Americana Drag
Red state, throwback, W.T., 20th century (?) It's back & getting appropriated
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Have you noticed how Trump has created a red state-y ripple effect in culture? Including unlikely culture?
Anyone else binge America’s Sweethearts in July?
What’s more interesting is the Yassification of this aesthetic, bringing late 20th century Americana vibes into unlikely categories like sparkling water, with Not Beer & Natural Spirit.
Natural Spirit is “The Wild West of Water” and it comes from tobacco country. Do you think it tastes vaguely of Marb reds? You’d be forgiven for confusing it with American Spirits, which actually are 90s era cigs.
But wait, Not Beer is sort of the same, with slightly less interesting branding and a smaller photo styling budget.
It’s not just the non-beer.
Obviously Realtree aka Hunter’s Camo is the moment (that’s what that pattern is called, for coastal elites who do not know what Cabela’s is).
Now that red state vibes have jumped to blue state spaces and candidates, will there be confusion in the Kwik Trips? Or we will finally come together as a nation?
Nostalgia + Co-opt + Cultural Exhaustion = Throwback
There’s an interesting co-mingling here: the ongoing Nostalgia for a Simpler Time along with a general cultural exhaustion and our never-ending remix culture that recycles and co-opts trends and old aesthetics vs. creating new ones.
With the literal aggression and truly wild and un-ignorable aesthetics of the Trump universe, this all makes some sense.
It is not surprising that this has been both simply co-opted (Abercrombie) as well as aggressively parodied (Chappell Roan, who I swear I do not intend to talk about every week). The question is, how far will it go?
On the outlier: Lana Del Rey started a microtrend of posing with guns which Jessica DeFino ascribes to “boy” trend but I’m pinning to this red state drag.
There is something about the boldness, clarity and aggression of the vibe that may have been inevitable after all the Millennial bland and twee cutsie of the last generation of branding and vibe.
Throwback Skin Care!
Tiktok’s war on sunscreen he latest: Intentional sunburn as acne treatment. I think this may have been advised in Ladies Home Journal of 1953.
Butter themed skin care? Can’t tell if this is a novelty, a spoof or the precursor to Hidden Valley Ranch hair masks.
More slightly tacky stuff: Junk Food Trending!
Important Update to Last Week’s Gen Z/Gen X: America’s 20-somethings have finally seen the light/darkness and embraced Diet Coke!
Not to be outdone, the choice of a new new generation: Addison Rae’s Diet Pepsi single is here.
The Trash Foodification of Perfume !
Mall bastian Auntie Anne’s is doing a pretzel perfume.
Yet more disgustingly, Hellman’s has done an upscale(?) mayo perfume.
YES A MAYONAISE INSPIRED SCENT
Also very 80s: Greed is TRENDING
Especially corporate greed.
53% of inflation last year went to corporate profits.
Pour One Out for Pumpkin Spice
The marketing cliche used to be “Shrink it & Pink it” - a handy-dandy corporate mantra to supposedly instantly remarket any item for the ladies. 1
Pumpkin Spice is getting dangerously overextended, further proving America’s ability to:
1 - Assume if women en masse like something, they’ll like it wherever you put it.
2 - Beat a popular trend into something smaller than microplastics
You can now get PSL trash bags, kitty litter and toilet paper just in time for sweater weather.
I was going to make a joke about Pumpkin Spice diapers and pads but really, it’s no more obnoxious than what’s happening here. Possibly it’s a sophisticated plot by PSL haters to destroy the trend forever?
OR it will be smash hit of the season and we’ll be seeing Peppermint Chocolate kitty liter and trash bags hit before Halloween.
But seriously: Project 2025 is the throwback we all need to take seriously
I’ve seen Trumpy women commenting all over social media that “Project 2025 isn’t real guys! He said he won’t do it!!” These are very scannable and scary links:
A pocket guide is here full of quick, scannable direct quotes
Read this primer of quick hits on their aims
The desire to get rid of sex ed entirely and other bad ideas that will push teen pregnancy
<all links via Emily Nagoski>
The world has changed. In the 80s, my Catholic School had sex ed in 5th and 6th grade, and in junior high they showed us a fake & ancienty anti-abortion propaganda film called The Silent Scream.