arrived when my sister came into my bedroom and popped the big question: ‘do you want to make a TikTok with me?’ That’s when I realised you had finally cracked her.
… The Encyclopedia of TikTok
Words by: Dilshi Perera Art by: Mei Li Tan
I remember laying in my bed one Sunday evening, in a cloud of nostalgia and feels after I stumbled across the latest Tiktok trend — the one where people look into the camera and name a certain phrase or habit that they do because somebody in their life, present or past, once did it. Not only was this the most poetic, heart-warming and wholesome content I had ever witnessed on the platform (and I may or may not have shed a few tears), but it really brings you back to the simple things in life.
… Sliding Doors
Words by: Alice Wright Art by: Marissa Hor
You definitely did not hear it here first: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez (Bennifer) are back together. The ‘it’ couple of the early 2000s have found their way back into each other’s arms and it’s all pop culture fanatics, like myself, can talk about.
… Bennifer
Esperanto Magazine 