It's Been a Minute

What we wear and how we wear it is more important than its artistic value.

When some people think of fashion, the Met Gala or maybe even luxury designers may come to mind. But what about the old college sweatshirt that gets you through the cold or even the brightly colored gym set that pushes you to go that extra mile? Is that not fashion? Perhaps the concept of fashion has been framed as an external commodity to be sought after, rather than an authentic expression cultivated through the rhythm of a well-lived life.

Brittany Luse sits down with CNN Senior Style Reporter and author of CNN’s Big Style newsletter, Rachel Tashjian Wise, to answer all those questions and more.

Want more on fashion? 

Was that the worst MET Gala ever?
American fashion isn't as liberal as you think

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Who counts as homeless in America?

If you ask the Department of Housing and Urban Development, around 750,000 people are homeless in America. If you ask the Department of Education, that number shoots up into the millions. What does this discrepancy tell us?  And how do our cultural ideas about homelessness shape who we see as homeless, and who gets help? To find out, Brittany talks with Dr. Margot Kushel, Director at the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, and Dr. Molly Richard, assistant professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Rhode Island’s College of Health Sciences.

Want more deep dives on cultural taboos?  Check out these episodes:
The truth about men on the 'down low'
Why can't we be normal about polyamory?

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How has your beauty routine changed in the past 10 years?

In 2016, the beauty world was obsessed with 12-step skincare regimens. Now, beauty influencers and experts are experimenting with peptides and looksmaxxing. Brittany chats with Brooke Devard Ozaydinli, host of the Naked Beauty podcast and Chief Content Officer of Refinery29, to understand how our relationship with beauty has changed over the years, and what that means for our relationships with ourselves.

00:00 How beauty standards shifted from expression to optimization
02:55 Navigating becoming 'project managers' of our faces and bodies
05:33 How Brooke's show has changed as beauty trends have changed
09:19 Looksmaxing and unrealistic beauty standards for Black women
13:40 Policing of Black women's appearance
17:48 The complicated reality of cosmetic procedures in the digital age
24:23 Finding agency in beauty beyond cosmetic procedures
29:16 How to find the beauty routine for you

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Do influencer parents trade in their kids’ privacy for the hope of financial security?

Kids are everywhere on the Internet – and not just playing on Roblox. They're the stars of many family influencing pages that document kids’ lives: from the intimate details of their births, to starting school, to going through puberty. That can come with a host of problems – but also a ton of money. So what happens when parents trade their kids' privacy for the hope of financial security? And how does that content play into feedback loops about what family life should look like?

Brittany gets into it with Fortesa Latifi, senior writer at Yahoo! and author of Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of Childhood Online.

(00:00) The cost of a childhood online
(02:48) How Mommy blogging transformed into family influencing
(07:39) Just how much do family influencers make?
(10:37) Online exploitation risks
(16:36) How influencing distorts family life
(24:59) Should kids be influencers?

For more episodes on parenting, kids, and modern life, check out:
The fear & shame of modern parenting
Are children a marginalized group?
The real meaning of "6 7"

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What gives a pop star staying power?

In our frenetic music landscape, it's clear that a lot of pop stars that defined the millennial "hopecore" sound -- think Lizzo and Katy Perry -- are no longer resonating with audiences.  So who are listeners gravitating to these days, and how does that reflect the times we're living in?  Brittany talks to music writer and critic Brittany Spanos on whether we're seeing a generational shift in music taste, and how legacy acts can stay relevant too.

Want more pop music analysis? Check out this episode:

The D-List pop star purgatory

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