What we wear and how we wear it is more important than its artistic value.When some people think of fashion, the Met Gala or maybe even luxury designers may come to mind. But what about the old college sweatshirt that gets you through the cold or even the brightly colored gym set that pushes you to go that extra mile? Is that not fashion? Perhaps the concept of fashion has been framed as an external commodity to be sought after, rather than an authentic expression cultivated through the rhythm of a well-lived life.Brittany Luse sits down with CNN Senior Style Reporter and author of CNN’s Big Style newsletter, Rachel Tashjian Wise, to answer all those questions and more.Want more on fashion? Was that the worst MET Gala ever?American fashion isn't as liberal as you thinkSupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Who counts as homeless in America?If you ask the Department of Housing and Urban Development, around 750,000 people are homeless in America. If you ask the Department of Education, that number shoots up into the millions. What does this discrepancy tell us? And how do our cultural ideas about homelessness shape who we see as homeless, and who gets help? To find out, Brittany talks with Dr. Margot Kushel, Director at the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, and Dr. Molly Richard, assistant professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Rhode Island’s College of Health Sciences.Want more deep dives on cultural taboos? Check out these episodes:The truth about men on the 'down low'Why can't we be normal about polyamory?Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

How has your beauty routine changed in the past 10 years?In 2016, the beauty world was obsessed with 12-step skincare regimens. Now, beauty influencers and experts are experimenting with peptides and looksmaxxing. Brittany chats with Brooke Devard Ozaydinli, host of the Naked Beauty podcast and Chief Content Officer of Refinery29, to understand how our relationship with beauty has changed over the years, and what that means for our relationships with ourselves.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Do influencer parents trade in their kids’ privacy for the hope of financial security?Kids are everywhere on the Internet – and not just playing on Roblox. They're the stars of many family influencing pages that document kids’ lives: from the intimate details of their births, to starting school, to going through puberty. That can come with a host of problems – but also a ton of money. So what happens when parents trade their kids' privacy for the hope of financial security? And how does that content play into feedback loops about what family life should look like?Brittany gets into it with Fortesa Latifi, senior writer at Yahoo! and author of Like, Follow, Subscribe: Influencer Kids and the Cost of Childhood Online.(00:00) The cost of a childhood online(02:48) How Mommy blogging transformed into family influencing(07:39) Just how much do family influencers make?(10:37) Online exploitation risks(16:36) How influencing distorts family life(24:59) Should kids be influencers?For more episodes on parenting, kids, and modern life, check out:The fear & shame of modern parentingAre children a marginalized group?The real meaning of "6 7"Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

What gives a pop star staying power?In our frenetic music landscape, it's clear that a lot of pop stars that defined the millennial "hopecore" sound -- think Lizzo and Katy Perry -- are no longer resonating with audiences. So who are listeners gravitating to these days, and how does that reflect the times we're living in? Brittany talks to music writer and critic Brittany Spanos on whether we're seeing a generational shift in music taste, and how legacy acts can stay relevant too.Want more pop music analysis? Check out this episode:The D-List pop star purgatorySupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Are we spending too much on other people’s weddings?Going to a friend's weddings can be so fun and meaningful… but it can also really hurt your wallet. A survey by LendingTree found that 31% of people who had been to a wedding in the past five years had accrued debt to attend. So what’s driving up the cost of weddings for guests? And what makes it so hard to say no to these expenses?Brittany breaks it down with Allyson Rees, senior analyst at trend forecasting firm WGSN, and Annie Joy Williams, assistant editor at The Atlantic.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Love Island USA, the reality show where attractive singles compete to find love, is in full swing. Over the course of its eighth season, there’s been everything from romance and friendship to betrayal and heartbreak. And what goes on inside the Love Island villa has sparked a lot of discourse outside of it. To understand this microcosm of modern dating and why the season's villains are finding defenders online, Brittany chats with Jonquilyn Hill, host of Vox's Explain it to Me podcast, and Marcus Jones, Awards Editor at IndieWire, to get into it.For more episodes on reality television, check out:How to Enter Your Sporty EraSupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Reality dating and professional sports are not as different as you’d think.Brittany is in her Sporty Spice era – she watched the NBA playoffs, she’s following World Cup games, and she’s watching the New York Liberty play their WNBA season. These games are daily – and so is the reality dating show Love Island. And she noticed that the two formats are not very different at all. Defector.com staff writer and co-owner Kelsey McKinney came to the same conclusion – so the two of them discuss why these games of athleticism and love can bring us together… and why they get valued differently in our culture.(00:00) Brittany enters her Sporty Spice era(02:02) 'Love Island USA' vibe check(05:07) Why 'Love Island' is sports(07:47) The 'Terrible Son' theory for sports fandom(11:39) How sports and reality TV bring people together(14:25) Is sports fandom open to everyone?For more episodes on sports and reality TV, check out:Get rich or die trying: how sports betting is changing our love of the gameIs this the end of reality TV?The ugly truth of America's expensive homesSupport Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Could you see your life just as easily with children as without? What if you're not cut out for parenthood? What if you grow lonely in your old age? Or what if you have a loving partner, but you disagree on this choice? Deciding between parenthood and a child-free life requires clarity about your fears and deepest desires — no easy task. This episode, psychotherapist and author of the book, The Baby Decision, Merle Bombardieri, helps us get clear. She discusses minimizing regret, normalizing feeling 'stuck' and why waiting to have a baby at 38 may be best. Want more about the decision to have kids? Many women don't want kids. And for good reason.Why are people freaking out about the birth rate?Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

What does America look like to visitors?We're finding out in real time as fans and athletes from all over the world visit the United States for World Cup matches across the country. From Ranch dressing, to the wonders of all-you-can-eat buffets, tourists are getting a taste of all the USA has to offer, but how do we square the warm welcome for the World Cup with the United States' recent stances on immigration? Brittany is joined by immigration reporter Jasmine Garsd, and NPR reporter Juliana Kim to find out.Want more global perspectives on culture? Check out these episodes:How often do you think about the American Empire?Make life harder (and better): Learn another language.Support Public Media. Join NPR Plus.Follow Brittany on Instagram: @bmluseFor handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.This episode was produced by Liam McBain and Corey Antonio Rose. It was edited by Neena Pathak. Our Supervising Producer is Cher Vincent. Our Executive Producer is Barton Girdwood. Our VP of Programming is Yolanda Sangweni.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy