Weekend Reads

What is a soft boy? You might be dating one – and you don’t even know it via theguardian.co.uk

I received a sweet message today from a very cute boy. But it was so sweet, I think I got a cavity. Of course I read this message aloud in the office, and they led me to hone in on the accurate definition of a softboi. Is this my softboi summer? Regardless of whatever romantic delusions this heat may hold, I will definitely be submitting these texts to @beam_me_up_softboi  JS

 

The Mask via nytimes.com

Since the coronavirus has the upper hand globally and in all sectors, we have to swim with the wave. Nose and mouth covering masks rule fashion at the moment. New York Times published a great article about the symbiosis of masks as a cultural good and pragmatically as life-saving health protection. OM

A Walk Through Harlem, New York’s Most Storied Neighborhood via nytimes.com

From the former Speakers’ Corner at 135th Street, where Malcolm X often spoke to Maya Angelou’s former residence on 120th Street. These are just a couple of the landmarks which are crossed when NYT columnist Michael Kimmelman and Ghanian-British architect David Adjaye take a virtual stroll around the iconic New York district, Harlem. Every district of a city has it’s own diverse culture and history, and Harlem is no different. Ever since the Harlem Renaissance—an early 20th-century boom in music, literature, dance and art—this neighborhood has been synonymous with black culture. Adjaye began to explore the area while working on a mixed-use housing development called Sugar Hill, which opened in 2015. That same year he won the commission to do a new home for the Studio Museum in Harlem and moved to Harlem with his family. A walk-via-zoom from east to west and a lovely conversation had. SK

 

Fire in your belly: The return of men’s crop tops via theguardian.com

It is not a secret anymore that crop tops can be worn by men and women alike. Still, depending on where you currently reside in the world, you might not see as many men wearing crop tops in the street. The article gives an insight into how the clothing item has originally been worn by male people first, singers and bodybuilders. When I think about it, I actually regret not wearing one right now. PG

 

Thomas Chatterton Williams on Race, Identity, and “Cancel Culture” via newyorker.com

An interview with Thomas Chatterton Williams, speaking on race, identity, and cancel culture, taking an unpopular critical approach to all: a bold move, especially when printed in the New Yorker. JS

 

Softboi Collage by Erum Salam