Cart Curator #35 - Madeline is no longer pretty lonesome
A Topshop brand edit, two haircare beauty recs and Sydney finally gets a chic nightlife spot.
Hi CC friends,
Merry Christmas week! We’ve added Christmas with the Kranks, Santa Clause and Something from Tiffany’s to our movie count this week.
Nic is currently in Brisbane before she jets off to Japan for Christmas. She’s working on a Japan travel special, so will share her recommendations and tips in a coming issue early next year.
We’re working on a special 2023 Year in Review issue for next week, which will land in your inbox in that discombobulating time between Christmas and New Year’s when you’re eating ham for all meals.
And one last Christmas wish from us - we’d love it if you could share CC with a friend to spread the word before the end of the year.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
The Edit
I bet you didn’t think you would be seeing another edit so soon but after some deep scrolling on ASOS, we couldn’t not pull together our edit of Topshop’s current range. Now I bet you thought you had seen the last of Topshop as they made their exit from Australia closing down their brick-and-mortar retail presence in 2017 but they are back with an extensive line shoppable via ASOS and their products truly shouldn’t be overlooked.
Kicking off the edit is the 90s length satin skirt with trim detail in oyster which is giving Miu Miu vibes. I love how this has been styled in the image with loafers but this would also be cute with a white oversized tee and heels. Next up we have a pair of denim shorts, but not just any shorts… jorts. They are coming back in a big way and a pair like the denim low-rise jort shorts in blue can be styled with a longline vest/gilet for the ultimate cool girl/I haven’t tried too hard look. Another skirt inclusion is this maroon and pink satin-lace slip. To be honest these slip skirts are something Topshop is currently doing extremely well. This style is a satin/lace maxi skirt which would be styled in quite a similar way to the first 90s length skirt, these colours also just complement each other so nicely and would be a perfect wardrobe piece for summer or winter.
Topshop has always done several good denim pieces including the famous Jamie jeans which let’s be honest we have all owned at some point or another. The oversized panel jeans in washed black are quite oversized and baggie but as the name suggests have paneled detailing down the side adding an extra element. Next, our heads are still stuck in event mode so this embellished one-shoulder midi dress in black immediately caught our eyes with the fun beading and side cut-out. The price is definitely on the more reasonable side and what makes it even better is that it’s currently on sale. This contrast lace trim cami top in ivory gives Sir vibes and comes in quite a few colours. The cut is super flattering whether you are wearing it alone or topped with a blazer or jacket, this style has cemented itself as a staple piece.
Lastly heading into some accessories we have the Tria puffy tote bag in black which gives a similar vibe to some KHAITE and The Row styles but obviously at a fraction of the price. Super chic slung over your arm for work or running weekend errands, you can’t go wrong with this shape and colour. The Topshop shoes definitely shouldn’t be slept on. The Etta premium leather pinched toe mid-heel court shoes in black are just such a classic style for any occasion and the Tara premium suede mid-heel pointed knee boots in black are the best dupe for the KHAITE heel style. I (Jess) am so beyond desperate to get my hands on these! If you are a size 36 or 38 purchase these immediately - as for the rest of us continue to watch for a restock!
Popshop
Our favourite pop culture or industry moment of the week.
Madelaine Argy and Central Cee’s on-again/off-again relationship has us, and social media, in a storm this week.
If you’re asking who these people are and why their relationship status is of any concern to us, we’re here to bring you up to speed.
Both English natives, Central Cee is the UK’s current biggest rap star and is best known for his tracks Sprinter and Doja- which you probably don’t know by name but I can put my bets on you recognising when it plays. Madeline Argy rose to fame off the back of her viral TikToks, which saw her snapped up by Call Her Daddy’s Alex Cooper’s newest media network Unwell, and she now hosts her own podcast “Pretty Lonesome. If we had to make comparisons, we’d say that Argy is the UK’s equivalent of Emma Chamberlain.
Rumours were circulating last year that Central Cee and Madeline were dating, which Madeline confirmed with this cheeky TikTok in her usual satirical style.
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The two were in the public eye following, regularly spotted out and about together and sharing glimpses into their relationship on their social pages (they have a combined following of 11.8 million on IG). However, things appeared to sour in September this year when the two split and Madeline came out on a Call Her Daddy episode to announce their split and label their relationship toxic and addictive.
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While Madeleine spoke about their failed relationship online and on podcasts, Central Cee spoke about it through this music, with a notable line from his collaboration with PinkPantheress “Nice to meet you”, where he sings “Long story short, we don’t talk no more. Now she on TikTok doing story time”. In the verse he aludes to the fact that Madeline was suspicious he was unfaithful, which he seemingly admits to being.
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This is not the first time Central Cee has spoken about Madeline in his music, in fact one of his most notable lines “how can I be homophobic, my bitch is gay” from his song Doja references Argy’s bisexuality.
So, things did not seem particularly amicable between the two until out of no where, they went full on hard launch with their reunion at a Chelsea football game earlier this week.
Pap shots of the two quickly circulated online, followed only by a vlog on Argy’s own TikTok which just straight up confirmed the reunion (and hilariously catches the media outlets reporting on the story from the game live). It’s, of course, gone super viral straight up.
The comments on this are surprisingly positive towards Central Cee, which is a train we can’t help but jump onboard.
Are we insane for secretly loving this reunion despite Madeline clearly labelling their relo toxic? Maybe, we just are so obsessed with their chaotic nature.
Add to Cart
What’s sitting in carts, or what’s been checked out.
Jess
I’ve been on the hunt for socks to wear with the pair of loafers I recently bought and given this sort of styling sits a bit out of my comfort zone I have struggled to find exactly what I’m looking for. I originally had been hunting for something woolen and a bit thicker of a knit but this pair from Maggie Marilyn has hit the nail on the head (even if I didn’t know quite what that nail looked like).
They are a pretty pink shade which isn’t too vibrant/girly and they also have a slight texture/ribbing to them which I think will look perfect paired with the smooth leather.
The Lair Margot Dome Studded Belt Silver
You can bet that I won’t be spending nearly $1K on the KHAITE Studded Leather belt, but I have found this beautiful alternative from the Australian label, The Lair. This style is slightly thinner but still gives quite a similar look to the KHAITEversion with the silver hardware and black leather. I previously hadn’t been a big belt wearer but since recently starting no outfit is complete without and I am due to add a silver style like this to my wardrobe.
Nicole
We’ve mentioned our love for the thong in a previous newsletter so it is not a surprise but I’m currently very into an old school chunky Havaiana for summer. Not only are they very practical, but this tomato red colour is also v on trend (we’ve gone on about this many times). It’s about time to give the Havaiana the resurgence it demands, and there is a reason they were so popular once upon a time. At only $35, it seems these are one of the only pieces of clothing to survive inflation.
This is a last minute request for Santa. Nothing screams I have my life together more than a beautiful hairbrush. I’ve had my eyes on the Officine Universelle Buly hairbrush for the longest time, but feel I need to reserve this purchase for their Parisian store. I personally prefer a bigger paddle brush, even when my hair is short like it is right now, and the bamboo bristles are massaging on the scalp.
Beauty Counter
Prod of the week.
Jess
Kerasilk Exfoliating Scalp Pre-Wash
A scalp scrub is a fairly new category for me - I am terrible when it comes to looking after my hair and generally stick to just shampoo and conditioner rarely foraying into the worlds of masks, serums, and mousses. I was so kindly gifted this scalp scrub from Kerasilk that can be done on dry or wet hair and gently exfoliates the scalp to remove impurities and scalp buildup. I love to use this in the shower on wet hair before shampooing and I have genuinely noticed such a difference in my scalp health and the condition of my hair straight after the use of this - I don’t even need to use heat to style it (yes that much of a difference).
This is a once a fortnight use for me which helps stretch out the product but given you only use this on your scalp you use such a small amount each time anyway.
Nicole
A Salon Keratin Treatment
We always speak about beauty products that we swear by, but the one beauty recommendation that I given to anyone in my life is a Keratin straightening treatment. I have naturally curly hair that doesn’t do well in the humidity (how I lived such a huge chunk of my life in Brisbane without this honestly baffles me), so keep that in mind first. I get one of these every 6-months, and it works mostly to keep my hair manageable so I can get away with any styling. Honestly, it just takes that poofiness that frizz gives you out of the equation meaning that my hair looks so much sleeker. Given I don’t dye my hair this is my one hair investment, and given that I usually wash my hair every single morning it saves me sooooo much time and heat styling.
One to Try
Recent openings and discoveries.
The latest opening from the Swillhouse Group, The Caterpillar Club is a very welcomed late night haunt in Sydney’s CBD. TBH Sydney’s CBD is lacking with vibey spots that don’t scream corporate and are open past 10PM, so we’re honestly pretty excited for this opening. As the parent group also owns Huberts, the food menu looks just as good as the drinks. Cocktails, cheeseburgers and live music? Yes please.
Lottery Win
A girl can dream.
Stop the press. We guarantee the Bohème Hobo Bag is going to be the next Goyard bag that will be seen everywhere with this shade in particular being the dominating shade vs the blue and greens we have known and loved . Now the cost of this bag is extortionate on its own, but to get this bag you will need to foot a flight to Paris, or the added fees for a personal shopper. One for the 2024 vision board…
IYKYK
Super specific recs and niche hyper-fixations.
Jess is going to think I’m sponsored by them(has anyone else had 100000 sponsored ads for this app on TikTok?), because I’ve been talking about this new app for the last week. It’s a digital wishlist platform where you can create your own lists and save items from any online store, which is perfect for saving both realistic purchases (homewares, casual clothing) and luxury wants. It’s perfect for when a gifting moment comes up like a birthday or Christmas, and suddenly when people ask what you want your mind goes blank.
If you’re new to Cart Curator, take a read of some of our recent editions.
Cart Curator #34 - Turn off your phone Selena!
Cart Curator #33 - Who the f*** is Madelaine Brockway
Cart Curator #32 - Bring Back Black Friday Stampedes
Cart Curator #31 - Our 2023 Holiday Gift Guide