Some of the women I spoke with found no caps to have neutral-to-positive signifiers as well — even Giliann, who recently addressed the Lowercase Boy phenomenon in a viral post on X (“That man with autocaps off will not provide for you. He can still take me to drinks though.”). “I think it shows a certain level of ‘being online,’ which is something I really look for,” she says. “I need someone who picks up on my references and can riff with me. I’ve dated guys who don’t understand my references, and it just doesn’t work out.” Read more

Giliann Karon, 26, thinks of the site as a social media for real life, and for New Year’s Eve, she’s of course going to a Partiful party. The host used the app to tell her and other guests the event would have karaoke, a balcony and would be shoes off, so plan outfits accordingly.

Most of Karon’s friends really started using Partiful this spring or summer in D.C., she said. It helped her make what she called “loose friends,” or people she’d enjoy seeing at larger gatherings but might not hang out with one-on-one. When she’d host a party, she could go to past event pages and easily invite people she’d connected with, even if she hadn’t exchanged numbers or followed them on social media.

“People our age want an easier way to be together,” she said. “It’s so easy to get caught up in every other social media app. Partiful is refreshing because it has one purpose, and one purpose only: to bring people together.” Read more

Dirt contributors and friends on the best songs to press play on as the wheels lift off. Read more

On this episode, Matty and Britt are joined by special guests Giliann Karon (aka carl marks) & Aly Eleanor as they run through the soundtrack of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Listen here