POPSUGAR Life Balance

The Psychology Behind Why We're Obsessed With "The Traitors"

Kelsey Garcia — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:25:00 -0700

It's rare to watch someone's heart shatter in real time, although reality television makes it less so. In fact, in the season one finale of "The Traitors," you can witness two hearts break as Cirie Fields reveals to fellow contestants Andie Vanacore and Quentin Jiles that she's been a traitor all along, and they've just lost the out on the $250,000 prize pot by failing to vote her out sooner. "I'm a faithful at heart, but I'm a traitor in this game," Fields says as disbelief falls over the faces of her duped competitors.

"The Traitors," which will premiere its "The Traitors: New Blood" spinoff season on Sept. 17, has been heralded as the best new competition show in the way of "Survivor" and "The Challenge." The Peacock original invites reality stars from various networks to a castle in the Scottish Highlands. Three traitors are anonymously picked and the rest of the group, called the faithfuls, must correctly identify and vote out the traitors to win. Oh, and Alan Cumming is the host.

The wacky experiment is working: in 2024, "The Traitors" became the most-watched unscripted series across all streaming platforms in the US, according to Nielsen via The Wrap. At the time, that was thanks in part to season two traitors Phaedra Parks and Parvati Shallow, who quickly became fan favorites, inspiring endless meme material on a weekly basis.

Subsequently, the show has picked up the Emmy for outstanding reality competition program in both 2024, 2025, and 2026. At those ceremonies, Cumming also took home the award for outstanding host for a reality or reality competition program. "That is so beautiful that a show about treachery and betrayal brings people together," Cumming said on stage at the 2026 Emmys.

But what does it mean when so many people are gleefully tuning in each week to see deception and double-crossing on full display? "The things that tend to naturally grab our attention are oftentimes the things that we're concerned about," says Christian L. Hart, PhD. "If you hear that someone has died, our first question is usually, how did they die? The things that we're worried about, like our own demise, we want to learn more about, so we can avoid those types of problems."

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Christian L. Hart, PhD, is a psychology professor at Texas Woman's University. He centers his research around lying and runs a Human Deception Laboratory.

Dr. Hart says the the fascination with "The Traitors" is similar to the popularity around entertainment about scams and true crime. "The more we can learn about it and observe it, the more confident we get that maybe we can avoid that happening to us," Dr. Hart says.

Whether that's actually effective, however, is another story. Dr. Hart is skeptical: "We learn about avoiding being duped typically through direct experience. Someone in a romantic relationship who gets burned by their partner will tend to be much more cautious moving forward. Those types of painful life experiences can really make us focus in on being more discerning about others." He adds, "I'm not too sure that watching TV shows offers that same level of training."

While viewers may not be able to retain much by watching "The Traitors," the actual participants of the show do a pretty good job at detecting deception. In the second season, all the traitors, including Parks and Shallow, were eventually banished from the castle, leaving faithfuls as the winners.

Dr. Hart thinks the faithfuls tend to take the right approach. "When you ask most people, how can you tell when someone is lying? They usually talk about behavioral cues. Like, they won't make eye contact, they look off to the left, or they stutter and stammer. None of those are very accurate predictors of when someone's lying," he says. "In the show, people rarely talked about those. What they did talk about were the things that are actually associated with lying, like people saying incongruent things."

Dr. Hart says "informational content" - meaning inconsistencies and evidence of a concocted story - is a better indicator. In his research, he has compared interrogation videos of people lying and people telling the truth and hasn't found consistent patterns, even in high-stakes scenarios. "People are pretty good at lying, and pretty good at masking their emotions," he says.

The premise of "The Traitors" is interesting because technically any competitor can be picked to be a traitor. The show uses that to its advantage, typically picking a combination of mischievous and mild-mannered contestants to form the triumvirate. As each season unfolds, it's fascinating to watch these traitors gradually embrace their roles and resort to lying.

This is pretty reflective of normal society, however. The average person tells a lie every few days, Dr. Hart says, and it's typically not for "malicious reasons," but instead to save face, avoid embarrassment, or protect one's privacy. "Most of the lies that people tell tend to be lies aimed at navigating social life," he adds. "Our culture is arranged in such a way that we find it very difficult to be honest all the time."

"Our culture is arranged in such a way that we find it very difficult to be honest all the time."

Though wildly entertaining, there may be an unexpected, adverse effect to watching the show. "In psychology, we talk about this cognitive bias called the availability heuristic. If a concept is more available in our mind, usually because we've seen it recently, it looms larger in our thoughts," he says. "Watching shows where you're seeing the worst sight of people probably has that same effect. We're just bombarded with these narratives of people being awful to each other and that's readily available in our mind when we think of people. And so probably it causes a little bit more paranoia or at least a more negative outlook on human nature."

On the other hand, there are of course viewers - likely a high percentage - who root for the traitors and revel when they make it another week undetected or lie to a friend's face swearing they are so not a traitor. Thankfully, there aren't many moral implications for viewers who find themselves in that camp.

Dr. Hart draws the comparison with cases throughout history where the outlaw becomes the hero. "There's a sense of people being able to outwit the powers that be that is kind of appealing to a lot of people, especially a lot of people who feel like they've been kind of held down in society. To see someone who's thumbing their nose at these same systems and institutions that they feel have been oppressing them is very satisfying in some ways," he says.

Then again, in this case, "Everybody is fully aware that this is just a game."

Kelsey Garcia (she/her) is the lifestyle director at PS, where she oversees coverage across Balance and Health & Fitness. Kelsey is passionate about travel, wellness trends, and evolving parenting styles. Before joining the PS team as an editorial assistant in 2015, she interned at Elle and Harper's Bazaar, among other publications.

For Black Women, Saying Goodbye to Martha’s Vineyard Gets Harder Every Summer

Yasmine Jameelah — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:05:01 -0700

I've been going to Martha's Vineyard for almost a decade. My first introduction to the island was through my mother, who's been visiting for over 20 years. She started going in her 30s, when a woman from our church would host an annual girls' trip. Year after year, she returned on the ferry, building friendships, traditions, and memories in a place that offered something she didn't often find elsewhere: the freedom to simply exist, surrounded by other Black people doing the same.

Years later, when I was old enough to experience the Vineyard for myself, that same woman who had first welcomed my mother to the island welcomed me. In some ways, it felt like a coming of age, and specifically, a coming into womanhood. I was being welcomed into a tradition that existed long before me - one that had been passed from one generation of Black women to the next. From the time I arrived, I understood without a doubt why my mother kept returning. And now, every year, we return together as a family.

But our story isn't unique. For generations, Black families have returned to the Vineyard, and Black women in particular have found something there that can be difficult to find elsewhere: belonging and rest among people who look like us. But that sense of belonging didn't appear overnight.

Black people have been part of Martha's Vineyard's story for centuries. The earliest documented Black residents on the island included enslaved Africans in the 1700s, and records later show Black Islanders working in homes and throughout the island's maritime economy as sailors, cooks, sailmakers, fishermen and whalers. After slavery ended in Massachusetts in 1783, free Black people continued to build lives on the Vineyard, including through fishing and whaling, while some established roots and became property owners.

By the 19th century, the Vineyard had become a place where Black families and visitors traveled from across the country to vacation there. And as the island developed into a summer destination, Black residents and visitors continued creating intentional communities of their own, specifically in Oak Bluffs. At a time when segregation and discriminatory practices restricted where Black Americans could vacation, stay and purchase property, Oak Bluffs was a town where Black people could buy homes. And because Black travelers could not count on being welcomed at hotels and inns across Martha's Vineyard, Black homeowners and business owners created places for other Black visitors to stay.

That access to property did more than create a vacation destination. It allowed us to put down roots on this little island off the coast of New England. Black families bought homes, welcomed friends and relatives, and returned summer after summer, creating traditions that could be passed from one generation to the next. Over time, Oak Bluffs became the center of a thriving Black summer community, one that drew generations of Black families, as well as some of the most prominent Black artists, writers and leaders of their time, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Harry Belafonte and Maya Angelou, who once described the Vineyard as "a safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."

That tradition continues today. Barack and Michelle Obama have a home on the Vineyard where they spend every August, alongside a new generation of familiar faces like Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade, Spike Lee, Tina Knowles and Tracee Ellis Ross. In many ways, Martha's Vineyard became a third space in vacation from a place outside of home and work where generations of Black people could return, gather and simply be. And Oak Bluffs was at the center of it. The traditions, community, and emotions that have been fostered here over the years are what keep generations of Black families, and more specifically Black women, coming back.

"I came to Martha's Vineyard 38 years ago and got welcomed by the Polar Bear[s]," says Caroline Hunter. The 80- year-old tradition began at the Inkwell in 1946 when two Black sisters, known as the O'Brien sisters, purchased a cottage in the Campgrounds and moved it to the end of Circuit Avenue, where they operated it as a bed-and-breakfast. Nine Black guests who had come to the Vineyard for summer work began swimming together early in the morning, when their work schedules allowed. What started as a morning swim among a small group would grow into an eight-decade tradition of exercise and fellowship.

Today, from July 4 through Labor Day, the Polar Bears still meet at the Inkwell at 7:30 each morning for an hour in the water. "I got hooked, because I looked at these women, I was in my late 30s, and they were in their 60s, 70s and 80s," Hunter says. "The kind of quality of life, and an uprightness and an energy that, to me, was very exciting. So I was like, 'I've got to be with these old people, because they got something going on.' And as life changed and they got older, myself and another lady took it over."

Nearly four decades later, Hunter she is helping carry that tradition forward as a Polar Bear leader. For her the tradition and the vineyard as a whole is rooted in wellness. "Lots of beautiful things happen when people do things collectively," she says "That's the true meaning of community and wellness. When people live on an island, they have a different sense of community, connectedness. As someone approaching my own 10th summer as a Polar Bear, I asked Hunter what women of my generation can do to preserve what women like her have built. Her answer was simple: take up the mantle.

She wants the next generation to understand that inheriting these spaces comes with a responsibility to show up, to care for one another, and, above all, to be responsible and kind.

Erin Goldson knows something about taking up that mantle. The founder and CEO of Vineyard Icon comes from a family whose relationship with Martha's Vineyard spans five generations. That history begins with her great-grandmother, Lucille Lipman, who emigrated from Kingston, Jamaica, to Boston at 13 and purchased a home on Tuckernuck Avenue in Oak Bluffs in 1946.

"What I love about her story is that she did not simply buy a house. She built a community around it," Goldson says. "She rented rooms, welcomed friends and visitors from places like Boston and New York, and introduced other families to the Vineyard who eventually became homeowners themselves."

Lipman became a founding member of The Cottagers, a nonprofit organization of Black women homeowners on Martha's Vineyard. And the intentional roots she planted have extended through five generations of Goldson's family. Her parents met on the Vineyard when her mother was 17 and later married there. Her sister was married there in their mother's wedding dress. Her grandmother, who lives on the island year-round, turns 100 this year and was one of the happiest attendees of Goldson's Vineyard Icon Awards this year.

"So when I say Martha's Vineyard is home, I really mean it," Goldson says. "It has held almost every chapter of our family's story." Goldson has never missed a summer on the Vineyard.

"I remember being in middle school and realizing that I almost lived two parallel lives," she says. "During the school year, I attended a predominantly white private school in Washington, DC. Then summer would come, we would pack our family car to the roof, and I would arrive on the Vineyard surrounded by Black excellence across generations."

At the time, she didn't yet have language for what made that experience so significant. "I just knew that I felt safe, known, and free," Goldson says. "I could ride my bike to the Inkwell, watch the Polar Bears in the morning, walk around town, work different summer jobs, and move from one friend's house to another." The freedom that Goldson describes on the Vineyard, still exists, as so much of what many people discuss about Martha's Vineyard is how safe they feel, and how their children are the freest they've ever been when on the island. "I felt independent, but I was never really alone," she says. "Friends, relatives, and neighbors were always nearby and looking out for me. There were people who had known me, my parents, or my grandparents for years."

But that freedom she feels here, she was taught by the many in her family, was a privilege that she shouldn't take for granted. "You do not simply inherit a place like this," Goldson says. "You have a responsibility to care for it, contribute to it, and leave something meaningful for the people coming behind you." Goldson says that responsibility was part of what led her to create Vineyard Icon, which celebrates people who have contributed to the island while giving back to the community through local organizations and scholarships.

"The celebration matters, but so does the responsibility that comes with it," she says. And when I asked Goldson whether describing Martha's Vineyard as a refuge for Black women matched her own experience, she didn't hesitate.

"Absolutely. To me a refuge is a place where you can put some of the weight of life down and return to yourself - a place where you can exhale," she says. "Black women spend so much of our lives navigating spaces where there is pressure to perform, achieve, explain ourselves, or represent something larger than ourselves. On the island you can see incredibly accomplished Black women riding bikes, sitting on the beach, walking down Circuit Avenue, having coffee with friends, or sitting on a porch doing absolutely nothing," Goldson says. "There is something about the Vineyard that makes you feel light and at ease."

And in her own family, Goldson can now watch the next generation of Black women rest, including her niece. "They may not yet understand the history, but they already understand that this is a place where they can exhale." For Goldson, that may be the simplest way to explain what Black women have found here for generations. "You can be extraordinary without having to prove your extraordinaryness," she says. "You can simply be."

Yasmine Jameelah is a seasoned wellness journalist, editor, and community builder, and the founder of Transparent Black Girl, a groundbreaking wellness platform that has reached over five million Black women worldwide. Her insightful work and leadership have been featured in The New York Times, Essence, Popsugar, Coveteur, and Oprah Daily.

I Went to Adult Summer Camp - and Loved It

Pia Velasco — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 11:30:02 -0700

When I first learned that adult summer camps existed, I was intrigued. As we get older, social gatherings often center around meals and drinks, but less often around lighthearted play and building community. My mind instantly created scenes of my adult friends and I playing tug-of-war or doing arts and crafts. It was quickly followed up, however, with, "I'd only ever go with a group of friends."

I'm a lot pickier about who I spend my time with as an adult and admittedly a lot more reserved. As a kid, and even as a teenager, it's common to be sent off to summer camp with a bunch of kids you don't know. You're expected to go make friends and try new activities, and in retrospect, the fact that your parents sent you makes it OK.

So, while I loved the idea of tapping back into my inner child, it felt a little pathetic to search out the experience as an adult. What does it say about me that I have to seek out opportunities to meet new people and have fun?

Truth be told, most of my good friends live in other countries, and after moving to a neighboring state two years ago, some of the friends I thought I was close with quietly drifted away. The physical distance is especially hard when I want to grab brunch with a close friend and my best option is FaceTime. The emotional distance from the people I thought were my friends was torturous. I'm not afraid to say that I desperately wanted new friends - I just didn't want to give that energy off.

But an opportunity arose to spend a weekend with Camp Social, a women's-only, three-day sleepaway camp in Equinunk, PA. Founder Liv Schreiber says she started it because she realized making friends as an adult felt harder than it should, which deeply resonated with me. "I wanted to create the kind of community I wished existed: a place where showing up alone is normal and leaving with lifelong friends is expected," she says.

So, I decided to give it a try. The truth was that I was excited to spend time by a lake, playing sports, and meeting new people. Despite some internalized insecurities, I figured the worst that could happen was I'd spend a weekend reading, writing, and enjoying solo activities. Even if I didn't click with anyone, I told myself that I was going for me. Whoever I met, I wasn't going to force connection. I was just going to be open-minded.

My first experience as a camper was boarding the bus from New York to Philly. In the line, I met a woman roughly my age who flew in from the West Coast. She works with children full-time and, after overseeing summer camps, wanted to experience it herself. On the bus, I sat next to a woman who I estimated to be in her 50s. She was energetic and spoke enthusiastically about her children, her husband, and how much she loved being a hairdresser. A friend of hers had suggested coming with her, but she wanted to experience Camp Social alone. (Baller.)

A few hours later, we arrived. The camp itself was beautiful. Walking up the path from the parking lot, I saw the large main cabin overlooking the camp's private lake, with thick forest surrounding the grounds on all sides. Scattered along the sides of the lake were traditional wood cabins. I arrived at the check-in station and was given my cabin name and location. It was the furthest from the main lodge, but conveniently located next to the pool, archery station, and the lake slide. I was in The Bloom Cabin, named after the supplements brand sponsoring this year's camp. I unpacked, met some of my cabin mates, mixed one of the hydration powders into my branded canteen, and settled in.

As endearing as I was already finding the experience to be, I was admittedly still unsure about the weekend, still feeling awkward about the whole thing and not having yet clicked with anyone there.

The first real camp immersion was dinner at the main lodge. As I walked towards it, I noticed groups had already formed: I saw duos, trios, and larger groups of tens already chatting like old friends. "Were they?" I wondered, but I'd later learn that most of them didn't know each other. In fact, Schreiber says over 90 percent of campers arrive solo.

Dinner was easy. A camp-style food buffet was available and rows of long tables filled the space. I found a seat at a round table and chatted with a few people at dinner, including Kasey, a woman who mirrored my openness and sense of adventure. We planned to meet later that evening at the social gathering in the barn. By the end of dinner, pop music started blasting and all the camp counselors stood up on their chairs, dancing alongside Schreiber. They danced through the dining room, encouraging others to stand up and put their hands together. As much as I don't love forced fun, they managed to get everyone up with smiles on their faces.

The social gathering that evening consisted of a live band, people dancing, and others enjoying the small bites and drinks being passed around. (Alcohol is one thing we didn't have at camp back in the day - but one that many were elated to have now.) I met back up with Kasey and a few others, and we started chatting over s'mores. I was delighted at how easy the conversation flowed, and I connected with Gina, a woman about my age with a bubbly personality and enough energy to light up a room. As the sun went down, some stayed to drink and dance, but I ventured off to the snack bar to stock up before getting comfortable on the yard to watch "Cheaper By The Dozen."

The second day was full of activities. I'd already identified people I enjoyed spending time with, and over breakfast we made loose plans to meet up for different activities throughout the day. There was archery, kayaking, rock climbing, arts and crafts, and JABS, a cardio-sculpt class that Gina was teaching. There was also going to be an Olympic-style competition later that day that we'd all participate in. My goal: gravitate toward fun and hang out with whoever I meet there.

And that's what I did. I slid down onto the lake slide over and over again, squealing with delight each time I zoomed toward the chilly water. I did the lake obstacle course, looking like a fool doing it but loving every second. I met up with my friends from the night before, and together, we bedazzled sunglasses we'd each wear to the '60s dance party later that evening.

When it was time for the Olympics, I put on my team color, pink, and chugged my way up to the gymnasium where it was hosted. We made up cheers, did relay races, helped each other answer riddles, and when our team lost, we cheered on the other teams before celebrating with a foam party.

I was exhausted. I was elated. I was having genuine childlike fun.

Before dinner, there was another social event. Unable to find my new friends, I joined a group of women closer to my mother's age than my own. In chatting, I learned that one of them was nervous because her son had just enlisted in the Army and she had just dropped him off at basic training. My husband went through the same program before college and has been with the Army for nearly 15 years now, and loves it. I shared some of his experiences with her, mostly talking about the deep sense of pride he feels. I told her about how he's built schools and how he instructs, and how I, as someone who had never met anybody in the military before him, have come to love supporting him. Through the conversation, I saw in her face that I was able to ease some of her fears, and she gave me a big hug at the end. Despite being from different places, of different generations, and different races, we were able to make a connection sparked by a shared experience of people we love.

That moment illustrated something Schreiber had said about the camp's philosophy: "I believe one conversation with a stranger can change your entire life. Every meaningful relationship starts with two strangers, and it's easy to forget that when you're feeling lonely or stuck." Now, I don't think that conversation necessarily changed her life, but I like to think that it was what she needed at that moment.

That night, everybody got dressed up in their '60s outfits and headed back to the barn for another night of dancing. I met up with my new friends. We watched the sunset by the lake, had some fun dancing, and indulged again in as many s'mores as we could stomach.

Day three, our final day, came faster than I thought it would. At breakfast, I scrambled trying to decide what activities to do. I wanted to kayak and try archery again, but I also wanted to tie-dye, go to an astrology class, and do JABS again, which had left my full body in a delicious ache. I rushed back to my cabin to pack as quickly as possible, wanting to take full advantage of the last few hours we had left. I ended up taking the astrology class since I had befriended the astrologer that day before, and then made my way over to the Little Words Project bar to make some bracelets before starting my goodbyes.

By the end, I closed up my weekender and found myself wishing we had more time. Yes, I absolutely wanted another day to lunge myself into the lake and watch movies from the early aughts, but I also wanted a little more time with the women I had gotten to know. Day one felt like warm-up, day two was immersion, and day three came way too fast.

I loved adult summer camp. I went into it with zero expectations and came out with much more than a handful of memories. I exchanged numbers with a few of the people I befriended, including Gina who I just met up with in Florence while on vacation (she lives there!) and Kasey, who I'm meeting up with next month while she's on a business trip in New York.

When speaking with Schreiber, I asked her about her favorite thing to witness during Camp Social. Her response hit me like an arrow: "Watching women arrive a little bit nervous and leave completely transformed. By the end of the weekend, they're hugging girlfriends they met 48 hours earlier, making travel plans together, and walking away with a level of confidence they didn't arrive with. Seeing that transformation never gets old."

As a camper myself, I can say the transformation is real.

Pia Velasco is a journalist with over a decade of editorial experience at outlets including Vogue, Good Housekeeping, and InStyle, and has also written for Allure, ELLE, Coveteur, and more.

Everyone Wants a Village. Nobody Talks About Maintaining One.

Yasmine Jameelah — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 10:55:02 -0700

There's an African proverb that says, "It takes a village to raise a child," and my village took that seriously. Before I even entered this world, my mother often reminds me that it was my great-grandmother and grandmother who cleaned our home in preparation for my arrival. They prayed over her pregnancy and over my life before I ever took my first breath. My grandfathers babysat me. My aunts cared for me before they had children of their own. Long before I understood what community meant, I was surrounded by people who quietly modeled it. Because of that, I've never questioned whether villages exist. I've questioned what happens to them once we grow up.

Like a lot of women, I thought adulthood would come with its own version of that same village. I thought mine would look like a combination of "Girlfriends," "Living Single," "Insecure," and "Sex and the City." I imagined there would always be dinners after work, girls' trips, spontaneous phone calls, birthdays, weddings, babies, promotions, and somehow we'd all keep choosing one another through every version of ourselves. Instead, adulthood looked like calendar invites for dinner, catching up through eight-minute voice notes instead of Saturday morning coffee, and rescheduling the same girls' night three times before it finally happened. Somewhere between careers, breakups, businesses, moves, marriages, babies, grief, and simply growing up, my village disappeared, and I was angry about it. Lately there's been so much online discourse about how everyone wants a village, but nobody wants to be a villager and in many ways, I'd have to agree.

Because villages require something from us. They require inconvenience. They require us to sit through an hour of traffic to celebrate a friend's promotion; pick someone up from the airport after a long day at work; drive across town after a breakup because they shouldn't have to be alone; babysit your friend's children so she doesn't have to pay for childcare; show up to the baby shower even when you're quietly wondering if motherhood will ever happen for you; or spend your Saturday helping someone move instead of crossing things off your own to-do list. Sometimes, being a villager simply means choosing someone else's needs alongside your own, even when you don't always see the benefits.

In exploring the village dynamics, I spoke with three women in very different seasons of life: a wife and new mother who recently earned her PhD; a successful nurse navigating singlehood;and a divorced professional organizer rebuilding her village after the end of her marriage. I wanted to know what friendship had taught each of them about showing up, being seen, and what it actually takes to build - and sustain - a village in adulthood.

A Village Must Be Tended

Maintaining a village is one thing. Doing so while becoming a wife, a mother, moving to a new state, and earning a doctorate alongside your partner is another. But that's exactly what Courtney Clarke-Tracey, PhD accomplished. When asked how she did it, Dr. Clarke-Tracey uses a poignant metaphor: "I think of my village as a garden that I tend to. Seasons change, and gardens require different things in different seasons. There are seasons when everything blooms effortlessly, and there are seasons when you're simply watering roots you can't yet see. Both are acts of love that I actively choose to engage in because I care."

Each season, the garden yields different flowers or crops, Dr. Clarke-Tracey explains. "Becoming a wife reshaped me. Becoming a mother unraveled and remade me into a braver version of myself. Moving to a new state stretched the miles between what I regard as 'familiar' and forced me to learn more about what I need from my village. Earning my doctorate demanded long nights and quiet sacrifices that were hard as hell, especially while pregnant."

At the same time, none of those identities replaced the woman who loved and needed her people. "They simply asked me to be more intentional about how I show care and communicate my needs to those who care about me," Dr. Clarke-Tracey says.

What's important to remember as you're balancing multiple identities: intentionality doesn't have to be extravagant. More often than not, it looks like choosing your people in small, ordinary ways. Dr. Clarke-Tracey suggests simple acts like writing down the important dates that matter to your people, reaching out instead of waiting to be reached for, taking the trip for quality time with your homegirl - even if it's just to their house when it would be easier to stay home.

In other words, sustaining a village, "is about refusing to let life's additions become reasons for someone's subtraction," Dr. Clarke-Tracey says. "It's choosing, over and over again, to be there, even when 'here' looks different than it once did. People just want to know you're there."

Your Village Isn't Finished

Petulia Pierre, a registered nurse, offers another perspective, being the friend who often feels let down by their village. "Because I'm single and I have a more flexible work schedule, I'm usually the friend people call. 'Can you pick up my kids?' 'Can you do this?' 'Can you do that?' Throughout the year[s] I've shown up for birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers and holidays. I've celebrated everybody else's milestones. But when it came to mine - especially my birthday - I realized I wasn't always getting that same energy back."

Her advice for others feeling disappointment in your village: consider expansion. "Your village can't only be the people you've known since middle school, high school, or college," Pierre says. "People's lives change, and your community should be allowed to change too. Some of my strongest villages have come through work, through fitness, and through spaces where I've intentionally built relationships. Don't limit yourself to one friend group. Give yourself permission to build community wherever life takes you."

The Best Villages Evolve

For Rebekah Love, a professional organizer, when life took her to a place she never expected her village became crucial. Long before Love got married, she made a quiet promise to herself that sisterhood would remain a priority. When she married and later became a mother, those same friendships grew alongside her family. When her marriage ended, they became something else entirely.

"Those same friendships became my sister circle, my circle of counselors, coaches, and sometimes therapists. My friendships have always adapted with my needs, and vice versa. Me and my girlfriends always talk about how we love each other's souls because no matter how things change, I still see them."

Her divorce also revealed which relationships were rooted in who she was, rather than the role she occupied. "I also had some friendships that went with the marriage. What I learned is that some of those people were more attached to the version of me that was married, not necessarily the core of me." That's something she struggled with, but eventually learned to accept: "I realized I don't want to just connect with people during milestones," Love says. She wants to have a village she can build a life with - and vice versa.

Maybe that's the biggest mistake we make when it comes to curating community. We spend so much time searching for the right people that we've forgotten to ask whether we're becoming the kind of people someone else can build a life with. Villages and building community requires reciprocity. They require curiosity. They require grace. They require us to love people beyond the season they're in and to leave room for new friendships instead of expecting one friend - or even one friend group - to meet every need we'll ever have.

Perhaps that's what adulthood is asking of us. To stop measuring our friendships by how often we see each other and start measuring them by how intentionally we show up. It also asks us to rethink what a village is supposed to look like. Maybe we've been searching for one perfect circle when, in reality, we're allowed to build many. Unlike romantic love, friendship gives us permission to be expansive. Our village can include childhood friends, coworkers who become chosen family, fitness class friends, volunteer work, parenthood, or the hobbies we discover later in life. We don't have to expect one person, or one group of friends, to carry every version of who we are becoming.

Maybe the village we've been yearning for isn't as far away from us as we think. So the next time you feel like asking yourself, "Where is my village?" Perhaps the question you should be asking is, "Who in my life needs me to be a better villager, and what kind of village am I building along the way?

The "Solo Daters" of the US Open

Andi Breitowich — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 05:55:03 -0700

Most sporting events are better with company. Basketball is more fun when you have someone to lose your voice with after a buzzer-beater, baseball practically begs for a friend to split a pretzel and a seventh-inning hot dog, and if we're being honest, half the fun of football is feeding off the collective roar of the crowd. But tennis plays by different rules. The sport's hushed etiquette - where applause comes in bursts and conversations pause during rallies - doesn't exactly lend itself to rowdy group outings. Instead, it's quietly become a haven for a growing breed of sports fans: the solo spectator.

At the US Open Tennis Championships, one of the biggest sporting events in the country, it's surprisingly common to spot people wandering the grounds alone, Honey Deuce in hand, hopping from court to court with no one to consult but themselves. They aren't answering the inevitable "where are you?" text. They're not debating where to grab lunch, compromising on which match to watch next, or trying to keep the group together as they weave through a crowded stadium. They're simply enjoying tennis on their own terms.

For Manessa Lormejuste, attending a tennis match alone isn't a backup plan - it's the ideal experience. In fact, she enjoys taking herself on solo tennis dates so much that, in addition to last year's US Open, she traveled internationally to attend the 2025 Australian Open on her own. "I like having complete control of my day, and if I go to a tennis match by myself, I'm not encumbered by anyone else's wants or needs," she says. "I go about my day seamlessly and, to be honest, things just usually go my way when I'm alone."

Without worrying about someone else's schedule or preferences, Lormejuste says that every decision becomes delightfully low stakes. She can settle into the experience at her own pace and follow whatever match, player, or moment captures her attention. With nowhere to be except wherever she wants, the day becomes less about sticking to a plan and more about embracing whatever happens next.

In many ways, tennis tournaments are designed for exactly this kind of spontaneity. Unlike football or basketball, where your ticket typically anchors you in one seat for hours, the US Open (and most tennis tournaments, in general) invites fans to roam.

@chloepanes
your sign to take yourself on a solo date - i promise its not that scary #solodate #usopentennis #usopen #nycsolodate #solodateideas
♬ original sound - therealpresidentpres

Beyond the marquee stadiums, dozens of matches unfold simultaneously across the grounds. You can catch a rising teenager on Court 7, stumble upon a doubles thriller on Court 12, then wander over to practice courts where some of the biggest stars in the world are casually hitting balls just a few feet away. Oh, and between all the action, you can stop at one of the many brand activations offering everything from free samples and product demos to interactive games, photo opportunities, and exclusive tournament giveaways.

And being alone doesn't necessarily mean being lonely. "I've learned to be confident in my own decisions when I attend events solo," says Maiyan Pearl, who attended the US Open by herself in 2024. "When you're in a group, it's easy to rely on other people to call the Uber or book the trip or buy the ticket, but when you're alone, you're forced to take initiative and make a plan based solely on what you want to do."

Plus, when you're calling the shots, there's something undeniably freeing about spending a day without accommodating anyone else's preferences. Want to watch four straight hours of doubles? Go for it. Need an afternoon break in the shade? No one's rushing you. Feel like leaving early because you've seen enough? That's entirely your call.

That same independence also leaves room for the kind of moments you can't plan. "I ended up running into an old friend from college who also happened to be at the US Open completely alone, and I probably wouldn't have gotten to catch up with them as much as I did had I been with a group," Pearl says. "Sometimes going with the flow leads to the best experiences."

But the unexpected moments aren't the only payoff. Many solo attendees describe the experience as surprisingly more immersive. Chloe Panes, who usually attends the US Open with her family, decided to try going solo for one day last year and noticed an immediate difference. "I'm definitely more locked into the game when I'm by myself," she says.

Without side conversations or commentary after every point, it's easier to pick up on the little things you might otherwise miss in a group setting, like the player's body language, strategy, and sheer athleticism. Lormejuste agrees, adding, "When I go to matches with friends, it's more of a social thing, but when I go alone, I'm a lot more focused on the actual game."

In an era where even casual plans can require endless group chats, calendar juggling, and a surprising amount of coordination, the US Open might just be the perfect event to experience on your own. For these solo daters, the only schedule to follow is the order of play - and that's exactly how they like it.

Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based freelance writer and graduate from Emory University and Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her work has appeared in PS, Women's Health, Cosmopolitan, and elsewhere.

The Aughts Effect Is Everywhere

Kelsey Castañon — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 07:20:00 -0700

If you, like me, lived through the aughts, you'll never forget 2006. The year was prolific for minting cultural icons: it's when Taylor Swift released her debut album, "The Devil Wears Prada" hit theaters, The Real Housewives dropped its first season, everyone was watching "High School Musical" for the first time, and yes, Popsugar was born. (It's also when I went all-in on tanning beds and chunky highlights - two things I'm glad to leave firmly in the past.)

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary as a media brand, I've been thinking a lot lately about what it must have been like to launch a website back then, at the height of the celebrity blog era. Despite so much good happening in the world of entertainment, the cultural commentary online was brutal: body shaming headlines, invasive paparazzi shots, brutal takedowns by strangers on the internet. That also created an opportunity: Popsugar emerged as the bright spot.

"I wanted it to be a safe space," founding editor Lisa Sugar recently told me. Lisa started the company in 2006 (well, technically, she started blogging in 2005, but PS officially became incorporated the following year) with her husband Brian and some friends as a place to celebrate all the things she loved in pop culture. Quickly, the site became embedded in the cultural moment that defined millennial fandom. By the time Lisa hired me to run the beauty department eight years ago, Popsugar had a global audience and coverage that spanned fitness, fashion, beauty, fitness, food, and parenting.

If you look around today, the impact of the early aughts is everywhere. Two decades later, and we're getting reboots, reunions, and returns of the 2000s fashion and beauty trends we all know and love. Many icons have evolved in the years since, including Popsugar. So to mark the milestone, we're taking you back to the decade that's defined and endured against all odds. When reality TV, mall fashion, and celebrity blogs (ahem) shaped what people talked about. And importantly, we're exploring what the comeback of all the above says about society now.

I hope you'll join us in reliving the magic with each of our cover stories - featuring Tahj Mowry, Monique Coleman, Daniella Monet, and Sabrina Bryan - and dive into the feel-good effect of all your favorite moments making a grand return in 2026.

I also hope you'll enjoy my conversation below with Lisa Sugar, the person who dreamt up this special little corner of the internet, as she reflects on how it all came to be.

Kelsey Castañon: Take me back to 2006. What was the media landscape like then, and what did you want Popsugar to be?

Lisa Sugar: In 2006, media websites weren't a thing on the internet. There was Gawker and Perez Hilton, basically a lot of really snarky stuff. When it came to the established brands, there was just nothing online. People magazine was a landing page to getting subscriptions. At the same time, blogs were starting to pop up and there were community forums where you could find celebrity street style photos that would later end up in print. But the paparazzi was ruthless, the comments were horrible. When Popsugar first started it came from that celebrity fan angle - just wanting to celebrate and support them from a positive place.

Our original vision was to recreate a newsstand online, all in one place. I worked in advertising and got access to all the magazines for free - I loved Glamour, Lucky, all of them. It was just so slow; you got them monthly. Even with the weeklies, by the time you got the issue on Friday the photos were a week old. I realized we could deliver the news much faster. I would review TV pilots and new movies and books before they dropped. I knew I wanted to integrate shopping early on, because then I could share the beauty products I loved as much as I wanted.

Image Source: Lisa Sugar

KC: What's one celebrity story or pop culture moment that changed everything?

LS: There were two big moments that put Popsugar on the map. The first was when Renée Zellweger got married to Kenny Chesney. When the news broke I got access to the only photo and published it three days before any other media outlet. Traffic just took off, and it also brought in people who wanted to partner with and invest in us, like NBC. The other is when I got early access to the Vanity Fair [issue] featuring Jennifer Aniston's first interview post-Brad Pitt. I was able to cover the highlights, and the response was just huge.

Image Source: Lisa Sugar

KC: Tell me about those early days of starting the brand. When did you know it was something special?

LS: In the first year we probably had a dozen employees. I was 29. I just had a baby. I was like, "Do people want a baby in the office? This is weird." But we were all just building this thing, and we became close like family.

Image Source: Lisa Sugar

We were also growing like crazy. Within nine months we had a million people come to the site, and they're coming back multiple times a day. Then within that first year we started launching other verticals. Dear Sugar was our advice column, Fab Sugar was for fashion, Bella was beauty, Fit was fitness. Eventually we had 11, and each site had an avatar inspired by a celebrity. Of course no one knew they were inspired by celebrities, but that's how we [the editors] thought of them; we had Jessica Alba, Jessica Simpson, JLo, Kerry Washington. . .

KC: This was all before social media existed. How did you know what verticals people would respond to?

LS: All the places you go now, the community forums like Reddit, they didn't exist. So we built them. We were noticing in the comment section on popsugar.com that people were becoming friends and standing up for each other. We set the precedent: we don't talk crap here in the comments. Go somewhere else for that.

Eventually we noticed people started having conversations in the comments, like "What are you reading?" or "What are you cooking?" so we listened to that. We launched Yum Sugar. And then within all these sites, we then launched community forums, and people went fucking crazy. All the beauty reviews went nuts, which was a huge category for us. Then we launched recipes. Overnight we had 20,000 people submitting recipes. The forums told us what people wanted. We were ahead of our time back then, people weren't doing that kind of stuff then, but community - that's still everything.

Read all the Aughts Effect stories here.

Lindsay Lohan Looks Back on “The Parent Trap” 28 Years Later - Including That Oreo Scene

Chandler Plante — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 07:05:03 -0700

28 years ago, "The Parent Trap" remake introduced us to one of the greatest food combinations of all time. From the moment we saw Hallie Parker dunk an OREO into her personal jar of peanut butter, we were sold, taking to the pantry to re-create the treat ourselves. Much like the 1998 film, the sweet and salty pairing has truly withstood the test of time, and for good reason. "That moment in the movie, it's when Halle and Annie really connected. It's when you start to see a sign of what their friendship is going to be," Lindsay Lohan tells Popsugar. "I think a lot of it has to do with friendship and finding someone [who] you think is so different from you, but actually is quite similar."

To her point, for all the film's iconic moments (yes, we're still trying to learn Annie and Martin's handshake), this unexpected food combo is one we just can't seem to shake. Over the years, peanut-butter OREOs have become more than just a unique snack - they're the ultimate symbol of summer nostalgia.

In honor of the film's 28th anniversary, we spoke with Lohan, Amy Sedaris, and Patricia Arquette about how they're bringing the iconic scene full circle with Reese's OREO. Read on for their candid thoughts on the combo, personal favorite food pairings, and dream Camp Walden itineraries.

Popsugar: What are your real thoughts on peanut butter and OREOs?
Lindsay Lohan: When I first tried OREOs and peanut butter, I remember [it] was during "The Parent Trap" and on set, and I was like, "What? Do I really have to eat this?" But I was 11. And then I ended up liking it.

PS: If you had to go to Camp Walden in 2026, what would you most want to do?
Amy Sedaris: I would lay on my back in the field at night and just look at the stars.
Patricia Arquette: I would do a lot of arts and crafts, but also archery. I have my little inner goddess, Diana.
LL: I think I would be doing the fencing. Just because I'd want to be out of the sun, because I'm super concerned about my skin always - [the mask] would block my face.

PS: Are there any other unique food pairings you love that people might not expect?
AS: I do like potato chips in a sandwich sometimes.
LL: I do too, I almost need them when I have a sandwich. It feels like they have to be together.
PA: I put cinnamon in my coffee . . . and turmeric.

PS: Between Nick Parker's vineyard estate in California, and Elizabeth James's London townhouse, which one would you pick?
AS: I would pick London, for sure.
PA: Am I there alone? Yeah, I'll go to London.
LL: It's hard because the vineyard has horses and horseback riding, and it's so beautiful and peaceful, but I love fashion and I love cities. So I think I'd have to go London.

Chandler Plante (she/her) is a staff writer and PS Fit Producer. She has over six years of industry experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine, a social media manager for Millie magazine, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and is based in Los Angeles.

Taryn Delanie Smith Is the Ultimate Hype Girl on Re:Play

Kelsey Castañon — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:45:00 -0700

If we learned anything from our Feel-Good List cover shoot with Taryn Delanie Smith earlier this year, it's that she's going to make you laugh. Further proof: the model, actor, and viral internet personality recently stopped by Popsugar's new celebrity talk show, Re:Play, where we gabbed about her favorite pop culture memories, played retro games, and, yes, cackled.

Watch as Delanie Smith waxes poetic about "Titanic," Ugg boots, and - ever the girls' girl - her friendship with Tefi Pessoa (host of the most recent "Love Island: Aftersun," who she delightfully called on the spot). Press play above for the full episode.

Kylie Cantrall Brings the Fun and Games to Re:Play

Kelsey Castañon — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 07:15:03 -0700

It's not every day a Disney Channel icon breaks into song sitting across from you. Alas, such was the case when Kylie Cantrall stopped by Popsugar HQ to join the latest episode of Re:Play, our new nostalgic talk show. There were previews of new music (she recently announced her new EP "Valley Girl Problems," out July 24), retro games, and lots of throwbacks to 2016 - Cantrall's favorite era, naturally.

Press play on the video above to watch the "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" star and singer break down her favorite childhood memories, from starting a burgeoning at-home slime business to bumping in to Olivia Rodrigo on set to the lessons she's learned from "Sex and the City," and more.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Love Is Written in Their Aura Colors

Taylor Andrews — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:45:05 -0700

From red lips and a white dress to indigo eyes and lavender haze, Taylor Swift is famous for including color references in her music. But according to aura readers, Swift's connection to color may go well beyond her songwriting.

Like an astrological sign or personality type, aura colors are believed to reflect a person's energy and emotional makeup. "Auras are an energy signature around each person; they represent the authentic vibrational waves you naturally give out and help you understand yourself," aura reader Megan Firester, also known as Mystic Michaela, tells Popsugar.

When it comes to Swift, Firester says she sees a blend of deep purple and shimmery, sparkly yellow. (Yes, ironically, very lavender haze.) Ahead, she breaks down what Swift's aura colors reveal about her personality, values, and, dating habits - including her relationship with Travis Kelce. Are the two of them actually end game?

Experts Featured in This Article

Megan Firester, also known as "Mystic Michaela," is an aura reader and author of the book "What's My Aura?"

What Is an Aura?

According to aura experts, auras date back to ancient Egypt, during which time Egyptians believed the colorful glows to be the "life force that sustained the pharaohs and their power." In traditional Chinese medicine, auras are an energy source that's important for maintaining each person's well-being. As Firester says, knowing your aura can help you "live life more authentically in every facet of life - career, relationship to self, money, working out, motivation, relationships, and even your personal style."

To figure out your unique hues, a professional (like Firester) can do an aura reading for you. Or, you can use your phone to try to identify your auras on your own. Firester suggests sitting in front of a white wall and filming yourself while you meditate. "After a few minutes of this, you can watch the video back to see if you spot any colors," she says.

You may need to tap into your third-eye chakra to strengthen your aura-seeing ability, Firester notes. Your third eye is located in the middle of your forehead and is felt on a subconscious, spiritual level - similarly to how it may feel to meditate. You can strengthen your third-eye skills by practicing yoga, meditation, and visualization, Firester adds.

Aura Color Meanings

There are eight aura colors in total - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, and pink - and each has a specific vibe. "Learning to lean into and understand the feelings each color emanates can assist with reading your aura as well as the auras of others around you. Even if you don't actually see them," Firester says. According to her, here are some of the key aura color characteristics:

Red: direct and assertive
Orange: focused and energetic
Green: logical and intellectual
Blue: sensitive and empathetic
Yellow: organized and curious
Purple: creative and intuitive
Indigo: introverted and honest
Pink: optimistic and loving

What Is Taylor Swift's Aura?

Swift's aura colors are purple and yellow. "As a yellow aura, she values organization, perfection, and commitment to excellence," Firester says. ("Commitment to excellence" translation = selling out her global Eras Tour.) As for her purple side: "Purple auras are artists by nature and relish in living outside the lines others want to draw around them," Firester says. ("Living outside the lines others want to draw around her" translation = rerecording all of her albums so she owns the rights to them.)

Firester says the fact that Swift's aura is both yellow and purple may present some internal struggles for the star. Namely, she may feel conflicted between her desires for structure and spontaneity.

What Does Taylor Swift's Aura Say About Her Dating Habits?

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Firester took a look at the auras of some of Swift's former BFs, and she noticed a pattern - something she's coining Swift's "aura dating pattern." According to Firester, Swift tends to find "long-term potential" in partners with green auras. For example, her relationships that have seemed to pull her in and resulted in a dynamic artistic shift have all been green-aura partners, such as Joe Jonas, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Joe Alwyn, Firester says.

People with green auras tend to be firm in their beliefs, have an excellent ability to explain their own perspective, think brilliantly, and take the lead in relationships. "Taylor has found comfort in these relationships, thinking they are more stable, permanent, and lasting," Firester says.

After her relationship with someone who had a green aura ends, Swift has historically pursued a partner with purple/blue aura. According to Firester, these purple/blue relationships give Swift space to "find her own voice and find her way back to her own perspective."

"Blue purple men are very comfortable with letting others take the lead. They have an evolving perspective on the world around them and rarely feel the need to stick to one belief system or way of thinking over time," Firester says. "They aren't comfortable being leaders in a relationship; rather, they are supportive of their partner taking their own roads when necessary."

Purple auras in Swift's dating history? Taylor Lautner, Harry Styles, and . . . Travis Kelce.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Compatibility, Based on Their Aura Colors

Firester says Kelce's aura is a combination of purple and blue. "[Purple shows us] he's creative, excited about life, and doesn't fear new thoughts or ideas," she says. The blue tones, meanwhile, indicate that Kelce is emotional and likes to surround himself with the people closest to him, like friends and family.

This primes Kelce to be a great partner for Swift. "Taylor can feel the support and encouragement of Travis to have fun, speak her mind, and give voice to her creative flow without worrying about how it will affect him," Firester says.

But what does the future hold? Forester says with their upcoming nuptials, the two could potentially be end game. "I do get that she feels a bit more attached than she thought she would, and that feels exciting and interesting for them both," Firester says. "The purple auras of Travis and Taylor are having a dynamic and fun time together. I feel like they are learning a lot, feeling safe and excited together as they ride this wave in the public eye, and I do get that they have one another's backs."

Time will only tell what happens for these two, but if it's anything like Swift's previous dating history, we can expect to at least get an epic album from it.

Taylor Andrews (she/her) is the senior balance editor at PS, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With eight years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.

Popsugar Pulse's "Elle" Cover Is For the Girls

Kelsey Castañon — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 06:00:03 -0700

If you think about it, "Legally Blonde" was always a story about friendship. The bending and snapping, the liposuction secret-keeping, the Double Delta Nu Sister Swearing: it was all in step with the movie's overarching theme of girlhood. Of finding your place, your people, and, in turn, yourself.

This is what made the franchise soar, and why, when we learned of a prequel called "Elle" debuting 25 years later on Amazon Prime, we knew we wanted to spotlight the new pink posse at the heart of the series for our latest cover of Popsugar Pulse.

The show itself follows a young Elle Woods from Bel Air to Seattle and carries similar themes of the films, but to me, the connection between its stars Lexi Minetree (as Elle), Chandler Kinney (Kimberly), and Gabrielle Policano (Liz) is what makes it special. During the photoshoot, I learned they are every bit the embodiment of what "Legally Blonde" represents: friends who are different in many ways but who show up and root for each other in all things.

On set, the three giggled between takes, spoke in inside jokes, and filled awkward silences for one another. Outside of set, they stay up until 2 a.m. the night before a big event, sleep on each other's couches, and FaceTime when they need help. "These are girls who will be in my life for the rest of my life," Minetree told senior special projects director Lena Felton.

I can't help but wonder, and to co-opt a phrase from the popular Instagram trend, isn't this the whole point?

In pink we trust,
Kelsey

It Doesn't Get Funnier Than A Twink and a Redhead on Re:Play

Kelsey Castañon — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 07:20:01 -0700

You may not know Grant Gibbs and Ashley Gill by name, but you've certainly seen them all over TikTok. They're the viral duo behind A Twink and a Redhead, best known for making everyone in their collective wake laugh through comedy sketches like "Don Cheadle" and "Panera," and our latest guests on Re:Play, Popsugar's nostalgic talk show.

Press play to watch these childhood best friends reminisce on their 6th grade meet cute, the pop culture moments they love to this day, and what you can expect from their musical comedy tour. (Spoiler: it's chaos . . . you can expect chaos.) Be warned - the entire episode is spit-out-your-water funny.

Stephen Colletti Joins Re:Play, Hearts Melt Worldwide

Kelsey Castañon — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:30:02 -0700

Stephen Colletti has been embedded in pop culture for decades: first, as everybody's favorite heartthrob on MTV's hit reality TV show "Laguna Beach," then as everybody's favorite heartthrob on "One Tree Hill" and, recently, as a faithful heartthrob on "Traitors." Now, he's gracing the small screen in entirely new fashion as the latest guest on Re:Play, Popsugar's nostalgia-soaked talk show.

Colletti stopped by Popsugar's offices to discuss his swoon-worthy tendencies on (and off) the screen, his favorite memories from the early 2000s, the bromance behind his latest Netflix series "Everyone Is Doing Great," and so much more. Press play above to watch.

Meet the First Guest of Re:Play, Ariana Madix

Kelsey Castañon — Wed, 27 May 2026 07:10:03 -0700

Ariana Madix makes the word "multihyphenate" sound lazy. She's a reality TV icon ("Love Island USA," "Dancing With the Stars," and, of course, "Vanderpump Rules"); owner and restaurateur of West Hollywood-based sandwich shop, Something About Her; author of Single AF Cocktails: Drinks for Bad B*tches. Finally, and importantly: she's the inaugural guest of Popsugar's new nostalgic-soaked talk show, Re:Play.

From ballroom to Broadway to bombshell, clearly we've got a lot of ground to cover - and this time it is all fun and games. Press play above to uncover Madix's early "Vanderpump Rules" memories, the biggest "Love Island" misconceptions, and why producing her own TV shows may not be a reality too far off. Plus, the advice she'd give to fellow Bravo star and this season's After Sun host Ciara Miller on life after heartbreak.

Introducing Re:Play, the Nostalgic Talk Show You've Been Waiting For

Kelsey Castañon — Tue, 26 May 2026 09:00:03 -0700

Ever since I was a little girl I knew I was destined for a life of ludophilia.

Born in Las Vegas into what you might call a "game night family," every weekend growing up featured a rotating cast of characters all huddled around the living room table playing Cranium, Clue, Scrabble, Scene It?, or Guess Who, to name just a sampling. My mother, a fierce competitor with a penchant for winning but zero hand-eye coordination, extolled the camaraderie and connection that came from her chosen sport. A little friendly competition brings people together, she'd say.

She's not wrong. There's simply no greater nexus for human connection than a good game night with friends, and nothing more nostalgic for me personally. It's why I've dedicated a not-insignificant amount of square footage in my tiny Brooklyn apartment for my own stash of playing cards and trivia, and the reason I couldn't be more excited to combine said niche hobby with my journalist day job as the host of Re:Play, the celebrity interview series you haven't seen yet.

Launching with our first episode on May 27, Re:Play is Popsugar's new nostalgia-soaked talk show where I invite your favorite stars to settle in, play throwback games, and share the stories they've never told anywhere else. In other words: my ideal Friday night.

Season one will be full of surprises, starting with a jam-packed lineup of guests like reality TV icon Ariana Madix, everybody's favorite heartthrob Stephen Colletti (with a surprise appearance from everybody's other favorite heartthrob, stay tuned on that), viral internet personality Taryn Delanie Smith, and so many more. I'll ask them about their own childhood memories, get the scoop on retro trends they're loving today, and go head-to-head on a handful of games - each with a nostalgic, feel-good twist. Some of my favorites include The Crush Draft, a snake-style draft with a rom-com spin, and Full Body Flashback, a five-senses game down memory lane of taste, smells, textures, visuals, and sounds. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.

You can catch it all on YouTube, where we'll drop episodes every other week on Wednesdays. See you there?

To making mom proud,

Kelsey

Angourie Rice on How Connection Fuels Her Creativity

Lena Felton — Fri, 15 May 2026 12:00:03 -0700

It's early in Australia when Angourie Rice appears on Zoom, her long blond hair in beachy waves. She seems bright-eyed and energetic, so I ask if she's a morning person. She laughs and eventually lands on, "Nope." Her sweet spot is waking up at 8:30 or 9, she says, but she's up early because she travels to the UK tomorrow.

It's a bit of a nutty time in general for the multihyphenate - her second book, "My Wonderful Disgrace," hit shelves this week, and her latest feature film, the rom-com "Finding Emily," releases in the UK next week. But in Australia, where she was born and raised, she's able to maintain somewhat of a normal schedule before the craziness really begins.

"I like to wake up, I like to go to the gym, I like to sit down on my computer and read scripts and do meetings," she says of a typical day when she's not on set or traveling for a project. "Usually, I try to make time to see friends and family. I like seeing people in real life every single day. That's mostly what I'm doing."

It sounds like a balanced approach to the life of a celebrity, but I get the sense talking to the 25-year-old that she must be very productive to be able to pull off all that she does, between acting projects (you might recognize her from her role as Betty Brant in "Spider-Man" or as Cady Heron in "Mean Girls: The Musical") and her writing. She admits that when she is on set for a project, her day to day looks more "regimented."

"I do try to be disciplined about taking care of myself throughout the week, because the job can be so tough on the body," she says. In the mornings, she'll give herself 30 minutes to an hour to prepare for the day, sometimes squeezing in a little yoga. She'll meal prep her lunches ahead of time, too, and has a few other tried-and-true tricks that keep her feeling her best.

The first is physical movement - she loves being able to walk to a gym nearby and "have someone tell me what to do." Last year, she says, she fell in love with lifting weights. She appreciates the goal-oriented aspect of this type of fitness: "I love anything practical - anything that feels like, I will be doing this at some point in my real life, like I will be lifting a heavy thing."

For her mental health, she says, it's simple: "I do just feel my best when I'm talking to people I love and who understand me and have known me for a while." That could be her mom or sister or dad or a friend. She says that some of her closest friends are from high school, which she knows can be rare. "Something I really value about those friendships is that I've been close with them since before this all became a huge part of my life," she says, referencing her career. "And I think also when somebody knows you through your really embarrassing 13-year-old stage, you're kind of bonded for life."

In a matter of minutes, it becomes crystal clear that Rice is a people person. She says the way she decompresses best is with loved ones ("I can go like one or two days living on my own, not seeing people I know, talking to the cashier at the grocery store, but after two days, things are happening up in my brain and I need to, like, go and see someone"). And in the middle of our conversation, Rice checks her phone; her mom, Kate Rice, is calling, but she'll return it later on.

It's that ability to connect, that empathy, that perhaps makes her so successful as both an actor and an author. After all, both of her writing projects have been done in collaboration with her mom (their first book, "Stuck Up and Stupid," was a Reese's Book Club pick). And her acting projects hinge on her ability to connect with others in a genuine way. Her latest film, "Finding Emily," is all about a hopeless romantic teaming up with Rice's character, Emily, to find his one true love.

This week and next, she'll be promoting the film with her castmates, and it's in these moments that she abandons her regimented schedule for later nights - risking an empty tank for the magic of togetherness. "I'm definitely more the one to be like, 'Hey, let's go out,'" she says. "I'm like, let's actually sit down and talk away from all the madness and just have a conversation with us."

Given that she likes to be with people, it all makes sense. And although discipline may be what's gotten her here, Rice is also looking forward to a summer - and a year - where she lets go. "This year, one of my ideas for this year was letting go of embarrassment . . . just do what you want to do and if being embarrassed is the worst thing you're going to be, it's actually not that bad," she says, then repeats it one more time like a mantra. "I'm trying to chase adventure and opportunity without the fear of embarrassment."

Lena Felton (she/her) is a senior director of special projects at PS, where she oversees sponsored packages, tentpole projects, and editorial partnerships. Previously, she was an editor at The Washington Post, where she led a team covering issues of gender and identity. She has been working in journalism since 2017, during which time her focus has been feature writing and editing and elevating historically underrepresented voices. Lena has worked for The Atlantic, InStyle, So It Goes, and more.

No More Maxxing: Why I'm "Minusing"

Kristine Thomason — Wed, 06 May 2026 14:40:02 -0700

Looksmaxxing, sleepmaxxing, fibermaxxing, healthmaxxing, longevitymaxxing, cyclemaxxing, even grandmamaxxing. Lately, it seems like every corner of the internet is riddled with people "maxxing", or maximizing, one aspect of life or another.

The concept spread like a disease after manosphere content creator Clavicular popularized the term "looksmaxxing," which refers to the practice of optimizing one's physical appearance by way of skincare, cosmetic surgery, or practices like "mewing." (Worth noting: this content is primarily targeted at young men.) Suddenly, "maxxing" became a ubiquitous suffix across the internet, as creators began sharing how to bring every niche topic to its extreme.

Personally, I'm wary of any concept that's plucked from the depths of toxic masculinity - and this one is no exception. Although so many of these concepts seem wholesome in nature (what could be wrong with getting more fiber in your diet or optimizing your sleep?), even positive sentiments brought to their extreme can be detrimental. It can breed obsession and unhealthy hyperfixation - and, frankly, it all feels a bit too familiar.

I entered the workforce in the millennial "girl boss" era in New York, when hustle culture was at its peak, and running on empty was a badge of honor. Part of this was a side effect of being in my 20s, when I was wildly ambitious and hungry to keep moving up the ladder as quickly as my legs could carry me. I said yes to every new opportunity and responsibility that was thrown my way, never once pausing to think about whether or not I was draining my cup; there was no space for that, I was squeezing out every single drop of effort my body could give. I was maximizing my potential.

During those years, immersed in the wellness world as a journalist, I also watched the health-trend pendulum oscillate between one extreme to the other. Raw veganism was all the rage, and then carnivore diets reigned supreme. We went from dabbing the excess grease off a pizza to mixing butter into coffee. Even bodies had trends - slender bodies were desirable, and then muscular glutes were the "it" look. It seemed like every day, there were new studies flooding my inbox about some seemingly benign food we needed to cut from our diets entirely, and within years we would learn those fears were dramatically overblown.

It was, in a word, exhausting.

As I scroll through social media now, with words like "sleepmaxxing" and "fibermaxxing" littering my feed, I fear it's simply a rebranding of the same toxic cultural patterns we've seen on loop generation after generation. These concepts, like so much of problematic media, prey on our deepest fears and insecurities about not being enough as we are. They imply that if we simply lean in, and optimize these intricacies of our life, then maybe we will be whole and worthy and lovable.

The thing is, chasing extremes rarely gets you where you want to go. From where I'm sitting, as a 30-something millennial still recovering from burnout (thank you, hustle culture), I'm so tired of maximizing. Instead, I'm adopting a new principle: minusing.

Now, before you come at me for introducing even more internet nonsense, allow me to explain. In this era of my life, I've realized that running myself into the ground in the name of self-improvement is not only counterproductive, but also unnecessary. Throughout my 20s, steeped in the wellness world, I began to hyperfixate on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and thriving at work - to the point that the stress of constructing a perfect version of myself actually began to deteriorate my health. In retrospect, I realize the more I dug in and obsessed about maximizing every element of my life, the less mentally and physically healthy I became.

Now, as I'm bombarded with new ways to hyperfixate on my diet or how I look, I'm trying to quiet the noise through some self-reflection. Can I unfollow accounts that aren't benefitting my life, and spend less time muddling through the slop of social media in general? What are the healthy habits that really sustain me and help me feel like my best self, and which ones are causing me more harm than good? How do I really want to spend my energy, and who do I want to spend it with? What activities fill my cup, and which ones drain me? What can I say "no" to in order to find my space in my life for stillness, spontaneity, and even boredom (which is, after all, the birthplace of creativity)?

Ultimately, the concept of minusing is about getting in touch with yourself, and noticing what's actually improving your life, and where you can subtract those things that aren't (be it people, commitments, habits, obsessions, or otherwise). In weeding the garden of your life, you create fertile soil for beauty to blossom. Maybe cutting back on your over-the-top gym schedule gives you space to try out another hobby you've neglected. Or perhaps paring back your 15-step nightly skincare routine gives you time to read a bit of that book on your TBR pile before bed.

For me, I've been trying to cut back on my screen time to open up space for offline creative expression (creative writing, sewing, playing an instrument, etc.). And while I used to compulsively feel the need to fill every minute of my weekly schedule, I'm trying to leave more room open on the weekends for rest (previously, I wouldn't take any downtime until my body was screaming at me to pause, and I'd wind up couch-ridden for a full day). I've even been working on adopting a scroll-free Sunday, where I allow myself to pour through a novel, go for a leisurely walk, or putter around my home.

A healthy life doesn't exist in the extremes.

Minusing will look different for everyone, but the key is really to offer yourself a bit of grace and kindness. One thing I've learned over the years as someone immersed in the world of media is that the internet thrives on extremism. That's what gets you to click. That's what keeps you scrolling. That's what keeps you locked in.

But just as the world is not so black-and-white, a healthy life doesn't exist in the extremes. To truly thrive, in a way that's sustainable, balance is key. So as toxic messaging continues to pull us in disparate directions, and tries to manipulate us into believing we aren't living the "right" way until we're "maxxing" out x, y, and z, I encourage you to turn down the volume on the nonsense. Instead, listen to your intuition, use your critical thinking, and consider the kind of life you want.

Kristine Thomason is a lifestyle writer and editor based in Southern California. Previously, she was the health and fitness director at mindbodygreen, and the fitness and wellness editor at Women's Health. Kristine's work has also appeared in PS, Travel + Leisure, Men's Health, Health, and Refinery29, among others.

Why Game Nights Are the Ultimate Friendship Hack in Your 30s

Jordan Shalhoub (she/they) — Wed, 06 May 2026 06:00:02 -0700

Once you're an adult, it can be easy to get caught up in what I call the time-capsule trap: you meet up with your freinds every few weeks over drinks, catch up on the latest happenings, then part ways. Sure, it's a nice time, but it's not really anything you'll ever think about again. When you enter the time-capsule trap, your friendships can become stagnant. Rather than creating new memories together, you merely live in parallel, watching formerly strong bonds become a thing of the past.

Adult friendships - especially ones that have withstood the test of time - deserve to live, breathe, and grow. They should be relationships that evolve with you and continue to bring new joy into your life. My high school friends and I live in different cities now, but we like to take annual trips together to places (most) of us haven't been before. With the friends I've made as an adult in my new city, I love going to concerts or doing weekend getaways. But, we're also in our 30s with full, demanding lives (read: we are tired and have limited funds). This is where game night comes in.

Having a great game night in your 30s isn't exactly a tough sell. Everybody gets a comfy seat, it's basically free (aside from any food costs or new games you've bought), and if you start early enough, nothing will stop you from your 15-step skin-care routine and 10 p.m. bedtime. So when I had the chance to throw a grown-up game night in celebration of Uno's recent partnership with VRBO, my friends and I were all in.

"There were alliances, rivalries, underdogs, comebacks, and beatdowns."

We arrived at the house and played a couple games of ping pong and pool while we waited for dinner to arrive. But it wasn't until after dinner that the memories really got made. It had been a while since any of us had played Uno. Luckily, we had an assigned Uno dealer to lead us through the game, playing a couple classic rounds before upping the ante and trying some other variations, like Uno Party and Uno Attack.

We're a fairly competitive group of people (most of us met at the gym), so we were locked in. There were alliances, rivalries, underdogs, comebacks, and beatdowns - we really went through a lot together, and I already know we'll be reminiscing on our game night for years to come. To get a taste of the game night magic, you can book your own Uno Wild Card stay this summer, with six limited-time UNO x Vrbo homes (including this Hollywood Hills location).

On paper, it's something so simple: a group of people and a deck of cards. But sometimes that's all it takes to create a little magic among adult friends. You don't need expensive concerts or extravagant trips to make new and lasting memories with the people you love; you just need a solid game night that can bring everyone together.

Jordan Shalhoub (she/they) is the supervising producer for Vox Media's lifetyle group and has been creating content and digital media since 2012. They started their career as a documentary editor and continued to report and create around real stories that impact real people - at the heart of their experience is a love of storytelling. She also brings to her work a personal passion for wellness through a fitness trainer certification, mental health advocacy, and championing LGBTQ+ rights (and joy!). Currently, they oversee the short-form video program, from strategy through execution, across editorial and sponsored content.

The Joy of Coachella in Your (Late) 30s

Kelsey Castañon — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:45:00 -0700

I woke up the first Saturday of Coachella weekend with aching back pain. The night before, I had danced ad nauseam to everyone from Lykke Li to Sabrina Carpenter, walked eight miles, and inhaled copious amounts of desert dust. After staring at the ceiling for 15 minutes, I peeled myself out of bed and rummaged through my bag for Advil.

That's Coachella in your 30s.

The last time I was here, nearly a decade ago, I was 28 and brimming with collagen and the sprightly energy of someone who can down multiple rounds of Aperol Spritzes without begging for mercy the next morning. I wasn't sure how my perspective would shift coming back all these years later, especially considering there are many moments in my life today where I relate more with Parker Posey in "The White Lotus" when she says, "I just don't think, at this age, I'm meant to live an uncomfortable life," than I do any influencer on social media.

As I quickly found out, festival season is not one of those moments. In fact, I vehemently reject the notion that you "age out" of music festivals and can confidently say Coachella is a better experience when you're older. Here's why.

1. You're old enough to rent a car

Let's start with the basics: getting around. In my 20s, this is something I spent 2% of my brain power thinking about, and as a result remained at the mercy of Uber, shuttles, and group carpools. Any time I wanted to go anywhere in Palm Springs, or leave the festival, or leave the festival and then come back to the festival, I had to rely on other people's timelines. Ultimately, this cost me countless hours of waiting and, yes, money.

This time around, my wife and I rented the electric Rivian R1S SUV, which was big enough to haul our suitcases for the road trip to and from Los Angeles but also pack in up to seven friends if we wanted to. It also meant we could go wherever we wanted: on coffee runs, for a late-night bite, on a scenic drive down Palm Desert. Access to a car turned the trip into more than just the festival, and was the low-key advantage that dramatically improved our entire weekend.

2. You don't care about being "seen"

In your 20s, there can be this pressure to dress to impress, hit every "cool" party, spot all the celebrities, and take the perfect photo in front of the Ferris Wheel. That's all fun and fair, but once you've lived enough festival life, you know that looking cute and being seen won't help you survive Coachella - a comfy pair of shoes will. By your 30s you'll bask in the luxury that is leaving a set early, skipping a line, or sitting down during a headliner without feeling like you're missing some big social milestone.

3. You're less likely to pack your schedule

At this stage in my life, I've learned that energy is a commodity; I protect mine with fervor. That's why my wife and I took our sweet time in the mornings and afternoons before making our way to the festival. We were staying about 15 minutes away at private airstream campsite powered by AutoCamp and Rivian, where there were cold plunges, communal fire pits, and a secret headliner experience each day. We imbibed in countless coffees from the Anomaly pop-up, did morning yoga and meditation, ate our meals at leisure, and otherwise moved at a glacial pace, as if there was no agenda on our minds.

That was one of my favorite parts of the entire weekend. Instead of rushing to get ready and map out our day - as if we were checking off a list - we got to sit back and enjoy being in the desert. The result is that I was actually less tired at the end of each day, if you can believe. (I wasn't the only person to enjoy a little R&R, our senior style director turned her Coachella trip into a full-blown "glowcation," which, goals.)

I applied this same mentality to the festival, enjoying the moment instead of rushing to get somewhere. To me, the beauty of something like Coachella is the spontaneity of it all - you never know what you'll find when you give yourself the space to wander into a tent, stumble across a new artist you've never heard of, or just vibe without a plan. (For me, that meant getting a private concert from Tinashe, where she DJ'd to 20 people at Camp Rivian before actually hitting the festival stage.)

4. You appreciate more than just the music

Coachella is about music, of course, but it's also an art festival. In my 20s I might have considered the art installations nothing but a backdrop for photos, a few fleeting objects to lay my eyes on while sprinting between stages. This go-around, I was able to slow down and actually enjoy them. It didn't hurt that, per LA Times, the hippos were back at "Network Operations" this year as chaotic media tycoons, giving my wife and I ample time to discuss its deeper meaning. I guess being in your 30s means finding joy in those reflective spaces, while, yes, giving your feet a break between sets.

Even with the artists on stage, I found myself marveling at more than the performance, but also the sound design and visuals. There's just something to being less tunnel-visioned on the lineup and more receptive to everything else the festival offers.

5. You prioritize little luxuries

In your late 30s, comfort upgrades are king. Whether that's better accommodations, better tickets, better transport, better food, or a combination of all the above - giving yourself permission to be comfortable makes the weekend all the more worth it. For me, that meant splurging on Le Burger's caviar and chicken nuggets and skipping a very big headliner to stand in a shorter line for tacos at Birreria Michi.

When you're old enough to know food is just as much a spiritual experience as snagging a spot to see Justin Bieber, you prioritize those experiences. If you want a free dopamine rush, you can always check your steps at the end of each day. Then get the Advil ready for tomorrow.

Kelsey Castañon (she/her) is an ASME Award-nominated writer and editor with enough years of experience to warrant a retinol prescription. She is currently the editor-in-chief at PS, where she manages content across platforms while simultaneously stockpiling (and reporting on) everything from skin care to wine.

The Best Amazon Spring Home Finds For a Fresh, Clutter-Free Space

Haley Lyndes — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:00:03 -0700

Spring always hits me with the same realization: suddenly, everything in my life feels a little dusty. Not in a dramatic, throw-everything-away way - more like I open a window, feel a hint of warm air, and immediately want to become the kind of person who has fresh juice in the fridge, crisp sheets on the bed, and a home that doesn't stress me out the second I walk into it.

But here's the thing: come spring, I'm not doing a full life overhaul. I'm not Marie Kondo–ing my entire apartment or waking up at 6 a.m. to reinvent myself (that was January). What I will do is make a few very strategic swaps that make me feel like I have my life together, even if it's just a really convincing illusion.

That's where these Amazon finds come in. They're equal parts practical and slightly indulgent in that "this just makes my day better" kind of way. Because if spring is about anything, it's pretending you're a new person . . . and then slowly becoming her.

The Best Spring Reset Items

Colorful gloves that make cleaning feel slightly less painful: COOLJOB 3 Pairs Colorful Household Gloves at $11, originally $14
A space-saving broom set that keeps things looking tidy: XXFLOWER Broom and Dustpan Set at $15, originally $20
Under-bed storage that hides away off-season clutter: Budding Joy 90L Under Bed Storage Containers at $19, originally $26
A spring-ready berry bowl that rinses and serves in one step: Creative Co-Op Stoneware Berry Bowl with Handles at $24
A natural fiber mat that instantly upgrades your entryway: KanKun Coco Coir Door Mat at $25
A shell tray that adds subtle shine to any surface: Chi An Home 12.6 Inch Round Capiz Shell Decorative Tray at $30
A coastal-inspired pillow that refreshes your outdoor setup: Hofdeco Premium Coastal Hampton Patio Throw Pillow at $35
Playful glasses that make even water feel like a treat: SiliFine 4 Pack Fruit Icon Juice Glasses Set at $44, originally $53
An essential for surviving allergy season: BLUEAIR Air Purifier at $98, originally $140
A collapsible drying rack that keeps your counters clutter-free: Dorai Home Collapsible Dish Drying Rack at $108, originally $128
A cold press juicer for your "I drink fresh juice now" era: YOYODS Cold Press Juicer at $110, originally $190
Lightweight linen sheets for warmer, in-between nights: Simple and Opulence 100% Linen Sheet Set at $115, originally $144
A cordless vacuum that makes staying on top of messes feel easy: Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum at $470, originally $630

Meet the Feel-Good List, a Safe Space to Celebrate Micro-Moments of Joy

Kelsey Castañon — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 06:05:02 -0800

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were curled up on the couch watching "Traitors," pretend-screaming at the TV every time a Faithful guessed the wrong person (so, repeatedly), and scrolling Instagram during commercial breaks. When we landed on a clip of figure skater Alysa Liu's Olympics performance doing the latter, we stopped to watch. We must have replayed that video four, five times, the word "happy" triple axel-ing through the pixelated screen.

Looking back now, I wish I could bottle the feeling of that moment, just stick it in an airtight jar and seal in all the goodness. It was comfort in where I was, the connection of who I was with, a glimmer of joy in what I was watching. That's the good stuff. Allowing yourself to feel it is also an important, but often unrealized, practice.

At Popsugar, we've been talking a lot about what it means to "feel good" in 2026, when the news cycle is bleak no matter which way you look. Here's where we landed: it's in those micro-moments of joy. It's whenever you find yourself escaping, connecting, or laughing - not to ignore what's happening around us, but to celebrate the humanity and happiness that exists right alongside it.

Which brings us to today: I am elated to unveil our inaugural Feel-Good List, a curated snapshot of the people, trends, and moments delivering a hit of dopamine this year when the world needs it most. We binge-watched every heartwarming TV show, scoured the internet for pockets of positivity, and went down memory lane as the stars we grew up with made a triumphant return.

Yes, you'll find nostalgia threaded throughout this list, because we learned that so many of us are collectively finding refuge in revisiting the past. You'll see that in every story before you, from the profiles of our cover stars Lana Condor, Taryn Delanie Smith, and Adrienne Bailon-Houghton to the fashion staple that's a literal comfort blanket for your feet to a playlist that makes you want to get up and dance, and so much more. I hope each one resonates with you as much as it did with us.

These are all small things, of course, as is snuggling up on a couch. But remember: a handful of small things has a big impact. Every bit is worth celebrating.

To the little moments,
Kelsey

Rob Rausch Knows You Want the "Traitors" Tea

Chandler Plante — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:15:02 -0800

Hang on to your overalls: It's safe to say the turret has never seen a traitor quite like Rob Rausch. "Basically, I'm a toxic gaslighter, but I'm hot enough that it doesn't matter," the reality star previously told Alex Cooper in a July 2024 interview following his appearance on "Love Island." But based on what we've seen so far, season four of "The Traitors" plays to these strengths. By all accounts, Rausch is operating as a villain, doing his best to deceive and "murder" the faithfuls in the castle. The only problem? We can't help but root for him.

With each episode we see Rausch forming (seemingly) genuine bonds, sharing smart strategy, and commiserating over tough banishments. We have a lot of questions, and luckily, Rausch is here to deliver. As the face of Sonic's Break Up with Your Burger campaign - which encourages people to "break up" with their current burger for the new All-American Smasher Meal - we sat down with Rausch and chatted everything from breakfast salmon to fast food habits.

The good news is, when it comes to food, Rausch believes more is more. Yes, you can share his fries, and honestly? He's coming for yours too. "I'm definitely a big sharer," he tells Popsugar. "It's good to get a bunch of stuff and I can have a little bit of that, you can have a little bit of this - spread the wealth."

We naturally had questions about that famous "Traitors" breakfast salmon (which true fans know is turning out to be the real star of the show). As cast members trickle into the room, they seem more concerned about securing any remaining salmon than the previous night's murder. So why the sudden salmon fixation? "[It was] the best food item; it was also the only limited food item. So if you got there first, it was probably gone by the second or third round of people coming in," Rausch explains. "It almost became a status thing like, 'Oh, I had salmon today, I'm better than you. You literally can't banish me today because I had salmon.'"

"Of course I want to wear my overalls, but I didn't bring them."

Despite this collective salmon obsession, Rausch did manage to turn a few heads after walking into the breakfast room in his viral overalls - sans shirt, of course. We were curious to know exactly how many overalls he packed for Scotland, but as it turns out, getting his hands on the first pair was a bit of a journey. "I honestly didn't bring any . . . I didn't think [they[ would be within dress code," Rausch admits. "But they were like, 'Do you want to wear your overalls?' and I was like, 'Of course I want to wear my overalls, but I didn't bring them. I didn't think you'd let me wear them.' So they got me some."

On a more serious note, playing a game with stakes as high as $250,000 isn't for the faint of heart. Thankfully, Rausch has some experience making tricky decisions on camera. "Something that surprisingly helped me a lot was my time on 'Love Island,'" he says. "When I was on 'Love Island,' it was an extremely emotional experience . . . you just feel so strongly for the people you're with, because you're with them all the time, and you form these bonds where you feel like, 'I can't be separated from this person.'"

Ultimately, Rausch is here to play (and win) the game. That means keeping feelings out of it . . . for the most part. "Coming out of 'Love Island,' you kind of snap out of it, and you're like, that was not real life. That was a weird little fish bowl I was put in," he says. "Having that knowledge going into 'Traitors,' I was constantly telling myself, remove yourself from here, this is a game. You came here to play a game, you came here to compete . . . try not to let feelings get in the way, although it's pretty hard."

We saw a bit of this struggle with Rausch and "Traitors" castmate Ron Funches. The two bonded over being more introverted, forming what felt like a true friendship, and making it so that Rausch voted to banish his fellow traitor, Lisa Rinna, in an effort to save Funches. In a confessional, Rausch explained that, as the odd one out growing up, he understood that sometimes the loneliest place for an introvert was a crowded room (or in this case, a crowded castle).

"I definitely still feel that way, especially meeting new people - and being in this industry, that happens a lot. I'm in a room full of extroverts that are all talking, and sometimes it just shuts you down, and it's a lonely place," Rausch says. "I think anyone that's introverted can definitely relate to that. But it's worth trying to fight because you never know when you might make a new friend."

Chandler Plante (she/her) is a social producer and staff writer for the Health & Fitness team at Popsugar. She has over five years of industry experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine, a social media manager for Millie magazine, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and is based in Los Angeles.

Dear Bartenders: Please Stop Announcing That My Drink Has No Alcohol

Haley Lyndes — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:16:12 -0800

I'd like to preface this by saying: I'm not a fussy restaurant customer.

I barely - and I mean practically never - complain. But nothing kills my vibe more than going out to a bar or restaurant with my friends, ordering a mocktail or N/A drink, and having bartenders question me.

"You know that doesn't have alcohol, right?"

"Oh, you mean the MOCKtail?"

Yes, I mean the mocktail. Do we really have to draw attention to it? Meanwhile, my friends give me that awkward smile like, "Oh, you're not drinking with us."

The truth is, I want to drink. I want to have one or two without spiraling into hangxiety or sending dumb texts I'll regret. But after having started drinking at 15 years old, I think I need a reset. One drink leads to two, two leads to three, and three leads to, "Why am I out until 3 a.m.?" I've built a toxic relationship with alcohol for myself. And I know it.

That's just my story. But imagine someone who's pregnant and wants to hide it, someone who's on antibiotics and can't drink (but doesn't want to explain), or someone who is an alcoholic trying to better themselves. One bartender questioning their drink can be enough to derail them.

I don't want to be questioned or looked at weirdly for being sober. I'm already dealing with that on my own.

And bartenders, the worst possible case in this scenario is that you give someone a mocktail when they actually wanted a cocktail. No big deal. There are ways to make sure someone gets the drink they ordered without pointing out that it's non-alcoholic, and I'd love it if we could get there.

Haley Lyndes is a shopping writer and editor with more than seven years of experience in the publishing space. Specializing in home and lifestyle, she covers everything from furniture and mattresses to beauty products and fitness gear. Her writing has appeared in BuzzFeed, Travel + Leisure, and Real Simple.

I've Cut Back on Alcohol, but Don't Know If I'm Giving It Up - and That's OK

Sarah Wasilak — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 06:00:03 -0800

I've never been a big new year's resolution person, and I feel like my slow and steady journey in cutting back on alcohol reflects the same sentiment. Resolutions feel awfully daunting to me - while the word itself suggests an intention, in practice, they can feel like a test. How far can you make it without "failing"? That's not the kind of mission I'm interested in signing up for.

I approached my sober-curious journey in the same way. In the last couple of years, I started feeling like it was time to make a change, but I purposefully avoided establishing any defining parameters so that I wouldn't let myself down. Giving up alcohol as a 30-something woman isn't easy, especially when society says this should be the most social time of my life, so I'm being gentle with myself - I'm setting goals, but I'm not attaching them to a timeline or even a certain number of drinks. And while I struggle with anxiety and OCD that consistently tell me I should be more rigid with my rules, my mental health is improving without enforcing restrictions - and that's progress.

Why I'm Cutting Back on Alcohol

I've had a problematic relationship with alcohol for a long time. As a small person with a low tolerance (who also has had an ongoing case of FOMO since I was a little girl), I was always trying to "keep up" with my friends when drinking. Partying wasn't part of my college experience, but I started drinking on weekends after I graduated, and it quickly became apparent that browning or blacking out often went hand in hand. Whenever I consumed alcohol, I'd suddenly not register how drunk I was getting, or that I should say no to another drink. This caused me extreme anxiety and a wretched hangover the next day - and, as many of us know, there's no solution for that. As I grew older, I learned that was just part of drinking culture, only to be remedied with a greasy bagel, an all-day nap, and the shared experience of the "Sunday struggle."

That, plus the fact that drinking led me to make poor decisions (including picking up a nicotine vape from time to time when I was out), did not align with who I am as a person. My mental health and physical health is extremely important to me. As a marathon runner and athlete, my morning workouts are crucial to my emotional well-being. Even if it wasn't obvious to the people around me - many of whom enjoy drinking and don't mind getting a little "sloppy" - alcohol was leading me to be everything but the best version of myself and was directly affecting my relationships.

What It Was Like to Make a Change With Alcohol

When my therapist looked me in the eye and told me, "You have a problematic relationship with alcohol," I said, "I know." Of course I did. I had already talked to my sister about it, which for me meant I was fully ready to make a change - she holds me to whatever standard I set for myself without saying anything at all; I verbalize it, she acknowledges it, and then I do the work. That's just the nature of our relationship, and I imagine anyone who has a sister they are close with can understand that bond and level of accountability.

People who have done work in this area know that this journey is not about proving yourself to others, but much more about self-love.

But doing the work and making a change felt daunting for a 33-year-old woman with friends, coworkers, and family who love to be social. How could I order just one drink? Should I stick to mocktails and not drink at all? Wouldn't that be so boring? But I like the taste of a good cocktail and the feeling of getting tipsy. Why should I stop when everyone around me is ordering several drinks in one night?

Ultimately, it came down to this: I was no longer able to deal with the anxiety and the physical repercussions of drinking too much. All it took was a month or so of cutting back (which, for me, meant having no more than a drink or two in one night if I did decide to go out) for me to feel the difference. It's been about seven months, and I feel lighter, healthier, stronger, mentally recharged, and a lot less anxious.

As someone who had microdosed 6mg of THC to fall asleep for a while, I decided to try microdosing a sativa strain on a night out, which I now enjoy with a nice cold Diet Coke instead. I find this makes me feel just as laughy, if not more so, and I never feel or behave out of control. (Food also tastes better, which is an added perk since my favorite part of a night out is always indulging in a delicious meal with friends.)

What's Next in My Sober-Curious Journey

Part of me wants to give up alcohol completely; then, I could say I'm sober and wear that word like a badge of honor on my chest. I've gotten to a point where I sometimes beat myself up for having just two drinks. But I think that's a touch of my OCD mixed with my competitive nature kicking in. People who have done work in this area know that this journey is not about proving yourself to others, but much more about self-love. Back when I was sober-curious but not making any real change, I used to scoff at Instagram posts that described a dry "lifestyle." I sided with the "YOLO, life's about balance" crew. Now, I'm starting to get it.

I'm not sure what the future holds, but I do know what it does not: drinking too much. And for right now, I'm OK with that.

Editor's Note: If you're interested in watching me talk about my journey, I released a podcast episode on the topic, so feel free to tune in to Dinner for Shoes for more.

Sarah Wasilak (she/her) is the PS Shopping Director. With plenty of experience in the fashion industry and over 11 years as an editor at the brand, she enjoys writing and creating social videos across the lifestyle, health, and fitness categories. She is the host of the "Dinner for Shoes" podcast and has bylines at InStyle, Elle, Refinery29, Who What Wear, Elite Daily, Byrdie, and The Quality Edit.

The "Girly Guys" Are Leaving Performative Masculinity in 2025

Emma Glassman-Hughes — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:10:02 -0800

It was the Mary Jane that did it for Estevan Reyes Peña. He loved the silhouette of the black leather Doc Martens shoes, the way they fit his feet, how they had a "kinda dainty" look. He still loves them, several years later, even as his personal style has continued to evolve from skater-punk to the alt-femme but also uncategorizable other thing it is now - enough so that he's actually wearing a pair when we get on the phone.

"This is a shoe that is viewed as very feminine, but it's so sick and hardcore," he tells Popsugar. He remembers the first time he tried on the shoe; it was a "huge click" for him, not just in terms of realizing what kind of wardrobe he wanted to build, but what kind of ethos he wanted to cultivate in all realms of his life.

That shoe was the start of Reyes Peña's gender-affirming fashion journey, which has since migrated to his Instagram, @tevistuff. There, he documents the "feminine-inspired outfits" he wears to his corporate tech job outside Salt Lake City, among other places. Reyes Peña's goatee and boxier frame make him appear pretty masculine, until he gets dressed. Though his following is relatively small, some of his videos - like one demonstrating how he styles a flowy, earth-toned skirt that grazes his mid-calf - have racked up tens of thousands of views and a potentially surprising number of supportive comments. But maybe not so surprising after all?

"There's a huge reclaiming of what it means to be 'girly.'"

Reyes Peña is a small part of a much larger trend, in which traditionally masc-presenting men (especially those who date women and femmes) are embodying a more feminine style - across clothing, yes, but also overall lifestyle and personality. Five years after Harry Styles wore a dress in Vogue, we're entering the next evolution of soft-boi, where descriptors like "effeminate" no longer carry the same radioactive burn for the most crushable celebrity dudes of the day. And while there haven't been nearly as many straight men in skirts and dresses as there were in the early 2020s, celebrity men are still embracing feminization, even if it's subtler. Men like Bad Bunny, Timothée Chalamet, Nic Vansteenberghe, and Pedro Pascal all bring a gentler, more gender-fluid energy to the red carpet, prompting some TikTokers to categorize them as "boys who wish they were hot girls."

Others on TikTok have declared "gay allegations" the greenest flag a straight man can attain (a far cry from the queerbaiting accusations lobbed at celebrities like Harry Styles just a few years ago). "Your boyfriend should have allegations of being gay, that's how you know it's a keeper," creator Evan Lazarus said back in August. "He should have little hobbies that don't make sense, and dress in a way that upsets his parents but brings joy to you."

Reyes Peña knows that video well. "My partner will send those TikToks to me," he laughed. Whether it's his dangly earrings, his set of chunky rings, or his overall warm and inviting demeanor, he says he doesn't usually "give off 'straight.'" (His partner is a woman, though Reyes Peña identifies as pansexual.) Whereas "gay" and "girly" were once considered the worst insults a man could endure, the truth for a lot of men today who have grown up under the influence of feminist and gender-expansive activism is that those are no longer "allegations"; they're affirmations, of something honest about themselves that they once felt they had to bury.

For Reyes Peña, who shares a closet with his partner and regularly borrows somewhere like 85 percent of her clothes, "girly" is not a dirty word. It's a compliment. "There's a huge reclaiming of what it means to be 'girly' and I hope it continues this way," he says.

The Great Softening (trademark pending) has resonated with straight women, whose thirst for softies appears to be deepening. While gender fluidity has always been a turn-on for bisexual and queer women, straight women are also pining after girly guys: Jonathan Bailey was crowned People's first openly gay Sexiest Man Alive this year, while Jacob Elordi - a certified vulnerable king with an impenetrable jawline - is drumming up awards buzz and a buzzing of a different sort altogether. (Vibrators, obviously.) And women of all sexualities have been especially feral for depictions of tender masculinity in film and television, like the sweetly horny hockey players on "Heated Rivalry," which debuted this year to great (critical and clitoral) acclaim.

But this is all happening against a political backdrop that would have you believe the reimagining of masculinity is one of the greatest threats to our nation. The red-blooded "manosphere" is getting louder everyday - one that believes women shouldn't vote, trans and gender-nonconforming folks are subhuman, and that "real" masculinity is measured in cruelty. The irony is that while far-right politicians, YouTubers, podcasters, and streamers anchor their message on the purported value of traditional gender roles, more and more men like Reyes Peña are taking advantage of the freedom carved out for them by the mostly women activists who came before.

Men didn't just wake up one day and decide to start embracing their femininity, Reyes Peña says. "Women, and especially POC women," are the reason men feel more comfortable experimenting with how they present. Their impact on culture at large, not just fashion, is felt every time someone like Reyes Peña gets dressed in the morning. "I hope that's understood," he says.

Where a performative male appropriates femininity and softness for cultural and sexual currency, the girly guy finds a missing part of himself in his embrace of the feminine.

Another creator who vlogs about his feminine-inspired outfits is Vitor Arruda, whose page is full of pep talks for other plus-size men who are curious about fashion but who feel anxiety when getting dressed. He talks about how dressing from "the female gaze" - not trying to attract female attention, but applying a feminine sensibility to the process of getting dressed - has helped him develop a personal style that's more in harmony with his natural figure, more interesting to look at, and more comfortable.

While dressing from the male gaze produces outfits that are "flat," he said in a recent video, dressing from the female gaze means experimenting with different silhouettes, textures, and shapes to create something that feels more personal, more crafted.

The internet might be tempted to write someone like Arruda or Reyes Peña off as a performative male. (And Reyes Peña's trusty tote bag - which he insists he's been using since at least 2018, long before the trend kicked off - isn't helping his case. Just give him a matcha latte and a book he isn't actually reading and he's practically a walking meme.) But where a performative male appropriates femininity and softness for cultural and sexual currency, the girly guy finds a missing part of himself in his embrace of the feminine. Yes, more women than ever are vocal about their desire for girlier, more fluid men. But Reyes Peña isn't dressing this way because it's sexy, or to compete against other men for female attention. He, like other girly guys, is trying to excavate an authentic piece of his identity that was once inaccessible.

"I want to dress how I feel," Reyes Peña says. "And I don't feel very masculine. So I'm dressing for myself."

Emma Glassman-Hughes (she/her) is the associate editor at PS Balance. In her seven years as a reporter, her beats have spanned the lifestyle spectrum; she's covered arts and culture for The Boston Globe, sex and relationships for Cosmopolitan, and food, climate, and farming for Ambrook Research.