Nymphet Alumni : Podcast

Course Materials 055

Nymphet Alumni — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:30:47 GMT

Welcome to week fifty five of Course Materials, our recommendations column where we share the best of our cultural diets for paid subscribers every Friday.

To access the full Course Materials archive, exclusive episodes, and all the glamour of our premium content, you’ll need to add your payment information at this link.

Here are our personal picks for the week of June 15th:

Ep. 161: The Paranoid Style w/ Anika Jade Levy

Nymphet Alumni — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 20:43:44 GMT

In this episode, Sam is joined by friend of the pod Anika Jade Levy, author of Flat Earth and founding editor of Forever Magazine, for a sprawling investigation into the paranoid spirit of the United States of America. Beginning with the America’s founding fantasy of paradise, Anika and Sam trace how the country’s utopian dream soured into a national aesthetic of suspicion: from Puritan invisible enemies and the feminized conspiracy of the Salem Witch Trials, to the pastoral terror of data centers humming in the American wilderness, to cyberpunk stealthwear, urban camouflage, hollow earths, Atlantis, visions of a lost world, and much, much more. Drawing from Leo Marx, Richard Hofstadter, Adam Curtis, Cotton Mather, Anette Kolodny, Silvia Federici, and Anika’s own novel, the girls move through history, politics, media, and fashion to uncover what conspiracy reveals about American self-invention.

Links:

Anika’s Instagram

Flat Earth by Anika Jade Levy

Forever Magazine

Agens Denis’s A Confrontation: Battery Park Landfil

The Machine in the Garden by Leo Marx

The Paranoid Style in American Politics by Richard Hofstadter

The Lay of the Land by Annette Kolodny

Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici

The Significance of the Frontier in American History by Fredrick Jackson Turner

Wonders of the Invisible World by Cotton Mather

The Cultural Cold War by Frances Stonor Saunders

CV Dazzle

Balenciaga Panic of 2022

Lotta Volkova Conspiracy

Data Center Hum on TikTok

Mr. Bean/Princess Diana Reel

The Century of the Self by Adam Curtis

MAGA as Fan Fiction by Gideon Jacobs

Player One and Main Character by Gideon Jacobs

New Models: The Online Marketplace of Ideas with Joshua Citarella

The Gurdjieff Movements

The New Age Bible by Sheila Heiti

Ep. 160: What Can I Deuphoria | Study Break

Nymphet Alumni — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 20:44:03 GMT

In this edition of Study Break, we bid a bittersweet farewell to Euphoria, discussing our conclusive takeaways from the season finale, including theories on slapstick comedy, destiny swapping, and sexual extremism. We also review the Gen Z losercore horror hit Backrooms and its thesis on the dangers of introspection, analyze Dua Lipa’s topologically curious courthouse wedding look, and consider the cultural implications of new releases from Drake, Charli XCX, and Olivia Rodrigo.

Links:

Ep. 159: I Know Dada w/ Chase Rutherford

Nymphet Alumni — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:48:04 GMT

In this episode, we’re joined by legendary TikTok creator, Slushy Noobz creative director, and certified #SWAG Dadaism pioneer Chase Rutherford to further interrogate the ideas introduced in our previous episode. We discuss the freedom of default aesthetics and the legacy of normcore, the provocative power of readymades over a century after Fountain, how Kanye anchored the preppy misfit years of Chase’s youth, and how Chase resisted the siren song of LA influencer culture in favor of creative autonomy. We also discuss the art historical impact of Beyoncé and Jay-Z at the Louvre, how Sombr’s personal brand might still be salvaged, and the importance of reframing transient microtrends—from clout goggles to Brazil baby tee—as the significant cultural artifacts of our time.

Links:

Chase Rutherford on Instagram

Chase Rutherford on TikTok

Slushy Noobz on Patreon

Slushy Noobz official merchandise

Ep. 158: Dark Homocore w/ Kiernan Francis

Nymphet Alumni — Mon, 25 May 2026 13:56:34 GMT

In this episode, Alexi is joined by filmmaker, photographer, and Club POLO founder Kiernan “Knives” Francis to discuss Dark Homocore, the sweaty, unapologetically horny strain of queer visual culture that’s crawled out of the underground and into the zeitgeist. We trace the history of male objectification and coded gay desire from Bruce Weber’s homoerot…

Ep. 157: American Freakshow | Study Break

Nymphet Alumni — Wed, 13 May 2026 14:04:38 GMT

In this edition of Study Break, we discuss the less-than-triumphant return of Euphoria and Sam Levinson’s pivot to everythingsplotation Western, Michael Jackson’s new hagiography and the grotesque legacy that transcends it, and recent fashioncore highlights from the literalism of the Met Gala to the nostalgia of The Devil Wears Prada 2. We also discuss the Substack truth nuke that rocked the indie music scene, Olivia Rodrigo’s coquette comeback, The Drama’s fresh take on the tribulations of female adolescence, and more.

Links:

Suga Free the Pimp on Instagram

Pimp: The Story of My Life by Iceberg Slim

“Why Is Everything So Ugly?” in Issue 44 of n+1

“Fashion Is Not Art (And That’s OK)” by Valerie Steele in Someone Else

“See Every Look from the Met Gala 2026 Red Carpet” in Vogue

Hudson Williams MUA Aika Flores Pinterest board leak

Hudson Williams heading home at 7am following the Met Gala after party

“Abnormals, Freaks, and Michael Jackson: Foucault, Baldwin, and the Truth of the Grotesque” by Brad Elliott Stone

“Freaks and the American Ideal of Manhood (Here Be Dragons)” by James Baldwin, originally published in Playboy, January 1985

Rabelais and His World by Mikhail Bakhtin

Michael Jackson describes his first sexual encounter with Tatum O’Neal (2003)

Telephone Stories: The Trials of Michael Jackson on Spotify

On Michael Jackson by Margo Jefferson

“Meryl Streep and Anna Wintour on Power, Fashion, and Acting the Part” (April 2026 cover story) by Chloe Malle in Vogue

Synopsis: Innocence by Kaija Saariaho from the Metropolitan Opera

Olivia Rodrigo – drop dead (Official Music Video)

Olivia Rodrigo – begged (Live) on Saturday Night Live

“Fake Fans” by Eliza McLamb in words from eliza on Substack

Nancy Pelosi Endorses Jack Schlossberg For Congress

Acquired Style x Swan Beauty Viral Bachelorette Party

Ep. 156: #SWAG Dadaism

Nymphet Alumni — Wed, 06 May 2026 14:22:24 GMT

In this episode, we coin a new term for one of the most interesting creative impulses of our generation: #SWAG Dadaism. Like the original Dadaists responding to the whiplash of industrialization and WWI, a certain subset of young creatives are responding to the vertigo of global instability and breathless technological futurism through fashion assemblage, IP maximalism, and a fearless embrace of all things chopped and random. We conduct a historical survey from Clement Greenberg’s theory of kitsch and the avant-garde to the early days of meme culture to explore page fashion parodists of the past decade. We also get into Justin Bieber and Timothée Chalamet’s parallel #SWAG rebrands, the collapse of the secondhand market and its unexpected creative upside, and how #SWAG exists as the antithesis of refinement culture.

Links:

Image board

Dada Manifesto by Tristan Tzara (1918)

“Avant-Garde and Kitsch” by Clement Greenberg from The Partisan Review (1939)

“The First Meme of 2026 Is About Not Explaining Yourself. And Buttons.” by Madison Malone Kircher for The New York Times

Chase Rutherford on Instagram (referenced posts one, two, three)

Chase Rutherford interview for Perfectly Imperfect

@okniceok on Instagram

@kalebphobic on TikTok re: digicore sampling

Canal Street Research Association and Shanzhai Lyric on Instagram

“Bags, Bootlegs and Art: A Quirky Communion on Canal Street” by Siddhartha Mitter in The New York Times

Ava Nirui / @avanope interview in Office magazine (2017)

“Meet Ava Nirui, The Creative Force Behind Marc Jacobs’ Heaven Line” by Eni Subair in Vogue (2020)

“Go To The Thrift Store That’s Where The Heat Is” on Know Your Meme

@harmonytividad “filet minion” post on Instagram

Middle school boy bar crawl on TikTok

Tung Tung Tung Sahur boxers outfit on TikTok

@twylatoktok on TikTok (referenced posts one, two, three)

@turtlewithhat_ / Izzy and Emma pink leggings outfits

Ep. 155: The Life of a Bravolebrity w/ Mia Alario

Alexi Alario — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:04:19 GMT

In this exclusive solo episode, I interview Mia Alario, the star of Bravo’s Charleston-based nightlife reality show Southern Hospitality … who also happens to be my older sister. We discuss how her reign of terror as a juvenile delinquent led to a successful career in television, the challenges of casting for TV in the digital age, the cornerstones of B…

Ep. 154: God's Country Regional Warfare (Emergency Roundtable)

Nymphet Alumni — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:58:43 GMT

In this Emergency Roundtable, we survey the creative battle for the heart of America, discussing how pop stars, auteurs, and creative directors can’t seem to quit the American interior, with varying results from campy kitschy country-pop to anxietycore political absurdism. We dissect the Lana del Rey vs. Ethel Cain conflict as a generational allegory, the Chappell Roan smear campaign and the contradictions of her Midwest Princess persona, Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western empire and the fantasy of heartland wealth, and the Texas vs. California showdown over the soul of the American economy. We also review the viral Dinergoth prospectus, and Alexi and Sam report back from a Texas road trip with new personal stakes in all of the above.

Links:

Ep. 153: Catalan Chicslop w/ Clairolime

Alexi Alario — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 22:06:36 GMT

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by critical mastermind Caroline Cai (aka Clairolime) to unpack what we’re calling Catalan Chicslop, the downtempo, sophisticated, quietly freaky aesthetic championed by brands like Paloma Wool and Gimaguas. We discuss how this look evolved from avant-basic dopamine dressing, its influences from ‘90s minimalism to early 20th century experimental couture, Barcelona’s history as a modernist aura farm, post-Phoebe Philo feminist-lite brand mythos, and strategies to transcend the tyranny of chicness. We also analyze the aesthetic’s appeal to women across successive life stages, from 13-year-old Penelope Dissick to microinfluencer gallerinas to mysterious pregnant brunettes.

Links:

@clairolime on Instagram

Image board

Relevant brands: Paloma Wool, Gimaguas, Susmie’s Collection, Belle Anna, Deiji Studios, Buci, Geel, DémodéMODÉ

“How Spain’s Indie Fashion Scene Nailed Global Growth” in Business of Fashion

“These Brands are Putting Spanish Style on the Map” by Zoe Suen in W

“Paloma Wool: From Cool to Basic and Back Again” by Yola Mzizi in The New York Times

Paintings by Ramon Casas (Ex. 1, Ex. 2, Ex. 3, Ex. 4)

Paloma Wool’s “San Sebastián 2025” campaign featuring Carlotta Baan

“Studio Visit: Paloma Wool” in Sleek magazine (2023)

“Where Are All the Women Designers?” by Emma Childs in Marie Claire

Chicslop runoff examples from Miaou, Frankie’s Bikinis, Guizio, Jaded London, Revolve house brands Lioness and Lovers and Friends, With Jean, UNIF

HAIM - Relationships (Official Music Video)

Crumbs from Penelope Dissick’s deleted TikTok photo dump

Emma Chamberlain’s “i got rid of (almost) everything” closet video

“T-boy swag: Claiming space where trans people feel we don’t inherently belong” by Reanna Cruz in NPR

Note from Alexi: I’m sorry I mispronounced Phoebe Philo omg put your chic pewter pitchforks down!!

Ep. 152: Fake Minkhia Asylum | Study Break

Nymphet Alumni — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:42:08 GMT

In this edition of Study Break, the girls review the latest cultural dispatches, including the newest wave of attention-seeking fashion week stunts (from Fakemink at Balenciaga to Bryan Johnson lurking at Matières Fécales), the Buffalo Bill realness of Robert Pattinson and Zendaya’s Interview Magazine cover, Tyra Banks’s wacky legacy, Hillary Clinton’s bleach-and-tone, the rise of Wuthering Heights womanslop, and more!

Links:

Fakemink for Dazed

Brian Johnson for Fecal Matter in Paris

Robert Pattinson and Zendaya for Interview Magazine

Jim Carrey Clone Allegations

Alexis Stone Jim Carrey Prank

Punch the Monkey

Ep. 151: Romantasy

Alexi Alario — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 01:12:59 GMT

In this week’s episode, we discuss Romantasy, the Franken-genre that has conquered the publishing world and defined the libidinal landscapes of a generation of women. We decode the genre’s DNA from dimestore bodice-rippers to high fantasy epics, examine the sociological profile of its authors and audiences, and explore how it’s mutated in the digital age via AI visualizers and high-budget audio erotica. We also talk about Renaissance faires, fujoshi discourse, the mirror image of male vs. female gooning in popular culture, Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights as the BookTok movie of the century, and more.

Links:
Image board

Sam’s Romantasy Spotify Playlist

“Did a Best-Selling Romantasy Author Steal Another Writer’s Story?” by Katy Waldman in The New Yorker

“She Fell in Love With ChatGPT. Then She Ghosted It.” (r/MyBoyfriendIsAI profile) by Kashmir Hill in The New York Times

“Gender difference in brain activation to audio-visual sexual stimulation” by Chung et. al. in PubMed

“Sexual Scripts: Permanence and Change” by William Simon and John H. Gagnon in Archives of Sexual Behavior, Vol. 15, No. 2

“How the Renaissance Fair became America’s favorite fantasy” by Kelly Faircloth in National Geographic

r/AskAHistorian discussions about medievalism and high fantasy (one, two, three)

The Oxford Handbook of Victorian Medievalism ed. Joanne Parker and Corinna Wagner

Hard to Be a God (2013) dir. Aleksei German

Candlelight Ecstasy Romance Guidelines c. 1980

Love Story magazine ed. Daisy Bacon (1921–1947) (see covers here)

“The Uses of Reading Mass-Produced Romance Fiction” (Harlequin study) by Susan B. Neuman (1985)

History of the “sex and shopping” genre by Pascal Tréguer

“Girls Who Love Boys Who Love Boys” by E. Alex Jung in Vulture

Interview with Quinn founder and CEO Caroline Spiegel in Refinery29

“Aural Fixation: Celebrity Audio Erotica Is 2025’s Answer to the Centerfold” by Hannah Jackson in Vogue

“The Importance of Critical Thinking in a Zombiefied World” (Why romantasy is crucial to understanding Apple TV’s hit show Pluribus) by Maris Kreizman in The Atlantic

“Liking Books is Not a Personality” by Hannah McGregor in Electric Literature

@shauna_the_author on Instagram

Ep. 150: Wolk Mind Virus w/ Ivy Wolk

Alexi Alario — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:21:00 GMT

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by actress and generational internet phenomenon Ivy Wolk (Anora, The English Teacher) to discuss her sartorial origins from roller derby to riot grrl to rockabilly, the sorry state of the Theatre, the evolving identity of the character actor, the cult mystique of a volatile decade-long online presence, and why cultural curiosity may be the closest thing we have to world peace. Ivy also weighs in on the uncanny e-girl invasion of the latest Guess campaign and reflects on the spirit of authentic Angeleno style.

Links:

Ivy Wolk on Instagram

Theatre and Film on Tape Archive at NYPL for the Performing Arts

Mike Tyson’s “fat and nasty” MAHA Super Bowl ad

Peloton’s Kendall Toole in viral “get ‘em banned” clip

Guess girl Instagam campaign

Ep. 149: The Horn of Plenty Honky Tonk | Study Break

Sam Cummins — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:10:47 GMT

In this edition of Study Break, we survey the triumph and tragedy of the 2026 Grammys and deliver our official assessment of the Momania (The Moment + Melania) double feature. The declaration of war on Sombr is formally expanded to include newcomer Olivia Dean, and the strange theater of Latino representation in Hollywood comes under review. Elsewhere, several urgent notes are issued to the pop music PR puppeteers who seem to have lost motor control of talents like Jelly Roll and Billie Eilish. We also unpack the honky tonk heartbreak of Bella Hadid and Adan Banuelos, Gaga’s McQueen resurrection, Justin Bieber’s soulful Captain Underpants realness, the newest wave of Windrush Generation excellence, and more!

Links:

Sacheen Littlefeather accepting an Oscar on behalf of Marlon Brando

Adan Banuelos Arrested for Public Intoxication

Bella Hadid dancing in a Honky Tonk with Adan Banuelos

Theo Von on Jelly Roll Acceptance Speeches

Zillennial Cozy Funk Wedding

Ep. 148: Paul Poiret w/ Mary E. Davis

Biz Sherbert — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:30:21 GMT

This week, Biz sits down with cultural historian Mary E. Davis to discuss her fabulous new book Paul Poiret: Inventing Modern Luxury. Mary and Biz examine the unsung importance of the designer to the fashion system as we know it — traipsing through Poiret’s legendary parties and bon vivant attitude, his modernist style philosophy (which famously include…

Ep. 147: Cherry Emoji Dark Feminine

Alexi Alario — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 20:06:06 GMT

In this week's episode, we examine a specific brand of dark femininity that feels like a vestige of 2016, embodied through dramatic imagery of luxury accessories, cartoon vixens, and predatory wildlife, and expressed through a paradoxical strain of man-hating male centrism. We discuss this aesthetic’s positioning in opposition to the Clean Girl and how interpersonal dynamics popularized by sex work inform its understanding of power and money. We also investigate why the dark feminine resonates so deeply among women of the so-called “Latina belt,” drawing connections to chola culture and Arabic literary traditions to explore how this affect functions as a negotiation between patriarchal tradition and Western ideas about female sexuality and autonomy. Finally, we identify the aesthetic’s greatest arbiters and muses, from Helmut Newton and Riccardo Tisci to Maddy Perez and BLACKPINK’s Lisa.

Links:

Image board

Examples on Instagram, TikTok

Ralph Bakshi: A Forgotten Pioneer

Rihanna - Bitch Better Have My Money (Explicit) (Official Music Video)

BbyMutha - RULES (Official Music Video)

Why Men Love Bitches: From Doormat to Dreamgirl by Sherry Argov

“How the Cholo Clown Became the Face of L.A.” by Frank Rojas for LA Times (“Smile Now, Cry Later” history)

Viral Alexa Demie Yo Voy clip

Ghazal History – Encyclopaedia Iranica

BLACKPINK’s Lisa introduces “Vixi”

@shopnou_ on Instagram

“The Wild World of Chris von Wangenheim” by Daisy Woodward for AnOther

Chris von Wanghenheim on TheFashionSpot

“Pomellato Revives Helmut Newton’s Daring ’80s Campaigns in a New Show” by Annie Davidson Watson for W

Ricardo Tisci by Donatella Versace for Interview

Givenchy Fall 2011 Menswear on Vogue Runway

Givenchy Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear on Vogue Runway

Givenchy Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear on Vogue Runway

Ep. 146: Blonde Hair and Black Gold | Study Break

Nymphet Alumni — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:01:43 GMT

In the first Study Break of the year, Biz and Sam survey the state of the world refracted through the prism of pop culture. They discuss Odessa A’Zion’s wig allegations, the hypernormal clownery of Nicolas Maduro’s kidnapping, Bella Hadid’s blonde hair omen, and the pop-princess perfection of Zara Larsson. Plus: a meditation on time in the second quarter of the 21st century, viewed through the anamorphic looking glass of Hollister’s 2016 anachronism, Cameron Winter’s Dorian Grey agelessness, and North West’s prodigious beat-making potential.

Links:

Hollister’s Tumblr Drop

2016 Revisionism

Stateside + Zara Larsson by Pink Panthress

North West’s Beatmaking Sample

Cameron Winter at Carnegie Hall

Bella Hadid for Dazed MENA

@shop_reallifeasliv

Carnival Time, Hardness, and the Machines That Process Excess by Sachin on Substack

Work-Hardened Archetypes by Sachin on Substack

Venezuelan Oil Explainer in The Guardian

Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques

Oil Company Pushback in The Guardian

Who is Zach Bryan’s Wife?

Rama Duwaji Profile in The Cut

Previous Episodes Referenced:

Ep. 76: Get Silly

Ep. 24: The Snapocalypse

Ep. 25: America (with Light Townsend Cummins)

Ep. 145: Pastel Grunge Revival

Nymphet Alumni — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:33:36 GMT

This week, we herald the coming of the Pastel Grunge Revival, a new wave of candy-colored femininity characterized by an eclectic and deliberately unsettling fusion of childlike innocence and overt sensuality. We discuss the style’s influences— soft grunge Tumblr imagery, cartoon nostalgia, Harajuku fashion, sex worker style, and more— and unpack the social functions of age regression, self-objectification, and homosocial fantasy that resonate with young women online. We also provide a brief overview of pastels in visual culture from the 1950s to present, and we explore the myriad reasons why this aesthetic emerged from Los Angeles in particular.

Special thank you to Monica @finalformfemale for this episode idea!!

Links:

Image board

Ashley Williams – Vogue Runway

f5ve – I Choose You (Official MV)

PGR It Girls and Creative Forces Masterlist: Mazzy Joya, Savannah Hudson, Miss Madeline and Chase Icon, Cannelle, ADÉLA, Manon Macasaet, Lexi Kingery, Kennedy Dechet, Natasha Somerville, Aerin Moreno

Shopbluedream.us and @shopbluedream on Instagram for an inspired selection of PGR clothing

Misc. PGR brands: Lovett, OGBFF, OMIGHTY, Poster Girl, I.AM.GIA, Poison Candy Apple, WeedSlut

TikToks of girls posting their younger selves to sad songs

Accidentally getting a job as a stripper in Japan TikTok storytime

fakemink - Easter Pink (Prod Suzy Sheer) (Official MV)

Rhode remakes Richard Avedon’s iconic Versace 1994 campaign

OG Soft Grunge It Girls: Joanna Kuchta, Shelby Hamilton aka meowshelbs, Erika Kamano fka Erika Bowes

Gwen Stefani and the Harajuku Girls (2005)

Nicki Minaj explains Harajuku Barbie (2009) (+ Nicki’s iconic pastel necklaces by ONCH)

Rapper CeeChynaa shows off her vintage doll collection

Ep. 144: The 2025 Nymphies Awards

Alexi Alario — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 03:16:01 GMT

After a brief hiatus, the Nymphies are BACK!! In this annual ceremony, we honor 2025’s greatest achievements in fashion and culture with awards from us at the Nymphet Alumni Academy of Arts and Sciences, including categories such as Best and Worst Rebrand, Outfit of the Year, Best Sillyboy, and Best Brainrot Trend, featuring exclusive access to our careful deliberation process. We lay to rest dearly departed aesthetics of years past, and we end the evening by announcing the winner of the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, immortalizing one true legend in the Nymphet Alumni canon. For the first time, we’ve also tallied up your votes for the Reader’s Choice Awards!

Ep. 143: Women in Hip-Hop, or Chicken Alfredo Crisis (Emergency Roundtable)

Alexi Alario — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:53:59 GMT

In this Emergency Roundtable, Sam and Alexi sit down to dissect critical issues related to women in hip-hop and R&B, a landscape increasingly defined by social media spectacle that reveals much about race, class, gender, generational divides, commerce, regionalism, and more. We discuss the post-Nicki Minaj power vacuum, the dissolution of City Girls, Me…