Slice Of Life Community

Editor in Chief: Cynthia Medina

Happy New Year! It is wonderful to be back in your inbox as we kick off a massive year and we couldn’t be more hyped for 2026—especially with NYFW just around the corner.

Congratulations on completing the first week of 2026. Transitioning back to the grind is never easy, so we invite you to take a well-deserved break. Settle in and enjoy the latest insights from our featured columnists.🎊🫧

2026 Ins and Out by Emma Chamberlin🫦…

Death of Overconsumption🗑️

With the holiday spirit in full bloom, it is easy for me to drown in the despair of not being able to buy every shiny new toy featured in the endless gift guides. As a remedy to this seasonal sickness, this week I want to remember the pieces in my closet that I once loved the most. 

Remember that pair of old Ugg boots that you used to love and never get rid of? Wearing them today you’ll look just as stylish as you did in high school. 

In a season of over consumption, it is good to remember that sometimes less is more, and more often than not. The trends that we now love are hiding in our closets. 

The Luxury of Intimacy🫂

Through my lens of fortuitous friendships during a stay in Fort Bragg.

I once joked after high school that my friends and I would only see each other once or twice a year, and much to our group's dismay this joke became reality. Amidst keeping the friendship alive through group chat and FaceTime, we opted for a more analog trip as compensation for the in-person quality time that we’d missed. Trading our love language of gift giving (Secret Santa) for quality time (girl’s trip), we visited Mendocino County.  Located along the California coast, the Pacific Ocean provided a scenic view and ample time to reconnect with nature and friends. 

Linking was now a luxury to us; a Himalayan Birkin of our friendship. In extensively planning our packing list, we also ideated, planned, and decorated to make our homemade dinner extra special for our group stay. Tiered plate settings, hand written namecards, candles, and flowers adorned the dining room table. To make the ordinary feel extraordinary a la With Love, Meghan, our dinner party was aptly themed “A Ralph Lauren Dinner” with decor and a dress code to match.

We served a charcuterie board adorned with fig spread, sourdough flatbread, hot curry hummus, canned sardines in chili oil, and spicy pickled garlic– an assortment that prompted combinations and conversation. An innately social dish which prompted questions of “have you tried the cracker with the hummus and fig jam?” which not only engaged our senses but created intimacy through dining and conversation.  

Much like a relationship, connection requires effort. Many luxury brands’ marketing teams are trying to jump on the next trend to better connect with their current and new audiences. Their insight: audiences want “authenticity”. But how can conglomerate corporations want “authenticity” when AI ads, limited liability and their flaunting of capitalistic inhumanity are constantly promoted? What they truly aspire to emulate is intimacy.

My prediction for 2026? Think conversation pits, book clubs/ seminars, board games; togetherness, connectivity. The days of stale, sterile coffee shops are gone and it's time to welcome unlikely conversations with strangers. Thought leaders will rise in popularity through attending seminars, book clubs, and more– a genuine curiosity about people; and exploring, challenging, and celebrating opinions and feelings. 

I believe solitary is over– audiences will opt for more engaging group games like black jack. Miu Miu x Uno, Bottega Veneta x Jenga, and more brands are releasing luxury board games. The thrill of chasing uniqueness, as we’ve seen through the joy of thrifting, will resurge through analog activities/ practices like namecards, cursive, post cards, voice notes/ phone calls over texts, and personalized stationery.

The era of nonchalance is over. Engaging in thought, forging connections and being together will reign in 2026– because the real luxury is not exclusivity, but connection and intimacy. 

And to my dear friends of which I have the luxury of sharing a deep personal connection with: to quote Charlotte York, “Don’t laugh at me, but maybe we could be each other’s soulmates.”

Has anyone else been eating up everyone’s end of semester dumps? Lately, I’ve noticed a shift. This year feels less formal - more real if you will. People are posting random selfies, less than posed pictures, and snipbits of real life. Three years ago, this just wouldn’t have happened. 

*Yes, all of these are from my Instagram (follow me @sarahisboredtoday ;)

Posting on Instagram used to be an anxious ritual that would take an entire week of my life and multiple rounds of approval to curate. So, what’s changed? What’s this new wave of candidness we’re seeing on social media? 

My take - we’re exhausted and the pendulum is finally swinging back to 2010s Insta. It’s goofy, easy, fun, and I’m so here for it. From 2016 on, every post sold an overly-polished version of ourselves. If your face wasn’t beat, hair done, and photo flawless, it wasn’t going to see the light of day. 

Now, the pressures back off, and we’re all just sharing what makes us smile again. There’s a wave of social media rejection that’s come around as we all look up from our phones after being enthralled with them in our teens. I think we’ve realized, it’s truly not that deep. 

So this year, maybe ditch the editing and post that pic without a second guess. With so much going on in our lives, who has time to worry about being perfect?

From Page to Screen: Why Books are Hollywood's BFF🎬

Hollywood's love affair with adapting books into movies and TV shows is stronger than ever, and honestly, it's easy to see why. Books come with built-in fanbases, established narratives, and characters that readers already adore (or love to hate).

But it's not just about the guaranteed audience. Books offer a depth of story and world-building that can be hard to create from scratch. Think about the intricate universes of "Dune" or the complex characters in "Little Fires Everywhere." These adaptations give filmmakers a solid foundation to build upon, allowing them to explore themes and ideas that resonate with audiences on a deeper level.

Of course, not all adaptations are created equal. The challenge lies in staying true to the source material while also adapting the story to a visual medium. When it's done well, like with "The Queen's Gambit," the result can be magical, bringing beloved stories to life in new and exciting ways.

See you next week!