Leandra Medine's Blog, page 38

Ask MR: Does “Happily Ever After” Really Exist?

Hello and welcome to our advice column, Ask MR, where we answer your burning questions, hoping we’ll become the ointment to your life rash. Ask us a question by sending one of us a DM, emailing write@manrepeller.com with the subject line “ASK MR A QUESTION,” or simply leaving one in the comments.

“There are these mythical couples (especially on TV) who found the ‘love of their life’ and know that they want to be holding hands until they die, but I feel that’s not the case for the majority? Or is it just me? Is it okay to not be sure something/someone is for forever? Does ‘happily ever after’ really exist?”

Good question(s). I’m equal parts romantic and cynical about this notion of one relationship lasting you forever, a lifetime. Here’s one unsatisfying answer: I’m not sure that we can ever be sure about anything (cue the expression, “sure as sure can be.”) I do feel certain, however, that I experienced a strange stroke of kismet last weekend.

There’s something about the last car on a Brooklyn-bound 5 train on a soggy Friday night that makes people want to talk to each other like it’s 1997. That’s what I gathered a week ago, anyway, when my friend Maxson and I slipped through the nearest doors on the platform, embarking on interborough travel en route to a friend’s party. With six subway stops to our destination and no available seats, Maxson and I staked out a subway pole and stood facing each other. With five stops to go, Maxson got tired and proceeded to crouch, maintaining his balance with one hand on the pole. It was at this point that, much to our befuddlement, everyone around us began to stare—and then we realized they all thought he was proposing to me. We started to giggle, processing the look of shock on everyone’s faces, stunned at the power one sweeping gesture can have in a public place.

An amused, middle-aged Spanish man standing near us asked if Maxson and I were an item, and I clarified that, no, we’re just friends, we’ve known each other our whole lives.

“You never know,” the man said. “My cousin used to date this girl in high school, and he said he couldn’t stand to look at her ever again. Then they got married when they were 28, and now they’ve been together since, happily ever after.”

“Happily ever after? Are you sure?” I asked him. “How long have they been together?”

“They’re 63 now. Happily ever after,” he told me, repeating the phrase already ringing in my ears. “They never get into arguments. I tell them it’s healthy every once in a while to get into an argument, and they say they never do—instead, they just go to the gym.”

I marveled at this odd episode on an otherwise routine train ride, where a man had just handed me the introduction to a story I’d been trying to figure out how to write over the course of the past week. Who could be less qualified than I am, a single woman in her late twenties, to answer a reader’s question about whether “happily ever after” exists? Ideally this story would be assigned to a woman in her eighties who has collected more earthly evidence than I have, but even she’d only have her own well of experience to draw from. I had opted to take a whack at this question in a vulnerable state after having finished Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy (a filmic meditation on this very question) but I reject the idea that a movie, even one as contemplative as Before Midnight, is the place to seek real, meaty answers. Especially since this kind of idealized media is what got us into trouble in the first place.

Feminist scholars far more specialized than I am can tell you that “happily ever after” is a myth. They can deconstruct the stories directed toward young women, and they can remind you of the ways these stories program you to seek validation through another person, which won’t necessarily pave the path to fulfillment. And anyway, I think I’m setting myself up for disappointment if I adopt the mindset that one person will be everything to me. If I had to decide between this one mystery person who fills every void and checks every box, and all of my friends and family who fill my life with joy at present, I’m inclined to choose the latter.

I have a friend whose point of view I tend to agree with: She says that there’s no such thing as the one true love, the one soulmate, but rather the right person at the right time. I see how this idea looms large and ominous in our minds: What prepares us to commit to another person for 50-some-odd years, when we’ve made virtually no other decisions like that up until this point? Setting up a 401k, eating well, sleeping enough, and exercising are the only decisions I’ve made that are on par with committing to something for decades, but even those aren’t really binding.

And on the flip side, nothing is fixed. Nothing is assuredly permanent. Everything is always changing, even a relationship we want to padlock. What could be less fixed than another person? Hitching your wagon to someone else’s doesn’t mean the wagons stop moving.

I was recently reading a book that quotes John Updike on the topic of temporariness: In the foreword of one of his novels, Updike writes “that a marriage ends is less than ideal; but all things end under heaven, and if temporality is held to be invalidating, then nothing real succeeds.” I’ve never been married, but I don’t subscribe to the idea that a relationship that doesn’t last forever is a failure. How do you learn to enjoy something while recognizing its transience, without requiring a certain firmness of it? Is it possible? Doesn’t it feel like some people are much better at it than others? Do you need to come to terms with your own transience before you can do that? Every relationship is transient, after all. Some just last longer than others.

When faced with the question of whether “happily ever after exists,” I feel like I have no concrete data points; they’re each as flimsy as they are firm. I could tell you about the man I talked to on the subway last weekend, and the story about his cousin. I could tell you about the relationship advice relayed by women who have seen four more decades of the world unfurl than I have. I could tell you about the vows I heard exchanged at my friends’ wedding this summer, and how I often still think about what the bride said, choked up with tears, said to the groom: that she’d always love him and she’d always be by his side, now and in 20 years and then when they’re ghosts.

Or I could tell you about how I walked the length of Central Park this weekend, thinking about how on earth I was going to answer this question, on the Sunday when somehow daylight savings extended golden hour to stretch over two hours and the air felt like velvet—the kind of weather that makes walking feel more like floating, a kind of just-happy-to-be-alive buoyancy that always reminds me of a Marc Chagall painting.

Walking parallel to the 98th Street entrance, I slowed my pace and began to read the tiny plaques on the park’s benches. They ranged from the funny (“I love you very much and look forward to marrying you… but if we have a fight you can always sleep here”) to the comforting (“JACK ROCKETT’S BENCH: Have a seat! You’ll feel better. Jack was kind, charming and a great listener. Loved by J, J & W”). And then my Baader-Meinhof syndrome kicked into high gear as I saw two declarative benches next to each other: “Kate and David – November 17, 2018 ….Happily Ever After” and “Emma and Greg – September 27, 2014 ….Happily Ever After.”

Everywhere I walked, I saw couples: one seated on a bench studying their respective textbooks, another laughing and sitting on the grass face-to-face with their legs crossed and their knees touching, one smiling and embracing as they waited for the crosswalk, one standing up behind a wall not high enough to obscure them as they buttoned up their clothes. In the glow of late afternoon in early spring, it’s hard not to indulge a glimmer of hope, a feeling of anticipation for the sprawl of the future, and the kind of resolution it may or may not hold.

Photo by Beth Sacca.

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Open Thread: What Do You Watch When You Need a Laugh?

Please Like Me could easily be a depressing TV show. In fact, the synopsis of its pilot—young guy moves back home after his mother’s suicide attempt, while coming to terms with being gay—could almost double as a content trigger warning. Instead, what unfolds during the show’s four seasons is nothing short of joyful.

I was late to watch Please Like Me, which was created by (and stars) Australian comedian Josh Thomas and premiered in 2013. But still, watching it in 2018 felt like returning home. This might be because it’s set in Melbourne (which reminded me of Sydney) or because I could dreamcast almost every character in the show with people from my inner circle. But most of all, the comfort I found in the show came from its continuous reminder that, even at the very worst of times, things can be incredibly funny.

Last weekend, I went to see Josh’s new live stand-up show, “Whoopsie Daisy.” I hadn’t forgotten how special he or Please Like Me are (or how much I need to watch his new show, Everything’s Gonna Be Okay) but seeing him on stage did remind me that there are still so many people I need to convince to watch my favorite funny TV show. It reminded me how many people are missing out on the charm, tender humor, and fun.

Come Monday morning, I was still in the mood to rave about how good both Josh and Please Like Me are. And when I did, other people’s funny-but-underrated recommendations came out too. And then I realized: I wanted a reference list immediately. I’ve written about the importance of finding distraction in times of crisis before, but this week was a much-needed reminder of the importance of good digestible comedy—not just in bad times—but always. And so, after some recommendations from the team below, I open the floor to you: What’s the show you’re constantly surprised that more people haven’t seen? If someone (me) were to ask you for a TV recommendation that’s guaranteed laughs, what would say?

PS. Please Like Me is on Hulu and, if you haven’t already gotten the gist from this story, I think you should watch it.

Nate Bargatze: The Tennessee Kid (on Netflix)

“The Nate Bargatze comedy special came on recommendation from a man that I dated for two minutes, metaphorically speaking (thanks, sir!). I watched it first by myself and was in tears, and then showed it to my family—a mixed, tough crowd—and they also were in tears. If you appreciate some dry-as-my-eczema comedy, this is for you. The milk story will have you giggling.” —Amalie

Saturday Night Live, but backwards (on Hulu, Slight TV, YouTube TV)

“Saturday Night Live is not at all underrated, but my strategy for watching it might be. This summer, I embarked on a project where, starting from the most recent season, I watched each episode in reverse chronological order. The ultimate objective is to watch the whole series until I land on the first episode in 1975. There’s something appealing about studying the various arcs of the show’s lifespan on both a micro and macro level. Hindsight is 20/20 and I love to see witness history unfold, backwards, in a new light.” —Edith

I Love Lucy (on Hulu, CBS, Philo)

“I grew up watching I Love Lucy and still return to it regularly when I need a laugh. While I’ll admit much of the show is definitely out-dated and a bit controversial re: gender and family stereotypes… Lucille Ball was a pioneer for female comedians and the writers were absolute geniuses.” —Sabrina

555 (on Vimeo)

“At this point I think it’s pretty well established that John Early and Kate Berlant are comedic angels (if you are uninitiated start with Early’s ‘Characters‘ special on Netflix, where Berlant also appears, then watch Early’s recent in-character endorsement of Bernie Sanders). 555 is a series of five shorts set in a bizarro (more bizarro?) version of Hollywood that showcases the best-friend-duo in their purest forms. It will make you laugh a lot and then it will make you desperately want to be friends with them.” —Mallory

Please do leave your suggestions in the comments! Many, many thanks in advance.

Feature photos via Everett Collection and Getty Images.

The post Open Thread: What Do You Watch When You Need a Laugh? appeared first on Man Repeller.

You at Your Most Chaotic, According to Your Sign

Welcome to Pisces season, when everything is in its right place, which is to say nothing is where it should be. The events unfolding on Earth seem to know this, and while most humans I know are struggling generally (as is our eternal condition), right now is an especially chaotic and uncertain time, at least per the stars.

This isn’t just on Pisces—it’s chaos season whenever we’re in a mutable sign, and Geminis, Virgos, and Sagittarians already know this well. Mutability is the mode that best lends itself to disorder, and these periods always mark the most volatile shifts in weather. They are always straddling two worlds, clearing away the present and making room for the future. They are the translators, the agents of change, the connective tissue that allows the world to move. Their ability to metabolize so much instability would make other signs throw up.

Spring into winter is perhaps the most existentially nauseating seasonal changeover. It’s the only time of year that, symbolically, moves counterclockwise from death into birth. It sits right at that uncomfortable intersection, forcing a confrontation between two states of being that cannot reconcile. It’s philosophically harrowing, and, even worse, it’s really hard to know what jacket to wear outside.

To properly celebrate and digest the entropic nature of this season, I’ve described each sign according to the Chaos tranche of the Alignment Chart. This is you at your Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, and, of course, Chaotic Evil. Remember that these are exaggerated, funhouse reflections of real qualities, so don’t get too bent out of shape as I bend your sign completely out of shape…

Aries

Chaotic Good: The invention of fire, the wheel, therapy, and every other wild discovery that has ever *truly* served humankind. Aries is superhero energy incarnate, and you are at your most chaotic good when you’re actually standing up for people who need it. Self-love that translates into a love of others. Mat talk. Mariah Carey. Mariah Carey.

Chaotic Neutral: Adults going absolutely bananas for Disney World. When you wear footie pajamas. Saying “adulting” when you’re doing basic, normal things like going to Costco or waking up before noon. You’re not hurting anyone with your aesthetics of innocence, so have at it.

Chaotic Evil: The heel turn of any wrestler. A supervillain. You rams like to be the hero, but you’re never the martyr. It’s always about serving your ego alongside a greater goal, and when the two are in conflict, it’s you looking out for number one in a way that can shock your nearest and dearest. Spiteful, below-the-belt insults. Tantrums where you destroy personal and potentially irreplaceable property. The exact moment before you realize you’re not just angry, but tired, hungry, and maybe a little scared.

Taurus

Chaotic Good: When Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice withstands the most devastating character attacks from Lady Catherine de Bourgh, enduring not only her personal derision, but the dashed prospect of marriage to Mr. Darcy. She keeps her wits, humor, and her dignity in the face of total societal failure as if she knows the ending to the story—but she doesn’t! Frankly, it’s complete madness to be so steadfast and measured in the face of miserable, bitter news, but that is your Taurean superpower. Run with it, bulls.

Chaotic Neutral: If you decided when you were 12 that v-necks aren’t your thing, you will never even look at a v-neck again. Maybe it’s not v-necks, but strawberries or saying “Best” to sign off emails or writing in all lowercase, even in texts. These may be extreme reactions, but it’s your brand to guard.

Chaotic Evil: You will remain stubbornly loyal to your friends even when they are guilty of downright evil crimes. If you create a company, you will hoard voting power. Tyranny with an Instagram aesthetic.

Gemini

Chaotic Good: All birds. Journalism as the Fourth Estate. Journalism as gossip. Your preternatural ability to narrate the human experience as it’s happening. Bon mots. Being a polymath. Intimacy as a superpower. Losing nothing in translation—or at least as little as possible. Contradicting yourself and getting away with it and giving other people permission to get away with it, too. The best minds of any generation.

Chaotic Neutral: Arriving late to the airport on purpose because if you end up waiting, then they win. (This is arguably close to evil.)

Chaotic Evil: The man who occupies our highest office. Climate change itself. Playing devil’s advocate so well you become Satan’s internal counsel. Gorgeous, empty rhetoric. The Riddler. Both sides-ism. When you have no idea that the real reason you’re flirting unseriously with people you know love you while setting relationships you hold dear on fire is because you’re deep in mourning for all the facets of your personality that cannot simultaneously coexist, and so you’re itching to distract yourself from the dull and painful grief hanging in the center of your heart. The black swan in the movie Black Swan.

Cancer

Chaotic Good: You are uninterested in shortcuts to glory. Rather, you are happy to make slow, steady progress in a world that is obsessed with rapid growth. Meryl Streep. While you understand material realities inherently—your economic sense is uncanny and almost supernatural—you cannot be bought. Your hugs can heal childhood traumas. Maybe the best possible kind of leader.

Chaotic Neutral: Kristen Bell crying because she was overwhelmed by sloths. Unnameable emotions.

Chaotic Evil: The capacity for cold-blooded murder. (Not that you’re going to do it, but you could…) You see threats everywhere. You cannot be soothed. You know that everyone knows that you would kill them if it came to it, and that pisses you off, too. How dare anyone peer into your soul uninvited? You’re a big fan of science, logic, and expertise—unless they conflict with your own intuition. The mean kind of guilty.

Leo

Chaotic Good: Jennifer Lopez in Hustlers. Jennifer Lopez in real life. You’re a true, real, uncomplicated star. Not a celebrity, not an influencer, not a leader—a star. You make it look easy because, for you, it kind of is. What you can do, no one else can do, and yet you inspire others more than you intimidate them. You are kind. You are able to be pleased. You love to be pleased. You earn everyone’s trust again and again. What is mind-body dualism when you are an integrated creature of warmth and light? Your capacity for hope is a wellspring of virtue.

Chaotic Neutral: Casting yourself as the lead in your company’s role play exercise. No one else wanted the part, but it wouldn’t have mattered if they did.

Chaotic Evil: Megalomaniac overlord. Spencer Pratt hoarding crystals. Anytime a leader has ever knocked over something to punctuate a point is chaotic evil Leo energy. Boring motivational speeches. When you seem like you’re not listening because you’re projecting a rude demeanor, but really you’re listening on a delay so that your reactions (which, of course, are overreactions) are entirely out of sync. The paranoia that every movie is propaganda for the heroes, and the villains are actually the good guys…

Virgo

Chaotic Good: When talent and hard work meet extraordinary opportunity. Slowly becoming the most respected expert in your field. The kind of incremental breakthrough that saves lives. Saving a life. Saving a soul. Being a multi-millionaire and keeping your soul. Actually never forgetting where you came from. Lifting others with you. Giving speeches that people will quote for decades. Earning your reputation as someone who suffers no fools. Not being a fool. 

Chaotic Neutral: Beyoncé. Not Beyoncé-Beyoncé, who is inarguably good and perhaps only selectively chaotic, but the pride all Virgos have in claiming Queen Bey as one of their own. Can’t blame you, but it’s extremely neutral.

Chaotic Evil: Must be nice. The sublimated desire to remain in the martyr position out of familiarity and fear of actually doing the work sans drama. (You’re not afraid of the work all by itself). The beatings will continue whether or not morale improves—an attitude you can, at times, inflict upon yourself, which trickles down to others. Virgos often lack perspective, as you can get tangled up in the weeds of any issue. This can lead you to both overestimate and underestimate your enemies. Thinking you have enemies is a root paranoia. Living in filth because you expended all your cleaning supplies on that one stained floor tile. Expecting to be disappointed. Believing that you deserve to be disappointed.

Libra

Chaotic Good: You see beauty in everyone, even your enemies. You don’t see your enemies as enemies; they are friends you’ve yet to make. You simply love justice. You know how to make other people feel comfortable. People smile more around you. You give good quotes. When people need advice, they come to you, even if you’ve never been in their situation. No one understands money as well as you do. Your brain is your heart and your heart is your brain.

Chaotic Neutral: When you finally finish writing one pilot, and now you can’t stop talking about how you like to “play with genre” in your work. 

Chaotic Evil: An out-of-touch, billionaire (is there any other kind?) who is fully obsessed with the idea of living forever in a utopia on Mars but cannot pay their staff a normal wage or even make eye contact with them.

Scorpio

Chaotic Good: You are proof that competence, power, and self-possession can coexist with vulnerability. You are not running from your own grief. Your bravery is neither performative nor shallow. Just because you’re unshakeable doesn’t mean you don’t have feelings. The bastards cannot grind you down. You are insurmountable, and yet you’re flesh and bones. It’s almost religious how human you are. You’re actually down to earth, but shrouded in mystery and intrigue. You could command a crowd by lifting a finger. You could do even less, and everyone would still revere you.

Chaotic Neutral: When you take something you like and make it your whole personality because you’re too scared to reveal the depths of your character. Your good taste makes for chic armour.

Chaotic Evil: Scorpios, you have an exaggerated reputation for being evil. You’re a wounded heart (aren’t we all), and all it takes for you to feel safe with someone is having total control over everything they think and do. As long as you have full access to the email, the texts, the backend of their website, their social media accounts, and a good line of communication with their closest relatives, then you can sleep easily by their side. With one eye open. There are snakes everywhere. You want both love and power, but there is no love unless you feel completely empowered. You only have one trust issue—you don’t trust anyone.

Sagittarius

Chaotic Good: A curious mind unleashed. A recipe for a chaotically delightful Sagittarian is one part philosopher, one part Santa Claus, one part Britney Spears. You’re guileless and open, able to inhabit the heights of human potential. You have the biggest platform, the loudest voice, and the most innocent intentions. You’re not climbing, you’re dancing. You’re a vision board come to life. There’s nothing you’re truly bad at, but you have no ego about it. You don’t think you’re too good for anything, which is why you’re the best of us.

Chaotic Neutral: Honestly, Caroline Calloway.

Chaotic Evil: If you stopped talking, you’d have to listen to yourself, so you don’t. You can take any joke as long as you made it. You don’t care about money, but you’re extremely cheap. The only thing you like about relationships is all the drama. You’re not listening, are you? You can fake it. Everything is sport to you, so you don’t absorb feedback except to sharpen your game. You’re really, really not listening. What you love is a framework you can plug life into, and let narrow-minded, unenlightened people worry about the fine accounting. You don’t own anything, which is why you have very little to give. You’re lucky you’re so charming, or you’d be in jail.

Capricorn

Chaotic Good: Rarely does a Capricorn indulge chaos, but you can be incredibly effective disruptors of a rotten status quo despite your reputation for upholding order. Hannah Gadsby stretching the form of stand-up comedy. Greta Thunburg scolding world leaders on climate change—and refusing her own spotlight. You’re actually a good leader. You can be trusted with power because you don’t seek it for your own sake. You’re the kind of friend whose command of your own personal boundaries makes everyone in your life feel safe. You’re not afraid to be a nobody, which is what makes you so extraordinary.

Chaotic Neutral: Pete Buttigieg’s high school essay about Bernie Sanders. This has nothing to do with politics, but that essay is 100 percent goat-flavored chaos rendered in a neutral palette.

Chaotic Evil: Capitalist criminality. You will call your employees family but sell them out if you can make two percent more revenue. Two percent is a lot, actually. You don’t even enjoy the money you make. Ebenezer Scrooge before the spirits visit him. Good help is so hard to find. Rich but not fancy. Constantly disappointed in everyone because you’re constantly disappointed in yourself. Every interaction, no matter how innocuous or civilized, is a secret battle for survival. You have never taken off your armor, least of all to yourself. You are the enemy you are afraid of. You would eat yourself to save yourself. The reason you lose is that you’d do anything to win.

Aquarius

Chaotic Good: Oprah. You have the ability to build bridges even after generations of bitter enmity. You can find new meaning in old quotes. You’re a genius. You embody the future and move society forward. You are unafraid of a fight because you never worry about looking stupid. You never look stupid. Pick two dissimilar professions; you’re somehow good at both of them. If it’s good enough for everyone else, it’s good enough for you. (And, conversely, what is good enough for you raises the standard of what’s acceptable for everyone.) Equality. You would die defending the rights of people you’ve never met. You love people, and you love space from people. Equally.

Chaotic Neutral: The “Live Laugh Love” poster. Peace signs in every photo. Any consumer product that offers up a flavor of #resistance alongside a huge price tag.

Chaotic Evil: You are lonely, but you refuse to make yourself comprehensible. Your capacity for empathy is… limited. Human beings are collections of data to be analyzed and optimized, and if someone disagrees, that’s more data for the spreadsheet. You’re capable of doing almost anything to another human being, as long as it’s intriguing enough to satisfy your twisted curiosities. You have no idea that you’re selfish.

Pisces

Chaotic Good: Mermaids. The spirit that has ever moved any composer, sculptor, woodworker, jeweler, ballet dancer, conceptual artist, et cetera, to create blissful works that reflect the divine. Nature itself is gorgeous, Piscean chaos. Beauty that doesn’t ask to be admired. The overwhelming vastness of the ocean, and how its shores nourish the development of civilization. Intuition that seems like magic. (Maybe it really is magic.) You could actually heal the world through love.

Chaotic Neutral: You can fall asleep anytime anywhere, and if you need to, you will.

Chaotic Evil: The worst Piscean chaos manifests through toxic cultures. Religions that become cults. Malignant, charismatic leaders. It’s when you really, truly, straight up lie to someone’s face and believe it. You want to change the world, even though the world has been very clear that it does not need you to do that. Or at least not in the way you’re going about it. Your friends agree; it doesn’t matter. You’re resolute. It’s a moral betrayal if someone disagrees with your vision. If your arguments are intellectually dishonest, that’s no concern of yours. You would be able to fly if enough people believed you had wings.

 

Graphics by Lorenza Centi.

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My Upstairs Neighbor’s Evening To-Do List

The following to-do list is not only how I imagine my extremely loud neighbor would spend his evenings, it is also a love story about me, him, and exactly how much I loved to hate him for the three years we lived next door to each other.

I loved to hate him in the mornings, I loved to hate him in the evenings, I even loved hating him when I was at work, at parties, and on dates, by bringing him up repeatedly. I couldn’t eat–I definitely couldn’t sleep–and one day, I was doing what I imagine everyone does when they can’t sleep (texting their mother photoshopped images of what they might look like with bangs) when I stumbled across his name via AirDrop.

In that pivotal moment, the moment in which I could’ve fallen deep into the delicious K-hole of Googling every detail about the man, I examined the concept of love versus unhealthy obsession. I love my mother. I am unhealthily obsessed with the notion that bangs will heal my soul and transform my life. It was never clearer that my living situation, like my brain, had come undone.

And then I accidentally AirDropped him the photo. I moved immediately.

I still think of him from time to time—mostly whenever I hear Steely Dan playing at full volume—and in an effort to exorcise him from my mind entirely, I’ve put together what I’m 99% positive was his nightly to-do list at the time. Please enjoy. (I never did.)

MY NEIGHBOR’S EVENING TO-DO LIST

⁃ Slam my cabinet doors open and shut for an hour

⁃ Host a hammering party

⁃ Get really into the Eagles at 3 a.m.

⁃ Burn a French bread pizza so thoroughly that everyone in the building can taste the smell

⁃ Drop marbles (???) on my floor

⁃ Argue with my Alexa (or a very flat-voiced woman named Alexa who seems disinterested)

⁃ Tap-dancing break

⁃ Figure out when my neighbor has finally drifted off to sleep so I can wake her up by having extremely loud, weird sex

– Catch up on some cool woodworking projects with power tools 

⁃ Examine the oeuvre of filmmaker Michael Bay and his various explosions

⁃ Study marching-band videos

⁃ Be inspired

⁃ Pick up drums

⁃ Realize drums are hard

⁃ Do the cymbals instead

⁃ Wonder why my neighbor is crying

– Decide she’s actually just laughing with pleasure at my progress

– Sleep peacefully for four minutes

– Repeat

Photos by Cody Guilfoyle. Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski. Featuring Anissa Kermiche ceramic vase via MATCHESFASHION and David Yurman bracelet.

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Trust Me, Try It: This Dansk Butter Pot Is Like A Swiss Army Knife for Small Kitchens

The product: Dansk Kobenstyle Butter Warmer

The price: $55 (on Dansk site, price varies at other retailers)

The reason: On my 21st birthday, I unwrapped this squat little butter pot from a box with a big bow on top, and I was perplexed. Just hours before, my sister and I had sat in our room, recounting the events of my karaoke party the night before, only to discover that she had somehow crammed a slice of pizza into her purse during her night on the town with me—which is just to say, irrespective of several massive pitchers of Tequila Sunrise, my culinary predilections at the time were far from refined. My college roommate and closest companion Julia had taught me some of the basics of cooking and, more impressively, how to bake bread, but the two of us also wrote an emotional thank-you letter to a roasted peanut company we believed had single-handedly kept us alive during our first season of exams. Again, I’m just trying to illustrate the fact that I was not exactly the type who needed a separate pot just for melting butter in her kitchen. 

My aunt, giver of the gift in question and a famously good finder of pretty-yet-useful objects, registered my skepticism and said, “Trust me, you’re going to use this all the time.” And now it’s my turn to do the very same and say to you, who probably feel that you do not need a tiny container for heating up dairy: Trust me, you have got to try this butter warmer.

The first (and best) thing you should know about the butter warmer is that it’s good for much more than its name would suggest. Its official capacity is listed as a quart, but I’m more of an “eyeball it” cook, and I’ve discovered that this is reliably just the right size for sauce or salad dressing to feed two. I use it often to gently warm tahini and peanut butter for sesame noodles or to whisk together miso and lemon to drizzle over vegetables. Even sauces or dressings that don’t need to go over a burner do well in the butter warmer because its lip makes for easy pouring. 

This little pot is also the perfect size for boiling a cup of water. When I work from home, I use it constantly to make mugs of tea. It also fits an egg or two, which is great if you’re feeling peckish and don’t want to bring an entire vat of water to a simmer. (My preferred egg method, you ask? Bring the water to a boil, then add the eggs, keep at rolling boil for seven minutes, rinse with ice-cold water and peel). If you’re lacking a similarly specific kitchen implement known as the milk frother, the butter warmer also works well to steam milk for a matcha latte. Once again, the humble butter pot proves that it’s more than just its name一never judge a book by its cover or an appliance by its title, I suppose.

However, using the butter warmer for its intended purpose makes me feel infallibly classy, like my house is a lobster restaurant. Imagine seating your friends for dinner and giving each of them a little dish of piping hot, foamy butter in which to dip their protein of choice—is there anything better? Maybe there’s also some browned garlic in there too! Maybe you’re also dressed like a stick of butter; I don’t know your life or your lactose tolerance. 

Finally, it must be acknowledged that the butter warmer is just plain pretty. It provides a dash of color in the kitchen, and it looks good on many permutations of a tablescape. The first one I received was in a striking, now-discontinued Kelly green and my current is in a lovely, moody shade of lavender. It’s so cute I almost want to wink at it every time I catch it sitting innocently on my stove. 

Edith referred to the butter warmer as “Cottagecore,” an aesthetic movement I now understand that I have belonged to my entire life but for which I only just found a name. Anyway, this whole story began with me receiving a weird birthday gift and has ended in me finding my people, which is really the most resounding endorsement I could imagine for a kitchen implement. Go forth and melt butter!

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Photos by Cody Guilfoyle. Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski.

The post Trust Me, Try It: This Dansk Butter Pot Is Like A Swiss Army Knife for Small Kitchens appeared first on Man Repeller.

We’re WFH: Call Us on Our Landline, Please

This week, Team MR has been washing our hands to the tunes of Hilary Duff, Carly Rae Jepsen and… “Sandstorm” one-hit wonder Durude?… while keeping a close eye on the news. And in light of the public health advisories we’ve received in recent days, many of us are going to be working from home for a bit. (How long? Not exactly sure!) The reason is pretty simple: Social distancing helps slow the spread of coronavirus and we’re fortunate to be able to do what we do from home with relative ease.

So, yes, we’ll be posting a lot of the usual fare, but we’ll also be publishing stories borne of the fact that we’ll probably be at home. Closet reorgs? Back-of-the-pantry kitchen experiments? Lists of what we imagine our nextdoor neighbors are doing over there? (What ARE they doing over there???) It’s all on the agenda. On Instagram, Harling will finally crack the code for the ideal WFH outfit and Jasmin, whose glowing visage stunned me over Google Hangouts this week (Google! Hangouts! That’s saying something), will be sharing her morning skincare routine.

But I’d also like to hear from you about what you’d like to read while we’re at home. (In particular, if you’re in a similar position, looking for things to entertain and inspire—let us know!) If you’re sticking around your place, what will you be doing (reading, watching, playing, rearranging)?

And lastly, please stay safe and take any precautions you can. Our thoughts are with anyone experiencing anxiety, insecurity, and/or any other negative impact from the current state of affairs. I hope our stories will be a small respite from them whenever possible and, as always, that the comments section will provide a place to share and talk about what’s going on inside your head.

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The post We’re WFH: Call Us on Our Landline, Please appeared first on Man Repeller.

Creative Styling for Big Boobs: How to Wear a Bra as a Top

If boobs are a character in the story of getting dressed, they’re often cast in the role of antagonist—liable to send the whole operation spiraling into chaos. Today, they’re causing the buttons of your blouse to pucker; tomorrow, they’re preventing your strappy top from sitting right. Perhaps this is why historial styling logic has often asserted that the solution to styling boobs–particularly big boobs–is to style around them. This can mean sacrificing aesthetics in favor of practicality, or attempting to conceal yourself completely. It’s a frustrating philosophy, to say the least, and it’s rooted in a lack of imagination. 

To flip the narrative on its head, we asked stylist Mecca James-Williams to turn a classic big boob styling “don’t”–wearing a bra as a top–into an emphatic “do.” Scroll down for five outfit ideas to bookmark as inspiration.

#1: When You’re WFH, But Still Want To Look Put Together

While you might want to banish your sports bra to the bottom of your gym bag, I beg you to reconsider. A sports bra provides the holy trinity of big boob benefits: full coverage, support, and comfort, but it also can shapeshift into anything you please. Here, Mecca paired a taupe sports bra with a sheer top, relaxed pants, and black boots. 

“I think when you add a sheer top, you get the effect of your boobs being out there in a bra but there’s still a bit of coverage,” she said. Dress it up with a pair of heels or boots, or dress it down with sneakers or flats—it’s as versatile as it is comfortable.

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#2: Reverse-Layering Is the New Layering, Says Me

Who doesn’t believe in the transformative power of layering? And who doesn’t love a good shirt-sweater-jacket triple threat? Since spring is dawning on us, prepare to emerge like a butterfly from your cocoon (puffer jacket) and behold… the most glorious reverse-layered spring look. 

Mecca paired a denim bra top over a floral midi dress and light wash jeans, creating a multidimensional look that’s fun and functional. Find a bra top that excites you and doesn’t read like your everyday bra—that means no obvious underwire or clasps—and embrace the Backwards Day energy. Bonus tip: if you love a dress that really doesn’t fit your boobs right, layer with a bra that really does.

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#3: POV: You’re a Poolside Limeade Glistening In The Sun

Don’t be afraid to rummage around in the lingerie crayon box! Bring a pop of color to your outfit with a vibrant bra, like Mecca’s lime green mesh one, and let it peek out of an unbuttoned short-sleeve blouse for a bit more coverage. 

“A lot of people with larger boobs, and me for a long time, just want to wear black [bras],” she said. “Spring is coming, it’s about to be really warm. I want to show women that they can wear bras in different colors.” If you’ve been searching for the right time to wear that one bright bra that’s been sitting in your drawer for months, take this as a sign. 

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#4: Let Your Lingerie See the Light of Day

A black lace bra + high-waisted knickers x a black mesh dress + oversized black blazer = a mathematical equation for the perfect going-out look. It’s pretty much foolproof, and a testament to the notion that you shouldn’t have to pick between giving your boobs or your legs their “moment.” 

“If you’re scared of the sheer trend, use a dress or top as your sheer layer over a bra that isn’t going to show through, like an opaque bra,” said Mecca. Tweak to your liking! 

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#5: Sidewalks Are the New Boardwalks

It’s definitely not swimsuit weather yet, but that’s no reason to neglect the prime bra-top real-estate that is your bathing suit drawer. Reinvent a statement-y bikini top as an actual top, pairing with colorful high-waisted pants like Mecca did. If you’re on high-cup spillage alert, throw on a coat for maximum coverage, +10 points for a dramatic trench. 

“You don’t have to stick to a solid black or grey because you don’t want to show off your boobs,” she said. “You have to play with what you have.” 

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Et voila! Tips perfect for the above-60-degree days of spring. What are yours?

The post Creative Styling for Big Boobs: How to Wear a Bra as a Top appeared first on Man Repeller.

Job Profile: The Writer Behind Those Chaotic Co–Star Notifications

“Who do you think you are?”

“Nobody cares how many books you’ve read.”

“Non-conformity is also a performance.”

If I hadn’t personally signed myself up to receive Co–Star’s famously passive aggressive push notifications, I’d probably be offended. My camera roll is full of them, screenshot for posterity: some I saved because they arrived at the exact time I needed to hear them, others because they were downright brutal (see above), and a lot because they delivered an element of joy and whimsy that none of my other notifications do, like the reminder I received a couple of months ago to try being a plant for a day.

As long as I’ve had Co–Star, I’ve wondered who exactly is behind the notifications that blow up my phone screen each morning (and the only Instagram memes I still bother tagging friends in). It turns out that person is Stone Parkway, Co–Star’s Community Ambassador. Stone is a Pisces sun, Cancer moon, and Taurus rising, and—along with the brand’s head writer— creates and distributes all of Co–Star’s social content, including memes and push notifications. Below, Stone and I talk astrology in the workplace, the art of making people feel “seen,” and what happens when there are too many water signs on the one team.

So, what exactly do you do at Co–Star?

I run our social media, I make all our memes and our push notifications, and I write content for our app. I’m on the internet a lot.

How did you end up working at Co–Star?

I actually went to school for animation. After school, I was interning at Adult Swim doing animation on the show FishCenter Live. I transferred to New York and met Banu Guler, our CEO and founder, because we ran in the same social circles. A mutual friend connected us and we met up at the Arlo Hotel one day. We sat in the lobby, and she asked me about the app and any ideas I had, and I was just kind of hired on the spot.

It was completely surprising. I mean, I love astrology—I’ve always loved astrology—but it never seemed like something I could make a career out of.

Co–Star has such a specific tone. Can you tell me a little about the thought behind the brand’s voice?

Yeah, definitely. When I’m writing things I want it to feel like this ex-punk, cool older sister who you trust and would smoke weed with, but who would also remind you of that embarrassing note you wrote to your crush in fifth grade. We write things the way that we talk to our friends and the way that we want our friends to talk to us.

How exactly does one go about making a Co–Star meme?

Our memes always have some kind of header and then a little snippet for every sign. Most of the header ideas come out of actual conversations that I’m having with my friends or colleagues. Our head writer, Ona, and I are in conversation about meme ideas all the time. We’re both Pisces, so we work very intuitively together and we’ve been able to incorporate each other’s styles in this really cool way. I don’t know, it just feels very seamless, probably because there aren’t that many people involved.

It actually makes a lot of sense to me that you’re both Pisces, because I’m a Pisces and I’m honestly always so taken aback by the Pisces content on your Instagram.

Oh, people always write in about how mean we are to Pisces. And it’s just because Pisces are self-deprecating and we’re all just being mean to ourselves.

Do you have a personal favorite meme that you’ve posted on Instagram?

It’s got to be [this one].

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I think I'm the world's savior, but really I'm just a boring ghost

For Your Next Snack Break: The Most Popular Potato Chip Alternatives, Reviewed

The history of the chip is steeped in controversy. Some say the first semblance of a chip appeared in a cookbook dating back to 1822, when a recipe that called for potato shavings was unearthed. As “popular legend” goes, however, the real creator of the chip was a chef called George Crum who developed them in response to a disgruntled customer’s frustration with a plate of potatoes not quite well done enough. And so it goes, on that that day in 1853, the world changed forever.

Crum’s crumbs would fold into the crevices of our molars, sometimes for months at a time. Launderers would have to work around the clock to discover new ways to absolve garments of grease stains and pregnant women would finally have a suitable way to describe the first trimester (that is, “I feel like the inside of a bag of potato chips”).

But no one could have prepared us for the new millennium’s vegetable/legume boom—the way in which a potato chip would be reinterpreted for various other foods and while I don’t believe we’ve reached peak chip, I do think there are enough alternatives rocking and rolling the food world, as my dad would probably say, that a review of the most popular ones is in order. And who better to execute at the helm of such an assignment than a set of twin two-year-olds, avid eaters of the alternatives, shepherded by their caregiver, me.

Enter the below nine critiques—selected according to what the Internet has deemed “most popularly rated,” separated by chip-type and ranked by a combination of taste and nutritional content as it compares to ye humble old potato chip.

1. Chips that became sticks (and doodles, I guess)

Harvest Snaps: These taste like they’re packed with sodium, leave significant grease stains on my finger tips and generate an overall sense that they’re too good to be healthy—imagine if a potato chip was shaped more like a stick, dehydrated on the inside and therefore fluffier in consistency with the caveat of an aftertaste that assures you at least one green pea contributed to the manifestation of this snack. But would I give them to my kids at will again? Probably not. The ingredient list is as long as my list of topics to discuss in therapy and when…

…Everyday Value’s Pea Crisps are made from literally 5 ingredients, is all that which comprises the Harvest Snaps really necessary? I guess it depends. These definitely taste healthier. Like they’re missing something at the end. Call it a period, call it a gallon of salt but they get the job done, and as a bonus, don’t require that you drink a valley of water after the fact. As far as my kids go, they didn’t ask for a second helping after enjoying the first handful of these but I remain unconvinced that this is a product of the product. I should never have led with the Snaps.

Sensible Portions Garden Veggie Straws: The number of ingredients in this fan-favorite didn’t exceed five either, and as a bonus, there is turmeric in them which makes me think that perhaps they are the answer to inflammation at large. While they maintain canola and safflower oil, which I hear have been canceled from the elite world of health food, they definitely taste better than the pea crisps. If those leave you feeling like someone forgot to add salt and the Harvest Snaps make you worry that you’re about a crunch away from cardiac arrest, these do the great service of Goldilocks-ing you into the perfect balance of indulgent, chip-like snack and peace of mind. At least you know you ate some beetroot.

Hippeas Organic Chickpea Puffs: If you liked Cheez Doodles as a kid and preferred the baked puffs to the crunchy varietal, I invite you to try Hippeas vegan white cheddar puffs. They’re made of chickpeas instead of cornmeal, contain no whey (no way!) or “natural flavors” (née artificial flavors) and maintain 4 grams of protein. They’re fluffy enough to leave mounds of powder-like residue between your molars and taste almost exactly the same (from memory, at least) that if and when you are to excavate said molars after you’ve completed the snack, you earn the delightful experience of one more shot of cheese to the throat.

2. Chips that became cakes 

Off the Eaten Path Veggie Crisps: I didn’t like these, but Madeline and Laura did. I am beginning to think that they’ll like just about anything that isn’t some semblance of the cruciferous stews I try to ram down their throats. They (the crisps, not my kids) maintained a similar is-this-it ending where it seems there either wasn’t enough salt or something else to round out the flavor. I also don’t mean to take all my frustration out on a single food group but am generally not a fan of rice or its related cousin, the cake. Unless, that is, said cake is being used for the express purpose of replacing a spoon in my quest to load almond butter onto the roof of my mouth.

I’ll give them credit for maintaining black beans—I do like those, and now that I think about it, I bet they’d be good with hummus. Yeah, let’s call these a vehicle more than a stand-alone snack and as such, they are work. They good. For what it’s worth, they’re educational too! Within the ingredient list, tocopherols are defined by parenthesis as an antioxidant.

3. Chips that took on their own new shapes

Enlightened Roasted Broad Fava Bean Snacks: I don’t know if I could ever commit to eating these regularly because the simple articulation of this snack is a damned mouthful and upon consuming a, you know, mouthful with my tiny compatriots, we surmised these are a great alternative to popcorn at the movie theater if you’re looking for something a bit more substantive (7 grams of protein, for example, and 20% of the daily recommended fiber intake). Among the three flavors — sea salt which makes the taste of the bean all too real, sweet sriracha, which is like eating just about anything else dressed in sriracha, only having to wonder if what you’ve decided to eat is kind of stale, and mesquite BBQ, the last flavor, is my favorite. Why? Because they taste a bit like chicken fingers dipped in honey mustard—a metaphor, to be sure, of what it’s like to be sitting at a pool bar in Aruba mid-winter.

Trader Joe’s Plantain Chips: Plantains, sunflower oil, and salt. That’s it! That’s all! These are a customer favorite according to a consumer poll from TJ’s and I totally get why: the consistency of these is like if a potato chip was slightly thicker, more assertively durable. Like a banana chip, but not as sweet. Good for dipping (I recommend something cheesy) and just salty enough. They will, however, leave your fingers drenched in residual oil.

4. Chips that stayed chips

Enjoy Life Lentil Chips. I tried all four flavors. Margherita Pizza was a salt bomb. Laura liked them the most. Dill & Sour Cream tasted like if sour cream and onion Lays potato chips were crunchier, thicker and baked instead of fried. Garlic & Parmesan was unimpressionable and the Sea Salt package has ultimately became a mainstay of the snack bin in my pantry. Why? My husband can’t eat grains or gluten, but loves a chip—possibly more than he does me and the consistency of these is akin to that of Stacy’s pita chips, which used to be his favorite. So, if you find yourself looking for an alternative to crunchy pita, hate the idea of lentils in stew, but could get down with them under the premise that they’ve been ground into flour and taste pretty similar, I invite you to try these. And if you loved sour cream and onion chips, but feel it’s irresponsible to eat them now that you’ve been convinced they could possibly make you die, I do recommend you try those. On that last sentence, I’ll just spell out that I am projecting.

Forager Project Organic Leafy Green Vegetable Chips: Tortilla chip fans, unite! I am not especially big on corn chips but I do love guacamole and I’d say these, with their red quinoa and sesame seeds and spinach and kale powder, are similar to Off the Eaten Path’s veggie crisps to the extent that they’re a great vehicle. Wouldn’t pick them up to eat solo, but wouldn’t mind lathering guacamole on this better-for-you alternative, which tastes not at all like it has anything green in it, and maintains a more substantial consistency when compared to its crispier, lighter weight and very popular competitor, the Siete grain-free tortilla. It’s all a matter of preference, and as far as mine go, these are a conduit, not a stand-alone snack.

In sum, if you’re looking for a substitute snack, I recommend Hippeas chickpea puffs as cheez doodles, those lentil chips as pita chips and Bada Beans for popcorn. If you’re trying to get your kid (or self!) to eat something green, try a veggie straw or a pea crisp. You can also have a Forager chip, or one of those veggie crisps, but I’d recommend these more specifically as conduits to eat dips. If you’re looking for an assertive salty snack with tough skin and minimal ingredients, get Trader Joe’s plantain chips and if you’re still wondering about what you should eat because this review was useless, might I suggest, I don’t know, a bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce?

Photos by Cody Guilfoyle. Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski. Modeled by Share Koech.

The post For Your Next Snack Break: The Most Popular Potato Chip Alternatives, Reviewed appeared first on Man Repeller.

I Reimagined 5 Runway Outfits From Fashion Month With My Own Wardrobe

Typically, gazing in at fashion weeks around the world (even the men’s ones and even—no, especially—the resort ones!) through the grand windows of the Internet, I feel impassioned in one way or another, whether it be a new burning desire for pearls or a sound rejection of the onslaught of neons. But this season I felt generally… tired. And I don’t think I’m alone in that. The energy at shows seemed to reflect that feeling too—with many people consumed by the unsustainable nature of runway shows and the threats of viral outbreak overtaking excitement about clothing.

But, of course, there were bright spots across all of New York, London, Milan, and Paris. Virginie Viard made Chanel feel minty-fresh, current, and definitively wearable. Area vied for its spot as the defining voice of New York’s fashion scene and made me want to dress like a big heart, not just have one. At Balenciaga, Demna Gvasalia offered a take on apocalypse dressing that felt grounded in a genuine love for people and their clothing rather than in speculative fear. No matter how dreary the world might seem, there are always little moments of beauty in the mix. Below, I pulled out my own from the past month and recreated them.

Sixties Simplicity at Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs’s runway shows make me emotional, partly because I began my career working on them, but also because they always capture the fantastical nature of fashion so perfectly with detailed sets and vibrant music and–at this show in particular–art in the form of a full-fledged dance performance.

Marc really seems to have hit his stride as an innovator again. The collection feels bold in how pared-back it is, celebrating good design without promoting excess. Rendered in simple monochrome, the sixties-era shapes so integral to Marc’s style feel fresh. Don’t go calling him a utilitarian just yet, though–there are still evening coats and iridescent-silk ball gowns, they’ve just been made comfortable enough for breathing and brooding.

After watching the show, I was inspired to pull out one of my evening coats from the depths of my closet and let it speak for itself, no accoutrements necessary. Okay, I still needed dramatic gloves, but other than that, no accoutrements, I tell you!

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Transitional Tulle at Molly Goddard

Though she may be the reigning queen of tulle, Molly Goddard has both a BA and an MA in knitwear design, and I’m glad to see her steadily showing off more of this talent each season. Of course, I’m coming and staying for the layers of airy ruffles, but it’s always wonderful to see a designer diversify her wares, especially when it’s with sweaters this good. Goddard is one of a few designers (alongside Cecilie Bahnsen and Simone Rocha, in my humble opinion) who manages to show the same distinct silhouette each season and still make it feel new every time.

Here, freshness is cultivated by the sweater and trousers styled underneath Goddard’s signature tulle. The effect is dressed-down, especially when paired with cute bow beanies. I also love the styling choice of platform creepers, a decidedly British nod to youth culture and a choice that feels like an honest reflection of how her customers actually wear her dresses.

I created my own version of the look with a Molly Goddard dress (I bought it on the resale site Heroine for the holidays this year) and paired it with a vintage ski sweater on top, as it was too chunky to fit beneath, no matter how hard I tried, and a pair of sensible “work pants.” I’ve been struggling to find a non-festive way to wear this dress, and this feels like the perfect formula.

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Futuristic Sequins at Christopher Kane

I love the spirit of this look, which seems to be looking toward the future of fashion without relying on tropes or borrowing from movies. Kane is a master of creating clever new manipulations of fabric, and his talent is on transparent display here (pun somewhat intended) in this dress made from transparent sequins applied to tulle. The effect is mesmerizing, as evidenced by this video that I can’t stop watching. In the comments, viewers describe the look of the fabric as everything from “a walk in the rain” to “jellyfish” to “melted chocolate,” which are all somehow incredibly accurate.

The thickly knitted neckline adds a sort of Prada-esque tension between dressed and undressed which I so love, and the unusual blushy-brown color also has a hint of Miuccia to it. This dress seems like a strong contender for a celebrity style moment, a natural evolution of the nearly-naked Jacquemus dresses that have dominated my Instagram lately. I used this as an excuse to bust out my own Jacquemus top that I was saving for summer and paired it with the only raisin-colored item I have in my possession. It’s not a completely accurate dupe, but I don’t think anything could be–therein lies Kane’s genius! Well, there, and in his revival of his coveted jelly-filled accessories.

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Marie Antoniette Vibes at Moschino

My reasons for loving this collection are purely selfish. Marie Antoinette is my favorite movie and I actually have a bust of her in my bathroom that I say goodnight to every night. I’ve been hoping for quite some time that the fashion world’s current obsession with the Renaissance would move forward in history toward the 18th century. More pastels! More panniers!

Putting my personal predilections aside, these clothes are amazing. Are they wearable? Absolutely not. But they are a reminder that sometimes fashion needs nothing more than to be frivolous and capital-F Fun. (There is also, of course, the reminder that too much frivolousness and fun leads to losing one’s head, literally.)

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A Bit of Everything at Gucci

I know I talk about Gucci all the time, but it just keeps getting better! I take back everything I said about my craze for the brand not lasting into 2020. This season, Alessandro Michele seemed particularly eager to show off his talent as a purveyor of ingenious styling ideas. Wardrobe staples like big-collared blouses, plaid blazers, and slouchy jeans were given a runway-worthy refresh with the addition of Pilgrim hats, smocked babydoll dresses, and leather harnesses. Though I loved every single look equally, I was drawn to recreate this one because it seemed like the perfect way to give last spring’s prairie dresses a subversive update.

More than ever before, this collection of Michele’s felt like a powerful celebration of personal style and a much-needed reminder that the best place to seek inspiration is your own closet. The second best place is probably Gucci.

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The exercise of picking through these shows made me fall in love with the runway all over again. And while I don’t want runway shows to end, it’s clear that something about the system needs to change. Designers deserve a schedule that allows them to create to their full potential, and the industry as a whole needs to take quick, long strides toward sustainability. From Copenhagen Fashion Week implementing an unprecedentedly strong environmental initiative to Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons announcing their partnership as co-creative directors at Ms. Prada’s hallowed brand, one thing became clear this month: there’s no time like the present to move forward.

So I have to ask, what do you do when you’re feeling uninspired?

The post I Reimagined 5 Runway Outfits From Fashion Month With My Own Wardrobe appeared first on Man Repeller.