Culture is the soft place to land
Hey friends,
When the world is loud and the news cycles relentless, we reach for something quieter: books, films, and meals with people we love. Escapism gets a bad rap, but it’s really one of our most resilient forms of survival.
The psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott wrote, “It is a joy to be hidden, and a disaster not to be found.” Escaping doesn’t mean ignoring reality; it means creating space to breathe within it.
Art and culture have long served as that breathing room. Research in the Journal of Positive Psychology suggests that engaging with creative works—whether reading a novel, watching a film, or visiting a museum—can boost resilience and emotional regulation.
When we immerse ourselves in stories, we don’t leave the world entirely—we reenter it with a softened gaze and a steadier heart. So, without further ado, immerse yourself in the shows, books, and albums that I've compiled for you this week.
Hugs,
Emily @ Hard Copy
📺 Watch
Based on a true story, Toxic Town revisits one of the UK's biggest environmental scandals: the Corby toxic waste case. The series stars Aimee Lou Wood (or Sex Education and The White Lotus) and Claudia Jessie (of Bridgerton fame) and tells the story of families fighting for justice after children in the Northamptonshire town were born with birth defects, believed to be caused by industrial pollution. (Netflix)
Starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate, Dying for Sex is comedic. The show is about a woman diagnosed with breast cancer. She then ends her 15-year marriage to explore herself and (!!) to have all the sex, as un-vanilla as possible, before she dies. (Hulu)
Based on "disturbingly" real experiences that Seth Rogen and his co-creators have gone through, The Studio follows newly appointed studio head Matt Remick (Rogen) at Continental Studios as he and his executive team juggle corporate demands with creative ambitions as they try to keep movies alive and relevant. (AppleTV+)
🎧 Listen
boygenius trio member Lucy Dacus could make any of us mere mortals fall for her angelic, soothing alto, and she does just as much in her new album. While the Actual Music Critics didn't give her album rave reviews, I… don't care?
Japanese Breakfast's perfectly titled For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) is now one of my top three albums so far for 2025. Capital E emotional rock with a hint of country? My only criticism is that I wish it was a longer album. More!! We want MORE!
Sharp Pins' Radio DDR is the best kind of album: warm and familiar, yet something you've never heard before. You wonder is this a Beatles track I've never heard before? But no, it's the incredible talent of 20-year-old Kai Slater, a gifted songwriter weaving 60s rock energy into something new and unique. A great creative in the making.
📚 Read
Sophie Kemp's Paradise Logic veers into absurdism, but it's grounded in a very real and pressing issue: the patriarchal expectations young women are subjected to in their quest for love. 23-year-old Reality Kahn has one mission: become the most incredible girlfriend ever. She's willing to do anything to accomplish this goal, including participating in an experimental clinical trial. Unfortunately, the men in her life aren't as great as she initially thought.
The Portable Feminist Reader, edited by Roxane Gay, is a dynamic, evolving collection of feminist writings spanning ancient to contemporary voices. Featuring thinkers like bell hooks, Audre Lorde, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and many others, the book explores diverse feminist perspectives, including Black feminism, ecofeminism, disability, labour, and gender. With thoughtful commentary and multimedia recommendations, Gay offers a rich, inclusive look at feminism as a personal, political, and ever-changing tradition.
The Winner by Teddy Wayne: Conor O'Toole spends the summer at an exclusive Cape Cod community, juggling a secret affair with a wealthy divorcée and a budding romance with a younger woman—until one mistake changes everything. A dark, explosive, and shocking psychological thriller.
🛁 Indulge
Let's face it: uniform dressing might be a bit dull, but it's very effective. So, I've been considering my go-to spring look and have landed on polished tomboy. To those who know me well, this is not a shock.
My winter coats are starting to feel like a bit much, so why not opt for a blazer? Build your own spring uniform by starting with a crisp graphic tee (I love this one!) and straight-leg or boyfriend-cut jeans as your base. Add a pair of timeless flat sneakers—think Adidas Sambas, either a neutral or with a hint of colour—for an effortlessly cool vibe. Layer on a structured blazer (this Everlane option is great value) and top it off with a monochrome, logo-free baseball cap.
Side note: blazers can be overwhelming, so keep it simple: 1) look for a wool-, linen-, or cotton-blend that falls midway down your bum, 2) size up if you're unsure, and 3) opt for tailoring! Affordable, practical, and a must for trusty wardrobe staples. If you really want to step up your wardrobe game, may I recommend signing up for the FASHION Fwd newsletter?
Keep your outfit on the right side of polished with a tote or bucket bag, and pop on great sunnies and petite earrings to finish. The result: a timeless outfit made from elevated, everyday staples that still reads luxurious.
Blazer, Everlane. Shirt, Aritzia. Jeans, Citizens of Humanity. Cap, J.Crew. Sneakers (brown + blue), Adidas. Tote, Anthropologie. Sunglasses, Le Specs. Earrings, Mejuri. YSL tote, TheRealReal.
If you want to level it up one step further, ditch the hat, swap the graphic tee for a plain white one, trade sneakers for a pointed-toe or grown-up version of a ballerina flat (I have two pairs of these!), and opt for luxe leather bag to tie it together (this consigned YSL is on my lust list).
📣 Shoutouts, because there's always so much to share!
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