Welcome to the inaugural issue of Late Bloomer, a newsletter and community for teen girls! We’re glad you’re here.
Let’s get into it.
Bloomer in the Spotlight 🌼
Meet Margot, creator of the must-follow meme account, @teenmillennial.
Margot is a high school senior from New York, whose hilarious posts featuring oat milk, discontinued Outdoor Voices apparel, and Moon Juice feel like a ~personal attack~. Below, we chat about her fave products, the commodification of self-care, Folklore vs. Evermore, and more.
Late Bloomer: When did you start this account? What prompted you to create it?
Margot: I had always been super interested and obsessed with all these brands that I saw on Instagram, and obviously as a consumer, I had opinions on them. None of my friends knew what OV [Outdoor Voices] was, and so I wanted to make some kind of page to be an outlet for my thoughts. I started the account on December 29, but before that, I used it as my art account.
LB: The name of your account is “@teenmillennial.” What do you think are the greatest differences between teens and millennials? What about similarities?
Margot: I think teens and millennials are very similar in that we have all been let down by the world as we grew up. Not to sound too cryptic and weird ofc. It’s probably the age difference, but I think Gen Z is very headstrong. Meanwhile, millennials are more practical.
LB: It’s such a buzzword but what does self-care mean to you? How are you practicing it?
Margot: I found that self-care for me is doing things that I don’t want to do, like my homework. Because as much as homework makes me really anxious––and I would consider myself a good student––I find that being able to complete tasks is self-care. Every time I finish a homework assignment, I might not feel great about it if I don’t do it perfectly––like if I don’t spend an hour trying to figure out the perfect words to say––but if I can just turn it in, that's self-care for me. Then I can go crochet or watch NCIS with my mom.
LB: I’m a perfectionist as well so that really resonates with me. One of the things I’ve learned is that “done is better than perfect.” It’s a hard thing to do.
Margot: My mom always says that to me. Like, “Oh, but just jot down a couple things and it’s fine.” And I’m like, it’s not fine [laughs]. It’s really hard.
I’m very into the indie-millennial-cool-girl Instagram and I do like buying products. I do like online shopping. I think it’s fun but it does make me a little frustrated with how materialistic self-care is.
LB: I actually tweeted about this the other day. I buy things online to make myself feel better and it feels like a high, but then it arrives and I’m like, “Oh. Well, now what?”
Margot: I bought a pair of purple jeans with sparkles on them from the Paloma Wool sample sale. And I’m like, “Well, now I own these.” I wear sweatpants to school every day. I really don’t know where I’m gonna wear these. They didn't fit, so I think I'm going to get some dye and DIY them!
LB: Walk me through a typical day in the life of Margot.
Margot: So, on weekdays, I wake up around 6:30 a.m. because my school starts pretty early. I’m in-person half the week and home the other, so it kind of depends on the day. When I get home, I have a snack, scroll through Instagram, and basically just try to get my homework done before 8:00 so I can crochet and watch NCIS.
On the weekends, I wake up a bit later and go on a walk. Very chill. I don’t leave my house for obvious reasons, except maybe to go to Michaels to pick up yarn for a new project. On Sundays, I teach piano, which is amazing.
LB: What's bringing you joy right now?
Margot: I LOVE NCIS. So much. My favorite character is Abby Sciuto. I took a personality test that compared you to TV characters through statistics (or something) and we were a 98% match. I also really like crochet. I’ve wanted to learn for so long and it’s awesome. I also love a good granny square blanket. I have three just from yard sales.
LB: What's one or two of your must-follow social accounts and why?
Margot: @ihartericka––she is so smart and I just try to absorb all the information I can. She also has a really cute dog.
@emcdowell––I love NYT Cooking and Erin has such a magnetically kind personality that I love seeing all the cool things she’s cooking (or rather baking) up.
LB: Last question: Folklore or Evermore?
Margot: This is such a hard question. I think I prefer Folklore more as a whole but I obviously love “no body, no crime,” “ivy,” “closure,” “evermore.” I like Folklore better but there are specific songs on Evermore that I like more. But my hot take is that Reputation is better than Lover.
LB: That is a hot take!
Margot: Obviously there are some misses on Reputation but I’ve been listening to “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” nonstop and it is such a fun song. People just don’t like it because it’s Taylor Swift singing it.
LB: I agree. But my favorite Taylor album of all-time is 1989.
Margot: I have not listened to enough of 1989 because when it came out, I was leaving my Taylor Swift phase and entering my Norah Jones phase. I was like, 14 and was listening to Norah Jones and Carole King. Stranger Things had just come out so I would ride my bike to my local bookstore and arrange the records. The lady who owns the bookstore is so sweet and would give me records in exchange for sorting them, which was so nice.
A few of Margot’s favorite things:
Boy Smells Hinôki Fantome: My favorite candle. It’s expensive, but it smells like the perfect blend of sweet, wood, and cigarette smoke (can you tell I lived in Central Europe for a bit LOL).
Cocojune Lemon Elderflower: I am not a fan of dairy substitutes for things other than milk, but holy cow this yogurt is so. Good. It doesn’t try to be something it’s not––just amazing, coconut-y yogurt that is SO good with granola.
Dansko clogs: They are my favorite shoes ever. They are infinitely comfortable and so fun. Mine are second-hand Dansko which I got for $25 on Poshmark. I don’t garden or anything (yet) but they make me feel like I live in a sweet little town upstate with chickens.
Corpus Naturals Santalum deodorant: I really like it. It smells like wood chips, which I love but it’s def not for everyone. Corpus has a ton of other cool scents though too.
Arq Wide-Strap bra: I hope this one isn’t too weird. I truly love these bras. They are worth every penny!!! They are sososososo comfortable and are actually fantastic. Super high-quality cotton which is amazing.
tysm, Margot! 🌼
Beyond the Algorithm 🔮
From angsty breakup songs to big love ballads, we asked for the top tunes on your Valentine’s Day playlist (when you’re not blasting “Drivers License” on loop of course). Happy listening!
1. “Somebody’s Baby” by Sidney Gish
“American singer-songwriter Sidney Gish covered this Jackson Browne classic last summer, and I’ve been playing it on repeat for the last two months. Gish’s ghostly vocals and mellow guitar make this song about falling in love from afar dreamy and modern. It’s the perfect song for dancing around your room.” ––Elise Esquibel, 18
2. “Like Someone in Love" by Bjork
3. "Butterflies - Demo" by Floetry
“A song that is a must-listen to on my Valentine's Day playlist is definitely ‘Like Someone in Love’ by Bjork. Another song I think would be ‘Butterflies - Demo’ by Floetry!! Those are some favorites of all time for me.” ––Aricel DuBois, 17
4. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” by Roberta Flack
“It is such a beautiful song. It just gives me so many butterflies and reminds me of all the people I love in my life.” ––Gabi Palermo, 19
5. “Put Your Records On” by Ritt Momney
“This is the sweetest song that just gives the best vibes. I have been playing it on repeat and just in time for Valentine’s Day around the corner.” ––Drew Ellis, 20
6. “Still Into You” by Paramore
“It’s iconic.” ––Dylan Anderson, 14
7. “Speed Racer" by Her's
“It's sweet and playful; to me it sounds like a jokey love song. The bass makes it super catchy. You can definitely listen to it on repeat.” ––Anjali Bakhru, 16
8. “Feelin' the Same Way” by Norah Jones
“I've been on a Norah music kick lately, and I just love how this song is both so chill, but it's still upbeat enough that you can sing it while driving with all your windows down. To me, the song's about finding any form of love again after not feeling it for a while whether it just be a friendship, crush, or self-love. I think it's so important to celebrate that sense of renewal especially after a chaotic year like 2020.” ––Irine Le, 21
9. “You and Me Song” by Joy Crookes
10. “Don’t Delete the Kisses” by Wolf Alice
“My top song is ‘You and Me Song’ by Joy Crookes. It’s a cover of the 1994 The Wannadies song and I just think it’s so beautiful. Me and my boyfriend first listened to it on our two-year anniversary so it’s got some super special memories attached. Another one is Wolf Alice’s ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses.’ It’s my favorite love song ever.” ––Isabelle Poulter, 20
11. “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift
“Whether I’m celebrating Valentine’s Day with someone or spending it alone that song will always be there to put me in a good mood.” ––Zoe Woolrich, 18
Plz Advise 💌
Hey Late Bloomer,
I’m an eighth grader in New York City and am in the middle of applying to different high schools for the fall. I want to be a fashion designer one day so I’ve been (virtually) looking at specialized schools with art programs. But it’s been a really stressful process. There’s a lot of pressure to have the best grades, the best portfolio, the best essay. Help!
––Beth, 14
Hey Beth!
I feel you. Applying for stuff can be overwhelming––not just because it’s a lot of work (it is) but because there’s also the chance you will be rejected, which never feels good.
While I never had to apply for high school, your experience very much reminds me of when I was applying to college. There were so many factors to consider. Studying for the SATs, writing essays, asking for teacher recommendations––I get stressed out just remembering it!
It’s important to remember: The “best” school looks different to everyone. Everyone has their own aspirations. You’d be surprised to find that you’d love lots of different schools. In fact, you might love the high school you end up at more than the “dream” school you didn’t get into.
That said, I would 1. take a deep breath and 2. focus on taking things one step at a time. Any rejection you face is not a rejection of you––it’s a rejection of a sample of your work so far. With thousands of other applicants, no school can ever truly see the full picture of what makes you special, like your awesome baking skills or what a caring friend you are. That’s the stuff that actually matters but is nearly impossible to glean from a simple application.
Practice being kind to yourself. This won’t define your future! Try and redirect your attention to what you can control or just things that make you happy, like TikTok vids or snuggling with your dog. No matter what happens, you’ll end up exactly where you’re meant to be.
Rooting for you!
xo Late Bloomer
ICYMI 🗞
People are upset that singer Phoebe Bridgers smashed a guitar during her recent SNL performance, a thing male rock stars have been doing since… forever. Phoebs, you can smash our guitar anytime. 🎸
The Asian community is under attack. @HeyBerna breaks down exactly what non-Asian allies can do, which includes using your voice to let others know that this is NOT acceptable and demanding more media coverage. 🗣
The *real* star of the Super Bowl was Chunky Monkey, whose majestic beauty and poise outshines any football game. 🌟
In the meantime… ✨
We watched the Britney Spears documentary… and are still thinking about it days later.
And here’s a song to get ya through the week:
P.S. We wanna hear from you! 🐌
Want to nominate a friend (or yourself!) for “Bloomer in the Spotlight”? Got a burning question for “Plz Advise”? A brilliant recommendation for “Beyond the Algorithm” or an idea for something else?
Get in touch at latebloomernewsletter@gmail.com 💘