A brief overview of what is currently trending on on X in news, culture, and/or trending hashtags and formats.
Caleb Downs: Alabama freshman All-American safety Caleb Downs is starting the process of entering the NCAA transfer portal. He was one of the country’s top freshman in 2023 and looms as a high pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Sports fans are taking to X speculating where this coveted athlete will land next.
Princess of Wales: Word has gotten out that Princess Kate is recovering from abdominal surgery, hospitalized for the next 10 to 14 days. X users are wishing her a speedy recovery, hoping all is ok.
James Earl Jones: The man, the myth, the legend is celebrating his 93rd birthday today along with the rest of X, many of whom are praising him for his amazing work. Others just want to make sure he's ok!
A deeper dive into a subject that is impacting culture on a macro level, beyond just the social space.
The Mob Wife
What it is: Enter the first "it" aesthetic of 2024 inspired by women like Griselda Blanco, Victoria Gotti, Carmela Soprano, and more. In this new era, beige is out while fur coats & chunky jewelry are in. According to @averybrynn1, "Mob wives would drink their Starbucks out of a martini glass. Gone are the days of the glass skin, we're going messy eyeshadow ladies." What's notable about this trend moves beyond the visuals — it's also about attitude. "A mob wife understands boundaries. She has a PhD in where the bar is set." The wives of the biggest mobsters in history are not only receiving praise for their big hair & bold makeup, but more importantly their hard & defiant personalities. This new movement is all about power, opulence, strength, & confidence. The days of quiet luxury? Fuhgedaboudit.
What brands can learn: Bada-bing has officially been brought back into fashion following everything cutesy & Y2K. With #mobwife at 91.9M TikTok views & #mobwifeaesthetic at 59.2M views, it's clear that women have looked to Italian-American savants to administer flair into their winter wardrobe. Beyond looks, a new year calls for needed self-assurance & the bold energy to go with it. While aesthetics come and go, brands should know that this niche micro trend is ushering in an era of fierce, outspoken women who walk the walk & talk the talk. Does the 25th anniversary of the hit mob drama “The Sopranos” have anything to do with this? Maybe. What about HBO launching 25-second TikTok episode recaps? Possibly that too. Regardless of the reason, know that some have mixed feelings about the essential glorification & appropriation of immigrant style that will remain long after this "trend" moves on.
Examples: 1, 2, 3
Must-click links that crossed our feeds today
RIP to door-to-door alcohol delivery. Uber is shutting down Drizly after acquiring it for $1.1 billion just three years ago. A sobering reality for us all.
Calling out the Zoom generation: TikTok is debating the new trend of “bookshelf wealth” — curating a bookshelf as a status symbol.
AI girlfriends are flooding OpenAI’s brand-new store despite rules that forbid them — searching for “girlfriend” on the company’s marketplace brings up at least eight romantic chatbots, including “Korean Girlfriend” and “Virtual Sweetheart.”
Is this just rose-tinted glasses with a different name? Take a look at TikTok's Burnt Toast Theory
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