Mess World

They riff on horse-scent perfume and the absurdities of beauty PR. They dissect shibari-inspired red carpet looks, protest fashion, and face-obscuring trends. They dig into fake Botox photos and the hazards of undisclosed AI gossip. They unpack looks-maxing culture, its eugenic fringes, and the mental-health risks of extreme appearance optimization.

We’re back with a new episode of Mess World, a podcast collaboration between FLESH WORLD (by me, Jessica DeFino) and I <3 Mess (a fashion newsletter from Emily Kirkpatrick).Today we’re talking about: The obscured asscrack [2:30], the obscured face [9:40] , Kendall Jenner’s “Accutane nose job” [13:40], Alix Earle’s perioral dermatitis (“if eczema, acne, and rosacea had this evil baby”) and new “Get Real With Me” Youtube show [18:30], Dolce & Gabbana’s umpteenth cancellation [23:49], everyone’s being stupid about the “male gaze” [51:30], we (unfortunately) watched Ryan Murphy’s “The Beauty” [1:05:00], Bryan Johnson’s longevity erotica [1:39:22], and brands turning anti-ICE activism into ads [1:52:30]. Plus more!Media we mentioned: “Mess Is The Moment: Our Trend Forecast For The Year” [MESS WORLD], “Cracks Are Back” [The Cut], “ICE is a Public Jobs Program for Losers” [Diabolical Lies], “When Beauty Becomes Background Noise” [FLESH WORLD], Ways of Seeing [John Berger], “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” [Laura Mulvey], Powers of Horror [Julia Kristeva], “Everyone Is Beautiful and No One Is Horny” [Blood Knife], The Shock Doctrine [Naomi Klein] Also: We’re on YouTube now, for those who prefer to watch their podcasts!About the podcast: Mess World is a podcast by Jessica DeFino and Emily Kirkpatrick that takes a critical look at the dregs of pop culture. Jessica is the writer behind FLESH WORLD, which has been called the newsletter “the beauty industry fears,” and Emily is the creator of I <3 Mess, a weekly roundup of the best of the worst celebrity fashion. Together, they dissect the biggest and dumbest celebrity happenings every month and give their unfiltered opinion on everything going on in the world of fashion and beauty.Subscribe to receive future podcast posts in your inbox:About the theme music: The Mess World theme song is “Hot Mess” by Carly Lind. Find more about Carly here and listen to her music here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jessicadefino.substack.com/subscribe

We’re back with a new episode of Mess World, a podcast collaboration between FLESH WORLD (by me, Jessica DeFino) and I <3 Mess (a fashion newsletter from Emily Kirkpatrick).Today we’re talking about: Our 2026 trend predictions: adult babies [5:30], lampshade dressing [6:40], chastity belts [10:45], clown aesthetics [12:12], fetal skincare [16:30], Pleaser innovation (maybe stilts?) [20:55], death-related beauty [25:50], ephemeral fashion [32:10], plastic surgery spon-con [35:00], the “bleph in a bottle” [37:00], outer space [41:45], hyperreal bodies [48:00], hypergender [54:00], mask-off marketing [1:01:05], Americana [1:05:00], 2-D shapes [1:07:00], manufactured messy girls [1:15:00], the obscured face [1:20:40], oil blotting sheets [1:24:00] and pet nail care [1:26:00], as well as our Messes of the Month (Tom Brady’s Instagram and Kris Jenner’s real nose). Plus more!Media we mentioned: “What Was Beauty In 2025?” [FLESH WORLD], “We Tried It: The $650 ‘Penis Facial’” [People], “Corporate types are clamoring for a new kind of plastic surgery — using dead people’s fat” [Business Insider], Mad Men’s “death drive” scene [YouTube], “The plastic-eating bacteria that could change the world” [The Guardian], Simulacra and Simulation [Jean Baudrillard], “The Year The Beauty Industry Made You Its Biche” [CNN]Also: We’re on YouTube now, where you can watch previous episodes.About the podcast: Mess World is a podcast by Jessica DeFino and Emily Kirkpatrick that takes a critical look at the dregs of pop culture. Jessica is the writer behind FLESH WORLD, which has been called the newsletter “the beauty industry fears,” and Emily is the creator of I <3 Mess, a weekly roundup of the best of the worst celebrity fashion. Together, they dissect the biggest and dumbest celebrity happenings every month and give their unfiltered opinion on everything going on in the world of fashion and beauty.Subscribe to receive future podcast posts in your inbox:About the theme music: The Mess World theme song is “Hot Mess” by Carly Lind. Find more about Carly here and listen to her music here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jessicadefino.substack.com/subscribe

Dive into doppelgänger discussions and predictons about Kim K's body paint trends. Explore the wave of anti-plastic surgery essays and the complexities surrounding beauty norms. Cardi B's chrome-plated umbilical cord raises eyebrows alongside a critique of Shay Mitchell's Rini kid skincare line. Simone Biles' honest talk about cosmetics adds depth to the conversation. And don't miss the highlights on fast fashion's dark side and Jennifer Aniston's enduring toe ring, all wrapped in a playful critique of beauty culture.

We’re back with a new episode of Mess World, a podcast collaboration between FLESH WORLD (by me, Jessica DeFino) and I <3 Mess (a fashion newsletter from Emily Kirkpatrick).Today we’re talking about: The Kardashians are stalking Emily [4:15], the European Wax Center is in cahoots with Skims [17:30], was Fashion Month anti-woman? [22:45], clown couture [41:30], why no one gets a neck lift “for themselves” [49:30], the hair extensions at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show [58:30], Shark Beauty and the rise of pore-vacuuming [1:04:48], Taylor Swift’s failed showgirl aesthetic [1:11:00], the Hollywood pumpkin patch PR crisis [1:31:28], and Wrinkles Week at The Strategist [1:34:25]. Plus more!Media we mentioned: Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste [Pierre Bourdieu], “Consider the Lip Kit” [Slate], “Why Can’t Fashion See What It Does to Women?” [The New York Times], “We Are All Disney Adults Now” [Mental Hellth], “Who Is Allowed to ‘Perform’ Gender and Identity?” [Many Such Cases], Thick [Tressie McMillan Cottom]Also: We’re on YouTube now, for those who prefer to watch their podcasts.About the podcast: Mess World is a podcast by Jessica DeFino and Emily Kirkpatrick that takes a critical look at the dregs of pop culture. Jessica is the writer behind FLESH WORLD, which has been called the newsletter “the beauty industry fears,” and Emily is the creator of I <3 Mess, a weekly roundup of the best of the worst celebrity fashion. Together, they dissect the biggest and dumbest celebrity happenings every month and give their unfiltered opinion on everything going on in the world of fashion and beauty.Subscribe to receive future podcast posts in your inbox:About the theme music: The Mess World theme song is “Hot Mess” by Carly Lind. Find more about Carly here and listen to her music here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jessicadefino.substack.com/subscribe

Dive into the latest pop culture chaos as the hosts tackle Selena Gomez's mental health startup scandal and its commodification. Explore the dystopian overtones of the Kim Kardashian x NikeSkims launch at the NYPL. Pamela Anderson’s anti-beauty pivot meets capitalist absorption, while Doja Cat’s edible lipstick stunt raises eyebrows. The ‘Bodies on Bodies’ trend takes center stage alongside captivating runway beauty styles, from simulacra skin to mud and clay textures. Don't miss the viral Labubu left at Marx's grave and the chaotic critiques of beauty standards.

We’re back with another episode of The Review of Mess: a podcast collaboration between FLESH WORLD (by me, Jessica DeFino) and I <3 Mess (a fashion newsletter from Emily Kirkpatrick).Today we’re talking about: Skims’ dystopian skull shapewear [3:50], Alicia Keys’ “It’s Like Skin” foundation [18:40], Anna Delvey’s Trumpian approach to scandal, the politics of beauty’s WNBA takeover [39:00], the “Stretch Armstrong” trend (or the manspreading of garments) [49:35], Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ads [56:55], ambient eugenics in the beauty industry [1:10:00], Sydney Sweeney’s bathwater DNA [1:20:00], rage-bait as a gimmick [1:24:55], “The Summer I Turned Pretty” [1:30:25], and the Virgin Mary’s botched glow-up [1:36:00]. Plus more!Media we mentioned: Aesthetic Labour : Rethinking Beauty Politics in Neoliberalism [forward by Susie Orbach], “Alicia Keys Opens Up About The Pressures of Perfection” [Nylon], “haterade: the ny liberty think your vagina stinks” [Out Of Your League], “athlete beauty campaigns in the age of transvestigations” [Out Of Your League], Calvin Klein’s 1980 Brooke Shields commercial, “How Sydney Sweeney Became the Most Talked-About Woman in Hollywood” [WSJ], “Sydney Sweeney Knows Exactly What She’s Doing” [Salon], Gwyneth: The Biography [Amy Odell], Theory of the Gimmick [Sianne Ngai]About the podcast: The Review of Mess is a podcast by Jessica DeFino and Emily Kirkpatrick that takes a critical look at the dregs of pop culture. Jessica is the writer behind FLESH WORLD, which has been called the newsletter “the beauty industry fears,” and Emily is the creator of I <3 Mess, a weekly roundup of the best of the worst celebrity fashion. Together, they dissect the biggest and dumbest celebrity happenings every month and give their unfiltered opinion on everything going on in the world of fashion and beauty.Subscribe to receive future podcast posts in your inbox:About the theme music: The Review of Mess theme song is “Hot Mess” by Carly Lind. Find more about Carly here and listen to her music here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jessicadefino.substack.com/subscribe

We’re back with another episode of The Review of Mess: a podcast collaboration between The Review of Beauty (by me, Jessica DeFino) and I <3 Mess (a fashion newsletter from Emily Kirkpatrick).Today we’re talking about: Our new book club!, period blood as a fashion statement (or protest) [4:55], Kim Kardashian’s Elizabeth Taylor cosplay [10:45], Revlon’s inane lip gloss collab with Guy Fieri [19:26], the panopticon of surveillance culture by way of the Coldplay cheating scandal [26:30], heat damage is the hot new hair trend [38:30], Hailey Bieber’s perioral dermatitis [42:10], The Battle of Versailles’ impact on the modeling industry [47:25], Labubu as the embodiment of Sianne Ngai’s aesthetic theory of cuteness [59:00], Schiaparelli’s unsettling beating heart dress [1:13:38], and frozen cod as skincare [1:20:35]. Plus more!Media we mentioned: The Lowbrow Book Club [Substack], So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed [Jon Ronson], So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed review [The Guardian], The Battle of Versailles [Robin Givhan], Our Aesthetic Categories: Zany, Cute, Interesting [Sianne Ngai]About the podcast: The Review of Mess is a podcast by Jessica DeFino and Emily Kirkpatrick that takes a critical look at the dregs of pop culture. Jessica is the writer behind The Review of Beauty, which has been called the newsletter “the beauty industry fears,” and Emily is the creator of I <3 Mess, a weekly roundup of the best of the worst celebrity fashion. Together, they dissect the biggest and dumbest celebrity happenings every month and give their unfiltered opinion on everything going on in the world of fashion and beauty.Subscribe to receive future podcast posts in your inbox:About the theme music: The Review of Mess theme song is “Hot Mess” by Carly Lind. Find more about Carly here and listen to her music here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jessicadefino.substack.com/subscribe

We’re back with another episode of The Review of Mess: a podcast collaboration between The Review of Beauty (by me, Jessica DeFino) and I <3 Mess (a fashion newsletter from Emily Kirkpatrick).Today we’re talking about: Our first impressions of the Caroline Bessette-Kennedy costuming in Ryan Murphy’s upcoming “American Love Story” (very Lifetime Original Movie-coded!) [6:30], why temporary tattoos and faux nipple piercings are trending right now [26:30], the faults and failings of “cosmetic transparency” [37:30], hyperreal paparazzi shots [1:02:20], shaving: personal preference or cultural conditioning? [1:13:20], women who aren’t hot: should they be taken seriously? [1:19:00], Tom Brady’s charming no-show socks [1:34:10], and the Baccarat Hotel stinkin’ up the streets of NYC [1:36:00; please note Jessica oh-so-stupidly referred to this as the Baccarat 540 perfume store, which it is not]. Plus more!Media we mentioned: “Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s Colorist on the “Totally Wrong” Hair Color in Those Ryan Murphy Images” [Vogue], “Ryan Murphy Addresses the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy Discourse” [Puck], The Century of the Self [YouTube], Fur Annual Body Hair Survey [Instagram], @messworldwide [Instagram], Impersonal Foul [Substack]About the podcast: The Review of Mess is a podcast by Jessica DeFino and Emily Kirkpatrick that takes a critical look at the dregs of pop culture. Jessica is the writer behind The Review of Beauty, which has been called the newsletter “the beauty industry fears,” and Emily is the creator of I <3 Mess, a weekly roundup of the best of the worst celebrity fashion. Together, they dissect the biggest and dumbest celebrity happenings every month and give their unfiltered opinion on everything going on in the world of fashion and beauty.Subscribe to receive future podcast posts in your inbox:About the theme music: The Review of Mess theme song is “Hot Mess” by Carly Lind. Find more about Carly here and listen to her music here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jessicadefino.substack.com/subscribe

We’re back with another episode of The Review of Mess: a podcast collaboration between The Review of Beauty (by me, Jessica DeFino) and I <3 Mess (a fashion newsletter from Emily Kirkpatrick). For this installment we invited Mikala Jamison, writer of the newsletter Body Type, to chat about muscle-as-accessory in the Build-A-Body era. Today we’re talking about: A final Met Gala recap [3:12]; the Cannes red carpet nipple ban [27:30]; a hermeneutic analysis of Jones Road Just Enough Tinted Moisturizer [38:30]; genderqueer outfits from Justin Bieber and Alexander Skarsgård [48:30]; faux-free bleeding from Julia Fox [54:30]; Jennifer Aniston and LolaVie’s gimmicky “No Gimmicks” campaign [58:40]; a conversation with Mikala Jamison about Sophie Turner’s muscles, Khloé Kardashian’s protein popcorn, and the absurdity of “revenge bodies” [1:06:50]; Barbie Fashion Designer CD-ROMs [1:39:45]; and DIY otoplasty [1:43:25]. Plus more!Media we mentioned: Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity [Monica L. Miller], “Black Dandyism: a Cultural History, an interview with Monica L. Miller” [Dressed: The History of Fashion Podcast], Theory of the Gimmick [Sianne Ngai]About the podcast: The Review of Mess is a podcast by Jessica DeFino and Emily Kirkpatrick that takes a critical look at the dregs of pop culture. Jessica is the writer behind The Review of Beauty, which has been called the newsletter “the beauty industry fears,” and Emily is the creator of I <3 Mess, a weekly roundup of the best of the worst celebrity fashion. Together, they dissect the biggest and dumbest celebrity happenings every month and give their unfiltered opinion on everything going on in the world of fashion and beauty.Subscribe to receive future podcast posts in your inbox:About the theme music: The Review of Mess theme song is “Hot Mess” by Carly Lind. Find more about Carly here and listen to her music here. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jessicadefino.substack.com/subscribe