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Happy Sunday, everyone. I hope you are all doing well, wherever you may be in the world. The first draft of this week?s newsletter started on a flight. The Wi-Fi wasn?t working (of course), and neither were the charging ports. It?s amazing how productive one becomes when stuck in a flying tin can for hours, with nowhere to go and no external influences to distract, except for a stewardess occasionally asking if I would like anything to drink. Inspiration for the first part of today?s issue had struck a few hours before whilst in the car at an ungodly hour on my way to T5. I will never understand how or why inspiration can come in the most unlikely places, but I?m grateful for it. Anyway, I had the small seed of an idea triggered by a very brief feeling in said car, so I sat with my laptop and let it unravel from there. As a result, today?s issue doesn?t have any coherent structure (not to say that it usually does, but I like to think I tentatively link subtopics rather than just one long stream of consciousness). Still, the beauty of writing is that it?s not prescriptive, and I can honestly say it?s been freeing to write without overthinking. So, let?s go back to where today?s issue began as a small fleeting idea in the back of a Peugeot 5008, two weeks ago.
I was on my way to the airport when ?She?s The One? by Robbie Williams started playing in the car. For those who might not know who Robbie is, he was in a very famous 90?s boyband in the UK called ?Take That?. He eventually did a Harry Styles, went solo, and with a few drugs and highly publicised personal issues in the mix, he became synonymous with a certain period of time in British culture. Every British wedding is still subjected to a mass singalong of his belter that is ?Angels?. Hearing that song unexpectedly in the car took me back to my early childhood. A time when our romcoms were at their peak (thank you, Richard Curtis), our music and their accompanying videos were legendary, and the macarena was a staple at every school disco. Of course, there are no such things as coincidences. The night before, I had started to watch the Beckham documentary, which only thrust me further into my previously hazy memories of that time period ? one that I would consider to be culturally iconic. As a result, I?ve found myself newly intrigued and inspired by a snapshot in time that was previously just a fond and comforting memory. As a ?93 baby, the late 90?s and early 2000?s were my formative years. A time of innocence and simplicity before I became a fully formed teenager and developed a strong sense of identity and self. I had never considered how much the culture of that time impacted me, as childhood memories can often be reduced to the friends you had, toys you played with and maybe the oddly specific and somewhat traumatic school memory. Most people I speak to seem to have memory loss from 3 to 9 years old; even when looking at photos of themselves, they struggle to remember the circumstances surrounding said photo. There are also huge gaps in my memory from those early years; however, should a song play from that period of time, I will most likely know all of the lyrics and the obscure band it was by (and sometimes even the accompanying dance moves). I could reference album covers, film scenes, and TV shows that hadn?t crossed my path in over 20 years. I even remember magazine covers and the accompanying headlined referencing significant pop culture moments of the time.
Often, these memories will trigger others, like obsessively watching my favourite singers and actors on our small boxy TV after school. The clothes I would pick out to wear to a friend?s party inspired by the women in the pre-teen magazines I?d beg my parents to buy. I remember being so jealous of my friend who once wore a stick-on rhinestone tattoo in the shape of a butterfly at one birthday party that she applied nonchalantly in front of everyone in the garden. I actually started acrobatic gymnastics at age six because I remember seeing Britney Spears do a backflip in her ?Hit Me Baby One More Time? video (upon going to YouTube to link this video, I saw that it has a whopping 873 million views?talk about impact). Of course, my parents never told me it was a stunt double, as I told them I wanted to be as cool as Britney, who could flip her way around school. As a result, gymnastics took over seven years of my life, and I travelled the country and various parts of the world competing?all because of one music video I saw when I was six. I remember watching The Simple Life for the first time (my first exposure to reality TV) and being consumed by it. In some ways, I liken that period of tabloids, magazines, and early reality TV to that of social media. I had never been exposed to people like Paris and Nicole, nor did I know that women like that even existed. Much like TikTok and Instagram expose us to different people and different ways of living all around the world, early 2000s pop culture exposed me to a life I never knew was even possible. I started to dress like them; I cut my hair into a bob with a side fringe and wore a headband (does anyone else remember that iconic Nicole look?), I used phrases I didn?t fully understand the meaning of, I referenced brands I didn?t even know, and I became hyper-aware of how I looked ? more than anyone at that age should.
With all that in mind, watching ?Beckham? was fascinating because I began reliving memories I?d previously had from that time period that I?d never thought about in much depth. I got to experience it from both an adult perspective and that of the people actually involved. Growing up, I remember regurgitating media headlines and stereotypes about Victoria Beckham without a second thought ? ?She?s so vapid?, ?Why is she so miserable??, ?She?s only with David for the money?. I?d never even stopped to consider how difficult it had been for her during those years with the media frenzy and gossip, uprooting her family on David?s whim, the emotional and physical labour she took on for decades, and always being framed as the villain in comparison to golden boy David. Every inch of her physical self was scrutinised and criticised. Too thin, too fake, too gaudy, too much, not enough. I then thought about how I?d bought into the idea that celebrities like Hilary Duff and Kelly Clarkson were ?fat?. I remember Tyra Banks being shamed for a swimsuit picture taken at an unflattering angle, body-shaming her to the point where she actually went live on her own TV show, wearing the same swimsuit to prove that she wasn?t actually as fat as the press were labelling her. The Brits believed that Bridget Jones was a fat, sloppy, undesirable disaster because she weighed 136lbs. How ?curvy? was a slur that made you undesirable, and being branded as such by the media was a fate worse than death. Hell, even the fact that Nicole was the ?fat friend? in the early seasons of The Simple Life is wild to me. My friends and I would watch the film ?Sleepover? and recreate the scavenger hunts, not batting an eye at the references to Yancy being fat. I recently rewatched this film (I like cheesy throwbacks, leave me alone) and was internally yelling at the fact they made her whole character revolve around the fact she was bigger than the rest of the cast. Diet culture and body shaming were so rampant that I now wonder whether it?s just permanently ingrained in every woman who grew up during that time, subconsciously or not. Much like the media of the time informed parts of our personalities and interests that are still with us decades later, I feel the same is true regarding our relationships with our bodies. I wonder how the children and pre-teens of today will be shaped and impacted by our current pop culture in 20 years? time.
There was a weird cross-contamination between the British pop culture I?d grown up with and the American culture slowly bleeding into my everyday life. One was my day-to-day reality, and the other was something lofty and aspirational. I?d listen to Oasis and Blur and The Verve. I?d go to pubs with my parents at 13 years old (back when you could still smoke inside) and play pool with random people, maybe even getting a shandy with my pun lunch if I was lucky. Bluetooth was life-changing because you could send each other current songs via clunky mobile phones that you would set as a ringtone. Before that, we?d passed the time by playing Snake. We?d communicate via MSN, watch MTV, and listen to our favourite albums on Walkman (mostly just the ?That?s What I Call Music’ albums). We all thought we would die from the Millennium Bug (affectionately known as the Y2K Bug). Music videos and awards ceremonies were king. Stars were born on Top of The Pops. It?s amazing how I have very few detailed memories from that time and instead relive that period of my life through defining pop culture moments. If you weren?t fortunate enough to grow up in the UK during this time, or if you would like to be subjected to reliving it for no reason, here are some prompts for you.
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Go Trainspotting – Okay, not literally (unless you are a budding Francis Bourgeois), but for Brits of a certain age, I can write the words ?Choose Your Future. Choose Life?, and you will know exactly what I mean. The late 90s and early 2000s were synonymous with a handful of British films and directors that redefined genres. I remember seeing Danny Boyle?s ?Trainspotting? as a child (probably not appropriate at all, but hey ho, it was a different time), and it blew my mind. Again, the exposure to a different type of life ? e.g. a Scottish underclass of heroin and crime ? was simultaneously shocking and fascinating. The soundtrack also defined an era. You can?t watch this film and then listen to Lou Reed?s ?Perfect Day? in the same way. If you want to explore more of the gritty side of life in the UK, films like ?Nil By Mouth? (I believe this was Gary Oldman?s one and only directorial debut) and ?Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels? (albeit more of a comedy than the other two) are great follow-ups to Trainspotting. Although filmed slightly later and set slightly earlier, ?This Is England? also deserves an honourable mention.
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Binge The King Of British RomCom – So, as I said above, there were a handful of films (and directors) that redefined a genre of filmmaking at the time. We have the Danny Boyle and the Guy Ritchie?s of the time, exposing the ugly, raw underbelly of British culture, the struggles of the working classes and the impacts of addiction and violence?but, who the hell was going to cover the plight of the middle classes with whimsy and charm?? Enter Richard Curtis (often found with a floppy-haired Hugh Grant in tow). As an Oxford-educated, Old Harrovian, it makes perfect sense how and why he captured the nuances of that subsect of British society so well. When doing a bit of research on him, I realised that he actually met Rowan Atkinson during his time at Oxford, and this is how Blackadder eventually came to be. He also co-wrote The Vicar of Dibley (another British TV staple) before moving into feature films. If you?re still not sure who he is, then I?m sure you?ll know at least one of the following of his films: Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones?s Diary, Love Actually, or About Time?just to name a few. I love Richard?s films because the writing is so effortless ? especially when it comes to the dialogue between characters (I would go as far as to say he is the British answer to Nora Ephron). He perfectly captures the dry, sardonic tone of the English without it ever being too cynical. We see ourselves in every awkward social interaction and every declaration of love and we feel their impact with the same emphasis. The dinner scene in Notting Hill captures it all so well.
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Cool Britannia – A phrase coined for mid 90?s Brit culture that coincided with the success of British bands such as The Spice Girls (remember Geri?s iconic Union Jack flag dress at the ?97 Brits? Cool Britania personified) and the rise in our nation?s pride for our pop culture influence. We had cool clubs, cool music, and an even cooler style?a style that I?ve seen recycled each decade since. Allow me to remind you of some of the looks from this era?
BRITPOP BOYS
This uniform consisted of sportswear that was five sizes too big, slightly tatty and haphazardly thrown together and never without a cigarette and a pint to hand. Think either of the Gallaghers at any given time. It was a sea of track jackets (including the iconic Harrington jacket), football shirts paired with a Fred Perry polos, parkas and anything with a Burberry check. It brought a casual, unfiltered style to the masses that drew from working-class roots ? it was mainly a combination of sportswear and charity shop clothes because they were the most affordable options for those at the time. It was the antihesis of the overly polished, tailored celebrity looks that were emerging and it was also style that could be worn and accessed by anyone from any background and class. I will say that Damon Albarn always pulled it off so well, but it probably helped that he was so handsome. I guess a big component of how and why this style became so popular was due to the charisma and, for lack of a better word, swagger the musicians of the time carried these looks off with.
GRUNGE GIRLS
So I?m unsure as to whether this was a trickle down from the US 90?s grunge scene, where bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins were gaining popularity, or whether it was a side effect of the ?heroin chic? trend emerging from the early supermodels, but either way, grunge was the vibe. Think flannels, oversized everything (again), smudged eyeliner, combat boots and ripped jeans (or tights). Accessorised with chains and studs and a surly look, grunge was even appearing on the catwalks when a young Kate Moss famously walked for Calvin Klein in a grungy layered look. For some reason, everybody wanted to look like they?d just woken up from a three-day bender. In some ways, it does feel like another iteration of BritPop style, with clothing that looked worn and thrifted and unpolished ? how everything fit in all the wrong places and all the wrong ways. As with most trends and styles, it signalled an alignment to a certain lifestyle that became synonymous with something dark and nihilistic.
BUBBLEGUM POP PRINCESS
The impact of the Spice Girls on the rest of us mere mortals during this time was unmatched. The early late 90s/early 2000s pop princess was the antithesis of the grunge, heroin-chic look, and it was all about expressing yourself in a fun, carefree manner. Think crop tops with lamé trousers, animal prints with feather boas, chunky shoes and choker, rhinestone tattoos and five colours in your hair. We used to dress up our favourite dolls with reckless abandon simply because it brought us unbridled joy whilst also being a great way to express ourselves, and eventually that same logic applied to our own wardrobes. As cheesy as it sounds, I think so many of us were taken by The Spice Girls simply because they represented ?girl power?. It taught a lot of us that it was okay to dress for ourselves and nobody else and that we could do whatever we set our mind to. I will say, though, it?s absolutely fascinating to see Y2K/pop princess fashion come back in 2023 with the same amount of oomph, colour and sparkle as it had the first time around.
Good News
I wanted to end this week?s issue with a segment inspired by a daily newsletter I?m subscribed to called ?The Know?. I appreciate that the last few weeks have been tough and that it can feel like everywhere we look, humanity is (forgive my French) fucked. I thought it would be nice to take the time to share some good news from around the world as a reminder that there are still great people out there and that pockets of light exist amongst the darkness.
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Public libraries in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are preparing to open ?warm hubs? for people struggling to heat their homes this winter – With energy prices soaring and many people struggling to afford heat and electricity, this provides a safe space for people to go to during the colder months.
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A couple who run a nonprofit animal rescue that adopts and rehomes disabled and abandoned dogs – I came across The Pawerful Recuse on TikTok (surprise surprise) after I saw a video about their adoption of a puppy missing her two front legs. She was struggling with her disability and finding friendship with the other dogs until shortly after when they heard about a disabled great dane (also missing two legs), and they decided to also take her in. The two formed an instant friendship, and they now help each other navigate the world.
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A one-woman food bank in London – Sixty-three-year-old Henrietta Onyema from Bermondsey has recently opened a pop-up food bank near her home for those who need it. The whole project started by offering food and other supplies after the food bank at her local church had to close. Henrietta said: “It pleases your heart when you do something good for people, but everybody should help each other.”
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Woman leaves ‘kindness packages’ for people to find – “Miss Busy” is leaving handmade packages on popular walking routes in Wiltshire for people to pick up. The packages include stickers, small books, and messages intended to make its finder smile.
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TikToker helping those navigating the loss of a loved one – This is a slightly selfish one for me because I follow her and love her, but Taryn is a wonderfully funny creator known for her characters. One character in particular is Denise, the ?receptionist in heaven?. Whilst these skits are hilarious, she is often asked by commenters whether ?Denise? can welcome a loved one who they?ve recently lost to Heaven. Seeing the videos and reading the comments is just so touching and heartwarming ? I don?t advise you to watch them in a public space though because you will cry.
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Prisoners in England are being taught to train assistance dogs for the community, gaining qualifications so they can set up their own businesses upon release – We all love a story that involves a dog, and this particular one is a win-win for everyone involved. As well as providing skills and opportunities for former offenders, it also seems to have a huge impact on their sense of purpose ? ?Dan is part of the inaugural intake. Previously a drug dealer inside prison, the opportunity encouraged him to give all that up ?overnight?. ?What?s really going to reduce the likelihood of me reoffending is not wanting to reoffend,? he says. ?You need to reduce the want to use drugs with a meaningful activity. This keeps me grounded.??
If you have enjoyed today?s issue (or any issue) of The Rhubarb Society, please feel free to share with those closest to you. Thank you for supporting the Society, and we look forward to seeing you in the next issue.
