What the FJ team is reading, watching and listening to lately
IMAGE VIA @readmyblurb/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY CAIT EMMA BURKE
Our top picks.
In our line of work, it’s basically a prerequisite to be a little bit obsessive about content. Collectively, we consume a heck of a lot of television shows, films, albums, playlists, feature articles, novels and music videos, which makes us well-placed to pass on our top picks.
For more content like this, tap through to our Life section.
Below, we share the best of what we’ve been reading, watching and listening to lately, so you can be the most up-to-date, impressive dinner party guest or date this weekend.
Giulia Brugliera, Fashion Journal’s Managing Editor
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Watching
Like much of Australia, I’ve been watching series two of Heartbreak High and adoring it. While the storyline is great and the one-liners have me cackling (“Are you flirting with me?” “No, I’m just hot and talking.”), I’d be happy enough to watch the series on mute, if only just to see what the characters are wearing each episode.
The costume design throughout the series is impeccable, with each character having a distinct and vibrant personal style. My little editorial brain loves playing ‘spot the designer’, while I elbow my partner to name all the Australian fashion talent I love throughout.
Reading
I’m very late to the party on this one but, like every teenage boy who discovers books for the first time, I’ve been reading Anthony Kiedis’ memoir Scar Tissue. It’s the perfect smooth brain read, full of sex, drugs and rock and roll. I’d recommend it to anyone who watches true crime documentaries to unwind or loves a bit of insider celebrity gossip.
Listening to
I’m a sucker for ’50s music, and recently discovered the ‘50s Dinner Music’ playlist on Spotify. It’s as you’d expect, full of classics from Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin, Etta James and the like. I switch it on every night after work to decompress like the old soul I am.
Molly Griffin, Fashion Journal’s Advertising and Partnerships Manager
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Watching
Over the weekend I saw the new A24 movie Civil War. Starring Kirsten Dunst, it’s about a dystopian America during an internal war and documents the story of war photojournalists racing to get to Washington before rebels take The White House. 10/10 recommend.
Reading
I’m reading the extremely twisty book The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis. It’s about a group of privileged teenagers in LA in the ’80s who are targeted by a serial killer. It’s presented as an autobiography but I recently found out it’s all fiction which helps me sleep better at night.
Listening to
I’ve had Maggie Rogers’ new album Don’t Forget Me on constant rotation all week. ‘Drunk’ is the stand-out song for me – it’s perfect for belting out in the kitchen with a glass of wine.
Cait Emma Burke, Fashion Journal’s Editor
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Watching
I recently gobbled up the Danish comedy Call Me Dad on SBS and it was just what I was looking for: sweet, silly, sentimental and a bit cheesy. It tells the story of two late twenties/early thirties guys, Emil and Viktor, who own a sustainable catering company together.
Their lives become even more intertwined when Emil discovers that Viktor and his mum are in a relationship. Immense discomfort and much hilarity ensue as he tries to navigate their new dynamic. If you’re looking for something lighthearted and not too cerebral, this is the show for you.
Reading
I picked up Australian author Mimi’s Zhu’s book Be Not Afraid of Love a while back at Aesop’s Queer Library initiative. The gorgeous cover aside (it really does look great on my bedside table), it’s a vivid, unflinchingly honest account of Mimi’s experience of being in and getting out of an abusive relationship and learning to love again. She dives deep into the ways that self-esteem, family, friendship and romance all intersect, and explores how these intersections impact society and politics on a bigger scale.
Listening to
I’ve been the most feral fangirl of Charli XCX since I first discovered her at age 19, and no other pop girlie is doing it like her right now. She just released two singles from her forthcoming album Brat, ‘B2B’ and ‘Club Classics’. I’ve already absolutely rinsed ‘B2B’ and assured its place on my most listened-to Spotify songs of 2024. The pulsating, moody beat with the repetitive lyrics and early 2000s-esque exaggerated breaths is Charli at her party-girl best. The album simply can’t come soon enough.
Something else I’ve had on repeat this week since rewatching Bend It Like Beckham is the timeless club banger that is Melanie C’s ‘I Turn To You’ (it features in the scene where Kiera Knightley is dancing in the club while wearing the best-going out top of all time, duh). I’ve been listening to both the Hex Hector remix and the original – what can I say, I’m obsessed.
Izzy Wight, Fashion Journal’s Assistant Editor
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Watching
After reading its comparisons to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s masterpiece Fleabag, I started watching the recently released Netflix show, Baby Reindeer. I love a British thriller (Broadchurch and Bodyguard, for example) and Fleabag is an all-time favourite, so it felt like a winner.
Baby Reindeer follows the true story of a female stalker, Martha, and her unlikely victim, a barman and comedian named Donny. I’m only three episodes in but it’s constantly surprising me. Also, the man who plays Donny is Richard Gadd, the IRL victim in this true story, adding a brutally human element to the show.
Reading
I’m a big Substack fan, and I’ve recently been devouring the menswear-focused fashion newsletter, Blackbird Spyplane. Normally I wouldn’t gravitate towards menswear content as much, but this Substack is proving me wrong.
Every week, Jonah Weiner and his partner Erin Wylie break down fashion news in a very digestible, tongue-in-cheek way. You can also find out-of-the-box interviews with people like Kim Gordon, André 3000, Danielle Haim, Nathan Fielder… the list goes on.
Listening to
After waiting seven years since the group’s last album, I’ve been listening to Mount Kimbie’s new release, The Sunset Violent. It’s abstract, fuzzy and shoegaze-y in a way I’ve enjoyed, particularly as the weather in Melbourne gets a little moodier. And at 36 minutes long, it’s a nice listen for a slow afternoon walk.
Georgina Woolcock, Fashion Journal’s Partnerships and Campaign Executive
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Watching
From the ages of twelve to eighteen, I had a Brandy Melville store ten minutes from my house and, regrettably, spent too many years desperately trying to fit into the ‘Brandy girl’ mould. When I saw Brandy Hellville and the Cult of Fast Fashion was released on Binge, as someone who was so engrained in the culture the brand created, I knew it would be a documentary that would resonate with my friends and me.
Without saying too much, it’s a fascinating watch that not only delves into the consumerism perpetuated by fast fashion brands but also the impacts of its infamous ‘one-size-fits-all’ model, toxic (and possibly illegal) workplace culture and wider pop culture influences.
Reading
I’m in what’s possibly the worst reading slump of my life, so my real answer is nothing but cheesy crime novels in an attempt to reignite the spark. As for something less embarrassing, I recently finished (and loved) Julia Fox’s memoir Down The Drain. She narrates the audiobook herself so if you love her voice like I do, bonus points there, and it’s a chaotic and incredibly raw read in the best way.
Listening to
FJ’s Advertising and Partnerships Manager Molly recently recommended I listen to BBC and CBC’s Who Replaced Avril Lavigne? Joanne McNally Investigates, and I was immediately hooked. I’m already a sucker for an absurd-yet-convincing celebrity conspiracy theory, and the ludicrousness of the story combined with McNally’s Irish humour is a perfect recipe for a hilarious listen.
For more recommendations, head here.
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