A Spooky New Reality

Hi friend,

When it debuted in 1992, the now cult classic Death Becomes Her (streaming on Prime Video, if you’re interested), was described by critics as tasteless and grotesque. But Goldie Hawn and Meryl Streep’s campy performances, and the morbid plot satirizing Hollywood’s obsession with youth, has since won over many fans. 

Last year’s gross-out hit The Substance was seen as a successor to Death Becomes Her, but the upcoming film Shell might be a better heir. It’s out October 3, and is already being discussed in the same way DBH was.

“Shell is a film made with the intention of being a guilty pleasure,” writes critic Jourdain Searles for The Hollywood Reporter. “It wants to be the film one would encounter on cable in the middle of the day or late at night. Many films have become popular this way, especially before the days of streaming: scrappy little films with a campy sense of humor and talented cast getting to play around and stretch their acting muscles in ways that feel low-stakes for their career.”

The film stars Elizabeth Moss as an aspiring actress whose team thinks she’s losing roles because of her aging normal-lady looks. For a fix, she goes to the wellness-focused Shell clinic, whose work is represented by its smooth-skinned, ultra-blonde CEO (played by Kate Hudson). Deeply unserious and disgusting revelations follow.

Of course, you don’t need to watch a bodily horror flick to grasp the gruesome truth behind people’s freshened-up faces when we have reporters bearing witness to deep-plane facelifts. As the horizons of plastic surgery continue to grow, and more and more regular people go under the knife, perhaps we’ll see this film genre expand as a way to deal with the anxiety of how gnarly all of this is.

Bye,
Your friends at Gloria

Plaid is shaping up to be super-hot this fall. We know this because first of all, bunch of plaid items that we planned to include in this shopping edit sold out over the past few days (this Madewell trench, this Sézane skirt). But also: plaid is popular every fall; because it can go prep, grunge, or Western, it evades short-lived trend cycles. Below, a few of our favorite new plaid pieces, from skirts to coats to shirts.

• This reminds us of Blazé Milano, for a fraction of the price (plus: it’s 100% wool!). Stetson Western Blazer, $320. Size XS to XL.

• These pants are strangely appealing. Zara Linen Checkered Pants, $119. Size XS to XL.

• A nice little cotton blouse. Old Navy Button-Down Shirt, $37. Size XS to 4XL.

• Classic prep from an American heritage brand. Pendleton Eagle River Woven Wool Cardigan, $299. Size XS to XL.

• With a chunky sweater? Really cute. Sea Monroe Pants, $395. Size 00 to 16.

• An excellent blazer. Emerson Fry Atelier Blazer, $468. Size XXS to XL.

• Expensive, but pretty. Dôen Holde Top, $228. Size XXS to XXL.

• A surprising source for perfect kilts (this one is good, too). Boden Josephine Wool Kilt Skirt, $249. Size 0 to 22.

• This has a bit of a grunge-era vibe. Cos Checked Flannel Shirt, $149. Size 2 to 14.

• An adorable rain jacket. Barbour Audrey Showerproof Jacket, $360. Size 4 to 14.

• We like the oversize fit and heavy weight of this style. Polo Ralph Lauren Cotton-Twill Shirt, $320. XS to 2XL. (This Woolrich version is similar, and a much better price.)

Shop the Story

TO READ What we’ve read so far of DJ/producer/Downtown cool guy Mark Ronson’s new book, Night People: How to be a DJ in ‘90s New York (out next Tuesday; here on Amazon, here on Bookshop) has us excited for its debut. Ronson’s narration of his time DJ’ing big, celeb-attended parties — and the deadly serious calculus of what Biggie or Brian McKnight track to play to get the crowd going — reminds us of Parker Posey’s roommate in Party Girl.

TO TRY We’ve been adding this Bioma Health’s Supplement to our morning routine, and it’s quickly become a small-but-mighty part of feeling our best. This daily blend of probiotics (the good bacteria) and prebiotics (the nutrients that feed them) works together to support a healthy gut, aid digestion, and help your microbiome thrive. Think of it as a little ecosystem boost — one capsule a day to help keep things running smoothly from the inside out. Try it here and use code GLORIA15 for an additional 15 percent off. #partner

TO STREAM After wrapping Hunting Wives, we’ve been looking for another escapist show, and perhaps we’ll find it in The Girlfriend. Out Wednesday on Prime Video, it stars Robin Wright as a mother concerned over her son’s new girlfriend. Or maybe we should try the new Lifetime reality TV show A Sorority Mom’s Guide to Rush, if only for the campy rush coaches.

TO LISTEN British indie band Saint Etienne’s new album, International, is also likely to be their last. It’s a nice vibe: kind of spacey, upbeat, and breezy.

TO SIP We recently tried Cann’s low-dose THC sparkling beverages, and they’ve become our go-to when we want something fun, light, and sippable. Bright, balanced, and offering just the right lift, they’re perfect for relaxing or being social. Start with the variety pack to taste all the flavors — we’ve also got our eye on the new spritz-infused apéritif. Shop it all here. #partner

“Meta suppressed research on child safety, employees say.” • A very Gen X VMAs. • An insider take on the new book about the heyday of Barneys. • New information about PCOS and additional context. • The perfect coffee-table read for a fashion fan.

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