Shows
Clotheshorse with Amanda Lee McCartyEpisode 243: I'm With The Brand (we, the customers), part fiveThis episode is part five in an ongoing series about brands and how they influence our identities and drive consumerism. In this episode, we will unpack how brands use customer information to create that emotional connection:A nostalgic trip back to the 00s: the rise and fall of Urban Outfitters’ “coolness", and what it revealed about aspirational vs. actual customers.Why brands claim to be “obsessed with the customer,” yet often misunderstand who’s really shopping with them.The shift from emotional branding to data-driven surveillance marketing and how companies now know us better than we know ourselves.Very specia...
2025-09-182h 12
The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 81: Amanda went to Japan and all we got were these lousy trends (AGAIN): Pre-Millennium Tension,The New-sies, Crimes Against DenimAmanda went to Japan again and brought back some new trends. Find all the details at thedepartment.world.Don't forget to follow us in Instagram: @_the_department
2023-05-231h 18The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 80: Festival Fever: The Good, The Bad and The FadPut on some sunscreen and your pink Western Barbie outfit, because Kim and Amanda are hitting the festival circuit to follow the good, bad, and mega-bad trends associated with festival season.Get all the details at thedepartment.world.
2023-05-021h 51The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 79: Secondhand News (the recurring and always controversial trend of secondhand fashion),Part 4: The 2010sAmanda + Kim end their journey through the history of secondhand shopping as a social, retail, and style trend in a decade so close, yet so far away: the 2010s.Get all the details at thedepartment.world.
2023-04-251h 17The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 78: Secondhand News (the recurring and always controversial trend of secondhand fashion), Part 3: The 2000sSecondhand shopping is having a major moment right now and it isn't without controversy. Amanda + Kim take a deep dive into the trend cycle of secondhand clothing, because it turns out secondhand fashion isn't a first time fashion trend. This episode (part three) focuses on the 2000s.Get all the details at thedepartment.world.
2023-04-111h 35The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 77: Secondhand News (the recurring and always controversial trend of secondhand fashion), Part 2: The 80s and 90sSecondhand shopping is having a major moment right now and it isn't without controversy. Amanda + Kim take a deep dive into the trend cycle of secondhand clothing, because it turns out secondhand fashion isn't a first time fashion trend. This episode (part two) focuses on the 80s and 90s.Get all the details at thedepartment.world.
2023-04-041h 54The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 76: Secondhand News (the recurring and always controversial trend of secondhand fashion), part 1Secondhand shopping is having a major moment right now and it isn't without controversy. Amanda + Kim take a deep dive into the trend cycle of secondhand clothing, because it turns out secondhand fashion isn't a first time fashion trend. This episode (part one) focuses on the 1920s through the 1970s. Get all the details at thedepartment.world.
2023-03-281h 28The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 75: Adding a little Prep in our Step (Pt2): The 80's, 90's, 00's, 10's + Modern Preppy AestheticsCalling all Blaines! Join us for part two of our deep dive into the history of preppy style! This episode is part two of two.Learn more at thedepartment.world.
2023-03-071h 27The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 74: Adding a little Prep in our Step (Pt1): Preppy History 101, J.Crew and the ResurrectionBreaking News: Prep is back in our collective step. That's right...the preppy style is making a comeback after years of decline! Kim + Amanda take a stroll down memory lane (or really, several different lanes) to unpack the history of the preppy aesthetic. This episode is part 1 of 2.Get all the details at thedepartment.world.
2023-02-281h 10The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 73: Just Kidding Around: The Rise of the Kidult (pt 2)his is part two of our pair of episodes about kidulting! In this episode you’ll learn the brands and companies that are changing their business to meet this new market. And you’ll also learn why Amanda is being bombarded with ads for wine guzzling teddy bears. So grab yourself a Gogurt, put on your Strawberry Shortcake nightgown, and get ready for more adorable kidulting trend info from Kim + Amanda.Get all the details at thedepartment.world.
2023-02-141h 24The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 72: Just Kidding Around (Pt1): The Rise Of The KidultPour yourself your boozy seltzer of choice, grab a pack of Dunkaroos, and snuggle your favorite stuffed animal, because Amanda + Kim are going to dig into the trend of “kidulting.”Get all the details at thedepartment.world
2023-02-071h 08The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 71: Aesthetics NewsHour (Pt2): Aesthetic Alienation, Whimsy Goth, Weird Girl, Mall Girl, Baddie, Grunge Sleeze, Crochetcore, 2000s Normcore + Cathy CoreKim and Amanda continue to explore some of the latest aesthetic trends...and maybe develop a dark reboot film about comic strip character Cathy?See the full details at thedepartment.world.And read "Aesthetics: Why the Trend is so NOT Our Friend," by Kennedy Smith for No Kill Magazine.
2023-01-311h 00The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 70: Aesthetics NewsHour (Pt1): Style & Zeitgeist Temperature Check, Balletcore, Coastal Grandma, #Oldmoney, Plazacore & BarbiecoreKim + Amanda explore some of the the big aesthetic trends circulating through our spheres right now. This is part 1 of 2.Learn more at thedepartment.world.
2023-01-241h 17The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 69: Amanda went to Japan and all we got were these lousy trends.Amanda tells Kim about all of the emerging trends she saw on her recent trip to Japan, including Boomercore, 90s Skatercore, Craftcore, even more secondhand shopping, new print inspiration, and the merging of art with nostalgic toys. See and learn more at thedepartment.world.
2023-01-161h 33The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 68: The Underwear Oracle, Lipstick Effect and Fro Za Indicator + more weird but true Recession Trends!Kim + Amanda explore trends that have proven to be indicators of recessions in the past.Get all the details at thedepartment.world
2023-01-0949 minThe Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 67: Pinterest Predicts 2023: Y2K Fashion, Micro Beauty, Gender-Neutral Kids, Bohocore and more...Every year, Pinterest "predicts" trends based on what it sees happening within user search data. Kim + Amanda take a deep dive into these predictions and discuss how they align with what they are seeing right now.Get all the details at thedepartment.world.
2023-01-021h 17The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 66: The Department 2023 Crystal Ball Trend PredictionsKim + Amanda share their trend predictions for 2023. And TBH, they are pretty darn good! From the return of Stevie Nicks style (not that it was ever gone) to the rise of online classes, we are seeing some exciting things coming in the new year.See more at thedepartment.world.
2022-12-261h 18The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 65: The Holiday Trend-tacular Part 2: Holiday Gift Baskets and Catalogs GaloreIf you--like Amanda--believe that all trends follow the "Skinny Jeans Paradox," then you have to wonder when "gourmet" gift baskets were the hot, aspirational trend, rather than a pile of off-brand crackers lurking next to the office printer. Amanda + Kim trace the trend thread back centuries to find the answer. Also: Amanda + Kim share their personal "holiday trends."Get all the details and photos at thedepartment.world.
2022-12-181h 19The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 64: The Holiday Trend-tacular Part 1: The Hallmark Holiday Movie RecipeIT'S A HOLIDAY MIRACLE! Kim and Amanda are back with a two-part holiday trend-tacular!!! In this episode, we'll pour some eggnog over ice, put on our Christmas teddies (jk, no way), and settle in with a nice Hallmark movie. Get all the details about this episode at the thedepartment.world
2022-12-161h 08The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 63: The Checkerboard Chronicles: The Avant Basic Trend, Lisa Says Gah and The Sustainability of TrendKim and Amanda take a cow print, checkerboard odyssey through the Avant Basic trend, with stops along the way at SHEIN and the natural deodorant aisle.Find the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2022-03-011h 07The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 62: Everything New Is Old Again (part 2): 2000s Hipsters are Making a Comeback -Indie Sleaze vs. TweeHave you ever touched up your black jeans with a Sharpie? Exclusively owned shirts with Peter Pan collars? Get ready for some nostalgia (or a refreshing style shift), because two of the most iconic 2000s aesthetics are back: twee and indie sleaze. Note: Amanda's audio is a little weird in this episode. Dustin did everything he could to fix it. Find the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2022-02-081h 12The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 61: Everything New Is Old Again (part 1): Time Traveling, And Just Like That...., Snark AttackAnd just like that...the 2000s were back again. In part one of two, Amanda + Kim talk about how 2022 is looking a lot like 2002, with the return of Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda. And we'll talk about the newest social media trend: snarking the snarkers. See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2022-02-011h 07The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 60: Crime Curious (part 2): The True Crime Female Paradigm, Paranoia and Amateur HourNeil Blakemore joins Amanda + Kim for the second half of our conversation about the true crime trend. See the full episode notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-11-161h 11The Department: a podcast about trends.Crime Curious (part 1): The Trend of True Crime + The Staircase ExposedAmanda, Kim, and special guest Neil untangle the trendy rise of True Crime. Find the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-11-091h 13The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 58: We couldn’t help but wonder....what trends came out of Sex in the City?Grab a Cosmo, put on some totally unwalkable shoes, and join us on a journey to uncover all of the fashion, food, and social trends created by a single HBO show: Sex and the City. Find the full show notes here.
2021-10-121h 17The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 57: The Super Story behind Superfoods: Kale Tales, Pom Promises and Going Bananas for BananasWhy eat ordinary food when you could have...SUPERFOOD! Kim + Amanda unpack the trendiness and marketing genius of so-called "superfoods."Find the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-09-281h 26The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 56: Cultured Content: The Fro-11 on Fro-Yo, Food Trends through the Years and Rich White Guys with Dumb OpinionsAmanda + Kim continue their odyssey into "health food" trends with a special focus on fro-yo and rich white dudes with loud, dumb opinions.Find the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-09-211h 15The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 55: Drinking the Kool Aid: The Cult of JuicingOpen a fresh bottle of Clamato and join Amanda and Kim on a centuries-spanning journey through the cyclical trend of juicing.Find our full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-09-141h 21The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 54: “That Girl” Trend is Poison: #Girlboss Reinvented, Sweetgreen and the Ideal WomanGrab a green juice, pour it into your #girlboss mug, and join Kim + Amanda for part II of their dissection of the "That Girl" trend.Find our full show notes at thedepartment.world.TW: this episode does discuss eating disorders and social media phenomena related to eating disorders. If you or someone you love is dealing with an eating disorder, please visit The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). They provide free and low cost support for individuals with eating disorders.
2021-08-241h 09The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 53: “That Girl” Trend is Poison: Wack Wellness Culture & OrthorexiaKim tells us all about the "That Girl" trend sweeping social media and Amanda wonders "how many salad ingredients is too many?"Find our the full show notes at thedepartment.world.TW: this episode does discuss eating disorders and social media phenomena related to eating disorders. If you or someone you love is dealing with an eating disorder, please visit The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA). They provide free and low cost support for individuals with eating disorders.
2021-08-171h 02The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 52: Nostalgic Food Trends: As American as Mac & Cheese, Hamburger Helper and Hungry ManAmanda + Kim are still recovering from the Jell-O-sode, so why not take a deep dive into some classic "American" comfort foods?!See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-08-101h 24The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 51: Nostalgic Food Trends...Getting Jiggly With ItAmanda + Kim explore the trendiest food of all: Jell-O/gelatin. And they take a hotline call about gender reveal parties. Find the show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-08-031h 14The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 50: From Bubbles to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, The Social Science of The Baby Name GameYour name is a pretty big deal! By listener request, Kim and Amanda break down the trends and history involved in baby names.See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-07-271h 07The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 49: The Troll Trend (pt 2): How to Feed the Trolls“To feed the trolls or not feed the trolls?” This is something the entire internet is debating (when they aren’t debating whether or not Crocs are cute). In part two of our troll-travaganza, Amanda + Kim discuss troll feeding and how to avoid becoming trolls ourselves.See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-07-201h 27The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 48: The Troll Trend (pt 1): The who, what, where, why and how of the troll epidemic.TREND ALERT! Beach brawls, bad behavior on airplanes, and being a jerk on the internet are more popular than ever! In this episode, Amanda + Kim break down the who/what/where/why of trolling and snarking.See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-07-131h 37The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 47: Those CraZy KidZ: The Gen Z Aesthetics (pt 2) - Rare Aesthetics, Y2K and 2014 Nostalgia, Skinny Jeans vs The Masochist Aesthetic, War of #Adulting and The Great Shunning of 😂Amanda + Kim reflect on things that Gen Z thinks is actually cool (and not cheugy). This is part 1 of 2!See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-06-221h 04The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 46: Those CraZy KidZ: The Gen Z Aesthetics (pt 1) - Uglycore, Normcore, Authenticity and Perfection FatigueAmanda + Kim reflect on things that Gen Z thinks is actually cool (and not cheugy). This is part 1 of 2!See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-06-151h 19The Department: a podcast about trends.CH-CH-CH-CHEUGY! (pt 2): We might never know why lasagna is cheugy.Amanda and Kim slice and dice (and fricassee) the internet's latest thinkpiece and quiz obsession: cheugy. Find our full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-06-081h 01The Department: a podcast about trends.CH-CH-CH-CHEUGY! (pt 1): The basic origins of the latest aesthetic trendThis is part one of our ultra miniseries on "cheugy," the internet's current favorite source of think pieces and quizzes. But to understand cheugy, we have to travel back to 2014. So throw on your scarf, grab your PSL, and get ready to dissect the term "basic."See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-06-0158 minThe Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 43: That Value of Our Values (part II)In last week's episode, we talked about how our concept of value has changed. This week we'll breakdown the values we want from brands!
2021-05-251h 08The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 42: The Value of Our Values (part I)The pandemic re-centered what "value" means to us, as we also began to demand more "values" from the companies selling to us. In this episode, we break down the ways in which our feelings about the value of items are changing. Also: a wild Grub Hub dating story.
2021-05-181h 20The Department: a podcast about trends.︎︎︎Episode 41: Hotline Special: Online Dating Stories Ft., Pre-Date Google Stalking, Painful First Dates, OKStupid, Couchsurfing + MicrodestinationsToday we have a very special episode. We are going to share all of our recent hotline calls from all of you!
2021-05-111h 14The Department: a podcast about trends.The Ethan Hawke Effect: the Gen X Slacker Archetype and the subconscious conditioning of accepting substandard relationships.Nostalgia collides with our dating series as we discuss why cool girls have been making allowances for such lousy behavior from dudes since the aughts. We call it the Ethan Hawke Effect. Get ready for a stroll down slacker heartthrob memory lane!See our full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-05-041h 24The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 39: Online Dating Special (pt 4): Millennial Innovations & Trends; Ghosting, "Glamboozled", Penpals, Serendipidating, Fleabagging, Cuffing Season, Roaching, Sliding into DMs, Wokefishing and the New Dawn DatingAmanda + Kim go on a collision course of the new relationship trends that have emerged in this new decade.See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-04-271h 18The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 38: Online Dating Special (pt 3): Catfishing, Racooning, Romance Scams, Red Flags and Motivating FactorsKim and Amanda talk about catfishing. From raccoons to avoiding red flags, this episode has it all!See our full show notes at clotheshorse.world.
2021-04-201h 14The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 37: Online Dating Special (pt 2): The Cheaters, Ashley Madison, AOL Screen Names, Murdering Monogamy, Pandemic Affairs, Flirty FembotsJoin us as we explore how the inception of online connections changed the trends in monogamy in the 2000’s through present day. And Dani calls in with a Missed Connections story!Check out our full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-04-131h 05The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 36: Online Dating Special (pt 1): The Origins, Sparknotes to OK Cupid, Data Mining, Trends & Trolls, Endless Questions, Video Dating Profiles, Addiction Swiping and the Paradox of Choice.It's the first episode in our miniseries about online dating and we are going to talk about the early years of online dating, specifically the granddaddy of them all, OKCupid.Find our show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-04-061h 27The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 35: Built By Wendy Founder Wendy Mullin (pt. 2), Wranglers, Sew U, Simplicity PatternsIt's part two of our conversation with Wendy Mullin, founder of the iconic brand Built By Wendy! We will talking about her collab with Wrangler, Sew U, and her Simplicity patterns (and so much more)!Want to Support Wendy?Shop her online store www.builtbywendy.com. For 20% off her NEW collection use the discount code TheDepartment at checkout.
2021-03-3059 minThe Department: a podcast about trends.Built By Wendy Founder Wendy Mullin (pt. 1), 90’s & 2000’s Indie Fashion Dare-ling, Home Sewing & Vintage Patterns, NY Underground Scene and Pre-Internet Brand BuildingWe have an extra special treat for you this week - Wendy Mullin from the iconic fashion label Built by Wendy is joining us for this super exciting episode! See more info at thedepartment.world. Want to Support Wendy?Shop her online store www.builtbywendy.com. For 20% off her NEW collection use the discount code TheDepartment at checkout.
2021-03-2358 minThe Department: a podcast about trends.2000’s Trends: Movie Mania! Wes Anderson Wonderland, Sofia Coppola #aesthetics, The Sideways Effect, Napoleon Dynamite Dilemma, Amélie and the French ObsessionAmanda and Kim reminisce about the iconic films and directors that drove trends in fashion, aesthetics, advertising, and even wine(!) well into the aughties. See our full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-03-161h 52The Department: a podcast about trends.2000’s Trends: Magazine Domination, Cool Culture, Zine Machine, Bust, The Face, Jane, Nylon and the Advertising ApocalypseKim and Amanda continue on their 2000s hipster mission, talking about the magazines that were meaningful to hipster women of the aughts. See the full show notes at thedepartment.world.
2021-03-091h 51The Department: a podcast about trends.2000’s Trends: Hipster Scenes, Unicycles, Electroclash, Ye Oldes, DIY (aka Put A Bird On It), Freak FolksWe thought this week it would be super fun to talk about some of the Hipster subcultures and the trends behind them. Specifically the Scenesters, Electroclash, Ye Oldes, DIY and Freak Folk. We also have some great messages from Dani and Kristen! As usual, our show notes are EPIC, so go check them out at thedepartment.world.And go take a peek at clotheshorse.world!
2021-03-022h 09The Department: a podcast about trends.2000’s Trends: Hipster Scams of JT Leroy & Mast Brothers, The New Sincerity, Fauxrony & Ironic HistoryThis week we continue a bit more into some 2000’s trends that not just defined that decade but offered some insight into our today. This week is a deeper look at IRONY (and misunderstandings) and some additional Scammers in the Hipster culture: JT LeRoy and The Mast Brothers.Visit thedepartment.world for detailed show notes!
2021-02-231h 54The Department: a podcast about trends.2000’s Trends: The Seedy Underbelly of the Hipsters: Scammers and Misogynists, The Betrayal of the Hipster Grifter, Suicide Girls + The Encyclopedia of Hipster AbusersKim + Amanda dig into the seedy underbelly of the hipster culture of the 2000's, discussing The Hipster Grifter, "Ironic Sexism," Suicide Girls, and The Encyclopedia of Hipster Abusers. TW: This episode includes a lot of frank conversation about physical/sexual abuse and bullying. Due to the sensitive nature of this episode, visit our website to see the full show notes.
2021-02-162h 00The Department: a podcast about trends.2000’s Trends: Signature Hipster Stuff - Nerd Elitism, "Ironic" Racism, PBR, Skinny Jeans, Scarf Scandals and the Origins of FOMOAmanda: So we have some hotline messages to share with you today that are specifically related to our recent episodes about the 2000s/hipsters. We are sitting on some other messages that are unrelated and I promise we haven’t forgotten you! Our first message today is from Janelle, who is here to remind us of some denim brands that I had forgotten aboutOur next message is from Natalie and she’s going to tell us about pizza, hipsters, and being a hipster parent.Our last message is from Rebecca….Ironic Racism: Ama...
2021-02-092h 02The Department: a podcast about trends.2000’s Trends: The Hipster Empire - Vice Magazine, American Apparel, Terry Richardson, Ironic Ironies“How did the hipster burn his mouth? He ate pizza before it was cool”The origins of the aughts hipster movement originated in part from the 90’s alternative and indie subculture that rejected corporations and consumerism. They were the Empire Records kids that shopped thrift and listened to Pavement. in an ethnography called Neo-Bohemia : Art and Commerce in the Postindustrial City of Wicker Park, Chicago in the nineties, the sociologist Richard Lloyd documented how what he called “neo-bohemia” unwittingly turned into something else: the seedbed for post-1999 hipsterism. Drawing from parallels to 1920s Paris and New York City’s Gre...
2021-02-021h 58The Department: a podcast about trends.2000’s Trends: The Terrible 2000’s - Reign of Raunch, Tacky, Trashy & Tattooed, Blue Collar Irony, Relentless Rhinestone, + Von Dutch, Ed Hardy, Affliction, Swarovski & Rock of LoveWe are going back in time to the 2000s again this week as the second episode in the series featuring what we like to consider The Terrible 2000’s. Last week we reminisced about the Celebutantes, rise of Reality TV and gross gossip blogs and the trends around Juicy Couture and Uggs. This week we are going to uncover some slightly different but vaguely overlapping territory and discuss Blue Collar to Bling and Raunch Culture. Blue Collar to Bling CultureChristian Audigier was a legend. He is essentially the man behind two of the trendiest, tac...
2021-01-261h 38The Department: a podcast about trends.2000’s Trends: The Terrible 2000’s - Celebutante Culture, Rash of Reality TV, Juicy Couture, Uggs, Ghastly GossipSo the 2000s or Early Aughts was a super defining time period - personal cell phones, texting, the internet - all were blowing up in the early Aughts - Friendster was at the beginning of the decade- Myspace was in the mid part and Facebook at the end - and fashion and trends were even more riveting.What is interesting to note is that the trends of the early 2000s are coming back for the younger generations and Gen Z is embracing this millennium - as comfort watching of old 2000 shows has been trending the likes of...
2021-01-191h 50The Department: a podcast about trends.Color Trends (pt 2): The Passion of Millennial Pink, Gen Z Color Trends, Kindercore + Wonderful Wiggly DesignAmanda and Kim take a deeper look into some more color trends that define us this episode!As previously mentioned in 2016 Pantone, for the first time ever, chose TWO Colors of the Year: Rose Quartz (aka millennial pink) and Serenity (a lavender blue). Last episode we mentioned that Pantone wasn’t the forerunner anymore on trend - as Millennial Pink had been pervasive for a few years now.Pantone credits the blurring of gender for the choice - not mentioning the obvious obsession with the color: According to Pantone.”In many parts of the world we a...
2021-01-1253 minThe Department: a podcast about trends.Pantone Trends: Clashing Colors, Considering the Color of the Year, Pantone & Pantyhose, Calvin Klein’s Coffee + ColorstrologySo the annual grand decree of Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2021 was released recently - For the second time since they started doing the Color of the Year Pantone released 2 colors. They have a bright yellow called Illuminating and a very basic stone grey called Ultimate Grey.Essentially it symbolizes strength and hope - The Pantone website>> describes their selection as:“Ultimate Gray and Illuminating are two independent colors that highlight how different elements come together to support one another which best expresses the mood for Pantone Color of the Year 2021. Practical and rock-s...
2021-01-051h 36The Department: a podcast about trends.Slumber Party Series (Ch.2): 80’s & 90’s Hair Trends, ‘The Rachel’, ‘The Demi’ ‘The Drew’, Crimping Craze & Torture tools, Herbal Essences & Salon Selectives + Much More!To coincide with our Slumber Party theme we thought that no slumber party was complete without the hair - which was such an important part of the late 80’s and 90’s. Mainly inspired by celebrities, models and musicians - hair was dramatic and a zeitgeist of the times. History of Hair 101 (well just for the 80s and 90s...)Humongous Hair : 80’s Hair Kim takes a look at some of the epic hair trends of the 80’s - where the bigger the better. As the 80’s were a decade...
2020-12-291h 56The Department: a podcast about trends.Slumber Party Series (Ch.1): Girl Talk Game Empire, Trapper Keepers, Sticker Subcultures, Lisa Frankly Speaking, Weird World of OuijaThe Secret Histories of the Slumber Party!Amanda takes us down to nostalgia town - looking for some of the history behind the staple 80’s & 90’s tween and teen right of passage. First check out Mattel's 1985 very controversial and ill-advised “Slumber Party Barbie,” who came with a scale that was frozen at 110 pounds and a book called “How to Lose Weight” that gave only one piece of advice: Don’t eat. Trope trends galore were supported by every pop culture tv show and movie including current The Department fave series PEN15 (on Hulu now) featuring...
2020-12-221h 49The Department: a podcast about trends.Murder, They Wrote: Millennials Kill Everything. The Mercy Killings of Applebee’s to the American Mall, Light Yogurt to Napkins and everything in between.The trope of millennials “killing” things has been a nuisance since the early part of the aughties - emerging as a kick bait headline initially by Boomers recognizing industry declines with fingerpointing angled toward millennials who’s consumer tastes, income, and spending habits have varied so drastically than their predecessors. Millennials have been blamed for killing tons of passe things - from cars, to napkins to golf. Many we welcome with open arms that were based on outdated fads like Light Yogurt or a misguided attempt by corporations to lure in a “younger” mindset resistant as well as not finan...
2020-12-151h 41The Department: a podcast about trends.Tragic Trends Girlboss Bonus Episode: The Merch Table - Micro Trends, Schadenfreude, Swear Words, Ironic TeesAmanda and Kim chit chat about Amanda’s husband Dustin getting back into making hats. You can find his work here @industryandagriculture As a special request, Kim explores the collapse of the Manrepeller empire and the ramifications to the fashion community. A listener reached out to ask why “we” as in “us women” derive pleasure in seeing the collapse of girl bosses.Amanda unpacks the concept of Schadenfreude and why we find so much pleasure at the downfall of these girlbosses and how envy as well as justice impacts our thought patterns. Envy:
2020-12-081h 36The Department: a podcast about trends.Tragic Trends: Collapse of Girlboss (Part 2: The Fall) - Flaws & Claws, 2020 Reckoning, Alpha Apocalypse, FEMINI$M and RIPlease“The feminist scammer rarely sets out to scam anyone, She just wants to be successful, to gain the agency that men claim so easily, to have the sort of life she wants. She should be able to have that, shouldn’t she? --Jia Tolentino writes this in her essay “The Story of a Generation in Seven Scams,” which you can find in her book Trick Mirror.2020 culminated the end of Girlboss with the collapse of so many pivotal female start-up reigns as well as massive news coverage with the same copy. So too ended the other horribl...
2020-12-011h 25The Department: a podcast about trends.Tragic Trends: Cult of Girlboss (Part 1 The Rise) - Broken Rung, For-Profit Feminism, Role Models and The New B WordCoined in 2014 #girlboss was popularized by Sophia Amoruso’s autobiography and aspirational business tome - skyrocketing to popular culture through heavy use of social media frenzy and the rise of the ambitious Millennial women in the workplace. Spawned from the proliferation of “girlboss” came Bossbabe, SHE-EO, Mompreneur, and Boss Bitch appealing to a (mostly white) pseudo-feminist with a nack for business with the intention of lifting up the women around. By 2020 the cracks started to show and these concepts became shunned while businesses crumbled around it. How did this start? 2010
2020-11-241h 14The Department: a podcast about trends.I’m with the Bland: How generics became cool again. Millennial Minimalism Movement, Naming Paradigm, History of Generics, The Great Generic ParadigmAmanda and Kim spice up the trending dialogue around Blands! A concept being gossiped about regarding VC backed disruptor brands who share monotonous san-serif “blanding” across identity, voice, naming, logo and visuals. Kim gets into the backstory of Blands causing quite a stir in the industry particularly in 2020’s Bloomberg article by Ben Schott Welcome to Your Bland New World - “Why do disruptive startups slavishly follow an identikit formula of business model, look and feel, and tone of voice? Because it works, sort of.”Following the success of Warby Parker - it seems that VC kids de...
2020-11-171h 30The Department: a podcast about trends.Home Trends: Nesting, Homebody Economy, JOMO, Le Creuset, Girls Who Stay in Bed, Social Resale Marketplaces, Metro Moves and HomesteadingKim cuddles into the Nesting phenomena that has been lo-key mainstreaming pre-pandemic with US Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that millennials spent 70 percent more time at home than the general population and 75% of them considered themselves “homebodies”. This mindset is perpetuated by the rise in apps appealing to the “homebody economy” - streaming services, food and liquor delivery, fitness apps and more. All to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. Another factor? Political and social turmoil pushed people indoors - to the safety of their own spaces. Social media trends regarding domestic obsessions and #adulting...
2020-11-101h 13The Department: a podcast about trends.Episode 14: 7 Cool Ways to Survive Winter Quarantine and Fight #cabinfever (A Listcast)Fight the urge to #cabinfever with The Departments Listcast - Amanda and Kim spend some time getting self help guru with some great tricks to fight the winter blues during quarantine.The Department’s Guide for Surviving Winter Quarantine1. Make mini sanctuary spacesSemi Spa Shower, Enviable Bed, Reading nook, Exercise Corner.Make affordable upgradesInvest in an aromatherapy diffuserFill your home with plantsCreate different spaces in your home optimized for hanging out and being productive.2. Optimize your OutdoorsBlankets and Cozy DrinksHeat LampsSpace Heater or Electric BlanketsSolar Powered string li...
2020-11-0358 minThe Department: a podcast about trends.Candy Trends: Gross Candy, Adult Candy, American “Chocolate," Recommended Sweets + Politically Active WitchesIn this very special Halloween episode, Amanda and Kim talk a few Halloween trends - and not the giant-sized skeleton kind. Kim kicks off with the trend of Witchcraft especially in the realm of political activism. Spurred by the uncertainties and turmoils in politics men and women are taking up broomstick arms and embracing Magical Resistance as a way to personally combat Civil Justice, Civil Rights and Environmental issues. Taking a bite into the main topic at hand - Candy Trends!Amanda dissects the reason behind American Chocolate’s “weird taste” with Hershey’s leading...
2020-10-271h 25The Department: a podcast about trends.Self-Care Trends w/ Ty McBride: Skincare + Skipcare, EFT Tapping, Meditation & Mindfulness Apps, Home Fitness & Weight Loss AppsAmanda starts the podcast off with her elaborate skin care routine with the brand The Ordinary. She takes us on a tour of the trend in binge buying beauty products and the fascination of the “shelfie”. The reverse trend has emerged during uncertain pandemic times including #nobuy and #shopmystash: using what you’ve already collected instead of buying new stuff. A challenge created by @esteelaundry, calling on followers to stop binge buying beauty products. Another trend in the beauty bubble comes via Korean beauty--famous for it’s super intense routines--has gotten in on the act with “skipcare” a sk...
2020-10-201h 25The Department: a podcast about trends.Intentionally Frank: Ty McBride of Intentionally Blank is telling us like it isTy McBride Founder and Creative Director of the shoe, apparel and lifestyle brand Intentionally Blank joins us to talk about his rise in the fashion industry as a sprightly young thing through his days as a shoe dog to a fashion footwear leader at Jeffrey Campbell and Sole Struck to peacing out and starting his own thing that we couldn’t be more grateful for.Ty chats with Amanda and Kim about trends, industry gossip, challenges and the future on this very special episode of The Department.
2020-10-131h 27The Department: a podcast about trends.Conscious Consumerism Trends (part 2): Food Waste, Cleaning Up Green, and Sustainable FoodsAmanda and Kim are back with more dig downs into the super trending world of conscious consumerism and sustainable products.But first they talk about trends happening in their own homes. Amanda has caught the homesteading bug as she moves to a farmhouse into the Pennsylvania farmland. She has a great podcast recommendation here: The Daily - New York Times PodcastThe Sunday Read: 'How Climate Migration Will Reshape America'Listen on Apple HERE.Kim is jumping deep into the Mushroom trend that has permeated fashion, Interiors, consumer good...
2020-10-051h 26The Department: a podcast about trends.Conscious Consumerism Trends (part 1): The Myth of Plastic Recycling + Reducing Single Use PlasticsAmanda and Kim are ecstatic to get into the trend of Conscious Consumerism that is growing more and more popular everyday particularly in 2020. Conscious Consumerism is a movement whereby consumers vote with their dollar by buying ethical products or boycotting unethical companies.So essentially: Where do you put your dollar and how can we keep putting it in the right place and adjusting your lifestyle to consume in a way that is more positive to the environment as well as society. Kim explores the trending concept of reducing single use plastic. Kim details out some...
2020-09-281h 17The Department: a podcast about trends.Normalization Trends (Part 2): Real Women’s Bodies & Size Inclusiveness, Influencer Retouchcore, Men’s Taboo Trends and Teen Boy PermsWelcome back for part 2 of our mini series on Normalization! Please make sure to check out the last episode for a more robust explanation, history and discussion.Amanda really dives in here to a rather contentious subject matter - Normalizing Women’s bodies. She starts with a thought piece on some of the most obvious culprits toward a negative movement and also extreme positivity - Influencers!With the growth of accessible apps, photoshop and other tech - Influencers are deluding their followers and retouching themselves to laughably unreachable sizes (i.e. a 6/8 to a 0/2) in ev...
2020-09-211h 04The Department: a podcast about trends.Normalization Trends (Part 1): PSAs & Insta-Tweets, Puberty and Spot Patches, Sex-Ed, Women’s Body Hair + Omsom & Liquid Death.Amanda and Kim start on a lighter note about some new consumables they have tried recently. Amanda with Omsom>> a new sauce starter kit brand here to spice up your dinner game. Kim tried Liquid Death>> the premier aggressively heavy metal branded Tallboy cans of mountain water instructing you to “murder your thirst”.Diving headfirst into the theme Kim acquaints y’all with the concept of Normalization>> as a subjective and objective construct formed by cultural, societal, situational and moral perceptions that used to take decades to accomplish a majority shift in social accept...
2020-09-1452 minThe Department: a podcast about trends.Outdoorcore Trends: Campcore (F*ck Glampcore), Clubcore, Apres Skicore, Gardencore, AdventurecoreAfter aligning on whether Social Distancing is in fact a trend - they talk about new passions in their current lives. Their is a stopover to the land of Viviene Westwood as they try to decode the prophecies and hieroglyphics amongst her well intentioned Save the World Climate Revolution concept she elaborated details out on instagram. @viviennewestwood>>Amanda then leads us right to the Great Outdoors with her hard hitting and impassioned plea against the term ‘glamping’ (aka glampcore) ︎- in preference of the more analog ‘camping’ (aka campcore) ︎. Referencing various “camping reports” and metrics done by t...
2020-09-081h 18The Department: a podcast about trends.Nostalgia Trends: Rollerskating Baes, YA Book Stans, Animal Crossing, Modern Jigsaw Puzzles, Mod Fashion, Happy HippieAmanda and Kim open a pandora’s time capsule full of trends in this Nostalgia inspired episode.Amanda takes a twirl down memory lane with the Rollerskating trend that has enraptured the kids and blown back into popularity, spearheaded by rollerskating queen Ana “don’t hate, rollerskate” Coto. But this trend was never lost or forgotten by many as proven by the Documentary United Skates that explores and demonstrates the connection between black communities in LA - comes highly recommended. Amanda throws out two more video recs as well since we could all use a little project: L.A. Roll...
2020-08-311h 55The Department: a podcast about trends.Social Media Trends: @whatspecificthingareyou, Aesthetic Cottage Core vs Dark Academia, Fantasy Flower Arranging, Gross Single Use Fashion and Fluide CosmeticsWe hope you ︎ this episode about our Social media inspired trends! As we all continue to be more “plugged in” than ever during the pandemic we cling to shared connection through our screens and the user generated content within.Amanda kicks us off with “What _ are you name” memes - like @whatdrunkbarbieareyou.Here are a few more favorites:@what_martha_are_you@whatmariahareyou@what.cake.areyou@what_spongebobmeme_are_you@what_90s_thing_you_are….you get the pictureListen up... this next section not only has a you...
2020-08-241h 24The Department: a podcast about trends.Beverage Trends: Coffee, Boozy Seltzers, Trending Cocktails, Natural Wine, Social Disruptors & Wellness/CBD drinksAmanda and Kim commune on the current trends bubbling up from the booming beverage industry.Kim has a wake-up call in the form of a new coffee disruptor Jot that has changed up her coffee game completely. And both parties share their distaste for Nespresso. (spoiler: they all taste the same and the same is not delicious)Amanda opens up a can of wisdom on Boozy Seltzer that has literally flooded the market - and all we gotta say is “it’s about damn time”….wait for the big reveal on her favorite!Trends are...
2020-08-161h 20The Department: a podcast about trends.Food Trends: Online Cooking Classes, Cake Cutting Memes, Most Pinned Recipes, Extreme Foods & Artistic JelliesIn this episode Amanda and Kim talk about the delicious and not so delicious food trends popularizing our worlds.Kim starts off talking about the restaurant industry and how chefs are getting innovative with their craft - from Underground Detroit Pizza and Bread Businesses popping up across LA to Chef’s turning their love of cooking into online cooking classes. She talks about a class she is taking with Michelin chef and creator of Dark Horse Organic and the amazing condiments they are making. Prefer to order takeout? We got you - there are also cocktail making cl...
2020-08-101h 04The Department: a podcast about trends.The Long Road to Lametown (Trends to chill at home in)How have we been at home for almost FIVE MONTHS?! Kim and Amanda discuss how this quasi-quarantine has changed the way we dress and created some new trends along the way. We will be discussing house shoes, nap dresses, comfy shorts, and blue light glasses. And Amanda will share a hot new business idea that is yours for the taking.Questions, comments, do you totally disagree with us? Think we're missing a trend? Email us at info@thedepartment.worldFind us on instagram @_the_departmentHave more questions about the items and brands we're discussing? Want to fi...
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