This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
Forget the news cycle and the savagery of social media and book an extended vacation for your mind with Dana Perino’s debut rom-com “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Purple-State-Novel-Dana-Perino/dp/0063486563">Purple State</a>.” It serves all the thrilling crushes, heartwarming moments, and homespun comfort you could ask for, and I’m calling every politico, uptown baddie, horse girl, PSL babe, and farmers market sis out there: This one’s for you. 
This romantic romp skirts the “Fifty Shades” stuff and keeps things suitable for work — apart from the intoxicating smell of a new boyfriend’s T-shirt. By the last line, I was tearing up and wishing for a hundred more pages.
Here’s the setup. Three New York City besties known as The Crew (Dorothy “Dot” Clark, Mary Russo, and Harper Lee Adler) say goodbye to the Big Apple for a year to pitch in on a Democratic election in normie Cedar Falls, Wisconsin. While they’re convinced they’ll miss the hustle and bustle of the city, they’re equally maxed out on the usual: accidentally flirting with guys who play for the other team, struggling to afford life, and feeling stuck in their careers.
So, over cocktails, they agree to one last wild adventure together. A temporary respite from their “what am I doing with my life” era. Everything sounds like a good idea after a glass of sangria.
Once they settle into their new digs just outside of Milwaukee, things get real — and covered in manure. Maybe you can take a girl out of the big city, but can you take the big city out of the girl? The Crew grow to appreciate the Midwest charms of indie bookshops, restaurants with quaint names like “Cocoa and Cabernet,” and locals-only wisdom, but as they count down the months until their return to normal life, unexpected connections with three of Cedar Falls’ most eligible bachelors make things a little complicated. The hot, handy guy-on-a-farm aesthetic only cranks up the heat.
“Purple State” is the fifth release from Dana Perino and her first fictional work. According to my coworkers who saw me flipping through pages, eating up every word like an AMC <a href="https://www.amctheatres.com/perfectly-popcorn/megabag">MegaBag</a> of movie popcorn, there’s no shortage of love around here for the Fox News commentator and New York Times bestselling author. After the third time I heard “love Dana Perino,” I looked up to see if Dana was standing behind me. 
I’m also a fan, but I’m not making commission on every sale of “Purple State.” <a href="https://youtu.be/eMEnNRKallY?t=290">I’m just a girl</a>, standing in front of a book, asking you to love it. So here’s my honest take: Don’t overthink it. Sink into this breezy beach read like a pumpkin spice hot tub topped with apple pie cold foam and, if you’re a city gal, indulge in the quaint comfort of rural life.
Hallmark movie energy abounds. I admit to openly rejecting saccharine hot-cocoa-and-mittens meet-cutes — and then wrapping myself like a burrito in my duvet while wishing my boyfriend were stringing Christmas lights around the town square he secretly flooded with water so it could be an ice skating rink. As Mary Russo notes, “Cedar Falls? Are you serious — that’s a real place, not a Hallmark movie town?”
Descriptions of a dairy barn as &#8220;pungent&#8221; reminded me of childhood sleepovers at my friend’s family farm when we fed young calves from giant milk bottles and rode the moving feed trough, pretending to “interview” them, until I could no longer stomach the stench. (I was a &#8216;burbs girlie.) Never mind the one time I witnessed the birth of a calf. Let’s just say I never wanted to grow up to be a veterinarian. 
But please show me the ice-cold soul who can resist the Cedar Falls harvest festival on a perfectly crisp autumn morning. With everyone holding “steaming mugs of apple cider,” a pie-eating contest, and a live band with a banjo, it’s so dang cozy, you could fall in love with the nearest stop sign. 
Still, Dana doesn’t leave the brunch-and-bodega crowd behind. Her depictions of New York City outline a delicate tattoo on the hearts of anyone who ever dreamed of living it up in a hand-me-down loft and zipping all over town with her dream guy, toasting cocktails with girlfriends at <a href="https://joannenyc.com/">Joanne Trattoria</a> in real life. 
“On the one hand, she pictured herself in a corner office at the firm, having made partner by the age of thirty,” Dana writes of Dot. Describing her high-rise apartment fantasy, with a wardrobe of gorgeous clothes and no money problems, Dana continues, “She’d throw dinner parties, donate to the Met, and still make it to Sunday supper at her parents’ house.” Like some kind of Carrie Bradshaw utopia, it’s that impossible dream that makes it hard to let go. 
For those of us living in our own purple states of varying kinds, Dana also offers a soft landing where no one side feels too extreme, or “right.” With everyone able to maintain civil conversations and keep their priorities in order, the push and pull between political ideals provides the background music to relationships and daily routines. Like most of us do in real life, we leave the crazy stuff for the internet.
I mention how much everyone loves Dana Perino because that’s what inspired me to dive a little deeper on the author. I soon recognized her long, happy marriage to her English husband, <a href="https://people.com/dana-perino-opens-up-marriage-peter-mcmahon-exclusive-11731621">Peter McMahon,</a> mirrored in the characters who own the Cedar Falls bookstore (but she’s British; he’s American). Having no kids of their own, the fictional couple dishes out sage advice at just the right moment. Like I imagine Dana and Peter do.
The dog on the jacket cover also looks exactly like Dana’s copper-colored vizsla, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/dana-perino-our-dogs-remind-us-lifes-sweetest-truth">Percy</a>. That kind of thing, and the subtle shoutout to Dana’s Fox show “The Five” and Greg Gutfeld, personalizes the story. 
Not gonna lie, I found some scenes to be a touch unbelievable, and a few of the jokes land like soft-serve vanilla that falls off the cone and onto the floor. (These are New Yorkers; they need quick-witted dialogue with bite.) And a surprise HGTV-style makeover doesn’t quite pay off with the emotional reveal. I guess not everything can be “Fixer Upper.”
But I don’t care. It’s almost summer reading season. Treat yourself to “Purple State” and yet another reason to love Dana Perino.

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This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
Back in the &#8217;80s and &#8217;90s, no one had ChatGPT to find the words to say how she really felt. Instead, everyone had access to the world’s most reliable form of communication: the cassette mixtape. Cool kids mastered the fine art of meticulously assembling other people’s songs with a flow that told a story, capturing the vibe in Sharpie, adding a makeshift “album cover” revealing each track so you could fast-forward to find it, and neatly folding everything into a clear plastic case. After all that work, gifting the epic masterpiece to its recipient felt as majestic as lighting the Olympic flame.
First-gen mixtapes were totally rad manna from heaven. Never had anyone heard these songs in this order in their lives. 
Smash cut to now, NFL reporter Dianna Russini sure understood the power of a playlist when she reportedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-spotify-playlist-we-cant-pause-the-dianna-russini-and-mike-vrabel-scandal">made one on Spotify</a> for then-Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel back in 2022. The catch was that both of them were (and still are) married to other people. Oops. Supposedly designed to pump Coach up after a series of losses, it was one hour and nine minutes of pure, unadulterated proof of adultery. At least according to the court of public opinion, which is always in session. 
Track 1: “<a href="https://youtu.be/yrtWLyp5gLI?list=RDyrtWLyp5gLI&amp;t=9">Cuff It</a>” by Beyoncé starts out like, “I feel like falling in love, I’m in the mood to f*ck something up.” Say less, Dianna. The sunny R&amp;B beat doesn’t make the line “Can I sit on top of you?” any more okay when it ain’t ya husband. 
It wasn’t a great look considering the Spotify debacle happened two years into what we know about the timeline of their alleged affair, but Track 2 (“<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8GpG8C0YzA&amp;list=RDT8GpG8C0YzA&amp;start_radio=1">Big Energy</a>” by Latto) revealed Dianna’s real feelings for Big Mike through song. “I could be your fantasy, I can tell you got big d*ck energy.” Maybe she didn’t have time to dash off a burner text or book a “work trip” to a casino in <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/04/23/mike-vrabel-dianna-russini-smile-at-mississippi-casino-after-titans-firing/">Mississippi</a>, but she knew Mike could get away from <a href="https://www.justjared.com/2026/04/23/who-is-mike-vrabel-married-to-meet-his-wife-jennifer/">his wife, Jen,</a> to listen to “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7qR7xvKFEU&amp;list=RDH7qR7xvKFEU&amp;start_radio=1">Pump It Louder</a>” by Tiësto and the Black Eyed Peas, thinking warmly of how much his colleague Dianna cared about his football career. His big, wandering football career. 
Someone tell this reporter we can search public Spotify playlists. And that sharing your “<a href="https://x.com/DavidCovucci/status/2048914416704409689/photo/1">TURNIN THE PAGE</a>” compilation with someone named “Mike” made it too easy. There’s no way she didn’t want to get caught and criminally charged with bad taste in music. Tracks by Styx, Van Halen, Guns N’ Roses, and KISS seemed less “workout playlist” and more like <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/04/28/dianna-russini-spotify-playlist-mike-vrabel/">Vrabel’s reported</a> favorite way to pump up the volume.
Dianna allegedly named <a href="https://www.justjared.com/2026/04/23/dianna-russinis-2021-tweet-about-her-son-named-michael-goes-viral-amid-mike-vrabel-2020-kissing-photo/">her firstborn son Mike</a> after her NFL side piece. It’s not like she’s suffering from excessive creativity. 
The other day outside my apartment building, I noticed a boom box with none of the usual bells and whistles of modern “ghetto blasters.” This matte gray OG featured only a single cassette tape slot and a power cord. It was obviously a trap set by 1980s aliens. 
I wondered aloud to my dog about who’s going for a bulky cassette setup over streamlined Apple Music. Analog audio like this requires excruciating commitment to preserve it: avoiding <a href="https://everpresent.com/do-cassette-tapes-go-bad/#:~:text=As%20sturdy%20as%20the%20plastic,MECHANICAL%20WEAR">humidity</a>, dust, and sun. The magnetic film degrades with every play (and rewind!) and can spontaneously spew its guts at any moment. 
It’s also sturdy and portable. And decades after it went mainstream, the mixtape is still the greatest medium for sound ever invented.
Cassettes shaped the future of the music industry. Originally invented in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/blackwaxcafe/posts/this-day-in-history-aug-30-1963-compact-audio-cassette-first-introduced-by-phili/1171660748318428/">1963</a>, mixtapes took off as a broke-friendly strategy for aspiring <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/history-of-mixtapes-future/#:~:text=The%20mixtape%20goes%20all%20the,was%20born%20out%20of%20necessity.%E2%80%9D">hip-hop artists</a> to get their tracks into the hands of fans. Once the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/postpunkmagazine/posts/on-this-day-in-1979-the-first-sony-walkman-made-its-debut-on-store-shelves/1210476187791768/">WalkMan came along in &#8217;79</a>, listening to music via two-by-four-inch plastic became everyone’s favorite way of tuning in.
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Mixtapes also served as mini hubs of self-expression, where anyone could be an artist through song and the creative use of Xerox machines and colored pencils. With personalized <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/cassetteculture/comments/1gx3r9v/best_ever_name_for_a_mixtape_and_best_homemade/#:~:text=Alternative%20Mixtape%20Titles:%20One%20user%20recounted%20making,Sex%20Action%22%20and%20%22Teenagers%20High%20on%20Drugs%22.">liner notes</a> dedicated to none other than the recipient, “Crystal’s Mix” felt like an on-air radio dedication from the Billboard Hot 100 chart to regular, totally awesome Crystal. 
It’s a little more complicated now that most of us don’t stuff tape players into our back pockets before heading out, but there’s a growing fanbase for mixtapes on cassette. Satisfying the need to <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/gen-z-social-media-instagram-tiktok-poll-b2964488.html">go back in time</a> without leaving the sofa, enthusiasts on forums such as <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/cassetteculture/comments/1i2lqib/naming_mix_tapes/">r/cassetteculture</a> share everything from lo-fi concert recordings to art inspo, titling tips, and mixes for every moment.
Major artists answer Gen Z’s call for old-school by wooing the cassette set. <a href="https://shop.iamchappellroan.com/products/the-rise-and-fall-of-a-midwest-princess-anniversary-edition-cassette?srsltid=AfmBOoq1J2I8dG0CU0mxZoRSTPFZOyJkvAWuT4kLY632uv9B_zMRZbO7">Chappell Roan</a>, <a href="https://store.sabrinacarpenter.com/products/mans-best-friend-d2c-alt-cover-cassette?variant=52024297554285&amp;country=US&amp;currency=USD&amp;utm_medium=product_sync&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_content=sag_organic&amp;utm_campaign=sag_organic&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23521253893&amp;gbraid=0AAAAApCfFnBIFESkTKcjopa2JeCITX0ea&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjwtcHPBhADEiwAWo3sJtsyf2dHOsWPxulrP_TduY4GQRiuaL2-IXkVmt8SestlyRRRowbypRoCBtYQAvD_BwE">Sabrina Carpenter</a>, and <a href="https://store.taylorswift.com/collections/cassettes?srsltid=AfmBOoq_5GoLxSFujpzxVA09ztusx4qZEbtDN2TBT3VTAoEjlossKLzo">Taylor Swift</a> are all available on plastic for more than anyone should pay for something that melts in your car. 
I’m cool with a digital playlist. But I’m not over here clasping my hands under my chin, staring out the window, dreaming about Spotify. Maybe it’s just me, but random ads about inflammation from Jardiance diabetes meds don’t exactly set the mood. 
I got an unsolicited mixtape from a classmate once. Schmave Schmith (his name has been changed) in junior high. I’m pretty sure Schmave hoped the sonic tapestry would wrap me up in the crush he was feeling. But the first emotional beats of U2’s “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujNeHIo7oTE&amp;list=RDujNeHIo7oTE&amp;start_radio=1">With or Without You</a>” landed between my ears like a wet blanket. I wasn’t ready for the adult feels of “I caaan’t liiiiiiiive … with or without you.” I was a definite “without you” as I listened to the first track of “For Lauren” in my bedroom at a volume my parents couldn’t hear, even if they were glued to the other side of my door. I pressed eject, unspooled the tape myself, and chucked it in the trash. 
I found the same song now, on YouTube, remastered and streamed more than 217 million times. It still gives me the heebie-jeebies, but only because mixtapes meant something. They said something real and pure, with an underground ritual required for their creation that just can’t be replicated with links. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUsrYVxrDwI&amp;list=RDnUsrYVxrDwI&amp;start_radio=1">Ella Langley</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2ah9tWTkmk&amp;list=RDu2ah9tWTkmk&amp;start_radio=1">Alex Warren</a> might make people fall in love or become best friends, but their perfectly tuned tracks have nothing on the timeless warbled melodies of “SUMMER ROADTRIP &#8217;99!”
Maybe we’ll never be able to revisit the glory days of mixtapes. But we have Spotify bangers like Dianna Russini’s Track 3 “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjki-9Pthh0&amp;list=RDyjki-9Pthh0&amp;start_radio=1">Break My Soul</a>” by Beyoncé to help us express the words we can’t, or really should never, say.

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***
“Our First Lady, Melania, is here,” <a href="https://youtu.be/GRjKhsJc95o?t=486">Jimmy Kimmel</a> said in a sketch for a hypothetical All-American White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where he imagined himself as host. “So beautiful … Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.” Two days later, at the official dinner, the first lady would be forced to take cover behind her dinner table as gunfire erupted outside the <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/25/politics/live-news/trump-white-house-correspondents-dinner">press gala</a> in Washington, D.C.
Kimmel’s live audience, screaming with laughter, couldn’t have known what would unfold post-show. And maybe they forgot about the other near-tragedies for the Trumps. It’s been almost two years since President Donald Trump was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsfMPTiIuvY">shot in the ear</a> in Butler, Pennsylvania. And maybe the headlines about the two armed conspirators hoping to shoot their shots near <a href="https://www.wpbf.com/article/florida-mar-a-lago-intruder-shot-dead-3-months-before-incident-in-washington/71128207">Mar-a-Lago</a> and Trump International Golf Club are fading into the distance. 
Kimmel pressed on, bagging that low-hanging fruit like he was working the checkout at Target, following up the dead husband joke with laughs about the “Melania” documentary’s Rotten Tomatoes score (a website he says was “named after her husband’s testicles”) and an Epstein tie-in. 
Kimmel was practically throbbing with “witticisms.” Do not continue using if you experience symptoms of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_derangement_syndrome">TDS</a> such as sweaty palms, limited perspective, and blah late-night comedic instincts. 
Calling him a coward, Melania Trump later posted to <a href="https://x.com/flotus/status/2048769128513585618">X</a>, “Kimmel’s hateful and violent rhetoric is intended to divide our country. His monologue about my family isn’t comedy — his words are corrosive and [deepen] the political sickness within America.”
Melania turned 56 on Sunday, possibly still reeling from surviving what <a href="https://people.com/melania-trump-56th-brithday-after-husband-donald-said-whcd-shooting-was-traumatic-for-her-11958613">President Trump</a> called “a rather traumatic experience for her.” While Melania exudes Slovenian-style strength, it seems everyone piles on the First Lady any chance they get. She has filled the most visible unelected White House role for years. Is this really still an itch that needs to be scratched?  
My eyeballs first popped out of my head regarding Melania Trump Derangement Syndrome (MTDS) when first lady Jill Biden’s sensible pumps shuffled into the White House in 2021. Outlets such as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CKR-RbIBABb/?img_index=1">The Cut</a> lamented the so-called “fashion drought” of the first Trump administration (dismissing Melania’s Jackie Kennedy-besting style) and praising hum-drum inauguration day fits by Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris, and Dr. Jill (with a Ph.D. in serving a look, apparently) in her <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/markarian-designer-jill-biden-inauguration-day-look">tweed</a> dress, coat, and COVID-19 mask.
Never mind Melania’s actual career as a <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/09/03/melania-trump-vanity-fair-vogue/85851129007/">fashion model</a> for GQ, Sports Illustrated, and Vanity Fair. That was before she entered 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and was snubbed by <a href="https://www.vogue.com/slideshow/first-ladies-in-vogue">Vogue</a>, which has been documenting first ladies since 1929. Curious about U.S. history according to Condé Nast? Here’s a crash course: Mrs. Lou Henry Hoover, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mamie Eisenhower — everyone in between — Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, [BLANK], Jill Biden, [BLANK]. No offense, but not every FLOTUS is a looker. And some of them are obviously Republicans.
When Vanity Fair reportedly flirted with the idea of finally putting Melania on its cover <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/08/24/2025/vanity-fairs-new-cruise-director-will-have-to-choose-between-his-reporters-and-his-friends">in 2025</a>, an editor for the magazine told <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/columnist/2025/09/03/melania-trump-vanity-fair-vogue/85851129007/">the Daily Mail</a>, “I will walk out the motherf***ing door, and half my staff will follow me. We are not going to normalize this despot and his wife; we’re just not going to do it. We’re going to stand for what’s right.” 
Former first lady Michelle Obama, who graced the covers of <a href="https://x.com/grok/status/1985565486407680059">15 major fashion magazines</a> during her husband’s presidency, later complained about not getting the same “<a href="https://nypost.com/2025/11/03/us-news/michelle-obama-moans-she-endured-white-hot-glare-as-first-lady/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">grace</a>” all the other first ladies got. Waah.
Even if you hate her husband with an orange-tinted passion, you can’t deny Melania’s elite status. Go ahead and make fun of her accent, but she speaks <a href="https://www.cnn.com/us/melania-trump-fast-facts">six languages</a> (Slovenian, French, Serbian, German, Italian, and English). She married up, bore and raised a son (who actually seems pretty well adjusted for growing up in <a href="https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/melania-donald-trump-barron-childhood-home/">Trump Tower</a> and the White House), stuck by her man, and graciously puts up with an onslaught of mainstream donkey doo no matter what she does. 
Remember <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THr_seahKUI">Melania’s first all-white Christmas</a> at the White House, complete with a <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/articles/christmas-white-house-2017/#:~:text=Roosevelt's%201866%20edition%20of%20%E2%80%9CA,White%20House%20and%20features%20Mrs.">350-pound gingerbread house</a>, 53 bedazzled trees, and 31,000 holiday cookies? Yeah, the internet hated it! <a href="https://time.com/5039367/melania-trump-white-house-christmas-decorations-meme/">Memes</a> flooded the internet, featuring Melania as a winter witch and describing the minimalist decor as a reflection of her cold, dead soul. 
Her “Be Best” anti-bullying initiative, advocating for the mental health of kids suffering from online abuse, was bashed when she launched it in 2018. She battled headlines describing the platform as having “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-childlike-strangeness-of-melania-trumps-be-best-campaign">childlike strangeness</a>” and calling her “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/07/melania-trump-be-best-campaign-donald-trump">disingenuous</a>” for being married to a “bully” of a president and trying to help others.
&#8220;It is not news or surprising to me that critics and the media have chosen to ridicule me for speaking out on this issue, and that’s okay,” <a href="https://people.com/melania-trump-expand-be-best-initiative-second-term-8773443">Melania said</a> at the time. “I remain committed to tackling this topic because it will provide a better world for our children.” 
Notably, according to the <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167111">UN Human Rights Council</a>, 66% of surveyed kids in 2026 said online bullying is only getting worse. Maybe it would be a different story had there been a few flattering headlines about the first lady’s idea. But whatever, exploited children. Trump sucks! 
Just so we have all our historical ducks in a row, first ladies have been doing some pretty wild things since we started electing presidents. The original popularizer of “millennial pink,” Mamie Eisenhower, decorated with so much of it that the press started referring to the White House as the “<a href="https://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouseHistory/posts/happy-national-pink-day-first-lady-mamie-eisenhower-loved-pink-so-much-so-that-t/194044859642652/">Pink Palace</a>.” Mary Todd Lincoln held literal <a href="https://www.whitehousehistory.org/seances-in-the-red-room">séances</a> (some with Abe!) in the White House to cope with her children’s deaths. And gaining fame as the “secret president,” <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/1600/first-ladies/edithwilson">Edith Wilson</a> basically ran the country when Woodrow Wilson suffered a paralyzing stroke while in office, “<a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-dec-16-bk-anthony16-story.html">seizing control</a>” of presidential duties she was not elected to do. 
And we’re supposed to believe Melania wearing a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45853364">$39 Zara jacket</a> that said “I really don’t care, do you?” was the worst?
Until Melania entered the scene, America largely gave every first lady a pass for rising to the occasion in a role they were compelled to agree to and crush. Read to kids, pretend to help choose the state dinner menu, and decorate for every holiday. You have “one” job; better nail it in pantyhose, lady.
Maybe you can blame the ire toward Melania on the clickable outrage of the media cycle. Someday soon, we’ll all be focused on a different POTUS and every last detail of his or her ever-loving spouse. But for now, wouldn’t it be nice if we could critique the main character and not the woman keeping the first family afloat? I’m inclined to agree with Melania, who stated on <a href="https://x.com/dalepartridge/status/2028482118918283663?s=46">X</a>, “Enough is enough.”

Being First Lady Is Hard. Being Melania Trump Is Something Else.

birthday

hate

Jimmy Kimmel

Melania Trump

shooter

White House Correspondents’ Dinner

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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Welcome to the Bright Side, a weekly roundup of all the good news and ideas you might have missed from the past week.
I was casually taking an internet quiz to see which culinary herb I am (as one does), when I was asked to pick a sound that “speaks” to me. I chose a crackling campfire. My shoulders relaxed just thinking about camping in Sequoia National Park and how small I felt among giant redwoods. I could almost taste the whisky we sipped while telling stories as millions of stars spilled into the sky. In the spirit of uncovering soul-soothing joy wherever we can, here are a few things to get the party started.
Humanity Weighs In On Little Joys
When happiness researchers surveyed 100,000 people to find out what brings them the most joy, most responses didn’t mention anything about winning the lottery or getting famous. Instead, the crowd-sourced results (which you can explore with this <a href="https://pudding.cool/2026/02/happy-map/">interactive map</a>) were much more relatable. 
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Revealing the greatest moments of the last 24 hours or the most recent three months, people recorded things like driving 300 miles to help a friend, laughing at their silly pets, foraging for mushrooms, and reading a book. Seeing ordinary responses arranged via tiny figures on an imaginary continent highlighted the power of 100,000 happy moments.  
Going “Peak Bondi” This Summer
Immediately after I heard this story, I dedicated my life to achieving this level of unbotheredness. It happened during Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s visit to Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. But the real star was the woman who didn’t move a muscle as the “royal” entourage nearly <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@news.com.au/video/7630704425924906261?q=bondi%20beachgoer%20meghan%20harry&amp;t=1776685309131">trampled her</a> on the sand. 
The unknown queen barely looked up from her reading as lifeguards, fans, and camera crews stepped all over her personal bubble. One <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/RoyalsGossip/comments/1sovqhf/comment/oh16yax/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">Redditor</a> noted the “peak Bondi attitude” on display. It may have been the responsibility of the royals&#8217; hosts (the <a href="https://people.com/unbothered-beachgoer-ignores-crowd-surrounding-prince-harry-meghan-markle-11953741#:~:text=Can't%20get%20enough%20of,Final%20Day%20of%20Australia%20Trip">Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club</a>) to steer everyone clear of the beachgoer, but when you’re presented with the opportunity to stand your ground by never leaving your beach towel, you take it.
Upgrade Your Weekend Tuna Melt With Kimchi
I’m all for the new trend of <a href="https://x.com/ABC/status/2047088230823231905">going to dinner early</a> so I can change into sweats by 7 p.m., but if I don’t want to go anywhere, nothing beats a comforting meal at home. Bon Appétit’s <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/kimchi-tuna-melts">Kimchi Tuna Melts</a> come together in 30 minutes, with just seven ingredients, kicked up a notch with tangy kimchi and umami-boosting soy sauce. 
Toss two five-ounce cans of oil-packed tuna (drained), with 3/4 cup chopped kimchi (plus one tablespoon brine), 1/2 cup mayo, two teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, four sliced scallions, 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar, and salt and pepper to taste. 
Toast four English muffin halves under the broiler for two minutes. Scoop tuna salad evenly onto the muffin halves, and sprinkle with an additional cup of grated cheddar. Broil until the cheese is melted, and serve.
A Med School Grad’s Lucrative “Balloon Doctor” Side Hustle
To help pay off $405,000 in student loans, 27-year-old medical specialist <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/17/lifestyle/nycs-balloon-doctor-will-see-you-now-debt-strapped-med-grads-quirky-subway-side-hustle-blows-up-with-straphangers/">Brandon Alexrod</a> is taking hot air all the way to the bank using his balloon animal talents. 
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<section><a title="@doctorbrandini" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@doctorbrandini?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@doctorbrandini</a> Help me pay my student loans with balloons @Bad Bunny @NFL @duolingo oficial @GRAMMYS <a title="fyp" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#fyp</a> <a title="surgeon" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/surgeon?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#surgeon</a> <a title="doctor" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/doctor?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#doctor</a> <a title="medicine" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/medicine?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#medicine</a> <a title="dental" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/dental?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#dental</a> <a title="♬ EoO - Bad Bunny" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/EoO-7456415250359896065?refer=embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ EoO &#8211; Bad Bunny</a></section>
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The Cornell University alum says he flipped a favorite childhood hobby into his current side hustle to take the edge off the anxiety he felt over his debt. He may have been twisting flower and dog shapes back in the day, but now he’s making thousands of dollars crafting viral balloon sculptures. His take on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@doctorbrandini/video/7611595141555457311?_r=1&amp;_t=ZT-95XZGrmKFMz">the Statue of Liberty</a> just might have you falling in love with the sound of balloons squeaking against each other.
Taking Inspiration From The Toaster
If you woke up after your alarm should have gone off and the coffee creamer went bad two days ago, you may want to count your blessings. Well, at least you can put a good spin on annoying events by remembering the Burnt Toast Theory.
The idea goes like this: Instead of bad luck working against us, minor setbacks could serve as welcome detours, gently guiding us along a better path. “Not every setback is meant to stop you,” author <a href="https://thoughtcatalog.com/rebecca-simon/2026/04/the-burnt-toast-theory-when-life-slows-down-on-purpose/">Rebecca Simon</a> says. “Some are quietly moving you away from something that would have cost you more than you realize.” 
Modern Medicine Might Have Found A Cancer Cure
Forget what you know about mRNA vaccines. As the first person to try an mRNA vaccine for pancreatic cancer, Donna Gustavson skirted “a death sentence” after her diagnosis, thanks to surgery to remove the tumor and a clinical trial that worked.
Six years later, she’s cancer-free, with immune cells from eight vaccines still detectable in her system. She celebrated her 50th wedding anniversary and welcomed two more grandchildren. Research continues, but doctors are hopeful that the groundbreaking results will affect other cancers in the future. “Every day, I wake up and thank God I’m here,” <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/pancreatic-cancer-mrna-vaccine-shows-lasting-results-early-trial-rcna331969">Gustavson said</a>.
Take A Worthwhile Mental Break
I don’t always scroll social media, but when I do, I love it when the algorithms align to show me something delightful. (Not today, TikTok girls crying about breakups.) This week, a sweet <a href="https://x.com/megbasham/status/2046451724672450734">baby with Down Syndrome saying his first word</a> had me sobbing at my desk. 
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Every man who has seen this has claimed there was “just something in his eye.” <a href="https://t.co/Rf81Xy2ZTS">pic.twitter.com/Rf81Xy2ZTS</a>
— Megan Basham (@megbasham) <a href="https://twitter.com/megbasham/status/2046451724672450734?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Elsewhere, influencers making fun of influencers is the influencer trend I can get behind. (Watch these two crack themselves up doing a “<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thekylethorn/video/7629405170442571021">Get Ready With Me” for Coachella</a>). And I’m living for Alex Haddon’s “Match The Song To The Person” bit where he sings the perfect track for a random stranger. Maybe “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWg_DGnCNIM/">Fly Away</a>” for the guy who looks like Lenny Kravitz is too on the nose, or maybe it’s perfection.   
I love hearing about what caught your eye, lifted your spirit, and brightened your day. Share your favorites in the comments (you can <a href="mailto:lbair@dailywire.com">email</a> me too) and spread the joy! — Lauren

The Bright Side: From Balloon Side Hustles To Cancer Breakthroughs

balloon doctor

down syndrome baby

pancreatic cancer vaccine

positive

the bright side

tuna melt

uplifting

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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I don’t care if “bon appétit” translates to “bomb app the teeth,” emotional saxophone is described as “obscure trumpet music,” or if [<a href="https://www.rev.com/blog/funny-closed-caption-fails">INTENSITY INTENSIFIES</a>] and the lower portion of my screen suddenly spits out “%%%%%%%%%%%%%” over the one line of dialogue that ties the whole storyline together. I want subtitles.
If you can understand shows like “Peaky Blinders” without subtitles, you’re on a different playing field. “Who the f*ck is Tommy Shelby,” a villager asks in the trailer for “<a href="https://youtu.be/lcvUGs3xaDM?t=86">Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man</a>.” “Vulopse sewinge ooleesplyin ooim yewiyam,” Shelby responds. According to the captions, he allegedly says, “Perhaps someone should explain to him who I am.” I rest my case. 
With <a href="http://sonix.ai/resources/subtitle-generation-trends/#:~:text=throughout%20the%20region.-,Viewer%20Behavior%20and%20Subtitle%20Preferences,consumption%20behavior%20in%20recent%20years.">70% of adults</a> queuing up captioning in 2026, we’ve fully entered our sound-maxxing era. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/sep/27/gen-z-watch-tv-subtitles-i-understand-why">Gen Z</a> will say they invented “reading” movies and TV with subtitles, but [woman sighs aggressively] of course they didn’t. Shockingly, there were human people alive before 1997 who thought of putting words on screen to help tell a story.
Early adopters invented “<a href="https://www.wfcn.co/ccp/article/intertitle">intertitles</a>” to spruce up turn-of-the-century blockbusters such as “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Mk-B7MKP8">Scrooge, Or Marley’s Ghost</a>” in 1901, using text to describe silent scenes. The idea quickly caught on as “subtitle” overlays, and it eventually hit the small screen as “<a href="https://www.ncra.org/home/the-profession/Captioning/Captioning-Resources-Networking/Captioning-Business-Resources/The-Evolution-of-Captioning">captioning</a>” in the &#8217;70s. While <a href="https://www.rev.com/resources/subtitle-meaning-what-does-subtitle-mean">subtitles</a> are designed to translate spoken dialogue into different languages, captions cover every last bit of audible sound. [Door creeks] “Oh. I didn’t know you were here.” [Coughs, clears throat] [Whimsical tuba music]. You can have it all with the second one.
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I’m reading a really good series on Netflix right now 🤣🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/jDANTvs2xY">pic.twitter.com/jDANTvs2xY</a>
— Lucy (@TheLucyShow1) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLucyShow1/status/2046276230182531482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
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I first dabbled in recreational subtitles watching “Amelie” in a theater that also served ice cream. Combining two of my greatest loves — romcoms and mint chocolate chip — I treated myself to le cinéma Français and the English subtitles I needed to understand it. Simultaneously reading and absorbing visuals was frustrating at first, especially for an arthouse film. But two hours later, I was sure I never needed subtitles again and was 100% fluent in French. “Fin.” 
Years went by before I reacquainted myself with the written screen. Early into dating my boyfriend, I discovered that he turned on captioning for literally everything. I assumed it was an English-as-a-second-language thing since he had grown up in Puerto Rico with Hollywood movies that were subtitled (not badly dubbed) in Spanish. But nope! He didn’t need to translate “Family Guy” or “Seinfeld” — he just liked the extra words. It didn’t take long for me to develop the borderline talent of picking up visual cues and listening to comedic timing while merrily “reading” TV. Now, I feel like I can’t “hear” without subtitles.
Captions help us get familiar with accents, stream <a href="https://apnews.com/article/subtitles-closed-captioning-movies-tv-streaming-multitasking-f1a77fced80c1d167c316bb174b67a34">while we scroll</a> on another device, and keep the volume low. Another perk is the fact that you can still follow along while eating crunchy snacks or hanging out with chatty kids. But there’s another reason for this trend toward text on screen. And it’s not us; it’s the sound mix.
Theatrical sound design loses its luster when it’s played through teeny TV speakers (or, worse, phones and earbuds). Rather ill-equipped to handle soft whispers with the same finesse as Abercrombie-decibel-level car crashes, budget tech forces us to crank up the volume for quiet conversations, immediately forget we maxed it out, and then feel like we got shot in the heart by explosive sound effects. 
Ty Pendlebury from <a href="https://zvox.com/blogs/news/why-can-t-i-hear-dialogue-on-tv-anymore?srsltid=AfmBOor_KmdrKMGOG3n_jsvw5OGjLZbCCL2Fa8IJUiUwyfMOkB3gqItb">CNET</a> described home audio as “playing a cello with a toothpick.” No wonder it’s hard to make out the hushed tones of <a href="https://www.moviemaker.com/mumblecore-greenberg-duplass-brothers-greta-gerwig-20100323/">Mumblecore</a>. And bless your heart if you’re a non-native speaker of your show’s vernacular.
Even so, some resist normalizing subtitles. Defying the ubiquitous info hack, <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/1q4nqez/comment/nxvfm9p/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">one person</a> said, “I just read them and miss what&#8217;s on screen … Shout out to anyone else who doesn&#8217;t hear sounds when they&#8217;re too focused on reading.” Someone else <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/comments/10s1png/subtitles_are_annoying/">pointed out</a>, “Sometimes the subtitles are slightly different from what’s said by the actor/actress and that’s even more distracting.” Also challenging for everyone are those moments when nobody seems to know what’s happening. “At least one third of the time, the subtitler didn&#8217;t understand it either, and the subtitle reads ‘Unintelligible,’” a <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/unpopularopinion/comments/10s1png/comment/j6z11mj/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">Redditor</a> shared. 
At this point for me, watching a movie without subtitles feels at best like a hearing test and at worst like psychological torture. Yes, text blocks announcing [SWEEPING ORCHESTRAL SCORE] destroy the beauty of cinema. And, at home, they get in the way of competing built-in titles that pop up behind them. I will forever be wondering how interviewees on “20/20” relate to the crime, as their own dialogue obscures their identities. And I use my hand to block subtitles from spoiling a guilty verdict before “we the jury” blurts it out.
Somewhat akin to a projectionist threading actual film through metal sprockets for a live theater audience, clicking my remote to “Captions: OFF ALWAYS” feels weirdly terminal. What happens after I press play on my Prime rental? Will I understand the plot without a constant stream of backup copy? Will I miss half the story without realizing it’s already vanished? Should I just stop trying to be a hero and turn the subtitles back on? Looks like we’ll cross that “br√√∫∫∫∫ççç///” when we come to it.
If I never go back to plain-watching TV again, I’m okay with it. I don’t want to waste any more time wondering what so-and-so said. Please. I’m barely hanging on to my shredded attention span as it is. Subtitle culture isn’t strictly an age thing at the moment, but considering its grip on most of us, it will be someday. And for that, may they always make TVs larger than the font size we need to enjoy them.

Grandparents watching TV with their granddaughter and eating popcorn.

This Small Habit Is Spreading Fast, And It’s Changing How We Follow Stories

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streaming

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This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
After teasing her upcoming album, Madonna, 67, stepped out at Coachella’s final weekend, practically matching in lingerie with 26-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/sabrina-carpenter">Sabrina Carpenter</a>. Maybe age is just a number, but when you’re relying on whatever fabric got the job of separating the world from your hoo-hoo, we’re all faced with the fact that sex doesn’t sell well as celebrities age. 
Almost half a century after the <a href="https://www.grammy.com/news/madonna-like-a-virgin-anniversary-queen-of-pop">Queen of Pop</a> made history by rolling around in a 1980s cutout tunic, leggings, and a rosary-as-a-necklace for “<a href="https://youtu.be/s__rX_WL100?list=RDs__rX_WL100&amp;t=133">Like A Virgin</a>,” Madonna’s elderly eroticism feels less provocative and more “drunk mom talent show.” 
Madonna last appeared at Coachella back in 2006 singing “<a href="https://youtu.be/P24CuD5HgU0?list=RDP24CuD5HgU0&amp;t=18">Hung Up,</a>” which opens with the hypnotic line, “Time goes by so slowly.” This year, the sprightly sexagenarian returned to duet “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tGOQfrnu1AE">Vogue</a>” and “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ew3V6ELiZgE">Like A Prayer</a>” during Carpenter’s set. One of Madonna’s old lyrics goes, “Oh God, I think I’m falling.” Slightly catchier than “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mMoq-hx9xnM?t=29&amp;feature=share">I’ve fallen and I can’t get up</a>” from that retro medical alarm ad. 
I promise I’m not ageist. But after Madonna popped a <a href="https://youtu.be/1pTfyERUvSE?t=89">squat on stage</a>, I was legitimately impressed that she was able to stand up just as fast as her 20-something co-star. Whatever she’s on, it’s working. I only hope my knees work as well when my AARP card arrives in the mail.
Maybe Madge was trying to relive her glory days in the same purple boots, corset, and <a href="https://www.instyle.com/madonna-bodysuit-stockings-first-coachella-20-years-2026-11953336">Gucci jacket</a> from the last time she stopped by Coachella, but she’s still got it. Or she’s got the shapewear for it. Still, as Madonna continues to dabble in a “<a href="https://youtu.be/nozX2rl3gaM?t=43">custom grills</a> and shaving-my-<a href="https://www.jezebel.com/madonna-and-the-case-of-everyones-missing-eyebrows-1850077892">eyebrows</a>-off” era, not everyone’s convinced that if ya got it, you should definitely flaunt it. Especially once you’ve aged out of overflow parking behind the fountain of youth. 
“We are stuck with all the geriatrics who don’t know when to sit down,” someone posted on <a href="https://x.com/madameheretic/status/2045462497990234405">X</a>, post-Chella. Another observed on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PopCultureUpdates/posts/madonna-faces-online-criticism-after-appearing-during-sabrina-carpenters-coachel/983686374013042/">Facebook</a>, “[Madonna] seemed to have a problem walking down the stairs during ‘Vogue’ and seemed quite out of breath during ‘Like A Prayer.’”
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/1soyi48/i_thought_madonnas_debut_at_coachella_last_night/">Someone else noted</a>, “Madonna doesn’t dance anymore; she just walked back and forth, to the point that even Sabrina had to stop dancing and tone down all her moves … You could even see it in her eyes when she took off her glasses — she just wanted to go to sleep.”
Fans backed the Material Girl with a series of “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXQ5YlhAO1D/">shook</a>” and “<a href="https://x.com/bcilikedaboy/status/2045374057269350420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2045374057269350420%7Ctwgr%5E83d4803420f11d4d008b402c0deb16bdd05912dd%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indy100.com%2Fshowbiz%2Fmadonna-sabrina-carpenter-coachella">power”</a> posts. But the lackluster response from a live audience obsessed with <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Fauxmoi/comments/1sp81s4/comment/ogz8uwh/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">recording</a>, not dancing, proved Madonna didn’t stick the landing. A <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Fauxmoi/comments/1sp81s4/comment/oh02blb/?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=web3x&amp;utm_name=web3xcss&amp;utm_term=1&amp;utm_content=share_button">Redditor</a> posted, “They honestly probably barely know anything about Madonna &amp; definitely don’t know those songs.” 
Maybe the most candid moment happened when <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@billboard/video/7629991357205024031">Madonna said</a> of Carpenter, “She’s a magician. She’s gonna make me disappear,” as she was lowered offstage through the world’s slowest trap door. “Madonna, everybody,” Carpenter said with Gen Z enthusiasm. As far as the Coachella crowd was concerned, Madonna had just vanished from existence. 
So if it doesn’t inspire new audiences, and it raises the eyebrows of your established fanbase, why are aging stars obsessed with clinging to their once-sexy looks? Don’t call it a comeback; call it “empowerment” — but with the adverse effect of making these former trailblazers even less relevant. 
I’d love to cite the entire “Real Housewives” franchise as an example, but the Orange County cast’s 2025 trip to “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DP4SacvCcna/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=2ceab72d-8ec6-4fea-8884-629168b2d053">AmsterD*MN</a>” proves the point. Allegedly egged on by producers, the ladies hit the streets in lacy cutout looks that left little to the imagination (as tourists dressed in age-appropriate khaki pants and Tevas observed). Fellow Bravo star <a href="https://www.realitytea.com/2025/10/27/jeff-lewis-drags-rhoc-cast-fashion/">Jeff Lewis</a> commented, “How do we get the message across … that they need to start dressing more appropriately? I feel like, dress your age … it’s time to start covering up.” While some suggested that Lewis should zip it, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@just_bookin_around/video/7564514358684912926">others</a> agreed. “Omg! Yes!!!! Thank you, Jeff, it&#8217;s trashy AF.”
With roughly 11 years of youth on Madonna, <a href="https://share.google/vzedNSwjdug5kla9v">Jennifer Lopez</a> has also never met a <a href="https://youtu.be/pILCn6VO_RU?t=552">bedazzled bodysuit</a> she didn’t like. Looking fit and fierce at 56, she seems nowhere near closing up shop on Jenny from the Block. She sees the hate, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@oldiesvibe/video/7589901366387150110?_r=1&amp;_t=ZP-92gPTtinF3G">explaining</a> on stage during her Vegas residency, “I can just ignore a lot of it.” When a fan asked why she was “always naked,” she replied, “If you had this booty, you’d be naked, too,” before strutting away so fans could get a good look, slightly obscured by her beaded skirt. 
The most gorgeous woman at Coachella wasn’t Madonna, Sabrina Carpenter, Kylie, or Kendall Jenner, Teyana Taylor, or even Hailey Bieber. According to social media’s fickle barometer, the “most beautiful woman alive” was an Australian influencer named <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/14/lifestyle/influencer-leah-halton-dubbed-most-beautiful-girl-at-coachella/?dicbo=v2-RWJUId5">Leah Halton</a>. Don’t know who she is? It won’t matter in a few days that her thrashed boho desert looks had Instagrammers dubbing her so “<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXEFZzbFQrD/?igsh=MWt4azZna3F0dXBsdQ%3D%3D&amp;img_index=8">perf</a>” she had to be AI.
Maybe the real problem for stars like Madonna and JLo is that the fresh faces making headlines limit our bandwidth for appreciating their hard work. (I’m tired just thinking about the time and dedication required to keep up those figures.) But there seems to be a way to age more gracefully in the public eye without the gaudy costuming and world-class narcissism.
She wasn’t at Coachella, but actress Dame Helen Mirren celebrates every hard-earned wrinkle at 80. She dresses in a way that flatters her soulful glow. But don’t patronize her by telling her she looks good for her age. “It’s insulting. We hate that compliment,” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/womenshealthmagazine/posts/you-look-good-for-your-age-is-patronizing-says-80-year-old-helen-mirren-its-insu/1155763709757653/">she says</a>. 
She appeared on <a href="https://www.allure.com/story/helen-mirren-on-aging-loreal-paris-women-of-worth-interview">Allure</a> magazine when the brand officially banned the term “anti-aging,” she’s been a longtime ambassador for <a href="https://people.com/helen-mirren-80-embodies-effortless-sophistication-in-sparkling-silver-top-at-loreal-paris-runway-11821139">L’Oreal</a>, and she has this bit of advice for the rest of us. “Women, you want to look great, but you don’t want to look 15 when you’re 55. You can’t. It’s impossible. And you don’t actually want to; you want to look like a beautiful, cool, energetic … 55-year-old!” As for life at 80, she does whatever fabulous thing she wants, adding, “F*ck it, I&#8217;m alive,” for as long as she’s here.

2026 Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival – Weekend 2 – Day 1

Madonna’s Coachella Stunt At 67 Has Fans Asking One Blunt Question

aging

coachella

helen mirren

Jennifer Lopez

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Sabrina Carpenter

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
If the mention of Spirit Airlines triggers rage in any part of your soul, take heart. The highlighter-yellow carrier may not be long for this world. With <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2026/04/15/spirit-airlines-could-liquidate-as-early-as-this-week-sources-say.html">multiple outlets</a> reporting that Spirit could go under at any moment, “according to people familiar with the matter,” everyone even vaguely “familiar” with flying Spirit wants to pull the plug.
What, you don’t like paying extra for a <a href="https://www.spirit.com/optional-services">carry-on bag</a>, a pack of seven mini pretzels, and room-temperature water? Flying is annoying enough. Snacks should be free.
Claiming to offer a pleasurable flight without frustrating upcharges for amenities you don’t need (like <a href="https://www.spirit.com/s/wifi#tab-2">basic WiFi</a>), Spirit’s super-saver strategy has allowed it to masquerade as the most affordable ticket in the biz for <a href="https://www.spirit.com/s/about-us">decades</a>. Banking on not serving customers, however, seems to have finally caught up with the economy brand. Not even two cocktails and a couple of “fun size” bags of pretzels for <a href="https://content.spirit.com/Shared/en-us/Documents/InFlight-Menu.pdf">$38.99</a> can save Spirit now.
After a judge said no to a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jetblue-spirit-merger-court-airline-2d9a640e7f7ecb87d5f60c1cbffbc163">merger with JetBlue</a> in 2024, and Spirit tried two Chapter 11 filings within the following year, the company may be headed toward an airline hangar estate sale. It attempted to slash overhead by curbing flight routes, downsizing staff, and limiting onboard service, but insiders now claim Spirit is set to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ABCNews/videos/spirit-airlines-could-begin-liquidating-as-early-as-this-week-according-to-a-rep/1283596573168953/">liquidate</a> its entire fleet. Apparently, high <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/rising-fuel-costs-threaten-spirit-airlines-bankruptcy-exit-plan">fuel prices</a> were the final nail in the coffin on the ol&#8217; bankruptcy exit strategy.
Dear Spirit, we see your Hail Mary with the extra row of “<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spirit-airlines-announces-restructuring-support-agreement-and-plan-of-reorganization-302713775.html">Big Front Seats,”</a> but overpriced “pre-reclined” economy seating has never done it for us. Unlike cheap thrills on terra firma, we enjoy a little luxury at 35,000 feet. Y’all weren’t serving it because you didn’t think we were worth it. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out!
At this point in polite society, it is our custom to spend $7 billion airport dollars on squeezing into economy class with our knees folded into our chests, trying to be chill about the people in front of us reclining their seats into our faces and fluffing their hair over the headrests. It’s common for seatmates to remove their shoes and socks, wriggling sweaty toes into the carpet. If someone didn’t watch a movie at full volume while mouth-breathing airport Chick-fil-A on your arm, it didn’t happen. Pass me another one of those $70 Barbie-sized pinot grigios. 
Air travel used to be elite. While you can still taste the good life by affording yourself a <a href="https://www.fourseasons.com/privatejet/">Four Seasons Private Jet</a> charter, enjoying a shower with Bvlgari amenities mid-<a href="https://www.emirates.com/us/english/experience/cabin-features/onboard-comfort/">Emirates</a> flight, or lying like a starfish in a two-person suite on <a href="https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/sg/flying-withus/cabins/suites-and-first-class/suites/">Singapore Air</a>, most of us don’t have an extra <a href="https://www.aviationwithkrish.com/blog/private-suites-and-iconic-luxury-inflight-emirates-a380-first-class-from-dubai-to-new-york">$10,000</a> to secure the comfort of an airborne lounge.
I flew Spirit Airlines once from Los Angeles to Puerto Rico. After an 18-hour round trip, I feel qualified to share my user experience. Zero stars. 
I easily fell for Spirit’s bargain-basement pricing, lighting up a random booking site like I&#8217;d won a bare-bones experience at half the usual cost. Fully convinced that I didn’t need any of those pesky amenities that had been forced upon me by other airlines, I imagined saving myself from overpaying for whatever unnecessary cookies and warm washcloths were happening in business class. I was just flying from one place to another place. Other than a capable pilot and a 1950s car seatbelt, what else did I need?
I regretted my purchase immediately. As soon as I reached the ticket counter, I discovered I would be charged for everything but oxygen. (Maybe that, too. Hidden fees.) I got the feeling that Spirit marketing execs were watching us shuffle onto their Temu plane via satellite, congratulating themselves on tricking us into thinking we weren’t paying for extras, when really we wouldn’t receive essentials.
The interior design of the cabin did no one any favors. While they read chic in literally every other instance, <a href="https://ir.spirit.com/news/news-details/2019/Spirit-Premieres-Redesigned-Cabin-with-More-Comfortable-Spacious-Seats/default.aspx">all-black seats and tray tables</a> made the plane feel like a communist cafeteria. I guess we didn’t pay for color, so no surprise there. I think someone checked for fastened seatbelts and mentioned oxygen masks in passing, and one person accidentally welcomed me for no fee. Since I didn’t pay ahead for snacks or drinks, there was no reason for the staff to pop in every now and then.
I eventually shelled out for ginger ale when I could no longer survive without liquids. (Pro tip: You unfortunately can’t drink <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/alcoholic-beverages">outside alcohol</a> on the plane, even if mini bottles pass security. Don’t believe everything you read on Reddit.) And no, I didn’t sign up for the Spirit credit card offered over the intercom. Vive la résistance!
With two and a half out of five stars from 33,000 customer reviews on <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/Airline_Review-d8729157-Reviews-Spirit-Airlines">Tripadvisor</a>, one and a half stars on <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/spirit-airlines-los-angeles?dd_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F">Yelp</a>, and one star on <a href="https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.spirit.com">TrustPilot</a>, Spirit Airlines isn&#8217;t merely a victim of the recent spike in fuel prices. It’s cattle class service, no offense to cows. 
As we wrap up Spirit’s funeral arrangements and keep an eye on this “fluid” situation, you might be wondering what happens if you’re currently booked on a Spirit flight. While things are running as usual at the moment, if operations shut down entirely, your flight will be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/airline-could-go-under-any-day-what-happens-to-your-ticket-now">canceled</a>. A refund is most likely via credit card dispute. Sorry for your loss.
Let’s do the humane thing by booking our next flights on a different airline and putting Spirit out of its misery.

Spirit_Money_Oxygen

This Airline Charged For Everything But Oxygen. Now It May Be Paying The Price

bankrupt

liquidation

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The Bright Side: One Small Morning Change Can Boost Mood And Sharpen Focus

basil pasta

christina koch dog

gratitude

jump rope

reid wiseman quote

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
Ever feel like everyone and everything is the absolute worst? It’s not your fault. Just this once, we’re letting your spouse, your boss, your kids, and that complete idiot in the Target parking lot off the hook. Your <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DTKMZjwE1g3/">bad mood</a>, racing thoughts, or out-of-the-blue exhaustion could be your brain’s thirsty cry for help. Luckily, you can part the mental clouds and boost your sunny mood by drinking a glass of water.
<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22190027/">Studies</a> show that even slight dehydration can leave healthy women feeling aggressive and depressed. Long story short, not drinking enough water really messes with your hormones. It pumps up the stress hormone <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/dehydration-and-affect-on-mental-health">cortisol</a> and dampens the serotonin, oxytocin, and dopamine that help you chill. So is it a surprise that the little fight-or-flight voice in your head is telling you to start a street brawl with the Amazon delivery driver?
Grab a Blueberry Hibiscus <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Topo-Chico-Sabores-Blueberry-With-Hibiscus-Extract-Cans-12-fl-oz-8-Pack/5288913533?wmlspartner=wlpa&amp;selectedSellerId=102749125&amp;selectedOfferId=A2BDF1EB1FDC3ED6A6D10903B3887465&amp;conditionGroupCode=1&amp;sourceid=dsn_gdn_2005b0c9-e4c7-4f46-8aaa-443883a5e447&amp;veh=dsn&amp;wmlspartner=dsn_gdn_2005b0c9-e4c7-4f46-8aaa-443883a5e447&amp;cn=00c3_fy27_mp_mp_lo_int_dis_pmax-main&amp;wl9=pla&amp;wl11=online&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=23143211640&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIoKNcQ7Uw5GTNR3kz-V1H7CW&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw7vzOBhBxEiwAc7WNr3C8lvjOigl06gihVkxUmlxtpYmtsIX-GP5fEee8erAYzNIQyOta4xoC5SoQAvD_BwE">Topo Chico</a> and huddle up: Drinking enough water keeps you from accidentally starring on one of those true crime documentaries about a woman who went ham on her family. She was “such a great mom” and “always made these amazing brownies for the bake sale” — until she forgot to fill up her Stanley before school pick-up and lost her freakin’ mind. 
“When we lose fluid through sweat, we breathe, we do everyday activities, if those fluids aren’t replaced … that can lead to mood changes. We can be irritable, stressed, and kind of feel fatigued,” registered dietitian for Blue Cross Blue Shield <a href="https://www.9and10news.com/2026/03/24/wellness-for-the-family-why-dehydration-could-be-affecting-your-mood-and-what-to-do-before-summer-hits/">Shanthi Apello</a> said.
You heard that right. Everything we do taps into our body’s <a href="https://resourcecenter.kinetico.com/water-home-health/water-consumption/">60% water supply</a>. But it’s gonna be okay, She-Hulk. Water may be a <a href="https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/bottled-water-market-115354#:~:text=The%20global%20bottled%20water%20market,5.93%25%20during%20the%20forecast%20period.">$540 billion</a> global industry, but it’s also basically free from the tap.
Back when a historical drought was trending in Los Angeles, I spent a little time researching what I could do to help, other than not starting an almond farm where a single nut allegedly needs a <a href="https://www.eatingwell.com/how-an-almond-farm-is-rethinking-water-use-11935028#:~:text=Smith%20says%20that%20while%20almonds,industry%20as%20supplemental%20cattle%20feed.%22">gallon of water</a> to grow. Sorting through a bunch of stories about celebrities limiting themselves to four-minute cold showers for the cause (yeah, right), I stumbled across a water bottle that featured an alarm that lets you know when to drink more water. Neat. 
The first review, though: “SHOOK UR TELLING PEOPLE TO DRINK MORE WATER WHEN WE’RE IN A DROUGHT!!!” Maybe she didn’t get the “you need water to survive” memo.
I imagined this one-star reviewer bravely <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-can-the-average/">lasting a whole week</a> without water and then rage-posting about it as a bunch of California almonds sipped on industrial irrigation like they were “<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KellyClarksonShow/videos/paris-hilton-has-a-new-catchphrase-sliving/391199371883834/">sliving</a>” like Paris Hilton on an inflatable swan at a swim club. No wonder she was making no sense and was irrationally mad at the world. She needed more water!
So, how much water should you really drink? The eight-glasses-a-day rule was good while it lasted, but it doesn’t work for everyone. General guidelines suggest somewhere <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/how-much-water-should-you-drink">between six</a> to <a href="https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/special/contributor-content/2026/02/26/drink-8-glasses-a-day-use-a-science-based-online-tool-for-your-hydration-number/88889245007/">15 cups</a> (or <a href="https://www.dollartimes.com/calculate/volume/cups/ounces/15">120 ounces</a>) a day, but it all comes down to your body and your lifestyle. Even your local weather forecast plays into it.
As a rule of thumb, well-hydrated pee should look pale yellow (more like <a href="https://thecookingfoodie.com/recipe/how-to-make-homemade-lemonade/">lemonade</a>, not <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPesz3Iitnd/">Michelob Ultra</a>). Men commonly need <a href="https://www.waterh.com/blogs/news/men-vs-women-who-needs-more-water-for-optimal-hydration?srsltid=AfmBOoq8YZ4vstBEPYckedYJgxsRWTfttRLJ3Kn-zIZ9Y6ALBrxaqeMT">more water than women</a>, active people require more hydration than the sedentary set, and anyone living in a hot climate should probably be hitting the LaCroix harder than those in cooler places. But a <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/dehydration/hydration-calculator/">hydration calculator</a> can give you the most personal results.
If you’re still questioning the transformative powers of hydration, the 1980s water fountain scene in “<a href="https://youtu.be/JReGHQyfk1A?t=5">The Secret of My Success</a>” proves that even a little sip turns anyone into Princess Diana. Or something. (I didn’t see the rest of the movie.)
Tragically, sitting in a hot tub does nothing to hydrate you. Your skin might feel more lubricated, but your body’s largest organ is actually designed to keep moisture in and <a href="https://sedermatologyspecialists.com/what-does-water-really-do-for-the-skin/#:~:text=In%20the%20skin%2C%20water%20is,ourselves%20and%20the%20outside%20world.">external liquids</a> out. In fact, long showers and <a href="https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/swimming-can-put-you-at-a-higher-risk-of-dehydration-heres-why/291-7635ea66-5e94-48b6-9885-f9ac7107e286">pool days</a> actually cause your body temperature to dysregulate and your body to sweat and lose even more water. To get the maximum benefit, water’s gotta get into your <a href="https://www.jantzen.com.my/does-showering-hydrate-your-skin/">bloodstream</a>. And that means you have to drink it.
As far as the best water goes, it’s all fair game. Standard water has proven to lessen symptoms of <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6147771/">depression and anxiety</a> on the daily. And electrolyte-boosted water, such as unsweetened <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/coconut-water/faq-20207812">coconut water</a>, can help <a href="https://extension.unh.edu/blog/2023/09/hydration-are-electrolyte-drinks-better-water">replace sodium</a> lost through prolonged sweating, workouts, or illness. That <a href="https://www.bevnet.com/pr/2026/04/15/chlorophyll-water-breaks-into-rangemes-top-10-food-and-beverage-brands-list">Chlorophyll Water</a> blowing up TikTok Shop for its <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/chlorophyll-water#benefits">antioxidant</a> properties might not yet be a verified <a href="https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/what-are-the-benefits-of-drinking-chlorophyll-6-things-to-know.h00-159460056.html">cure for cancer</a>, but it’s fire for hydration. And, yes, you can make your own <a href="https://smarterfitter.com/32-natural-ways-to-flavor-water/#:~:text=There%20are%20many%20ways%20to%20naturally%20flavor,Add%20a%20few%20dashes%20to%20ice%20water">natural flavored water</a> by infusing a jug with lemongrass and ginger, strawberries and mint, or pomegranate seeds.
If part of your soul just died thinking about staring down a bottomless glass of Fiji Water all day, you can get your daily H2O from food, too. Veggies such as <a href="https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/15-food-that-help-you-stay-hydrated#:~:text=Cucumbers%20have%20the%20highest%20water,choose%20to%20eat%20cooked%20asparagus.">cucumbers</a>, celery, zucchini, and asparagus all contain at least 92% water, and <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/dehydration/hydration-calculator/">kombucha</a>, tea, and coffee count, too.
Of course, any water tastes better in a reusable bottle. Once you find the right one, sneak your water past airport security by <a href="https://www.travelandleisure.com/how-to-get-water-through-tsa-airport-security-11718652">freezing it</a> prior to boarding. Be it reverse osmosis water from home or a $1,000 bottle of <a href="https://fine-liquids.com/en-us/products/fillico-2-generation?srsltid=AfmBOoqMF4MuLBjkqriTXodTr742bYxlI5XOpnEXyoGuFV1tJrSX0gbq">Fillico Jewelry Water</a>, as long as it’s a solid block of ice, you can join the mile highdrated club at 35,000 feet and stick the landing while enjoying your happiest mood ever.

Feeling Angry, Tired, And On Edge? The Real Reason Might Not Be What You Think

Drinking Water

hydration

water

water bottle

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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“Ladies, leggings are not pants,” local man <a href="https://x.com/dalepartridge/status/2028482118918283663?s=46">Dale Partridge</a> preached on X, unwittingly nailing the reason why your favorite pair of Lulus leads a <a href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/activewear-market-report">$440 billion activewear industry</a> that has every fit chick, supermom, and It Girl singing its praises. Yeah, buddy, leggings aren’t pants. That’s why we love ‘em! They’re flattering, forgiving, easy to dress up, and just as perfect with flip-flops. But is the stretchy pants era hanging on by a thread? 
I’m preemptively dabbing my eyes with the nearest pair of <a href="https://shop.lululemon.com/p/womens-leggings/lululemon-Align-No-Line-High-Rise-Pant-25/_/prod11900026?color=73715">Lululemon Align</a> No Line High-Rise 25” Smoothie Wash Blueberry Multi leggings. I&#8217;m also suddenly wondering if Britney Spears’ “<a href="https://youtu.be/LOZuxwVk7TU?si=ro_iFRV5Dj4WI0Fx">Toxic</a>” was about Spandex this whole time: “<a href="https://genius.com/Britney-spears-toxic-lyrics">With a taste of the poison paradise</a>, I&#8217;m addicted to you, don’t you know that you’re toxic?”
Luckily, it’s not you, it’s the pants. And it’s not the concept of leggings (phew); it’s the toxic chemicals used to make them. Still wearing your go-to black yoga crops from 10 years ago? Maybe, like me, you’ve never stopped to really consider what buttery-soft “<a href="https://shop.lululemon.com/c/women-leggings/n1udsq">Nulu</a>,” “PowerLu,” or “Everlux” even is, and, instead, you&#8217;ve been much more focused on that flawless contour and how $130 leggings cost just seven cents a day over the course of five years, which is rounded down to free! Girl math for the win.
Spoiler alert, leggings don’t just magically last forever. And this freakish longevity could be thanks to synthetic compounds called “forever chemicals” (aka perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or <a href="https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/chemical/pfas.htm#:~:text=Some%20grease%2Dresistant%20paper%2C%20fast%20food%20containers%20or,popcorn%20bags%2C%20pizza%20boxes%2C%20and%20candy%20wrappers.">PFAS</a>), which in turn might be <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/91110811/microplastics-toxic-chemicals-absorb-into-skin">leaching into your skin</a>. They’re known for <a href="https://mamavation.com/product-investigations/non-toxic-activewear-guide-pfas-workout-leggings-yoga-pants.html">sweat-wicking</a>, quick-drying, stain-resisting performance. But these types of compounds get their nickname because they <a href="https://sustainability.yale.edu/explainers/yale-experts-explain-pfas-forever-chemicals#:~:text=VASILIOU:%20PFAS%20are%20often%20called%20'forever%20chemicals',long%2Dterm%20concerns%20for%20ecosystems%20and%20public%20health.">never break down</a>. Just like leggings. 
When we signed up for <a href="https://www.zumba.com/en-US/">Zumba</a>, we were hoping for a rush of feel-good endorphins, <a href="https://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/mas/news/regular-exercise-benefits-both-mind-and-body-a-psychiatrist-explains-1903986">dopamine</a>, and a smoothie afterward — not toxic residue from an <a href="https://www.runnersathletics.com/blogs/news/where-is-lululemon-made">Indonesian</a> clothing factory. No wonder more of us are talking about <a href="https://livehealthillie.com/blogs/news/top-16-low-tox-activewear-brands?srsltid=AfmBOorEnQusFgawX6-LMsTJhcUrpRrMkcuEiqPsDAPmo3socx-FNkvW">ditching synthetics</a> that <a href="https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/synthetic-fabrics-hormone-levels">mess with our hormones</a> in favor of activewear made with natural fibers. It seems that once we latched onto contouring pants that hold our keys, phone, and booty all at once, it wasn’t long before we realized we were no longer cool with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/advice-plastic-in-workout-clothes/">being contaminated</a> by athleisure.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/is-lululemon-using-forever-chemicals">Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton</a> just announced he is taking on Lululemon. With an investigation into the wellness brand’s product manufacturing, restricted substances list, and supply chain, he’s hoping to uncover whether the brand is misleading its loyal followers — basically all of America — by making us think we&#8217;re buying a product that’s less toxic than it is.
“[Lululemon] markets itself as a wellness-focused lifestyle brand emphasizing sustainability and performance,” an <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-launches-investigation-lululemon-over-potential-presence-toxic-forever">official statement</a> from his office read. “However, emerging research and consumer concerns have raised questions about the potential presence of certain synthetic materials and chemical compounds in their apparel that may be associated with endocrine disruption, infertility, cancer, and other health issues.” 
Lululemon publishes a <a href="https://corporate.lululemon.com/~/media/Files/L/Lululemon/our-impact/lululemon-rsl-9-0.pdf#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20lululemon%20athletica%20inc.'s%20commitment,hazardous%20to%20guests%2C%20workers%2C%20or%20the%20environment.">restricted substances report</a> covering its sustainability practices, packaging, footwear, and fashion. But a quick scan reveals a 50-page list of chemicals sprinkled with images of happy workout people and their incredible abs. Okay, even if it’s legal for a company to sell us leggings with up to 1,000 parts per million of diisobutyl phthalate, do we want something known as “<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8724091/">plasticizer</a>” seeping into our pores?
One time during a kickboxing class, someone else’s sweat flew into my mouth. This sounds worse. 
And it’s not just Lululemon. They might not be facing Texas justice, but certain leggings from brands such as <a href="https://www.ehn.org/pfas-clothing">Athleta</a>, Gaiam, Old Navy, and Yogalicious also tested positive for forever chemicals.
Still, before you panic-chuck all your leggings, you’ve probably already been exposed to <a href="https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/chemical/pfas.htm#:~:text=Some%20grease%2Dresistant%20paper%2C%20fast%20food%20containers%20or,popcorn%20bags%2C%20pizza%20boxes%2C%20and%20candy%20wrappers.">PFAS</a> today. These chemicals can be found in <a href="https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/chemical/pfas.htm#:~:text=Some%20grease%2Dresistant%20paper%2C%20fast%20food%20containers%20or,popcorn%20bags%2C%20pizza%20boxes%2C%20and%20candy%20wrappers.">drinking water</a>, food packaging, non-stick cookware, makeup, and shampoo, along with all sorts of fabrics. This very second, according to science, most of us would test positive for <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12681035/">PFAS in our blood</a>. Just like we are what we eat, we can also form a long-term toxic relationship with plastics in our clothes. Over time, PFAS <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389424028620">build up in our tissue</a>, and after a few decades spent wearing leggings loaded with chemicals every day, you could see damage to your <a href="https://www.ageist.com/wellness/fitness/what-your-workout-clothes-are-doing-to-your-hormones-after-50/">thyroid</a>, liver, kidneys, immunity, and reproductive system. 
I&#8217;m in full <a href="https://modoyoga.com/savasana/">savasana</a> (corpse pose) just thinking about how many years I’ve been wearing synthetic leggings. Yes, stretchy pants have been around since men first wore them in <a href="https://www.whowhatwear.com/history-of-leggings-trend">1300s Scotland</a>, but I blame early-2000s Lindsay Lohan for popularizing the No. 1 alternative to hard pants. 
Good news, though: We don’t have to die of leggings. Keep the opaque, lifted, buttery breathability and eliminate the junk from the ol’ activewear stash with a low-tox brand for your next workout slash coffee run. You might not see a huge cut in cost, but not accidentally poisoning yourself during Pilates? Priceless. 
Skip the plastics with mainstream favorite <a href="https://matethelabel.com/collections/move-by-mate?irclickid=yk9zQ9xBNxyZTrozAy0jnREAUku3mkT5MUyVUI0&amp;sharedid=&amp;irpid=2856961&amp;utm_source=affiliate&amp;utm_medium=impact&amp;utm_campaign=ecocultcom&amp;irgwc=1&amp;afsrc=1">MATE the Label</a>, which sources toxin-free organic cotton and just 8% spandex to provide stretch for leggings, sports bras, skorts, and socks. Made of 100% alpaca wool, <a href="https://armsofandes.com/collections/womens-alpaca-wool-leggings-and-sweatpants/products/womens-alpaca-wool-leggings-300">Arms of Andes</a> leggings feel soft, wick moisture, and regulate temperature in any season. And <a href="https://jungmaven.com/products/hemp-leggings-orosi-mid-rise">Jungmaven’s</a> super stretchy hemp blend leggings will have you thinking, “Lulu who?”
Other highly rated user recommendations include BRANWYN, Pact, Happy Earth, Boody, PAKA, Cottonique, and Wellicious. And non-toxic, vegetable-dyed organic cotton brand <a href="https://groceriesapparel.com/collections/bottoms">Groceries</a> obviously understood the assignment based purely on its name.  
It might take a minute for larger brands to adapt to customer preferences. But we can “be the change” by voting with our wallets and leaving the toxic content to the gym bros on TikTok.

The $130 Leggings In Your Closet Could Be Packing Chemicals Linked To Infertility

Forever Chemicals

leggings

lululemon

PFAS