the january review
babygirl, cleo & frank and a dream coat for £20
Hi sweetpeas 🫛 The December review seems to have slipped past me (an accidental omission I promise) probably due to the chaos of a difficult few weeks. Christmas was never going to be easy this year, but we made the best of it and I was relieved to reach the New Year. Unfortunately I then caught the flu (classic) which wiped me out for the first week of 2025. In a case of serious whiplash, the following week I landed a job with Virgin Atlantic where they sent me on a last minute trip to Jamaica?! It was divine and has completely sold me on winter sun — just four days of longer daylight hours and bright skies made me feel a million times better. I’d be really content with staying in London over summer if it meant I could disappear to somewhere hot for a few weeks in January. I think I’ll try and prioritise making some vacation plans for this time next year 🌞
wearing —
I fell back into the predictable quarterly wardrobe crisis this month — I was impressed I’d managed to avoid it until now. Something great about getting older is that you begin to recognise patterns in your responses and behaviours, and I’ve done this enough to know that it will pass — and then return again as the seasons change. I don’t take it so seriously anymore; no need to overhaul, but it’s always nice to tidy up my wardrobe and get a few new things to help me see what I already have in a new light.
I think I landed on a trench coat gold mine on eBay — through my relentless browsing, I discovered a brand and went down a rabbit hole of incredible 90’s finds. The coat I picked up is a car coat; it was £20, in great condition and exactly the style I was looking for. I’m going to buy one more (for research) and then share my findings in my upcoming wardrobe video. I also picked up a bag I’ve wanted for months — the day after I got paid for some jobs I completed in Autumn, the Marge Sherwood Boston bag in the colour and finish I wanted came up on Vestiaire. Lucky girl syndrome, I’m telling you 🎱 I’ve added this handmade charm from an Etsy seller called Playground Garden, a much-needed relief from my terminally brown winter wardrobe.
watching —
I’ve seen two films that were me-coded this month, one more of a success than the other. Babygirl was disappointing, I really wanted it to be better. I shared some thoughts on my stories the day after (I like to let films marinate for a day or so before I comment) but if you missed them: it was beautiful (think Lost In Translation) and I’d definitely watch it again, but I struggled with the lack of motive/backstory on Samuel. His past is alluded to but never explored, and the lack of context made him feel like a veneer of a person. I also felt there was an ambiguity with how he asked for consent that wasn’t explored, to the point where I have to assume it wasn’t intentional? I found it hard to believe Romy’s character at times, there would be some beautiful character exploration followed by a seemingly random decision (read: the club in business casual.) I was frustrated, it could have been so good.
Companion, on the other hand, was exactly what I wanted. The trailer set up this film perfectly — although if you haven’t already seen it, do yourself a favour and don’t watch it as it’s got one massive spoiler that would have been much more fun to experience in the cinema. It’s a feminine, gory thriller that had me laughing, gasping and squealing the whole way through. It reminded me of Get Out in it’s tone and cinema experience; the crowd’s reaction was entertainment in itself, and the comedy-thriller interplay was really satisfying. I remember Get Out being a lot scarier though, so if you’re a bit weak when it comes to horror, don’t let this comparison put you off. It’s a thriller with a bit of blood and feminism; what’s not to love?
listening —
In the latter half of the month I listened to FKA Twigs’s Eusexua and Central Cee’s new project Can’t Rush Greatness. Both are good! I particularly like Sticky, I think it’s beautifully written and arranged; and Now We’re Strangers is a great anthem for all terrible boyfriends.
You can listen to all of these on my current rotation playlist here! 💿
reading —
In a shock turn of events, I’m still listening to Intermezzo. I’m enjoying it though! Come back in February to see if I make it through the final nine hours.
In four power hours of near-constant reading on the flight to Jamaica, I finished Cleopatra and Frankenstein. It was good, great even. I love Coco’s writing style even though nearly every character was someone I’d swerve at a party. Definitely curious to read Blue Sisters as I’ve heard it has themes of addiction too, however I’ve heard mixed reviews so I’ll keep my expectations measured.
following —
My YouTube algorithm is in a liminal space right now, my homepage is pushing 2025 reinvention content with a side of Gary’s Economics no matter how much I try and diversify. I’d really love for female-led content in the politics space, if anyone has any recommendations please leave them in the comments!
As usual, Tam Mai’s vlogs have been some of my favourites, I absolutely love her tone and humour. Such a gem.
I felt the same about Babygirl; I wanted to like it more, but it had some issues that held me back. Very much looking forward to catching Companion!