Leandra Medine's Blog, page 50

The Cereal Aisle Is Totally Out of Control—So I Reviewed Almost Everything in It

The year 2020 started off with a bang, by which I mean that KIϟϟ bassist Gene Simmons promptly tweeted about putting ice in his cereal.

“Anyone else put ice cubes in their cereal?” he inquired on January 1st, with a bizarre duo of accompanying imagery. One photo showed a robed man, presumably Simmons, wielding a large spoon just above a shallow bowl of Oreo O’s, which was littered with ice cubes. The second photo featured a close-up of the iced cereal, except this time with exactly five Frosted Shredded Wheat rectangles added to the fray.

And you know what? That was the least confusing thing to happen to cereal lately.

Maybe you’ve heard: Cereal is in a weird place. Breakfast cereal as we knew it is dead. At first, brands responded with healthier options, designed to compete with the green juices and avocado toasts of the modern world. When that didn’t really work, they reversed course and went in on sugar, in a big way. Now we consumers must reckon with the results of both crazes. As of January 2020, it’s possible to purchase such delicacies as Jolly Rancher Cereal and colorful cereal loops flavored like marshmallows in a baffling ode to Peeps, in the very same aisle as high-protein, “fiber twig”-filled concoctions like Kashi.

Because I have a taste for this kind of madness, here I’ve reviewed 18 specimens found in the wilds of nearby cereal aisles. I’ve placed them along a highly scientific spectrum of healthy-seeming to straight-up dessert, and spent days tabulating* the grams of added sugar present in each. (*I merely copied this figure directly from each box.) And since, depending on your personal predilection-slash-own brand of issues, milk-softened cereal is either incredible or horrible, I also measured “time until soggy” for each. Please send my Nobel via email, as I hate to put on pants. Now grab your alt-milk and let’s dive in.

CEREAL FOR BIRDS

Here lie cereal blends marketed as “fiber-filled,” “reasonable to eat during dry January,” and everything in between.

1. Raisin Bran

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 9 grams

Overall Vibe: Raisin Bran is healthier in spirit than it is in practice, with sugared raisins serving as its most appealing feature. I would eat sugared raisins out of a vat of trash. The bran flakes are boring, which makes sense—they’re bran flakes! And they’re presumably why the cereal’s allowed to call itself good for hearts. Together, the raisins-and-flakes thing really works in a bus-to-camp, granola bar sort of way, though a bowl of Raisin Bran and milk would benefit immensely from a pinch of salt.

Time Until Soggy: Six minutes.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Raisin Bran is represented by a delightful little round boy in the form of a cartoon sun with portly arms bearing shovels of raisins. According to a very reputable website I found called “Mr. Breakfast,” he is named Sunny. That’s a wildly uncreative name for a cartoon sun, but it’s not his fault, so sure, Sunny can come to the party.

2. Grape-Nuts

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 10 grams

Overall Vibe: There’s little in this world less sexy than a stout box of whole grain cereal purporting to be an excellent source of fiber. Yet, you’d be crazy to let that deter you. If you’ve never tried microwaving Grape-Nuts with milk, then topping them with brown sugar and a big pat of butter, you really haven’t lived. But I’m not here to shame you about that. I’m here to tell you how they taste au naturel, which is how I started describing cereal with cold milk roughly 30 minutes into tasting dozens of varieties alone in my home. Au naturel Grape-Nuts are roughly one trillion times more delicious than the sum of their parts: They’re malty, crunchy, and somehow vaguely buttery in the absence of butter. Hold my purse, I’m going back for a second bowl.

Time Until Soggy: Half an hour? One year? I lost count. A long while.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Grape-Nuts have no mascot, and need no mascot. But should they ever need a mascot, I volunteer.

3. Kashi GO® Original

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 6 grams

Overall Vibe: Kashi GO used to be called Kashi GOLEAN until it rebranded in June 2019, presumably in a nod to how alarming it is when a box of cereal that tells you in all caps to lose weight. It’s still the same stuff it’s always been, which in its original flavor means a medley of seven grain honey puffs, “crispy soy protein grahams,” and those fiber twigs I mentioned. The milk-and-bowl experience is perfectly fine: neither sweet nor salty enough, but stiffly crunchy in a way that signals virtue and promises longevity.

Time Until Soggy: Thirty-four minutes that I’ll never get back.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? If Kashi GO had a mascot, it’d be the sort of party guest on everyone’s case about using a coaster, and proclaiming loudly that it’s not drinking tonight because it has to get up early for a 20-mile bike ride. Pass.

4. Magic Spoon Frosted

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 0 grams (What!!!)

Overall Vibe: Magic Spoon is a direct to consumer cereal, as in the only one here you can’t buy in the Gristedes under your apartment. It launched in 2019, “inspired by the flavors and nostalgia of Saturday-morning-cartoon cereal” but updated to be a “guilt-free treat.” (The basic idea: Take the sugar cereals Gen Z and millenials love and make them keto.) The Frosted variety is visually evocative of Cheerios in a snow-drift, and tastes like cereal in the way those bodega protein brownies taste like brownies. The overall effect is just fine, with some Stevia overtones.

Time Until Soggy: Infinity.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Magic Spoon’s box features a large wizard dressed in ski clothes riding a multi-colored bunny—ideal for any gathering.

OLD FAITHFULS

All hail the classics—you know ‘em and you kind of love ‘em, so long as your mom’s not making you eat a bowl of ‘em before you hit the road for second grade.

1. Original Cheerios

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 1 ⅓ grams, which notably beats a lot of the Cereals for Birds

Overall Vibe: Original Cheerios are grainy and savory, but in a not-bad way, like when you quietly dip a pinky into a jar of baby food that’s not intended for you but end up liking it.

They’re only as strong as their weakest link, so if you serve them with a plasticky kind of alt-milk, you will not enjoy them—but if you dignify them with 4% or Oatly, you’ll find them worthwhile.

Time Until Soggy: Nine minutes.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? The now businesslike Cheerios box apparently had a mascot back in the 1940s, “a little girl named Cheeri O’Leary.” I would not invite Cheeri to a party, as she is a child.

2. Corn Flakes

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 2 ⅔ grams

Overall Vibe: Much as I hate to endorse anything edible with the word “flakes” in its name, there’s something irresistible about these humorless shingles of milled corn, frolicking about in a bath of cold milk.

Time Until Soggy: Exactly four viewings of this Meg Stalter video.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Cornelius Rooster, as he is purportedly called, is on a mission to get consumers to “Wake up, up, up” early in the morning, so he’d be a huge bummer to drink with.

3. Rice Krispies

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 2 ⅔ grams

Overall Vibe: The crazy thing about Rice Krispies is that they do in fact Snap, Crackle, and Pop when they touch liquid, like Pop Rocks in a mouth, or a live wire in a swamp. Each granule of puffed rice is equal parts toasty, malty, and restrained. Said Krispies enhance the flavor of whatever you drown them in—they bring out the sweet notes of dairy milk, or the cardboard-y ones of unsweetened soy milk.

Time Until Soggy: So few minutes that I wouldn’t be surprised if their targeted Instagram ads were all for Hims.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Snap, Crackle, and Pop would probably be hosting the party!

4. Life

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 8 grams

Overall Vibe: Life Cereal is nothing like its namesake, in that it’s completely unvaried, devoid of all trauma, and one serving of it seems to never end. It is, however, similar to its namesake in its unexpected sweetness and satisfying crunch.

Time Until Soggy: Somewhere between minute seven and minute nine of the The Other Two episode in which Molly Shannon does ecstasy at her teenage son’s birthday party.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Life’s original mascot was a fictional boy named “Little Mikey” and I can’t stress enough that I don’t socialize with kids.

IT GIRLS

Quick, imagine “Kiss” by Prince just started to play! These sugary cereals are exciting and feisty, and they will make you nostalgic for a time before you knew the phrase “net carbs.”

1. Froot Loops

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 9 grams

Overall Vibe: Froot Loops are iconic and perfect. They taste distinctively like chemically flavored froot, which is only a problem if you hate fun.

Time Until Soggy: These puppies hold out a surprising 20 minutes.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Toucan Sam is a speaking toucan who can surf; I would not only invite him to a party, but I might leave with him, too!

2. Trix

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 10 grams

Overall Vibe: Trix presents the opportunity for a cereal fruit salad, and I think it’s worth acknowledging that one of those fruits is called “grapity purple.” Another, “wildberry blue,” has a dubious pink center amidst what looks like a cerulean flower, and fellow children of the 90s will recall it once came in disconcertingly colorful yogurt form. Food dye qualms aside, each globule of processed starch is exquisite regardless of its classification, and they join forces for a full bowl experience that’s a little bit corn-forward and a lot sugary, with an only slightly regrettable aftertaste.

Time Until Soggy: Nineteen minutes sharp.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? The Trix rabbit is single-minded, persistent, and sly as fuck. I would ignore his texts asking if I was in town that weekend.

3. Cinnamon Toast Crunch

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 12 grams

Overall Vibe: CTC very accurately replicates the positive attributes of a full-sized slice of cinnamon-sugar toast, down to the neat ribbing on the back of each square in a show of grill marks, so points for intellectual honesty. The result is a nice mix of sweetness, granular texture, and crispness that surrenders into shards when met with gnashing incisors. I would happily consume it at any time of day, with or without milk, near or far from sweatpants.

Time Until Soggy: Roughly 21 minutes, which is a lot longer than actual cinnamon toast would stay crispy in milk, so hats off!

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Cinnamon Toast Crunch takes the postmodern approach of using the cereal itself as a mascot, meaning sentient squares of CTC attempt to goad you into consuming them using gurgling baby noises and unexplained extra-long tongues. It’s creepy, and not at all fit for one of my parties.

4. Cap’n Crunch

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 17 big ones (I’m getting bored of typing “grams”)

Overall Vibe: What even is the shape of each Cap’n Crunch piece? A pillow with sutures? A hand muff? I suppose nobody has done a deep dive because the cereal itself is so agreeable: savory-sweet like sunshine distilled, or something Trader Joe’s would sell as an ambiguously labeled spread. Sure, it still has that unsettling mouthfeel you remember from smoking weed and eating Cap’n Crunch in college, but you know what makes it go away? Eating another bowl.

Time Until Soggy: The way in which Cap’n Crunch goes soggy—essentially turning into a churning froth from the outside in—is lightly terrifying, and evocative of the scene in the Breaking Bad pilot in which Jesse dissolves a body in Hydrofluoric acid. But anyway! Forty-five minutes until fully limp.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Cap’n Horatio Magellan is an elderly gentleman with distinctive eyebrows who fronts as a U.S. naval captain but may actually be a French commander, so I’d probably ask him to bring the wine.

5. Lucky Charms

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 12 g-r-a-m-s

Overall Vibe: Breaking news that sometime between when I last ate it in 2003 and today, Lucky Charms added three new unicorn shapes to the mix. Otherwise, it is largely the same. The marshmallows absolutely slay, granted they have an aftertaste of “I wouldn’t go on a date without brushing my teeth first.” The starchier shapes remain as boring as watching a documentary with someone who knows a lot about the topic and pauses regularly to fill you in on additional backstory.

Time Until Soggy: The marshmallows start to turn into neon sugar foam around minute 11. Their oaty counterparts hold out until the 18-mark, at which point all the dye begins to seep into the milk, creating a thick, blue-grey sludge.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? This is a tough one! Lucky the Leprechaun, a.k.a. Sir Charms, a.k.a. L.C. Leprechaun, can fly, which is sick, but he often steals. I suppose I’d invite him to a party if it weren’t in my own home.

6. Cocoa Puffs

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 12 Gs

Overall Vibe: If loving these crunchy, kibble-like orbs makes me more akin to an ancient house pet than a human, then slap a leash around my neck and force me on a walk around the block. Cocoa Puffs, in all their sweet-but-not-saccharine, chocolate-but-not-really glory, are a platonic ideal cereal.

Time Until Soggy: Cocoa Puffs shed their outermost chocolatey layer, and with it, some of their exoskeleton, within seconds, but shockingly take closer to 45 minutes to go slack all the way through—and even then, they retain some chew.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Like Sonny the anthropomorphic cuckoo bird, I too am cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, so I feel we’d have a lot to talk about.

COMPLETELY OUTRAGEOUS CEREALS

These bad boys are the opposite of a cleanse. They’re your friend who invites you out drinking on a Monday. They’re Whole30’s worst nightmare. They’re absolutely bananas.

1. Twinkies Cereal

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 16 whole grams

Overall Vibe: Twinkies cereal is pellet-like, oddly powdery, and lacks “créme” filling, which is why I’m as shocked as you to announce that it’s actually kind of enjoyable to eat. The flavor is straight marshmallow and sugar mash-up, and that turns out to not be a totally bad thing.

Time Until Soggy: One Yoga with Adrienne session.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? No word yet on whether “Twinkie the Kid”—a speaking snack cake that stands upright and dresses like a West World visitor—is onboard to rep Twinkies in cereal form, so no need for me to reiterate a third time that I do not party with minors.

2. Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts Cereal

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 16 whole grams, again

Overall Vibe: Pop Tarts Cereal seem at first blush like they couldn’t possibly contain actual filling—the best part of a pop tart—and then they do contain filling. An exciting jam filling to be specific! And okay, the end result’s predominantly very cloying thanks to a funfetti shell, but it’s an architectural feat worth celebrating, especially after you’ve been burned by Twinkies Cereal.

Time Until Soggy: A cool 23 minutes.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Milton the Toaster is a try-hard, but it comes from a place of well-meaning. He can totally come.

3. Krave

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: 10 ½ grams to keep you on your toes

Overall Vibe: Compared to cereal shaped like Twinkies, Krave is an old hat, having hit shelves in 2012. They’re the exact same size and shape as Pop Tarts Cereal, except with a graham-colored exterior, and chocolate filling. Is the chocolate filling a thrilling prospect? Absolutely. Is there enough of it? No there is not.

Time Until Soggy: Twelve minutes on the dot.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? There’s no mascot to speak of, which is a relief because my party’s getting kind of crowded!

4. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios

Added Sugar Per 1 Cup: Undisclosed, but 1 cup has about 10 ⅔ grams total sugar, so they’re no angel!

Overall Vibe: I live for a choc-PB pairing, so was as thrilled about this novelty flavor as most people are about their own engagement. In practice, though, these remixed Cheerios lean way more toward peanut butter than chocolate, just like Reese’s Puffs—which is fine, but not evocative enough of the real-life pairing to live up to my dreams.

Time Until Soggy: A few minutes longer than Original Cheerios, which is both disturbing and intriguing.

Would I Invite the Mascot to a Party? Stop trying to get an invite, Cheeri.

Have a hot (or cold) tip for our Snacks Critic? Leave a comment or send her a note at contactellaquittner@gmail.com.

Photos by Louisiana Mei Gelpi.

The post The Cereal Aisle Is Totally Out of Control—So I Reviewed Almost Everything in It appeared first on Man Repeller.

Office Apropos: 6 Winter Outfits and a #Stickofbutter Revival

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 last Wednesday. (Psst, you can see what we wore last Tuesday here.)

Leandra

I spent the sum of this day at the office, save for the occasion of a 10:45 a.m. coffee meeting which, hot tip, is a terrible time to meet someone for coffee because the likelihood that you need a caffeine jolt is null lest you have exercised the tremendous willpower necessary to hold out, but it’s also too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, so what do you do? Find yourself drinking tea. Drinking a tea and snoring into your cup. Which, you know, is reason enough to overdress your upper body with a jacket, no top, complimented by unseasonal turquoise beads and a pair of wool trousers. Also, it was like 30 degrees and cloudy, so not wearing socks was kind of dumb, but also fine because I spent most of the day indoors. Don’t listen to the weather forecast, folks. Listen to your heart!

Harling

I had a schedule of back-to-back calls and meetings on this day plus plans to meet an old friend for a non-alcohol drink (hellooooo dry Jan) at 169 Bar later that night, so I was seriously confused about what to wear for this ultimate work-to-evening transition. After trying on and rejecting multiple outfit iterations, I made the call I should have made in the first place: #stickofbutter. On went my favorite, extremely warm Doen sweater, white jeans I choose to wear long past their summer prime, and the perfect tissue-thin turtleneck from Cuyana. Pleased to report that I transitioned seamlessly.

Jasmin

Another jam-packed day with lots of client meetings in and out of the office, plus a trip to the gynecologist and a work dinner in the evening. Probably not ideal for wearing these boots, but I actually stomped through in total comfort. In hindsight, I would have preferred my sweater to be longer with this, a note for when I wear it again next week. Also, this is my third winter with this coat and it never fails, cost-per-wear and all that is really shaping up.

Maggie

I’m not sure what this outfit says about me but I think it says a lot. Should we dive into that? No? Well, too bad, I’m going to. First, my affinity for vintage is alive and well and doing just fine. My shoes (thank you, Etsy gods) and my mid-layer jacket (can we call you that?) are both oldies but very goodies that I’ve had in my closet forever. I pictured them both rejoicing silently when I plucked them out of the closet because it has been way too long since they’ve seen the light of day. Secondly, I am resembling nothing less than Mother Ginger (Nutcracker, anyone?) in this silhouette thanks to this midi babydoll dress from Zara. Random but great find and proof that short people can—and will!—wear oversized clothing with our heads held high.

Mikaela

I finally get to say this and have it actually apply: I have a dinner later!!! I feel like this is a notch in my New Yorker belt (as if people don’t eat dinner in other cities). That and the fact that I successfully pried the subway door open for myself last week so I wouldn’t miss my train transfer. I kept it pretty straightforward since said “dinner” is with a client, so I chose an Eileen Fisher top that gave off “per my last email” vibes, and jeans comfy enough to withstand a good pasta dinner. This coat I stole from my sister six years ago (best decision of my life); it’s 13-plus years old but you’d never know it.

Gyan

Today will forever be known as the day former-Cosmo editor Joanna Coles called attention to me in front of a room full of people (on a microphone at a panel for The Bold Type!!) to ask about the “interesting pattern” on my sweater. For anybody else that’s as curious as she was: It’s a face! This outfit is a perfect reminder of the perks of working in downtown Manhattan. I got this jacket from an A.P.C. sample sale in Soho a few months ago, and the aforementioned sweater from the Paloma Wool pop-up that happened just a few street away a week before Christmas.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

The post Office Apropos: 6 Winter Outfits and a #Stickofbutter Revival appeared first on Man Repeller.

7 Purchases I Thought Would Change My Life, Starting With a Candelabra

Ever since the purchase of not one but three WiFi Light Switches changed my life, I’ve been chasing the same consumer high, certain the right amount of money and specificity is all I need to fix my problems. I prefer this self-improvement strategy—it’s much easier than a New Year’s resolution and much cheaper than a year of therapy.

Unfortunately, it has a habit of not working. Here are seven times I was certain, incorrectly, that a purchase would change my life. Please meet me at the bottom with yours.

A Candelabra

I love having strong, arbitrary opinions, such as “everyone should own fancy pajamas” and “men over 12 shouldn’t wear boxers.” One of my favorites used to be that “you only qualify as an adult if you own a candelabra, maybe two.” I purchased my first on Etsy, a beautiful milk glass number, fully expecting my life to change. I would host dinner parties, I would show up on time, maybe I’d even grow my own tomatoes in a garden! That’s the type of person who owns a candelabra (and also Liberace, which speaks for itself). Of course, beautiful as my candelabra was, none of these things happened. I was still a chronically late woman who rarely cooked, especially with tomatoes. Only now, I was that same woman, with a candelabra.

Drunk Mode App

In September of 2018, I was busy doing two things: reading the self-help book It’s Called a Breakup Because It’s Broken, and sleeping with my ex-boyfriend. This inspired a healthy dose of cognitive dissonance, or, as my friends liked to call it, “delusion.” Every time I mustered the determination to cut off contact, it was inevitably thwarted by my propensity to drunk dial. Seeking out some advice on Reddit, I found just the question I was looking for: “How do I stop outgoing calls?” The first response? “Self control.” I cringed, then kept scrolling until one comment caught my eye: “Download an app called Drunk Mode. It forces you to solve math equations in order to use your phone.” I downloaded it right away, certain it was the answer to never calling my ex again. But it only took two Aperol spritzes for me to realize that the app’s equations were no match for the knowledge I picked up in AP Calculus. Moving on, it turned out, would have to happen the old fashioned way. Unfortunately there isn’t an app for that.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Cookbook

I love imagining a world in which I have cooked even one single dish from this cookbook. Motivated by a wild fantasy wherein I not only suddenly cook, but do so with organic and fresh vegetables, I brought the cookbook home just before remembering that my favorite food is uncooked Maruchan Noodles, straight out of the package.

Email Tracking

A few years ago I started paying a subscription fee to an email platform so that I could track my emails. For $10 dollars a month, I could find out exactly who read my emails and when. This, I thought, would enable me to publish my writing more productively and more proactively. This was, I see now, deeply misguided. In the past, I’d found myself quite content to rationalize unanswered emails. Probably, it had something to do with the cloud. But to suddenly know that someone was not responding despite the fact that they had not only gotten my email, but read it also, was misery. Misery, of course, that I was paying for. A month later, I unsubscribed, returning to the world of sweet, sweet ignorance.

Tinder Plus

When it comes to dating apps, Tinder is notoriously sleazy. I never forgot the incredibly awkward conversation with my father during which he confessed to thinking the app was just for sending “naughty photos.” He was wrong, but to some extent the app’s reputation speaks for itself. When I started dating again, I thought the best way to truly “put myself out there” would be by subscribing to Tinder Plus, which would put me at the front of the swiping queue. I was ready, finally, to watch the likes roll in. Yet I still found myself swiping into oblivion, just with more dick pics to show for it. Maybe, I realized, my dad knew something I didn’t. On Tinder, the pattern of “match, message, nothing” is so ubiquitous it appears that everyone on there at least agrees on one thing: Swiping is the best part. And that, of course, I can do for free.

A White Noise Machine

When I was living in San Francisco, I had a boyfriend who refused to sleep at my apartment. Sure, I lived next door to what was by all accounts a Phish cover band, but I had gotten used to it, so why couldn’t he? To placate him, I bought a white noise machine and forced him to split the cost with me, making the first of what I wrongly assumed would be a lifetime of joint purchases. When we broke up, he said I could keep it; it never helped him sleep anyway.

Organza Blouse(s)

One spring, I became obsessed with organza. Some writers set up Google Alerts for their names; I set one up for organza blouses. Whenever the alerts reached my inbox, I entered something akin to a fever dream, which is how I eventually found myself in possession of not one, not two, but three neon pink organza blouses. I’ve never bought into the idea of a capsule wardrobe, but even I can admit to the impracticality of three blouses made of sheer neon organza. When winter came, these shirts were shoved to the back of my closet, next to my leopard print beret and metallic leotard.

It’s impossible not to look back at the myriad items I’ve bought that were ill suited to me, didn’t work, or broke, and not feel some semblance of regret. But despite the number of times I’ve been wrong about the magic of a single purchase, I like to think this habit’s proof of my unrelenting optimism, and belief that, against all odds, I still have it in me to change everything.

Photos via Getty Images.

The post 7 Purchases I Thought Would Change My Life, Starting With a Candelabra appeared first on Man Repeller.

3 Couture Style Hacks You Can Do at Home (Really)

Couture fashion is known for its intricate, made-to-measure details, distinctive construction, unparalleled design quality, and expensive fabrics, which is why it’s rarely, if ever, fodder for mass-produced trends (or fit to be worn outside a ballroom). However, at last week’s couture shows in Paris, Man Repeller’s editors couldn’t help but observe a thread of aesthetically pleasing practicality that ran through many of the collections–stylistic choices (hacks, even) that could conceivably come to life not only on red carpets, but also in everyday wardrobes. Is home-grown couture the next frontier of luxury fashion? To explore this question, we asked stylist and creative consultant Brie Welch to test-drive a few of the most notably replicable examples with outfits from her own closet. Scroll down to see how it went. —Harling

Style Hack #1: Don’t Fight Between Socks and Tights

The preponderance of white socks layered over white tights at Virginie Viard’s Chanel couture show reminded me of Wednesday Adams if she had a baby with Cher Horowitz–a combination I can easily get behind, not to mention far easier to approximate than the average couture masterpiece. While an opaque white tight might sound like a frightening proposition on its own, the addition of a folded white sock somehow makes it feel more “Upper West Side dame” than “Nurse Ratched.” In my own recreation, I swapped out the collared shirt for a men’s tank to tone down the girly-ness and make the outfit a little subtler for everyday walking-around-town purposes.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content


Style Hack #2: Embrace Head-to-Toe Lace

The floral lace creations at Givenchy were so romantic–like Grace Kelly on her wedding day, but enhanced by even more voluminous-cloud-embroidered-with-pearls-and-pansies-floating-down-the-aisle-vibes. I don’t have a white lace gown but I do have vintage white lace pants I picked up in Milan on a sale rack for $15, a knit tank with lace trim from Pretties, and a vintage macramé cardigan. Worn together, the ensemble tangentially captures the dreaminess of Claire Wright Keller’s lace-heavy confections but with a squarely pragmatic result. Bonus tip: an extra long strand of pearls makes for a great belt.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content


Style Hack #3: Redesign a Blazer Sans Tailor

Concocted largely of repurposed garments and up-cycled materials, Galliano’s collection for Margiela embodied the idea of “home-grown couture” from the moment of conception. It was proof that with a blazer, a belt, and a little imagination, couture is anyone’s for the creating. The trick is re-working and combining things you might not have before.

I put a men’s sharkskin green blazer on my left arm and sort of origami’d the right side under my other arm, cinched it all in with an Andersons belt, and tucked the loose sleeve in for a deconstructed effect. With a red Theory knit vest over a Céline button down, all tucked into a pair of Dries Van Noten knee-length silk shorts, I suddenly became a couture version of Oliver Twist!

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Were there any other style hacks that caught your eye on the runways last week? Let’s discuss.

The post 3 Couture Style Hacks You Can Do at Home (Really) appeared first on Man Repeller.

A Theory About All the Outrageous Accessories on the Grammy’s Red Carpet

When I was in the seventh grade, I set my sights on owning a pair of dangly earrings from Claire’s as soon as humanly possible. Why? Because the most popular girl in my class was wearing this precise accoutrement when she got kissed at our middle school dance by a boy who looked like Pacey Witter from Dawson’s Creek.

I recalled this memorable case of sartorial cause and effect while observing the antics that ensued on last night’s Grammy’s red carpet, where there was one notable accessory after another: Maggie Rogers toted around a reusable water bottle. Billie Eilish donned a surgical mask after completing her interviews. Diplo’s red carpet companion, Orville Peck sauntered around in a crocheted balaclava. Tyler, the Creator carried a pink suitcase that he subsequently opened up, revealing a full change of clothes inside. Billy Porter wore a gigantic blue hat with a sparkling curtain that opened and closed via remote control (he reportedly cued his stylist whenever he wanted to part the drapes).

The panoply of conversation-stopping accessories could be a coincidence, or it could be what I am tentatively calling The Lizzo Tiny Purse Effect (trademark pending). At the most recent big music awards show prior to last night–the American Music Awards, in November–Lizzo broke the internet with her accessory of choice, a Valentino purse so tiny it could barely hold a single mouse dropping. Needless to say, digital media went ballistic. Headlines included: “Lizzo’s Tiny Purse Was the Biggest Thing on the AMAs Red Carpet,” “No Star Shone Brighter at the 2019 AMAs Than One Teeny Tiny Bag and the Memes Keep Coming,” and–my personal favorite–“Tiny Bag Carries Humanity.”

It was ultimately a case study in how to execute the perfect, scene-stealing red carpet fashion moment. Eye-catching dresses and suits are a dime a dozen at awards shows. Intriguing accessories, however, are relatively untapped. As demonstrated by Lizzo’s tiny purse, or a popular girl’s dangly earrings from Claire’s, sometimes the right accessory can make all the difference when it comes to standing out from the pack.

For now, at least, the Lizzo Tiny Purse Effect appears as potent as ever. Last night’s accessories were the talk, and the toast, of the towns known as Instagram and Twitter. I can’t stop looking at this gif of Billie Porter’s hat. I can’t stop chuckling at this meme about Tyler’s suitcase. I can’t help but wonder if Maggie Rogers will change her bio to “hydrated, environmentally conscious queen.” Are unconventional accessories the new wave of red carpet boundary-pushing? The Academy Awards are only two weeks away, so we won’t have to wait long to find out.

17 PHOTOS
click for more

Photos via Getty Images.

The post A Theory About All the Outrageous Accessories on the Grammy’s Red Carpet appeared first on Man Repeller.

How to Style the Four Most Common Snow Boots

Aside from puffer coats and existential crises, snow boots are winter’s most classic companion. But just because they’re omnipresent doesn’t make them outfit-compatible. It’s actually just the opposite — with their chunky soles and weatherproof trappings, they stick out and demand to be noticed and commandeer the whole shebang, which is basically me saying the same thing three times. This quality would be fine–welcome, even–if it were exhibited by like, a beautiful suede loafer, or a sparkly pump, but the thought of circumnavigating a bank of gray city slush in one of those is terrifying.

Still, it’s tempting to cut corners when it comes to winter footwear in order to avoid snow boot tyranny. Just last week I attempted to wear clogs and found myself the proud owner of two frozen ankles! It was a miserable-enough experience to convince me that I needed to come up with a game plan for forcing my style proclivities and my snow boots to fraternize harmoniously. Scroll below for four outfit ideas styled from the shoe up that incorporate snow boots and (hopefully) make them look cool. Like, actually cool.

The Ugg Boot That Looks Like a Pillow

While doing market for this story, I recalled the Chanel Fall/Winter 2019 runway where models wore mini skirts with their snow boots. Inspired, but aware that my legs could freeze off, I paired my skort with tights and leg warmers. Up top, a thick boxy cardigan and an ’80s-style quilted puffer kept me warm while complementing the overall color scheme. It was just enough layers that I stayed warm and still felt more fancy than frumpy.

The Moon Boot Visiting From Outer Space

A classic Moon Boot can be counted on to keep your toes warm but they also kind of look like giant bricks on your feet. For this one, I focused on balancing out their proportions with an oversize sweater and tried to make the boots look intentional by coordinating the color and silhouette to my long knit dress. I think of this shape like a floor lamp: the base keeps the lamp sturdy and secure and then up top the lampshade lends the structure a sense of intrigue.

The Classic Lace-Up

When I think of winter commuter looks I’ve regretted, I think of the unintentional sneakers or boots worn with stockings. It’s the ultimate example of being forced to wear comfortable shoes at the cost of a good outfit. In pursuit of something better, I coordinated the color of the boot with my pants, thus lending the footwear an air of purpose and elongating my legs instead of stumping them, as snow boots tend to do. I chose a top with serious “going out” qualities to offset the casual nature of the rest of the look, leaving you to wonder: Is she commuting, or is she partying? The answer is both.

The Duck Boot That Unfortunately Doesn’t Quack

Here’s me leaning into the classic slush-friendly boot by channeling an après-ski vibe with thermal-adjacent layers and pants that connote the appearance of water resistant attire. Although the chain belt keeps things grounded in the reality that I’m nowhere near a ski slope and approximately three feet away from my office, I will help myself to a cup of hot cocoa soon.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Was this helpful? Have a query? Hit me up in the comments!

Photos by Beth Sacca.

8 PHOTOS
click for more

The post How to Style the Four Most Common Snow Boots appeared first on Man Repeller.

Winter Office Apropos Is Here With 6 Post-Long-Weekend Outfit Ideas for You

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 last Tuesday when it was sunny and 32 degrees.

Leandra

On tap for this 39-degree, sunny day: moderate a Business Insider panel in the morning, spend the day in the office, meet my two best high school friends for dinner. You know they’re my high school friends because I still call them my best friends but that’s beside the point. The outfit recipe is actually a waterfall of questions: what can I wear that makes me look (and therefore feel) professional in order to satisfy my desire to be taken seriously among a room of business executives at the panel? That’s how I landed on the pants. Followed by: Great! Now what can I wear with it to make me look (and therefore feel) spicy — like myself? Which is how I landed on the sequined cardigan layered over a casual black cotton henley t-shirt. Finally: what’s a pair of shoes that don’t have heels, but aren’t sneakers, and feel like socks, but aren’t my aquatic shoes by The Row. Cut to: le slingbacks. And that’s what I have to say about that. Except for: I got this cardigan from YOUKNOWWHERE for $55 bucks!

Harling

I’ve finally discovered the secret to getting dressed on a freezing cold morning in January: check Vogue Runway, click to the very last photo in the new Chanel Couture collection slideshow, fall in love with Virginie Viard’s final bow outfit, and proceed to approximate it immediately with items from your own wardrobe. I lamented the fact that I didn’t own pinstripe pants (must find and buy ASAP) or a collarless black jacket (never have I bemoaned the fact that so many jackets have collars in this instance), but I made do with the ingredients I had on hand. In the end, the result was not perfect but still wholly satisfying, and much better than what I would have organically concocted without the creative jump start. Would and will wear again.

Jasmin

Believe it or not, I took my 4th flight in 5 days last night and today I have 9 meetings, one of them being with a client offsite, and then drinks in the evening. I didn’t think long and hard about putting this together, I literally went for smart-ish comfort that felt appropriate for the many different moments I’m going to have today. Two important things I’d like to note: firstly these jeans are currently my favorite denim purchase of the year, they’re the perfect straight slim cut I’ve always looked for and I know I’m going to wear them so much and secondly, this used to be my mum’s everyday bag 5 years ago and I recently found it stashed in a drawer. I’m excited to revive it!

Maggie

I’m not entirely sure even what day it is because my brain after a long weekend is useless. BUT what I do know, is I am nothing if not a clog person. I feel like I am one step closer to my final form every time a put these shoes on. They scream quirky and fun but also, and this is key here, highly sensible. AKA, ME. The shoes carry the outfit (clearly, I know) but me being me, I had to really push the quirky but fun narrative and top it off with these sunglasses. Being the rational person I am, I had to tone this mess down with a ~groundbreaking~ all black look. I have no shame in admitting that these pants are the favorites in my closet and I bought them in every color that was available. I also feel it’s worth noting that I hate that I’ve described myself as “quirky but fun” not once but twice in the span of one paragraph.. someone stop me.

Mikaela

A belted blazer is new territory for me. I know, I know, whEre haVe I beEn? I feel so refined, so clasè, so like my mom (or really any woman alive) in the 80’s! My true style motivation — though I always appreciate an opportunity to pay homage to Momma C — was that I woke up quite flustered and wanted to counter it with a simple, put-together look. Some days you just don’t have it in you for a multitude of layers, or tassels, or too much color (stop me if I’m getting too somber, haha) I’m just out here tryna have a no-fuss day, pals. So I went for a no-fuss ‘fit.

Gyan

I feel like I’m tempting fate every time I leave the house in this jumpsuit—especially when my day involves two subway rides and lunchtime tortilla soup, like it did today. But, you know what they say: high risk, high reward. (I’m sure this was meant to be applied to my office attire.) I had the legs and arms of this jumpsuit tailored—it’s fitted perfectly for tall people but, alas, I am of average height—so I’m trying to wear it a lot to make the alterations worth it. Other things that were definitely worth their cost: These Ganni boots that I got on sale a few months ago and have worn approx. 3–5 times a week since.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

The post Winter Office Apropos Is Here With 6 Post-Long-Weekend Outfit Ideas for You appeared first on Man Repeller.

3 Older Women Style Their Favorite Thing in Their Closet

My mother is vehemently against developing sentimental attachments to “things.” Twice a year, she’d show up in my childhood bedroom carrying donation boxes and packing tape, singing hymns of spring cleaning and slinging insults like “pack rat.” Since I was young and emotionally exhausted from a neverending stretch of puberty, I always acquiesced to her demands—it was just easier that way. Then, somehow, after years of clothing drives and “giveaway” piles, I adopted the mindset as my own.

There are, however, a few items I refuse to part with, regardless of tiny rips, too-tight fits, or the odd ketchup (?) stain. A discontinued American Apparel raglan sweatshirt that falls right below my navel. The white, unsullied dress I wore to my high school graduation. And, the most precious of them all, an ankle-length robe, stitched together in maroon and golden silk, that hangs at the back of my closet. The collar is embroidered with geometric stripes that march down the corners of the garment like ants. Its lining is decorated with floral embellishments, flirtatiously peeking out from within each sleeve, like flowers budding beneath the soil. The coat is closer to costume than apparel, but I’ll never get rid of it because it was crafted at the hand of a seamstress in Isfahan. Passed down to me by mother, and her mother before her, it smells of saffron and fits like a birthright. Putting it on makes me feel like a small piece of a narrative much larger than myself.

What makes a piece of clothing irreplaceable? Maybe it’s the fit, melting perfectly to your figure like butter in a pan. Or perhaps it’s the story it inks, and the nostalgia it inspires. Regardless, as we further examine our relationship to stuff, we must remain attuned to the lessons imbedded in said stuff. Not only about what we love, but where we derive meaning. Curious to learn more about how this manifests, I challenged three older women—Diana, Yvonne, and Dayle—to style the one thing in their closet that they’ll always find their way back to, and couldn’t bear to part with. The results suggest that personal style, while technically executed by things we accumulate, isn’t about “stuff” in the slightest.

Diana, 75, could not give up her Norma Kamali sleeping bag.

I was born in Brooklyn. I love New York. It’s the only place I ever want to live. I have traveled a fair amount, but I always come back here. When I get out of a car or off of a train and my foot hits the pavement of this Island, my energy levels spike. This is it.

For most of my life, I was a minimalist. I loved contemporary sculpture—Calder, Serra. Rothko was my God. The simplest things are what draw me the most. That’s my aesthetic. Clothes are about cut, line, and drape silhouette. Not about embellishment or ruffle.

Then I got involved with Advanced Style. I was selling my jewelry at a shop on 72nd street, and the woman who owned it was a maximalist who was part of the group. She had a little table in the middle of her store, and she’d sit there dressed to the nines and hold court. The more I looked at her, I began to see the beauty and the creativity in what she did. My style still has a minimalist base, but there’s a lot more pattern. Not flowers, but plaids. And hats! I now wear hats. This hat comes from an Instagram shop called @felthappiness. She makes amazing handmade, hand-felted hats. Do you see this curlicue? It’s elegant, isn’t it?

I’m wearing my Norma Kamali sleeping bag coat. It’s got a fantastic silhouette—big, puffy, and grand. I went to a talk at her studio and as I was walking out, a version of the coat caught my eye. I immediately felt excited. I knew I had to have it. It’s wearable art, a big sculpture that you can put your arms in. These coats have been made 40 years now! It’s timeless. I’ll never get rid of it. Because of this coat, because of Norma, I meet people every day. She’s an icon in the style world, a genius who has been around forever. She’s part of the fabric of New York for me.

I’m in Arche boots. They’re high style, with comfort. But don’t get me wrong—with me, it’s style first. Comfort can be as ugly as sin! First style, then comfort, always. And this is old-school, but I match things. That means I have a color of glasses for every outfit. I’m a painter, so I know color.

The pants are plaid, and well, they’re fabulous. They come from a shoe store that also sells pants. The plaid jacket comes from a store on Broadway. I mean, red plaid? Puh-lease. I’ll take it! I woke up and remember committing to the idea of red. I live in a small apartment. My bedroom is a closet. There’s a 12-foot rack across the ceiling, wall to wall, and all of my clothes are color-coded on those big hooks. I have, like, six feet of red, six feet of green. I did it because chaos was ensuing, but now it looks like a fabric installation. I never thought it was going to be pretty, but there it is.

I make all my own jewelry and earrings. I painted and sculpted all my life, which led me to jewelry. I approach my pieces from the viewpoint of sculpture, I stack pieces on top of each other. If you’re going to make unusual shapes, you have to invent the construction.

Find somebody with style you really admire—not to copy it, but to understand it. Deconstruct it in your mind. How did she do that? Why does it look fabulous? Is it the color, is it the cut, is it how she’s paired it together? Then you can translate those ideas for yourself, take them, and go shopping!

Follow Diana @dianagabrielnyc

Yvonne, 69, could never throw away the coat her mother made her.

I’m originally from Detroit, Michigan, but I’ve been in New York for going on 19 years. I’m a mom of two daughters. My oldest granddaughter is in college, and she and I have an incredible relationship. She calls me just to talk sometimes.

I love clothes. I got it from my mama, who was a professional seamstress. She didn’t have a lot of money, but she was very good at sewing, and when we needed something new we would go to Saks Fifth Avenue and she’d say, “Show me what you like.” Then we would go to the fabric store! I learned how to take something and recreate it in my own style. Even if it was similar to what we saw in the store, it was still very unique. It became me. My style is all about individuality.

My coat was the last thing that my mom made for me. When she was about 79, my husband said, “You know, while your mother still can sew, why don’t you have her make you something special?” The fabric of this coat was so expensive—it’s a mink cashmere. But it’s made with love. It has a very special meaning to me and I would never get rid of it. We found an old Vogue vintage pattern that she used for it.

The scarf is one that I made in a weaving class, just a few years ago. And I made the earrings myself, the first clay hoops I ever made. I’m a mixed media collage artist, and I’ve been teaching for 33 years, mainly children. I love sharing what I’ve learned, and in turn, learning from the kids—like how to be more patient. Watching them go through a process and getting it–the sense of accomplishment that they get when they actually complete something—is magical. Little ones don’t mind showing their excitement. As they get older, people stop showing how excited they are, although I can still see it. Art is a way to learn to solve problems. When I create my own art, I’ll have an idea in mind of what I want to do. But sometimes, when I start putting it together, I realize it doesn’t work. I don’t just throw it away, though. It’s all about sequence, learning to follow through and complete something. I have kids that have never felt that sense of self-gratification because they’ve never gotten praise. When they complete something, they feel joy. They realize that they can do anything.

The pants? I got these pants on one of my first visits to New York when I came to visit my best buddy of 25 years who is now my husband. We met in Houston, Texas and continued a very good friendship over the years, then got married. I hit the lotto. This bracelet was a gift from my honey in the 80s. Everything is sentimental. I usually don’t wear anything that doesn’t have some meaning to it.

The hat was actually made by a woman I was in a minority arts’ women’s organization in Detroit with. She makes hats out of old wool blankets.

I have extra wide feet, so it’s really hard to find shoes. When I find some shoes, they become my shoes. I always go for comfort. Being comfortable is what’s most important to me.

My signature necklace has the symbol that represents me: A free-spirited woman.

This Collie pin is costume jewelry. My mom had it when I was a little girl. Whenever she went out, my sister and I would go into her jewelry box and start playing dress-up. After she passed, we were cleaning out her house and I found this. It brought tears to my eyes. It just reminded me of when I was a little girl. I caused my mom a lot of headaches, but one of things I’m happiest about is that she got to see me be okay before she left this world. She told me, “I don’t have to worry about you anymore.”

My mother used to say, “Don’t wear what everyone else wears, wear what’s becoming to you.” So, there.

Follow Yvonne @ylamarrogers

Dayle, 60+, has strong feelings about the foundation of every outfit.

I was a public advocate for years, and when I was working in Washington, I’d dress conservatively if I had to. I’ve always had kind of a double life—I had this serious job by day, and I was a performer by night. Now that I’m retired, I’m doing all the things I always wanted to do. I wear whatever I want, whenever I want. I’m leading a much more artful life. Everything that I’m passionate about is flourishing. I’m a docent at an art museum, which I absolutely love. I dance three times a week—with a former Rockette, an Alvin Ailey dancer, a Broadway choreographer. I’ve done a lot of musical theater, I’ve sung and danced in cabaret acts. I’ve always been kind of “out there.”

I’ve always had my own quirky style, too. When I was in grade school, I only wore purple for a whole year. I don’t dress in costume, but I’m dramatic. If I go into a store and they show me their best seller, that item is what I will not buy. I never followed fads or the color of the year. I have my own way of putting myself together, and I enjoy the process.

I got these bubblegum pink boots from Dr. Liza Shoes. It’s a shoe company in Canada, formed by a female pediatrist who saw that women were killing their feet wearing high heels. So she designed a line of shoes that aimed to make heels as comfortable as sneakers. I just love the color. The shoes just go perfectly with my Carmen Bury kimono. Now, Carmen Bury is someone who likes to craft with different textiles. She put this together using old shower curtains. She recycles materials, and has this wonderful sense of play! I got it at the Sunday flea market on Columbus and 77th.

The museum where I’m a docent has an artist-in-residence program, and one of those artists is a woman named Jennie Maydew. She’s a young, up-and-coming designer who creates these pieces that have buttons going up and down the garment and then adds detachable pockets of different sizes that you can button-on to any part of the piece. You could have a pocket here, or a pocket there! It’s such a genius invention and it’s fabulous looking. Anyway, she made this necklace by taking scraps of materials. It spoke to me because it reminded me of Carmen Bury’s piece. It’s all about the details for me—they create a domino effect.

I’m an eyeglass freak. I have an outrageous number of glasses. They are definitely a part of my look. If you’re blind, you might as well have fun with it. I like frames that are funky and interesting. That’s why putting an outfit together takes a while—I consider everything.

I got these earrings for $5 at Housing Works, and I always stack bracelets. I love to wear bangles all up and down my arm. These are from everywhere—given to me by friends, found at street fairs, the African market on 116th street. It’s really a great way of expressing myself. It’s all about subtlety and I just love the feel of it. I could wear the same black pants every day of my life and make them different with accessories. Which reminds me, I haven’t even gotten to the underneath layer! Typically, I’m in black pants. But this kimono has a brown sleeve, so I went for solid brown underneath.

You want to know the one piece of clothing I can’t get rid of? Solid-colored, funky pants. That’s the basis of my wardrobe. Everything goes on top of solid-colored, usually black pants. It’s not sentimental. It’s practical. It’s benign. But it’s a canvas that sparks creativity. That’s how I put myself together! I tend to gravitate towards pieces of art, which are timeless. If you know the artist, you’ll think about the person who made it every time you wear it. The clothing tells the story, especially when made by an individual. I love thinking, somebody took the time to create this.

I think as you get older, you become more comfortable with your own style and less concerned with looking like everyone else. You develop who you are, and express yourself through your clothing. When you’re younger, conformity is so much more of an issue, creating social constraints. Given that, try experimenting in little ways. And have a good time! Getting dressed should be all about having fun. Pick one little thing that sparkles, that makes you happy. Look for joy and grow into your own style.

Follow Dayle @artfulcitystyle.

Photos by Sabrina Santiago.

The post 3 Older Women Style Their Favorite Thing in Their Closet appeared first on Man Repeller.

Trust Me Try It: These Incense Papers Make My Apt Smell Like a Luxurious French Hotel

Pause for a moment, close your eyes, and picture the most luxurious hotel you’ve ever stepped foot in. Scratch that: Imagine the most luxurious hotel you’ve ever dreamed of stepping foot in. Are there roses? Is there velvet, silk, etc.? Whatever you’re picturing, just double it. Now, settle onto a fainting couch in the corner of said dream hotel. You are waiting to meet Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, they are running late, as usual, but they’ve promised to tell you a secret they’ve never told anyone. (It will be conveyed via whisper.) In another room, a pianist plays your favorite Chopin song on a loop. Breathe in deeply. What’s that smell? It’s Ponsont.

That’s my best guess, anyway. I discovered Ponsont incense papers the way lots of magical things are discovered—while wandering aimlessly on a Saturday afternoon in Brooklyn. I wasn’t looking to buy anything in particular that day, but I stopped into the newish design and wellness store Sounds in Park Slope and was intrigued by what looked like a tiny booklet sitting on a small shelf. The short version of this story is that I picked it up, realized it was a book of incense papers, smelled them, became overwhelmed with positive feelings, and immediately bought them.

The longer version doubles as my pitch for why these incense papers are the best thing to scent your apartment. First, I’ll address the candle people. I used to be this kind of person too, but I moved on because I realized that if you get the really good smelling, fancy (read: expensive) ones, you want them to last, which means you need to monitor how long they’ve been burning to make sure you don’t burn through the whole thing in one go. “Candle monitoring” is the opposite of a relaxing activity, in my opinion. Relaxation is what I go to candles for. So, we are at odds, me and candles. I needed to find something else.

That’s how I eventually settled on Ponsont incense paper. The brand is named after August Ponsot, who invented incense paper in 1885, and all of their paper is made of chemical-free, dye-free, and tree-free cellulose which is sourced from a 400-year-old manufacturer and then handmade into their final product via a 16-step process that takes place in their U.S. studios. Ponsont’s fragrance ingredients are also nearly all natural, and include poetic collections of words such as “naturally reconstructed rose stem.” (No idea what that is, but I like it nonetheless.)

See All 2

Those facts are all things to feel good about. But the incense papers also just smell really, really good—the Rosa Rossa fragrance ($24 for a book of 24 papers), which is my favorite of the two options, smells like the best combination of a perfumey candle and a woody, smoky incense. I’ve been burning them for months now and I still consistently have thoughts like “This smells like the best day of life” each time I light one. The scent also lingers for longer than any other candle or incense (stick or paper) that I’ve burned. And the act of lighting Ponsont papers is extremely satisfying too—you just rip a perforated strip out of the booklet, fold it accordian style, light it on fire (those with pyro tendencies will find this part especially satisfying), then blow it out and watch it slowly burn in the fireproof vessel of your choice. (I use a little ceramic bowl.) Another fun thing about the booklet form is that it’s easier to bring around with you—which means it will not only scent your bag, but it could unfussily scent all manner of hotel room, Airbnb, or any other environment lacking romance that you may encounter.

Photos  by Alexis Jesup of Colors Collective. Prop Styling by Rose Kennedy.

The post Trust Me Try It: These Incense Papers Make My Apt Smell Like a Luxurious French Hotel appeared first on Man Repeller.

Leandra and Harling Talk Outfit Repeating and Retail Therapy Alternatives

What Would You Wear With This?, heir to the throne of Should I Buy This? , is a monthly conversation between Leandra and Harling about the contents of their online shopping carts and the potential outfits that lie within. Come for the clothes, stay for the feelings.

On Thu, Jan 9, 2020 at 2:13 PM Harling wrote:

It was tricky for me to figure out if I even had something to say about shopping this month, because I’m not in a particularly shoppy mood post-holidays, which are uniquely conducive to making fun-filled purchases. But I guess my malaise is fitting for a month when our editorial theme is Consumption and its joys and discontents, hmm?

Speaking of joy, that’s something I am in the mood for–small, zippy, satisfying bursts of it at regular intervals–and it wasn’t until someone messaged me on Instagram to inquire what alternatives to retail therapy give me the same kind of thrill that I had a revelation about the competing interests of January in general: consuming less, but feeling more.

It can be such a barren month, both in terms of weather and socialization, which makes feeling in general but particularly feeling Thrilled with a capital T a more challenging thing to access. There are so many things I could rattle off that historically bring me joy–my family, my friendships, Austin, a satisfying project at work, a delicious book–but the spine-tingling quick hit of a purchase is another thing altogether (and, I’ll admit, often a more superficial one). It’s candy! Where do you find your candy outside the realm of shopping, especially if you’re trying to be more conscious about how often you engage in said activity?

On Sun, Jan 12, 2020 at 7:43 PM Leandra wrote:

The thing about retail therapy is that it’s a coping mechanism, right? It feels like a drug—you put it really well by describing it as a “spine-tingling quick hit,” and then again calling it candy. Finding an alternative to it can be a slippery slope if you’re not really conscious of the fact that you’re replacing one plea for escapist behavior with another. Which, btw, there is nothing wrong with—we all have coping mechanisms. We need them to survive! My philosophy is that as long you’re not ruining your own life or anyone else’s, good for fucking you if you have figured out what works to make the banalities of your days/weeks/month/life feel better. Tbh, specifically with retail therapy, for me it is often enough to just mindlessly scroll through new product pages on luxury brand websites. I would do it before I could afford anything, too. Often I see something I like, which reminds me that I have something similar, and that re-inspires me to wear it in a different way. This actually happened recently with a very good looking Toteme tux blazer on Matches. It reminded me that I have a great Isabel Marant one that I bought, also from Matches, while I was pregnant a couple years ago, and I really liked that the sleeve appears cropped, so I thought maybe I’ll tuck and tape the sleeves in and wear it with some black wool trousers.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Obviously the scrolling is like tempting the devil and every so often I’ll end up buying something. Like somehow these ended following me down a rabbit hole of cooking websites when I was trying to find easy breakfast recipes for my kids this AM. I’m not going to get them, but, you know, they’re haunting me.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

I haven’t answered your question. Sorry. Candy outside the realm of shopping… it depends! If I’m specifically trying to scratch the fashion itch I take to my closet and start trying on outfits I’ve never worn before with all the clothes I definitely have worn before. That usually gets me going in the same way that getting something new does. If I’m using retail therapy as a pick-me-up to distract me/because I’m sad/because I’m avoiding something, I, tbh, often concede to the therapy, or a glass of wine, or a piece of cake and then feel terrible about it the next day. One good thing about me: I’m not lazy about returning shit, so that happens a good amount.

Not a satisfying answer, huh. What do you do!

On Tue, Jan 14, 2020 at 6:23 PM Harling wrote:

Remember Polyvore???? In addition to using it to search for stuff when I was in college, I was also a frequent partaker in its collage function, which basically allowed you to paste together different clothes from around the internet onto a white square, paper doll-style without the doll, which would probably be extremely helpful in terms of visualizing what pants (or kilt??) I would hypothetically wear with this sweater/shoe combo:

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

I definitely get a thrill from outfit idea generation that’s reasonably close to what I get from making an actual purchase, even when the ideas are entirely hypothetical. Since Polyvore doesn’t exist anymore I often take screenshots of things and open them up next to each other on my desktop. It’s not a perfect system, but it scratches the itch to some extent.

Another itch-scratcher: borrowing clothes! I’ve been borrowing stuff from my mom’s closet for years but the satisfaction of doing so didn’t fully crystallize until recently when I messaged Jenny Walton on Instagram about how much I loved a particular sweater she was wearing (which is currently on sale, for those interested) and without skipping a beat she messaged back saying that she was going to leave it with her doorman so I could pick it up and borrow it!! Which I did! I’ve worn it twice, which was indeed thrilling, and also ultimately the perfect amount. I still need to return it (sorry, Jenny!!) but I have a hunch that doing so will feel akin to leaving a party at its peak, or when a show decides to stop airing episodes while it’s still culturally relevant like Fleabag or Broad City. Is this metaphor making sense?? I basically mean that it’s nice to have the opportunity to wear something in the throes of loving it without grappling with the disintegration of that feeling that tends to happen over time, you know?

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

But it doesn’t always happen, which I’ve become more conscious of as well. I’m trying to pay really close attention to the pieces/outfits that I’m interested in wearing on repeat and never grow tired of. For example, here’s an outfit I’ve been wearing at least every two weeks (sometimes more) over the past few months and I think I’m just getting started:

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

If I had to analyze why I’ve gravitated toward it so many times, I would say that it’s a) extremely comfortable but still put-together-looking enough for multiple occasions/circumstances and b) is relatively simple but has an element of surprise contrast courtesy of the purple and neon yellow accented sneakers. It’s also a great canvas for a variety of accessories, so I can mix things up that way and keep it feeling FRE$H.

Are there any particular outfits you’ve been wearing on repeat lately?

On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 10:38 AM Leandra wrote:

A few things! First: I used Polyvore for the same purpose–it was like my Cher closet. Then I would take screenshots of the outfits I made and upload them to manrepeller.blogspot.com and get wordy and philosophical about why I was pairing a fashion sweater with Nike shorts (because trends are best served by taking them to their genesis), end scene.

Speaking of philosophy, I also agree that sometimes putting the outfit together (even without actually owning it) can scratch the itch. I was listening to the Goop podcast last night and GP interviewed Eckhart Tolle and he was yapping away about ego, and how it’s separate from us (e.g. you or me) in a thought like, I can’t handle myself anymore! and went on to say something to the extent that when you look at something and enjoy it, when it resonates or whatever, it’s ego that comes in and makes you think you need to own it to define yourself. Or something! Anyway, it got me thinking of this dramatic story I wrote about social proprietorship, and also what you’re saying right now. You will probably disagree with this assertion given the anecdote I just shared but the point is: Sometimes I really feel like we have the same brain. Case in point: Your TV show pitch in our content world meeting yesterday.

Speaking in terms of peeks behind the curtain:

1) We should 100% ask Jenny if she wants to be part of our talent collective; can’t think of someone who embodies the fashion ethos of Man Repeller better—she fucking loves getting dressed, has so much fun doing it, is creative about where she gets it/how she makes it, and all of it is so inspiring.

2) We should probably host a clothing swap at the office? The idea hasn’t appealed to me, I think because I was never allowed to borrow my friends’ clothes. My mom didn’t let me, I think it was an insecurity of hers born from her refugee immigrant mentality where she probably felt like it was embarrassing for me to accept handouts. Totally missed the cultural milestone of friends-that-share-clothes, but obviously I did not have that rationale/logic when I was like, 12 years old. Point being: I’m ready to let go!

And now! Do I have any outfits on repeat? Yes! While as a rule I’m pretty sure I have a template and so technically, I wear the same thing every day even though the actual garments are different (I also have a long form musing on this as the real definition of style incoming), in terms of actual outfits

I’ve been wearing this grey Adam Lippes mens henley a lot

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Under a cardigan sweater, this one specifically, but this one does the trick

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

White high waist, straight leg skinny jeans

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

And a rotating panel of mid heel shoes.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

The henley is casual, and makes this great tension when I wear a pearl necklace or gold chain. Or both! And it looks kind of off under the cardigan because why all the buttons, but I like the offness. Then the jeans are like veggies to me, a necessary part of every meal (per the food pyramid) and the shoes–which could even have a pointed toe–catch the sweater and henley without making me feel like a corporate lawyer because no boxy shoulders or blazers here, pal.

There is something to be said about outfit repeating being the new refusal to outfit repeat, no?

On Wed, Jan 15, 2020 at 9:49 PM Harling wrote:

Very funny you’re bringing up the old Man Repeller url because LITERALLY JUST LAST NIGHT I had a random hankering to remind myself how the MR website looked in, like, 2012 so I went to the website archive.org and pulled it up! And there was hundo P a Polyvore collage that featured high-top Converse and “skinny-loose pants” (skinny legs, loose crotch–please consider this an official entreaty to revive the coined term henceforth).

Agree completely re: Jenny. She’s one of those people who dresses so timelessly her outfits look like they should be in a coffee table book but also so perfectly of-the-moment that they could be in the feature image of an article about style on zeitgeist dot com. Looking timeless and of your time at the same time is nearly impossible, right?? Which is probably why I can only think of a handful of women who have managed to do it. Another good example of someone who does this regularly is Chloe Sevigny. Let’s put her in the talent collective too, and pay her a commission for the tights + LBD + flower brooch I will inevitably buy if I continue gazing at this photo.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

At the very first fashion week event I attended EVER on behalf of Man Repeller, there was a woman there who asserted loudly that she has never, in her entire life, repeated an outfit. I remember this vividly, partly because it was my first ever fashion week event but also because everyone in attendance (myself included) was visibly impressed. It’s interesting to think about that proclamation now, though, because I don’t think it’s something a person would place a premium on achieving, much less brag about, in 2020 (this was 2016).

It’s incredible how much the pendulum has swung toward sustainability consciousness since then, and how much that swing has shaped not only how we talk about style but also what we’re choosing to wear day to day. The gratification of coming up with an outfit so good that you want to wear it on repeat is the thing to brag about now, and how neat is that? Neat not only because it’s an approach to getting dressed that doesn’t rely on accumulating more stuff, but also because it necessitates a much greater level of thoughtfulness toward what you want your clothes to say about you if the thing they’re saying is going to be said again and again and again. And that’s probably contributing to why fashion’s overarching mood is feeling more streamlined right now, because there’s a much more nuanced spectrum of things that a pair of perfectly neutral gray trousers can say vs. an aquamarine polka dot dress which is shouting one thing and one thing only (however both certainly have their merits, depending on the/your vibe).

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

I’m fully rambling now, but here’s a related question: How do you drum up inspiration from the wardrobe you already have on days when you’re feeling un-creative?

P.S. I’ll share a brain w/ u any day of the week Leandroid Cohen. Especially if it means we can make a TV show and/or timeshare this outfit from Dries:

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content


On Thu, Jan 16, 2020 at 2:24 PM Leandra wrote:

Oh but there is a difference between repeating an outfit and repeating an item! I don’t think I necessarily repeat outfits so much as I do routinely wear the same things in different ways. I wonder if that’s how she meant it. It seems to be at the core of what you’re getting at as well, and to me, that’s real style. It’s like how the best cooks can walk into a fridge full of nothing and whip up a fabulicious meal.

Per your q on how I drum up inspo to get dressed when I’m not feeling creative: I know I’ve said this before, but I actually do keep a note in my phone with outfit ideas, which I add to every time I get a good idea. There’s no real method or rhythm to when these ideas come to me (example: this morning I wrote “Suede fringe jacket as top with khaki trousers + grey collarless peacoat over and black Adidas sneakers” while I was brushing my teeth) but I do defer to the note when I’m feeling uninspired. Of course what often ends up happening is the outfits in the notes no longer inspire me, so I stand in front of the closet and change the line of questioning. Instead of: “What should I wear to make me feel great today?” I ask: “What in here will make me feel the most comfortable?” i.e. “What can I put on that I will be able to forget about the second I’m wearing it (in a good way!)?” So I end up pulling for a pair of high waist jeans with a cardigan and a t-shirt under, or some other kind of knit and then pull out a pair of flat boots if it’s cold and I have to walk far, or slingbacks if it’s not and depending on the shoes, I go ham on the accessories. Not real ham, but they become the point of interest, you know? As I’m typing this all out it’s occurring to me that the real answer to your question is: When I’m not feeling inspired, I focus less on my clothing and more on what I wear my clothing with. Rings on my pinkies, threaded bracelets on one wrist, something dramatic and gold on the other. Maybe a charm bracelet? I’m a big fan of the summer bead mid-winter and lately, I’m all about pearl buttons, but for my ears. What do you do?

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

And finally, did you know that my brothers call me Leandroid because I am like a “hemorrhoid to their lives: incredibly uncomfortable, but necessary to deal with, and you never regret it once you do” (I added the last part…).

On Thu, Jan 16, 2020 at 5:53 PM Harling wrote:

My “trick” (if I can even call it that) is scrolling through my camera roll to remind myself of past outfits, which I’ve found is useful in dislodging ideas for new ones. At this point my phone is basically an inventory of my wardrobe. The perks of being vain!

I actually did it just this morning when I was standing naked in front of my closet beseeching it to tell me what to wear and it refused to cough up the answer, so out came my phone and I found a photo of myself from last spring wearing this Ralph Lauren sweater with white jeans, a white frilly collar, and black sandals.

See All 4

It was definitely too spring-y of an outfit to fully recreate for this time of year, but it reminded me of how good the sweater is, and how good it looks when paired with a combination of preppy and sporty things. I decided to wear it with gray wool slacks and New Balance sneakers and if I do say so myself it’s a very satisfying combo.

See All 2

Speaking of satisfying I’m feeling the urge to recap some of the points we’ve touched upon in this convo because I think there are some nicely toasted chicken nuggets worth calling out…

Alternatives to retail therapy that provide the same kind of thrill:

1. Mindlessly scrolling through new product pages on luxury brand websites in hopes of seeing something that you already own a similar version of, thus re-invigorating you to wear it again– maybe even in a totally different way.

2. Standing in front of your closet trying on outfits you’ve never worn before with all the clothes you’ve definitely worn before.

3. Collaging looks on your computer with screen shots, like paper dolls without the doll (or the paper for that matter).


4. Borrowing clothes from friends, family members, and sometimes people you DM enthusiastically on Instagram.

Strategies for re-upping your creative juices when you’re not feeling inspired by your wardrobe:

1. Writing down outfit ideas in your Notes app whenever they come to you, and referencing it accordingly

2. Asking yourself, “What in here will make me feel the most comfortable?” (instead of “What should I wear to make me feel great today?”)

3. Scroll through past outfits you’ve documented on your phone camera roll

The end! Except I also need to say that while I appreciate your brothers’ interpretation of the nickname Leandroid, I’m partial to mine: an alternative smartphone that is slightly too big for most jean pockets and buzzes every time a size 6 Manolo Blahnik sandal hits The RealReal.

Photos  by Alexis Jesup of Colors Collective. Prop Styling by Rose Kennedy.

The post Leandra and Harling Talk Outfit Repeating and Retail Therapy Alternatives appeared first on Man Repeller.