Cart Curator #27 - in collaboration with Chelsea Williamson
Predicting the next trend in celebrity divorces, a chic summer bag at outlet prices and how to get laminated brows on a budget.
Hi CC friends,
We’re back with our monthly collaborator! For October we have the effervescent Chelsea Williamson.
“I like to refer to myself as your internet bestie or lover girl but in essence, I am a content creator who shares her love of fashion and beauty, and my mental health journey whilst also bringing the good vibes to social media (and in life)” shares Chelsea.
Chelsea’s content includes everything from her daily Hot Girl Health Walks to living room boogies, alongside honest mental health conversations and, of course, sartorial inspiration. She’s a blessing to your social media feed.
We hope you enjoy this week as much as we did,
Popshop
Our favourite pop culture or industry moment of the week.
This week we want to discuss something we’re coining the “silent split”, and why we think it will suddenly become the new norm in celebrity separations.
Now, we all know that 2023 has become the Year of the Divorce, as we covered it in Popshop a few weeks back. Catch up here if you missed it.
But there appears to be a new trend emerging, started by a revelation from Jada Pinkett-Smith’s new memoir “Worthy” where she revealed that she and Will Smith are not only no longer together, but have in fact been separated since 2016. Yes, over 7 years ago.
Leaving all the strangeness of that specific relationship aside (everything we know about their marriage seems to have been learnt against our will), in the days following Meryl Streep and her long-term partner Don Grummer confirmed that they too are secretly separated and have been living apart for more than 6 years.
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Now, we know that choosing to separate from your partner, specifically in a long term partnership where there are children involved, isn’t typically a snap decision. The process can be timely to ensure it isn’t a knee-jerk reaction to a rocky moment in a relationship. But when you’re talking about high profile celebrities, we seem to be given the divorce or separation statements from couples pretty quickly (á la Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas), usually a PR tactic to beat out leaks and get ahead of the news cycle.
So here comes our prediction. We’re anticipating that we are going to see a string of other celebrities come out and announce that they too have been secretly split for several years, proving our hypothesis that silent splitting is actually a lot more prevalent behind the scenes in Hollywood than we’re currently aware of.
When we were discussing this, our first thought was that we’re happy to see celebrities reclaim the narrative, separating on their own terms and repositioning the need to owe us a formal statement. Us being the gossip-hungry general public.
We do need to mention that the two examples in Jada & Will and Meryl & Don are long-term couples, both of whom have had commentary in the media around the strength of their partnerships. So, perhaps this has placed a different kind of pressure on their decisions to dissolve their relationship in this way. It also, of course, leaves space for the option to reunite without having to awkwardly do so in front of the world.
But then on the flip side, do we find it strange that Will and Jada felt the need to uphold the façade of their marriage when they could have just acted in the way that Meryl and Don did? Or we do feel that because they are both more in the public eye (not saying more famous here, just that their marriage was more “visible”) they felt they needed to do this to keep the press off their backs?
Or alternatively, will this fuel divorce rumours from celebrities who haven’t been papped with their partners, or posted about them on social media for extended lengths of time? One previous example of this is Sandra Bullock and her recently-passed husband Bryan Randall, of which there were insensitive tabloid rumours about their split, when in fact they were privately dealing with his ALS battle.
Who do we think will announce their secret split next? Our comments are open!
And, that’s it from us, we’re passing it over to Chelsea for the rest of the issue, and will be back to regular programming next week.
Add to Cart
What’s sitting in carts, or what’s been checked out.
I recently jetted off to Thailand and in shopping preparation for my travels my searching bought me across this darling blue cap. I just thought it was quite unique and the blue colour palette was very me. I typically like to purchase things that might be a little different or alternatively from smaller local brands, as I know there are some seriously cool creatives in this world and love to support them.
I currently have this gorgeous little Oroton Basket Bag sitting in my cart. Again, this would be perfect as we come into summer time with a mini dress or denim shorts combo. This is from the outlet section of Oroton (there are some great finds in here!) so it is well and truly sale. we love a bargain around here and is down from $200 to $99.50.
Beauty Counter
Prod of the week.
If my friends would ask me what I would be if I was a beauty product, it would have be this Sleeping Mask by Laneige. I use this on the daily and I swear it has become my emotional support beauty product. I also just always keeps my lips hydrated. Hot tip - I sometimes also use it over a lipstick shade if I find it’s looking too matte.
I am big into my brows and if there is a product I live and swear by it would have to be the Benefit Fluff Up Brow Wax, I’ve been obsessed since it dropped! It holds your brows in place all day and doesn’t leave residue or gluey look to them. Think laminated brows without having to get them laminated.
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One to Try
Recent openings and discoveries.
Not going to lie, I just started a new group chat with my girl friends called ‘Long Lunch Club’ - just so we have an excuse to try new eateries. Top of my list currently is a little Mexican spot called Calita at North Bondi, which has just re-opened for the summer after a winter hiatus. The food and vibes both look immaculate - plus bonus it’s a little local spot.
Nic jumping in here! I’ve eaten here many a time, and make sure you request an indoor table when you book as it gets super windy at this point in Bondi and even in the middle of summer you will be shivering. You’re welcome.
Plus, indoors is far more aesthetically pleasing.
Lottery Win
A girl can dream.
It has forever been my dream to own a beautiful Gelbell piece in my home . If you are not familiar with them they are an incredible dynamic duo of Melbourne based artists and their work just speaks to me. As an original ranges from $7.9K - $11.5K, until I am living in my forever home I just couldn’t give her the home she deserves until I am in a forever place, so she sits on my Lottery Win wishlist in the meantime.
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IYKYK
Super specific recs and niche hyper-fixations.
If you follow along on my page then you know my community and I love a Hot Girl Health Walk (this is for both our mind and our bodies) as well as a morning boogie to start our day in right headspace. Truthfully, I cannot live without my Apple Airpod Max Headphones as part of these. They are a bit of an expensive purchase, but in girl math, if you calculate the cost per wear for your sanity they are basically free.
Love this! Love Chelsea ❤️