From the Group Chat: Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy Styling Drama, Gwyneth Paltrow’s NSFW "Boyfriend Breakfast," and "The Gilded Age"

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Sunday. Just when I thought I’d seen every unhinged beauty hack the internet had to offer, I came across the lip liner trend involving a hot pink…Sharpie (I wish I were joking). But that wasn’t the only thing that shook me this week. I also discovered:

• Princess Diana has doppelgänger twin nieces (the genes are strong) and — surprise to no one — they’re incredibly stylish. 

• The “sexiest summer shoe” is not only practical — it’s heel-free. (My feet are drafting a formal thank-you note.)

• Stormi Webster casually roasting Kylie Jenner in a video that deserves an Emmy. 

• Tomato Girl Summer has competition...and claws. (As a New Englander, I cosign.)

• My favorite makeup brand from high school dropped a new version of a cult classic — perfect for sweaty days and dewy looks. 

• The “it-girl” uniform of the season? Straight out of Andie Anderson’s playbook.

— Taylor Trudon / Writer, Culture & Lifestyle / Brooklyn, NY

👀 Something tells us Tony Soprano would approve of the chicest jewelry trend for women. 

🫠 We’re living in a time when lacey, lingerie-coded shorts and full-blown boxers are somehow cooler than good old jean cutoffs. Pray for us all.

⛱️ For how to not be the worst person at the beach, we beg you, please see item five. 

🚨 Not a drill: The too-tight, can’t-sit-down dress you absolutely wore to a high school or college formal is making a comeback. 

✂️ “Birkin bangs” are trending — and unlike the bag, they don’t come with a five-figure price tag.

Before there was “quiet luxury” and “stealth wealth,” there was Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy — the minimalist ’90s icon who turned a white button-down into a cultural reset and pioneered the “CBK Headband.” So when Ryan Murphy shared the screen tests from his upcoming series American Love Story — chronicling her whirlwind romance with John F. Kennedy Jr. — fans expected Sarah Pidgeon (the actress playing fashion’s forever muse) to look straight off a Calvin Klein runway. Instead, what they got was something the internet quickly compared to a “low-budget H&M advertisement” (oof). Among the chief complaints: the stiff, “leather” trench (spiritually, it’s giving Shein); the overly cropped pants; and, perhaps most offensive, the Hermès bag filled with 100% air and 0% Kennedy mystique (as one X user lamented, “Couldn’t even stuff the bag”). Then, there’s the hair — too straight, too platinum, and, in the words of Bessette-Kennedy’s own colorist, “totally wrong.” 

To be clear, Murphy responded to the backlash — which he called “not fair” — by insisting that Pidgeon wasn’t wearing anything she’ll actually have on in the show. He also assembled a 10-person “style advisory board” to oversee CBK’s wardrobe. But if you’re assuming it’ll all come together by the time cameras roll, (a) that’s very optimistic of you, and (b) let us present this image. What we do know? The one thing fans haven’t come for is Paul Kelly as JFK Jr. — especially after eagle-eyed sleuths spotted this recreated magazine cover in set photos. Now, if you’re about to Google the man you didn’t know existed five seconds ago, here’s the gist: He’s so new to Hollywood he only has two IMDb credits (not counting American Love Story), he’s a devoted dog dad (this custom shirt proves it), and he’s mastered the art of looking devastatingly pensive — which, honestly, might be 80% of the role. Next up? All eyes are on Naomi Watts as she enters her Camelot era. Fingers crossed the wardrobe department doesn’t fumble the pillbox hat.

No toxins, no preservatives, no…top? Just another day in Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness lab — sorry, kitchen. Last weekend, the Goop founder shared a clip of herself cooking a new “#boyfriendbreakfast,” a tradition that began when she first started dating her now-husband, Brad Falchuk. Her “Tuscan inspired high protein” skillet featured sausage (obviously from the local butcher), white beans, spinach, tomatoes, eggs — and a generous side of toplessness. Naturally, the internet had questions: Was this meant for her Close Friends list? Is this the beginning of yet another wacky wellness trend? And — as White Lotus star Leslie Bibb hilariously pointed out — was she not worried about “grease and burning”? Apparently not. Meanwhile, Bibb wasn’t the only familiar name to weigh in: Jennifer Garner asked a question literally no one else was thinking, while Apple Martin left the kind of sassy remark that only a 21-year-old nepo baby could deliver. GP, we’re just grateful you left the jade egg out of it.

Between the Velvet Elvis on top, Gen Z on the bottom look — and the futuristic Ken doll getup from year 3000 that followed — it’s no wonder people started saying the quiet part out loud. Turns out, Pitt’s just borrowing Lil Timmy Tim’s stylist. Because of course he is.

Grab your jewels, lace up those corsets, and prepare to drink some tea — The Gilded Age returns to HBO tonight, with all the obscenely lavish parties, ridiculously good gowns, and household chaos we’ve come to expect. After winning the Opera Wars in season 2, status-obsessed Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) now sets her sights even higher as she attempts to marry her daughter (Taissa Farmiga) off to the Duke of Buckingham. Meanwhile, across the street, things are just as intense since Agnes (Christine Baranski) refuses to accept Ada’s (Cynthia Nixon) new position as lady of the house. Plus, a whole new cast of characters is joining the high-society scene — including Merritt Wever as Russell’s “estranged” sister, Bill Camp as JP Morgan (yes, that JP Morgan), and Phylicia Rashad as the matriarch of new family the Kirklands (no, not that Kirkland). All of which is to say: The upper crust is crumbling — and it’s never looked so good.

It’s not you, it’s…your mitochondria — aka the cell’s energy centers — which become naturally less efficient as early as our 30s. This drop-off leads to sluggishness, reduced strength, and a loss of energy that we chalk up to “getting older.” These softgels can help slow that decline by clearing out and replacing damaged mitochondria through a process called mitophagy. The result? Stronger muscles and boosted energy — no change in exercise required.^† Oh, and first-timers get 30% off.*

Trending products and brands our shopping team has been loving recently.

In the sticky, sweaty summer, nothing hits quite like a full-body deodorant spray. This one prevents odor for up to 24 hours (crucial) and doesn't feel sticky.

Nordstrom is running a clearance sale, taking up to 60% off designer labels. PS: Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale is coming up, too. Let us know your tier level so we can provide you with the best picks.

This smocked top is more interesting than your basic white tank, but just as easy to wear. Wear it on your next getaway (or trip to your friend's pool).

Unleash your competitive side with today’s games and puzzles. Choose from an anagram word search, digital jigsaw puzzle, or crossword (with a twist). Better yet: Try them all.