Creative, trend-setting, and confident are not enough to describe all that is Cassie Malnick. I would pay an exorbitant amount of money to walk around in her mind for just a day, and I’m surely not alone in this— when Cassie talks, people want to listen. She’s just that kind of person: magnetic, effortlessly hysterical, and always prepared with something fascinating to offer in conversation.
So, who is Cassie Malnick, really? A junior communication studies major on the Radio, TV, & Film track with minors in broadcast journalism and interactive multimedia, Malnick is simply dedicated to being a creative. This extends beyond her studies, too: she spends her free time working for TCNJ’s radio station— WTSR— as both News Director and a podcast host. She knits, she’s an expert vintage clothing shopper, she can currate a mean playlist, and she has a knack for remembering the most random (yet somehow always relevant) moments in pop culture. In my eyes, it’s Cassie’s World, and we’re all just living in it.
Not only is she one of the first friends I made in college, but she is truly one of my biggest inspirations at TCNJ. Here, we got the chance to sit down and discuss her fashion philosophies, trend cycles, Cher, 2014 Tumblr, what inspired her to pursue a career in television, and more.
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[BELLA]: You are incredibly knowledgeable about nostalgic pop culture. What is your favorite era in pop culture history and why?
[CASSIE]: For years, I was a ‘90s person. From age 13 to 19, the ‘90s were my main inspiration. So I did a lot of research on that era throughout that time, but then I started getting into the ‘80s more. But there’s different things from different decades that I love: with the ‘90s, I love fashion and media the most, but I prefer ‘80s music. But now I’ve been getting into my Dolly Parton and Cher era, which is more ‘70s. If I had to pick one favorite, though, I’d probably say the ‘90s. Even in high school, I illustrated a book about the ‘90s.
Can you talk a little more about the ‘90s book you illustrated?
So I was in a graphic design class, and we were assigned to illustrate any kind of book we wanted, but mostly people were doing alphabet books. So I created a ‘90s book where I did a combination of calligraphy, typography, collages, and digital paintings. “A” for Aaliyah, “B” for Backstreet Boys, and so on. And I illustrated the alphabet like that.
Would you say that your love for the ‘90s is reflected in what you wear? Also, what drew you to the ‘90s originally?
What first drew me to the ‘90s was the 2014 Tumblr culture of American Apparel fashion, especially with tennis skirts— I think that was already rooted in the ‘90s. When I saw that fashion, and then I looked up the origins of it, I was obsessed. That’s also when I started watching the show Friends, which is like… the most ‘90 show of all time.
I know you also really do love the 2000s. For example, you still play Club Penguin to this day. Obviously, this isn’t related to style or fashion, but I think that just speaks to your level of admiration for nostalgia. Is there anything else that you do in your life that feels very closely related to childhood or nostalgia and pop culture?
Yeah, I would say, I do a lot of what some would call childish things. I love playing Webkinz and Club Penguin. But it’s just because it’s fun and nostalgic, not because I want to go back to being a child. I like that I can be older in age and still do something nostalgic but “childish” without it having to be something I’m embarrassed about. It’s just something fun to do.
And I feel like people, even if they’re alone, would be embarrassed to play a childhood game. And it’s like, why? Especially if it’s something you genuinely enjoy doing. If the only thing holding you back from still playing Club Penguin is just the fact that you’re older, that’s a sad thing to do.
Going back to your thoughts on TV: You’re pursuing a degree in radio, TV, and film communications. Does your admiration for nostalgic media play any role in this career choice?
No, it definitely did.
SpongeBob was one of the driving factors to me wanting to do television, because Stephen Hillenburg— the creator of Spongebob— is one of my biggest inspirations. He was also a marine biologist, so his early sketches [of the show] were able to combine his scientific background and turn it into animation, into one of the biggest animated series of all time. That was inspiring to me. And the thought of being able to work for any part of a television show that I grew up loving— that was really a driving force.
Also, in high school, I had a really good film teacher who saw something in me— shout out Mrs. Spiegeland— which I really appreciated. She called up my mom and told her, ‘I don’t think Cassie should be doing graphic design. I think she should consider film.”
I never had a teacher support me like that. For someone to give their opinion so strongly, it actually made me take a step back and think: maybe if someone is saying this to me, that’s not something to just brush off.
And in Mrs. Spiegeland’s class, I actually got to create a reality TV parody, which was based around the early 2000s. So again, it kinda comes back to nostalgia. It was just the domino effect leading up to where I am in college now.
What does TV mean to you?
Watching TV is literally the simplest pleasure because it just reminds me of my childhood.
I have a weird thing, I can’t even explain it. It’s a concept that I’ve always pondered over the years: If everybody on Earth died, would the TV still be running? And the radio stations and the stoplights, would they still change? And I don’t know why I always think about that. And it’s eerie, but also comforting. If I was the last person on Earth, at least I could watch TV and not feel as alone as I am.
What are your biggest inspirations and icons in pop culture from any era?
Dolly Parton is a big inspiration, and I feel like she just should be for women in general. I read her book recently, and she’s a very strong person. She insinuated experiencing misogyny in the ‘60s— which obviously she did— but she didn’t even want to name drop those who wronged her, because she’s bigger than that by now. Reading her book and hearing about the experience of being one of the biggest female artists in the nation was very interesting, because now she’s a cultural icon.
I also love Cher. I feel like a lot of female artists were afraid to speak out against the music industry, because they didn’t want to lose their fame, which is understandable. But Cher was in the ‘70s saying, “I don’t need a man”. And people were mad about it back then. But she didn’t care. Cher is also a fashion icon, obviously.
Another inspiration is Halsey. Yes, I’m a Halsey fan. In my head, it’s still a controversial thing. Because, growing up liking her, she was not well perceived by the media. So in my head, people still really hate her. But I’ve grown to find that people actually do like her and appreciate her which I’m so happy about. She’s always been an inspiration. She’s also not afraid to speak up, even when sometimes it has not been good for her image. Even just the development of her albums has been so beautiful to see. Because I’ve been there since her first EP where it was her raw emotions of being a teenager who doesn’t know where she’s going to now, her album: If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power. It’s just full circle. I feel like she’s been a person who’s always ahead of the curve when it comes to fashion as well; she did the ‘90s before it was a trend.
Another person that also inspired my college career in communications is Eric Andre. I love that guy. Just because, with his show, he’s so committed to the bit. I think about comedians, some of them are just not committed enough. But I think Eric is perfect in his character.
What are your opinions on the current state of pop culture?
I think the biggest trends in pop culture right now are things from 2005 to 2009: the Twilight movies, layering, Juicy Couture, Ugg boots. It’s not my favorite. I also don’t like how people go through things so fast. We’re seeing the decades trends move so much faster. It used to be every 10 years, or 20 years, a fashion era would come back. Now, it’s speeding up because of fast fashion. And people always want to be the newest and coolest, which is why people are so ready to be the first to revive a trend. I just think that everybody wants to establish something first. But it’s also fine to just fit in sometimes.
That’s something that I’ve learned growing up. I don’t want to waste my time trying to fit into trends that are not going to last. I’m just gonna focus on stuff I like and invest in clothing that I know will last me a long time. Because it’s better for my wallet, it’s better for the environment. And all the pieces that I bought in the past that I was just following trends, I regret.
Do you have any tips on how you’ve established an authentic personal style?
I think it really takes time. I would recommend, first of all, thrifting, because the clothing is cheaper. So if you buy something and you don’t wear it, at least it didn’t hurt your pocket. And at least you didn’t make a billionaire richer.
Also, just letting your personal style come naturally. Like, if you see a trend, and you’re not in love with it, don’t force yourself to do it just so you can feel like you’re in on something. You’ll find something eventually, and you’ll think: “Oh my God, that’s what I’ve been looking for this whole time.” That’s when you’ll know that it’s something you want to be part of your style.
A lot of things, such as personal style, just come over time and naturally. So that’s something I don’t really have issues with as much.
But having regrets is something that used to cause me a lot of stress. It’s taken a lot of time to realize that I can’t change the past. So don’t focus on it. It’s still something I struggle with. But if you can work on that, as in not regretting who you were in the past and just focusing on bettering yourself in the future, it’ll relieve a lot of stress. And it’ll be easier to find who you are, because you’re not worrying about who you used to be.
I don’t have to define myself to be myself, you know. I don’t have to be so hooked on labels and making sure I fit the label that I want to represent. Up to age 18, that’s what I always felt like I had to do. It’s like: Oh, I enjoy the ‘90s, so I always have to fit into the style that I’m trying to present. And I realized… that’s stupid. I can literally just wear whatever I want.
I can wear sweats one day, and then I can be ‘70s glam the next day. And like, if people don’t get it, it’s okay. They don’t need to get it. I don’t have to get them either.
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