If I Wear Red, Will You Notice Me?
Get your matcha ready!!!
Today I was at Madewell returning a pair of wide-leg jeans. While the clerk rang up my return, I noticed the entire front of the store was a cacophony of fire-engine red. On its face, the shift to red feels like a far cry from my friends and I freezing in matching black tops when we went out in college. (The matching was accidental. The lack of coats was purposeful… and stupid.)
Red back then would’ve felt loud. Maybe even a little “pick me.” But now? Red is everywhere — boosted by the Unexpected Red Theory that went viral on TikTok late last year and flagged in this year’s Pinterest Predicts report. The idea: adding red to any outfit instantly makes it better. More interesting. More visible.
And really, that’s the whole point. We are all the main characters now.
New York Magazine recently chronicled the rise of the West Village girl — an archetype with a matcha in hand, a puffy red coat on her shoulders, and the self-assurance of someone who sees everyone else as NPCs. "The ironic thing," the piece points out, "is that if we're all main characters, then none of us are."
But this started long before the West Village girlies. Social media has been rewiring — and rotting — our brains for years. You post, the hearts roll in, the comments pile up, and for a second, you feel chosen. It’s addictive. A system built to be all about you. And one that is extremely unlike real life, where people aren’t constantly telling you how amazing you are. Red fits perfectly into that world.
There’s a reason so many brands use red — it’s not just eye-catching, it’s psychological. Studies show that red increases heart rate, triggers urgency, and heightens desire. That’s why sale signs are red. It’s why McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Target, Phillips 66 and more all use it. Red isn’t just a color — it’s a tactic. And right now? It’s 25% off at Madewell.
You Didn't Hear It From Me But...
"A 26-year-old teacher’s viral resignation video blamed TikTok and ChatGPT for eroding students' literacy, critical thinking, and attention spans." Oh, and people are cheating their way through college with ChatGPT. Can we put Pandora back in the box now?
Soooo.... what kind of annoying are you?
Liv Schmidt makes $130,000/month teaching women how to be skinny. This makes me incredibly sad. Instead of spending money on this, pick up a copy of "Beauty Sick," and subscribe to Jessica Defino's Substack.
I saw my first Final Destination movie and it was actually quite good (according to me and Rotten Tomatoes). Excellent watch for this rainy holiday weekend.
Got any gossip? Send it my way.