The New Garde with Alyssa Vingan Fashion Gone Country (w/ Amanda Mull)
Feb 17, 2026
Amanda Mull, senior reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek who writes on culture and consumer trends, joins to trace how Southern aesthetics flooded fashion and pop culture. She discusses runway camo, cowboy and horse-girl looks, the Eras Tour’s country turn, RushTok sorority style, and how regional influencers and artists like Lana Del Rey shape a national Southern vogue.
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Civil Rights Act + AC Changed The South
- Amanda Mull links the Civil Rights Act and residential air conditioning to the South's population and economic rise.
- Those two shifts made the region livable and attractive for companies and workers, reshaping U.S. population patterns.
Decentralized Media Made Southern Culture Mainstream
- Amanda Mull argues cultural production decentralization let Southern scenes (hip hop, creators) shape national pop culture.
- Internet platforms and population shifts made Southern music and creators mainstream influencers of style.
Pandemic Pushed A Return To Structured Dressing
- Pandemic and extended athleisure use pushed a swing back toward more formal, preppy clothing.
- Gen Z adopted 'preppy' as a shorthand for wearing structured, non-stretch clothes after pandemic loungewear.