Fares in 2024 start at $4,550 per person for a seven-day cruise.
My favorite amenities on Silver Ray included a sauna with ocean views and a fun cooking class.
The hardest part about your Silver Ray cruise could be deciding what you want to indulge in first.
Silversea, Royal Caribbean Group's most luxurious cruise line, recently welcomed its 12th ship, the 728-guest Silver Ray. But as with any new floating five-star hotel, the cost to sail won't be ultra-cheap, with weeklong cruises starting at a whopping $4,550 per person in 2024.
I might've scoffed at this cost before boarding Silversea's second Nova Class vessel. But after experiencing all it has to offer on a complimentary five-night test cruise in mid-June, the price tag now makes more sense — and might even be justifiable.
Take a look at my 10 favorite amenities on Silver Ray, all of which shed some light on its steep fare.
1. The butler-delivered caviar you can eat on your couch while wearing pajamas
The crew member who delivered my caviar and set up my dining table told me that caviar was among the most popular room service orders.
On Silver Ray, not only are the hot dogs and hamburgers delivered to your suite complimentary — but caviar is, too.
Simply call the room service line or ask your butler for caviar, and before you know it, a tin of the expensive fish eggs will be presented at your door.
You don't want to know how pretentious and insufferable I felt as I shoveled the tiny pearly bites into my mouth while lounging on the couch.
It wasn't the best caviar I've ever had (it's one of Calvisius' cheapest options). But it definitely added the unnecessary, theatrical, and extravagant touch I had been seeking on a $650-a-day cruise.
2. The sushi lunch
Kaiseki is only complimentary for lunch.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
Dinner at Silver Ray's Japanese restaurant, Kaiseki, costs $80 per person. But it's complimentary during lunch, making it a great place to gorge on free sushi, sashimi, beef-filled bao buns, and ramen.
Alcohol is complimentary on Silversea, too. So feel free to have a glass of sake and Japanese beer with your raw fish feast.
Like the caviar, the sushi quality wasn’t comparable to Michelin-rated omakase restaurants.
The sushi and sashimi combo came with a cut from seven different rolls.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
The scallop nigiri in my sushi and sashimi combo tasted more lightly poached than raw, the uni was served on unevenly cut cucumbers, and the octopus in the octopus roll was too chewy.
But complaints aside, the portions were gracious, the fish quality was acceptable, and the rolls were diverse. The spicy tuna roll had the perfect allium punch, while the vegetarian one stood its ground among the raw fish. It was far better than I expected for a cruise ship lunch.
Best of all, it was complimentary. And while it didn't change my life, it certainly satisfied my craving.
3. The upscale café without the upscale prices
Coffee and tea are complimentary on Silversea.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
Many popular cruise ships have an onboard Starbucks. Silver Ray goes one step further with a café comparable to your overpriced neighborhood coffee shop (and this one won't make you pay extra for oat milk).
At the centrally located Arts Cafe, guests can order latte art-topped espresso drinks and uncommon tea varieties — all served with Mepra spoons that cost $40 each.
If you're a fan of cucumber sandwiches and cakes, the Art Cafe is also a great place to grab a mid-day snack or host an impromptu afternoon tea.
4. The entertaining cooking class
The cooking class is led by an entertaining instructor and their assistant.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
Silversea's SALT — an acronym for "sea and land taste" — program weaves cuisines local to the ship's destination into the cruise.
At SALT Lab, this takes the form of a complimentary cooking class.
You might think, 'I'm on vacation — I don't want to cook!'
Guests on SIlver Ray's five-night test cruise learned to make Portuguese tarts and trifles.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
I hear you. But SALT Lab is nothing like cooking at home.
For starters, the instructor and their assistant do all the cleaning and prepare all your mise en place for you. And I guarantee they're funnier, wittier, and more lighthearted than your partner who yells at you for not following the recipe.
All you have to do is listen to their instructions, assemble, cook, and eat.
5. The restaurant showcasing dishes from the itinerary
In Lisbon, dishes at 160-seat SALT Kitchen included grilled sardines served with a grilled lemon wedge and a small salad
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
SALT isn't just a cooking class. It's a lifestyle. (Just kidding — but not really.)
Silver Ray offers SALT cooking classes, SALT shore excursions, a $180 SALT Chef's Table dinner, a SALT Bar, and a SALT Kitchen.
If you hate repeating meals, the latter could be your savior. Half of its menu changes almost daily according to the ship's destination. So, if you didn't have time to explore a port's cuisine, you could go to SALT Kitchen instead.
When Silver Ray was docked in Lisbon, the restaurant had options like roasted pork loin with a Portuguese red bell pepper sauce, and travesseiros, a popular dessert from nearby Sintra, Portugal.
6. The half-restaurant, half-jazz bar
Silver Note has 54 seats and a bar for post-dinner drinks with live music.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
Silver Note is where you go to chow down on small plates of beef tenderloin and octopus tentacles while being serenaded by live jazz vocalists and pianists. If you can overlook the purple and red spotlights that give the venue a cheap dive bar feel, you'll be delighted by Silver Note's talented performers, tapas-style food, and fun plating.
The plates were pre-warmed, the lobster tail was perfectly cooked, and the musicians were world-class. I ate alone and stayed for about two hours, fully engaged by the impressive vocalist.
7. The spa’s view
The sauna and steam room are separated into a women's and men's area. Both sides meet at the gender-neutral thermal pool.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
Access to spa facilities like saunas is often complimentary on high-end cruises.
Silver Ray's was admittedly bare-boned, with only three rooms (a steam room, sauna, and thermal pool). But you'll quickly forget about the lack of options when you see the ocean views inside the pool and sauna.
The latter is a great place to balance your yin (peacefully staring at the passing waves) with your yang (feeling like you're about to have a heat stroke).
Unfortunately, the steam room doesn't have any views. However, it does offer complimentary scented scrubs that will leave you with baby-soft skin.
8. The pool
The pool deck has 280 loungers.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
You're probably wondering how an amenity as commonplace as a pool could be so special.
There is, in fact, nothing spectacular about the pool itself. What is special, however, is its placement toward the starboard-side edge of the ship, giving swimmers a photogenic view of Silver Ray's surroundings instead of sunbathers' toes.
Don't worry, fellow loungers. We get a perk, too.
No need to walk to the pool bar to refill your piña colada. The waitstaff will do it for you.
9. The elevators
Silver Ray has two elevator banks, each with three elevators.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
Before Silver Ray, I would've scoffed if you had told me one of my favorite amenities on a cruise ship would be the elevators. But alas, it seems not all of them are created equal.
On most cruise ships, the elevators are located at the center of the vessel and flanked by corridors on either side.
Like the pool, all six of Silver Ray's elevators are located by the edge of the ship — half port side, half starboard side — and lined with glass walls, giving riders sweeping views of the ship's surroundings.
Not to be dramatic, but I've never seen a more beautiful elevator.
Once inside, travelers can select their desired floor on the touchscreen.
No need to make awkward small talk when everyone's gawking at the ocean.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
The screen's floor descriptions are updated on port days to indicate where guests must disembark. It's a small but convenient touch I've yet to see on other cruises, saving travelers the panicked "where do I get off this ship?" question.
10. The tablet-phone-TV connectivity
Your suite's lights and temperature can be controlled from your phone, in-suite tablet, TV, and thermostat.
Brittany Chang/Business Insider
The best part about my Deluxe Veranda suite wasn't the walk-in closet or balcony. It was the seamless connectivity between my phone, the in-room tablet, and the TV.
Silver Ray's cabins have portable touchscreen tablets that function as a vacation guidebook, daily scheduler, and suite control center.
The TV has the same functions, for when you're sitting on the couch and too lazy to retrieve the tablet. Or, if you're not in your cabin, your mobile Silversea profile has the same options.
As someone who religiously studies menus before going to a restaurant, I loved having every onboard restaurant's menu at my fingertips.
But the real winning feature was the "sleep" setting. No more hitting your knee on furniture as you navigate back to bed after turning the lights off. The sleep setting slowly dims the suite's light fixtures, giving guests plenty of time to saunter back to bed before everything goes dark.
Joe Biden will have a taped interview with George Stephanopoulos air Friday evening.
Samuel Corum
Biden's allies are begging him to get out in public.
On Friday, he'll sit down for a taped interview debuting during primetime on ABC.
But even the slightest gaffe could torpedo his campaign.
On Friday night, President Joe Biden will make his highest-profile appearance yet since his disastrous debate last week.
The pre-taped interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos will give the president his best shot yet to steady his wavering campaign as Democrats increasingly question whether he's up to the task of beating Donald Trump.
Biden's supporters have been calling for him to get out into the public eye after he flopped in last Thursday's debate by mumbling his answers, losing his train of thought, and staring off vacantly at times.
Friday's high-stakes interview gives Biden that opportunity — but will also pose a serious threat.
A risky — but needed — move
Friday's interview was originally supposed to air in multiple parts, but ABC announced earlier this week it would air the interview in full on Friday at 8 p.m.
Biden will need a strong performance in order to wipe away the memory of his debate fiasco and reassure voters that he's capable of running a winning campaign.
But the president is facing a political narrative that's highlighted his biggest weakness: voters' concern about his age.
While his opponent Trump is also a historically old candidate at 78 years old, Biden is three years older still. Republicans have seized on his stiff gait, stuttering speech, and verbal gaffes for months as they went on the attack.
Biden's campaign and administration have told voters that concerns about his age were overblown, noting that some videos were deceptively edited to make him look lost.
But Biden's own performance at the debate not only failed to reverse Trump's lead in 2024 swing state polling, but also reinforced the GOP's lines of attack.
Since the debate, even some Democrats and Biden allies have anonymously claimed the president has lost a step, forgetting their names and stumbling over his talking points in private. Some donors are bailing on him.
The concerns have sparked an all-out panic among the Democratic Party as it faces the prospect of an electoral loss to Donald Trump — newly emboldened by Supreme Court rulings that could encourage him to expand his presidential power.
A strong interview on Friday night without Biden's usual verbal flubs could send a strong message that he's strong enough to continue his reelection run.
Yet small mistakes could be amplified. A stumble in one of his answers will almost certainly be seized on by Biden's opponents and detractors. Republicans have already cut up his debate answers into an attack ad. It's likely any further missteps would be more ammo used against him.
A rock-solid performance by Biden may not be enough to erase the damage caused by last Thursday's debate. At best, it might stem the bleeding; at worst, it could open up fresh wounds. And even if he's perfect on Friday, he's one bad speech or interview away from being right back where he is now.
Biden, for his part, remains defiant. He's chalked up his awful debate to being "one bad night" and has vowed to fight on.
He could prove he's ready for that fight on Friday night.
In Sands Point, a village at the tip of Cow Neck Peninsula, there lies a 216-acre park and conservancy that dates even further back to 1900, when the land was purchased by Howard Gould, the son of the railroad tycoon Jay Gould.
Over 100 years later, the four separate homes built on this property — Castle Gould, Hempstead House, Falaise, and Mille Fleurs — are still in pristine condition. Three have been converted to museums, and much of the land has been cut through with hiking trails.
I visited in June 2024 to take an informative self-guided tour of two of the homes, and I felt like I was traveling back in time to the era of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jay Gatsby's neighborhood, West Egg.
On a June afternoon, I made the drive to Sands Point, a village on Long Island. It costs $15 per car or $4 per person to walk into Sands Point Preserve.
The entryway of Sands Point.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Here's where Sands Point lies on the map. The other circled locations are other mansions from the same era across Long Island.
Sands Point Preserve.
Google Maps
After I parked, I was greeted with a map of the preserve, including the locations of its four mansions and multiple hiking trails.
A map of Sands Point Preserve.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
The first structure I saw was the oldest on the property: Castle Gould, completed in 1904.
Castle Gould is huge, especially compared to me.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Castle Gould, which spans 100,000 square feet, is based on the medieval Irish castle Kilkenny, which was built starting in 1192.
Financier Howard Gould commissioned it to please his wife, the actor Katherine Clemmons, according to the preserve.
An entrance to Castle Gould.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
The medieval vibes continue inside. This room serves as a lobby — in Gould's time, the entire castle served as a stable and carriage house.
The foyer of Castle Gould.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Much of Castle Gould isn't available to tour, but the Great Hall, seen here, can be used for private events.
The Great Hall inside of Castle Gould.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
You might wonder why Castle Gould was just used as a carriage house. That's because Gould's wife, Katherine, didn't like the finished product.
The back of Castle Gould.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Source: Sands Point Preserve
So, the family constructed another mansion just across the lawn in 1912.
The Great Lawn.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
That home is called Hempstead House. It's smaller but still measures an incredible 50,000 square feet. It has 40 rooms.
Hempstead House.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Gould and Clemmons never actually lived here together. They divorced in 1909, with Gould accusing his wife of having an affair with Buffalo Bill Cody.
The side and landscaping of Hempstead House.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Gould finished the estate but sold it in 1917 so he could move abroad.
The red-carpeted entrance of Hempstead House.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
He sold it to Daniel and Florence Guggenheim — yes, those Guggenheims. His brother, Benjamin, died on the Titanic. Another brother, Solomon, founded the NYC museum of the same name.
Daniel Guggenheim circa 1913.
HUM Images/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
Hempstead House is only available for tours on Wednesdays in July and August. I'll be coming back to get a better look at the interior.
A side view of Hempstead House.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
I was able to see one room through the door and was already impressed by the design.
A room inside of Hempstead House.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
But the Rose Garden behind Hempstead House is open to any visitors.
The Rose Garden.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Now, instead of roses, there are dozens of native flowers to help facilitate pollination.
Some of the plants at the Rose Garden.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
The home also has a view of the Long Island Sound, seen here in the distance.
The Long Island Sound from Hempstead House.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
The third mansion at Sands Point is Falaise, which was built on 90 acres of land Daniel gave to his son, Harry, upon his wedding to Caroline Morton in 1923.
The Long Island Sound from the cliffs outside Hempstead House.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Harry had a fascinating life. He was an avid aviator and friends with legendary pilot Charles Lindbergh. Harry also founded the Long Island newspaper Newsday with his wife in 1940.
His home, Falaise, is available to see via private tours offered on weekends from May through October.
One of the many well-manicured lawns at Sands Point.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
"Falaise" means cliffside in French, an apt name for the cliffside mansion.
A pond at Sands Point.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Daniel and Florence Guggenheim lived in Hempstead House until he died in 1930.
Hempstead House.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Upon his death, Florence moved to the fourth and smallest mansion on the property, Mille Fleurs, French for "1,000 flowers." It's private to this day.
Some of the woods.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
In 1940, during World War II, Florence reopened Hempstead House for refugee children.
Daniel and Florence Guggenheim playing golf in 1922.
Bettmann/Getty Images
Source: Sands Point Preserve
By 1946, 162 acres of the land had been gifted to the US Navy, which operated the Naval Training Device Center there through 1967.
Nassau County Executive Eugene Nickerson, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, Bill Moyers, Harry F. Guggenheim, and Senator Jacob Javits in 1967.
Stan Wolfson/Newsday RM/Getty Images
In 1971, Harry Guggenheim died, leaving his personal 90 acres to Nassau County. That same year, the county acquired the unused Naval land. Together, this reformed the estate.
Harry Guggenheim at the Guggenheim Museum in 1959.
Bettmann/Getty Images
Source: Sands Point Preserve
Now, you can tour two of the four mansions, hike, and even go to the beach.
The beach.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
To the west, you can see Westchester County in the distance.
Westchester.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
To the east: the Long Island town of Glen Cove.
Glen Cove.
Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider
Even without the mansions, Sands Point Preserve would be a beautiful park. But with them, you can feel like you're stepping back into the time of Gatsby and the Roaring '20s.
Swift and her economic impact have swept Europe. The European Central Bank is monitoring how the tour will affect inflation; hotels across the continent have sold out around her tour dates; and in the UK alone she's expected to pump $1.26 billion into the economy, according to a Barclays report.
The Eras Tour was always set to be immensely profitable for Swift, but she's set to make even more money thanks to one key business move. Swift is set to play eight nights in London and six in cities like Toronto — and she's skipping nearby cities that she's hit on past tours like Ottawa.
These mini residencies are likely adding millions of dollars to her bottom line. The underlying business assumption is that Swifties will travel and pay big bucks for tickets, so the shows will likely be sold out no matter where they are. Playing in fewer cities means less money spent on production, travel, and labor — which in turn means more profits.
"It significantly reduces the overhead of a tour," Nathan Hubbard, the former CEO of Ticketmaster who founded the management firm Firebird, told Business Insider. "Think about the cost of taking down an entire stage, packing up 50 trucks, moving it all to another town. Every night you can avoid striking the set saves millions of dollars."
Swift's representatives did not respond to a request for comment.
She proved this theory worked during the US leg of the tour when she played six shows in Los Angeles but skipped San Diego. Harry Styles also tested it with his 15-night runs at New York's Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles' Kia Forum, an extension of the Las Vegas residencies that have long minted millions for stars.
"Coming out of Covid, the largest artists understand that their fan bases will travel to be with them," Hubbard said. "Previously, this was just happening in Las Vegas. But so many of these cities can be a fun excursion for a fan and their friends. That's driving a lot of what we're seeing in the evolution of touring right now."
"I probably would've come to Scotland at one point, but it was the concert that got me here," one Swiftie from Minneapolis told BI.
"We said to ourselves, 'Let's just go and have an adventure," her friend added. "Tickets are outrageously expensive in the US, and this entire trip for both of us was cheaper than our friends back home paid."
Of course, it's a delicate balance. Swift is considered among the pop stars most in touch with her fans and wouldn't want to alienate anyone by skipping over their local venues. But with more than 150 shows in 50-plus cities, it would be hard to complain about her doing a few extra nights in one place and passing over another.
Plus, she's charging less — an average of about $250 per ticket, per Pollstar — than she could, especially considering the average resale price of $3,801 that Pitchfork reported.
And, again, she's not the only one profiting.
The Common Sense Institute said that "the totality of Taylor Swift's US tour could generate $4.6 billion in total consumer spending, larger than the GDP of 35 countries." In Europe, the total figure will surely be impressive as well.
Former Wall Street executive Leona Qi is now president of the private aviation company VistaJet US.
Her advice for asking for raises or promotions is to demonstrate your worth with data and facts.
Women in particular shouldn't be afraid to ask for what they deserve, she said.
Leona Qi knows a thing or two about leveling up. After a decade of working on Wall Street, she transitioned to the private aviation industry, becoming the managing director of Global Jet Capital before taking on her current role as the president of VistaJet US.
For those hoping to level up their own careers by asking for a raise or a promotion, Qi's career advice echoes what other experts have previously shared with Business Insider: demonstrate your exceptional achievements and value to the company with quantifiable data.
"You can't just ask for more. You have to present why, you have to present your value to the business," Qi told BI. "Whether you're asking about a title, promotion, or maybe more money, I always think you need to be very good at what you do and presenting the facts."
It also helps, Qi said, to have a genuine interest and passion in the work you do.
"I see a lot of young people nowadays starting at a job because they want a job or they need a job. They have no obvious interest in the job that they're in," she said. "Money is obviously important, but I think it's very important to find one that is your passion and then to put in the hard work."
'Don't be afraid to ask for what you deserve'
As someone who's risen to the highest levels in the male-dominated fields of finance and aviation, Qi is especially interested in helping women advance their careers.
A 2023 "Women in the Workplace" report by McKinsey & Company and Lean In found that women hold only 28% of C-suite positions across industries. Since many of those who fly on private jets are C-suite finance executives, VistaJet's client base is largely male.
Qi has made it her goal to grow VistaJet's client base from 5% women to 25% — a target that becomes more attainable as more women climb the corporate ladder by securing raises and promotions.
"Ultimately, when you're really good at something, I think the results show," Qi said. "But for women specifically, don't be afraid to ask for what you deserve."
Japan's new bank notes may not work in some vending machines.
SOPA Images/Getty Images
Japan is a society that's still in love with cash — and vending machines.
Its decision to start issuing new banknotes has sparked a problem.
Almost 80% of Japan's vending machines won't be ready to accept the new notes.
In many ways Japan is a country that's firmly embraced technology, yet it still remains attached to good old-fashioned cash.
Shops scattered along the Zelkova-lined avenue of Tokyo's Omotesando and the boutique shopping district of Ginza are no strangers to locals and tourists waving their credit cards. Still, cash remains king in several other locations.
Hole-in-the-wall izakayas (traditional bars), ryokan (traditional inns), and Shinto shrines often accept cash only. Sure, dense urban sprawls like Tokyo or the Kansai region's Osaka are card-friendly, but carrying physical yen is recommended when venturing beyond major cities.
Those carrying cash in Japan anytime soon, though, may want to double-check the type of bills in their wallets.
This week, Japan started issuing new banknotes for the first time in 20 years in an effort to combat counterfeit money. The only problem is that they might not be accepted everywhere.
Japan has issued new banknotes.
STR/Getty Images
Take Japan's millions of vending machines. They are big business in Japan, offering everything from hot coffee and beer to wagyu and hot sauce. Though some accept card payments, those that take cash may not accept Japan's new banknotes.
The Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association recently said that almost 80% of the country's machines would need upgrades to accept the new notes, per comments reported by Reuters. Parking ticket machines and others would also need a fix.
The issue is that Japan's retro machines aren't designed to process the new notes, which boast high-tech specs incorporated to help determine authenticity.
They include portraits of historic figures as 3D holograms — a world-first, according to the Bank of Japan — designed to rotate when a note is titled. Getting Japan's aged machines ready for these new notes will now take time, and money.
Vending machines are a common sight in Japan.
SOPA Images/Getty Images
In April, the Bank of Japan said that despite the growth in cashless payments, it expects "the demand for cash, which can be readily used by anyone, anywhere, and at any time," to "likely continue to play a significant role as a means of payment."
Travel guides often tell tourists to carry cash. If they're stopping by a vending machine there anytime soon, they may want to check first if their bills will work.
A naval drone at an undisclosed location in Ukraine in April 2024.
GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Images
Ukraine has used sea drones to devastating effect against Russia's far superior Black Sea Fleet.
Drones could 'radically' change naval warfare, Pavlo Lakiychuk told the Kyiv Independent.
He said they pose a threat to larger navies and give smaller navies a chance to turn the tide.
Sea drones could radically change naval warfare, giving smaller navies a chance to "flip the chessboard," a retired Ukrainian naval officer told the Kyiv Independent.
Pavlo Lakiychuk told the outlet that sea drones present a "serious" threat to modern navies, which have spent billions creating enormous, supposedly "impenetrable killing" weapons.
For those nations that lack the resources to create their own large, ocean-going fleets, "this is a chance to flip the chessboard," he added.
Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine has made significant strides in naval warfare, upgrading its naval drones, innovating their use, and deploying them to devastating effect against Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
It needed to look to solutions like this because it doesn't have a navy of its own.
In February, the UK's Ministry of Defence said Ukraine had "almost certainly" sunk the Russian corvette Ivanovets using naval drones.
They also played a key role in taking out an estimated third of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, the UK MOD said a month later.
In addition, Ukraine has used them to lay mines, which to date have damaged four Russian warships in the Black Sea, The Wall Street Journal reported last week.
Brig Gen Ivan Lukashevych, the mastermind behind Ukraine's fleet of naval drones, told The Journal that Ukraine now aims to deploy squads of up to 20 sea drones that can replicate the abilities of a single warship.
At the same time, The Financial Times' Ukraine correspondent said in an X post in May that Sea Baby naval drones, one of the main drones Ukraine has used at sea, are being mounted with Grad multiple-launch rocket systems, citing an unnamed Ukrainian intelligence official.
The official said they'd been used to strike Russian positions in occupied Mykolaiv.
In his comments to the Kyiv Independent, Lakiychuk said that Ukraine's naval drones have "caught the Russian fleet by surprise."
He added that "the era of unmanned robotic systems is coming," and that sooner or later they "will send modern colossi to the dustbin of history."
In that situation, he said, "the Russian Black Sea Fleet is no longer a survivor."
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have been married for 47 years.
Joe had to propose five times before she said yes. They eventually married in 1977.
They have been at each other's sides through celebrations and challenges.
Over the course of their 47-year marriage, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have celebrated triumphant victories and milestones as well as setbacks and devastating losses.
Jill has continued to champion her husband's 2024 reelection campaign despite his disastrous debate performance that raised further questions about his age and fitness for a second term.
The president often refers to Jill as "the love of my life and the life of my love." Here's a timeline of their love story.
This story was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2022 and again in 2024.
1975: Joe Biden's brother introduced him to Jill Taylor Jacobs.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden in the early days of their relationship.
Office of United States Senator Joe Biden
Joe was a 33-year-old US senator, and Jill was a 24-year-old college senior. Both had been married before. Joe's wife and daughter died in a car crash in 1972, leaving him a widower with two sons, and Jill and her husband filed for divorce in her junior year.
"I was a senior, and I had been dating guys in jeans and clogs and T-shirts, he came to the door and he had a sport coat and loafers, and I thought, 'God, this is never going to work, not in a million years,'" Jill told Vogue. "He was nine years older than I am! But we went out to see 'A Man and a Woman' at the movie theater in Philadelphia, and we really hit it off."
When she got home from the date, Jill told Vogue, she called her mother and said, "Mom, I finally met a gentleman."
1977: The couple married after Joe proposed five times.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a campaign event.
Getty Images
"I said, 'Not yet. Not yet. Not yet,'" Jill told Vogue of Joe Biden's proposals. "Because by that time, of course, I had fallen in love with the boys, and I really felt that this marriage had to work. Because they had lost their mom, and I couldn't have them lose another mother. So I had to be 100 percent sure."
When she did eventually agree to marry him, they held their wedding ceremony at the United Nations chapel and a reception lunch at Sign of the Dove in New York City. They took sons Beau and Hunter on their honeymoon.
1981: The couple welcomed daughter Ashley.
Joe Biden with daughter Ashley Biden.
Bill Ballenberg/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images
In a video shown at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, Jill said that Ashley's birth made the family "complete."
June 1987: When Joe announced his candidacy for president, Jill was by his side.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at an event announcing his presidential run.
Cynthia Johnson/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images
He announced his presidential run in Wilmington, Delaware.
September 1987: They presented a united front when he withdrew from the race.
Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the race.
Arnie Sachs/CNP/Getty Images
His short-lived campaign had been enveloped in scandal, with allegations of plagiarizing his speeches and exaggerating his academic records from college and law school, The New York Times reported.
"'I made some mistakes,'' he said as he announced the end of his campaign.
The New York Times described Jill's face as "a study in dejection." Jill later wrote about controlling her emotions in her memoir "Where The Light Enters."
"As a political spouse, I've found that my stoicism often serves me well," she wrote. "In 1988, when Joe's first presidential campaign started to look bleak, people were constantly looking for cracks in our team. We all felt scrutinized, but I refused to show weakness."
1988: Joe had two brain aneurysms. The couple posed outside the hospital when he was discharged after the first of two operations.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at Walter Reed Army Medical Center after he was discharged.
Pam Price/AP
Joe had a pulmonary embolism later that year as he recovered. In her book, Jill writes about watching as "EMTs carried him down the steps of our house on a stretcher."
January 2007: Jill earned her PhD in education from the University of Delaware. At the graduation, Joe handed Jill her doctorate.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden on the campaign trail.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
She became Dr. Jill Biden.
July 2007: Joe wrote about his love for Jill in his memoir, "Promises to Keep."
Joe Biden released "Promises to Keep" in 2007.
Charles Dharapak/AP
"She gave me back my life," he wrote. "She made me start to think my family might be whole again."
2008: Barack Obama chose Joe as his running mate, and the two families developed a close bond.
The Obamas and Bidens at a rally in Illinois.
EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images
The "bromance" between the two politicians went viral.
2009: Jill held the family's Bible when her husband was sworn in as vice president.
Joe Biden was sworn in as vice president in 2009.
Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images
Joe supported her career, too. She made history as the first known second lady to hold a full-time job, teaching English at Northern Virginia Community College.
"As second lady, she was teaching full time for eight years, 15 credits a semester," Joe said in a video shown at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
February 2010: On Valentine's Day, Joe surprised her with a tree swing marked with a commemorative plaque on the grounds of the vice president's residence.
The plaque on a tree on the grounds of the vice president's residence.
Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The plaque reads "Joe loves Jill. Valentine's Day 2010."
March 2010: They took diplomatic trips together, such as their visit to Israel.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden arrive in Israel.
BAZ RATNER/AFP via Getty Images
They took other trips together, such as attending the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
September 2012: Jill elicited giggles when she told a crowd in New Hampshire, "I've seen Joe up close."
Jill Biden introduced Joe Biden at a campaign event in 2012.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
An ABC News camera panned to Joe, who could be seen laughing good-naturedly at the unintended double entendre as the audience cheered.
"It's in my remarks, really," she said, before continuing with her speech amid chuckles from the crowd.
September 2012: At the Democratic National Convention, Jill spoke about Joe's support for her career and his strength in the face of loss.
Joe Biden embraces Jill Biden at the Democratic National Convention.
SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images
"After Joe was elected vice president, people started questioning whether I could keep teaching," she said. "Not Joe. He was there standing by my side saying 'Of course you should. It's who you are, Jill.'"
2013: When Obama won a second term, Jill held the Bible again when Joe was sworn in at the inauguration.
Jill Biden held the Bible during Joe Biden's 2013 inauguration as vice president.
Carolyn Kaster/AP
As they had in 2009, they danced together at more inaugural balls.
2015: Tragedy struck when their son Beau Biden died of brain cancer.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at their son Beau Biden's funeral.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool/Reuters
Still reeling from the loss, Joe decided not to run for president in 2016.
2019: Jill released her own book, "Where The Light Enters," in which she wrote about falling in love with Joe in the early days of their relationship.
Jill Biden's book.
Johnny Louis/Getty Images
"After the disappointment of my divorce, I never wanted to feel so out of control of my heart again," she wrote. "But in the months that Joe and I were dating, that desire ran up against a new reality: I was falling in love."
April 2019: When Joe entered the 2020 presidential race, Jill became an important voice in his campaign.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a campaign event in Philadelphia.
Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images
For the first time since 1981, she took a break from teaching to help him on the campaign trail.
December 2019: In an unusual campaign stop moment, Joe nibbled on his wife's finger as she spoke to a crowd in Iowa.
Joe Biden bit Jill Biden's finger as she spoke at a campaign event.
Joshua Lott/Getty Images
Jill was gesturing behind herself as she spoke, barely missing Joe's face as he pretended to dodge. Joe then leaned forward while her arm was outstretched and bit down on the tip of her index finger. She appeared to laugh it off.
Jill later reposted a video on X of the hosts of "The View" discussing the moment, where Meghan McCain said, "I thought it was silly, and they clearly still love each other and are playful," and replied, "Guilty, we do still love each other!"
March 2020: Jill fought off protesters who stormed the stage on Super Tuesday, leading Joe to joke, "I'm probably the only candidate running for president whose wife is my Secret Service."
Jill Biden fought off protestors that rushed the stage during a Super Tuesday election night party.
Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images
"Whoa, you don't screw around with a Philly girl, I'll tell you what," he said after the protesters were removed from the stage. "I thought I heard on the news on the way over that the committee in charge of Secret Service decided they have to start providing Secret Service for us. I think that's because they're afraid Jill's going to hurt someone. I tell you what man, I married way above my station."
August 2020: Jill delivered a keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention from the high school classroom in Delaware where she used to teach English.
A screenshot from the livestream of the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Handout/DNCC via Getty Images
"Love makes us flexible and resilient," she said in the speech. "It allows us to become more than ourselves, together, and though it can't protect us from the sorrows of life, it gives us refuge, a home. How do you make a broken family whole? The same way you make a nation whole: with love and understanding and with small acts of kindness."
November 2020: Joe won the presidential election, and called himself "Jill's husband" in his victory speech.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden waved to the crowds after his victory speech.
ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
"Jill's a mom — a military mom — and an educator," he said. "She has dedicated her life to education, but teaching isn't just what she does — it's who she is. For America's educators, this is a great day: You're going to have one of your own in the White House, and Jill is going to make a great first lady."
December 2020: After a Wall Street Journal op-ed urged her to drop her "Dr" title since she's not a medical doctor, Jill remained proud of her doctorate, and Joe backed her up.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden in an interview with Stephen Colbert.
"That was such a surprise," Jill said of the op-ed. "It was really the tone of it. He called me 'kiddo,' and one of the things I'm most proud of is my doctorate. I mean, I've worked so hard for it. And Joe came when I defended my thesis."
"I got to hand her her doctorate on the stage at the University of Delaware," Joe added.
Colbert jokingly asked if Joe ever wanted to "get out a length of pool chain and go full corn pop" on people who criticize Jill's academic achievements. As he began to answer, Jill interjected with "No! The answer is no!" Joe then quipped, "I've been suppressing my Irishness for a long time."
January 2020: Jill held the Biden family Bible for Joe's inauguration as president of the United States.
Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.
Saul Loeb/Pool via REUTERS
The Biden family Bible dates back to 1893. He has used it for his swearing-in ceremonies as a US senator and as vice president.
April 2021: Joe stopped to pick a dandelion for Jill on the White House lawn as they boarded Marine One.
Joe Biden handed Jill Biden a flower on the White House Ellipse.
Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The president and first lady were traveling to Atlanta for a rally in Plains, Georgia, to meet with former president Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter.
As they were boarding Marine One on the White House Ellipse, the president bent down and picked a dandelion for his wife. Jill stopped to accept the flower, and she held on to it as she boarded the helicopter.
December 2021: They welcomed a new German shepherd puppy, Commander.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden pet Commander.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The Bidens entered the White House with two German shepherds, Champ and Major. Champ passed away at the age of 13 in June 2021, and Major was rehomed due to behavioral issues.
The Bidens also adopted a cat, Willow, in January 2022.
Commander was moved out of the White House in October 2023 after numerous biting incidents.
February 2022: Jill was spotted wearing a corsage from Joe in a sweet Valentine's Day tradition.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden on Valentine's Day.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
While exiting Marine One on Valentine's Day, the first lady was photographed wearing a corsage of what appeared to be white gardenias, her favorite flower.
In an interview with People magazine shortly after Joe took office, Jill shared that the corsages began as a Valentine's Day tradition, and that he had surprised her with a corsage of gardenias at the inauguration.
"I don't know when it started — a long, long time ago. I think it was for Valentine's Day," she said. "I love gardenias and so Joe would buy me a wrist corsage of gardenias. I wore it to school to teach!"
Joe also shared a sweet Valentine's Day message for his wife.
"You're the love of my life and the life of my love, Jilly. Happy Valentine's Day," he wrote on X.
May 2022: In a cover story for Harper's Bazaar, Jill said she and Joe fight over text, or "fext," to avoid arguing in front of their Secret Service detail.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden at a White House reception.
In one particularly heated exchange, Biden reminded her that presidential communications like texts and emails are kept as part of a historical record of each presidency.
"Joe said, 'You realize that's going to go down in history. There will be a record of that,'" she told Harper's Bazaar. "I won't tell you what I called him that time."
While they do occasionally "fext," Jill also spoke about supporting her husband's work during his presidency.
"I try to be a support for Joe because I don't know how many people are saying to him, 'That was great. That was brilliant.' I try to be that person for him," she said. "Some days, I see Joe and I'm just like, 'I don't know how you're doing it.' It's the pandemic and then it's the war and then it's the economy and then it's the gas prices. You feel like you're being slammed."
June 2022: They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.
Joe Biden and Jill Biden rode bikes in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
The Bidens celebrated their anniversary at their beach house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. During their trip, Joe fell off his bike but quickly got back up and chatted with reporters. A White House spokesperson said that the president did not require medical attention.
2023: Joe announced he would run for reelection in 2024.
South Carolina Sen. Dick Harpootlian, a former state party chairman and Biden 2020 finance committee member, told Business Insider in 2022 that "Joe Biden wouldn't have run in '20 if Jill Biden had not wanted him to run and he won't run in '24 if Jill Biden doesn't want him to run."
2024: Jill defended Joe after his disastrous presidential debate against Donald Trump.
Jill Biden spoke after Joe Biden's first 2024 debate against Donald Trump.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
During the first presidential debate of 2024, Joe spoke with a hoarse voice, offered convoluted answers, and appeared disoriented at times. His poor performance sparked panic among Democrats about whether he should stay in the race.
Jill defended Joe in the face of widespread criticism, telling Vogue that the Biden family "will not let those 90 minutes define the four years he's been president. We will continue to fight."
"When he gets knocked down, Joe gets back up, and that's what we're doing today," Jill said at a New York City fundraiser the day after the debate.
Joe also acknowledged that his age has impacted his debate performance, but remained firm in his commitment to stay in the race.
"I know I'm not a young man, to state the obvious," he said during a rally the day after the debate. "I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to. But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. And I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done."
Joan Sabaté is a nutrition expert at Loma Linda University in California.
Loma Linda University
Professor Joan Sabaté has spent decades studying how eating plants impacts our health.
He's discovered some serious health benefits linked to nut, berry, and avocado consumption.
His daily diet prioritizes fresh produce, while avoiding ultra-processed fare.
Joan Sabaté is admittedly "nutty" about good health and nutrition.
Not only does he live in America's only longevity "Blue Zone," this nutrition buff and director of the Center for Nutrition, Lifestyle and Disease Prevention at Loma Linda University has also spent decades investigating how different foods — especially unprocessed plants — can influence health.
In the 1990s, he was the first nutrition researcher to discover that while walnuts contain small amounts of saturated fat, they are actually good for your heart — a finding that surprised him, and upended American Heart Association recommendations. Later, he helped author the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
He understands that healthy eating isn't only about achieving the right balance of macronutrients — protein, carbs, and fat — but that there is a bigger "total package" of nutrition benefits that are naturally occurring in foods like whole grains, beans, and vegetables.
Already, he's found compelling evidence that nuts, beans, avocados, and berries are all health-boosting foods that can lower the odds of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and heart issues.
He is now investigating how certain plant foods might impact our immune system, potentially enhancing the body's ability to fight off infections like the common cold or COVID.
"I think there are, in many plant foods, still things that have to be studied and discovered," he said.
He shared his general practices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Business Insider while admitting that his diet "is not sophisticated," and mainly involves avoiding ultra-processed foods.
Breakfast is a two-ingredient 'smoothie' made from leftovers
He often eats his "smoothie" with a spoon.
Oksana Mizina/Shutterstock
Sabaté always likes to keep nuts like walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts around the house, and he puts a few handfuls into his blender each morning, along with about two cups of whatever fruit happens to be the ripest on his Southern California table. This is an easy way for him to quickly get a couple of servings of vitamin-rich fruit and a couple of servings of protein-heavy nuts into his day.
It's not always the most photogenic meal, but he doesn't mind, because he's not "showing off" this breakfast to any friends or colleagues.
"No, I eat this at home," he said.
Sometimes, the mix is too thick to pour into a glass and he eats this "smoothie" with a bowl and spoon while he's getting ready to tackle his day. Occasionally, he'll add a plop of yogurt or sprinkling of cacao nibs on top.
Lunch is three core ingredients, plus olive oil
Beans are a must for lunch.
Crispin la valiente/Getty Images
In traditional Spanish fashion, the biggest meal of Sabaté's day is usually lunch, where "we eat a pot of beans."
One of his favorites is "a typical Catalan dish that is beans and broccoli," but he likes to sample a wide variety of beans to keep things interesting.
"In the Loma Linda market there are at least 20 different types of beans," he said.
At its essence, his lunch is always "a legume, a vegetable, and then bread."
"Mediteranneans, we love bread — bread with olive oil," Sabaté said.
Scientists suspect that one of the key reasons that Mediterranean diets are so often associated with long, healthy lives and strong minds is because they're loaded with olive oil, which has long been associated with better heart health, fewer type 2 diabetes cases, less inflammation, and lower overall mortality.
Dinner is usually pretty insignificant, but if he goes out to eat, he might have some fish
Salad is a dinnertime favorite of the nutrition professor.
Joff Lee/Getty Images
For Sabaté and his wife, dinner is typically an afterthought.
"We try to have either no supper or light supper," he said.
If breakfast is hearty enough, he'll do a late lunch and perhaps skip having a third meal altogether. Other days, dinner is "maybe a salad, and that's it."
Leafy salad greens are great for your gut, and they're loaded with nutrients like vitamins A, C, and K, as well as plenty of fiber and magnesium.
At home, his meal plan is generally vegetarian and fairly low-dairy, but Sabaté isn't opposed to having some omega-3-rich fish when he goes out to eat. Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that we can typically only get from animal products like meat, eggs, dairy, or fish. Vegetarians and vegans can supplement their diet with pills or try algae.
Gen Z is known for sharing their fashion opinions online, often to the dismay of millennials.
BI spoke to stylists and millennials Aisya Washington and Payton Dale for their takes on Gen Z looks.
They said Golden Goose sneakers and kitten heels are some of Gen Z's worst shoe trends.
Take one look at the internet, and you'll likely learn there's another fashion item that Gen Z has declared outdated or uncool — usually to the dismay of millennials.
Born from 1997 to 2012, Gen Z has apparently outlawed everything from skinny jeans and Adidas Superstars to front-tucked shirts and no-show socks in a display of fashion power that can only be likened to Miranda Priestly from "The Devil Wears Prada."
But what if the narrative was flipped?
Business Insider spoke to millennial fashion stylists Aisya Washington and Payton Dale to learn more about their opinions on Gen Z's worst trends, starting with shoes.
Here's what they had to say.
Golden Goose sneakers are overpriced and overrated.
Golden Goose Superstar "Paint Your Love" sneakers.
Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Golden Goose sneakers are a favorite of Gen Z, but Washington said she's not a fan of the juxtaposition between people's pristine outfits and the "dirty" sneakers, especially when the shoes can retail for upwards of $500.
"It kind of just doesn't give the same message to me," Washington said.
But the one thing Gen Z doesn't lack is confidence.
"I might not necessarily love the look, but I respect it because you're gonna wear it regardless," Washington said. "I'm here for that because everything I'm saying can be null and void if you have an inner sense of fashion."
Some designer shoes can lack the quality of older models and are too trend-specific.
Anne Hathaway at the Valentino Haute Couture Fall/Winter 22/23 show in 2022.
Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Staff/Getty Images
Accessories have long been promoted as a more accessible entry point to luxury goods. Unfortunately, according to the stylists, luxury prices and names don't always equal luxury quality.
Dale told BI she purchased a pair of Gucci platform loafers in 2023 that scuffed on her first night wearing them. Meanwhile, her vintage Gucci loafers from the '80s "look brand new."
To Dale, purchasing from luxury brands in 2024 indicates "you're paying for Instagram likes, you're paying for TikTok likes. You're paying to show off at this point."
She said fashion cycles also move significantly faster than they used to, which has led to momentary trends and corresponding designer pieces. She pointed to the hot-pink Valentino Garavani Tan-Go Platform Pump, which originally retailed for $1,400, and was ubiquitous during the "Barbie" craze of 2022-2023.
"They really pimped out that Valentino shoe. They were like, 'We're going to give this to every single person on Earth,'" Dale said. "But because we have access to every photo all over the world, at every time, people were burned out in a month."
"The way that fashion is set up now, it's not sustainable in any way, shape, or form," she added.
The Nike AlphaFly is meant for professional runners, not fashion.
Nike Alphafly.
Nike
Washington's gripe isn't with all sneakers, but rather "racing shoes" like the Nike Alphafly. "I just don't think sneakers look great with everything," she said.
More specifically, Washington said she isn't a fan of pairing bulky sneakers with more dainty pieces like a prairie skirt.
"I just get confused," she added.
Instead, Washington said sleek sneaker options are better for high-fashion looks or suits compared with running shoes because they don't interfere with an outfit's silhouette.
"I'm very much so a silhouette person, so the shoe shouldn't be in competition with the pants," she said. "What is the fascination with the chunky shoe over a sleek shoe is my question."
She added, "They look comfortable though. So I'm like, maybe we're going comfort over full aesthetic."
Hiking seems to be Gen Z's equivalent to millennials' snowboarding obsession.
Hiking boots.
encierro/Shutterstock
"In the 2000s, people were wearing snowboard gear, and no one was snowboarding," Washington said. "No one was using the goggles, right, so it was just a prop."
So it's possible hiking boots are Gen Z's version of the trend.
"I don't know why running, hiking, all of those sneakers are now super popular with high fashion," she said, adding, "But hey, if you want to buy expensive hiker shoes and you're not hiking, that is on you."
Kitten heels are an unfortunate staple of the "office siren" trend.
Kitten heels.
Chris Smart/Shutterstock
BI previously reported that the "office siren" is a "corporate aesthetic" characterized by '90s and 2000s styles like pencil skirts and red lipstick.
For Dale, the kitten heel being back is "how I know we're in trouble."
She theorized that the return of the kitten heel's popularity is tied to companies' efforts to have employees return to the office; as BI previously reported, a number of major companies like Amazon, Apple, and Disney have implemented return-to-work mandates.
"The kitten heel being back shows me that they are desperate for every single person to get back in the office," Dale said.
Washington agreed, saying she thinks the trend has something to do with trying to make offices cooler. "Like, 'Oh, I have this cute outfit. Where am I going to go with it? To work,'" she said.
But Dale finds the trend problematic and suggests it could be pressuring young female graduates into thinking they need to dress a certain way in the workplace.
Comfort doesn't quite make up for the quirkiness of the Tabi.
Tabi flats.
Edward Berthelot/Contributor/Getty Images
Maison Margiela took inspiration for its split-toe shoe from the traditional Japanese Tabi work shoe, which has roots in the 15th century, Vogue reported.
Even though Maison Margiela's iteration of the shoe debuted in 1988, it's having a major moment now. Vogue said it "defined 2023," with many celebrities, including Dua Lipa, Kylie Jenner, and Cardi B, being seen in a pair.
But Washington isn't convinced.
"The toe stresses me out," she said. "I don't like that on a boot. I don't like it on a flat. I don't like it on a loafer."
"I've seen people wear them and OK, I'm like, 'OK, it's cute.' It's just not a universal cute thing to me," she added. "I heard that they're very comfortable, so if nothing else, that's great."
Dale said they're "objectively a work of art" for their ability to function when they shouldn't. And she noted that while they're not her style, the pair she tried on was "wildly comfortable."
"They shouldn't be, but they are," she said.
Rombaut did not need to blend ballet core and athleisure with the Boccaccio II Ballerina Flats.
SSENSE Exclusive Silver Boccaccio II Ballerina Flats.
SSENSE/Rombaut
Ballet flats are one of this year's hottest shoe trends, seen on everyone from Hailey Bieber and Meghan Markle to Sofia Richie Grainge and Olivia Rodrigo.
But a more unexpected variation has risen in popularity: the ballerina sneaker.
Rombaut's Silver Boccaccio II Ballerina Flats originally sold for $415 as an SSense exclusive, and other variations from the brand also retail for upwards of $400.
"I get the point it's supposed to be a sneaker and a ballet flat, but did we need it?" Washington said.
Gen Z probably should've let cowboy boots stay in Nashville.
White cowboy boots.
Christian Vierig/Contributor/Getty Images
Dale, who's located in Nashville, said "it's so weird" seeing items like cowboy boots, cutoff shorts, and oversized hats "trickle into the mainstream."
But what's different with Gen Z is their ability to experiment with fashion on a much larger platform than millennials ever had.
"I feel bad for Gen Z because they're trying to figure out who they are, they're trying to see what sticks," she said. "But they're doing it to hundreds of thousands of people every day and then everything that they do is up for criticism."
"So I never want to tell the girl that she's going to regret wearing the cowboy boots and the trucker hat, but she will," Dale added.
Millennials on the other hand, "had the privilege" of trying out trends privately, she said.
"The big thing that everyone needs to think about is why are you wearing these?" she said. "If it doesn't pique your genuine curiosity and you're just like, 'Oh, well, I guess that's what we're doing,' that's when it's never a good idea to wear a trend."