Maryam Nassir Zadeh

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Anaa Saber

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Michelle Li

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Mari Giudicelli

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Watching New York

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Susan Alexandra

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Coco Bassey

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New York Nico

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Nane Feist

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Overheard New York

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Laila Gohar

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Sandy Liang

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Chloe Wise

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Keith McNally

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Crystal Anderson

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Marc Jacobs

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Aaron Philip

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Paloma Elsesser

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Chloe Sevigny

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Cassie Jekanoski

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Kate Bowman

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Rowan Blanchard

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Ella Emhoff

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Tommy Dorfman

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Starter Packs of NYC

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Julia Fox

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Casa Magazines NYC

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Richie Shazam

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Old Jewish Men of NYC

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Sarah Hoover

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If London is more your bag, then take a look at these Instagram accounts instead. Otherwise, we’ve got a roundup of Instagram accounts to follow if your heart lay with Paris.

For more as far as New York City is concerned, take this wrap up of the highlights from New York Fashion Week Spring 2024. Including a debrief on all the best street style witnessed so far. Ralph Lauren returned to the runway this season too, find a run through of the designer’s latest show here.

Furthermore, catch New York City native Jordan Daniels in our conversation with the model, where she discusses fangirling, her hometown and the soundtracks that have defined her life.

Images: @himichelleli @anaasaber

The post 30 Instagram accounts to follow if you love New York City appeared first on RUSSH.

But if there’s one thing we do reminisce on that was actually good, harmless fun, it was MySpace’s music feature that allowed you to play a song for your profile’s viewers. It’s a feature that only seemed to have translated to Tumblr (perhaps the best of Y2K social media platforms?), until now.

Overnight, Instagram posted to their stories to let users know that they had added a new feature to their offering: the ability to add a song to your profile. Pop princess Sabrina Carpenter was tapped to hold to the torch for the new update, using her chart-topping tune Espresso to soundtrack her profile viewing experience.

How does it work?

Music you add to your profile will appear below your bio at the top of your profile page, and at this point, appears to only be visible and listen-able via the Instagram mobile app (PC and tablet users are safe for now). The song won’t auto-play either (at least, not as of now). Users will have to hit play to give it a listen.

How do I add one to my profile?

To add a song:

You can change or remove songs in your profile at will by following the same process.

Feature images: one, two.

The post Our Y2K obsession continues with the MySpace-ification of Instagram appeared first on RUSSH.

Well, Quiet Mode is here, more than a decade into our Instagram addictions. Divine timing, don’t you think? Introduced to encourage boundaries and minimise the amount of time teenagers spend on the app, the feature shares similarities with Apple’s Sleep Focus mode.

When switched on, users won’t receive notifications and their activity status will signal to others that they’re “in quiet mode”. On top of this, the app will send auto-reply messages to those who try and contact the user while Quiet Mode is on, kind of like an out-of-office reply, which will hopefully remove the expectation to be available 24/7.

From what we can tell, the feature is completely customisable to align with the school day/work day. When Quiet Mode is turned off, Instagram will send a brief roundup of all the notifications and activity users missed in the downtime. As an additional effort to curb mindless scrolling, Instagram will prompt users to turn on the feature if it’s clear they’ve spent an exorbitant amount of time on the app. Although, every time a tech company has done this, it’s prove to be more annoying than useful (see: Netflix’s “Are You Still Watching?” prompt).

At this stage, users across the US, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have access to the feature. As for everyone else? Instagram has been vague about when to expect it in your country, with the answer being “soon”.

Now that Instagram is doing the Quiet Mode thing, here are some other apps I would like to follow suit: TikTok, WhatsApp, Duolingo, Microsoft Teams.

Image: Pinterest

The post After a decade of mindless scrolling Instagram has introduced ‘Quiet Mode’ appeared first on RUSSH.

In what increasingly feels like the blokes behind Meta are throwing every idea at the app to see what sticks, Instagram has introduced a new function they’re calling Notes. To those of you who are yet to experience sliding across to your direct messages, only to find tiny little speech bubbles above each of your closest friends and closely-watched celebrity’s heads, then count your blessings.

Deviating from its photo-forward roots (again), the feature looks a lot like Twitter, or for those born before the Y2K bug scare, Facebook statuses. Personally, it’s dredging up repressed memories of MSN where I would post weepy Taylor Swift lyrics as my status and hope someone would open a chat with me to ask “u k?”. It seems the sentiment is shared, as friends post corny quotes like “real eyes, realise, real lies” or “live, laugh, love” in Wingdings font alongside other more innocent questions such as “how does this work? Help”.

All those with financial stakes in the app are already attempting to extend their brands with the 60-characters-or-less blurb, spruiking album releases, product drops, etc. etc. Those influencers sure work fast and more power to them.

So how do Notes actually work? In line with Instagram Stories, when you post a Note it will eventually disappear after 24 hours. Your friends, thankfully, aren’t notified each time you post a new one which is the only kindness Meta seem to have allowed us. You also have the option of sharing the note with all your followers or just your close friends.

With Twitter itself currently descending into a cesspit under a certain billionaire’s instruction, Meta is clearly trying to capitalise on the chaos. Will it stick? Let’s see how we feel once the novelty wears off.

The post WTF are Instagram Notes? appeared first on RUSSH.

The confusion was not because I couldn’t remember who Gabbriette was – the California native has one of those faces you can’t forget. But rather, because the model-musician-dancer and overall baddie had materialised as a kind of verbal and explicitly punk rock Emily Mariko. For someone who is known for being something of an enigma, as well as effortlessly cool, it was an unexpected interruption to her usual content programming.

In the Instagram Reel, Gabriella Bechtel (her government name) is making her mum’s shrimp ceviche – this feels like the right moment to let you know she’s Mexican. She’s wearing a full face of makeup, her signature lined lips and plucked eyebrows, while chopping tomatoes, coriander and burning her mouth with jalapeños and her hands on hot prawns. It’s not a direction we’d expect from the Nasty Cherry band member, but it’s become my safe space on the internet.

When I said it happened to me recently, I lied. I’ve been watching her cooking videos for some time now, it just feels like the right moment to share this with you all. Whether she’s scraping seeds out of a rockmelon or showing us her cornflower blue CorningWare dish nabbed at an estate-sale, it’s all very wholesome and soothing. Maybe it’s just a “hot girls, they’re just like us” fascination or perhaps it’s because we rarely get to see models be so candid as to let us into their home and risk us judging their knife skills. Especially after that cucumber fiasco from Kendall. Either way, it’s a parasocial relationship I’m attached to, and it’s offering up a lot of material when the inevitable mid-week dinner crisis hits. Find a highlight reel of Gabbriettes best cooking videos, below.

Her Mum’s Shrimp Ceviche

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Mama’s Chicken Enchiladas

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Leek & Golden Beet Fritters

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Grain-free Crunch Wraps

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Plum & Olive Oil Cake

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Grain-free Chewy Chocolate Chunky Cookies

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The post Gabbriette’s cooking videos are pulling us out of our mid-week dinner slump appeared first on RUSSH.

What are the changes to Instagram?

Allow me to set the scene, for those already given up on the app or the few unacquainted with Instagram. It’s somewhere between 8pm and 10pm. Something is on the TV screen in front of you, but the focus is scrolling on your phone. There’s an artfully-framed photo of someone’s living room, followed by a shot of the Amalfi coast, then an advertisement. Then, about seven videos in a row, four suggested posts and a survey asking if you have “recently seen an advertisement for the ANZ Bank.”

The worst part? A new full-screen layout they are road-testing to further imitate TikTok, wherein the borders of images are practically cut off due to gradient borders and captions which overlap imagery. It’s enough to make you temporarily switch to another app, but give it 10 minutes and you find yourself back on Instagram, the same situation greeting you.

Instagram boss Adam Mosseri has defended the recent changes and new “recommendations” feature, which inserts content from people users don’t follow into their feeds. And, to be honest, he just doesn’t seem to care that an overwhelming amount of his users are currently hating the app.

“I’m hearing a lot of concerns about photos, and how we’re shifting to video,” said Mosseri. “We’re going to continue to support photos, but I need to be honest: more and more of Instagram is going to become video over time. We’re going to have to lean into that shift while continuing to support photos.”

“Lean into that shift.” But Mosseri, we already have an app for that – TikTok. Also, YouTube, for those of us who enjoy the now old school means of consuming video content.

A post shared by Adam Mosseri (@mosseri)

Mosseri went on to say the recommendations feature is to help users “discover” new things on the app, and did mention that this can be snoozed for 30 days at a time.

“The idea is to help you discover new and interesting things on Instagram that you might not even know exist,” he said. “You can snooze all recommendations for up to a month, but we’re going to try and get better at recommendations because we think it’s one of the best ways to help creators reach a new audience and grow their following.”

It’s not just the video content that is an issue with Instagram changes as it stands. And perhaps we all need to stop winging and accept that apps change and develop as consumer engagement habits also change and develop. However, the other glaringly repugnant change to Instagram is the extremely algorithmic main feed leaving users to often miss the posts of those they willingly follow.

Instagram has claimed the “favourites” feature – by which users can favourite accounts they want to see the posts of and subsequently creates a feed of only these users – is the answer to solving this, however, who amongst us is going to sort through and favourite every single user they follow to ensure they see their posts, when they could simply be shown organically, from newest to oldest, in their feed? How we took 2014 for granted.

In response, celebrities have taken to sharing a post on their stories, saying “Make Instagram Instagram again,” So far, these have included the likes of Raven Smith, Alexa Chung and Instagram’s most-followed account, Kylie Jenner, who with the power of one tweet in 2018 pondering if anyone still used Snapchat saw $1.3USD billion wiped from its value and its shares drop by six per cent.

A post shared by Raven Smith (@raven__smith)

But, hasn’t Instagram made changes before?

As I write this, I have checked Instagram three times, aimlessly, almost as a reflex between paragraphs. What is most interesting is that Instagram has been evolving for a matter of years now, first with the algorithm changes, then the post ratio flexibility and the gradual dominance of videos. And we’re still here. Still saving posts of places to eat, brands to shop, interiors inspiration to remember when maybe one day we have saved enough for a home.

When the app introduced stories, many bemoaned it as trying to be Snapchat and rarely used the feature. Now, stories are the dominant means to consume content on the app, more frequently updated than feed posts. Will we reach the point with video content on Instagram where it is normalised? Or have they truly jumped the shark?

Image: Instagram

The post Will Instagram return to its former, photo-only glory? Probably not appeared first on RUSSH.

What is BeReal? 

At its crux, BeReal is a social media platform that will notify users when to upload to their story at a randomised time each day. Once notified, the user has only a few minutes to upload and if they fail to upload in the allotted time, their story is then branded as “posted late,” hinting to other users that it may not be a true indication of what they were doing at that time. 

BeReal has no filters because it’s, well, just that: real. This is a strategic choice playing into the underscoring idea of the app which is to share an unfiltered, realistic snapshot of your day to day life. No curated flatlay or scheduled post in sight. 

it’s time to BeReal pic.twitter.com/pekyqVh9PS

— it’s me sally darr (@sallydarr) July 18, 2022

Much like TikTok, once uploaded to the app, you can share your BeReal image to Instagram and other platforms, which may be why you have seen some FaceTime-like snaps in your feeds. 

How long has BeReal been around? 

BeReal was initially conceived in late 2019, however it’s had its breakout moment in 2022, off the back of TikTok’s success. While still nowhere near as popular as the viral video app, it has been steadily growing in user numbers across the first half of 2022, with it appearing to reach a crescendo this week through becoming a meme across Twitter. Still keeping up with all the apps mentioned in this piece? Nice work. 

The app was created by former GoPro employee Alexis Barreyat and founded with Kevin Perreau, with the pair still owning the app. 

it’s time to BeReal pic.twitter.com/WcCqsUGYXF

— it’s me sally darr (@sallydarr) July 18, 2022

How many users are on BeReal? 

As of April 2022, almost three million daily active users were on the platform, an increase of 29 per cent from 2021. Catch us Being Real this weekend. 

it’s time to BeReal pic.twitter.com/9ZDYWqhSUl

— it’s me sally darr (@sallydarr) July 20, 2022

Image: Twitter

The post What is BeReal? The unfiltered, ultra-candid social media app to know appeared first on RUSSH.

For years we’ve begged and pleaded for Instagram to bring back the chronological feed. To return to the days when who we followed dictated what appeared on our screens. When endless scrolling was hampered by the fact that no one had posted anything in the last five minutes and that we would just have to wait it out. Take us back. Before Instagram could lead you, or other teenagers deliberately toward content known to promote eating disorders. When it didn’t reward violence or outrage. In fact, it’s this information revealed by the Facebook whistleblower that has been the catalyst for a slew of new changes to be put in place by Instagram. And much to our surprise, it looks like one of them involves getting our beloved chronological feed back, if we so choose.

The key word here is choose. Which is perhaps the most surprising of them all. We have a choice? It’s a fairly foreign concept on social media. But yes, following a US Senate hearing, head of Instagram Adam Mosseri revealed that the platform has plans to reintroduce the chronological feed in 2022.

On Twitter, Instagram confirmed the news with a statement that read:

“We want people to have meaningful control over their experience. We’ve been experimenting with Favorites, a way for you to decide whose posts you want to see higher up, and we’re working on another option to see posts from people you follow in chronological order.”

“We want to be clear that we’re creating new options — providing people with more choices so they can decide what works best for them — not switching everyone back to a chronological feed. You can expect more on this early next year!”

Options? On Instagram? We don’t know her. But soon, it seems we will. Below, we’ve outlined what we can expect from these changes and what this means for the Metaverse more broadly.

How does the algorithm currently work?

That dear folks, is the million dollar question. But since 2016 when Instagram tossed out the chronological feed, “the algorithm” has decided what content we’re exposed to. It’s important to note that there are actually a few different algorithms at play on Instagram, each collecting data around how we’ve interacted with previous posts and basing what it serves us on this information. It looks at everything from how long we spend on a post, if we comment, like, save or share, what we search for etc. But a large issue with this method is that it’s not transparent, and as the Facebook Whistleblower told US Congress, it has the capability of being deliberately harmful to users. But if you’ve spent any time on Instagram, this is not new to you.

What changes will be made?

In an attempt to satisfy US Congress, so far the platform has said it will bring the chronological feed back early in 2022, making it an optional feature for users. On top of this, Instagram also introduced a new feature called ‘Take a Break’ on Tuesday, which basically alerts the user to stop using the app after a certain period, in a similar vein to Netflix’s “Are you still watching” pop up. At the moment, this is all that Mosseri has proposed, not including those outlined in the Twitter statement. But we’re expecting more changes to be announced in 2022. Until then, watch this space for more information.

Image: @gossipgirl

The post Instagram is finally bringing back the chronological feed in 2022 appeared first on RUSSH.

Turn on post notifications

When buying second hand on Instagram, one of the most efficient ways to stay up to date on all of the goods going on sale is to turn on post notifications for specific pages. If you follow a few accounts who continuously put fast-selling gems up, it’s worth turning on notifications for these accounts. That way, as soon as something goes up, you’ll be alerted and have a higher chance of commenting ‘sold’ faster.

Read the terms and conditions carefully

Many accounts have a solid set of terms and conditions to make purchasing goods streamlined and easy, and it’s in your best interest to have a read through these to know exactly what’s required of you when the time comes that you find something you like. I once successfully bought a couch three days after it was posted because I was the only person to follow the T&C’s.

Do your research

No one likes an anxious panic buy, particularly if it’s in the name of a fake Marcel Breuer Wassily chair or a solid marble dining table. Which is why it’s important to do your research and decide what you’re looking for prior to purchasing. If you are set on authenticity, make sure you know what kind of questions to ask or markers to look for to streamline the verification process. If you are simply looking to furnish your space with unique pieces, have a clear idea of what those pieces might be so you’ve made up your mind prior to purchasing, and always make sure you’re aware of any wear/age/damage before you pay that invoice.

Cover lots of ground

If you are looking for specific pieces or are simply committed to furnishing a space via vintage homewares accounts, make sure you are following more than just the most popular accounts. Often you can find the same pieces for less just by discovering accounts that are less coveted. A great way to do this is finding your favourite sellers, and clicking the down arrow button next to the ‘follow’ button on their page, and similar stores will be suggested to you. Covering as much ground as possible in order to spot a treasure is always a good way to go about things.

Image credit: @curated_spaces

The post A guide to buying vintage homewares on Instagram appeared first on RUSSH.

Just last Friday the fifteen recipients of the inaugural First Nations Creator Program were revealed. As suspected, they’re a fiercely creative bunch; with the program unearthing film and video creators, sovereign storytellers, musicians and vocalists, beauty and lifestyle bloggers, and even podcast producers.

Graeme Mason, Screen Australia’s Chief Executive Officer, expressed his delight at the strength and immense talent of all applicants. “We were incredibly impressed with the high level of applications we received from creators across the country and we are excited to announce our successful recipients today,” he said.

“We are constantly looking for new ways to support content creators on the platforms they are connecting with audiences on and the accessibility of social media allows us to, through this Program with Instagram Australia, nurture new voices and champion extraordinary First Nations creators. We look forward to this year’s cohort creating new content and reaching new audiences on Instagram,” Mason continued.

As part of First Nations Creator Program, all fifteen recipients will participate in a series of training sessions and workshops that relay crucial industry information useful for navigating a business on social media. Recipients will be given advice on topics like product, creativity, safety and wellbeing, along with mentored guidance on digital production and social media strategy. Aside from being an invaluable opportunity to network and get the low down on content creation from IG itself, each creator will also receive production funding of $10,000 to assist in creating Reels and IGTV content.

The icing on the cake? Once those selected complete the program, they will still receive ongoing support and mentorship by being assigned an Instagram partner manager to help continue and aid their journey on the platform.

You can find a full list of the selected recipients, along with their Instagram handles, below. It goes without saying that these are definitely creatives to watch:

Andrea Fernandez

Meleika Gesa

Kaycee Haydon

Alicia Johnson

Emily Johnson

Trisha Lindgren

Nathan Lyons

Meissa Mason

Tait McGregor

Naarah

Nich Richie

Merinda Slater

Melissa Smith

Kantesha Takai

Sari-Ella Thaiday

Images: One, Two

The post Let us introduce you to the 15 recipients of the inaugural First Nations Creator Program appeared first on RUSSH.