Fearne Cotton approves of the new mindful drinking trend and I tried it out

Like 8.5 million Brits, I’ve followed the Dry Jamwary tradition and started the year off by not drinking alcohol. Invigorated by a month of sleep-free sleep and intrigued by the idea, I spoke to Millie Gooch, founder of the Temperate Girls Association and Alcohol Change UK ambassador, to ask her if it’s possible to change your drinking habits for good.

Then in February, I that It was a month of terrible hangovers, and since then I’ve tried everything from abstinence to fervently believing that hangovers are actually wonderful (hear me out on that one). But as a Libra, I need balance, so I’ve been exploring a less temperamental approach to drinking. I’m not alone. More than one in four of us would like to cut down on our alcohol consumption.

This is where “zebra stripes,” aka the “one-for-one rule,” comes in. As Fearne Cotton explained to me recently, “Zebra stripes are when you have one alcoholic drink, followed by one non-alcoholic drink, then one more alcoholic drink (if you wish), and so on.”

At 33, ONS data suggests I’m well into wedding season, and when I look at the calendar and think of upcoming engagement parties, girls’ nights and weddings, my liver shrinks in dread.

Speaking on a Seedlip-sponsored panel, Fearne Cotton reflected on her “journey to mindful drinking” (though she says she cringes at the word “journey”). Though she’s been sober for over 10 years, having “burned the candle at both ends” during her time on Top of the Pops, she admits that weddings are the trickiest. It’s a sentiment echoed by 28-year-old Katie Symons, who never much liked drinking and says her friends are generally understanding, but weddings are a different story. “Everyone is understanding until I go to a wedding, then I feel like I’m looking down on the happy couple. I’ll have a toast, but I won’t have an alcoholic drink.”

Millie Gooch had a similar experience when she first quit drinking. She remembers that all her friends were supportive, but then they asked her afterwards, “But you’re going to drink at my bachelorette party, aren’t you?” This lines up with the LA Brewery survey results, where 43% of people said weddings were the hardest social event to quit drinking at, second only to dinner parties (31%).

@milliegooch ♬ Original Sound – Millie Gooch

Gooch has now been sober for six years, but remembers feeling “very abnormal” when she first stopped drinking. Thankfully, since founding a community for sober women and those interested in quitting, her attitude towards drinking, especially excessive drinking, has changed.

#Sobertok has 75.3 million posts, and 67% of drinking-age Gen Zers say they cut down on their drinking after seeing mindful drinking content on social media. As Sarah Hawke noted in her Gen Talks series: “Honestly, I’d rather spend my money on experiences that nourish the soul.”

For Cotton, the zebra print means “much nicer nights and days with no hangover the next day.” Like most thirtysomethings who must eventually accept the brutal truth that even if you chug Glenn vodka all night, you’re still a far cry from your old self the next day, I’m panicking this summer about the number of “lost days” that lie ahead of me.

Zebra stripes offer an alternative: they don’t promise you to give up alcohol completely, but they make you less likely to give up completely the next day. Other conscious drinking trends are on the horizon: “sober sipping” and “hydration hacking” are both gaining momentum, and a new survey from Harrogate Spring Water says 45% of us plan to “double up” this summer. Gone are the days when a double equated to a wince-inducing alcoholic drink. Today, the term means ordering water or another non-alcoholic drink along with an alcoholic drink.

Entrepreneur and content creator Patricia Bright says she often just orders iced water (a typical entrepreneurial move) because it means fewer questions and “it’s nice to have something on hand.”

As someone who thoroughly enjoys alcohol (both the taste and the effects — help me!), I can’t imagine giving up alcohol forever, but what about zebra print? I’m a fashion freak, and I have a feeling this print will last more than a season. Just don’t force it on me.