Working Girl’s Guide #49: Luxury bag dupes, bachelorette hacks, and recession blonde

Chinese wholesalers are crushing the TikTok game, Netflix is beating out all other streamers, and recession blonde is back after a quick 17-year hiatus.

Chinese wholesalers are rising up to cut out the middleman

If you’ve scrolled TikTok for even a fraction of the time I have in the past week, you’ve probably seen TikTok influencers from China sharing products that are ~allegedly~ created in the same factories as certain luxury goods. Plenty of companies have made it their mission to let consumers know these items are NOT LEGIT (Lululemon says the wholesalers claiming to sell their leggings for $5 are dupes), but Americans are still intrigued: the Chinese wholesale marketplace app DHgate rose from #352 to #2 in Apple’s free non-game app list. Would you buy a Birkin for $600?

Recession blonde is back

Those of you who were old enough to be sentient in 2008 remember the prolific spread of blond hair and dark roots. Well, dark roots are back, baby: women are skipping their dye appointments, and it’s a surprising recession indicator — along with press-on nails and a category of music called “Recession Pop.” If you’d like a more surefire indicator that a recession is looming, look to Larry Fink, BlackRock CEO, who says it’s “looming”. Quick, to the (home) salon!

Everyone’s freaking out about tariffs…except Netflix

Next time tariffs come up in casual office conversation (which happens weirdly often? Anyone?), hit ‘em with this fact: despite a hit to consumer spending (largely due to tariff fears), Netflix has experienced “no material change to [their] business outlook” compared to last quarter, and is in fact the only profitable streaming giant. While the S&P is down 10% this year, Netflix stock is UP 10%, and not expecting that to change any time soon. Netflix & chill & invest, ladies?

One thing about me: my United miles and I will never miss a girls’ trip. This year is VERY packed with girlypop weekends (all 3 of these pretty ladies have their bachelorette trips in 2025… hm.. wonder when mine will be..). We spent the weekend in Sarasota drinking pretty cocktails and giggling like we were in the freshman dorms at Notre Dame again. Lifelong friends + opportunity to get tan = best weekend ever!

My collection of dresses has shifted from 50/50 long/short to about 90/10. Who wants to see my legs? I certainly don't! Big fan of this length, which works with both sneakers and heels (sorcery). If you’d rather not look like a glass of fresh-squeezed Tropicana, she also comes in two far more reserved shades: pale blue and black. Aritzia is really crushing these days! Shop the look here.

When my besties and I planned our first bachelorette trip, we spent HOURS in group chats debating Airbnbs, activities, and who was bringing what. By the third bachelorette (everyone is getting married within like two years of each other, pray for our bank accounts), I was THIS close to pretending my phone fell in a pool just to avoid another "what time should we book the wine tour" text chain. Not that I don’t love the bachelorette parties, I 10000% do! I just know we’re all super busy and want our friends to feel special. So I’ve curated a few lazy girl hacks.

1. Pay someone to stock the fridge ahead of time. Some places offer this service (you can also always ask the Airbnb host if they know of anyone local). Even if you just Instacart a bunch of groceries/alcohol so they’re at the door when you arrive, it’s so helpful to not have to worry about shopping once the party starts.

2. There is something to be said for an at-home activity! If you’re headed to Nashville or Austin, I personally love the idea of hiring the cocktail cowboys (not sponsored) to mix you drinks before heading out for dinner. Fun, easy, and they (allegedly) handle the cleanup.

3. Keep the gifting simple (or skip entirely). TBH everyone has more than enough sweatshirts/hats/totes. IMO, no one needs a crew neck that says “Bride Tribe” (sorry if that offended you). Putting that money you would spend on swag towards a round of drinks is easier and probably more appreciated.

What am I missing? Respond and let me know so I can share/make use of more bachelorette hacks!

What’s the absolute WORST office metaphor you’ve ever heard? We’ve got a contender! This week, we’re kicking things off with some truly bizarre workplace scenarios, including a spanking reference that will leave you speechless (never thought I’d hear the words “spank” and “Ross” in the same sentence) and a potential stalker situation. Then, we tackle a listener dilemma: is a gap year after graduation a good idea? We also get into the frustrating reality of going above and beyond with no reward, plus share how NOT to approach your boss for a raise.

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for reading!