There’s a particular kind of phone call that only happens between women. It starts with a question: Should I take this job? Should I text him back? Should I buy the linen suit I absolutely do not need but deeply deserve?

And the answer—delivered with love, drama, and zero hesitation—rarely comes from a place of expertise. Instead, it’s an instant, biased vote for whatever keeps you thriving. It might be impractical. It might even be bad advice. But it’s never without purpose: to remind you that you’re not alone, that you’re worthy of support, and that you deserve to feel like your best self.

We joke about it, but research backs this “unqualified advice economy.”

Why the Hype Matters

• Friendship literally boosts your health. Women who have close, supportive friendships experience lower stress, higher serotonin and oxytocin levels, and greater overall life satisfaction.
  
• It’s good for your heart—literally. Having at least three trusted friends can lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by nearly 30%.
  
• It strengthens resilience. Emotional support buffers stress and reduces burnout, especially for women juggling work, parenting, and everything in between.
• It makes us more successful. Women with strong networks of female friends are 2.5× more likely to land high-pay, high-authority roles.

In other words: the pep talks, the laughter, the “quit your job, eat the pasta, book the flight” moments are not just comedy—they’re medicine.

Why Bad Advice Can Still Be Good for You

Sure, sometimes the advice is objectively terrible. We’ll tell each other to turn down a perfectly good promotion, cut our hair on a whim, or send a risky text just to “see what happens.” But beneath the chaos is something profound: validation.

Unqualified advice works because it reminds us that someone believes in us—so fiercely that they’ll fight our battles, hype our decisions, and guard our peace, even if the strategy itself is questionable.

It’s less about what’s said, and more about what it means: you’re not alone in this.

A Ritual Worth Keeping

The ritual of calling your girlfriends isn’t about finding the perfect solution—it’s about creating a soft landing place in a world that often demands perfection. It’s about having your own board of directors for life, except everyone’s unpaid, overly opinionated, and deeply loyal.

So yes, maybe your best friend isn’t a licensed career coach, therapist, or stylist. But she is qualified in the most important ways: to listen, to lift, and to remind you that you are worthy of joy, rest, and ridiculous confidence.

And that, unqualified or not, makes her advice unstoppable.

Vallory Picks: Products to Share With Your Hype Crew

Because sometimes friendship looks like pep talks—and sometimes it looks like sending a little gift link that says “you deserve this.”

• Activist Skincare Refillable Hydration Serum – Eco-friendly and luxurious, perfect for reminding her to refill her own cup.
• e.l.f. Halo Glow Perfecting Cream – Affordable, luminous, and effortless—the kind of glow that pairs well with questionable life decisions.
• Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer – Universally flattering, universally hype-worthy.