- Words Lewys Ball
- Photographer Maya Wanelik
- Photography Assistant Holly McCandless-Desmond
- Grooming Tracy Wells Represented by Creatives Agency
- Production & Location Studio Notion
Lewys Ball is our newest columnist, casting an eye over everything you might've missed. This week saw the return of RiRi, viral big red boots, “Little Miss Flo” striking gold again and potentially the best lip sync in RuPaul's Drag Race history.
Iconic Look: Florence Pugh at the BAFTAs
Florence Pugh is becoming one of my favourite fashion red carpet girlies and this Harris Reed look wow’d me again. Styled by Rebecca Corbin-Murray, she is my best dressed from the BAFTA carpet & I’m especially obsessed with the hair.
What To Watch: Anetra vs Sasha Colby Lip Sync – Drag Race Season 15
It was the gay version of the Super Bowl this weekend with the Drag Race Season 15 LaLaPaRuZa. The stakes were high and it did not disappoint. The whole episode was great but the standout was of course Sasha Colby and Anetra giving a pure masterclass on lip syncing. The last 10 seconds will be ingrained in my brain forever.
Icon: Rihanna
Only Rihanna could pull off a Super Bowl halftime show, a British Vogue cover and a pregnancy announcement in one week. We saw Rihanna put the Fenty Gloss Bomb down and take to the stage for the first time since the 2018 Grammys at the Super Bowl. Wearing custom Loewe and a red coat in tribute to André Leon Talley, Rihanna performed a medley of her greatest hits whilst revealing she was pregnant with her second child. Despite criticisms, her performance didn’t need any gag-worthy stunts or surprise guests. Seeing Rihanna back on stage with her effortlessly cool and sexy stage presence was enough for me to consider it one of the greatest halftime shows.
What To Wear: MSCHF’s red boots
From the creators of Lil Nas X’s “satan shoe”, MSCHF has gone viral again for their newest footwear design. Based off of the cartoon character Astro Boy, the red boots have been seen on the likes of Coi Leray and Sarah Snyder, and have seen WWE star Seth Rollins wear them in the wrestling ring. Despite that, I think this man is still the best I’ve seen styling them.
What To Listen To: “RATATA” by Skrillex, Missy Elliott, Mr. Oizo
Never thought I’d be saying Skrillex has released one of my favourite songs in the year of 2023, but here we are. Missy’s classic energy fits so well and I need to hear this in a club immediately.
Who To Follow On Social Media: popculturediedin2009
If you consistently wish that celebrities were as messy now as they were in the late 2000s / early 2010s, then popculturediedin2009 is an essential Twitter account to follow. The account posts weekly recaps of what happened in the week 10 years ago today, and it makes modern-day celebrities look like prudes.
Iconic Moment: Frankie Bridge reacts to Bailey J Mills
If you don’t know Bailey J Mills, they are a hilarious British drag artist known for their countless quintessential British characters and the catchphrase “packet of crisps and up to bed”. Bailey is often seen sporting a pixie cut with a heavy side bayang, just like our Frankie Bridge circa 2011 The Saturdays fame. This week saw Frankie have a sense of humour I didn’t know she had, when she finally responded to Bailey’s character by dressing up and duetting the TikTok.
Not So Iconic Moment: The Hunger Games for Beyoncé Tickets
Last weekend saw myself and many others spending hours in virtual Ticketmaster queues frantically trying to spend a night in Tottenham at the end of May. Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour tickets dropped this week and it took me four attempts on four different days, numerous pre-sale sign-ups and additional London dates added to finally get a ticket. It got so bad at one point I was ready to do a PowerPoint presentation to my friends on why flying to Stockholm to see the show would actually be more beneficial, but we struck gold on the last day, so Tottenham it is.