From the Group Chat: The End of 'Brat,' Olympic TikTok Stars, and 'The Decameron'

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Sunday. After seeing photos from Jennifer Lopez’s Hamptons getaway, I’m inspired to enter my own Nancy-Meyers-meets-Bridgerton era. In an attempt to navigate this new aesthetic, I’ll be reading up on how to pull off a headscarf (you know, for wearing while I pick hydrangeas) since, according to Sabrina Carpenter, it’s apparently the hottest accessory of the summer. But I will be taking a hard pass on the extremely questionable (and unavoidable) “milkmaid dress” trend. Meanwhile, something else that seems straight from the Regency period and has got the internet talking: Couples sleeping separately in these queen-size bunk beds. Though, I don’t see Penelope and Colin going for that arrangement…

— Alex Carr / Editorial Director / New York, NY

👕 Nope, it’s not just you — every millennial and Gen Z man seems to own the same Abercrombie crochet polo. Also popular with bros this summer? Perms (yes, you read that right).

👰‍♀️ Elizabeth James hive, rise up: Bridal hats are making a comeback. 

🐟 Forget vampire facials, salmon sperm is apparently the latest viral beauty trend. Sounds…fishy.

🏴‍☠️ Between “Pirate Girl Summer” and “Italian widow-core,” we need to ask: Is fashion OK? Blink twice if no. 

🛏️ Pack your bags, Schitt’s Creek fans: the “humble roadside motel” is having a moment — and it's not so humble anymore.

We are gathered here today to mourn the demise of “brat” — aka, the unavoidable aesthetic of summer 2024. The cause of death? Going too viral. Because, as everyone knows, nothing kills a joke faster than having to explain it to your parents or a TV roundtable, which is exactly what happened once Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign got the official endorsement last Sunday from the brat queen herself, Charli XCX. Less than 24 hours later, the Kamala HQ account on X had an updated lime green banner. Meme-ification madness ensued. (For the record, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told us that she is indeed, brat.) And for a delightful — albeit brief — two days, dare we say, the internet was actually fun again. 

Until it wasn’t. In less time than it takes to crack open a coconut, the Brat Chat was inescapable, starting with a slew of celebrities posting videos of themselves doing the “Apple” dance trend, including the likes of Kerry Washington, Jessica Alba, and even Stephen Colbert. All of which was starting to become too much, but that’s before we saw the CNN segment where Jake Tapper declared, “I will aspire to be ‘brat.’” (Respectfully, Jake, you can sit this one out.) And the more bad dad jokes that were made and explainers that were written (do we really need that many?), the more the meme — which was a strategic play to engage with the youth vote — started to, well, sour. As one digital strategist had warned, the only rule was to not “overdo it” and yet, mere days later, we have bratted too close to the sun. So RIP Brat. We hardly knew you.

If you’re a fan of Love Island, there’s a good chance you’ll also be into The Decameron, a new Netflix series about a group of medieval nobles — stay with us — who try to avoid the bubonic plague by escaping to a villa outside Florence with some servants. The result? A delightful “Monty Python-esque” dark comedy featuring plenty of romance, drama, and shenanigans. Loosely inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s 14th-century story collection of the same name, the eight episodes — described as a “wine-soaked sex romp in the Italian countryside” — star Tony Hale, Zosia Mamet, Saoirse-Monica Jackson, and Tanya Reynolds. (Vogue has called the “crackling onscreen bond” between Mamet and Jackson one of the best parts of the show.) Funny, weird, and filled with “edge-of-your-seat plot twists,” The Decameron might just give your favorite reality dating show a run for its money.

This year’s Olympics are probably the most online ever. And while you’re likely already following some of the bigger names (cough, Simone Biles) on social media, there's an entire batch of athletes who are not only dedicated to their sport, but also to delivering deeply entertaining content. Take, for example, Ilona Maher, who first catapulted to internet fame back at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics for her hilarious videos (highlights include when she modeled Ralph Lauren’s Olympic uniforms or explained the struggle of shooting her shot with Romanian volleyball players). Lucky for us, the rugby star is back in the Village where she’s continuing to post top-notch behind-the-scenes footage, whether she’s trying out the (very flimsy) cardboard beds or narrating her attempts at Olympic romance like an episode of The Bachelor. Another must-follow? Tara Davis-Woodhall and her husband, Hunter Woodhall, aka Team USA’s “power couple.” The pair — who share a TikTok account — are track and field athletes (Woodhall will compete in the Paralympic Games next month) and are next-level adorable (see: the exact moment when they realized they were both Olympics-bound). Last but not least, artistic swimmer Daniella Ramirez’s mesmerizing ASMR-like videos where she removes her hardened hair gelatin are medal-worthy in their own right.

From a throuple to a lady dressed as a croissant to a singing (beheaded) Marie Antoinette, thank you Paris, for kicking off the Olympics in the most chaotic way possible.

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.

Honestly, same — but there’s something else that can help: the Skimm Well newsletter. When you sign up, you’ll get expert-backed advice and info in your inbox every week, so you can take control of your mental and physical health.