#fascination maxx

[dj-cublex]

[NEW VIDEO] In this one, I go for it.

[richarlotte]

365 Days from Rot to Hot (Pt. 3).

Find your colors. You could use AI, take a trip to Lowe’s (this is one of the things I did), or actually use a service, but sorting out what colors suit you is essential. A major part of building my blend and creating my personal style was based around finding things that suited me, and I do believe that you shouldn’t start buying clothes or putting a look together unless you know your undertone, have a grasp of your colors and your body type, understand your seasons, and are prepared to experiment with what you’ve learned. Finding your colors should be the first step you take, as it will make the process of creating looks easier and give you a general idea of what things will look good on you.

Search for inspiration and don’t hold yourself back. It’s your life; it’s your fashion; it’s your style. You can be as basic or as eccentric as you want. If you think Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber are goddesses, then take inspiration from them. If you’re a budding Betsey Johnson or a Lisa Frank and want to design your own clothes and make them even brighter, then do that. If you’re obsessed with Bella Hadid’s western era and want to chase your own wild horses, then go ahead. I’d recommend doing what I did and creating a number of Pinterest boards and using Instagram to create polyvore-like style and vision boards.

Set a reasonable budget and stick with it. You cannot spend more than you have, and it’s not wise to get into debt pursuing a lifestyle that you know you can’t afford in the long run. Create a reasonable budget and work with it; don’t try to work around it. I found myself shopping from Walmart, Meijer, Gap, and J. Crew Factory and looking for sales before I bought anything. Don’t jump into the process and waste your money buying everything straight off the racks; utilize stores like TJ Maxx, look for sales, use what you already have, and really make an effort to make your dollar stretch. Another part of working with your budget is not blowing it by shopping at Shein; if you buy something and then have to throw it out and rebuy it after 5 wears, you’re not actually getting any bang for your buck.

Utilize Pinterest and social media to find women that look like you. An integral part of creating your own blend and finding what works for you is seeing it on other women. I followed a number of women that looked like me and didn’t look like me, lived in areas of the world I found fascinating, and had tastes that I wouldn’t describe as mainstream. I used a number of different languages to search for the trends that I liked; I used Twitter and Instagram to look at hashtags; and I took total advantage of the resources I was able to access. I used magazines, went through online archives, and spent time building my ideal image. Was it perfect? No, but as time passed, it became more and more helpful, and it eventually became the Pinterest board that I use now and my main vision board.

Tie it all together and see how things work. I had to experiment with so many different looks, delete and recreate so many vision boards, and try things for myself. Am I a hairstylist? No, but I’m also not a billionaire, so I had to learn how to style my wigs to see what suited me. I went to stores to try things on, experimented with IG to see if certain pieces of jewelry would suit me, and had the time of my life during my experimentation phase. Collecting online images isn’t enough, and it’s very hard to actually get a grasp of what you like if you’re doing everything online. Try your lookout, put things together, adjust it as you please, and tie your loose ends up.

Pt. 4 to come next.

[regretevator-headcanons]

Do you understand Scag? I do.

This is a big list of dialogue meant to highlight Scag's writing quirks, which may be useful in fanfiction and roleplay. I've been so fascinated by Scag and her dialogue that I had to do this.

Basics

Scag uses a lot of Internet slang, which makes sense because she is a TV that knows a lot about old computer programs and make references to streamer lingo. The most obvious of this is "How do I ban this guy chat" (to Pest) and "Yours... not so peak" (to Prototype), including suffixes like -core, -maxxer or -maxxing, and -filled.

She also has a fairly inconsistent typing pattern when it comes to capitalization.

The Suffixes

The suffixes are the weirdest part of Scag's dialogue, especially if you don't know about Internet speak so much. I will unfortunately have to explain some of this to you.

-core

core is often applied to make new genres of aesthetic or music (think scenecore, emocore, weirdcore, and horrorcore). The way that Scag uses it is as an adjective, usually to describe a person or item belonging to a certain group.

Examples: "HORRIBLECORE" (when sprayed with water), "SWEETCORE" (when given roses), "go get cleancore soon though" (talking to Mark about sawdust), "WINCORE" (talking to Prototype about watching CDs), "IT ADDS TO THE AESTHETICCORE!" (talking to Reddy about sparking animatronics), "Dude thats like scagcore" (when Spud! mentions having an old TV monitor like her)

It's noticeable that "win" by itself is already technically considered slang, similar to saying "w" (which is win). I find it funny Scag still says -core at the end of it though.

-maxx, -maxxing, -maxxer

-maxx is a suffix that has been applied to mean "getting the maximum output for the minimum input", essentially meaning to work smart and not hard. Scag mainly applies this word to mean something done thoroughly.

Examples: "Spellmaxx this out for me real quick" (to Wallter)

-maxxing is the big one used in most of Scag's dialogue.

-maxxer is used to describe when you are a part of a group that does the above. She only uses this word twice, once to describe Prototype and the other to talk to Spud!.

Examples: "the friendfilled visitmaxxer" (to Prototype), "dont fret spudmaxxer, you'll probably find your home" (to Spud!)

filled

-filled is used similarly to "pilled" where it's an adverb to describe a lot of something, similar to -maxx. For example, "humorpilled" is "full of humor" and its context is used in a joke.

Examples: "OH you don't get the humorfilled joke do you" (to Gnarpy about a television joke), "happy joyous birthdayfilled occasion btw" (to Poob about their birthday), and "Your projects can range up to skyscraperfilled heights???" (to Wallter talking about construction)

head

In some chats with a few characters, Scag uses the suffix "head" to describe when someone is performing an action that is intrinsic to their character. For example, when she mentions commissioning Wallter for her floppy shoppy floor, she says, "I'm glad I commissionheaded you for the building LOL"

Scag calls herself a "computerhead" when requesting that Bive doesn't use her like a computer, and refers to FleshCousin as a "parrothead" when it is mimicking her words.

Capitalization (and lack of consistency)

Depending on who Scag is talking to, the capitalization of her sentences and words vary. Sometimes I'ms are capitalized but sometimes they're stylized as i'm (lowercased).

It seems a lot of Scag's capitalization style goes down to how she feels, for example;

Excitement or emphasis — All caps, examples being: "DUDE / Your sillytalk is on POINT" (to Split on hearing her jokes), "Hrm..... / a floppyshoppy tower... / ONE DAY" (to Wallter on talking about construction), "ARE YOU READY FOR / GAMEUM NIGHT ULTIMATE 10000 / with exclusive puzzlefilled fun." (to Prototype as a dialogue opener)

Quiet/Introspective — A very rare side of Scag, she often talks in lowercase if thinking or talking in a more quieter tone. Some examples are when she talks to Split, "ermm... / methinks that the little hamsters in my internal structure has stopped the production of joyfilled thoughts..." as well as her talking to Spud, upon realizing that he doesn't know where his home is, "wuh oh / dont fret spudmaxxer, you'll probably find your home"

Punctuation

Scag uses a lot of periods, but she also often ends sentences without any sort of punctuation whatsoever. When she uses punctuations, she often also uses an excess amount of ellipses to drive her point home.

Examples: "uhuhh....... / LAME" (to Reddy about FNARB), “Hrm..... / a floppyshoppy tower... / ONE DAY.” (to Wallter about his construction), "... / cringeeee" (to Mark about being old or whatever)

There are whole interactions where Scag doesn't use punctuation, such as her talk with PartyNoob, entering the elevator, being showered in rose petals, and her idles.

[blue--ingenue]

Scorbus Halloween Headcanons

Author's Note: i've been seeing so many Halloween posts on my Instagram feed and it's making me extra excited for fall! a few Homegoods stores near me put out their Halloween stuff early, and it made me think of how Scorpius would feel about the holiday. i think he'd find it fun, but also he'd be amused with the muggles' interpretation of "witches and wizards"

Scorpius can’t believe there’s an entire holiday dedicated where people give out every sweet imaginable

Albus explains the basics of Halloween before taking Scorpius to a Halloween store

Scorpius finds muggle decorations equal parts cute and fascinating

“Look Al! They’ve created mechanical bats with glowing eyes! These are so much better than the live ones Hagrid set up around the school”

“They even have pretend cauldrons! And spiderwebs you can hang without worrying about actual spiders!”

Once grasps the concept, Scorpius is obsessed. He’s dragging Albus to Target and T.J. Maxx to look at shelves and shelves of decorations and spooky mugs

Their bed is overtaken by Scorpius’ army of Halloween squishmallows and spooky plushies. (The thought of them watching while he snogs Scorpius freaks him out, so he makes sure to cast a non-verbal spell to roll them off the bed before they do anything remotely physical.)

He gets matching tea mugs adorned with filigreed spiderwebs and hand painted jack o’ lanterns 

Scorpius doesn’t understand most of the costumes associated with muggle films, so Albus decides upon an impromptu movie night

Popcorn, cuddles, and Disney classics abound. (They have to keep rewinding the films because they get caught up snogging and realize they have no idea how the characters got from Point A to Point B)

Albus suggests they do a couple’s costume and Scorpius can’t contain his excitement. His list of ideas take up at least 12 inches of parchment

Some ideas include:

Flynn Rider (Al) and Prince Rapunzel (Scorp)  

Han (Al) and Leia (Scorp)

Prince Buttercup (Scorp) and Wesley (Al) from “The Princess Bride”

Johnathan (Scorp) and Mavis (Al) from “Hotel Transylvania”

They can’t decide on one, so they pick one costume for each Halloween party they’re invited to

When they dress up as Flynn and Rapunzel, Albus charms Scorpius’ hair to glow golden like does in the film because Scorpius is his light in the darkness

The more flustered/blush-y Scorp gets, the brighter his hair glows

[octuscle]

Hey Chronivac Support; so I’ve got a conundrum here.

My best friend just got back from college and he’s looking like he gave up his bodybuilding dream, so I wanted to help by absolutely rocketing up his testosterone again. I bought the Chronivac recently, but the layout is so confusing, and since we both have the same initials, I can’t tell if it’s targeting me or him… Should I just hit “Go” and find out?

I would say press "Go". What's the worst that can happen….? It happens to both of you. Good thing! After all, a transformation is more fun when you can share it.

While you watch fascinated how your friend's fat pads melt and his muscles inflate, you don't even notice the change in your body. Until the first button of your shirt is blown off. "Prokleté" you call out. Your friend grins and replies "Bratře, v poslední době jsi prostě zvedal příliš mnoho železa."

Shit, something is not going as expected…. You didn't define too many things in the transformation. And you and your friend are now turning into Czech construction workers. The clothing on your upper bodies dissolves into thin air. Your pants become cheap jeans from the discount store. Your feet are stuck in rough work boots. Yes, you are bodybuilders, but your muscles also come from hard physical work. And that's why you've earned a beer now. You go to the decrepit refrigerator in the old Prague apartment and get two bottles of Budweiser. Real Budweiser. Not that American crap. That's when the doorbell rings.

Well, you selected the "apply to all" function. And it seems you had more people with your initials in your directory. The next muscular fellow is at the door. And you hear footsteps in the stairwell. Heavy footsteps.

After about two hours, the gang is complete. Of the guys, each continues to dream his bodybuilding dream. Maybe not every one of them is happy about it. But suck a few cocks, I think, then they will all be satisfied with it.

Pic found at @maxx-magnum

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

“If she was smart, she'd understand that about herself, target the TJ Maxx / Ross / Home Goods / Marshalls group, corner the market there, then scale up once she has a loyal community who can do the marketing for her by talking about the products on social media.” Drew Barrymore did this with her home decor line with Walmart. I was surprised by it at first but it makes sense. If you’re known for one thing (acting) and want to dip your toe in a new venture (home decor) then starting with a partnership with a country-wide box store like Walmart is smart. Several other celebrities have similar partnerships. Carrie Underwood’s Calia line at Dick’s Sporting Goods and Johanna Gaines’ Magnolia Home at Target. I understand her desire to be seen as part of the super elite and want them as customers but she just isn’t there. If she didn’t fit in with the BRF/aristos, she’s not going to fit in with the super wealthy in the U.S.. You’re right that she needs to have a more realistic view of herself but I don’t think her ego will allow it.

Nope. Her ego won't take anything less than the 90s/00s dream she had while at Northwestern.

And something Meghan is probably too ignorant to realize is that the super wealthy shops at supermarkets, department stores, and discount retailers just like the rest of us. The only difference is that we go there ourselves. The super wealthy will send an assistant or use Instacart/Uber Eats.

At the end of the day, if it's a good, well-made, value-added product and popular and "it" enough on social media that the kids of the Ladies Who Lunch at Bergdorf's are talking about it, the super wealthy will buy it. It's the ultimate meaning of "if you build it, they will come."

Whereas Meghan's ego seems to be telling her "When they come, I will build it." Which kinda makes sense, in the way that she won't plunk down the money for product until it's been guaranteed that the people she wants to have it will buy it. But she can't get the audience she wants because she doesn't have the product in the first place.

It's a fascinating study. It's either a "if you give a mouse a cookie" case study or a "you were given everything, how could you fuck it up this badly" case study.

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

Having read the whole book (poor Plant) would you like to take a shot at calculating how much of it is pure fiction ?

Oh, like 90% of it. He flat out tells you at the beginning of the book that his memory is Swiss cheese and he has been living in a drug-induced dissociative state (with frequent hallucinatory and delusional episodes!) since his mum died when he was 12 years old. Plus the paranoia is evident.

I’m surprised that anyone is treating him as a reliable narrator about anything. He admits most of his childhood memories—like the funeral, South Africa trip and the Xbox—are based on tabloid accounts. He just picks which tabloid stories he likes and which ones he dislikes and chooses to remember the ones he likes.

The book is fascinating in that it’s the story of someone who was raised in a panopticon with few close/intimate relationships (basically just an eccentric father, an absentee brother, and employees who were just doing their job) and essentially crafted a personal narrative and an identity based on the feedback he was getting from the people surveilling him. Before Meghan, that identity was mostly negative—the naughty one, Spare, Prince Dunce, etc… Meghan, however, allowed him to change that identity and narrative, at least for a while. That’s why he ends the book with her quote. “This a MAN, this is no Spare.”

But the new identity and narrative is just as fake as the old one. As other anons have noted, he wasn’t actually there during Meghan’s supposed traumas. He’s on the phone, or he’s in England, or she’s out shopping. She just collapses into a teary puddle as soon as he arrives, so he can “save” her. He’s not protecting her from an evil press because that evil press doesn’t exist. He’s not defending her from Charles’ leaks or Camilla’s machinations because those don’t exist either. They are mirages, just like Ghost Leopard Diana and the singing seals. He essentially lives in a self-created magic reality world.

That’s why the Taliban are chess pieces, the paps are Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, and the aides are wasps, flies, and bees. That’s also why Meghan is a faery silkie princess sent by Diana who the seals sing it to. He lives in a fantasy world BY HIS OWN admission. He documents the whole thing, thoroughly. ALL OF IT is fake. Well, Kate may actually own lip gloss and Charles probably does love Shakespeare and Classical music, but you really have to discern which details are true and which ones are just flat out fantasy.

And he believes the whole thing. He doesn’t think he’s lying. He believes the Whole Food shoppers swarmed around Meghan like hungry hyenas. He believes he shopped at the TJ Maxx annual sale that never existed. He believes they booked Thomas an Air New Zealand flight that never was. He believes Di got him an XBox years before it was released. He believes he was at Eton when the Queen Mum died.

But it’s all a fantasy. It’s not exactly a lie because he believes it wholeheartedly, but it’s still not real. And the weirdest part is that he thinks that WE are the delusional ones. WE are the ones living in the “tabloid reality.” His mission is to destroy the British Press and the tabloid reality they have created and have his own reality reign supreme. It’s wild.

[leggerefiore]

Ingo going through his white girl autumn era every year. You'd think it'd be his s/o, but NO. This man already has a pumpkin spice latte in his hand while he goes through target and TJ Maxx for fall decor. (He does this with every holiday tbh)

Cyrus also seems like he enjoys the cooler temperature, but unlike Ingo, he's much quieter about it. A distant sound of hoa hoa hoa going through the background.. ✨️

Emmet has no idea how to respond to his brother getting so into the idea of an "autumn" aesthetic. He just watches as pumpkins and earth tones invade their home as fall sinks in. He blinks especially at the fascination blending in with the trains. Their apartment now was an interesting design set up. Elesa visits and laughs at what has happened. She is not any better and likely helped him purchase his new decor. They shared their love of autumn together while Emmet just observes.

Cyrus loves the chill of winter after the heat of summer... Heat brings out bad memories, so cooling temperatures even out his mood. He loves being able to get out his scaves and coats and wear long sleeves without feeling suffocated. He quietly drinks tea while watching the leaves change colour into the autumnal tones with a sigh.

[stagefoureddiediaz]

We get TMZ tonight!!!

time for the usual game of which stream am i going to get tonight (please don’t let it be deco drive!!!!)

[thedelicatearcher]

as a non-american, i was so fascinated with all the silly candles on ross and tj maxx that i had to take a picture to all of them

[stupot]

Girl what the fuck I didn't know extra stage meant expert only on supernova. However this means I have the cab record for Fascination Maxx. an E. that I failed out of in 6 seconds. this is how I win

[chansaw]

Hi! I don’t know if you’re still talking asks about the yj animorphs au, but just in case you are: how does each girl keep herself sane and grounded (or something close to it)? Does Laura Lee become even more driven by faith? Does Nat try to convince herself that she can “find her purpose” like in the show? Does Van retreat into fantasy and films? I’d read a thousand page novel of this au, I find it so fascinating :) Thanks!

yes i am ALWAYS taking asks about the yellowjackets animorphs au!!

anyways, to answer your question:

laura lee’s faith remains her anchor amidst the horror of the war. she remembered staring up at the angels on the stained glass windows in church as a little girl. it was their wings that fascinated her the most - what would it be like, she’d ask herself, to go to heaven, to be so close to god ? well, god works in mysterious ways. her question is answered when she morphs a peregrine falcon for the first time and she learns what it’s like to touch heaven for herself. she knows it’s a little strange, but she likes to go through her litanies while she rides the updraft winds. maybe being closer to heaven will mean god has a better chance of hearing her prayers.

shauna’s mother worried that jackie’s disappearance and presumed death would hit her even harder than the rough and messy separation from her father. but surprisingly, she seems to be alright. she spends an awful lot of time doting on the pet rabbit she adopted shortly after jackie went missing, but shauna’s mom doesn’t think anything of it.

but really, shauna grounds herself in the spilling of blood. there’s a strange sort of comfort in the danger she throws herself into. she pours all of her rage into each strike she throws. her adrenaline spikes and she feels on top of the world. she feels free. the team sees her as their insurance policy, and she knows that. it’s not her fault she’s so goddamn angry - at herself, at the yeerks, at fucking jackie - but it sure is useful sometimes.

lottie’s trying so hard. but it’s not like she can plonk on her psychiatrist’s couch and say “doc, can you up my meds? being the commander of earth’s only hope against utter destruction is kind of taking a toll on me.” she tries to be the lottie matthews everyone expects her to be. but she also throws more parties, smokes more cigarettes, steals more shitty clothes from tj maxx. she’s trying, she really is.

i’ll add a part two to this tomorrow because i have more to say but absolutely no mental capacity to explain any of it in my current state. anyways, there is a good chance i might write a thousand or more pages for this so you’re in luck

[pare1dolia]

[Flesh and Blood TCG] An Analysis of Maxx "The Hype" Nitro

(aka Blorbo Bleebus from my Card Game) (we're in for a long one boys)

Note that this is, primarily, going to be a story analysis rather than a mechanical one. As much as I love Maxx's mechanics, they're pretty straightforward in terms of the Mechanologist hero class. One of these days I'm gonna build him, I swear.

Part 1: The Background of Maxx Nitro

To begin, the guy's an orphan. He's taken into Rosario Orphanage, of which there are many in the city of Metrix, at the very young age of six years old. However, even at this very young age, Maxx shows an aptitude toward destruction. However, it's not just destruction that he's got an aptitude for; he's also exceedingly good at chemistry.

"While the other six-year-olds were making mud pies in that open sewer they called a playground, I was making potions in the janitor’s cupboard. Yeah, too young to be messing with chemical compounds, but I was never one to be age appropriate. Chucklate Bistink was my most successful concoction, especially when heated in the canteen oven. Cleared the whole place for days. Orphanage management had to put us up in a hotel while they deodorized the place."

This quote from the story System Failure gives a really good bit of insight on this. At the age of six, the age of a first-grader in our world, Maxx was capable of taking chemicals from the janitor's closet and making very, very potent stink bombs at the very least. But, there's something else that is brought to light, and that's how Maxx seems to describe Rosario.

Given his disdain for "the system" to begin with, there's some obvious bias in the language he uses to describe the orphanage. However, it doesn't seem entirely uncalled for, either. As discussed later, Rosario seems to be a privately-owned business, and their true nature is exposed later as a hub for experimentation.

"Turns out the Rosario Hills Institute runs most of the city’s orphanages. Not out of the goodness of their hearts. The orphanages are gathering grounds for their “subjects”. Special kids like me. Kids with unusual talents. At first, I thought it was a bit of a lark. My own room, good food, a decent bed, and attention from some very interested whitecoats. Then the tests started, the prodding and poking, the scans and samples. I soon discovered that special isn’t all it’s cracked up to be."

Maxx discovers this through personal experience, somewhere between the ages of eight and ten. This was after he taught himself how to hack into computers very adeptly at the age of seven. At this point, it's very obvious that while he's almost always had a want for dismantling defunct systems, there's a definite reason for it: Rosario Hills Institute input not only a fear of, but an anger toward systems that are supposedly there to help.

That doesn't mean he's completely unsympathetic to people, though. As the story of System Failure progresses, in Maxx's breakout of the local prison, he shows more concern to "humaniforms" (read: non-robotic lifeforms) than he does to robots. This extends even further to calling emergency services for any humaniforms that were injured within the initial breakout.

This leads to our next part.

Part 2: The Philosophy and Paranoia of Maxx Nitro

Synthetic Futures takes place before the prison breakout of System Failure. In the opening scene, Dash and Maxx are having a discussion on how best to overhaul the systems that dictate life in Metrix. This is already a fascinating scene to me, because typically individuals like Maxx aren't given the time of day in fiction of this kind.

Dash asks if Maxx wants to overthrow the healthcare system, the public transit system, even the sewer system. Maxx responds with a no to all of these, and eventually follows it up with:

“The oppressive systems, Dash! You know, the ones that exploit us, grind us down. Like the enforcers.”

Which leads to this next part:

The mere mention of the e-word makes the anarchists twitchy. Particularly Maxx. He leans forwards, changes to a harsh whisper, like that’ll fool any half-decent surveillance device. “They’ve been tracking us all for weeks now.”

And this illustration of Maxx, which accompanies the passage:

Notice how bloodshot his organic eye is. The scraggly lines for stubble across his jawline, or even the way his hair isn't quite fauxhawk, but rather just a mess of uneven bits. While this could have just been a purposeful way to make him seem "crazy," given the background as discussed in Part 1, there are a few assumptions and headcanons that can be made here.

First off: Maxx's philosophy is to help humanity while breaking down the forces considered oppressive, such as the police unit known as enforcers. This also includes megacorporations such as Cogwerx and Teklovossen, and by extension, more than likely the Rosario Hills Institute. Privatized systems that say they want to help, but also cause intense problems for anyone involved.

Second off: He's intensely paranoid. It's likely he's been losing sleep over the possibility of surveillance, and he really has no way of knowing how to mitigate that. Again, given his background, it's almost to be expected; he's been poked and prodded enough. Never again.

Part 3: Conclusion

So what does all of this leave us with?

Maxx Nitro was a victim of a system that not only failed him, but also the people he grew attached to during very traumatic experiences. This led him to want to destroy these sorts of systems, which exploit vulnerable people to create something profitable. (Sounds familiar.)

This led him, in his adult life, to be intensely paranoid because of the desire to break these systems and start anew. That being said, he doesn't actually seem to want to hurt anyone. Nobody organic, at least.

Does that mean what he's doing wouldn't have consequences? Of course it would. He's kind of a morally grey character, but in my opinion, he's on the lighter side of grey than others in the Flesh and Blood roster.

I dunno. I just think he's neat.

[headedoutleft]

I am not going to read the Vogue piece, but I thought this essay on it was pretty funny -

It will never cease to morbidly fascinate me how the ultra-wealthy, despite having every resource at their disposal, will never be able to buy Authentic Coolness. We are so normal, this story’s subjects seem to be yelling, look at us in our normal 400,000-acre ranch in West Texas drinking margaritas, talking about our blended families and our friendship with the Kardashian-Jenners!

The patina of normalcy and chillness does not, shockingly, last much longer than it takes to read the story. Because all the while they are talking about driving their kids to school, attending work meetings, driving down to Tijuana for supposed philanthropic endeavors, and calling their siblings, we, the people who live in the real world and not a universe in which there exists a “salt genie” (read the story), cannot help but think, this man owns Amazon Web Services, a platform that hosts not only companies but major governments, their agencies, and financial institutions around the world; this man owns the Washington Post, one of the most widely-circulated newspapers in the country, in a continuing conflict of interest to which the government did not see fit to object; this man is not an insignificant enemy of the rising labor movement in America; and this man pays a lower tax rate than most of us. And somehow, despite all this, he and his fiancée are the recipients of Vogue puff pieces.

No? Apologies, maybe that’s what I was thinking as I absorbed these words and pictures. It is so nakedly needy, this contradictory yearning both for recognition as a Titan of Business and as One of the People. It is almost too revelatory, like we’re reading Jeff and Lauren’s journals (the ones they get to “like, three times a week”) without permission. I can picture their publicists meeting with Anna Wintour, convincing her — as they clearly did — that this would be a marketable love story. And to be fair, we are talking about it, but God, at what cost? Why be so public? Why, when even among your cohort of billionaires, you are particularly problematic, would you call so much attention to yourself? Much like we’ve all noticed with Elon Musk and his parade of mistakes, it is evident that there is no one in the Bezos-Sánchez circle to shake their head when they spout off insane and damaging-to-the-brand ideas. They either haven’t a clue how they are perceived or they simply do not care. I’m not sure which is worse.

There were so many insane quotes in this story, I almost blacked out while reading it. My brain could simply not catch up to or even fully compute what my eyes were seeing. You should absolutely read the full story, which naturally serves as a very thinly-veiled advertisement for Bezos's and Sánchez's many brands and enterprises, if only to see the below quotes in context — context that does not, I promise you, make the words any more sensical.

“… The phrase “Love you to space and back,” a favorite saying between Sánchez and Bezos, embroidered in her lilting cursive.” (The couple’s focus on space is both childish and almost mind-numbing, as if, by their calculations and without acknowledging their own role in its destruction, earth is already lost and no longer a concern of theirs.)

“Sánchez uses a mug Bezos got her from Amazon, with the words “Woke up sexy as hell again” splashed across the side.” (In another life, Jeff Bezos was a TJ Maxx mom.)

“Sánchez is also a big audiobook fan—she’s deep into Chop Wood Carry Water: How to Fall in Love with the Process of Becoming Great.” (About this, what can I tell you that you are not already thinking?)

“On the weekends Bezos makes churros in his deep fryer, a recipe passed down from his Cuban grandfather. ‘Abuelo made churros whenever we were with him,’ says Bezos.” (Not Jeff Bezos remembering he’s Latino!! Not this! Amigues, we do not claim him.)

“Collins counts Sánchez as a close friend (they have a pickleball crew) and describes how in “deep COVID” Sánchez called her at 6:20 a.m. wanting to help.” (If a so-called friend called me at 6:20 a.m. claiming to want to help, the first step towards that journey would be deleting my number.)

“‘I made her vulnerable and soft,’ says Bezos with more than a hint of pride.” (Reader, I gagged (derogatory).)

[ajockeynamedpod]

Name: Prada Rangler

Stand: [QUARTERFLASH]

The son of Lang Rangler and Sports Maxx, he’s a wild feral piece of work. His lizardlike features including a scattering of scales, sharp nails, sharp teeth, and even slit pupils and yellow eye whites, all mysteriously come from Lang Rangler, though he isn’t exactly forthcoming on why that is. He calls it a birth defect. Prada thinks someone in his family history way way far back fucked a gator or something. Florida moment. The truth is unknown and will probably never be known.

He can climb walls like Lang can, but he has no antigravity. He always seems to smell musty and he doesn’t shower much. You can barely even tell Maxx has a genetic hand in him at all. But he does have a fascination with dead things and collects bones and teeth and other funky natural stuff. He loves to scare Laurent with his collection of skulls. What a good big brother.

His stand, Quarterflash, allows him to summon a shadow double with the same capabilities and physical strength as Prada himself, including his wall climbing. He can use Quarterflash to attack in tandem with himself, or he can use it to sneak around or attack someone else while he fights personally. It can hide itself in shadows and can lay flat as a shadow does, and is best used in dim or dark rooms where it cannot be seen. It still works in the light but is much easier to spot. Damage is shared between the shadow double and Prada.

He works fantastically alongside his siblings; if the area is light Chanel has the advantage. If it’s dim or dark, Prada has the stronger stand. There is no way to disadvantage both at once.

[23christina]

Bravo!

The $5 trench coat that became an icon

With a strong focus on quality, innovation, and exclusivity, Rose Marie Bravo was able to turn Burberry around and establish it as a leader in the accessible luxury fashion market.

PRODUCT LINES

One of the smartest moves Bravo made was updating Burberry's product lines. By reducing the number of outdated designs, Burberry was able to streamline its offerings and create a more cohesive image. This helped reinforce the brand's position as an accessible luxury lifestyle brand that was aspirational, stylish, and innovative.

Burberry also divided its products into two categories: continuity and fashion-oriented. This allowed the brand to appeal to both its core customer base and a younger demographic, while still maintaining its cachet.

Their most iconic item, the trench coat, has endured the test of time. I was surprised to learn that the coat was originally used for British soldiers and adventurers, because I associate it with British socialites and sleek professionals. I did some digging, and the price of the Burberry trench coat has increased significantly over the years. In the early 1900s, the coat cost around $5. The case mentioned that in the 2000s, it was $900. Today, the price for a classic Burberry trench coat ranges from $1,700 to $2,500, depending on the style and material. Definitely outpacing inflation!

ADVERTISING

Investing in advertising was also key for Burberry's success. They hired a famous team including photographer Mario Testino and creative director Fabien Baron. The 1998 advertising campaign helped to reinforce the brand's British heritage and sense of tradition. The introduction of Kate Moss as a spokesperson also helped to make the brand more accessible to a younger demographic.

DESIGN ELEMENTS

The most impressive thing about Burberry's transformation is how they managed to maintain their iconic design elements while still updating their image and appeal. Their iconic check pattern became even more popular with the introduction of new designs and materials, while still retaining the durability and quality that made them so popular in the first place.

QUESTIONS

One question I have is around the proliferation of Burberry brands. To me, the wide array of Burberry offerings dilutes the strength of the brand. A few years ago, I purchased a Burberry trench coat on a consignment website, but when it arrived, the tag said “Burberry’s.” I was not aware that pre-1997, the brand name was actually Burberry’s, and I was afraid it may have been a knockoff and returned it. I also often see Burberry’s offshoot brands like Burberry Brit at discount stores like TJ Maxx, which feels like a step down from how they would aspire to position themselves.

I am also curious whether the brand will resonate with Gen Z (see Romeo Beckham ad below). On one hand, their generation appreciates vintage fashion, so they could find a love for the classic trench and other timeless styles. On the other hand, they seem to be fascinated with creative, bright, nontraditional designs that feel opposite of Burberry's posh image.