I-g-g-y and Ariana

Billboard’s top two songs of the summer both have one thing in common: the breakout Australian rapper, Iggy Azalea. At the top of the list sits her breakout song, “Fancy.” Even though this song came out during the school year, it continued to stay prominent throughout the whole summer. Ben Thaw ’16 had a simple explanation for why he thinks the song has stayed so popular. “It’s catchy,” said Thaw. “Need I say more?” The song coming in second on Billboard’s list is Ariana Grande’s “Problem,” which features Azalea. After her stay on the Nickelodeon show Victorious, Grande’s career has skyrocketed into stardom, with hits like “The Way,” “Problem,” and “Break Free.” Together, Azalea and Grande are easily the stars of the summer.

Choker Necklaces and other fashion

Popular back in the 1990s, choker necklaces have appeared to make a comeback over the summer. Stores like Brandy Melville have begun to sell them again due the fact that people have begun to buy them again. Allison McGovern ’15, who says that she loves chokers, didn’t even have a definite explanation for their return. “I guess it’s just one of those things that became fashionable and flattering again, like high waisted pants,” said McGovern. Halter tops and strappy sandals have also come back into fashion, according to McGovern. “I think girls in Westport started wearing halter tops because stores like Urban Outfitters and Brandy Melville were selling them, and they look flattering on anyone,” said McGovern. “And the sandals are just really cute.”

Share a Coke

Back in the Australian Summer of 2011, Coca Cola began replacing their usual logo with the 150 most popular Australian names. Since then, this campaign has spread to over 50 countries and this summer, it found its way to the USA, using the 250 most popular names among “american teens and millennials.” The campaign, which runs through the end of August, has swept across the nation, with kids rooting through entire fridges of Coke to try and find their name, often settling for a close substitute. Jessy Nelson ’16, who found and settled for a bottle bearing the name Jess, had a theory as to why the campaign is so popular. “I think that targeting people specifically with the names on the bottles has made people more encouraged to buy and share these bottles,” said Nelson.