The Cats & Coffee Curated Content Series
Welcome to the February 2023 edition of my weekly Cats & Coffee’s Curated Content Series! This series features weekly short-form content round-ups of articles, videos, podcasts, and Instagram accounts that inspire and entertain me or make me think. In short, I find content that is worth your time so you don’t have to! This month’s Curated Content Series highlights include a compelling new Tudor find, first looks at Bridgeton season three, and literature-inspired fairytale photography on Instagram!
Favorite Finds of the Month
Cats & Coffee’s Curated Content Series: February 22, 2023
Article: Instagram and Facebook launch new paid verification service, Meta Verified, Roshan Fernandez for NPR
The latest news out of Instagram has caused a bit of an uproar in my little blogging corner of the internet, so I wanted to share an article I found on NPR on the topic. Both Facebook and Instagram are going to offer paid verification for accounts, calling the subscription service “Meta Verified.” Businesses, then, wouldn’t have to rely on the platforms deciding they’re worthy of verification, which is, at present, a murky and confusing process.
Where things get interesting to me, though, are in the other perks that come with a paid verification badge. According to the article, the subscription would provide “more protection against impersonating accounts, increased visibility in areas such as search and recommendations, and more direct access to customer support.” As someone who recently dealt with an impersonating account, I’m intrigued, of course. Same goes for access to customer service. However, it seems a little…ridiculous that one has to pay for the platform to provide customer service and account protections? An interesting move, to say the least….
Podcast: The Trials of Joanna of Naples | Noble Blood
Ever since I read Nancy Goldstone’s The Lady Queen: The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily, I’ve been curious about this historical woman. Joanna of Naples has gone down in history as an infamous woman ruler from the fourteenth century, ruling in her own right when the patriarchy around her would have much preferred it otherwise. To say she dealt with treachery and betrayal during her turbulent life and rule would be…well, an understatement.
Listen to The Trials of Joanna of Naples from Noble Blood with Dana Schwartz here.
Instagram Account: @crazycatladyldn
With her @crazycatladyldn account, Michelle Catherine is a digital creator focusing on travel and lifestyle photography. I was drawn in by her beautiful architectural photography, and stuck around for great city videos (including one all about cats!).
With a moody and rich color palette, Michelle Catherine’s photos are delightfully warm, drawing the viewers eye to pops of life and color, like the plate above or the Paddington Bear toy here.
Give Michelle Catherine a follow on her @crazycatladyldn Instagram for all the gorgeous travel and lifestyle photography. You can follow along on her foodie travel adventures here, as well!
Cats & Coffee’s Curated Content Series: February 15, 2023
Article: The Dark and Twisted Return of Preppy Clothes, Rachel Tashjian for Harper’s Bazaar
It can be difficult to tell what’s actually “trending” in fashion and style at any given moment, but if there’s one look that feels truly, compellingly dominant, it’s prep.
Fashion is certainly cyclical, and while TikTok was debating the pros and cons of low waisted jeans (far more cons than pros, in my opinion), preppy style has slowly come to the forefront. In a lot of ways, I’m not mad about this at all. I love plaid, and classic preppy styles often include plaids. However, it is interesting to delve into the socioeconomic factors implicated with the renewed interest, and what it says about our cultural zeitgeist at this moment in time.
Thanks to shows like Succession, “Ivy style” and tennis outfits are becoming more and more ubiquitous. Again.
“Maybe we return again and again to prep because we feel we know it so well. It’s like the foundation of American style. But what draws us to it, especially when it’s so closely associated with wealth, privilege, and all that other stuff that’s been so effectively villainized by the horrors of income equality? In other words, is prep the ultimate trend or the denial of all that is trendy?”
Read The Dark and Twisted Return of Preppy Clothes by Rachel Tashjian for Harper’s Bazaar here.
YouTube Video: Fashion Historian Fact Checks The Great Gatsby’s Wardrobe | Glamour
Dovetailing from my article of the week, this week’s must-watch video marries three of my greatest interests: history, literature, and fashion. In this video, fashion historian Raissa Bretaña analyzes the costuming of Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby. Luhrmann is known for attention to detail, but whether that detail is “historically accurate” isn’t always clear. Bretaña offers insightful critiques of the costuming, along with insights into what choices say about the characters.
Instagram Account: @HotCocoaReads
Jeana of @HotCocoaReads is a recent Explore page find of mine. A digital content creator and book lover, Jeana shares photos and videos of her extensive personal library, which offers unending decor inspiration. Plus, many of her posts feature her adorable cats, so, really, her content is, like the video above, the meeting of many personal interests of mine!
Through her photos, Jeana documents her writing process, as well. Luckily, she has accountability buddies to assist! Besides documenting her own projects, though, she shares book reviews and nurtures a book-loving community through thoughtful captions and questions.
Give Jeana a follow on Instagram here for all the lovely bookstagram photos, full of home library inspiration, delicious hot chocolate, and her sweet furbabies!
Cats & Coffee’s Curated Content Series: February 8, 2023
Article: The Mean Life of a ‘Midsize’ Model, Elizabeth Paton for The New York Times
On TikTok, a midsize movement is forming, but models like Jill Kortleve are rarely cast in glossy brand campaigns or on the catwalks. Why not?
I used to really love fashion week coverage. However, my interests have moved away after years of dealing with body image anxiety. It’s hard to be inspired by overly-expensive designs that I can’t afford and that feel like they weren’t made for someone built like me. Maybe if it was one or the other, I’d still feel excited about them.
Regardless, these competing interests were part of what made this NYT article catch my eye. Elizabeth Paton profiles “midsize” model Jill Kortleve. Kortleve is around a U.S. size 8 to 10, where the “straight” size for fashion shows tends to be a U.S. size 2. It’s fascinating to read the different distinctions between sizing, and the absolute lack of representation of non-“straight” sized models (“For years, however, Ms. Kortleve has been one of the only midsize models of note,” Paton writes).
The entire article is fascinating. Paton offers some insights from experts about what size “average” American women are (that is, no one can say), and how that impacts mental health. One quote from Kortleve stands out to me, though, as indicative of this minefield of social discourse.
‘“It is problematic, for sure,” Ms. Kortleve said. “I am clearly not a plus-size model, and putting me in that box takes away from the experiences that my plus-size peers have had, like not being able to find their size in a store, which is something I’ve never had at my size.”‘
Read The Mean Life of a ‘Midsize’ Model by Elizabeth Paton for free on The New York Times here.
YouTube Video: Johann Hari Explains How Silicon Valley Is Stealing Our Attention | Offline with Jon
I’ve been meaning to share this video as my YouTube pick of the week for a few weeks now but…well…my attention span has not been so great. I watched this podcast episode on YouTube when it aired about four weeks ago and found it absolutely fascinating. Jon Favreau of Pod Save America speaks with Johann Hari, author of the New York Times bestseller Stolen Focus, about the science behind our attention span and ability to focus. Relatedly, the discussion turns to how tech companies have maliciously used this knowledge to manipulate users’ attention. Watching this hour long episode really drove home the point that my attention span is a little wonky. I can’t tell you how many times I picked up my phone to scroll through Instagram or Facebook while listening to why multitasking isn’t helpful! Anyway, however you decide to use the information from the video, it’s well worth a watch.
Instagram Account: @magicpages
I can’t quite remember how I came across Anna of @magicpages on Instagram, but I’m very glad I did! Anna started her Magic Pages blog in 2016. The site started as a space to reflect on her assigned reading for her cultural studies MA program. Since then, she has been able to use the platform as a way to further share her love of writing and reading with likeminded creatives.
Anna’s Instagram stands out to me in part because of her interest in reading. However, her photography style also catches my eye. I love how she shares her life in photos. With snippets of books, mirror selfies, and beautiful cups of coffee, Anna captures beauty in otherwise ordinary moments.
Check out @magicpages on Instagram here for Anna’s lovely photography and favorite reads. Be sure to check out her website, as well, to learn all about her copywriting and social media consulting work, as well as the Magic Pages blog.
Cats & Coffee’s Curated Content Series: February 1, 2023
Article: Tudor pendant linked to Henry VIII among new finds, BBC News
Image Credit: PA Media
Exciting news for Tudor history lovers! A metal detectorist from Warwickshire unearthed a gold pendant believed to have belonged to Katherine of Aragon. With roses and pomegranates on the front, and “H” and “K” on the reverse side, the symbolism ties in to the Tudor rose and Katherine’s own pomegranate badge. Seems pretty convincingly Tudor to me!
Read Tudor pendant linked to Henry VIII among new finds on BBC News here.
YouTube Video: Bridgerton 3 First Look + Latest News(2023) Nicola Coughlan & Luke Newton | Screen Queens
After rewatching Derry Girls with Brett, I wanted to show him Nicola Coughlan’s range so I showed him the first few episodes of season one. Without planning one it, I then embarked on a full-blown Bridgerton re-watch. So, I’m looking forward to season three all anew! This YouTube video shares some insights into the plot for season three, plus how the show is shifting the timeline from the Julia Quinn novels.
Instagram Account: @abooknymph
Adelaide of @abooknymph is a must-follow creator for anyone who loves fairycore and romantic photography styles. Adelaide creates beautiful fairytale imagery, complete with stunning dresses and accents, that really show off her distinct artistic eye.
Unsurprisingly, much of Adelaide’s content revolves around books, whether that’s in the form of quotes, as props, or as inspiration for her recreations. Plus, the Pre-Raphaelite influences in her work are top notch.
Give Adelaide of @abooknymph a follow on Instagram for all the gorgeous fairycore and royalcore content, plus plenty of beautiful Selkie dresses to inspire your next adventure!
Want more great finds like these?
Explore the January 2023 edition of my Curated Content Series for more great reads, listens, and Instagram accounts to follow.
