Leandra Medine's Blog, page 48

A Morning News Anchor on What Actually Helped Her Cystic Acne (& the Foundation She Uses for TV)

Welcome to  You Look Moist , a regular column wherein Man Repeller asks cool people with glowing visages how they achieved their supreme hydration (amongst other things). Today’s installment features Jamie Stelter, traffic anchor and co-host of  “Mornings On 1.” 

How would you describe your skin?

Always sensitive and spoiled, sometimes rude and hormonal, lucky to have professional makeup applied five mornings a week. We have a complicated relationship, my skin and I, because I often feel like I throw so much time, energy, and money at it and it doesn’t appreciate it? When I was pregnant with Sunny (my now-2.5-year-old daughter) my skin started to change–a little more redness, oil, and acne, but nothing too crazy–then after I gave birth, it completely freaked out. My cheeks and jawline were covered in painful, cystic acne. It was red and inflamed but because I was partly in denial about how bad it was, partly sleep-deprived, and too busy caring for a newborn to make dermatologist or facial appointments (or do anything productive for myself!), I made a lot of emotional purchases and (bad) decisions in an attempt to fix it. I finally stopped breastfeeding when she was three months old and went on birth control and spironolactone, but I was playing catchup for months afterward.

I was terrified that the same thing would happen when I gave birth to Story (my almost-6-month-old son) and it did. Lucky me! This is how my body handles pregnancy and childbirth! But because I was prepared and ready to stop breastfeeding anyway, I acted fast and was able to nip a lot of it in the bud. I again went on birth control and spironolactone (at the 6-week mark this time) and enlisted the help of Melissa at Central Park South Dermatology for cortisone shots and lasers, and Christine Chin (“Mean Christine”) for facials. More on both of these hero women later. So it’s been a long few years. We’ve come a long way. I’m trying to be more patient and understanding with myself when it comes to everything postpartum, but that’s easier said than done.

 

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A post shared by Jamie Stelter (@jamiestelter) on Nov 9, 2018 at 3:56am PST

How would you describe your skincare approach in general?

Ridiculously high maintenance, but your face is the first thing everyone sees, I work on television for a living, and hi Instagram (!), so I fully stand behind every step. I’m a product junkie and will try anything beauty/skincare-related once. It’s fun! All the lotions and potions and masks and treatments. The stronger the better. If it burns it must be working! Dermatologists reading this are cringing I’m sure, but I can’t get enough. And while my approach and products have evolved quite a bit, I’m in a steady, loving relationship with my current rotation.

Which skincare products are integral to your routine for achieving your ideal, glowing, well-moisturized complexion, and how/when do you use each of them?

I wake up at 2:40 a.m., take a nap around noon, and go to bed around 8 p.m., but my hours don’t really affect my skincare routine. Sometimes I factor in an extra application of a favorite or necessary product, but otherwise my routine looks like this:

I wake up and wash my face in the shower with Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser. It’s gentle and juicy and cheap. Why spend a lot on this step? It doesn’t stay on your face. I’m a new toner user since starting to see Christine Chin who famously says, “not using a toner is like brushing your teeth without toothpaste.” She first had me use her oil balancing astringent, then once my skin cleared up a bit she switched me to her Cell Gold Toner. It’s light and moisturizing and I’m not entirely clear on what it does but she has completely changed my skin, so I just do whatever she tells me. I also love that even though her facials are expensive (but worth it!), her products are not. Is there anything worse than checking out after a facial, wanting to buy the products they recommend, and basically paying for a second facial?

Next I use her three-step LBF System–two parts in the morning, two parts at night. This is the all-star of my whole routine. It has completely changed the texture of my skin. When she first told me about it, she had me feel her forearm, which felt like my baby Story’s tush. It was the softest arm I had ever felt. She told me she puts it all over her body, so, SOLD. I also have Skinceuticals CF Gel, which I’ll use one or two mornings a week instead of her system, in part to mix it up, in part because I don’t like to waste expensive product and I bought this before I started seeing her. Then I use her perfect hydrating creme in the “peaks and valleys” as she calls them. Basically around my eyes and T-zone. It’s a great normal-weight moisturizer. Finally, sunscreen! Every single day of the year. All over my face. Elta MD is good for acne-prone skin.

If I don’t have an event or something later that day/evening, then as soon as I get home from work, I take all of my makeup off. I use Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, which I’ve been using for years. I have tried countless makeup removers and this is the best. I rub it all over my dry, made-up face until it liquefies, then I wet a muslin cloth (a more gentle washcloth) and use that to wipe away the makeup. Then I wash my face with COSRX low ph good morning gel cleanser because I like a sudsy step to make me feel squeaky clean. I used to use a lot of other COSRX products and they’re all excellent. If there is still any residue on my neck or elsewhere, I’ll wipe a cotton pad with Bioderma Micellar Water on those spots. TV makeup can be no joke. Next is Christine’s Cell Gold Toner followed by the second two parts of the LBF System that I first used in the morning.

Before bed, depending on how my skin is that day, I’ll either use Christine’s Retinol Smoothing Fluid or one of my many heavy-duty moisturizers. I like Weleda Skin Food or May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon which is expensive but maybe the most luxurious-feeling product in my whole repertoire. I should most definitely use an eye cream but have never found one that feels worth the price and/or feels different than one of these moisturizers.

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What about makeup products?

My routine and look are completely different during the week vs. weekend. I have full face makeup and fake lashes on five days a week–and I have to shout out Chelsea, my makeup artist at NY1, who has seen and heard it all about my skincare routine. She has laughed at so many of my wild treatment ideas and crazy product purchases that we talk about at 3:30 a.m. in the morning, but also so efficiently and beautifully covered so many problem spots of mine over the years. So I try as best as I can to use as little makeup as possible on the weekends. My face needs a break! I’d love to get to a place where I don’t need any makeup on the weekends, but my cheeks are still a bit red and discolored, so I’m in the market for a great tinted moisturizer–send me your recs!–and in the meantime I use the foundation we use for TV: IT Cosmetics CC Cream. I just use a dot of it, mostly on my cheeks, then I fill in with Clé de Peau concealer and dab a wet beauty blender all over to make it dewy-looking. A little bronzer, a little mascara, and I’m done. With two kids, the weekend get-ready routine has to be lightning fast.

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What’s the cheapest product you use regularly and love?

My makeup artist Chelsea got me (and our whole morning team at NY1) hooked on Eucerin Advanced Repair Hand Cream. She stocks it in our makeup room and everyone who knows is always grabbing for it. It’s the best. Super moisturizing with zero residue. I buy it in three packs and keep one in my bathroom, one in my work bag, and one by my bed.

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Is there anything you try to avoid, skincare- or makeup-wise?

Buying whatever product everyone is talking about and hyping on Instagram. Buying whatever products some glow-y celebrity is using. It’s so hard, especially when you’re a sucker like me. But since coming back from my mad cow disease (that’s what I call my postpartum acne because that’s what I felt like in the weeks after giving birth), I try to avoid those kinds of purchases. Even something like Biologique Recherche P50 that everyone evangelizes just isn’t for me. It’s way too harsh. But I still have it in my bathroom vanity because I got sucked in. Now I actually have my husband, Brian, use it on my back because that skin got messed up post-baby, too. Romantic, huh?

Any next-level tips, tricks, or services that you swear by to help you look “lit from within”?

I do believe that my skin (and everything) look better when I eat clean and drink a lot of water and get the right amount of sleep, so I’m pretty regimented about my health, especially during the work week. I take probiotics and put collagen powder in my smoothie and does any of this stuff help anything? Who knows, but I power on. I workout four or five days a week and get regular facials–I now see Christine every 2 months and it’s made a big difference. Don’t wait until you have a problem to check in and get cleaned out.

This photo was taken shortly after I had my daughter Sunny a few years ago, and I think my expression sort of says it all. I was leaving my 100th dermatologist appointment and feeling defeated.
What’s your go-to product or trick for fixing a skin disaster?

Depends on the disaster! I used to throw the strongest stuff I had at every problem. But Christine has taught me about using products only where I need them. And respecting the strong stuff! I would normally GLOB things on like a maniac. Now for a pimple I’ll use her herbal blemish gel or one of these pimple patches. Both are miracle workers.

If we’re talking DEFCON 5, call in the big guns and go get a cortisone shot… or whatever the doctor recommends. I cannot overstate the importance of finding a great dermatologist who knows their stuff, who will field your email or text questions at all hours, and squeeze you in for an emergency appointment. It took me a long time to find Melissa at my dermatologist office but it was worth the wait. She gives it to me straight–how bad something really is, the best treatment, how long it’ll take to heal–and with zero judgment. When I went to her in August after Story was born she told me straight up–this is bad infected acne, this will take time–but then she guided me through months of getting my skin back to health. I did two IPL sessions with her this fall and am going back for my third next month.

Do you do anything differently skincare-wise when you travel?

Yes, I go super bare bones and use whatever the hotel has on the bathroom sink and don’t wear any makeup. LOL. I have two dopp kits–one for skincare, one for makeup–and stick to my normal crazy routine and just add a big bottle of sunscreen for my body. We’re traveling somewhere warm and beach-y, right?

What’s something you wish your teenage self knew about taking care of your skin?

I’m not sure. I just wish I could teleport back in time and hand myself a slip of paper with Melissa and Christine’s contact information highlighted in bright yellow.

Photos provided by Jamie Stelter.

The post A Morning News Anchor on What Actually Helped Her Cystic Acne (& the Foundation She Uses for TV) appeared first on Man Repeller.

Office Apropos: 6 Outfits to Get You Through “Bad Winter”

Welcome to Office Apropos Winter 2020! It’s the first Office Apropos of the decade and the second in our new publishing format, in which we share the outfits we wore to work one day at a time. Below are six outfits we wore to work on January Thursday.

And, great news! If you want to see what everyone below wore on the day before this, you can see right here! And if you want to know what everyone else in the office is wearing at the moment, take a scroll through the Office Apropos archives.

Haley

I felt kind of uninspired this morning, which is why I went for the standard outfit formula of sneakers, jeans, sweater, and a coat, all in neutral colors. Does my leering stance make you feel safe? I’m sorry if not, but if you must know the other options looked worse! A comment on this sweater: I love it because it’s cropped. I used to think cropped sweaters were for Coachella Pinterest boards but I’ve done a 180 on them this winter. If they’re only cropped a little, they hang so much nicer with high-waisted pants and thus don’t require a tuck. It’s solved all my problems! Am I the last person to realize this? Bully me in the comments if so.

Elizabeth

My winter footwear journey was such a failure the past two days I decided to just go full chunky boot. I was inspired by this photo of Reese Blutstein where she wore oversized jeans, an oversized blazer, and chunky shoes. While my outfit wound up nothing like hers, I am proud to say I actually wore an outfit I had written down in the notes section on my phone. I happened to shoot a winter boots story today and, by the way, these Clergerie ones are great. Their lug sole keeps traction and I love that they’re winter white as opposed to the typical black, brown, or grey. I got this statement pink moire blazer from a recent Rachel Comey sample sale but it happens to also be available at Saks Off 5th, too.

Crystal

My shirt is actually a one-piece wonder suit and if you saw my less than tasteful Instastory from Man Repeller’s bathroom on this day, then you are aware of it’s game-changing butt flap! Said cute lil but flap means you can unstick the velcro and do your business without having to literally strip all the way down, just because you decided to be extra warm. Okay, I’m currently dying of pre-embarrassment from telling you all this story. I gotta go. byeeeeeee

Mallory

Last week, Leandra mentioned that our styles combined would be something like “90s skater girl has dinner at her grandma’s house” and I think this outfit tows that line pretty faithfully. Fun fact about the pants: They’re a vintage Marni style that languished in my closet for a while because of a bit of a weird length/flare situation at the bottom, so I had them cropped using Saoirse Ronan’s wardrobe in Lady Bird as vague inspiration. Now I love them and wear them all the time. (This has been a “tailor your ill-fitting pants to be good-fitting pants” service announcement.)

Amalie

I actually really like this outfit because it combines the two sides of my style identity: the first being a colorful dork-prep, the second being an edgy horse-girl. I think it mashed those two together in a weird way, but what am I if not a weird mash? Like pea mash or turnip mash. That’s me.

Tiffany

This jacket’s huge pockets are a primary source of joy because they mostly eliminate the need for a bag–yet here I am armed with a purse. Candidly, the bag addition was inspired mostly by my new coworkers’ collective accessory game and the slight worry that a one-garment look might feel out of place in the grand universe that is Office Apropos.

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Your February Horoscope Is Here and It Knows Why January Kinda Sucked

Gather ‘round starchildren, lend me your ears! Yes! I insist that you take off that beanie that has been disguising your greaseball roots for the last month, or at least roll it up above your ears in the style of Daniel Day Lewis, Man Repeller’s own Haley Nahman, and unfurled condoms perched atop bananas in middle school auditoriums across this country! It is the beginning of another astrological cycle, and we must take this opportunity to align our internal weather with the cosmos.

Now, if you’re all like: Okay Sar, the world is in peril and I don’t want to read about Mercury’s transit into Pisces (which will happen on the 3rd btw). I just need some escapism. I just need you to describe the astrological situation this month in inappropriately vague metaphors. I would set off a colored smoke bomb and paint you the following picture:

Imagine an afterhours tango club. It is intimate with a small dance floor, hardwood, parquet. The lighting is soft, rosy, uncontrived. It is probably Buenos Aires and it is 2 a.m. The air is steamy with the breath of the dancers, someone is smoking a clove cigarette nearby. The floor is packed with couples lost in their own world, draped across one another, gliding and strutting, dancing the tango as if their lives depended on the messages their bodies communicated in every step…

Get it? The dance floor is the cosmos! The planets are tangoing! The vibe is lush and highly emotive and undeniably sexy! That’s what February is going to be like!

Now, I’m sure many of you can just quit reading now, as everything you need to know is contained within that image. But! If your appetite is whetted for more scenic astrological fodder, read on for more specific and less vague metaphor-based guidance on how to best join the astrological tango that February has in store for us all.

Aquarius

Pop quiz: People born under which zodiac sign are most likely to be benevolent ether-based alien lifeforms masquerading as humans? Answer: You already know it’s all you Aquarius babies out there. Sorry to blow your cover yall, but it is Aquarius season. Happy birthday!!! Don’t you agree that it is time the world understood what kind of highly evolved weirdo blessings your energy brings to the earth? Aquarius is the sign of the avant-garde, the high tech, and the philanthropic concern for humankind, but sometimes yall can come off a little cold to us simple carbon-based life forms.

In January, you were working on opening up a little more and with Mercury slipping into emotional Pisces on February 3rd, the stars are urging you to continue this emotional dilation (that’s right kids, dilation isn’t just for cervixes anymore!). But speaking of cervixes and their related territories, Venus steps into the light of fiery Aries on the 7th. This is the time to take a chosen guest to the boudoir, or to invest in some bath bombs and an excellent waterproof vibrator/ nether-region toy of your choice.

Now, on the 16th we have another Mercury retrograde, which honestly might be a little annoying. This will most likely impact the career centers of your chart and cause a kind of weird stagnation. So set double alarms on our phone to wake you up on time, make sure you confirm any restaurant or hotel reservations you make, and try not to over exert yourself. The good news is on the 18th we cruise into Pisces season and you should feel a major boost in your creative brain-juices. I’m talking like a convenience store slurpee machine, perpetual motion juice churning going on in that noggin of yours. Make sure to jot down your thoughts and maybe start keeping a dream journal. Sound good? That’s all for now, I will miss you, come back soon.

Pisces

Hello there you sensitive and generous fishspirit! According to the stars, you’ve been going through a period of introspection, especially in your romantic life. I hope that you have been working hard to listen to your intuition and be decisive about who and what you need in your life. If not, don’t worry! The universe has plotted further trying emotional tribulations for you to overcome heroically this month! Mercury enters your sign on the third, amplifying your characteristic difficulty making tough decisions, especially when it comes to your love life. The advice here is not to just jump to conclusions or make snap decisions. You are going to pass this astrological test with flying colors if you slow down and let the information flow in its own time.Think of yourself as a lovable hamster (like a teddy bear hamster! They are the sweetest and puffiest of their kind and if you haven’t seen one let me just tell you that um, “my friend” first encountered a teddy bear hamster in a pet store when she was a teenager high af on some dank edibles and maybe “my friend” might have stolen the hamster because it was so loveable. Like just picked it up and put it in her jacket. She is sorry, but also, she stands by the impulse.) Okay so you are this beautiful perfect rodent, and the water bottle in your cage is filled with intuition juice, and you are thirsty and want it all right now, but you just have to suckle little drops one at a time and trust that your thirst will be quenched. That is what February will be like w/r/t figuring out the best course of romantic action.

Okay, now watch out around the 16th! We got a Mercury retrograde going on right around then, and for you, this could mean a romantic partner from the past or a friend you have cut ties with might resurface. From a celestial standpoint, it would probably be a good idea to steer clear of this visitation, or at least cool your jets until Mercury goes direct in March. I’m proud of you. Good day.

Aries

Oh Aries, what a month you’ve had. The stars suggest that you spent the latter half of January negotiating the difficulty between having patience for the people you have intimate partnerships with and your notoriously fiery and passionate nature that can put people off at times. But when Mercury enters Pisces on the 3rd, you will have the counterbalancing support of Pisces tender, slow energy to soften the impact of your intense communication style. This could be an opportune time to try to circle back to a difficult conversation you had in January with a renewed softness. When Venus slides into your sign on the 7th, you will have a window to synthesize all the emotional growth you’ve been doing into a weekend of indulgent sensual pleasure.

Mars is going to enter Capricorn on the same day Mercury goes retrograde. This is a very contradictory celestial stew. You’ve got the go-go-go energy of Mars in the all-business sign of Capricorn AT THE SAME TIME that we have the communication planet spinning backwards and gumming up the system. So it is likely that you will have the intense urge to make progress in your professional life while simultaneously missing the train and accidentally sending your boss a series of photos of arctic foxes insisting that she play “Hot or Not” with you which is offensive because they are obviously all “hot” and to call a wee arctic fox a “not” is so offensive that if I were your boss I might consider it a fireable offence! So, my advice here is just to double check all recipients of all your electronic communications, give yourself extra time for your commute, and stop defaming such perfect, big-eared fox angels!

Taurus

Taurus, you irresistible starbull, in January your milkshake was attracting many suitors to your proverbial yard. And yet, the crowd gathered beneath your window, brandishing straws, could not stir your passions. The stars spent all last month insisting that you take a closer look at your relationships and use your highly developed talents for discernment. For many Tauri, this discernment led to emotional distance in your relationships and a healthy serving of solitude. This is ultimately a good thing, for your career, for your inner life, for your proverbial milkshake and proverbial yard (both your milkshake and your yard here being a broad metaphor that I invite you to plug your own resonant meaning into). In February, you got a whole other thing going on emotionally, socially, and professionally. When Mercury, the planet that rules communication, moves into Pisces on the 3rd, your ability to speak clearly and creatively about what you want will bloom like a gorgeous peony, gracefully unfurling itself. Pisces is all about sensitive, emotional, and intuitive communication, hence the image of the unfurling peony, which I will forever assert is the most sensitive, emotional, and intuitive flower (I say this as if this is a hot take but really no one has ever tried to fight me on it, so in fact it might actually be the opposite of a hot take). This is a good time to return to some relationships that you have been away from for a while and reassess whether your needs can be met.

There is so much more, my friend! We have a full moon in Leo on the 9th. Full moons are the celestial time of manifestations, and with your innately decisive energy and the fire sign influence of Leo, this is a time where you may see the returns on all the self-investment you’ve been doing. When the new moon in Pisces on the 23rd comes around, it will be time for you to go back into your cozy reading nook, shut the windows, and tune into your intuition to start laying out your big spring plans. I am so excited for you! And your milkshake.

Gemini

Gemini, we are so lucky that most of you have chosen to use your powers for good. If we had a world full of charming, logical, and magnetic Geminis running around the world seeking world domination— you can bet your bottom dollar the world would be dominated. When Mercury moves into Pisces on the 3rd, you get the chance to balance these qualities with the influence of the slow, dreamy Piscean energy. When the love planet, Venus, moves into Aries on the 7th, the romantic arena of your chart gets all hot and bothered. So if you are looking to lock it down with a fellow human out there in the third dimension, this is the time to make moves. If you are on the single side of things, the side where the idea of doing human sexual touching with someone sounds kind of like a hassle, this energy can be channelled into creatively making yourself feel good. Like, what about a velvet-lined sleeping bag? Is that a thing? If it is a thing, think about how good that would feel! Or, the perennial favorite, solo butt stuff! You know why you should take my advice Gemini? Because I’m a serious astrological journalist/oracle as evidenced by the fact that I could have spelled “perennial” as “perineal” and made a sick pun, but I didn’t. Because I am a professional.

Speaking of professionals, on February 16th, Mars power-stomps into Capricorn, making for a period where you are supposed to get focused on your career and really get moving on the path toward your big dream. Okay, but there is a big ol’ stinking caveat: Mercury retrograde hits on the same day. And because Mercury is your ruling planet, all the ickies of this retrograde are likely to impact you more than most. You super duper have to eliminate distractions right now and devote your energy to your priorities. Wow, what a journey! I can’t wait to hear how it goes.

Cancer

Hi Cancer!!!! Wowwww January was quite a doozy for many of us, but yall really were called to do some difficult cutting of emotional ties. As a water sign ruled by the moon, you, my dude, are deep in the watery terrain of emotions and if you had to leave some people behind coming into the new year, I really feel for you. But in February, it is time to start planting the seeds for the self that you want to grow into this year. Early this month, Mercury, the planet that rules communication, moved into Pisces, the fishking of psychic powers. This is a very auspicious alignment for you as you start planting those aforementioned self-growth seeds. You know what that means! Time to get out the ol’ vision board and start visioning.

Next, Cancer, we need to talk about your communication style. Of course each of you have your own individual methods for talking to other humans, but as an astrological group, Cancer can struggle to be straightforward about their vast emotional experience. We can do more! We can love ourselves enough to trust that our truth will not be rejected by those that we love! We can believe that if our truth is too much for someone, then we will hold our own weight and be enough for ourselves! YES CANCER, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE CLAIMING IN 2020. Oops sorry, I was using my outside voice, I get really hype about emotional bravery. Luckily, Venus the planet of love and beauty enters the firey and highly individualistic Aries on the 7th. This means that you will have the cosmic encouragement to speak bravely and openly about your feelings this month, while maintaining tact and intimacy. Just a final heads up: Mercury retrograde starts on the 16th, so if your early forays into honest communication get a little muddled, hang in there, cowboy. It will pay off in the long run.

Leo

Wow wow wow you must be frigging tuckered out from all that battling-your-inner-demons that you’ve spent the first month of the new year doing. Before we move on, let’s take a moment to congratulate you on taking steps toward getting free from the bondage of beliefs that no longer serve you and all the gunk that dims your beautiful little lion heart. In fact, do me a favor, put your paw on your screen and receive this virtual high five from me. Okay, now, moving on. The most important thing for you to focus on this month is keeping yourself nourished and happy while you continue on your journey of self-improvement…because things are about to get a little high energy. Venus moves into Aries on the 7th, which means that your already firey energy will be amplified, specifically in the realm of sex and intimacy. If you aren’t constantly checking in with yourself and making sure you have your self-soothing practices in place, there is a pretty good chance that February will turn into a weird melee/ orgy where you end up not leaving the house for a month and living off peanuts and gatorade because you’re so busy getting your freaky stuff on with a cohort of fellow fire signs.

This general rule that I am offering you—focus on soothing that fire in your belly—will apply throughout all the different astrological influences going on this month. Mars is going to enter workhorse Capricorn on the 16th, at the same time that Mercury goes retrograde. This means that you are going to be all jacked up on the fighter energy of Mars as you walk into that mind-numbing Wednesday logistics meeting, which will not end well if you are letting that energy run wild right as Mercury retrograde makes communication go all weird and icky. Take a deep breath and ride out this wave of intensity without making too many sudden moves. It is a good time to take up some strenuous and distracting activity like training for a marathon or cleaning out all the weird hoarder drawers in your house. You got this lionheart.

Virgo

Well friend, I’ll be straight with you, this month is not going to be all floaty and chill. Like, if there was a spectrum of astrological alignments where on one end is like, a bathtub of caramel and every secret crush you’ve ever had is about to send you an email confessing their long held reciprocal secret crush to like, your own pet cockatiel turns out to be a reincarnated war criminal and has been plotting your demise since day one, February will be, like, somewhere in the middle. What I mean is that, when the lover planet Venus enters fiery Aries, you can expect some confrontations with intimate partners in big or small ways. Let me give you a totally common example that does not apply to me at all. You might experience conflict in the form of a small blow-up over whether or not one should refrigerate eggs. It could also be a more challenging confrontation about things more serious and less egg-based. Hang tough, buddy, because the stars are in constant motion and this too shall pass.

Then, when Mercury goes retrograde on the 16th, you are likely to see more sticky situations from the past come up and demand your attention. You don’t need to shrink or puff up, you just need to stand your ground, hear what the other person has to say, and respond in kind. Fortunately, when the sun moves into Pisces at the end of the month, you should feel some weight start to lift. This will give you more space to start plotting your next moves. You’re going to do great, Virgo, I can feel it in my very bones.

Libra

January was a tough one for Libras. You were called by the cosmos to make some big moves toward your dreams, and that kind of forward motion is known to leave social chaos in its wake. Stepping into February might feel like waking up the day after hosting a wild party to an empty house and more dishes in the sink than you even remember owning and apparently you said something so scandalous at the party that 30 percent of the guests have cancelled you and even your cat won’t look you in the eyes. Fortunately, if you refer back to my very useful tango dance floor analogy, you’ll see that February is bringing a whole other vibe.

If January asked you to make sacrifices and pursue your ideal self with intensity and ferocity, February asks you to slow down and pamper yourself in the most sensual ways you can think of. When Venus (your ruling planet) moves into Aries on the 7th, you might find yourself ready to take an assertive lead when it comes to your sensual pleasures. Lean into this. Take all that fire that you have been feeling since January, let Aries amplify it, and then proceed calmly into the hedonistic delights of your choice. Oh and Libra, darling, that is not all! The full moon in Leo on the 9th will urge you to break out into the world and celebrate. So, basically I am suggesting a self-care bender. You will appreciate all this pampering when Mars enters work-horse Capricorn on the same day that Mercury goes retrograde. This means that the second half of the month could be very challenging in your career and social life (again, ugh, sorry). So make sure you spend the first part of the month getting your foot massage and eye-gaze on.

Scorpio

Hey Scorpling, I truly have missed you specifically and terribly. See, the stars have led many scorplings to make major changes in their closest relationships and energetically shift their attention toward their wider community relationships. Obviously this means that I, your personal astrologer and closest confidant, have not seen you in what feels like a frigging epoch—AN EPOCH. No matter, we’re back now and I have so much important star junk to tell you. Here is your star junk: Early February’s big event is the transit of communication planet Mercury into tender Pisces. This will likely be at odds with your characteristically intense communication style. Take this opportunity to practice having a lighter touch with yourself and others. To put it frankly, Scorpios are known to take themselves a tad seriously…which is the most annoying thing you can possibly say to someone who takes themselves too seriously. But! I am saying this for your own good and because the little spirits that inhabit celestial bodies (that is how astrology works btw) told me to tell you to practice thinking of your own intense emotional inner world as really not a huge deal. If this sounds harsh, please forgive me. I just want to offer you the gift of realizing that this is all probably a simulation and your feelings are glitching lines of code and you get to stop suffering whenever you want. Yay!

All this is very important as Venus moves into firechild Aries on the 7th. This will likely aggravate your passions, stir up your soup, heat up the old internal kettle. The stars in your chart will basically be like a crowd of popular teenagers chanting, Fight! Fight! Fight! You have to calm your inner crowd of teenagers, because not only will they want to start a fight, they will also be horny as all get out. Now, if the choice is between fisticuffs and doin it, I am always in favor of doin it, as are the small stargods. But, I advise caution about making any hot-headed decisions w/r/t feuds or sex stuff because we have a Mercury retrograde kicking up at the same time as Mars enters Capricorn. This means that it will be in your best interest to turn your energy toward quiet, diligent work and away from the battleground. It was so nice spending this time with you my dude, I can’t wait until our next rendezvous.

Sagittarius

Hey Sag!! Do you ever eat popcorn even though you are an adult and it is not made for our adult intestinal tracts, and then you get some sharp popcorn piece in your back molar and there is no tool in modern dentistry that can get this popcorn out of its hiding place? This is pretty much the astrological situation that you find yourself in this month Sag, only instead of popcorn, it is nagging thought loops about things that you should or shouldn’t have done in 2019. And instead of your mouth, it’s your noggin. And instead of useless dental implements that fail at loosing the dross trapped between your tooth stones, it’s all the mindfulness techniques YouTube has to offer. That’s the sitch for many of you and both the stars and I personally empathize. Luckily for you, Mars moves into Capricorn on the 16th, the same day that Mercury goes retrograde. This alignment will be challenging for many signs, but I think that it could actually be like a metaphorical golden toothpick for you!

Mercury often causes past relationships to resurface and this influence can be meddlesome. But you can meet this head on by putting your foot down and committing to either returning to the person you’re anxiety-looping about and setting things straight, or by committing to let that shit go. By the 23rd you’ll have the energy of a new moon in Pisces, which is the perfect time to make a fresh start. Hop to it, buckaroo!

Capricorn

Hey!! What a month you’ve had! The beginning of the year is a hard time in general for many of us. The hangover of the holidays, the build-up of fresh starts, and the difficulty of living in the space between those two poles.That’s just the way it is for almost every human creature and if anyone has a super fun alternate experience this time of year, kindly form a brunch group and keep it to yourselves. Cap, you already know where I’m going with this—astrologically speaking, you may have won the January blues-a-thon. It was a really strenuous time in your interpersonal relationships. Many of you felt like you were just consistently stepping in it.

Luckily, the pressurized communication you’ve been experiencing lately is likely to lighten up! Mercury, the planet ruling communication, moves into flowy and chill Pisces. This is basically the astrological equivalent of the first hints of spring. How should you capitalize on this, you ask? My big tip is this: Spend the first half of the month going to battle with your cynicism. You know that person you are holding a signature Capricorn grudge against? Let it go. Do cute things like re-pot your plants, or have an actual picnic. I am always telling you guys to have picnics, are any of you actually having picnics? Have I been wasting my virtual breath? Anyway. You are going to need this softness come February 16th when Mars moves into your sign and totally frigging ignites your characteristically focused and maybe a little hot-headed nature. You need to direct all your passion and verve toward something more productive than arson or mayhem. This burst of energy coincides with Mercury going retrograde, which suggests that if you do burn down a building, your perfect alibi will most likely unravel. The new moon in Pisces on the 23rd will encourage you to lean into the more gentle side of your psyche and start planning your next moves from a more intuitive place, rather than from the admirably deep well of potential wrath and notorious ambition. I am proud of you and I think those jeans look great, don’t give it another thought!

Illustration by Olivia Healy.

The post Your February Horoscope Is Here and It Knows Why January Kinda Sucked appeared first on Man Repeller.

The Thing About Goop’s Reality Show That No One Seems to Be Discussing

Gwyneth Paltrow gets a lot of credit for winning an Oscar at the age of 26, naming her daughter after a fruit, turning a whole generation of fitness freaks on to Tracy Anderson, convincing people to insert jade eggs into their vaginas, and having incredibly silky hair. I’ll concede that these accomplishments are impressive, but I’ll also make the case that due credit is not being given for what is perhaps Gwyneth’s most impressive accomplishment to date: convincing Goop’s human resources department to sign off on letting her employees take magic mushrooms in the middle of Jamaica on an episode of television that would be streamed on Netflix for millions to see. Among other things.

Indeed, much has been said about the new Goop x Netflix reality show The Goop Lab. Some were surprised by how much they loved it. Others compared it to an unsettling form of spon-con. My own ability to assess whether it constituted good entertainment has been impeded by a burning question, one intermingled with feelings of curiosity, amusement, delight, and zsrigha;khg.abwef (that’s a synonym for WHAT THE HECK): How would I react if one of my dearly beloved coworkers removed their shoes and socks, rolled up their pants, lifted their bare calf onto a table next to me, and asked me to massage it while they issued gentle instructions in an effort to get in touch with their sexual agency?

This precise scenario actually transpires on the third episode of The Goop Lab, wherein a handful of Goop employees meet with a sexuality coach-slash-doula and engage in various activities with her guidance. Personally, I think I would be squeamish, partially because I don’t like feet and partially because every time I sat next to this hypothetical colleague in a pitch meeting I would be thinking about their oiled-up calves, but maybe that’s just me. That being said, I have to give the Goop employees props–not only did they volunteer for the activity in the first place, but they also took it very seriously. Minimal giggles. Maximum earnestness. I hope they each got a raise.

And look, I can see Goop’s human resources feeling relatively fine about the massage thing, as long as the participants were all consenting adults, but let’s return to the magic mushrooms, because that’s where I surmise things got a little dicey. Perhaps even a little litigious! Taking magic mushrooms in Jamaica (where they have never been made illegal and are openly sold) is one thing, but taking magic mushrooms with your coworkers and HAVING THE WHOLE THING RECORDED FOR NETFLIX is quite another. I’m dying to know how the initial conversation transpired…

Gwyneth: I’d like to send some Goop employees to Jamaica to trip on psilocybin mushrooms for my new Netflix show!

Head of Goop HR: [REDACTED SAFE WORD].

Needless to say, permissions were ultimately granted and waivers were undoubtedly signed, which is how four Goop staffers–including Chief Content Officer Elise Loehnen–found themselves lying on yoga mats in a jungle hut, tripping out of their minds.

“This is not a typical workplace experience,” Elise says afterward, thus securing the award for Biggest Understatement of the Year. “Although I kind of wonder if it wouldn’t be incredibly therapeutic for workplace teams if you felt really safe and wanted to become even more intimate and connected with the people you spend the majority of your day with.”

Would a simple happy hour at a local margarita joint engender a similar outcome? Perhaps. Nonetheless, was I genuinely endeared watching the participants process their emotions whilst trained mushroom therapists cradled them in their arms, occasionally interrupting mid-feverish murmur to pat them on the chest and say, “Good work”? Absolutely.

And yet, I’m still dying to talk about this aspect of the show–”this” being the fact that the making of it was probably an HR nightmare, and therefore worthy of recognition for that feat alone. Alert the Emmy Awards committee!!!! It’s arguably a more powerful indicator that anything is possible when Gwyneth Paltrow ordains it than any number of the other eye-opening moments that transpire across the six episodes. And that’s saying a lot, considering that “orgasming in front of a camera crew” and “jumping in a freezing cold lake wearing only a bikini” are included in that canon.

So can we talk about it? Pretty please? Let’s start off the conversation with a simple question: What would you say if your employer asked you if you wanted to go to Jamaica to take magic mushrooms while being filmed for a TV show that your mom, grandmother, and everyone who follows you on LinkedIn could someday watch? Bonus points if you weigh in and happen to work in HR.

Photos via Netflix.

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A Viral Tweet Got People to Share Their Wildest Stories—Here Are 5 That Begged for Details

“You’re him, aren’t you?” asked the owner of a tiny gas station turned greasy spoon diner in southern Oregon. His brow was so furrowed I thought it might disappear between his suspicious eyes. I hadn’t been within 300 miles of the south Oregon coast since I was 12 and en route to Disneyland with my family—there was no way this guy knew me. “Who?” I responded.

“You’re that guy. From that show,” he said. “Breaking Bad!”

“Oh,” I replied. “No, not me.”

His eyes somehow narrowed even further. “You sure?”

“Pretty sure,” I replied again, before ordering the beef dip and fries.

I sat across from my amused wife, eating the bone-dry beef dip faster than I’d eaten anything before, while the waiter stared intensely at me from behind the counter, clearly still convinced I was Aaron Paul. I left the diner a little confused, but with a good story. Somewhere on the Oregon coast, I’m sure that guy’s still telling his buddies about the time Jesse Pinkman came to his diner.

— So, in early January, I asked my Twitter followers a question:

Tell me a story about yourself the sounds like a lie but is absolutely true.

— Aidan Moher (@adribbleofink) January 4, 2020

And the world answered.

From inspirational stories from US Senators to repeated run-ins with fridge doors, Halloween stories from literal rock stars to tales of alleged kidnappings, I received thousands of responses from people all over. Nothing prepared me for the hilarity, tears, goosebumps, and outright insanity that followed.

I had to know more about these truly unbelievable stories, so I reached out to the people behind some of my favorites to get the inside scoop. Because as the cliché goes: Truth can be so much stranger than fiction.

The One Where Broken Bones and a Bunk Bed Made a Date Extra Memorable

In college I fell out of my bunk bed and broke both of my legs and one arm. Years later on a date, I made a joke about being clumsy and the dude told me I couldn’t compare to this woman his EMT brother helped once … who fell out of her bunk and broke all the bones. It was me. https://t.co/TQSEwXK4rw

— Amanda Nell Edgar (@amandanelledgar) January 7, 2020

As an Assistant Professor of Communication at the University of Memphis, Dr. Amanda Nell Edgar guides students through university with as little pain as possible. Unfortunately, her own university experience wasn’t quite so smooth.

So was this, like, a quadruple-decker bunk bed?

Nope, just a regular bunk bed. The silliest part is that I didn’t even have a roommate, so there was literally no reason for me to be sleeping on the top bunk. When I fell, my body landed across a chair I kept beside the bed, which is what did the damage.

How’d your date take the news? Did you ever re-meet the brother?

It was actually a really fun moment! It’s a fun coincidence—as evidenced by the popularity of the story on Twitter—and it made for a really lively conversation, which is the most important part of a good date, right? We laughed about it and I remember him saying, “That was you?!” and thinking it was really neat.

It really wasn’t much more than a fun coincidence, so neither of us was really motivated to set up a reunion or anything like that.

What advice do you have for people using the top bunk?

Before this Twitter thread, I probably would have said bunk beds are mostly safe, and unless you are extremely clumsy or a sleepwalker, you’re not likely to get hurt. But after reading the replies, I don’t know how bunk beds are still legal. I had no idea that people have died falling off bunk beds, but there are several accounts like that in the replies to my tweet. My advice about bunk beds at this point would just be… don’t!

The One That’ll Make You Ask, “Why Can’t We All Just Get Oolong?”

My family and I were held hostage in our home by a gang of robbers and my dad made one of them take him to the kitchen so he could make himself a cup of tea https://t.co/bec2OmMw5t

— Saira Khan (@sairakh) January 8, 2020

Having written for The Wall Street Journal Magazine and The New Yorker, Saira Khan is familiar with a good story, but few can match her own childhood experience of being held hostage.

You told your story with an amused tone but, damn, that sounds like a harrowing situation. How’d it happen and how was it resolved?

Most houses in Pakistan have boundary walls and one night some robbers—a group of eight men—scaled ours and waited by a side door for my dad to leave to get the newspaper, which he read every morning at 6 a.m. over a cup of tea. Once inside, they asked my mom to bring us to their bedroom, where three armed men stayed with us. The entire ordeal lasted about six hours.

Truthfully, it wasn’t a harrowing experience at all. Home invasions are common in Pakistan. Growing up I’d heard countless stories of horrific robberies with violent outcomes—my family was lucky. The people who robbed our house were total amateurs. Their bandanas kept falling off and they told my mother they felt guilty about robbing us. In fact, one of our captors even returned the jewelry my mother had been wearing, which ironically happened to be the only real jewelry in the house. Although the three men I saw were armed with AK-47s, they didn’t tie us up, use any force, or even threaten us in any way. Eventually they left and my father went to the neighbor’s house to call the police—they’d cut our phone lines.

Can you tell me a bit about your dad? He sounds cool under pressure.

My dad was a very calm and collected person. He simply told our captors that he was diabetic and unless they wanted him to go into diabetic shock, they’d have to take him to the kitchen to make tea and eat something.

This story encapsulates him perfectly. He was a thoughtful and reasonable man who, as far as I know, never overreacted. He supported my sisters and I in everything we did, in every way he could. He died in September after a long battle with lung cancer. We miss him dearly.

You followed your original tweet by saying your parents still made you go to school later that morning. Did your teacher buy the excuse for being late?

I had a biology exam that day and my parents didn’t think a home invasion was an excuse for me to miss it, especially since the robbers left a few hours before it was scheduled to take place. As I said, home invasions are common in Pakistan so no one was surprised it happened. They were all, of course, glad that we were unharmed.

The One Where a 2 a.m. Taco Habit Was Not Only Rewarded, but Eternalized

Owners of a local Mexican restaurant in my hometown of Waco, Texas were impressed by how much spice I could tolerate so they named these tacos after me. pic.twitter.com/becE2DH4Gn

— Tawny Lara (@TawnyMLara) January 7, 2020

Tawny Lara is a sex and sobriety writer living in New York City, but you have to head further south to Waco, Texas for her spiciest story.

So, how spicy are we talking?

Very spicy. Al Pastor cooked with jalapeño, serrano, and habanero peppers. The restaurant also came up with a food challenge. In the same spirit of La Chica Diabla, we called it The 666 Challenge. If you can eat six of these tacos in six minutes without drinking water for six minutes, you get them for free!

Were you a regular at this joint? Or was this just a one-time display of gastronomic prowess?

My friends and I went there at least once a week for 2 a.m. post-bar tacos. They loved us because we kept bringing them more and more business. We showed up and took over the restaurant and their jukebox. We’d always make it a party!

How’d you come by your fireproof taste buds?

I guess it has something to do with being a Mexican girl raised in Texas: Mom often included jalapeños in her home-cooked meals and Mexican food is everywhere. If the back of my neck isn’t breaking out in a sweat from some sort of spice, my tastebuds tend to get bored.

If someone’s travelling through Waco and seeking self-flagellation, where can they find your face-melting tacos?

The restaurant is aptly named Mexican Taco. Bring Rolaids.

The One Where Wine Lead to a Breakup and a Wedding

Boyfriend didn’t want to come to my wine tasting because he wasn’t into wine. I fell in love with another man at party, dumped beau, married, moved. Recently moved back to hometown where I discover I live 5-minutes from a wine store. Ex-boyfriends wine store. He's into wine now!

— Helene Taylor

Office Apropos: Is #CucumberSpear the New #StickofButter?

Welcome to Office Apropos Winter 2020! It’s the first Office Apropos of the decade and the second in our new publishing format, in which we share the outfits we wore to work one day at a time. Below are six outfits we wore to work on a chilly Wednesday.

And, great news! If you want to see what everyone below wore last Tuesday, you can see right here! And if you want to know what everyone else in the office is wearing at the moment, dig into the Office Apropos archives.

Haley

I awoke in a khaki state of mind and decided to see that through. I wish I’d straightened the cuffs on these for the pic, they’re a little rumpled and I would like the camera to lie about how I look! Anyway, I’d originally paired these with sneakers for a half-dressed energy, but it was feeling forced so I swapped them for loafers and introduced casualness via sweatshirt instead. A delicate science. HOW DO WE FEEL ABOUT THE SCARF? Was just telling Mallory I rediscovered all my scarves over the weekend and remembered they serve a utilitarian purpose beyond “a pop of color,” which I’m opposed to on moral grounds. I wore this to meet my friend for dinner at Lovely Day. She didn’t say anything about my outfit…

Elizabeth

Another day of neglecting to wear any pre-conceived outfit. I was going to wear this jacket—the star of the show here, designed by the talented Elizabeth Kuzyk—with a pair of The Row pants I scored on The RealReal but decided they were a bit too light-weight for this hideous mid-January chill. So I went with these stirrup leggings instead. This was my first mistake. The leggings were absolutely fine for me to wear two weeks ago when it was ~10 degrees warmer, not absurdly windy, and I didn’t have 4 press appointments in different corners of the city. Today however, the wind combined with the low temperatures made me feel like I was literally naked. Mistake two was the clogs. These Wal & Pai guys are super comfortable and actually one of my favorite pairs of shoes. But backless clogs should be worn without socks (a rule of mine) and no socks means my ankles froze. While shuffling up Park Avenue to an appointment I actually heard myself wince. (Styling note: wrapping stirrups around clogs is actually a great trick to keep them on, but these don’t have high enough of a platform to keep the strap of the stirrup from touching the street, so I couldn’t.) Those were my two winter dressing fails of the day.

Crystal

Guys, I dunno. I’m losing steam in the sartorial department because it’s so goddamn cold. So when that happens, I just lean into cute coats and lots of colors, as evidenced by this candy bar of a coat and cotton candy dream of a hat. CC: my socks and BCC: my favorite Crocs of all time.

Mallory

Oooook, sliding into Day 2 with yet another outfit that feels like being in bed. The first time I took this (v soft) Lou & Grey set out for a spin (it’s two pieces though it looks like a jumpsuit here) I wore it sans jacket and I definitely like it more with a little topper. That said, I am a real brat about trying to fit jackets under coats (just… who I am!), so I think I’ll probably lounge around my apartment in this set till spring comes back around during which time I will be more than pleased to pair it with something, anything, lavender.

Amalie

I was so inspired by the buttery looks at Jacquemus’ Winter 2020 show that I felt compelled to fall in line today. All the pieces I’m wearing individually are kind of meh to me, but when they come together I feel like they made some music(ish). I should say, though, two fun facts: 1.) I got this Prada coat at United Apparel Liquidators in New Orleans for $300 whilst on a trip for a friend’s birthday (lol). It may be the best purchase I’ve ever made in my entire life. It’s unreal how good and sharp and universal it is. You MUST GO if you find yourself in NOLA. 2.) Adidas doesn’t do custom sneakers on their website anymore, but I came home one night probably two years ago after a night ~out~ with friends and immediately dialed up to design this questionable custom Adidas sneaker. Dove grey and beige and black? Mcscuse me? I remember when they arrived I was like…. wow, drunk Amalie has questionable taste–a fact I knew in my heart always, but confirmed. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. This time they worked.

Tiffany

Less #StickOfButter, more #StickofCelery or #CucumberSpear. This outfit was born from a personal obsession with dark green at the beginning of fall. Color filters were applied to feeds of clothing from eBay, The RealReal and Net-a-Porter until a small assortment of green things was amassed. In the process, things skewed a little more “military” than I had intended. But in the immortal words of Kermit the Frog, It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green.

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The Only Acceptable V-Day Gift Is a Cameo Video From a Random Celebrity

A few weeks ago, if you had mentioned the word “cameo,” I would have assumed you were talking about Elijah Wood’s two-minute appearance in Spy Kids 3 or The Weeknd’s seminal performance in Uncut Gems. Alas.

Cameo is a website and app that allows “regular” people to commission personalized videos from niche public figures, (not NOT) D-List celebrities, and up-and-coming influencers. The range is extraordinary: spanning from Housewives to early-aughts Disney Channel stars to character actors you recognize but can’t place to Gen-Z Youtubers a few tiers down from the likes of Emma Chamberlain to Snoop Dogg. And all are looking to make a buck off of making someone’s day with a three-minute-or-less video.

And I say with 100% conviction that it is the hottest Valentine’s Day gift this year.

My friend Harry Hill–a comedian slash influencer slash postmodern philosopher–was the first to introduce me to Cameo, where he charges $17 for a custom video. Over a recent breakfast he explained the process: Creators get a week to complete a request after it comes through and Cameo pays out every two days, taking a 25% commission. The videos themselves are kind of like virtual autographs, and he gets lots of requests from, in his words, “group chats and girlies” (incidentally a great name for a Babysitters Club spin-off).

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i gave @jdatediva a VERY harry hanukah gift and it couldn’t have been better. thank you @veryharryhill for making this american girl doll dream a reality

“I Basically Want the Footwear Collection of a Retired Golfer”: Hannah Baxter’s Outfit Anatomy

Welcome to Outfit Anatomy, a series of comprehensive style analyses that aim to break down what we wear by answering questions like: How much did that cost? Where did you find that? Why did you buy it in the first place? Up this week is Hannah Baxter, Senior Beauty Editor at Coveteur.

I’m one of those sensitive people who can barely look at a wool sweater without breaking out in hives, so instead I try to stick with cashmere. I’d love to drop serious coin on every The Elder Statesman cardigan I can fit into my closet, but I typically choose to go the vintage route. It’s way more affordable than buying something cashmere off-the-rack. And to naysayers who are worried about pilling, just take some small nail scissors and get to work [ed note: or Leandra’s favorite sweater shaver, of course]. This turtleneck cost $45 and is about five years old. I bought it when Instagram vintage dealers were just starting to gather steam and you didn’t have to check your notifications every 60 seconds to snag something good. I’m also a big fan of a power-red–it makes me feel like I’ve got my shit together, even on a Tuesday with an inbox at 500.

The Levi’s have that ideal high-waist, straight-leg silhouette that I’m now determined to replicate with a custom pair or three. There’s also zero stretch, which is great for making your butt look good but admittedly a little tough for sitting comfortably. Wearing white pants is also a personal challenge for me to behave like an adult and not spill coffee or soy sauce on them. I love them dearly, even though I still inevitably stain them and have to soak them in a bleach bath for 30 minutes.

I got them for $50 from a vintage shop in L.A. It was the first time I had ever been there and my first work trip as an editor, so I was feeling all kinds of accomplished. I was 26 and had just been hired full-time at Coveteur a few months prior. I was attending the LACMA awards as a guest of Gucci Beauty, and was getting ready to shoot a story with Petra Collins (a true style crush). I’d left the editorial world for a year and a half prior to that role to work at a few jewelry brands. I’d been feeling incredibly burned out and just wanted to reevaluate what I wanted to do with my life. This trip felt like I was finally back on track to becoming the type of editor I’d always wanted to be, and realizing that I truly loved working in beauty professionally, as opposed to exclusively fashion. I sort of see beauty as my life partner and fashion as my lover, if that makes sense.

The bandana is from my mom, who lives on a horse farm in the Midwest and was a little baffled when I asked to borrow it.

As for the shoes, there’s nothing I enjoy more than an old man loafer. I basically want the footwear collection of a retired golfer, and if there’s anything I’m willing to invest in it’s good shoes. I have probably half a dozen shoes that are purely for decoration, like Rosie Assoulin sequined heels I got at a sample sale that are definitely about to break or Miu Miu silk mary-janes that are about six inches tall. They look cute on my shelf (and I get away with wearing them when I’m somewhere like L.A. or Paris), but they’re not suited to a walking city like New York. It is NOT fun when you’re running around to appointments and your shoes start to pinch or you develop a wicked blister. Shoe shopping for me is about finding the right balance of comfort and design, which is why a loafer or a derby or a flatform boot will always be a wardrobe staple for me.

This $265 pair of Gucci loafers came from The RealReal under my loafer tab, which I admittedly check daily. They’re a chunkier style which I’m very into right now, and the leather is already buttery soft since they were worn and loved before I owned them. The hint of hardware also gets me every time–proof that classics are classics for a reason. I wear these constantly, especially with some fun Darner socks in the winter or a feminine mini dress in the summer.

The Louis Vuitton speedy is a hand-me-down from my great aunt Ruth, who is my absolute favorite person in the world. She’s lived the type of life people write movies about, and was in New York City for about 70 years. She’s retired now and lives with my dad in Florida (she’s also turning 102 in July), and although she was never one for pricey fashion, her partner, my uncle Bobby, very much was. He was this dapper guy from Harlem who was always dressed so sharply, and he gave her a whole collection of LV luggage. I don’t know what the occasion was for the gift, but if I had to guess, it was just because he wanted to treat her.

She gave most of the collection to my sister and me a few years ago during an apartment clean-out and I claimed this style. Because it’s actually from the 60s or 70s, the quality is so much better than the modern version, and it just has so much character. I like to add a bandana so it doesn’t seem so capital “F” Fancy. The bandana is from my mom, who lives on a horse farm in the Midwest and was a little baffled when I asked to borrow it for fashion purposes. I don’t like dressing in flashy or “obvious” brands just for the sake of it, but I am a child of the 90s, and part of me misses that campy aspect of putting together an outfit with logos everywhere. It feels a little less thirsty with vintage pieces versus contemporary ones.

I just saw a guy on the train who was wearing white trousers with a red hoodie and I couldn’t get him out of my head.

I got the jacket for $25 while thrifting in Bushwick, one of my favorite weekend activities. Since there are so many cool, artsy people in my neighborhood, the local Beacon’s Closet is usually stacked with good finds. It’s reminiscent of some of the patchwork jackets from Bode, but at a much lower price point. I also love that it’s quilted. It kind of reminds me of the coat my sister would always wear when we went to horse shows. The horse show aesthetic is very specific–quilted jackets, jodhpurs, tall boots, big diamond earrings. My family wasn’t really at a place to be able to fully participate in all of that (it’s a very expensive hobby), but every now and then I see a piece that is reminiscent of that vibe and I just have to have it.

I like the challenge of taking a piece with a busier pattern or loud color and incorporating it into many outfits. Maybe it’s my own personal rebellion against the luxe minimalist thing that’s happening right now. As much as I want a closet full of neutral cashmere sweaters and cinched-waist trench coats, I can’t help but be drawn to prints, colors, and textures. I’d much rather pick up some vintage 70s silk shirts and wide-leg checkered trousers. That just feels more like me.

As a whole, I think people are gravitating toward this minimalist vibe as a reaction against the “more is more” mentality promulgated by movements like streetwear and the “look how much fashion I can fit on my body” kind of thing. I do appreciate the idea of investing in high-quality pieces that you’ll have forever, but I never feel totally like myself in that sort of luxe, pared-down look. Maybe one day I’ll feel differently, when I can afford to pick up a piece from The Row as if it were a cup of coffee.

My godmother gave me this amazing pineapple necklace a few years ago. It was hers first, so I’m not sure how old it is, but judging from the complicated clasp, at least a few decades. It makes me feel like a Miami grandpa, another one of my favorite style references. I’ve been looking for a second charm to pair with it, but for now it’s pretty perfect on its own. People always ask me where I got it and I love saying it’s vintage even though they’re always so bummed.

I wish I could plan out my outfits ahead of time—it would probably help with my tendency to run at least five minutes late to everything. But I really have to dress according to my mood each day. The type of look I feel most confident and authentic in is constantly evolving—for instance, this outfit feels preppier than I typically dress, but it’s still menswear-inspired and filled with textures and patterns. I just saw a guy on the train who was wearing white trousers with a red hoodie and I couldn’t get him out of my head.

If I tried to recreate this outfit on a different morning, it probably wouldn’t look 100 percent the same. I might crave sneakers instead of loafers; maybe add a beanie, or a swipe of sparkly eyeshadow. Maybe a chunky silver necklace would feel better than yellow gold, or I’d roll up the pant legs. The clothes themselves can only do so much—for me, it’s really about the different ways you can style them, or put unexpected pieces together. That’s what I find so fun about fashion—it truly is limitless. As told to Harling Ross.




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Photos by Joshua Aronson. 

The post “I Basically Want the Footwear Collection of a Retired Golfer”: Hannah Baxter’s Outfit Anatomy appeared first on Man Repeller.

Welcome to “Forever” Month on Man Repeller

Recently, I caught up with a friend I hadn’t seen in forever. In the same breath, you could say that this is a friend who I’ve known for an identical amount of time: forever. While he told me about all the things that had happened since the last time we’d properly seen each other (in that case, forever is more accurately something like seven years), he mentioned that he often thinks about a grand statement I’d made to him back then. Whenever this happens—when somebody winds up to quote ‘former me’ back to ‘current me’—I always tense up a little bit. The chances that I won’t agree with what I said then, or even more likely, won’t remember saying it all, despite apparently having said it with conviction, are pretty high. That can be a little awkward.

In this case, what I’d apparently said to him was that although people are always talking about how short life is, I felt the opposite: I believed that life was in fact very long. He said he’d referred to it at times when he regretted making a change “late” in life—there was something comforting about the idea that even though he may have already wasted a lot of time being one way, there was also still plenty of time left to be the other way. For the record, I don’t remember saying that, and while I also don’t find it particularly novel, I was happy to discover that I still agree with myself for once.

This month—all 29 days of it—we’re going to dig into the idea of forever from as many different angles as time allows. What makes “forever” feel like a romantic concept? What imbues it with a sense of doom and gloom?

On the agenda…

-Practical tips for making your clothes last forever

-Relationship advice from a couple who’ve been together forever

-A survey of people shopping for New York’s sparkliest diamonds (which are, as they say, forever)

-And a good old fashioned Haley Nahman thinkpiece on what that seven-letter word really means

And what else? What do you want to know more about? Give us a list of things in your life that you want to last longer and then give us another list of too-short things that you wish you could stretch out into infinity. We’ll take it from there!

Photos  by Alexis Jesup of Colors Collective. Prop Styling by Rose Kennedy. Featuring Brent Neale ring.

The post Welcome to “Forever” Month on Man Repeller appeared first on Man Repeller.

Office Apropos: Making a Case for Tights in the Middle of Winter

Welcome to Office Apropos Winter 2020! It’s the first Office Apropos of the decade and the second in our new publishing format, in which we share the outfits we wore to work one day at a time. Below are six outfits we wore to work on a winter Tuesday.

If you’d like to check out what six other MR staffers wore on this same day, check out last week’s story or dive right into the Office Apropos archives to see everything that group wore for a week.

Haley

Greetings from me & my new favorite pants. I’ve had them for a while, but recently got them tailored so the flare was more subtle and the hems were a little shorter and now they’re my platonic ideal. On the schedule today is a lot of sitting at a desk hunched over a screen like Gollum, a work-mandated midday nap (story forthcoming), and an event after work to celebrate a collab between my favorite weed magazine and my favorite robe brand. But frankly I didn’t think about any of that when I got dressed, I just knew I wanted to wear the pants, then added a bunch of random things in my closet until it felt appropriately chaotic, because pairing them with neutrals seemed too obvious. If I could redo high school this is how I’d dress.

Elizabeth

I have about 20+ outfits listed in the Notes section on my phone right now. It’s comprised of outfits inspired by old movies characters, new Fall 2020 runway looks and lookbooks, and girls I follow on Instagram. I referred to it this morning, uninspired to get dressed, but wound up wearing none of them. Grey wool pants and sneakers didn’t feel like me, shorts and knee high boots will come, but not today. So I went for these tights instead, designed and hand-dyed by my friend Emily Dawn Long, and just pulled colors out of them to choose the rest. And now, here we are with shorts on a freezing cold day and shoes that I really should be wearing with thicker socks. Happy Tuesday!

Crystal

Guys, it’s cold. Too cold. Way too cold. I’m dressing for warmth and nothing else and my idea of a peak warm outfit has and always will be me dressing like I work at a full-service Gas Station in North Dakota. From the ankles up, naturally. From the ankles down, i’m dressed like an actual infant.

Mallory

Similar to Haley, I also woke up not thinking about the fact that an afternoon nap was on the agenda for the day, and yet I still dressed as closely to a duvet burrito as society allows. I’ve been wearing some variation of this outfit a lot the past couple of weeks, mainly because it is the season of hibernating in theaters and museums, and this outfit is the perfect combo of looking sharp enough (“let’s show a lil respect for that which we are about to observe,” I say to myself in the mirror) and totally mobile and comfortable enough that the fussiness of my outfit would never keep me from adding in another stop before I go home. (You can’t really see them, but the socks are a neutral tie dye that I think keeps the whole from being straight-up sensible.)

Amalie

I test drove this outfit over the weekend in Williamsburg and no one did a double take, so needless to say it got the old “green light is go!” A Canadian tuxedo (layered over a Paloma Wool shirt and heattech) is true to my personal brand, as is this giant blazer that a few men I have known biblically have called “unflattering” a.k.a. CHIC. I love how starchy this outfit is. I feel like a western robocop. You might notice, too, that I have a Stacy London grey streak in my hair, which first appeared when I was 9 years old and I cried for three days straight. Now I kind of like whenever she makes an appearance.

Tiffany

Here we are, my inaugural office apropos, it’s -6°C and I’m wearing a bunch of clothes I’ve had forever. I’ve worn this coat every winter for the past 10 years. Found deeply discounted in the basement of Barney’s warehouse sale (RIP), back when you could make the pilgrimage to West 17th Street and shop with a clear plastic trash bag as your basket. The coat was Look #1 in Phoebe Philo’s first Fall Collection and I was thrilled to find such a marked-down treasure amongst the semi-naked shoppers. I still haven’t found a warmer coat, so every year I pull this one back out, and although it’s lost some of its Celine runway crispness, it’s stood the test of time.

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