Weekend Reads for Mid-December

Weekend Reads

Will AI kill science, or will it foster a scientific revolution? The answer depends on something no one knows: What is science? (Noema)

The best brain-boosting workout for women—and how to fit it into your routine. (Self)

Most sports photography is done by men. Meet three lenswomen who are rewriting the narrative, expanding the visual universe of female athleticism. (Danimás)

Why so many Christmas movies are filmed in Canada. (The Walrus)

Feelings don’t matter: How the Ellison Era is transforming Paramount. ((The Hollywood Reporter)

Immigration agents are using air passenger data for deportation effort. (New York Times – gift link)

Author Sophie Kinsella, who penned the ‘Shopaholic' books, has died at 55. (NPR)

My search for Barbie’s aryan predecessor. (The Nation)

Did you catch Universal Standard's new loungewear collection? I love the colors and want a few pieces in the Raspberry color!

Late Night at Padma Lakshmi’s. (The Cut)

How Sasha Gordon marshaled her monsters. (Vulture)

The Boomer humor that raised Gen X. (GenXcellent on Substack)

A fun article about where I live… In Greenbelt, Md., New Deal history meets co-op spirit. (MSN)

And an article I thought I shared before but so many of you sent to me again this week (please let me know where you got it, I like how they think): Aging Out of Fucks: The Neuroscience of Why You Suddenly Can’t Pretend Anymore. (Life Branches via Substack)

Sale Alert & Style Inspo

I know so many of you love Ruti, and I got word they extended their 25% off sale until Monday the 15th. By far the bestselling pieces in the Wardrobe Oxygen community are the Ultimate Barrel Jeans and the On The Loose Work Pants.

LOFT has 55% off sitewide! That means the pantsuit in my holiday capsule wardrobe is more than half off! I recently got this camisole to wear under suits to make them feel formal and dressy. And I have a previous year version of this dress and it's the perfect throw on for everything from a date to a funeral to work to the mall with a change from pumps to tall boots to sneakers.

Soma has up to 50% off pajamas and lounge with Cool Nights pajamas 40% off, my beloved Plush Long Robe is only $49.50 (the short one is $40), and the cozy Ultrasoft Fleece collection is 40% off.

Lands' End has 50% off sitewide and free shipping on orders $50+. I replaced my 20-year Squall Parka with the new 3-in-1 version and I know I'll get seriously hard worn decades out of it. Zip out the interior for a lighter-weight winter coat, wear the interior alone as a chic quilted jacket, it cinches at the waist for nice shape, there are tons of secure pockets, the hood fits well, it's truly waterproof and breathable… it's pretty perfect. And for those who run hot and want a Christmas Sweater, I got this one for less than $45 which is 100% cotton; I also like this 100% cotton option that's less than $50!

ribbed tee (XS-XXL) | cashmere turtleneck (2-26 & petite/tall) | no-wrinkle shirt (00-26 & petite/tall) | sweatshirt (XXS-XXL) | jacket (XXS-XXL) | vest (XS-XXL) | twill pants (23-34) | sweatpants (XXS-XXL) | silk scarf | adjustable necklace | earrings | socks | boots | clogs | belt | bag

‘Tis the season when I don't want to wear anything difficult. It's also the time of year when layers are paramount. How to look chic and stay cozy? May this mini capsule inspire you.

• A silk scarf is shockingly warm. Fold on the diagonal and tie “cowboy style” to fill the neckline of a shirt or vest, turn it around and tuck in to hang down your back and cover the back of your neck while leaving a knot in front, double tie around the neck, tuck into the collar of your coat, wear as a belt, or use any of the scarf tying hacks so popular right now on social media.
• A button-front shirt with a straight to relaxed fit is a great piece for winter. Wear over a fitted long-sleeved tee or even a trim-fitting turtleneck sweater. Slip under a vest or pullover sweater, zip up a jacket or vest and button up the shirt to have it peek out from the top and bottom. Tuck in, wear out, play with it, but you'll be surprised how it gives an Americana Classic vibe to items already in your closet.
• When your sweatpants have a refined shape, they can replace pants in relaxed settings. Don't be afraid to pair with sweaters, jackets, blazers, and depending on your shape and the fabric, even button-front shirts.
• If you're wearing clogs or other shoes that expose your ankles or heels, have fun with your socks. Stripes, florals, and other prints add interest and make the visibility purposeful.
• A hint of shine with jewelry and a refined belt can elevate the most basic wardrobe staples. I own this necklace in silver and these earrings and find they really make a statement while being easy and versatile.

See/Hear/Read

I saw one really excellent movie, and I saw one really horrible one. After spending the week thinking about them, I feel that both of my opinions have a lot to do with my age and gender. I think this is why both films have mixed reviews and am curious if you've seen them and your feelings.

Jay Kelly (Netflix) tells the story of a famous Hollywood movie actor. After an encounter with an old friend, he has a bit of an existential crisis while also on a trip through Europe with his team, led by his devoted manager. Along the way, both men confront the life choices they've made and the legacy they will leave.

Starring George Clooney as Jay Kelly, Adam Sandler as his manager, Ron, Laura Dern as his publicist, Liz, and supporting roles from well-known faces like Billy Crudup, Greta Gerwig, Riley Keogh, Stacy Keach, Patrick Wilson, and even a cameo from Isla Fisher, Jay Kelly has serious star power. And I found this to only add to the charm of this timeless film.

Clooney is so handsome; his character is compared to Clark Gable and Paul Newman and the way this movie is filmed, you see it. A lucky break at an audition he wasn't even to have set him up for incredible fame, but with it, a disconnect from life and love, friends and family. Ron, played amazingly well by Adam Sandler, missed out on aspects of life because as he says at one point, when Jay f*cks up his life, it f*cks up Ron's too.

This movie could have been made in 1955, 1975, 1995, or now. It's the story of chance encounters, life choices, fame, and re-examining one's life. It's charming, occasionally funny, occasionally cliche, occasionally doesn't make sense (there is a 17-year difference between Jay's kids which doesn't mesh with some of his memories), but I found it beautiful and one of the best films I've seen in a very long while.

That being said, I am a Gen X woman who crushed on Clooney in The Facts of Life and willingly watched a hospital show because he was part of the cast. My 50-year-old self will always have a place in my heart for Sandler thanks to SNL and The Wedding Singer. I grew up when movies were still everything; an escape and an event and an adventure causing more intense of connections with actors and the medium in general. I am a person in midlife with a daughter who will soon be off to college and it has me replaying the past two decades like movies in my mind. Tears were shed along with Jay Kelly.

I think if my teen watched it, she would think it was corny and immediately find the holes in the story. Sure, she has seen movies in the theater, but she is a generation of OnDemand from screens of all sizes at all times of the day in most any place on earth. And she would see Jay and Ron as “olds,” not peers experiencing something that feels pretty familiar even when having a drastically different life.

I think my age also made a factor in regard to my opinion of the movie After The Hunt (Prime). Starring Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Chloë Sevigny, and Michael Stuhlbarg, this is a psychological thriller that takes place on the Yale campus. Roberts is a highly-regarded philosophy professor being considered for tenure, when one of her students accuses a colleague of sexual assault.

I was sure I'd maybe not necessarily “like” this movie, but find it well done, good for discussion, at least intriguing. Instead, I found it utterly insufferable. In college, I took a lot of film classes; we watched classics and obscure indie pieces and analyzed them to bits. And it was fun, especially when it was a film that some of the class found deep and profound and others found to be pretentious shit. I felt After The Hunt was pretentious shit and coming to that realization with my husband wasn't fun, it downright angered us.

I hated every character. I hated the way it was filmed. I hated the music choice and volume. I hated that it was clearly not filmed in New Haven. I hated that director Luca Guadagnino clearly thought he was creating some sort of thought-provoking masterpiece. It was heavy handed and all the music and camera angles and symbolism took away from what could have been a powerful piece.

I don't think my teen would have liked the film, either (though she does love Andrew Garfield), but she would have not felt any connection or emotion at any point to Roberts' or even Stuhlbarg's characters nor would she have wanted to punch Edebiri in her smug face (which shows her good acting as I like her). I think those who really enjoyed this film were either older Gen X/Generation Jones men, or elder Gen Z/young millenials.

The only good thing I got out of this film was that very blonde and polished hair on grown-ass women in 2025 is not cool. My friends, it's time to tone down the brass and put away the hot rollers. Roberts' hair in this movie is not hashtag goals, it is a heavy-handed symbol. And that moment when she's in the apartment and she throws her head and you see the thinness of it… that was purposeful and also a symbol. Her blonde waves are the equivalent of a man's combover. I think the director was trying to show how her hair became more bedraggled as Roberts' character unraveled, but in all honesty, as her hair was less controlled, I thought she looked a helluva lot better.

At the end for a second I thought Roberts' character Alma had cut her hair and let it go champagne/gray with blonde but no. I think that would have been an interesting addition. It was clear hair and fashion in this film was making a statement, but I feel like the rest of After The Hunt that it was a bit too obvious and cliche and not good enough to warrant being watched.

As for a book, I finished Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza. College besties lose touch and reconnect 15 years later when one is a journalist and the other a highly successful mommy influencer who wants to tell her story. Murder, mayhem, and prairie dresses abound.

As a content creator/microinfluencer, I felt this was well done. It showed the business side of all this without being too snarky or over the top. It's clearly about Mormon mom influencers, but the religion is never specifically called out, nor is a specific state or town. I was able to figure out pretty early on part of whodunit, but that didn't ruin the fun. This is a good cleaning the house/road trip/treadmill audiobook and as a book could easily be gobbled up in a weekend.

For Your Entertainment

Turnstile is a Baltimore-based rock band that has been together since 2010 but started getting recognition in 2021 with its album Glow On, which ranked on several “best of” lists and got them nominated for three Grammy awards. Turnstile's 2025 album, Never Enough is also getting a lot of positive press and is nominated for five Grammy awards. Enjoy the video for their latest single, “Light Design.”