Materialism Category

by Raegan Thurlow, Part-Time Fashionista… True to my fashionista (see “raging shopaholic”) form, I’ve been to Paris to experience its unparalleled fashion brilliance. My stiletto boots made their way around Milan as well, but I didn’t find the fashion there as impressive as the I just threw this outfit together and happen to look like a million bucks of Paris.Read More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Craft Beer Lover Before He Was A Drinker… How should you feel when one of your favorite local brands gets snapped up by a giant multinational corporation? Shouldn’t you just feel giddy that a small-business owner hit the jackpot? Well, try to remember when your favorite radio station got devoured by the zombies at Clear Channel. Or perhaps your charming regional bank got snorted up by a soulless Wall Street behemoth. Or imagine your favorite local restaurant or coffee shop gettingRead More

by Raegan Thurlow, Part-Time Fashionista; illustration by Mark Armstrong… If you’ve sold Kool-Aid at a lemonade stand in the not too distant past (the pre-30 crowd): When you hear “business casual”, do you think jeans and a polo? Or are you reaching for basketball shorts and a hoodie at 9:00 Friday morning? Some employees choose to express their discontent by complaining while others take 2-hour lunch breaks (during which time their phones are mysteriously out of cell range). Others still take casual Friday to the next level – a levelRead More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Caffeine Addict… Three yuppies walk into a Starbucks. Sounds like the beginning of a joke, and in a way it is. Two claim a table while the third goes to order. He asks the others what they want, and they both say “nothing.” He responds, “So why are we here?” One replies, “Someplace to talk.” The first guy scowls and says something that makes me want to high-five him: “That’s gonna put them out of business — people like you.” IRead More

by Raegan Thurlow, Part-Time Fashionista… A girl’s prom: strapless bras, glittery eye shadow, unmet expectations, and cheesy photographs. My prom: I think there was some dancing, and I’m sure there was some Mudslide mix (tastes like candy, makes boys more approachable). Prom dresses should never be: sheer, covered in sequins, purchased at Walmart. Guns: an accessory for Republican women with large handbags, the pride and joy of Charlton Heston, and the answer to “____ and Ammo”. Guns should never be: accessible to children, kept in your grandmother’s nightstand (long storyRead More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Guy Who Cares How Stuff Is Made; note that the following article contains affiliate links, and buying via them benefits the Atomic Tango martini fund… After nearly a decade of service, my Swing-A-Way manual can opener finally bit it. It was cheap yet solid and totally energy efficient (electric can openers are for wimps). As an added bonus, it was made in America (“USA! USA! USA!”). And that’s a rare feature these days — even rarer than ever, as I discovered…Read More

by Raegan Thurlow, Part-Time Fashionista… Teenagers have a reputation for a lot of LOL but not a whole lot of IQ. But what if it’s all a conspiracy? What if the world of fashion is setting up the youth to take the fall? Fashion Real investigates… Exhibit A: Wet Seal Illiteracy For some ungodly reason that “Your Single So Am I” top completely eludes me, the general population doesn’t seem to know the difference between “your” and “you’re”. While embarrassing in Facebook posts, this faux pas is completely unacceptable whenRead More

by Raegan Thurlow, Part-Time Fashionista; illustration by Mark Armstrong Editor’s Note: In-flight magazines deliver captive audiences, of course. When you’re waiting for your plane to take off… and waiting… and waiting… and while you’re at it, waiting some more… and all your electronic devices are supposed to be turned off… and the guy next to you makes Charles Manson look like Gandhi… then your only mental refuge are those media snacks in the seatback pockets. Among them, of course, was the late great SkyMall, the legendary catalog of all things youRead More

by Freddy Tran Nager, Founder of Atomic Tango + Rehabbed Bacon Addict… Nice to see American capitalist ingenuity focused on what’s important: Finding new ways to help Americans socialize Finding new ways to help Americans become Goodyear blimpsRead More

by Raegan Thurlow, Fashion Blogger… My Top 4 problems with online shopping…Read More