Hot girl summer is a lie
I want to apologise for flaking for two weeks but trust me, life has been hectic and I’m just glad we’re getting this out in time-ish, it is an achievement and I’m going to treat it as just that :)))
Moving on, whether you’re in camp SUMMER IS HERE or ….summer is here, this newsletter has something for you. And as always, happy, reflective, fun recos to start your week with.
Tango with Avani
Summer breaks in school hit differently, ngl. 2 months of freedom to do whatever you want only to end up doing nothing at all - that's me. I would fervently plan out 101 ways of having the 'perfect summer' - lose that weight, take swimming, art, dance and skating classes, read that growing pile of books I keep ordering, go on vacation and have an overall glow-up while I'm at it. Phew, looking back, this list sounds like something I'd need a lifetime to achieve, but hey, everyone needs to be a foolish optimist at times.
Now, at the tender age of 23, I'm still that foolish optimist about summers - but in a healthy way? The question mark has been added rather consciously, because I'm not sure. I still have objectives, but they are more me and not what I think people want from me. For example, I don't want to lose that weight but actually eat all my favourite things all day everyday. I want to wear all the barely-there dresses I've been hiding in my closet because it's hot and if not now, then when? I want to be spontaneous, adventurous and aloof - all at the same time. This is kind of the plan for the summer of 2022, and I know I'm back to setting unrealistic expectations for this season, but it's just something in the air that makes all this very exciting.
Films, books, pop culture and the whole 'hot girl summer' concept just adds to it, everyone's chirpier, falling in love, pursuing their passion and finding themselves in the summer. It's a lot of pressure too though and I often set myself up for disappointment (no shit) because summer ends in the blink of an eye and I've done a sum total of over-sleeping, binge-watching TV, annoying the parents to the max and complaining about how hot it is. Before I know it, the sun disappears and the rain comes pouring. Let's try for 'hot girl monsoon' I guess?
Tango with Darshita
Fun fact: my first writing assignment at uni in London was to describe a hot summer night. All the Europeans and Americans in class were super excited because they have extreme winters and looove summers but um hello India fam, you can imagine how I was feeling right?
Even as a teen, when British literature used sweet summer as a flirty compliment, I was dumbfounded because LOL Indian summers can be brutal. Okay to be fair, I grew up in Bangalore and we didn’t have sick heat in the city until maybe five years ago but it still wasn’t “let’s get beers and chill in the park” weather. So recently I sat to wonder, are Indian summers romanticised for Indians? Do we actually look forward to them?
Like Avani, in my head summers were synonymous with long breaks from school. And not just any break, it was the can-be-life-changing break that comes between two school years. Despite all the goals I would set for myself, most of my time was spent just chilling in Delhi at my nani’s place. Her house was my first ever apartment experience and omg was I ever in love before? We could play chocolate box with our friends even after dark (?!?) and would only be called up for food - can I just emphasise, OG Delhi food.
So yes, as a kid I loved summer breaks but as I grew older, somehow the charm diminished: Delhi wasn’t as fun anymore cause all my “cool” friends were in Bangalore, the heat was too hot and the days were too long. Then the transition happened ~ the same teen angst filled moment that I went from being an extrovert to an introvert to an ambivert (?) ~ I went from being a happy summer gal to a happier winter gal. It was a mood, that’s all I can say.
But also, everyone who says winters are sad, I don’t see it??? I love winter fashion (it’s a lot more than sweater weather pls) and cuffing season has my whole heart. I also think it has something to do with all the pressure of hot girl summer if I’m being honest? Same reason why going to the beach scared me - I’m yet to confidently arrive in my bikini body frame of mind and will run away from booty shorts until further notice. My mind keeps saying “be grateful for the London summer it’s going to go before you know it” but my heart really just wants to lie on my bed and wait for winter.
OOPS we did it again! (Random recommendations to tango with, curated 4U)
Keeping up with the summer theme, here's a trilogy recco that I read in my teens but I shamelessly still like it now (2 boys, 1 girl and a long 'coming-of-age' summer - c'mon, who wouldn't lap up this plot) - 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' by Jenny Han.
This is my new favourite Disney movie and you have to watch it, it’s happiness personified.
Crazy Love has me howling and smiling from ear to ear. Brief synopsis - a bossy and eccentric math genius and his overworked secretary get caught up with lies, amnesia and office romance <3
If you’re acne prone and hate it, please get these because they make the acne better but also make me super happy.
Read this Dazed story making a case for why hookups are actually kind of freeing and great.
If I lived in a whimsical world where I can buy and wear anything I want, I would only be dressed in this.