Summer Trends Under Scrutiny: A Call for Seasonal Balance
- Emma Beddington critiques the societal pressure surrounding summer trends, including dressing, behavior, and eating habits.
- She argues that the seasonal expectations often dictate personal choices and can be overwhelming.
- Beddington calls for a reassessment of these norms, suggesting that people should feel more freedom during summer.
In a recent critique of summer trends, the author expresses discontent with the prevailing cultural obsession surrounding the season, which they describe as a “wet, brat, hot rat summer.” The list of suggested activities, including gladiator mullets and “boat raves,” is met with skepticism. The author questions the necessity of such elaborate guidelines for enjoying summer, contrasting it with the lack of similar instructions for other seasons, which seem to pass without the same fanfare. The piece highlights a growing trend of summer-centric themes and colors, such as “brat green for 2024,” suggesting that summer has become overly commercialized and themed, akin to a Pinterest wedding. The author notes that while other seasons have their own charms, they do not demand the same level of attention or celebration, pointing out the repetitive nature of Christmas traditions as a stark contrast to summer’s ever-evolving trends. Moreover, the emergence of “summerween,” a hybrid festival combining summer and Halloween elements, is cited as evidence of summer’s encroachment on other seasonal festivities. This trend, which includes activities like carving watermelons, is seen as a sign that summer is overstepping its bounds and diluting the uniqueness of other seasons. In conclusion, the author calls for a reassessment of summer’s dominance in cultural narratives, urging a return to a more balanced appreciation of all seasons as summer approaches its inevitable end.