From the Group Chat: A Shocking Bachelor Nation Breakup, Paris Couture Week, and a New Nepo Baby

EDITOR’S NOTE

Happy Sunday. I’m not a capital-F fashion person, so instead of getting wardrobe inspo from what Vogue declared this year’s first “freaky-chic shoe” and the Paris runways, I’m taking notes from my millennial-friendly fashion icons. Namely, Reese Witherspoon’s New Yorker-coded, all-black outfit (her “rich-looking coat” is apparently going to be everywhere), Jennifer Lawrence’s practical dad-shoes-and-plaid combo (perhaps she was inspired by the return of the “lumbersexual”), and Katie Holmes’s backwards-looking blouse (how does she make everything look unexpectedly chic?). And while I’ve previously sworn off the capri comeback, Renée Zellweger’s leather look might be the thing to change my mind. 

— Melissa Goldberg / Senior Editor / Washington, DC

🤠 It’s official: Beyoncé’s saddling up for the Cowboy Carter Tour. Yeehaw.

👢 Few things shock us these days, but thigh-high boots...for men? Excuse us while we pick our jaws up off the floor.

👖 It’s not just Hailey Bieber and JLo — all of Hollywood has seemingly cosigned this divisive denim trend. We’re just as surprised as you are.

🤯 If “It-Girl commuter shoes” sound like an oxymoron to you, we’re here to report such a thing actually exists.  

🙏 Messy girls, your moment has arrived, thanks to the return of this laid-back hairstyle. 

👀 Just in case it wasn’t clear from Taylor Swift’s $10,000 Louis Vuitton outfit, celebs are done pretending they’re “just like us.”

Even if you’re not a card-carrying member of Bachelor Nation, you’ve probably heard about Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell’s sudden split — and the subsequent Call Her Daddy interview. For those who haven’t dedicated their lives to the Bachelor franchise, some background: In 2021, James, the first Black Bachelor, gave his final rose to Kirkconnell. Despite one breakup (notably, after photos of her attending an antebellum-themed college party surfaced online), the two had seemingly been together ever since — which, by Bachelor standards, basically means they’re Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. That is, until January 16, when James shared one of the weirdest breakup posts in Instagram history. Internet sleuths did what they do best — theorize about a possible IG hack, analyze a comment from Kirkconnell’s sister, and try to piece together the deeply confusing timeline. All of which takes us to Tuesday, when Kirkconnell sat down with Alex Cooper (aka the millennial Diane Sawyer) to share her side of the story...and it’s not great. A tearful Kirkconnell said she was blindsided — not just by the breakup, which happened mere hours before her flight home from their vacation, but also by the now-infamous IG post, which left her no chance to break the news to friends and family first. Oof.

Sure, there were some, in our humble opinion, questionable flags, like her claim that “it was like pulling teeth to try and get him to come to a wedding with me,” and when it came to their future: “the words were there, but the actions weren’t.” Kirkconnell even said they talked about “engagement, marriage, all the things” as recently as their trip. But by its end, James apparently told her, “I don’t know if I ever see myself proposing to you.” With so many questions still unanswered (yes, even after the 100-minute interview), the internet is blazing ahead with its investigation, scouring the couple’s (gazillion) posts and videos for missed signs that there was trouble in paradise. (It didn’t help that former Bachelorette Clare Crawley may have implied she asked producers not to cast James because she knew he wasn’t serious.) Whatever they do — or don’t — find, Kirkconnell told Cooper she didn’t think she and James could ever get back together, saying “the right decision is to just stand up for myself and be on my own.” Guess they won’t be defying Bachelor odds after all.

We may not be in the awards business — but that’s not going to stop us from honoring the best (see: Dua Lipa’s gigantic bow and cape) and most baffling moments (we’re looking at you, “romantic punk mohawks”) from the days-long costume contest known as Paris Couture Week. So, without further ado, the trophies go to… 

🏆 Most Heartwarming (In More Ways Than One) Runway Debut: Henry Samuel. Based on the way Heidi Klum’s son boldly strutted down the catwalk (in a backless blazer, no less), we have a feeling the 19-year-old followed his mom’s modeling advice.

🏆 Looks Most Likely to Offend Miranda Priestly: Lisa Rinna. As if the former Real Housewife’s collection of wigs weren’t chaotic enough (picture ’70s Dolly Parton, Lord Farquaad from Shrek, and Ronald McDonald, poststraightener and with sideswept bangs), her outfits were equally, shall we say, avant-garde. Who wants to tell her Halloween’s not until October?

🏆 Most Improved: Kylie Jenner. Between this velvet, leopard-spotted, lace dress (Fran Fine would absolutely approve), this nearly NSFW custom corseted gown, and this cropped but still sophisticated skirt suit, it’s safe to say the beauty mogul has come a long way since her King Kylie era. 

🏆 Most Creative Cosplay: Megan Thee Stallion. Only Meg can pull off dressing like a Good Humor orange Creamsicle bar, a medieval-chic gladiator, and Captain Underpants-meets-an-international spy in the same week. 

🏆 Bravest Fit: Tyla. Just when we thought Demi Moore and her polarizing peplum blazer (it’s giving major 2012 New Year’s Eve party vibes) had this category in the bag, Tyla’s very sizable cutouts (if you can even call them that) entered the chat.

Heads up, there’s a new nepo baby on the block: Sunday Rose Kidman Urban — who is indeed the eldest babygirl (sorry, had to) of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. Earlier this week, the 16-year-old became one of the stars of Miu Miu’s latest campaign, appearing alongside fellow nepo baby Eliot Sumner (whose father is Gordon Matthew Sumner, or as he’s better known, Sting). The modeling milestone comes months after Sunday Rose made her runway debut (she casually opened the brand’s spring/summer 2025 show in Paris), and after she and Kidman were named “fashion’s new favorite mother-daughter duo.” When the Nashvillian (warning: her accent is…something) isn’t taking the fashion world by storm, you can find the budding multihyphenate acting alongside Kidman (she’s had small roles in Big Little Lies and The Undoing), wearing what are perhaps the chicest mommy-and-me looks, raiding her mom’s closet with her 14-year-old sister, and convincing Kidman to do a third season of Big Little Lies. Sunday Rose, we thank you for your service.

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards are nearly here, with Trevor Noah returning as host for the fifth year in a row. While the ceremony might be slightly more somber (in the wake of the devastating wildfires, the show will pay tribute to “the spirit of the city of Los Angeles”), you can still expect performances by summer’s pop princesses (Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Charli XCX), as well as Billie Eilish, Doechii, Shakira, Benson Boone, and more. Will this be the year that Beyoncé (who leads the night with 11 noms) finally takes home the top prize? Will any performance be as iconic as last year’s Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs duet? And will Taylor Swift finally announce Reputation (Taylor’s Version)? You’ll have to tune in to CBS at 8 pm ET to find out.

Free People Hit The Slopes Fleece Jacket

Finally, outerwear for the days when you wish you could wear your favorite blanket outside (we know the feeling). Not only does the roomy fit look surprisingly polished, but the jacket’s also light enough to be layered under heavier coats and warm enough to wear on its own. Plus, it comes in a wide range of colors (from ’90s-inspired primary blue to neutral shades of brown and beige) and features zippered pockets, which are handy for dog walks and errands. No wonder it’s earned cult status among our shopping editors.

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