Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

This week: An associate working in apparel who makes $53,000 per year and spends some of it on some kiwis (an out-of-the-ordinary purchase for me!).

If you’d like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we’re not able to reply to every email. We are legally unable to publish any diaries that have been written with the use of AI.

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Occupation: Associate
Industry: Apparel
Age: 26
Location: Dallas, TX
Salary: $53,000
Joint Income/Financial Setup: n/a
Assets:
Savings: $793.62 (I recently went to Hawaii for vacation, and that wiped out a bit of my savings despite traveling on the cheap, staying in hostels etc).
Debt: $33,386.42 (My student loans plus credit card debt)
Paycheck Amount (2x month): $1,803
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $1,265 (I live alone in a one-bedroom apartment).
Loan Payments: $1,803
Utilities (electricity & water): ~$100
Nuuly subscription: $106.09 (I forgot to cancel it last month, oops!)
Gym membership: $95
Web portfolio: $8

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes, I got my bachelor’s degree from the same school my family’s three generations of women went to. When I received a partial academic scholarship, that was that! I’m currently paying it back with state and federal loans.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
Other than vague, dad statements of “you need to save!” etc., we didn’t really talk about actionable steps/financial literacy in our house. To me, money has always felt very stressful and confusing to navigate. I want to be “good” at saving, etc., but it can feel overwhelming. I loved writing this Money Diary as an exercise to track my spending, so hopefully it’s the start of better money habits.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I had a front-desk job at a country club during college (my cousin who had also worked there referred me). I answered phones, refilled water/coffee, managed schedules and was generally helpful. It was excellent money and a very low-stress job! My parents helped pay for my rent in college, but I was expected to pay for gas, groceries, and other needs.

Did you worry about money growing up?
I remember a couple of times growing up when I realized we were sort of “cutting back” as a family. But, fortunately, no dire circumstances. In terms of handling my own money, I remember wanting to give away any I had accumulated — this being maybe $20 at most, made from neighborhood donut stands or “cleaning” my grandmother’s room. I think my kid brain thought I’d be no good at handling it and/or sensing it would be stressful to manage. I just wanted someone else to have it and be done.

Do you worry about money now?
Yes, especially since I was recently passed over for a raise and I make the lowest salary within the company. I struggle to find a balance between accruing savings while paying off my student loans/credit card debt. I worry constantly about being the sort of person who is good at saving, good at spending, good at maximizing credit card points — I definitely don’t understand credit card points!

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became fully financially responsible for myself post-grad at 22 years old, when I got my first full-time job. I would say my parents are my “financial safety net,” although since my mom just lost her job — and they are helping pay back some of my brother’s student loans, which accumulated — that would be an absolute last resort.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
I received $5,000 from my aunt in her will and used the majority of it to pay off one of my credit cards.

Day One: Monday

7 a.m. — I roll out of bed, somewhere between my third and fourth alarm, and become a presentable human. Dress. Brush teeth. Curl bangs. Make coffee smoothie for breakfast. Assemble work bag. Mentally prepare for battle.

11:15 a.m. — I need a pick-me-up, stat! My desk mate and I walk a block over to the local 7/11 gas station. It’s run by a very down-to-earth family who remember their regular customers. They handle a lot of craziness (it’s open 24/7). I gather the makings of a gas station charcuterie board for lunch: pickles, meat stick, chocolate peanut butter energy bar and an energy drink! I finally signed up for the 7/11 app and plan to cash in on my points later this week! $11.93

5:20 p.m. — Post-work I head to grocery store and think about my co-worker who got fired — it’s very upsetting! I park, head in and realize I have had a stain on the back of my shirt all day! Ack! I hate that. Grocery haul includes kiwi, salami, turkey deli meat, kombucha, chickpea pasta, kale, beets, sweet potato, chicken breasts, chocolate, granola, orange juice, almonds, tortilla chips and salsa. As much as I love Sprouts, my neighborhood grocery store is definitely cheaper and the member deals make a big difference in total. $97.99

6:20 p.m. — I’m home now, so I feast upon salami, cheese, almonds, and peach kombucha while reading my book on my apartment’s outdoor patio.

7:00 p.m. — I start to get ready for the gym and decide to stop for a brief bang cutting interlude (slightly too short, but what can you do!) and then head out.

8:45 p.m. — Once home, I tidy up a little bit, “stain clinic” my soiled shirt and start a load of washing, while avoiding eye contact with the dirty dishes in the sink.

10:00 p.m. — Shower! Cozy and in bed, I pick up where I left off in my book: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb. I’m considering art therapy as a potential career path and I love hearing the therapists POV on a therapy session.

Daily Total: $109.92

Day Two: Tuesday

7 a.m. — I wake up and make Laird Superfood coffee; it’s so good! I heat up frozen sausage, and chuck a yogurt in my bag. I quickly assemble a salad with cranberries, blue cheese, turkey, and greens for lunch (while genius-ly repurposing the kiwi box as my Tupperware container). I’m heading to the warehouse for work. It’s truly so dirty, but the people there are nice. I mentally black out for the rest of the day because I hate the warehouse.

5 p.m. — Eventually, it’s over and I head to my gym for my 6 p.m. workout class — the cost is included in my monthly membership. I get there early and work on my computer using the gym’s wifi.

8 p.m. — Workout class done *fist bump*. I drive to my parents’ house to work from home the next day. They live about 45-minute drive away. I get home in time to scavenge the leftovers of my parents’ dinner: chicken, rice, and beans from a local TexMex place I love. We veg in front of the TV and catch up.

Daily Total: $0

Day Three: Wednesday

7:55 a.m. — Since it’s a WFH day I wake up leisurely at 7:55 a.m. My mom goes out to get us Starbucks — egg bites and lattes. Mom pays!

12:00 p.m. — For lunch, we make chicken soup with salad and sip on tea. I coo over my cat, who is recovering from a bite wound. She’s 80% back to normal, but still limps around the house. I baby her and let her drink water from the tap when my mom isn’t looking.

5:00 p.m. — I head back to Dallas to meet a friend for a ropes climbing session at 6 p.m. We talk, catch up, and I climb my first 11c grade route! By the end of our workout, I’m dying for a Gatorade Lime Cucumber but it’s all sold out. Drat! I settle for boring lemon/lime flavor and charge it to my membership, like a fancy kid! $4

9:00 p.m. — I get home, shower, make chickpea pasta with olive oil and black olives. Nothing fancy but it works! Then conk the heck out.

Daily Total: $4

Day Four: Thursday

7:00 a.m. — Surprise, surprise, I’m headed to the dirty old warehouse! My boss will not be there today, so things will be a bit more lax. I munch on chocolate chip granola and sip kombucha from my grocery haul, hoping it will give me enough caffeine to last the day.

12:30 p.m. — I didn’t bring lunch, so I drive over to a local cafe for my “usual”: fresh salad with cranberries, cheese, and chicken with a pink berry dressing, plus I leave a tip. I bring the food back to the warehouse and enjoy the breeze from the porch. $16.24

5:00 p.m. — I’m supposed to meet my cousin for tennis, but it’s just rained and the courts are likely wet. We reschedule and I head to the SMU Meadows Museum instead. It’s free entry on Thursday evenings. There’s a special Raimundo de Madrazo exhibit on display, which the art history student (my assumption) at the front desk recommends. The Belle Époque portraits are vibrant and really realistic! I feel so cultured.

7:00 p.m. — I get home and try to cook veggies in the oven but accidentally set off the fire alarm! I jump out of the shower and fan the fire alarm with a towel on and shampoo in my hair. I end up making a salad with turkey instead, blah! Then Venmo my friend who I have been meaning to pay back since our Hawaii vacation. $150

Daily Total: $166.24

Day Five: Friday

7:00 a.m. — Friday! I make a smoothie with banana, peanut butter, and coffee and saddle up for the day. On the way to the warehouse, I stop at a gas station to buy spring water and a macadamia nut Clif bar (arguably the best flavor!) My boss ends up bringing me an energy drink, and even though I’ve been trying to quit drinking these, my smoothie turned out to be gross, so I sip on it throughout the day. I become extra caffeinated. Cost: FREEEEEEEEEEEEE! $4.88

12:30 p.m. — My boss wants to eat off campus so we head to an outside food hall with a bunch of different stalls. I get a spicy pork bulgogi bowl and a yuzu lemonade (plus tip) from the Korean place. So, so yummy! We lunch al fresco and my boss talks about work. Fun! $28.12

4:30 p.m. — It’s a Friday miracle because we got out of work early! On the way home, I stop at Walgreens and purchase hand soap, bathroom tissue, and Lanolips lip balm. I thought it was on sale. It was not. I purchase anyway for my split lip. $56.73

6:00 p.m. — I meet my friend to climb and he’s gotten a haircut which totally throws me off. We climb and I pretend not to stare at his haircut the whole time.

8:00 p.m. — I driver over to my cousin’s apartment to help her make cookies for a luncheon tomorrow. We catch up, nibble on cookie dough, and make a frozen pizza for dinner then I head home!

Daily Total: $89.73

Day Six: Saturday

10:30 a.m. — I wake up at exactly the time the luncheon starts — oops! It’s informal but I hate that I’m immediately late. I text my cousin I’m on my way, and brush my teeth while simultaneously making coffee and dressing myself! The dress — courtesy of this month’s accidental Nuuly subscription — is a lovely, white linen thing with pink ric-rac trim and a back cut-out. I set out ready to seize the day!

11:00 a.m. — I arrive and munch on sugar cookies, sip coffee, and meet new people. I get third place in Bunco and leave with a set of party cups illustrated by an artist my mom adores (I’m mentally noting to gift these to her).

3:00 p.m. — By the time I make it home, I’m very hungry. I snack on buckwheat English muffins slathered in butter and peanut butter, a honey crisp apple, and finish my morning coffee. While passing the mirror, I realize you can sort of see my underwear through the dress! I bombard my cousin with texts, asking if she could see my underwear. She says no but I suspect she’s lying. The underwear was patterned with the Victoria’s Secret pink dog across my bum…

4:00 p.m. — It’s about this time of day that I find myself at IKEA (my happy place) and buy a summery green gingham bed cover, a sink brush, and cutting boards! Getting functional home stuff that excites me is one of the ways I motivate myself to clean/take better care of my space. I had been seriously eyeing some of their standalone kitchen islands (I have next to no counterspace in my apartment) but leave without making any big purchases. $57.34

5:00 p.m. — I stop at a nearby Whole Foods and buy snacks for when I’ll be working on my computer later at Half Price Books. I get a fancy lemonade and cocoa energy bites. $15.46

7:00 p.m. — After some productive writing at HPB and a little eavesdropping (my seat mates were having a very intense philosophical discussion) I head home. I want to make a casserole, so I boil chicken breasts for, I want to say, eternity? I set the heat too low! The casserole also calls for rice simmered in chicken stock, frozen peas, and cheese. It takes way longer than expected, but I enjoy the warm casserole for dinner, yummy! I then put the rest in the fridge.

10:00 p.m. — I finish my book and then hit the hay.

Daily Total: $72.80

Day Seven: Sunday

7:15 a.m. — I wake up and get dressed for church. I make my coffee and go to add a finishing splash of creamer. Only it’s too late when I realize I’ve poured chunky expired creamer in instead of fresh creamer. Nooo! (You might be asking why I haven’t thrown out the old one yet, but I just keep forgetting). I’m dismayed and put the chunky creamer back into the fridge. I sing along to “Lake Street Dive” in the car while I drive over.

10:30 a.m. — Church is over and I still have a hankering for coffee. I decide to try a Yemeni coffee place I read about in Eater Magazine. It’s designed beautifully with lots of white marble and I beeline to the colorful pastry case. I choose Oreo covered dates to go with my latte. When my coffee is ready, I see they’ve made a latte art camel! I’m very content as I sip my coffee and work on my computer. $11.51

12:30 p.m. — On the way home, I stop at a gas station where they have longhorns and donkeys corralled outside. I get gas and say hi to the animals. They hide from me instead. I step in a mud puddle in my flip flops, damn.

1:00 p.m. — Once home, I eat the second half of my pork bowl from Friday for lunch. I read my new book Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl (food critic queen!) and chill out. $68.14

5:30 p.m. — In the evening, I head to a local track and try sprints but gosh it’s been too long! I swear there’s someone there who must be training for the Olympics! Even though I make only a little progress I’m satisfied. I head home, shower, and make an omelet (olive oil, eggs, no frills) for dinner like I’m living in a Danielle Steel novel.

Daily Total: $79.65

The Breakdown

Conclusion:
I definitely mooched on other people for food this week, ha! I think my grocery haul set me up for success because typically I eat out a bit more for lunch, especially when working at the warehouse. I’d like to continue to be more mindful with my grocery purchases because that makes a big difference in spending — eating out is a nice treat but doing that almost every day certainly adds up. Another conclusion I came to is I’d like to become more financially literate. I’d like to find books or a course that could help me maximize my earnings/savings/cc points, etc.

Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual’s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29’s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.

The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more Money Diaries, click here.

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Thousands of beauty lovers, founders, makeup artists, hairstylists, creators, and people who can identify a lip combo from 20 feet away all gathered last Saturday for Beautycon University. There’s always another booth to visit, another demo happening, another product being swatched on the back of someone’s hand, which means in order for a beauty product to stand out it has to work pretty hard to hold anyone’s attention.

So when the same products kept coming up throughout the day, Refinery29 editors took notes. For this year’s Beauties, we’re highlighting the items generating excitement within our community on Threads, along with the beauty finds that surfaced throughout the full day of activations, demonstrations, panels, and those very unofficial but extremely persuasive you need to try this exchanges happening all over the Rolling Greens campus.

Some came from brands we already know well. Others made us wonder where they had been hiding. And a few solved beauty problems so specific that we immediately DoorDashed a Sephora order.

These are the products that managed to cut through the Beautycon noise, and earn a spot on our 2026 Beauties list.

The Skin Savior

La Roche-Posay

Sunscreen has one fairly important job, yet finding one you actually want to put on every morning can feel unnecessarily difficult. So Beautycon took the question straight to its Threads community: “What sunscreen would you recommend to someone who hates sunscreen?” Among a very crowded field of SPF favorites, La Roche-Posay came up more than once. One community member simply answered, “@larocheposayusa anthelios,” while another doubled down: “@larocheposayusa for sure! Sooo many options to choose from!”

And options there are. The Anthelios lineup spans lightweight face formulas, mineral SPFs, tinted options, and higher-protection formulas, making it considerably easier to find one that doesn’t make applying sunscreen feel like a daily chore. When the assignment is convince someone who hates sunscreen to wear sunscreen, getting independently named-checked twice by the Beautycon community feels like a pretty convincing endorsement.

The Breakout Destroyer

Beautycon involves thousands of people, a full face of makeup, lots of touching things, and approximately 700 opportunities to wonder, Should I really be putting my hand on my face right now? Enter Personal Day’s hypochlorous acid spray. The mist is designed for acne-prone skin and gives you an easy spritz-and-go step when your face could use a refresh. Personal Day already has Beautycon history too: founder Lili Reinhart previously dropped by to discuss acne and the relationship between skin and mental health. This year, we spotted the bright-green bottle being enthusiastically pulled from an attendee’s Beautycon haul. Coincidence? Our pores think not.

The Body-Care Hero

Some lotions moisturize. Others make the boring act of hydrating your skin feel slightly more like you have your life together. SANTU’s Lima Mexicana Body Lotion is aiming for the latter. The silky formula popped up among the Beautycon haul discoveries we spotted after the event, and its lime-inspired proposition immediately stood out in a sea of face serums and lip products. Because your skincare routine technically does not stop at your neck, no matter how much your neglected shins would have you believe otherwise.

The Post-Shower Perfume

We love a product with an identity crisis when the result is this good. Despite being called a Body Splash, Her Fantasy Box’s Santal Driftwood is a hydrating body oil with a fragrance-forward sensibility (exactly the sort of hybrid product that makes getting out of the shower considerably more interesting). It also arrives during a major growth moment for the brand: Her Fantasy Box expanded into more than 4,000 CVS locations this summer and participated in Beautycon during ESSENCE Festival before turning up again among the products Beautycon LA attendees couldn’t stop talking about. If body care and fragrance are going to keep flirting with each other, we’re happy to third-wheel.

The Forever Glow-Up

Before seemingly every skincare product promised glass, glazed donut, dolphin, or some other variety of suspiciously reflective skin, there was Pixi Glow Tonic. The 5% glycolic-acid exfoliating toner has been around long enough to qualify as a beauty throwback, yet there it was again the superstar of Beautycon Universities student hauls. And maybe that’s the point. In an industry obsessed with whatever launched five minutes ago, there’s something deeply satisfying about a product that simply refuses to leave the group chat.

The Brow Freeze

If your brow hairs have independent thoughts, hopes, and travel plans, NYX would like to put an end to that. The Brow Glue Crazy Lift promises up to 24-hour wear, and its built-in styling comb is designed to give brows that brushed-up laminated effect without booking an appointment. It was another product staffers couldn’t stop talking about and a superstar in haul videos. For brows that constantly consider staying in place as a mere suggestion, class is officially in session.

NYX Brow Glue The Brow Crazy Lift Brow Lamination Gel

The Meal-Proof MVP

A lip combo can look flawless in the mirror. The real test begins when the appetizers arrive. So when Beautycon asked its Threads community, “What’s the lip combo that survives eating?” I had an immediate answer: “Anything that starts with Make Up For Ever’s lip liners.” Makeup artist Joslyn Spurlock cosigned the note with a heart. And Beautycon’s response? “Oooh!! Love!!”

And, yes, we stand by it. A good lip liner is the insurance policy of a great lip combo, giving your color a defined base before gloss, lipstick, or whatever else you pile on top inevitably meets a coffee cup, cocktail straw, or dinner reservation. Make Up For Ever’s liners have become the kind of beauty-bag staple we reach for when the goal isn’t merely a good lip. It’s one that has plans afterward.

The Dewy Delivery

There comes a point in a long beauty day when applying another layer of anything sounds exhausting. That’s when a mist starts looking very attractive. Anua’s PDRN mist delivers the kind of quick, satisfying skincare step that requires almost no effort: spray, bask in the dewiness, carry on. And at an event where everyone is moving between panels, activations, photo opps, and product discoveries, we’re especially appreciative of skincare that doesn’t require finding a bathroom mirror first.

The Pocket Treasure

Beautycon gave us plenty of elaborate routines to think about, but sometimes the product that wins you over is simply the one you keep reaching for. eos Cashmere Lip Butter takes the brand’s famously dessert-coded approach and shrinks it into something you can stash in a pocket, purse, or the increasingly chaotic bottom of a Beautycon tote. It’s a soft, sweet, uncomplicated beauty treat (and proof that not every award-winning item needs a 12-step instruction manual).

The Damage Controller

There is “my hair feels a little dry,” and then there is we need to call someone for professional help. UNOVE’s Deep Damage Repair Hair Mask is for the latter mood, no appointment required. The Korean hair-care brand’s treatment is built around intensive conditioning for damaged hair, making it especially interesting in a Beautycon lineup full of products devoted to styling, slicking, and asking quite a lot of our strands. We first spotted UNOVE among the mountain of product coming out of Beautycon VIP totes, but it kept coming up in the zeitgeist thanks to its fast-working ingredients. Consider this our apology letter to everything we’ve put our hair through before discovering UNOVE.

The Cutest Clean-Up

Hand sanitizer winning a beauty award? Hear us out. After a day spent swatching products, opening testers, grabbing freebies, shaking hands, and digging through tote bags, sanitizer becomes less of a practical afterthought and more like Beautycon survival gear. The Fruit Fusion verison makes the whole thing considerably more fun, which is why one attendee’s reaction to receiving it couldn’t go on without highlighting how cute the keychain it comes with is. Sometimes innovation is just as simple as making the thing you already need cute enough that you remember actually to carry it.

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What did the tree say to autumn? Leaf me alone! This joke is going to feel real in the upcoming weeks. Welcome to Libra season — a time of justice and fairness. The sun’s movement on September 22nd kicks off the Fall Equinox, which happens simultaneously, starting a new season. This year, the four-week Libra journey feels like it’s straight out of a melodramatic YA novel with a choose-your-own-adventure finish. 

September 25th is a day to notice and be aware of. The sun in Libra juxtaposes Neptune retrograde in Aries. The unrealistic expectations we may hold apply not only to others but to ourselves. It’s vital to comprehend that while our egos may be inflated or deflated, on September 25th, we embrace love in any form. Being sympathetic to everyone’s causes will be easy because it’ll be hard to resist their charms. We could easily fall head over heels and form enchanting entanglements that lead to whimsical trysts. Although these romantic rendezvous and interludes are met with the best intentions, the upcoming Venus retrograde may bring a fizzle to the sizzle. 

Saturn retrograde in Aries opposes the sun in Libra on October 4th. This transit matters because it can bring workplace issues to the surface. Frustrations with bosses, colleagues, or schedules may set us off, or vice versa. To overcome the obstacles of this astrological aspect, we must focus on the game and not dwell on the minimal consequences that ensue. We might be overly critical and cynical, particularly about how we are progressing compared to others. Instead of being judgmental, we should be understanding and offer kindness — especially to ourselves. The lesson is to embrace our imperfections and the messiness of life. 

Venus’s moonwalk in Scorpio lasts for over 40 days this time around (from October 3rd to November 13th). What makes it particularly pungent is that Venus is the planetary ruler of Libra, so when it’s retrograde during its moment to thrive and shine, it can have immense effects on us earthlings. Venus retrograde in Scorpio is going to make us question who is in our life, especially their value. If they aren’t adding anything positive to our aura or existence, then we might want to put them on ice for a hot minute while we work through our feelings. We may choose to stand back from situations, rather than be 100% in them. 

Mercury dives into Scorpio on September 30th, but the pre-shadow period of its impending retrograde commences on October 4th. Now we will begin to see the story unfold, and it will intensify during Mercury retrograde in Scorpio, which runs from October 24th to November 13th. There will be a lot of confusion and ambiguity about how we want to partner and commit because the Scorpio energy is going to be deep at this moment in Libra season. It’s a warning to slow down and take every moment in stride — even though the cosmos are pressuring us to speed up our decisions — and not push boundaries. Remember, haste makes waste, and stay in your lane. 

As you can see, Libra season isn’t the time to start new projects; it’s a month of reflection and contemplation as we map out our next steps and develop a strategy to move our plans forward. To benefit from the vibe, lean into major self-care, call out personal days that are due, and try to unwind. The energy will bring out the highs and lows of situations, so maintain an equilibrium. IKYK, no matter how the planets are playing and clowning around, Libra season asks us to find balance, and we shall! 

Important Dates for Libra Season:

September 22nd: The sun enters Libra, initiating the Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.

September 26th: The Harvest Full Moon in Aries is a magical lunation to initiate change. 

September 27th: Mars moves into Leo, making us roar for power.

September 30th: Mercury swims into Scorpio, magnifying our intuition. 

October 3rd: Venus retrograde in Scorpio urges us to re-evaluate our romances and liaisons. 

October 10th: The New Moon in Libra defines who we spend our time with and how.

October 15th: Pluto turns direct, completing the retrograde cycle that began on May 6th. Growth is possible now more than ever. 

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For the first time in five years, no actor of color won a major acting Emmy during the primetime broadcast. It’s an awkward fact to sit with after a night of speeches about the importance of storytelling, artistic communities, and television’s allegedly limitless capacity to reflect the world back at us. The winners were talented, but that’s not the point. For an industry that has spent years promising audiences it is finally serious about representation, the 2026 Emmys delivered a familiar image: a parade of white acting winners accepting trophies while actors of color watched from their tables.

And yes, I understand the Emmys are an awards show. It’s built around expensive gowns, nervous clapping and television stars pretending they didn’t rehearse their acceptance speeches in the mirror. But awards matter. No matter how much glitter you throw at it, art will always be political. The same goes for the award shows celebrating it. They shape whose work gets remembered, whose career gets a jetpack and what kinds of stories studios decide are worth funding next time around.

This year’s result followed the least diverse Emmy nominations slate in a decade. By the end of the main telecast, the major acting honours had gone to Noah Wyle, Rhea Seehorn, Jean Smart, Matthew Rhys, Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root. One thing they all had in common was that they were white. It was a rough outcome for a field that included performers such as Sterling K. Brown, Zendaya, Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Janelle James, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Chase Infiniti.

For an industry that has spent years promising audiences it is finally serious about representation, the 2026 Emmys delivered a familiar image: a parade of white acting winners accepting trophies while actors of color watched from their tables.

Simran Pasricha

The night was not entirely without politics, but it just felt oddly restrained considering the conditions surrounding it. Sally Field won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Remarkably Bright Creatures and gave the sort of speech that made the room feel briefly connected to the actual world. The series was shot in Canada, which prompted Field to call the country “Blessed Canada! Our neighbours, our friends”. In another year, that might have simply been a location shout-out. Given the Trump administration’s trade dispute with Canada, it landed with rather more force (although still dancing on the line of palatable politics). Field continued, saying: “We’re the arts. We matter. Our voices matter. Our diversity, our unique storytelling, matters. We can’t let those voices be silenced or compromized or merged.”

The final word was doing some heavy lifting there, pointing to Paramount Skydance’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which continues to hang over Hollywood. David Ellison runs Paramount Skydance, but the deal is backed in part by his father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who seems to be in a bromance with Donald Trump. The family’s links to the US president have attracted scrutiny, particularly because Trump has publicly said he would like CNN, currently owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, to end up in Paramount’s hands.

The deal is currently stalled by an antitrust challenge brought by a group of state attorneys general, led by California. If it proceeds, it would put major studios, streamers, cable brands, and news outlets under one corporate roof, meaning fewer companies and people would have a huge say over what gets made, who gets hired, and which stories reach an audience. That could have devastating consequences.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 14: Rhea Seehorn, winner of the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for “Pluribus”, poses in the press room during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

That backdrop made Stephen Colbert’s win for The Late Show feel a little heavier than the usual awards-show victory lap. CBS cancelled the program earlier this year, calling it “purely a financial decision”, and its final episode aired in May. Trump had made no secret of his contempt for Colbert or the show. When CBS announced the cancellation, he wrote on Truth Social that he “absolutely love[d] that Colbert got fired”, and later celebrated the final episode by calling Colbert “a total jerk”.

Colbert did not turn his Emmy acceptance speech into a long grievance session; instead, he spoke about the people whose jobs disappeared with the show. “The thing about these late shows is that, besides bringing a really good, steady job, is that they require so many people that they’re a fantastic incubator for young people to come in to learn to work professionally on a deadline in cooperation, in collaboration, and that is the future of our business that we have to look after,” he said.

No matter how much glitter you throw at it, art will always be political. The same goes for the award shows celebrating it. They shape whose work gets remembered, whose career gets a jetpack and what kinds of stories studios decide are worth funding next time around.

Simran Pasricha

That was the closest the Emmys got to reckoning with the people left exposed by an entertainment industry that keeps demanding fewer workers do more work, for less certainty, while executive suites pursue bigger deals. The Television Academy itself had already made that tension impossible to ignore. Before the ceremony, it moved five categories out of the primetime broadcast: supporting actor and actress in a limited or anthology series or movie, directing and writing for limited or anthology series or movies, and writing for a variety series. The Academy said it wanted “a fresh new take on the Emmys broadcast,” but SAG-AFTRA, the WGA, and the DGA criticized the move.

“The decision to eliminate these categories from the prime-time broadcast devalues the contributions of the talented people the Academy is meant to honour,” the guilds said in a joint statement. “An awards show dedicated to recognising excellence should not reduce recognition for the artists whose work gives it meaning.”

It’s hard to argue with that. Last year, the Emmys had a much more visible political current. Hannah Einbinder used her win to say “Fuck ICE” and call for a “Free Palestine”. Javier Bardem wore a keffiyeh and spoke against Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and several attendees wore Artists4Ceasefire pins. Television Academy chair Cris Abrego also used the stage to criticize Congress for voting to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Tramell Tillman made history as the first Black actor to win Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

This year Jean Smart made history by becoming the first woman to win an acting Emmy for every single season of a show’s run. However, this year there was also no comparable collective show of dissent from the stage or the red carpet, despite the genocide in Gaza continuing, the US media landscape becoming even more politically charged, and a major corporate takeover fight playing out in Hollywood’s backyard.

If I wanted to be generous, I’d say that absence doesn’t mean every winner owed viewers a geopolitical statement. People can accept an Emmy without becoming a full-time spokesperson for every injustice on Earth. But when the entertainment industry speaks so often about courage, community and the power of art, its biggest night can feel strangely hollow when so few people are willing to connect those ideas to the present tense.

Sally Field did. Alan Cumming did too, using his acceptance speech to say: “The time for talk is over. It is now time to vote, America.” There were flickers of urgency. Mostly though, the 2026 Emmys played it safe… and very white. And perhaps that is the clearest political statement of all.

From PEDESTRIAN.TV

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Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

This week: An office manager working in construction who makes $70,000 per year and spends some of it on a short bob cut.

If you’d like to submit your own Money Diary, you can do so via our online form. We pay $150 for each published diary. Apologies but we’re not able to reply to every email. We are legally unable to publish any diaries that have been written with the use of AI.

This diary was written in 2026.

Interested in taking our latest Money Diaries survey? We’d love to hear your thoughts here.

Occupation: Office manager
Industry: Construction
Age: 40
Location: Norristown, PA
Salary: $70,000
Joint Income/Financial Setup: $180,000. My husband and I have a joint checking account, HYSA, and cash back credit card. We also have our own personal checking, savings, and our own credit cards. We mostly use the joint credit card for expenses and bills to get cash back when we can. My husband contributes $686 a week to the joint checking, and I transfer $950 twice a month, sometimes more. My husband contributes more since he makes more than me, but since I have fewer bills than he does, I end up contributing extra.
Assets:
High-Yield Savings Account: $30,200
Combined retirement accounts: $172,230 (total across all of our accounts) Joint checking: $1,876.46
Debt:
New car: $18,300
My husband’s student loans: $12,000
Joint credit card: $2,734
Paycheck Amount (bi-weekly): $2,074, after 401(k)
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $2,300 (my husband and I rent a two-bedroom single-family home)
Electricity: ~$200 for the warmer temps
Internet: $99
Gas: $225
Water: $70
Loan Payments:
Car payment: $368
Husband’s student loans: $500 (sometimes he pays more if he can)
Other:
Car insurance: $221
Cell phone: $225
Subscriptions: HBO Max: $20; Netflix: $19; Apple TV: $14; Reddit: $7; Spotify: $13; Peacock: $8.50; Amazon Prime: $16
Pet supplies: $130
Husband’s Personal Expenses:
Gym memberships & personal trainer: $350
My Personal Expenses:
Apple Music: $12
Clothing subscription: $98
Savings contribution: $700

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Yes — my parents did not go to college, so there was an expectation. However, it was not strictly required that I go to college. I went to art school for undergrad, where I received several academic and housing scholarships, took out $15,000 in student loans, and my parents helped with off-campus housing expenses. I also went to graduate school, which my full-time job paid for 60% of, and the rest I paid for through $12,000 in loans.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
My parents didn’t really educate me about finances. My parents did set me up with a checking account when I got my first job at 16. Then at 18 they set me up with my first credit card (which I still use!) that I used for college expenses, and my dad paid it off while I was in school. Otherwise, I learned on my own how to budget my money.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
My first job was at TJ Maxx, the chain retail store, at the age of 16. I got it to earn extra money to buy things for myself. My mom was a stay-at-home parent, and my dad was our primary income source. When I would come home from college for the summer, I would go back to TJ Maxx and work to save money for college expenses.

Did you worry about money growing up?
A little bit. I knew that my dad made a good amount of money for me, my brothers, and mom, but since he works in the construction world, there were times we couldn’t afford certain larger purchases. As I got older, I became more mindful of the costs of the things I requested from my parents. We would bargain shop a lot with coupons or find deals.

Do you worry about money now?
I think everyone worries about money to a small degree. I struggled through my late 20s and early 30s living solo on a small paycheck, and worried about money A LOT. I reached a point where I had no money, maxed out my credit card, and had to move back in with my parents. But now, I feel comfortably stable about being able to pay for monthly expenses, contribute to savings, and also be able to enjoy a few luxuries in life.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
When I was 24 years old, I moved out of my parents’ house after returning home from undergrad and was fully financially on my own. Now at the age of 40, my husband and I do have a financial safety net. His parents were in the medical field, and his dad made a very decent living. If something were to happen, I know my in-laws would step in to help. My husband and I also have four months of expenses saved in the event one (or both of us) lost our jobs.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
I received inherited income from my grandmother. Before she passed away, my mom had power of attorney and gifted $10,000 to each of my grandmother’s six grandkids. She passed right after I graduated with my bachelor’s degree, so I used most of the money to buy my first car, which I had for 18 years.

Day One: Saturday

6:00 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I take my daily birth control pill. I lay in bed a little bit longer as I didn’t sleep well last night and tossed and turned from 2:30 a.m. onwards. My husband, B., was also up around 2:30 and had gotten back in bed around 4:30. Both of us are out of bed by 6:30 and B. makes some coffee for us while I feed the cat breakfast. I take my coffee with oat milk and B. likes his black. I then turn on the TV to catch up on my weekly shows. We love food, so we have been watching Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.

7:15 a.m. — B. makes breakfast for me — scrambled eggs and an English muffin with peanut butter. He’s going for a bike ride soon, so he’s not having breakfast now. B. also cooks most of our meals since he used to be a professional chef — lucky me! I cook dinner on Wednesdays and Sundays.

10:35 a.m. — B. goes to the grocery store since I have to leave soon for my hair appointment. He gets kombucha, apples, bananas, carrots, greens, cucumber, oat milk (for me), chicken, ground turkey, chicken sausage, yogurt, macaroni and cheese, granola bars, Chex Mix and Fritos (for me), seltzer, and stuff for dinner (basil, mirepoix, ground meatloaf mix, ricotta, marinara). We use a shared grocery list app on our phones, and earlier I added items I need and most of our staples. Before shopping, we go on the GIANT grocery store app and clip any coupons. At the store, B. scans his reward card for $1 in grocery dollars, then with the coupons and discounts, he saves us an additional $14.72. $110.54

11:00 a.m. — I quickly eat a leftover slice of pizza from dinner last night before I jump in my car to head to my haircut and color appointment, which is at 12:15 p.m. I get my hair done about once every three months. On the way, I stop to get gas ($46.96), then I pop by FedEx to drop off packages for work. (I had prepaid labels on them already). $46.96

3:15 p.m. — I’m done with my hair appointment. I get highlights and a women’s cut. I went blonder this time since summer is approaching and got a cute, short bob cut. I’ve been with my stylist for a long time, so I give her and the shampoo girls a nice tip. $285

4:40 p.m. — I get back home and B. has washed our towels and the bedsheets! He has dinner in the oven, which is a fancy pasta dinner of stuffed shells. He bought this Italian pasta, Pastificio Di Martino, after watching an episode of Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy last week, so he’s using the large shells — conchiglioni rigati from Campania, Italy. I pour myself a glass of white wine and sit outside on an Adirondack chair, enjoying the warm weather until dinner is ready.

Daily Total: $442.50

Day Two: Sunday

7:00 a.m. — B. makes breakfast for us. He makes a frittata with broccoli, peppers, goat’s cheese, and basil, with fancy olive oil drizzled on top. B. and I were both up at 4 a.m. this morning for no reason.

8:45 a.m. — We leave the house for the day to head to the shore to spend some time with my in-laws. They just came back from being in Florida for six months. On the way, we pick up Starbucks. I get an iced grande caramel macchiato and B. gets an iced coffee. We also pop by my friend’s house to check in on their cats. $10.07

10:45 a.m. — We make it to the shore! (Tolls cost us $9.60 to get here). We catch up with my in-laws for an hour — we help bring up the flowers and soil for the deck planters that my mother-in-law purchased. There’s not much at the house to eat yet, so B. and I go to Chipotle and get chicken bowls ($25.96). $35.56

5:00 p.m. — We sit down to eat dinner that B. has cooked. He always cooks for everyone when we are at the shore house. We leave right after dinner to head home since it takes us an hour and 45 minutes to get home. We take the cheaper toll route home ($8.37), otherwise, it would cost us $18! $8.37

7:00 p.m. — When we get home, I feed the cat his wet food and we prepare for work the next day. I notice that the cat’s dry food is low, so I order it separately from his recurring order. $31.73

Daily Total: $85.73

Day Three: Monday

6:00 a.m. — My alarm goes off and I take my pill. I really don’t want to get out of bed and go to work. I hit the snooze button at least three more times and then finally get out of bed at 6:30. I shower and get ready for work to be out the door by 7:40.

8:00 — I make coffee at the office. I brought my own oat milk and leave it in the work fridge. I don’t usually eat breakfast during the week, but I end up eating the snack I brought.

11 a.m. — Today has been a chaotic mess at work. I spent the morning rescheduling meetings; there was a homeless guy outside the building bothering people, a spam number kept calling the office number (which I answer), and then the clothing company across the hall accidentally had 30 boxes delivered using our office suite number. I had to meet the FedEx driver and get him access to the loading dock, which caused me to miss my boss’s messages regarding the rescheduled meetings. When I finally checked the FedEx packages, I realized every box was actually for the company across the hall. Needless to say, I wasn’t thrilled with them. 

1:45 p.m. — I finally sit down to eat lunch. I brought a salad I made from home: greens, carrots, cucumber, hummus, chicken, a boiled egg, and some homemade dressing.

5:40 p.m. — Home from work and B. has dinner almost ready. He cooked sausage, broccoli, and macaroni and cheese. After dinner, I drive over to my friend D.’s house, which is nearby, to return her tree trimmer that we borrowed. I also stop at Walgreens to pick up my prescription refill. $18.31

Daily Total: $18.31

Day Four: Tuesday

6:00 a.m. — As usual, my alarm goes off and I take my pill. I carry on with my usual morning routine.

8 a.m. — I arrive at the office, but no breakfast for me. I just have a coffee with oat milk.

11:30 a.m. — My coworker says she’s going to order from Wawa for lunch and asks if I want anything, so I order a breaded chicken Caesar wrap. I didn’t have time to pack lunch this morning, so this works out nicely.

11:50 a.m. — The order arrives and I eat lunch in the kitchen. I Venmo my coworker $10 for lunch.

12:15 p.m. — I’m back at my desk working because there’s so much to do. This Thursday we are having a baby shower for another colleague who’s having a baby girl. I handle most of the internal and external events for my company, so I’m pretty much on my own planning and preparing for this shower. $10

5:00 p.m. — On my way home from work, I stop at the grocery store to pick up some ingredients to make a few appetizers for the baby shower at work on Thursday. I only have a $200 budget for food and decorations for 20 people, so I decide to make a few dishes (in addition to ordering some things) to get more bang for my buck. The theme is ‘garden picnic’, so I decide to make deviled eggs, pasta salad, and a veggie tray. I pick up 1.5 dozen eggs, baby carrots, cucumber, peppers, orzo, feta, red onion, cherry tomatoes, hummus, lemonade, lemons, and a $25 Starbucks gift card for the game prize. They don’t have a few items I want, so I will have to go to the GIANT near work tomorrow. $52.83 (Expensed)

5:45 p.m. — I’m back home and B. has dinner cooking because he’s a great husband and he gets home before me most days. He’s making a ground turkey bowl with brown rice. After dinner, B. insists on boiling and peeling the eggs for the deviled eggs I want to make for the baby shower — such a good guy I got here!

7:00 p.m. — I pour myself a glass of wine after doing a few things around the house and put on Top Chef to relax. B. scheduled a swim lesson with a trainer for this Saturday, which he had to prepay for ($50). He’s training for a race that involves swimming, running, and biking. $50

Daily Total: $60

Day Five: Wednesday

6:00 a.m. — Same alarm time and same routine for getting ready for work. No, I still don’t eat breakfast and I always make coffee at work.

11:45 a.m. — I order lunch from Grubhub and get a poke bowl. $21.30

12:30 p.m. — It arrives and I sit at the work kitchen table with my coworker and we eat our lunches.

1:00 p.m. — After lunch, I head to the GIANT near work to get a few things for the baby shower that I couldn’t get last night. They have Martinelli’s Sparkling Blush and frozen raspberries that I need. $21.06 (expensed)

5:25 p.m. — I’m home from work and B. has already ordered Mexican takeout for dinner. Today is usually my day to make dinner, but I have to make deviled eggs and pasta salad for tomorrow, which is why we decided to order takeout. A. orders three chicken tacos, I get a massive burrito, and we split a churro. $53.28

6:25 p.m. — As I wrap up eating my burrito, B. brings in a FedEx package and just looks at me. I know what it is. My birthday is in a week’s time and he was teasing me on Sunday that he finally bought my birthday gift. I immediately open it and it’s a Kindle Scribe! I’ve been reading more lately since I joined the book club at work. I can also use it when traveling to keep notes on my crochet and knit patterns, too. After all that excitement, I start making the pasta salad and deviled eggs.

Daily Total: $74.58

Day Six: Thursday

6:00 a.m. — My alarm goes off and it’s hard to get out of bed this morning. I get up a little earlier than usual since I have to pack everything I’m bringing to work for the baby shower, which is today!

8:00 a.m — I arrive at work and make my coffee with oat milk as usual. No breakfast for me, but I do have a mini blueberry muffin that my coworker brings in.

12:15 p.m. — I run out around lunch to pick up the tomato pie, the pretzel nugget tray, and a last-minute BJ’s Wholesale Club order for work. The pretzels and BJ’s order are prepaid with the company card, but I have to pay cash for the tomato pie. It’s the best in our area! $20 (Expensed)

1:05 p.m. — On my way back to the office, I stop and get gas in my car as my tank is really low. Gas has been high lately — it’s $4.51 per gallon at the Liberty Gas Station I go to, which is low for my area. $51

1:20 p.m. — I get back to the office and a coworker helps me unload everything. I also eat the salad I packed for lunch as I’m starving.

2 p.m. — I start setting up for the baby shower.

6:30 p.m. — The work baby shower was a hit! I’m exhausted, though. I’m finally home, waiting for B. to finish dinner. While waiting for dinner, I buy a case for my new Amazon Scribe ($24.47).

8:00 p.m. — I relax for the rest of the night until bedtime. (B. also got gas in his car today after work ($31.58)).

Daily Total: $107.05

Day Seven: Friday

6:00 a.m. — I’m alive! My alarm goes off as usual and I start a new pack of pills.

7:30 a.m. — I leave for work around 7:30 and say goodbye to B. and our cat. B. works remotely on Fridays — lucky him! On my way, I treat myself to some Starbucks. I get my usual grande caramel macchiato with oat milk and a bacon/gouda sandwich, too. $11.66

12:25 p.m. — Since this weekend will be Memorial Day Weekend, my work gives us a half day, in addition to Monday off — yay! I finish a few things, then check to see who is left in the office before locking the doors.

1:00 p.m. — I get home and B. is still on the couch where I left him, attempting to work. I brought him a couple slices of leftover tomato pie. I order some sushi for lunch since we don’t have much in the house. I’m really hungry, so I get a shrimp tempura roll, salmon roll, gyoza, and shrimp shumai. $40

2:45 p.m. — B. goes to the grocery store to get stuff to make pulled BBQ chicken for my parents’ Memorial Day Party and a few items for us to get through the weekend: hot dogs, buns, potato salad, kombucha, mac and cheese, bananas, kiwis, Chex Mix, onions, four packs of chicken, chicken stock, Sweet Baby Ray’s, and frozen pizzas ($109.26). While he’s gone, I preorder cannolis to bring to a housewarming we are attending on Saturday. $109.26

5:40 p.m. — B. makes the frozen pizzas for dinner. I pour myself a glass of wine.

7:00 p.m. — After dinner, I order yarn to fix my aunt’s crochet blanket I made her a couple of years ago ($19.06). Her puppy put a hole in one of the granny squares, which damaged mostly the yellow rows. Of course, I don’t have any of that yarn left. I end up finding it on an online website and then have to pay almost $10 for shipping. So much for fixing it before I see my aunt on Sunday! $19.06

Daily Total: $179.98

The Breakdown

Conclusion:
This was a unique week that included events and purchases that aren’t standard in an average week for me. I did spend more than usual, but a few expenses were reimbursed from work. After writing this Money Diary, I realized that most of our purchases are food-related. It doesn’t surprise me because my husband and I love food, and he used to be a chef and loves cooking. I do want to order less takeout for lunch in the future, though. I used to have better habits when it came to bringing lunch to work, so I would like to get back to that. I had a lot of fun writing this Money Diary and would definitely do it again!

Money Diaries are meant to reflect an individual’s experience and do not necessarily reflect Refinery29’s point of view. Refinery29 in no way encourages illegal activity or harmful behavior.

The first step to getting your financial life in order is tracking what you spend — to try on your own, check out our guide to managing your money every day. For more Money Diaries, click here.

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Before Amy Liu built Tower28, the company that currently sells products every 10 seconds in Sephora, she was working in the beauty industry and struggling with sensitive skin. With encouragement and investments from close friends, Amy leveraged her 15+ years of experience to bet on herself and build Tower 28, a company that keeps sensitive skin at the core of its product development. During the conversation, Amy shared that she dealt with chronic eczema and sensitive skin her entire life. However, despite working in major roles at companies like Kate Sommerville and Josie Maran and having firsthand experience of how product efficacy could change her life, she still didn’t feel ready to leap. Shortly after turning 40, Amy was in conversation with a former business school classmate who asked what she was waiting for. This friend affirmed her skills and experience, and then offered to invest in her dream. She reached out to other friends and family, all of whom were excited to support her vision for Tower 28. In the seven years since launching, Tower 28 has blossomed into a brand beloved by everyone from essential workers to “gym rats,” to celebrities, and influencers like Hailey Bieber and fellow Naked Beauty guest, Toni Bravo. Amy offers us a glimpse into her life as CEO, mom, and lifelong advocate for clean beauty in this chat. She shared what it was like growing up in Los Angeles, in a predominantly white community, instead of a Chinese-American neighborhood.

During the episode, Amy details her parents’ decision to move to America and why her dad, an entrepreneur, tried to dissuade her from starting a business. It’s exactly this persistence that has allowed her to become a strong leader, despite having been exposed to some of the worst bosses you might imagine. Amy’s leadership skills are defined by not only what she has done but also by her commitment to educating others. In the summer of 2020, she decided to develop Clean Beauty Summer School, a professional-development program that gives BIPOC founders industry access and education that they might otherwise not have access to. Amy has built a brand that is 100% compliant with the National Eczema Association and regularly gives back to minority founders. Amy Liu’s story proves that a true commitment to inclusivity benefits every single one of us.

Watch the full episode below:

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This just in: In new brand collab news, FP Movement is teaming up with On for a sneaker drop that will have you running to hit “add to cart.”

This month, Free People unveiled its second footwear collaboration with Swiss brand On, featuring two exclusive silhouettes inspired by the native wildflowers of the Swiss Alps. First, there are two floral colorways of the Cloudmonster 3 Sneakers, one in petal-pink and the other in lavender-ivory. Then there’s a cream-and-sage iteration of the Cloud X Tempo Sneakers.

Below, find an in-depth breakdown of each pair and shop them before this limited-edition drop sells out.

On x FP Movement Cloudmonster 3 Sneakers, $200

The On Cloudmonster 3 is the latest iteration of the brand’s popular Cloudmonster design, and a personal favorite of mine for everything from casual walks to longer runs. (I also love it as an airport shoe, since it’s seriously comfortable and comes in handy when you need to sprint to your gate.) But that chunky sole isn’t just for show: It’s packed with plush cushioning and responsiveness, making every stride feel surprisingly springy. If you’re looking for an everyday running shoe that’s equal parts stylish and functional, I personally ride for this one.

On x FP Movement Cloud X Tempo Sneakers, $190

Next up is the On Cloud X Tempo, a newer silhouette that combines the smooth feel and responsiveness of a running shoe with the stability and support of a training sneaker. Whether you’re lifting weights or you’re a cardio girlie, this one is game for all of it. I also love that the collab’s signature floral print is printed inside the shoe instead of on the exterior, as it is on the Cloudmonster. It’s a subtle nod to the brand’s alpine inspiration — and not to mention, a fun detail to discover when you put them on. Lastly, the adjustable drawstring-lace design means you can easily slip them on or off in seconds.

Whether you’re actually training for your next race or simply love a sneaker that can keep up with your daily commute, the On x FP Movement collab makes a strong case for both form and function. Add in the pretty floral details and limited-edition status, and this is the kind of sneaker drop you won’t want to miss out on.

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This is a clear picture of the moon taken with a long zoom lens with the milky way in the background

Beware: The last New Moon of summer on September 10th is a doozy! The New Moon in Virgo, which marks the onset of the monthly lunar cycle, brings a lot of change our way. At this point, we’re probably tired of having to evolve and transcend every week — but the cosmos are prepping us for the onset of retrogrades that are happening in the fall. You know the drill…

The New Moon is triggered by Mars in Cancer, blending intuition with action. We’re going to find a way to integrate our internal emotions into how we pursue our desires and goals. The caveat is that our high energy and determination may make us super competitive with others, particularly those with whom we don’t wish to have conflict. In the end, we may not feel great about winning because the result distances us from people we care about. In Virgo fashion, we’ll blame ourselves when we should be mad at the circumstances. The lesson is that we can maintain friendships and alliances without escalating the issue.

The good news is that if we’re looking to start a project or take the lead at work, the New Moon’s connection to Mars gives us the stamina to do so. This isn’t a time to sit on the sidelines, even though we may not be emotionally ready to confront matters. Since the vibe can lead to passive-aggressive feelings, we intend to pursue endeavors and ventures that speak to our spirit. Under this cosmic influence, being direct is challenging, which is why underlying tensions can heighten. Beware of backhanded comments and attacks that appear out of thin air.

Taking the astrological influences of the sky further, Saturn retrograde in Aries forms a quincunx (or inconjunct) with the New Moon. This minor frustration pushes us to be cautious and pragmatic in how we move forward; although Mars is pushing us to react with wild sentiments, Saturn retrograde urges us not to let others get to us in that way. To handle the vibe, we must address matters maturely and offer simple responses. The objective is not to give others fuel to start a fire, but to have a chill demeanor in the face of adversity and not let their drama create problems in our lives. 

The presence of the fixed star Asterion (Chara) alludes to ruthless and selfish attempts to control outcomes. We can conquer our goals, but be at odds with our frenemies. Their success isn’t going to sit well with us; in fact, it might make us do shady stuff behind their backs to sabotage them — the same applies to their behavior. Protecting our energy is vital to ensure they stay in their lanes and don’t let their insecurities swerve into our auras. Even if we want to be of service and help others, we must think twice before intervening. We may find ourselves feeling a certain type of way (jealous or angry) as a result. 

The same day as the New Moon in Virgo, Mercury glides into Libra, Venus enters Scorpio, and Uranus retrograde in Gemini commences. These planetary shifts will pack a lot of punch, so it’ll be hard to keep up. Mercury’s movement into Libra is going to be pivotal, as the planet of communication rules Virgo. The verdict on how we wish to proceed will still be out, due to the indecisiveness of Mercury in Libra. Venus’ dive into Scorpio sets the tone for the next several months. 

The romantic planet, Venus, begins its retrograde on October 3rd, lasting until November 13th. Venus remains in Scorpio until January 7th, 2027, making the circumstances that are set forth on September 10th significant to the ongoing saga we’ll be facing. Uranus’ moonwalk in Gemini, which completes its cycle on February 8th, 2027, is eye-opening and reflective. Revolutionizing our lives is an uphill battle because we have to leave our comforts behind and do not want to. On the other hand, it brings us into the future, allowing us to advance and grow. 

All in all, the New Moon in Virgo is an extremely potent time. Tread lightly and focus on yourself. If you’re feeling daring, go out and have midnight margaritas or watch Practical Magic 2, to find out how you can enchant your life for the better.

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