Is the Australian Open our biggest fashion event?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Style-ish Episode - "Is the Australian Open our Biggest Fashion Event?"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Style-ish
• Host/Author: Shameless Media
• Description: Style-ish is the podcast for all things fashion, brand, business, and beauty.
• Episode: Is the Australian Open our Biggest Fashion Event?
• Release Date: January 14, 2025

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Introduction

In this vibrant episode of Style-ish, hosted by Madison Sullivan Thorpe alongside co-hosts Annika Joshi Smith and Joanna Fleming, the team delves into the intersection of fashion and major events, with a particular focus on the Australian Open (AO). Released on January 14, 2025, the episode navigates through topics ranging from the AO's burgeoning status as a fashion hotspot to current makeup trends and a controversy surrounding The RealReal. Additionally, the hosts engage in a lively debate about the popularity and implications of Cool Cabanas at Australian beaches.

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The Australian Open: Ascending as a Premier Fashion Event

Key Discussions:

• Growth and Influence: Madison highlights the AO's remarkable growth, noting that in 2024, the event attracted over a million fans with expectations for continued expansion. The surge in fashion influence is attributed to long-standing and new partnerships with brands such as Kia, Ralph Lauren, New Balance, and Mecca.

  Madison Sullivan Thorpe [02:28]: "I just think it's phenomenal the fashion influence that we have seen come through and I think it can be attributed to a lot of things."

• Fashion and Players: The hosts discuss how player and their partners' outfits have become central to the AO's appeal. Joanna points out the rise of influencers among players' partners, exemplified by figures like Morgan Riddle, enhancing the event's lifestyle appeal.

  Joanna Fleming [02:43]: "Players' partners' outfits have also become huge... Morgan Riddle, who we've probably all seen all over our feeds already."

• Global Partnerships: Madison elaborates on the strategic partnerships that span multiple grand slam events, mentioning Ralph Lauren as a global partner appearing at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the AO. Additionally, luxury brands like Louis Vuitton collaborate directly, such as being the "official trophy trunk partner."

  Madison Sullivan Thorpe [04:07]: "I think your trophy comes in a trunk and not just any trunk now. It's a Louis Vuitton trunk."

• Fashion Trends and Personal Style: Annika expresses excitement over the chic aesthetics introduced by brands like Ralph Lauren, incorporating preppy and nautical styles into the event's fashion landscape.

  Annika Joshi Smith [04:15]: "I just love how chic the tennis is, everything about it. Like, I think it could be arguably one of the most stylish sports."

• Comparison with Other Sports: The discussion extends to other sports, such as Formula 1, highlighting how figures like Lewis Hamilton are celebrated for their fashion sense, drawing parallels to the AO's influence on style.

  Madison Sullivan Thorpe [05:02]: "I think we've seen it not only with the tennis, but with F1 as well. I mean, you only have to look at Lewis Hamilton."

Notable Quotes:

• Madison [05:02]: "Lewis Hamilton's fit checks as I am for a Met gala."
• Annika [04:27]: "Talking about the fisherman aesthetic, I see a lot of stripes, a little bit of nautical..."

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Makeup Trends: From Splurge-Worthy to Minimalist

Key Discussions:

• Declining Sales: Joanna introduces the topic by referencing a WWD article highlighting a 1% drop in makeup sales from January to October 2024, a significant change given makeup's historical resilience during economic downturns.

  Joanna Fleming [10:27]: "According to data from niq, total makeup sales dropped 1% from January to October 2024."

• Shifting Consumer Behavior: The hosts share personal insights into reduced makeup spending, with a pivot towards skincare and wellness. Annika emphasizes investing in products she trusts and sticking to basic makeup essentials.

  Annika Joshi Smith [10:22]: "I've been so much more invested in my wellness journey... I'm less inclined to take risks and try new makeup products."

• Minimalist Beauty Routines: Madison and Joanna discuss the rise of minimalist beauty routines, where consumers prioritize skin health over extensive makeup collections. They highlight trends like the "no makeup makeup" look, influenced by social media aesthetics.

  Joanna Fleming [12:49]: "Consumers are prioritizing skin health and adopting a more minimalist beauty routine."

• Generational Shifts: There's an exploration of how different generations approach beauty, with Gen Z demanding transparency about product ingredients and brands needing to innovate their marketing strategies to stay relevant.

  Annika Joshi Smith [13:36]: "Gen Z... they're so transparent. They wanna know who made my products, what's in my products."

• Economic Influences: Madison draws parallels to past economic challenges, suggesting that current shifts in beauty spending mirror previous trends like the "lipstick effect," where consumers opt for more affordable indulgences.

  Madison Sullivan Thorpe [11:10]: "I think the hair care is what I thought would be our generation's equivalent of lipstick effect."

Notable Quotes:

• Annika [10:22]: "I'm less inclined to take risks and try new makeup products."
• Madison [12:19]: "I was there today and it was one pumping. I was like, wow, what do you guys all do for work to be at the tennis?"

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The RealReal Controversy: Authenticity Under Scrutiny

Key Discussions:

• TikTok Drama: The hosts discuss a recent controversy involving TikTok creators Kylan and Izzy Darnell, who showcased luxury Christmas hauls featuring designer items bought from The RealReal—a marketplace touted for authenticated pre-owned luxury goods.

  Madison Sullivan Thorpe [17:19]: "The girls did come back with some commentary and said, I don't know what to say because I don't really owe y'all an explanation."

• Authenticity Concerns: Concerns arose when the sisters admitted that some items were fake, directly challenging The RealReal's credibility as an authenticated seller. This revelation ignited discussions about the platform's authentication processes.

  Annika Joshi Smith [20:18]: "People come to them, they trust them. I've shopped The RealReal so many times..."

• Brand Response: The RealReal responded by addressing the issue directly, emphasizing their rigorous authentication process. They engaged with the Darnell sisters to clarify the situation and reinforced their commitment to authenticity.

  Madison [21:13]: "They came back and said that they'd reached out to the Darnells directly to clear up the confusion."

• Influencer Responsibility: The conversation shifts to the responsibility of influencers to maintain transparency and authenticity, especially when promoting luxury products. The hosts stress the importance of honesty to maintain audience trust.

  Annika [20:25]: "If you're promoting a product or a lifestyle, then you should be authentic and transparent about what that product is."

• Consumer Trust: The incident raises broader questions about consumer trust in second-hand luxury marketplaces and the due diligence required by both platforms and influencers to ensure authenticity.

Notable Quotes:

• Annika [20:21]: "I feel like you owe your audience a level of transparency in that regard."
• Madison [22:07]: "If you are promoting a product or a lifestyle, then you should be authentic and transparent about what that product is."

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Cool Cabanas Debate: Sun Safety vs. Beach Space Reservation

Key Discussions:

• Defining Cool Cabanas: The hosts explain Cool Cabanas as portable shade structures used at beaches to reserve space, emphasizing their role in promoting sun safety.

  Joanna Fleming [26:02]: "There's a huge divide between the community on Cool Cabanas."

• Personal Experiences: Annika shares observations from St. Andrew's Beach, expressing frustration over the monopolization of prime beach real estate by multiple cabanas, questioning the etiquette behind claiming beach spots.

  Annika Joshi Smith [26:40]: "How do people think by pegging into the beach that they claim that real estate and that's theirs?"

• Sun Safety vs. Accessibility: Joanna acknowledges the importance of Cool Cabanas for sun protection but criticizes their overuse in crowded areas, advocating for respectful use that doesn't impede others' beach access.

  Joanna Fleming [29:02]: "It's a great example of how much our generation are aware of sun safety and how important that is."

• Listener Poll Results: The hosts reveal that 85.13% of listeners support Cool Cabanas, while 14.88% oppose them. Despite the majority's approval, the hosts maintain their critical stance, highlighting the conflict between sun safety and beach space availability.

  Madison Sullivan Thorpe [31:08]: "Our polls revealed that a staggering 85.13% of you said yay to the cool cabana and 14.88 said no."

• Humorous Takeaways: The conversation includes light-hearted remarks and pop culture references, such as mentions of Kath and Kim and Real Housewives, to illustrate the ubiquity and sometimes absurd application of Cool Cabanas.

Notable Quotes:

• Annika [26:40]: "How do people think by pegging into the beach that they claim that real estate and that's theirs?"
• Joanna [29:02]: "It's a great example of how much our generation are aware of sun safety and how important that is."

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Conclusion

The episode wraps up with the hosts reflecting on the vibrant discussions, teasing future topics, and encouraging listener engagement through emails and social media. They express gratitude towards their sponsors and the Shameless Media team, hinting at upcoming content that continues to explore the dynamic worlds of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.

Madison Sullivan Thorpe [32:00]: "If Cool Cabanas don't sponsor next week's episode, you'll be livid. I will. I'll contact them myself."

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Additional Segments

• Sponsored Messages: Throughout the episode, sponsorship segments from Upstate and promotional content for upcoming shows like Inherited are interspersed. These segments are seamlessly integrated without disrupting the main content flow.

• Humorous Banter: The hosts infuse humor and personal anecdotes, creating an engaging and relatable atmosphere for listeners.

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This detailed summary encapsulates the multifaceted discussions from Style-ish's latest episode, providing insights into how major events like the Australian Open are reshaping fashion norms, shifting consumer beauty behaviors, navigating brand controversies, and balancing sun safety with beach etiquette.

Transcript

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Foreign.

[Sponsor Announcement]

This episode of Stylish is brought to you by Upstate. Get 30 days of unlimited classes for just 29 with the code stylish and find your positive state of mind.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

This is Stylish, the podcast for all things fashion, brand, business and beauty. My name is Madison Sullivan Thorpe. My co hosts are my usual co hosts, Annika Joshi Smith and Joanna Fleming.

[Joanna Fleming]

Hi. Hello. We didn't discuss anything to talk about in our intro today, did we? Maybe because we're so excited for you to finish up your job and be a free agent.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, free agent. I love had a bit of a sporting term. Perfect segue to some of the things we about today.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

You're gonna ace that one.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Honestly, I can't wait to be a lady of leisure for just, just a little while.

[Joanna Fleming]

Oh, I'm so excited for you. It's the best. Well, today we're exploring whether makeup has become less splurge worthy. We're talking about the ethics of influencers promoting fake products. The verdict is back and we're going to find out where you guys stand on the cool cabanas debate. But first we're going to explore how the AO has become quite the fashion event. Also, I should say before we get into this segment, we have worked with the AO previously, both shameless and stylish, but this part of the episode is completely organic content. We just really want to talk about it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And I think the AO has completely transformed in the last few years. I mean, there's a really steady growth to this event, but particularly so in the last few years with attendance records rising from 2023 to 2024. They had over a million fans last year and anticipating growth again this year. I just think it's phenomenal the fashion influence that we have seen come through and I think it can be attributed to a lot of things. I mean, Kia is still a major partner and have been for a really long time seen the likes of Country Road previously be sponsors, but now there's kind of this new wave next gen of sponsors. We've got Ralph Lauren, New Balance, Mecca are there this year. There's a lot of fashion and beauty fusion within it and I think the players outfits have become a big part of it and I think that's always been something we've watched. I mean, you think About Serena Williams 15 years ago, we were talking about it then, but they themselves are good godlike celebrities now. What do you guys think about this massive movement?

[Joanna Fleming]

I love it. I love it because I love the Australian Open because I can appreciate tennis, other sport I don't really give a fuck about. No, I don't love sports. Yeah. So I enjoy going to the tennis. I enjoy this particular event has become more of a lifestyle event rather than just a sporting event.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

And I think speaking of players outfits, players partners outfits have also become huge and like years and years ago we would have seen celebs and what they wore to Wimbledon, for example, and there'd be a news spread about what they were wearing in the gossip magazines. And now it's all of the players partners who maybe weren't influencers prior to being a player's partner, but have really come into their own and now have their own huge profiles and have a lot of influence, like Morgan Riddle, who we've probably all seen all over our feeds already now that this content is trickling into the Australian algorithm.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

But it's just so fun to see that people are enjoying this as a lifestyle event. All the activations that are going on at the moment and I feel like we need to call out whoever is looking after the partnerships.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

The ao, they just nail every single partnership. They do. And there's so many different partnerships in different categories as well.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

Like you've got Piperheads, you've got Aperol in the alcohol space. Like you've got Care as the major sponsor. But then there's all these other little smaller sponsors and pop ups that are just so engaging and so well aligned to the event.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Totally. And I think what I love as well is that some of those sponsorships have trickled throughout the entire tournaments.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

So Ralph are the global partners. So they are at Wimbledon, they are at the US Open, they're at the ao. We've got the likes of Louis Vuitton being the official trophy trunk partner.

[Joanna Fleming]

What does that mean, by the way?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think your trophy comes in a trunk and not just any trunk now. It's a Louis Vuitton trunk.

[Joanna Fleming]

Oh, as in if you win.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

That's incredible.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I just love how chic the tennis is, everything about it. Like, I think it could be arguably one of the most stylish sports. And like even talking about Ralph Lauren, I am so excited to see the preppy kind of looks coming through.

[Sponsor Announcement]

Yeah.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Talking about the fisherman aesthetic, I see a lot of stripes, a little bit of nautical, the beautiful kind of cable knitwear all coming through with like the Ralph Lauren aesthetic.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

So I definitely think the style is going to be so on point on and off the court. I feel like that's what I get so incredibly excited about. But I Just love the tennis as a whole. It's such a vibe.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I mean, you know how I feel about a sweater over the shoulder. Obviously, I'm excited.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

A little red sweater might I get.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

But I do think, like, what do we bring this down to? The popularity and rise of fashion and sport. Because I think we've seen it not only with the tennis, but with F1 as well.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

In recent years. I mean, you only have to look at Lewis Hamilton. I'm as excited for Lewis Hamilton's fit checks as I am for a Met gala. I'm like, him strutting through the paddock. I'm like, who are we wearing today? He is serving looks.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah. It reminds me of how when you go to, like, an NBA game and it's like the fit cheeks when they come out of the bus and entering the stadium. I live for those moments because I feel like everyone now is so about their personality, who they are sending their expression through, like, what they wear as well. And their sponsorships are insane. Going back to, obviously, Serena Williams and her 2018 look with off white and Nike, the little tutu. Such a vibe. Obviously, Wimbledon was all about the all white aesthetic. And I think that's still very cool how it's very much apparent now. But everyone's giving a little personality, a little bit more kind of flavour. And I think because the Australian Open is a little bit more inclusive with what they provide in terms of outfitting for the players as well, everyone will have a little bit more personality.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. And I think fashion in terms of off court has become as important as on court, because I do remember, like, I love the tennis and I used to stay with my grandma every summer during the ao so we could watch it together. Like, we would stay up. That was the only time I was allowed to stay up, was that. But I remember how big it was when, like, Roger Federer went from Nike to Uniqlon, came out in that plain white jacket and unzipped that. That was huge. And I even think about what Ash Barty being the face of Filler did for a brand like Filler that traditionally doesn't have the Nike Adidas budget.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And even like, Sinner now with Gucci, like, oh, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake. No, no. But I think there's so much that is inherently with the players and has been. But now we're also like, what are people wearing out when they're going to Melbourne park or when they're going to Wimbledon? And I think people are putting in a lot of effort. I was there today and it was one pumping. I was like, wow, what do you guys all do for work to be at the tennis? But also people looked sensational and I think it's a real event for people now and they do put in effort and get dressed up for it.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, for sure. I think there's a real parallel to make between different sporting events in Melbourne because we are really known for sport here. But it's interesting you mentioned the growth of the AO and the popularity and the amount of people going, because we're seeing a decline in horse racing for obvious reasons. But that used to be like the biggest fashion event on the calendar. And I honestly just do not think that's the case anymore. And I think that horse racing will struggle and I think the racing carnival really struggle to recover and to get to the same level that the F1 and the AO is able to be at. From a fashion perspective, it is something.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

That I think any Melbourneian will let you know is always going to lock out their January calendar. It is our event of the season or of summer even. And it's just such like a fun filled month.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. It's not just tennis. You rock up and there's top court and it's basically a music festival.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

So many brands now are doing pop ups at the tennis and this really wasn't popular five years ago. I remember going with benefit in 2019 when I worked for Adore and they hired a box and they had some influencers going there and we were filming content and stuff and that was really the first time that I saw brands starting to do pop ups in private boxes at Rod Layra Arena. But since then it's basically every brand. You know, you guys will know we're going to different events with different brands over this AO season and everyone is doing it. And it seems to be like the most lucrative thing that brands can do at the moment is having this event at the ao.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Totally. It's like a shoot in and of itself as well. Like I even look at Ralph Lauren, what they're doing with the invite list that they've got, they are shooting every single look that one of their guests rocks up in.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I love that.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

It's like a campaign in and of itself for them.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

It's incredible investment that brands put behind this kind of thing. But I think it pays off in absolute dividends.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And I think people shop those collections. And as you said, there's a lot of synergies between tennis and fashion. Right now we're coming off the back of challenges and all of that sort of theme dressing Zendaya is doing. We've got brands like Sporty and Rich. Like there is very much this theme element coming through.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Definitely. I'm not going to lie. I was thinking about what I'm going to wear to the tennis and I was referencing so many Zendaya looks.

[Joanna Fleming]

I was like, I haven't even started planning my outfits for this week.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah, when in doubt, go all white. That will be my trip.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, I can do that quite easily.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Add on your little color ballot.

[Joanna Fleming]

I'm literally wearing that now. Anyway, moving on from the ao, we're talking about makeup and whether it's becoming less splurge worthy. So according to a recent feature in WWD written by Nourlabad, makeup sales are slowing down, even though this isn't usually the case in an economic downturn. I'm sure you guys have heard of the lipstick effect in that people still shop makeup even when times are tough. Data from niq, a global marketing research firm, shows that total makeup sales dropped 1% from January to October 2024 and and the downturn continued during the last 12 weeks of that period. That might not feel that dramatic, but it is a noticeable drop compared to 2023. And cosmetics is the only beauty category to see this overall decline in sales. Are you guys spending less on makeup at the moment?

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I am, honestly, and I think I have been for a while now. I've been so much more invested in my wellness journey and I think spoken about acupuncture at length, but it's also been facial, sauna, skin health and actually using products now that I actually believe in, swear by. I'm less inclined to take risks and try new makeup products. I kind of just stick to my stock standard basics same.

[Joanna Fleming]

I can't be fucked.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I can't. I'm not that adventurous when it comes to makeup. But other things.

[Joanna Fleming]

Is it because we're getting older and we're just like, we know what we know. Yeah, we're just going to stick to that.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think I'm probably more conscious with what I'm buying. I think I'm still buying the same amount of beauty products, but I think much like the way I dress, I'm very high, low about it. So there's a lot of brands now that are democratizing beauty with their price points and what they're offering. You know, in the skincare space, you've got ordinary, you've got zero group who are doing, you know, Monday and days and all these kind of brands. I think I don't know, it is more accessible to buy things now. So I don't think I spend as much, but I still have as much, if that makes sense.

[Joanna Fleming]

Speaking of fragrance that you just mentioned, fragrance and hair care, according to that same data, are the fastest growing categories for prestige beauty brands who don't seem to be suffering as much.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Do you know what? I think it's really interesting. My view on this is so the lips effect that Jo referenced earlier is what was spoken about a lot during economic downturn. But if you look at the most recent sort of GFC period, nail polish and lipstick was on the rise. And the reason that that happened was to go and buy a new outfit. Let's say a dress, $120. Right. To go and buy a nail polish to wear with that dress is $20. And you might get to paint your nails 50 times with that bottle. Or you buy a lipstick for $34, you can wear it 120 times. So a lot of women, particularly in the U.S. looked to lipstick and nail polish to really like up their game or wear something that they already had, giving themselves like that little consumer dopamine hit without going and spending all of that money. I think it's really interesting, and I said this when the sort of financial climate started shifting both globally and in Australia was that I thought that would become that way for hair. The women would stop getting blow waves. They'd maybe pull back on getting their hair cut and colored as much, but they'd go and invest in a hair tool like a Dyson or some hair care. Let's say $50 on a hair care routine or $100 on a hair care routine. And that's much, much cheaper than going into salon.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

So I'm not at all surprised about hair. Fragrance does surprise me. I mean, I love fragrance, so I'm biased, but I think hair care is what I thought would be our generation's equivalent of lipstick effect.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, right. Well, there was an interesting quote from that article that read, consumers are prioritizing skin health and adopting a more minimalist beauty routine, which I'm seeing myself in my own clients. Almost every client I talk to says in their form, I want to feel better without makeup on. So I want to prioritize spending money on skin care if that will allow me to do. So.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah, that is me. I am your clients. Once you kind of start hitting like mid 30s, it becomes so important. And I honestly think I started investing in my skin care or maybe three or four years ago. And it has definitely Made a difference. I think that in my genes as well. Like, I think that's been like such a good support to me and my personal skin journey. But it's so interesting now how I think consumers, wants and needs have totally evolved. And Gen Z right now, like, they're so transparent. They wanna know who made my products, what's in my products. And I think that's also shining a light on so many brands. And to remain relevant, I think we need to be really innovative with how we're marketing our products and how we're speaking to the audience. Because we all actually wanna know now, is this protecting my skin barrier? And even seeing Hailey Bieber talk about it and talk about how Rhode was about the skin barrier protection, Is that correct?

[Joanna Fleming]

Yep.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I definitely. That's just now just so important. And so I think everyone's going to take a closer look and I'm really excited to see how brands speak to that, especially when it comes to marketing.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, I think because the skin barrier as well, a lot of it is people are doing so much nowadays, a little bit of less is more. But I also think economic climate for sure is a key contributor to this. But I also think we can't deny the makeup look. That has been the no makeup makeup.

[Joanna Fleming]

Oh, I was just about to say, like, it's a trend thing, right?

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

You can watch a 2016 YouTube video tutorial first. Now they are beating the face. Like, remember the banana baked under eyes.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

And the Maybelline mo.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Oh, girls were like laying crease the like tape under the eyes for the full smokey. Like how many people do you know that have six eyeshadow palettes now?

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, it's so true. That was a time to be alive though. That was enjoyable. While we had a great time.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

The way that I. I was going to say with. But mom really doesn't want me to swear on the podcast anymore. The way that I loved my naked eyeshadow palette and just a bit of glitter on the lid after doing my smoky cut crease on the outside or they are photos I would rather not exist in my life.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Oh my God.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, that was really a time to experiment with makeup. Whereas now you've got your like tried and true products that, you know, give you that glass skin natural look.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

And you don't want to go out and buy tons and tons of products.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

Well, I think all of us probably would have had multiple eyeshadow palettes. I probably had like 10 at a time.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Oh, yeah. I would only go out with a smoky eye that to see that smokey eye would be like, you know, popping.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think people want to look like they're not wearing any makeup.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

The irony. I think if I beat my face, it would probably be quicker than the way that I do. Like no makeup makeup.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Although I've seen this TikTok thing at the moment that they're like, guys, we've been doing clean girl all wrong. Like, no mascara is in. And I was like, get off, get away, get away off my feet.

[Joanna Fleming]

I was like, out of my cold, dead hands.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Don't you tell anyone mascara is out. I was like, you will claw that out of my hand when I am six foot under in the grave. I love a mascara. Like no makeup day. Fine. Love it. Can breathe in. But mascara and sunscreen. Amen.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, I hear you, Jo.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Especially hears me on the spf.

[Joanna Fleming]

Up next, we are exploring the recent drama around the realreal and fake designer bags. But first, let's hear a word from today's sponsor.

[Sponsor Announcement]

We've been chatting in the office about how that first week of a new year feels like a clean slate. We can't help but talk about our goals, plans and routines. And based off these convos, it feels like the General mood for 2025 is that we just want to good. And this can be impacted by everything from what we wear to who we spend time with to how we move our body. Movement is a big one, but for many of us, it's more about the mental health benefits. We exercise so we can create a balanced lifestyle, be a part of a community, and have a really clear and positive state of mind. If this is your vibe for 2025, Upstate is exactly what you need. There are 12 studios across Victoria offering boxing, reforma, pilates, hot pilates, yoga and sound bath meditation. So it's truly designed for your body and your mind. The hot Pilates is a crowd favorite because you feel incredible afterwards. And we personally love a sound bath meditation moment during a stressful week. If you are keen to try, you can get 30 days of unlimited upstate classes for just 29 with the code stylish. That is s t y l e I s h. So find your positive state of mind one sweaty workout at a [e-mail] thank you so much to Upstate for making this episode of stylish possible.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Okay, so our next one I'm very excited to debate here together. It is the real, real fake bag saga. And for those of you who were chronically online over the holiday period, you may have already seen this for those of you who did not come on the journey with us. So TikTok creators Kylan and Izzy Darnell had these luxury Christmas hauls over the holiday period and viewers were really speculating whether the many, many designer products featured in the halls were actually fakes. And so the videos, which have since actually been deleted, showed the sisters sharing handbags and shoes from a suite of luxury brands. I'm talking Chanel Dior, you name it. And Kylan claimed that her mother bought the fake luxury goods from the RealReal. And for those of you who don't know what the RealReal is, it's a designer secondhand marketplace that says it only sells authenticated items. So you can see how this might have been a slippery slope. The girls did come back with some commentary and said, I don't know what to say because I don't really owe y'all an explanation. Kylan said in one of her follow up videos, some of my stuff that's designer is real and some of my stuff is fake. I thought that was like an everybody thing. Discuss.

[Joanna Fleming]

I did not see this in my algorithm, which is concerning because I spent a lot of time online. I thought this would have popped into my feed. But I can understand from the Real real's perspective why they would have been shitting themselves.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Oh my God.

[Joanna Fleming]

When they saw that come out. Because obviously being a resale platform, your whole business is built on your products being authenticated. Imagine how much their PR team would have been panicking when those comments came out.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think a mixture of panic and dead set fury.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Because their entire value proposition, as you said, is built on them being an authentic trusted reseller.

[Joanna Fleming]

That's the name the Real is there twice.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

It really speaks to like their credibility as a brand as well because people come to them, they trust them. I've shopped the RealReal so many times, I've got so many pre loved Items via the RealReal and I think it just made everyone's so concerned. Am I actually still paying a premium on these legitimate brands or are they not legitimate and am I now buying into fakes? And yes, the process in which they go through to actually check the authenticity of their products, it's very thorough. So they obviously have their clap back which we'll get into. But I think just in terms of the Darnell sisters, like do we think that they owed the audience an apology? Like what are your guys thoughts? For me personally, I feel like if you're trying to put out this lifestyle and say that this is your lifestyle, you know, the rich girl designer halls are a thing you're promoting. I feel like you owe your audience a level of transparency in that regard, because it's just, I don't know, thinking about the younger girls as well, who would be looking up to these girls and aspiring to be like them. But it's actually not authentic when you're putting out, like, such false advertising.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. Something just doesn't sit right about being like, this is my new Dior bag. And it's actually. That's not a Dior bag. It's actually not.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

It would be like getting on and being like, I'm a dermatologist. Yeah, well, you're not.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, yeah.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

So I'd like to be, but I'm aspiring to be.

[Joanna Fleming]

I'm on my way.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I'm manifesting.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. I mean, the real real did clap back, which I loved so much. I mean, it's hard for the real real, too. This isn't the first time they've been laced in a controversy, and there have been concerns and questions about their authenticity before. So I think this is clearly a sore spot for the brand. But they came back and said that they'd reached out to the Darnells directly to clear up the confusion. And they said to their audience, thank you for your patience and concern. Stay tuned. But then soon after that, they did post a video onto their socials about their rigorous authentication process. And everyone online, well, almost everyone online, felt that it was a very considered response to the Darnell's claims the fakes were bought through their site.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Which I loved.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I thought it was quite clever because obviously there's been a lot of legal counsel probably behind them and advising on how to reply to this. And they've indirectly responded. And it's literally. Did you see the TikTok where one of the sisters was, like, talking about the Burke and that she had all the Kelly.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

And so they did the whole clip actually talking to that exact bag, which I thought was quite cool.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. And it was like, how to identify an authentic Kelly. Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

I was like, yeah, make it make sense.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

But I do think we were actually talking about this, a girlfriend and I recently, because we were saying, how much do content creators owe the community? I think, you know, it's the same way as when they get engaged or when they get married or maybe they want to start having a family. Like, I think people have these, like, parasocial relationship with influencers or content creators where they go, you have let me in. And so it's almost like they want to Jam the door all the way open and get let in on everything.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And I personally don't agree with that, but I do think if you are promoting a product or a lifestyle, then you should be authentic and transparent about what that product is.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

So I think for me, yes, they should not have been saying that it was Dior if it wasn't Dior because I don't understand how it's any different from the ACCC and false, misleading, deceptive conduct.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

From a brand or from the consumer perspective.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

So for me, yeah, I think absolutely they should have. If we were talking about this in just the other form of like, how much does an content creator need to talk about? Or when we were talking about how much they make online, I'm like, I actually don't think that's our business.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I don't think they have to tell us how much their brand deals are like, yeah, I don't think we need to know that. That's. That's theirs to keep private if they want to.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I agree with that.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

This, on the other hand though, I was like, ah, not a Kelly.

[Joanna Fleming]

It just seems to tie into social media kind of being fake a lot of the time and people misrepresenting themselves, you know, filming a Get ready with me or what I do in a day.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

Probably not even what they do for the day 100. I think it's just another one of those aspects.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

What happened to that at Bereal? Like, that was around for a hot Be Real. Do you guys remember that?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Oh my God, yes.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Where did Be Real go?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Oh my God. I used to get so much panic though, because like, I work a corporate job. Right. You can't really be like, hold the phone while I'm just in the middle of like taking you through this deck or this spreadsheet. Do you mind if I just Be real?

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I would pay money to see you do that.

[Joanna Fleming]

I remember when I was working in social media at that time and literally the business was like, would we do Be Real? I'm like, absolutely not. When it's going off at like 11 o'clock at night and I'm in bed.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I kind of loved some of the brands that did go on Be Real though, because they absolutely ate it up. Like, it would be like, hi, I'm Becky from the social team. Like, you're gonna be real with me the whole time. I love Amazing. But the one thing that I worried about the most in this and the reason that it made me so angry was that they had dragged a brand.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Or business, I should say wrongly into this.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Well, that's my next point. So did you guys see how the Darnell sisters actually were, like, responding to it with all the forward purchases they got? And they're like, here you go. We've got the receipts, we've got the proof. I'm like, are they going to do that then with the real, real receipts? Because we haven't seen that from them.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, you're like, receipts, proof.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Salt Lake City Real House.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Real Housewives fans will get it. And those that don't come on the bus because Annika and I are choo choo.

[Joanna Fleming]

Well, considering they deleted the videos, I think they know that the products were not from the real real. Yeah, I mean, we probably were all privy to the cassette. The retailers in Australia.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

That was a. Can you remind me what happened there?

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, there was all this drama at one point, it must have been a years ago now, where they were basically caught selling fake, unauthenticated items, or people had sent their stuff in to be authenticated and it came back as fake. Like it wasn't just an isolated incident.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Oh, my goodness. I do remember this. Yeah, they were on A Current Affair.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yes.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

All good scandals start.

[Joanna Fleming]

Exactly. Maybe we could do a traced on Cosset.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

That would have been a whole headline.

[Joanna Fleming]

It still exists. So does it? Yeah, let's deep dive into that at another time. Anyway, that probably wraps up that part of the conversation. Time to move into the verdict. Cool Cabanas, which I think you guys already know what the verdict is. But if you're listening to this podcast for the first time, it's basically where we poll you on something on our socials and you vote on it. And then we discuss that here. And we also talk about our own opinions.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

Which we love to do. So, Cool Cabanas. I'm sure that most of you have seen this on TikTok. There's a huge divide between the community on Cool Cabanas. I think the main issue here for people has been that cool cabanas are being used to reserve space on beaches that I do not agree with. What I do agree with is the sun safety aspect, which I'm sure you guys knew I was gonna say. But what's your vibe? First I wanna get your feelings and then we can talk about mine.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I'm with you on this one. I honestly, I was down at St. Andrew's beach over the holidays and I'm not kidding. I wish I took a photo. We were appalled at seeing how many cool cabanas were set up Overnight, kids, toys, everything still overnight, still. Literally like kids toys, everything just laying out, but no one there. So then as soon as you come down to the beach, you've got your spot reserved. You get your prime real estate at the beach. I was like, hell, no. This is not on. There is nothing Australian about this, like sisa Kiwi. But I honestly, I just find it bizarre. How do people think by pegging into the beach that they claim that real estate and that's theirs? Like, that's not how this works.

[Joanna Fleming]

It's like putting your towel on the chair at the hotel in front of the pool. You can't.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

You wouldn't dare.

[Joanna Fleming]

You can't do it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I've never done that. Absolutely alarm.

[Joanna Fleming]

Some hotels don't allow it though. And they take away towels.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Well, you know, that's why you get.

[Joanna Fleming]

Also, you're down for the cool cabana, reserving your space.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I'm not down for the cool cabana, but I'm down for the towel on the Banana Lounge.

[Joanna Fleming]

Okay, all right, Fine line.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

All right, you want to sleep in, you pick your poison. I picked mine. I didn't sleep in. I get a front row seat. Symbols. I don't know if you guys follow Ms. Double Bay. There is this incredible Instagram account. And look, if you've listened to Stylish for a while, I won't be shocking anyone to say I love a little bit of dry humor, but they have the best scene. And Kath and Kim, oh, God, that is just the most nostalgic show for me. And that really scratches the right part of my humor, that show. But there's this scene where Brett and Kim go on this holiday and Kim goes down to reserve the Banana Lounges, but she throws in everyone's shit off Banana Lounge to like take it. And it was like, anyone with a cool cabana? And it was just like. And I loved it so much because it's so accurate. Like, I had friends sending me photos from Noosa and it was just them with like Cool Cabana HQ and they're like at the very back of the beach. And I was like, this is amazing. But Ms. Double Bay is like blown up because they were saying, like, we need a cool cabana corner of the beach and like a non cool cabana.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

I can get around that. Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Tell you who is laughing all the way to the bank right now. It's Cool Cabana marketing team. 100% our fist pumping. Every time someone like us is sitting on a podcast talking about it, someone on their Instagram has been like, Anyone with a cool cabana, they are winning.

[Joanna Fleming]

I went to Ocean Grove over the break and I shit you not, there would have been thousands of cool cabanas on the beach the day that I was there. It was insane. I couldn't believe it. I thought that it was kind of a joke that there was cool cabanas everywhere. And then I rocked up and saw it with my own eyes and I thought, wow, this really is a phenomenon that we're part of.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, I'm okay with the cool cabana if you're like a family of seven.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Like there's seven of you heading down. Play on family of three. No, no mercy.

[Joanna Fleming]

I'm okay with it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think coolest space for three people.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, but it's a whole beach. How much space do you need?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

We're running out of beach space. This is the point.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

This cabana drama is so real.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Like, yeah, hashtag. Well, that was very 2016 of you.

[Joanna Fleming]

I think the thing I am so pumped about, though, is it's such a great example of how much our generation are aware of sun safety and how important that is and how much a piece of shade at the beach when you're there all day can make a difference to your skin health. So I really like to see that we're seeing sun safety behaviors being demonstrated more. So I don't want to shit on cool cabanas being like, oh, you're taking up space. Because I'm just fucking glad people are wearing sunscreen and using shade at the beach.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Could I also suggest a hat and a rashi, though? Like, that works for Trick, but I.

[Joanna Fleming]

Would suggest those on top of the cool cabana.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

She wants me to get the full kit.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

I'm in the Rashi. The hat, the sunglasses, the sunscreen, the cool cabana.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. I think maybe cool cabana. If you're listening, maybe just some size different sized cool cabanas. Like, I would agree with that. It's like a mini cool cabana.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yes.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Because I'm a party of one. If I rocked up with a cool cabana alone, like, that's actually just selfish.

[Joanna Fleming]

I'm just thinking, like, coffin length.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Perfect. I've got a cool cabana for when I'm dead.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Oh, my God. Cool cabana. Also, just reminding you that Mads is going to be freelance very soon. That's a great idea.

[Joanna Fleming]

Annika and I are also available if you want to get us on board.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Joe's like, I'd like to trademark the.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Coffin shaped and it needs to be in an autumnal palette.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

My stepdad loves to surf. I'm sure he'd probably love to go out by a Kookabana beachside.

[Joanna Fleming]

Well, I do want to mention as well that cool cabanas are made from UPF 50 fabric, too. So they are actually proper sun protection that you can utilize having on the beach. But just to reiterate, I don't support the fact that people are using them to bags their spot on beach. And I think we're seeing that a lot down the peninsula in Victoria, where there is very limited beach space. Whereas somewhere like Ocean Grove main beach, there's a shitload of sand there and there's a lot of space for cool cabanas. But where there's limited space, maybe just think about not reserving your spot.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

And just, you know, erecting it when you get there.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Oh, please don't do that at the beach.

[Joanna Fleming]

Anyway, your verdict?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I've passed the baton from last year on to you, I think.

[Joanna Fleming]

All right, so the results, Mads, you've got them on hand.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I do. So now it's time for the results. And our polls revealed that a staggering 85.13% of you said yay to the cool cabana and 14.88 said no.

[Joanna Fleming]

I reckon that 85.13% knew that if they said no, I wouldn't be for that. I think they just didn't want to disappoint me with that. So I'm proud of you. 85.13%.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

It's all for you.

[Joanna Fleming]

There's my son. Safety queens out there.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

There you go.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I feel like I need to buy my sister who's just had a baby, a cool cabana as a bit of a joke.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Do it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Why not?

[Joanna Fleming]

You should. Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Good birthday present for the kid.

[Joanna Fleming]

Okay, we're getting all mysterious now.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Okay, that is all for this week's episode of Stylish. Thank you so much for listening. And of course, thanks very much to you, Annika, Joshua Smith and SPF queen Joanna Fleming.

[Joanna Fleming]

So welcome. Glad to be here.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Hopefully we'll get a cool cabana discount code after this that we can share with everyone. But remember, you can drop us an email anytime at style-ishameless media.com or you can slide into our DMS over at Stylish AU, maybe send us a photo of your tennis outfit if you're Vic based. And yes, please, just feel like sharing. And we can't forget to thank the lovely Shameless Media team, head of podcast Lucy Hunt and senior podcast producer Kate Emma Burke. We'll see you back here next Wednesday. See you then.

[Joanna Fleming]

If Cool Cabanas don't sponsor next week's episode, you'll be livid. I will. I'll contact them myself.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Maybe there's a competitor Cool Cabana that wants to, like, come in just to.

[Joanna Fleming]

Ooh, Cabana drama.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Yeah. Kabana drama.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Kabana drama.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land. Always was, always will be aboriginal land. Hey, guys, it's Zara here. Are you struggling this summer because all your favourite shows are on break?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Fear not.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Because our recently launched interview show, Inherited is working right through the summer break. Yes, that means fresh interviews every single week.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

If you've not yet listened to an.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Episode of Inherited, we ask our guests for the recipes, rules, relics and rituals that have shaped who they are today.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

My favorite interview so far was with.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Mia Friedman because of how honest and.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Dare I say, unfiltered she was.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Even though Mia hosts podcasts every single week, I feel like we absolutely saw a different side of her in this chat. He's a little snippet.

[Joanna Fleming]

It's a weird kind of grief. Pregnancy loss. You're grieving the idea of someone you're grieving someone you've never met, someone you've got no memories of. And so what this box is full of is the ultrasound pictures that I had of her and some cards that people sent me with flowers after she died. What's hard is that you don't have any proof that she even existed.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Search Inherited on any of your favorite podcast apps and get listening.

[Annika Joshi Smith]

Your summer road trip is sorted.