The Polyester Podcast

Brad Troemel has coined a term to describe the diversity quota meme-laden photoshoots that take over our feeds these days - Cloutbombing.But what does the term actually mean? Are brands referencing digital culture in an attempt to stay culturally relevant? And are we doomed to play into the hands of cloutbombing forever more?This week on the pod Ione and Eden are getting into cloutbombing, consumer theory, the need to prove that The Scene is back!, No Logo by Naomi Klein, hyper niche online subculture and those big red boots. Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the remnants of fourth wave feminism cling on for dear life, it's become impossible to ignore the idea that we're now living through a post-feminist era. In the 10 months since the release of our host Ione Gamble's debut Poor Little Sick Girls, body positivity has died, #MeToo is non-existent and the discourse has stripped any semblance of nuance from online life. This week, Ione and Eden discuss where feminism goes from here, why we should all be less scared of being cancelled, and why earnestness is the only thing that can save us all.Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Penn Badgley has managed to single handedly set alight the discord over the past couple of weeks. Revealing that he no longer wants to perform sex scenes out of respect for his marriage, his comments have stoked the flames of a long running Twitter storm. Gen Z supposedly thinks sex scenes should be eliminated from film and tv entirely. Are they all prudes? Or do they have a point? This week; Ione and Eden are diving head first into the discourse, from whether people are having sex less generally, to the fact that we never see Marvel stars bang, and whether it really is a 'violation of consent' to expect actors to act out sexual acts on screen. Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following the death of Brianna Ghey, as well as an open letter penned by contributors of The New York Times condemning the publications reporting on gender, and the defence of JK Rowling that followed, transgender rights are once again under attack. For this week's podcast, Ione and Eden are revisiting an episode from 2020 in which we discussed the rise of TERF ideology, and how the media at large has fuelled anti-trans sentiment both in the UK and the USA. In another special edition of The Sleepover Club, we're joined by Vice features editor Hannah Ewens to discuss her recent long read about how the debate over human rights for trans people came to dominate mainstream UK media and divide British feminists. A TERF is a trans-exclusionary radical 'feminist'. In this episode, Ione, Olivia, and Hannah discuss how TERF ideology has riddled British feminism, what cisgender feminists must do counteract it, and how representation / our treatment of transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people in the media needs to change.Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The conversation dives into the trend of deinfluencing, where influencers tell us what not to buy, challenging consumerism. The hosts critique how social media shapes our buying habits and pressure to conform to trends. They explore the authenticity of deinfluencing amidst aggressive marketing tactics and consumer fatigue. Personal anecdotes illuminate the struggles with overhyped products, while discussions highlight the need for a more mindful approach to purchasing. Laughter and frustration blend as they navigate the complexities of modern shopping culture.

We've been cursed with a new 'core'l and this one may be the bleakest of them all. Celebrities are no longer wearing necklaces on the runway, minimalism is back, and a new trend dubbed 'recession core' is the latest fixation of TikTok trend forecasters. But does fashion really change in times of economic uncertainty? Rich people certainly aren't getting any poorer, so is this new conscious aesthetic just another attempt to glean relatability from the masses? Or do socio-economic theories such as the lipstick theory and the hemline index really ring true? Ione and Eden delve into the politics of fashion and frugality in this weeks episode.Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you heard of lucky girl syndrome? The craze sweeping social media is bringing back manifestation and positive thinking for a new generation. With lucky girls taking over TikTok, we're asking if demanding what you want from the universe is uplifting or reductive? Can you really get what you want by just believing you deserve it? Or is it just a grossly naive flex that just shows us how little work has been done in terms of understanding privilege in our society? This Episode, Ione and Eden discuss how Millennials and Gen Z's adoption of pseudo spiritualism may be more damaging than it first appears. Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britney Spears is once again the focus point of internet gossip. The conspiracy theories grow more outlandish by the minute; from the pop star having a body double, to her husband placing her in a new conservatorship and pushing the star in front of a green screen to create Instagram content. But unlike in the early 00s, we now all have the ability to comment, dissect, and tear apart celebrities behaviour. No longer is the worst person online Perez Hilton, because millions of us on TikTok are elongating his legacy; using celebrities pain to generate engagement and boost our own profiles. Are we sleepwalking into another nightmare, in which marginalised celebrities are treated with no regard for their wellbeing? Ione and Eden discuss. Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a tale as old as time: a woman experiences a breakup, and in the midst of her heartbreak, takes to the internet to tell us every sordid detail of the ways in which her ex did her wrong. Whether on TikTok, published in personal essays on prestigious platforms, or showcased on Instagram stories - the girlies can't get enough of exposing the men that have ruined their lives. But have we bored of hearing these stories? And even worse, do they paint women as perpetual victims unable to exercise autonomy in their own relationships? Ione and Eden discuss! Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back! Did you miss us? This week Ione and Eden are discussing the trend that's dominated our Instagram feeds: In and Out lists. Written by everyone who's anyone; from Jemima Kirke and Hari Nef, to pretty much every influencer you've ever followed; the internet has become enamoured with notes app lists predicting what we will and won't enjoy in 2023. But do we really care what these people think? Or are they just away for us to flex our impeccable taste to our followers? We're discussing how the trend feeds in to our obsessions with 'cores' and what those who love or hate the new (micro)trend cycle both get wrong about what it means for our cultural landscape.Order Ione's book, Poor Little Sick Girls, here!Have an opinion and want to be featured on an upcoming episode? We want to hear from YOU! Leave a review, send us your thoughts on this episode to ione@polyesterzine.com, or drop us a DM on Instagram. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.