Just when you think you’ve heard everything: read on.
Braces — for decades, one of the most embarrassing parts of many adolescents’ lives — are now cool.
In fact, a New York Times headline announced last Sunday: “Metal Has Never Been Cooler.”
The head-spinning turn of events has a Westport connection. The story began:
Like many middle schoolers across the country, Madison Aballi carefully crafted her look for the first day of 7th grade.
To see old friends and meet new teachers, she walked into her school in Westport, Conn., with a new light pink North Face backpack, complete with a Labubu keychain. She carried a new-to-her iPhone 15 Pro (formerly her mother’s).
And she revealed the biggest fashion flex of 12-year-olds across the country: a brand-new set of metal braces.
Nearly half the class, she estimated, also debuted new metal. “It’s sort of like how lots of people wear Adidas Sambas or Brandy Melville,” she said. “It’s kind of another accessory at this point.”
Teens and tweens have come to embrace braces — and not just any braces: They’re coveting the old-school metal variety of yesteryear.
The piece includes another local name:
Dr. Emily Driesman, Madison’s orthodontist in Westport, has outfitted her office with LED “on” and “off” signs for posting opportunities. Braces have become “a bit of a status symbol,” she said.
Dr. Driesman has also grown accustomed to patients documenting the entire experience. “I’ve had kids Snapchatting from the chair getting their braces on and sending it off to a whole ton of kids,” she said.
Click here for the full article.
12-year-old Madison Aballi, and orthodontist Dr. Emily Driesman’s LED sign. (Photo/Pamela Zaremba for the New York Times)
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The United Methodist Church of Westport & Weston invites everyone to a tag sale this Saturday (September 27, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
In addition to clothing, home décor, garden items, shoes, books, glassware, bakeware and more, the day includes a grilled lunch and bake sale.
Early bird shopping (9 to 10 a.m.) is available for $10. All proceeds support the church’s mission and community ministries.
All are welcome to the United Methodist Church — and the tag sale. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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Westport Sunrise Rotary welcomes a special guest on Friday, October 3.
Connecticut State Treasurer Erick Russell will talk about his work, and the state’s finances. The public is invited to attend, at Greens Farms Congregational Church.
Coffee, bagels and muffins are served at 7 a.m. The meeting starts at 7:30, with Russell speaking at about 8 a.m. RSVP: info@WestportSunriseRotary.org.
Raised in New Haven, Russell is the first in his family to graduate college. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Haven, and a law degree from the University of Connecticut.
As treasurer Russell administers Connecticut’s pension funds (over $62 billion in assets), oversees the state’s debt and cash management, collects and returns unclaimed property, and manages the Connecticut Higher Education Trust.
State Treasurer Erick Russell.
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Staples High School Class of 2019 graduate Donny Macaluso’s day job is running his business: Don’s TEL (Trees, Excavation, Landscaping).
But on October 12, he’ll run the Chicago Marathon.
As he so often does, Donny will be helping others.
He’s fundraising for Salute Inc. They provide essentials like rent, utilities, food and car payments to current military members and injured veterans, during times of financial stress. Click here to support Donny — and Salute. (Hat tip: Andrew Colabella)
Donny Macaluso
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The weather has turned iffy.
But it was beautiful earlier this week. William Weiss snapped this photo at Burying Hill, which he calls “Last Day at the Beach.”
(Photo/William Weiss)
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Westport Police made 3 custodial arrests between September 17 and 23.
A 28-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with criminal impersonation, interfering with an officer, operating a motor vehicle without a license and failure to obey a stop sign, following an investigation into a July complaint of a victim of identity theft.
A 21-year-old Bridgeport man was charged with operating under the influence of alcohol/drugs and failure to drive in the proper lane, following the report at 3:46 a.m. ofo a vehicle stopped at the Post Road East/Sherwood Island connector traffic light that did not move for multiple cycles, then rolled into a utility pole on the shoulder of the road.
A 32-year-old Stratford man was charged with breach of peace, after a verbal and physical disturbance between 2 people near the Saugatuck train station.
Westport Police also issued these citations:
Speeding in a school zone: 4 citations
- Traveling unreasonably fast: 3
- Operating a motor vehicle under suspension: 2
- Failure to comply with state traffic commission regulations: 2
- Disorderly conduct: 1
- Speeding: 1
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 1
- Failure to renew registration: 1
- Improper turns: 1
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This is a legit “Westport .. Naturally” photo. No Photoshop or other funny business.
But speaking of funny — doesn’t this passionfruit of Wendy Levy’s deck look just like a jester?!
(Photo/Wendy Levy)
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And finally … as noted above, metal braces are suddenly cool. So today we salute the metal — heavy metal, that is.
(Pardon us for being a bit paranoid. But why do people read “06880” every day, without supporting us? Is it something we said? To avoid being a freeloader, please click here. Thank you!)
