Style-ish Podcast Summary

Episode: The Outfits of The Summer I Turned Pretty

Date: September 16, 2025
Host: Madison Sullivan Thorpe (B)
Guests/Co-Hosts: Zara McDonald (A), Rhiannon Joyce (C)
Podcast: Style-ish by Shameless Media

Overview

This lively episode delves into the impact of fashion in pop culture, centering on the style moments from "The Summer I Turned Pretty" Season 3. The hosts unpack why the show's wardrobe choices have captured the zeitgeist, dissect character-driven costuming, and analyze real brand partnerships woven into the series. Beyond the show's looks, they discuss broader fashion business trends, rumors about Hourglass cosmetics leaving Mecca, and the launch of an ultra-luxe $28,000 perfume. The episode blends sharp industry insight with the hosts’ enthusiastic, conversational banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Australian Fashion Abroad (00:55–04:03)

• Selfridges in London: Zara and Rhiannon recount seeing a notable presence of Australian brands at the UK department store, mentioning Dish, Sir, Shona Joy, Bec & Bridge, and Faithfull.
  • “It’s the Australian brands or bust over there.” — Zara (03:09)
• Comparative Market Status: Despite Australia’s difficulties breaking into global media/podcasting, fashion proves the exception:
  • “Fashion is the antithesis to that conversation or that point of view, which I was very excited about.” — Zara (03:27)

2. Style & Beauty ‘Swaps’ (Recommendations) (04:10–09:39)

• Instagram Editing App: Rhiannon reveals her go-to filter tool is Teza App for subtle hues and blur effects, popularizing a “cool girl, dumb aesthetic.”
  • “You taught me about the blur effect… to make it look like we were having a really fun, wild time, so we just blurred a lot of our photos.” — Zara (05:11)
• Hourglass Holiday Palette: Madison lauds this viral powder-based makeup, ideal for travel and achieving a refined look.
  • “I have reached for that every day since I first got it… setting powder, blush, bronzer, highlighter, everything you need in a compact little palette.” — Madison (07:04)
• Podcast Recommendation: Zara recommends “The Aspire Podcast with Emma Grede,” especially her interview with Universal Studios’ chairperson Donna Langley, highlighting the lack of Hollywood nepotism in Langley’s career path.
  • “She is the chairperson of Universal Studios, which means she is one of the most powerful people in Hollywood.” — Zara (07:58)

3. Main Segment: Fashion in “The Summer I Turned Pretty”

(12:02–29:27)

A. Why This Show is a Style Conversation Driver

Hosts acknowledge personal and online obsessions with the show's looks, especially as Season 3 dominates conversation and memes among Millennial and Gen Z women.

B. Best Dressed Characters & Fashion Analysis (13:48–18:59)

• Conrad Fisher emerges as the unanimous best-dressed favorite, with his transformation from “mum-styled” outfits to more mature, deliberately nautical and vintage looks.

  • “All we’re after is a man in vintage Levi’s.” — Zara (14:16)
  • “These are the kinds of clothes that differentiate a boy from a man.” — JQ magazine via Zara (17:17)
  • Contrast between Conrad’s effortless, intentional style and Jeremiah’s self-conscious, “frat boy” appearance.

• Laurel’s Evolution: Rhiannon admires Belly’s mother’s upgraded wardrobe:

  • “She’s giving The Row—really clean, sleek, no labels, really fresh look.” — Rhiannon (14:41)

C. The Art of Costume Design (18:59–24:12)

• Hosts highlight the deliberate and narrative-driven approach of costume designer Jessica Flady, reflecting character growth, emotional states, and location symbolism (e.g., Cousins Beach = nautical, youthful looks).

D. Belly’s Coming-of-Age Through Clothes (19:09–24:24)

• Belly is styled as a 21–22-year-old unsure of her style, experimenting like her audience. Transition from juvenile sundresses and sneakers at Cousins Beach to a more sophisticated “grown-up” Parisian look with heeled boots and Cezanne pieces.
  • “At no point do I feel like the clothes have kind of out matured her emotional intelligence.” — Zara (21:41)
  • The use of red lipstick and Parisian berets mirror her youthful, sometimes cliché self-discovery journey.

E. Brand Partnerships: Coach, Steve Madden & More (24:24–29:27)

• Coach x The Summer I Turned Pretty: Subtle, integrated campaigns including merchandise for fictional Finch University, sold via Amazon stores for US audiences.
  • “I honestly think it’s one of the best examples of how a brand could integrate into television that I’ve seen in a really long time.” — Rhiannon (28:23)
• The hosts debate international versus local impact and the effectiveness of “invisible” integration:
  • “It is really powerful when an ad doesn’t feel like an ad. But what happens when an ad doesn’t feel like an ad so much that none of us actually knew there was a partnership?” — Zara (26:33)

4. Beauty Industry Deep-Dive: The Hourglass x Mecca Split

(29:27–37:26)

• Rumors & Legal Drama: The hosts examine the persistent rumors about Hourglass (premium US beauty brand) leaving Mecca after a 15-year exclusivity, referencing lawsuits and strategic eCommerce hires.
  • “This wasn’t the time of borderless beauty… Now, your favorite makeup artist could be from LA, favorite brand could be from abroad—even if you can’t buy it here.” — Madison (31:43)
• Retail Power Struggle: The team muses on how moving to Sephora, David Jones, or self-retail could impact both brands and customers, with speculation over who might replace Hourglass (Victoria Beckham Beauty, Merit).
  • “If we are talking about Sephora, this may be the brand...that skews someone to potentially walk into Sephora and while there, casually pick up a few other products.” — Madison (33:40)

5. Ultra-Luxury Fragrance: Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s $28,000 Perfume

(37:26–45:16)

• New Product Spotlight: Maison Francis Kurkdjian releases a $28k bottle (Edition Mille Sim), containing rare ambergris.
  • “Who the hell is a $28,000 perfume for?” — Zara (38:26)
  • “This is made for the 1%. This is like the Birkin or the Patek Philippe of fragrance.” — Madison (39:07)
• Luxury Market Insights: Only 54 bottles released annually, targeting the ultra-wealthy seeking exclusivity and brand clout.
  • “They don’t care what this product smells like. What they care about is that it signals their wealth.” — Rhiannon (43:05)
• Fragrance as Content & Community: Cites the TikTokification of scent, rise of fragrance influencers (e.g., Gemma Diamond), and Gen Z’s growing share of a booming perfume market.
  • “I am just like so impressed by how well that content is doing.” — Zara (44:26)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Fashion’s Global Appeal:
  “It feels like fashion is the antithesis to that conversation or that point of view, which I was very excited about.” — Zara (03:27)
• On Character Costuming:
  “There is nothing accidental about costume in any television show… They're trying to create worlds with an outfit.” — Zara (15:57)
• On Coach’s Integration in TV:
  “I honestly think it’s one of the best examples of how a brand could integrate into television that I’ve seen in a really long time.” — Rhiannon (28:23)
• On Beauty Business Shifts:
  “This wasn’t the time of borderless beauty… [now] anything is possible.” — Madison (31:43)
• On Ultra-Luxury & Exclusivity:
  “It’s the Hermes model… We don’t really want any of you, apart from, like, three people.” — Zara (39:16) “They don’t care what this product smells like, what they care about is that it signals their wealth.” — Rhiannon (43:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:55–04:03: Australian brands at Selfridges (London Fashion chat)
• 04:10–09:39: Style/beauty swaps, podcast recs, Teza app, Hourglass palette
• 12:02–24:12: The Summer I Turned Pretty wardrobe deep-dive
• 24:24–29:27: Brand partnerships (Coach, Amazon, etc.) in the series
• 29:27–37:26: Hourglass and Mecca rumored breakup (industry/legal context)
• 37:26–45:16: $28k Maison Francis Kurkdjian perfume and luxury strategy
• 45:16–46:19: Wrap-up and closing remarks

Tone & Language

The hosts keep the conversation candid, playful, and relatable—mixing industry expertise with honest fan energy and comedic self-deprecation.

Takeaways

• Fashion in TV is more deliberate and narratively powerful than fans might realize.
• Brands like Coach are setting new standards for integrated, subtle product placement.
• The beauty industry is rapidly shifting: exclusivity contracts, eCommerce, and the growing power of content/generation-driven demand all reflect broader retail changes.
• The luxury market’s fixation on exclusivity is as much about signaling and club-like community as it is about product.
• Fragrance has become a robust new axis of online culture, particularly for Gen Z.

For anyone who loves fashion, beauty, or brand strategy—or is obsessed with "The Summer I Turned Pretty"—this episode offers both pop culture entertainment and genuinely sharp industry knowledge.