Style-ish Podcast Summary

Episode: Your guide to styling the tassels and texture trend

Date: February 10, 2026
Host: Shameless Media (Madison Sullivan Thorpe, Annika Joshi Smith, Joanna Fleming)

Overview

This episode of Style-ish is a lively, multi-part conversation diving into the resurgence of tassels and texture in fashion, the most subversive shoe trends of 2026, and a practical discussion on shower head filters for better skin and hair. Madison, Annika, and Joanna bring their signature humor and expertise as they weave in celebrity fashion moments, personal stories, practical styling advice, and listener Q&As. The tone is relaxed, witty, and upbeat, making fashion feel accessible and fun.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Fashion News & Celebrity Style Moments (00:33–05:29)

• Super Bowl & Celebrity cameos: Excitement over recent major events, especially focusing on Bad Bunny's performance and "custom Zara" styling, plus a star-studded "casita" with cameos from Jessica Alba, Alex Earle, Pedro Pascal, and Ricky Martin.

  "It was the ultimate fiesta and I totally wanted to be a part of it." – Annika (01:10)

• Lady Gaga’s Surprise Appearance:

  • Lady Gaga’s performance, lauded for her look designed by Dominican-American designer Raul Lopez.
  • Discussion of how consistently iconic her style has become.

  "Lady Gaga's looks now deserve a museum of their own." – Madison (01:28)

• Ryan Murphy’s Carolyn Bessette & JFK Jr Series:

  • The initial criticism about inaccuracies in hair color and costuming.
  • Positive reactions to the show runners addressing feedback and enlisting Rudy Martz for wardrobe, using vintage pieces and even distressing a Birkin bag to mirror Bessette’s own.

  "Rudy even beat the hell out of a Birkin to mirror Bessette's own distressed bag, which I thought was so iconic." – Annika (04:24)

  • Ongoing controversy about the Kennedy family’s response to the series, and Carolyn Bessette’s ongoing influence as a style icon.

2. Swaps: Recent Faves and Personal Recommendations (05:29–13:40)

• Team Life Updates: Annika discusses her approaching maternity leave (05:47). Madison and Joanna mention feeling bittersweet and excited for her.
• Fashion Director, Madeline Harper Farce Orce (Vogue USA): Annika’s recommendation for daily fashion inspiration (06:32).
• Adult Sleepovers: Madison champions the return of sleepovers among adults for self-care and bonding (07:43–09:05).
• Schooner Score Cameo: Madison receives and celebrates a dedicated video from the viral Instagram beer reviewer (09:07–10:14).

  "I was obsessed with the Schooner Score account and I thought it was really clever, Instagram also helps. He's like, kind of low key hot..." – Madison (09:17)

• Slipper Chat: Joanna reviews her new “Ugg” slippers, sparking a tangent on indoor footwear rituals (10:33–12:17).

3. Segment: Shoe Trends for 2026 (13:40–22:45)

Major Focus: Subversive Shoe Trends

• Margot Robbie’s Maison Margiela Tabby Wedge Boots:
  • Described as “divisive” and emblematic of a move from minimalism/quiet luxury to more expressive, playful footwear.
  • Refinery29 and industry leaders cited: Key trends for 2026 include goth glamour, glove-like shoes, sculptural wedges, flat sock boots, updated PVC, 3D petals, and sharp toe mules (13:40–14:54).
• Personal Takes:
  • Madison is all in on sculptural wedges, referencing Margot Robbie’s custom Vivienne Westwood look (15:00).
  • Annika channels “gothic glamour,” even referencing what she’s wearing in studio—a tasselled mini dress and platform sandals (15:29–16:12).
  • Joanna sees shoes as a low-commitment way to play with trends, citing the longevity and ease of re-use for statement shoes (20:19–21:33).
• Accessible Trend Adoptions:
  • Local brands like Alias May, Tony Bianco, and Dries Van Noten are highlighted for their risk-taking, experimental designs.
  • The group debates whether shoes are worth investing in, with pragmatic takes on mixing high and low pieces.
  • Madison laments the lack of an “it” sneaker and jokes about her inability to spend designer-level funds on casual shoes (21:44–22:11).

4. Listener Q&A: Shower Head Filters (23:14–29:50)

• Listener Chloe asks: Are shower head filters worth it for improving hair and skin?
• Team Experience: None of the hosts currently use a shower filter but share stories about “hard water” affecting hair texture, especially when traveling (25:21–25:33).
• Expert Advice (Joanna):
  • Explains hard vs. soft water, with the UK, Adelaide, and Perth having much harder water, Melbourne's water being “soft.”
  • Recommends shower filters—especially the Filtered Beauty brand—for those with dryness, irritation, color-treated hair, or eczema (26:46–27:46).
  • Filters are relatively affordable and easy to install, but not a panacea for every skin/hair concern.

  "A shower filter can be worthwhile investing in, but it's not going to be the silver bullet resolution to every skin and hair issue." – Joanna (29:25)

• Swapping Other Recommendations: The team jokes about still needing to try each other’s previous product picks, such as hair tools and dog hair dissolvers (29:50–30:15).

5. Main Feature: Styling Tassels and Texture (30:15–37:05)

Fringe, Tassels, and How To Wear Them Now

• Trend Overview:

  • Tassels and texture are gaining mainstream traction as quiet luxury gives way to more expressive, maximalist elements.
  • Brands like Chloé, Bottega Veneta, and Gucci are cited for runway examples; Who What Wear describes the trend as “carefree and glamorous” (30:15–31:15).

• How the Hosts Are Seeing/Wearing the Trend:

  • Madison’s first exposure was at the Saint Agni show in Melbourne, where tassels appeared as both garment embellishment and detachable accessories (31:19–31:38).

    "Once you buy the top that's in the fringe or the tassel, you've committed to that piece. Having it in kind of a belt was something I was like, oh, that's really interesting." – Madison (31:38)

  • Madison and Annika have both been wearing tasselled and fringed pieces (tops, mini dresses), often kept balanced with minimal basics.
  • Joanna initially felt the trend skewed boho, but finds more tailored iterations—like a fringed camel coat from Coach—very wearable (33:36).

  "That's a way that I would wear fringing because it didn't feel boho at all. It felt really like chic and me." – Joanna (33:37)

  • Accessories are a great entry-point: elongated scarves, fringe on bags, or detachable details.

• Thrift and Vintage Opportunities:

  • The cyclical nature of fringe/tassel trends means vintage and resale sites (eBay, Depop, The RealReal) are treasure troves for scoring quality pieces from previous "fringe waves" (35:33–36:05).

  "Get on ebay and depop, check out what's there because it's very likely that you could pick up an old season fringe that...is not going to look out of vogue." – Madison (35:33)

• Modern Icons: Margot Robbie’s 1997 Galliano "dove blue" look from the Wuthering Heights Press tour is cited as a current, high-wattage example of the tassel/fringe revival (36:05–36:55).

6. Final Notes and Fun Moments

• Color Theory & Style: The team jokes about red on brunettes versus blondes, with Joanna confirming red is indeed in her own color palette (37:20–37:49).

  "Brunettes look better in red, and I say that blondes because you get, like, 80% of the colors...Let us have it." – Madison (37:26)

Memorable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• "Rudy even beat the hell out of a Birkin to mirror Bessette's own distressed bag, which I thought was so iconic." — Annika (04:24)
• "Lady Gaga's looks now deserve a museum of their own." — Madison (01:28)
• "Once you buy the top that's in the fringe or the tassel, you've committed to that piece. Having it in kind of a belt was something I was like, oh, that's really interesting." — Madison (31:38)
• "A shower filter can be worthwhile investing in, but it's not going to be the silver bullet resolution to every skin and hair issue." — Joanna (29:25)
• "Get on ebay and depop, check out what's there because it's very likely that you could pick up an old season fringe that...is not going to look out of vogue." — Madison (35:33)
• "That's a way that I would wear fringing because it didn't feel boho at all. It felt really like chic and me." — Joanna (33:37)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Super Bowl & Celeb Style: 00:33–05:29
• Swaps & Recommendations: 05:29–13:40
• Subversive Shoe Trends for 2026: 13:40–22:45
• Product Q&A: Shower Head Filters: 23:14–29:50
• Styling Tassels and Texture: 30:15–37:05

Summary Takeaways

• The tassel & texture trend is back with a sophisticated, non-boho twist—think expressive, chic, and vintage-friendly.
• 2026 shoe trends are playful, oddball, and highly expressive—sculptural wedges, tabby toes, and goth-glam reign supreme.
• Water quality (hard vs. soft) can majorly affect your hair/skin; shower filters might be worth the investment.
• Low-commitment ways to try trends: accessory swaps, vintage thrifting, and mixing in high-street risk-takers.
• The hosts’ style guides and “swaps” lean toward the practical, accessible, and fun, peppered with real talk and humor.

Style-ish encourages listeners to explore trends boldly, invest in a few statement pieces, and make vintage/thrift their friend—all while keeping it real, accessible, and a little bit glam.