In October, British Vogue launched a digital nuclear warhead when Chanté Joseph wrote an article that posed the question, “is having a boyfriend embarrassing now”? It was met with a range of reactions but not one person was indifferent to it.
So I wanted to ask the same question through the lens of interiors. Does having a boyfriend make your home embarrassing? Boring perhaps? Such a leading question is outside of the journalistic spirit but with literally millions of people engaging the initial question, it was clear to me that it had to be asked exactly like this.
Boyfriend Interiors: Bachelor Pads In Disguise
So I posted on Broke in Tweed’s platforms. I got one girl-jargon heavy response that I understand instinctively. The commenter wrote: “When I had a bf who lived with me he would bring in these typical bachelor pieces of decor”, followed by the explanation, “It ruined the aesthetic… they miss & match instead of mix & match.” To her, boyfriend interiors are “100%” embarrassing.
A poll on the Broke in Tweed Instagram returned that exact percentage too. I began to realise the verdict was undeniably clear.
I was no stranger to the “bachelor” pad, having written about it as a freelancer. But I thought (and even wrote) that those days were gone. Why do bachelor pad interiors persist when a man moves in? Can they be redeemed?
Boyfriends & Budgeting
It’s no surprise that this topic hits us where it hurts. According to 2021 census data in England and Wales, homeownership and rent-free living has decreased, and renting has increased. The same census presents three age groups with the steepest rise in cohabiting relationships over a decade: 20-24 year olds (9%), 30-34 year olds (10%) and 25-29 year olds (16%).
With the cost of living crisis, it’s increasingly difficult to own a home or even live independently as a renter. Economic frustrations mean that having a boyfriend who kills your style is the very opposite of the flex it was a decade ago.
The ability to express ourselves, not only in love but in our limited physical space with our limited resources, is an important part of our independence. And if a lover fails to get the memo, there may not be enough space for two.
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