Leandra Medine's Blog, page 633

Man Repeller Round Table: The Summer Internship

For this week’s round table, we spoke with our summer interns about the establishment of The Internship.

Leandra Medine: What have you found to be the most compelling parts of being an intern — here or otherwise — thus far?

Hadley Mendelsohn, rising college senior: I really enjoy the initial stages of interning anywhere because it’s fun observing and figuring out a new workspace, trying to get to know a culture, as opposed to just one person. It’s been very different at each place.

Hannah Kellner, rising college senior: Internships are really interesting (as opposed to a job) because the people in charge of you are asking, “What do you want me to do for you? How can we help?” Versus, “I hired you — what can you do for me?”

Leandra: I think that across the board, startup employers — and because it’s 2015 — are realizing that it is very, very important to make sure everyone who works with you are happy as you are. You don’t want to build an environment that people dread waking up to come to. Emma, what about you?

Emma Hager, rising college sophomore: I’m a curious person, so I love being exposed to everything. I really don’t think I have an entrepreneurial bone in my body, but I find it so interesting to hear about analytics and strategy — that part never really crossed my mind. And of course, being exposed to this particular website, which I’ve interacted with online for so long — to be able to sit in the office where it all happens — it’s really nice and almost sobering in a good way, you know? To realize that it’s not all a fairytale. It’s actually extremely hard work, and it takes a lot to maintain a site. And I think that it has been quite rewarding for me to realize that, at the end of the day, we are all just out here doing our jobs.

Amelia Diamond: When I started my first internship, I had stars in my eyes about entering the “glamorous world of fashion.” But that doesn’t last long — it’s hard work. I had to do some strange things at internships. There were long hours, rude people. But by the time I got to my last one at a big magazine, I was disillusioned in a healthy way. I was able to approach my time with just that mentality you mentioned: this is work, and I am here to do my job.

Hadley: It’s a good way to test yourself, to see if you are actually committed to working in this industry. Or any industry. Internships are supposed to be temporary — you’re supposed to play around and see what you like.

Emma: It’s kind of like being infatuated someone. You start off infatuated with that person, and then when you’re finally together, you have to work things out because at the end of the day you’re both humans. And it’s very real. You have to realize that the fairytale does not exist. Nothing substantial can operate in that realm.

Leandra: I think there might be value in taking that a step further, and realizing that we’re all, across the board, just human. And we are all equals based on that accord. There is never an appropriate reason to feel like someone is above or below you.

Has it been difficult to find internships? What’s the process of achieving one like? I haven’t been an intern in five or six years, but back then, it was about trying to leverage connections if you had them, sending desperate emails if you didn’t.

Hannah: It really depends on where you are trying to find one. I applied to a whole bunch of places last summer and a lot of them didn’t respond. This one was a special case, I guess. I cold-emailed and got a response. But I really do think it’s hard to get one. I have a bunch of friends who applied to, like, twenty places, and heard absolutely nothing.

Amelia: Everyone is looking for an internship, but what’s funny is that everyone I know is also looking for an intern. Friends in the industry email me pretty regularly asking if I know of anyone looking for an internship, so whenever someone doesn’t work out for Man Repeller but seems interesting, I pass them along.

Do you guys have someone at school telling you what to expect, or how to prepare?

Emma: For the most part, I’ve just heard stories from friends. That’s how I learn, I guess. But it’s hard really to glean anything from someone else’s experience, especially in fashion where everyone seems to be be pushing a different vision, and each of those visions involve different tasks.

Leandra: In your previous internships, did your bosses ever make you feel as if you were a part of something larger than you? That you were working towards something?

Hadley: Mine did! I was in a program where you only worked with one supervisor, and you were their only intern on your days, so you got to build work relationships with the supervisors. At the end, my supervisor asked if I could do freelance work, so that was really good. It felt like she appreciated the work I was doing.

Hannah: Mine was a little different because the faculty started without a graphic designer, and then I came in and took on that role. It made me feel like part of the team because there was no one else doing my job. I was immediately the go-to person.

Leandra: Do you feel as though the internships you’ve had have helped you figure out what you want to do after college?

Hannah:  I learned I didn’t want to be a graphic designer, so for this summer I sought out  business development internships, like what I’m doing now. I hope this helps me figure things out a bit.

Hadley: I’m pretty clueless, but I think I want to be working within editorial/the fashion industry. I definitely now know that I do not want to go into interior design, which I originally thought I did. One of my friends said it’s all about crafting a story, so I’ve been trying to stay on a linear track and achieve my end goal.

Emma: I always knew that I wanted to write in some capacity, and fashion always made sense to me.

Amelia: So, elephant in the room. Payment. How do you guys approach the reality of needing an internship and knowing that not all of them — especially in this industry — pay? Many employers can only offer college credit, but…not everyone can afford to come to NY and do that.

Emma: This is a subject that I addressed with my parents. I know that this is a great privilege, and I think it has been important to keep the dialogue open about investment. It’s not only a financial investment, but it’s also an investment in my future. My parents are both in science, so this world is foreign to them. Still, they trust that I know what I need to do to get a job-job so that I am not living on their couch long after I graduate.

Amelia: Hannah, aren’t you sleeping on a couch right now? That’s kind of a sacrifice in some sense.

Hannah: I feel like my brother might be the one that is making the sacrifice — it’s his couch! But it is an investment, as Emma said. I have a few options for jobs after I graduate, so I wanted to treat this summer as a test.

Hadley: I worked when I was younger, and my other internship paid me, so I saved up money for this. My parents are also helping me with rent. It’s an investment, so you know you have to be committed to taking this seriously.

Emma: In some ways, the internship is the new college. Everyone seems to apply to every college, everyone seems to apply to every internship.

Leandra: I think the whole internship industry is going to get smaller before it gets bigger. Systems need to be put in place so that all of these college students are not just spending their summers working for free. That was not a “thing” ten years ago. And it’s not fair that someone who spent her summers working at a restaurant, or as a lifeguard, who is incredibly smart and educated, shouldn’t be considered for a job, right?

Emma: What’s interesting to see is how these other forays into the industry play out. My friend got an internship because of a series of tweets his future employer saw. I don’t know if these new methods are necessarily good things, but there are so many other platforms to prove oneself now. Especially in startup environments.

Leandra: I have been in business for five years and I have never had a business card. That’s sort of the thing about startups, you almost feel like you need to turn everything that has ever worked in a corporate environment on its head. Even if the systems in place are good ones!

What have you found to be the worst parts of interning? Generally speaking. (I was once asked to sharpen five hundred pencils for a big fashion show, and everywhere I attempted to sharpen these pencils — because it was an electric sharpener — people were kicking me out because it was too loud. I felt like such a little person!

Amelia: I have so many horror stories.

Emma: For me, the struggle — well, struggle is a strong word — is very much internal. Because I have little prior experience, I feel like I constantly have to prove to myself and to others that I am not inadequate. Because I have no way to prove that I am adequate, paper-wise.

Leandra: I want to wrap with two questions. First: what advice would you give to someone younger than you who is seeking an internship? Amelia and I can wax poetic on it forever, but at the end of the day, you’re the ones out on the field.

Hannah: My advice would be to just take every chance you can. Interview and apply everywhere. I got this one by just emailing.

Hadley: Twitter is actually very good for email-stalking. Well actually, no one has ever responded to me, so maybe it’s not the best approach [laughs].

Hannah: And always send a portfolio or samples if you have them.

Emma: Ask questions, and email people you admire. I do this! It can be as simple saying, “Hi, I have a follow up question about the thing you wrote,” or, “Hi, I am wondering how you got to where you are, or how you honed your skill.” You’d be surprised as to how willing people are to help. They really are. Send a direct Instagram message and see what happens.

Hadley: Utilize your friends and your network. You never know who knows who, who can help.

Leandra: Last question. What is one thing you’ve learned about MR that may be weird or interesting or whatever, but something you did not expect prior to working here?

Hannah: Well, how quiet it is in the office!

Emma: The seriousness of the office was surprising. It’s very commanding in that sense. I wasn’t expecting Leandra to be dancing around in palazzo pants, per se, but something in between.

Hadley: When I was interviewing over the phone, I asked about the office environment, and Amelia said, “You know, it’s not as loud and high-energy as you might expect. We’re writing all day.”

Amelia: I don’t want someone to come in here thinking that it’s gonna be a ball pit! But we do have fun once that stuff’s done.

Hadley: I love how intimate it is. It is really nice to be a part of company that is still so small, and still growing and developing.

Leandra: Thanks guys! Now let’s turn it to the readers. Tell us about your internships.

For more round tables, click here. Reading not your thing? Let’s watch some videos! If these ladies look familiar, that’s because they helped model gold tats. Photographed by Krista Anna Lewis.

The Five Day Denim Challenge

You know those people who do stuff just to prove a point but ultimately end up hurting no one but themselves?

I never thought myself to be one of them, but then I had the worst idea in the history of bad ideas.

See, Amelia and I were thinking through what kind of new diets we could possibly embark on for our series, MR Diets. (So you know, we intend to try the Lena Dunham diet next week. Look out!) In thinking through things I would likely find near impossible to achieve, I looked down at my crotch (as a self-proscribed “man repeller'” is wont to) and eureka, there it was, my solution: why don’t I try eschewing denim in favor of its fancier fabric friends and cousins for the course of one week.

I am sure it sounds easy enough but then again, watching a trainer do sit ups looks easy, too. It takes getting into the thick of the motion yourself to realize how fundamentally challenging ab-muscle engagement (or keeping your legs away from denim for an extended period of time) can be. So here we are, five days older and maybe — maybe — just one degree wiser.

It seems easy enough at first. I thought I was beating the system on Monday when I opted for a set of khaki pants plus matching top. If it’s not going to be denim, let it be another utilitarian fabric, right? Monday night was decidedly simple, too. There it sat, a yellow set in a garment bag by Stella McCartney, extolling the virtues of feeling a little bit like Natalie Joos and a whole lot like Bianca Jagger’s accountant.

Walk in the park.

Tuesday wasn’t too bad, either. I like culottes almost as much as I like avocado toast and possibly even more than Amelia likes Oprah. So I put on what I have started to call the signature green pair with a striped linen button down shirt, a black belt (for the edge of cool that jeans typically provide) and shoes that frankly have no place walking streets outside of Palm Beach.

I got this.

Until lo and behold, Wednesday and Thursday reared their heads. I think this is the stage wherein an addict begins to feel withdrawal. The placebo wears off, the power-of-regained-control is no longer novel and there you are, begging for a rip, a camel toe, a cowboy crotch — anything that bears semblance to the vintage 501s of yore, but you’re stuck. So what do you do? Get hyper-thematic. I relied on a traditional Ukrainian dress by fashion prodigy Vita Kin for Wednesday (though you should know it took many iterations of trying to personalize and own this dress before I ultimately settled on just letting it own me) and a pair of white silk faille overalls by Natasha Zinko, deliberately worn with a corporately-inclined blue button-down to counter the flower in my hair. This one was fun (if not difficult) to execute because all I really wanted to do was tuck the blue shirt into blue jeans, wear those Palm Beach sandals with the flower in my hair and tell New York to F itself.

By Friday, I am almost positive I was beginning to develop whatever the yeast-infection equivalent of starving your nether regions a vital nutrient would be. But I drudged on in a tinker bell dress and clogs peppered with a bandana around my wrist and I don’t know why, but I also included mushroom head.

At the bottom line, I learned this: there is definitely value in forcing yourself out of your style comfort zone, if not because necessity truly is “the mother of invention” (and creativity, or whatever), then certainly because it’s true, you know: absence makes the ass grow fonder.

Think this was tough? Check out that time Leandra tried the mirror challenge, the no-pants challenge or just try and read all of our past writer’s prompts without crying tears of joy. Photographed by Krista Anna Lewis.

MR Writers Club Prompt: Advice From Dad

Take what you do seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously.

Being smart is not about how much you know, it’s about the people you surround yourself with.

Don’t be a dick.

It’s easy to talk yourself out of good ideas. Execute.

You may recognize these slivers of advice from a story we ran two years ago on good advice given to members of the Man Repeller team by their paternal units (to be called p-uNiTz going forward).

You may also remember MR contributor Alexandra Malmed’s stunning Ode to Cool Dads, or the follow-up about dad-fostered beauty secrets and tips, which she imparted upon us. And with Father’s Day 2015 a mere week away, we are sweeping the floor, making sure it looks shiny and opening it up to you, extended members of this team, to share with us in a short narrative the #1 best piece of advice your dad has ever given to you.

Because, dads, man. Nothing bites more than when your very own Danny Tanner is like, “I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.” And nothing is more infuriating than realizing that through their reprimanding and subsequently disciplining you, they’re right when they say, “Don’t smoke, it’ll kill you.”

Get the wheels of your creativity in motion by submitting little nuggets of wisdom below (we could benefit from some fresh advice, too!) and then turn those nuggets into WORDS OF GOLD (by next Thursday — June 18th, at 12 p.m. EST, send to write@manrepeller.com) so we can publish the shit out of your dad’s acumen and let the world know that where there is acumen, your dad isn’t far.

Image via The Hollywood Reporter Courtesy of The Everett Collection

We love dads and their bad dad jokes, but we also love mom and her freaky sixth sense. Speaking of moms, what’s up with dwindling cool mom names? BUT, the real question is: mom or dad jeans? You gotta check it out before denim becomes extinct. Did you see last week’s entry? It’s not delivery, it’s delicious.

When Did the Term “Twentysomething” Become Such a Cliché?

I was recently commiserating with a friend over her recent breakup. There was red wine and fried eggplant and the conversation invariably flitted to Instagram, where her ex had made his relationship with his new girlfriend very public.

New Girl in question looked decent in Valencia. Aside from that, we knew nothing about her. Her bio read:

“~Twentysomething living in Cali~”

My friend and I guffawed — partly because New Girl captioned one of her photos, “Fashion is my music,” but mostly because she had used the term “twentysomething” in earnest. And what’s so wrong with that? She did indeed look about 23. But it’s not about the age. It’s about that fact that somewhere between Friends, Sex & the City and Girls, the term to describe humans who’ve been alive for 20-29 years has become a cliché.

The platitude evolved much in the same way “basic” did. Where the millennial b-word implies a high reverence for group fitness classes and Sunday brunch, “twentysomething” seems to be the fashionable classification for women who have not yet figured out their shit.

A twentysomething is Hannah Horvath and her cohort of Brooklyn-dwelling peers. Their lives are clumsy, their relationships erratic and their Pinterest boards likely replete with inspirational quotes. They have no clue. Perhaps “they can’t even.” A twentysomething has various plights and faults, and not only does she recognize them, but she makes them known — because of social media and dating app bios, she’s at least mildly self-aware: “26. New to NYC. I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream.”

At least that’s my perception. Or it’s my projection of society’s perception, because this concept of twentysomething as a means to describe one of life’s shortest decades with an eye roll is just that: an idea. A point of view. Doesn’t mean it’s right. Or real. What even is real? (We twentysomethings are very existential!) It exists because enough of us under thirty provided fodder for a stereotype, which women like me quickly rejected.

But there’s nothing wrong with being twentysomething. Not in age, nor in its broader implications. Shit not together? Great, whose is? Relationships are hard? Per my mom, a forty-something, “Welcome to the club.”

So maybe it’s a matter of embracing the term, of opening our arms to all it implies. Maybe New Girl had it right: put it out there for the world to see — the old make fun of yourself before someone else has the chance trick. Maybe it’s a matter of remembering that amid heartbreak and crushed dreams, twentysomethings have the gumption to succeed.

Or maybe it’s about recognizing the beauty in chaos? Although I can’t take credit for that last one. I discovered it on a Pinterest board.

Edited by Amelia and Leandra, two twentysomethings living in NYC.

Image via i-D

What Would the Characters of ‘Orange is the New Black’ Wear?

Over the past two seasons of Orange is the New Black, we’ve seen glimpses of the Litchfield Penitentiary inmates’ pasts and thus have become more privy to their style beyond the beige. With Season 3 on the imminent Netflix Horizon, why not play the What If Wardrobe Game. What if our favorite characters were finally released from the slammer? How would they dress? Who would they be? Let the day dreaming begin…

*Cue fantasy-montage music*

Piper Chapman

Pipes went through her drug mule phase and all, but she’s a WASP, through and through. Her first move post-prison will be to visit a farmers market in a button down shirt, A-line skirt and J.Crew flats. Maybe she’ll need a raffia tote. And though she’ll re-watch this video just to make sure she’s doing it right, homegirl’s got the Jenna Lyons sleeve-roll down pat. What she could use, however, is some advice from Mickey Drexler.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Taystee Jefferson

 

Did you ever notice that in Fergie’s prime tune “Fergalicious,” she spells “tasty” wrong? She sings: “T to the A, to the S – T – E – Y,” throwing an “E” in there like it’s orzo in chicken soup. Taystee Jefferson takes it a step further by adding another “E” then shaking up the order. Her style is more Rihanna than Fergie, though. Think Alexander Wang jerseys, leather leggings, high-tops and heels that could put an eye out.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Alex Vause

When Alex gets out of Litchfield, she’s going to rediscover her love of fashion and immediately stock up on Balmain x H&M. You’ll catch her donning shoe-pants, pantsuits and cutout dresses. She’ll trade in her regular black spectacles for sexy Chanel readers. She may even cut her hair into a sleek lob that makes her look like an action movie heroine, but she’ll secretly wear a Jennifer Meyer necklace that says “mom.”

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Lorna Morello

Lorna’s first stop when she gets out of the slammer will be the Forever 21 sale section. She’ll swipe on some fresh Revlon Red and pretend she’s in a movie montage as she tries on rompers that are far too young for her. She’ll leave with a few pleather mini skirts and strapless dresses that’ll make her feel like Betty Boop. Lorna’s next stop? A lingerie shop. The second she has Internet access, this vixen is signing up for Tinder.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Nicky Nichols

Nicky is all about that effortless cool style — but think more Ralph Lauren-meets-West than Serge Gainsbourg-meets-Cannes. Her go-to look is the Canadian tuxedo. Her style icon is Jay Leno, and she owns a gratuitous amount of chambray tops and dungarees from Frame Denim. If prison taught her anything it’s that, well, drugs are bad, and she likes to have a uniform. She’s also a fan of Chuck Taylors and the occasional pair of Air Jordans when she’s feeling like Sporty Spice.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Red Reznikov

The second Red gets out she’s heading straight for Chico’s. Her closet is filled with kimonos, chevron maxi skirts and coral ponchos. She’s also getting really into scarves, because if there’s one thing you can’t do behind bars, it’s accessorize.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Sophia Burset

Following her release, Sophia will promptly log on to Net-a-Porter. She’s a sucker for Oscar de la Renta, Stella McCartney and anything Tabitha Simmons. She is fan of crêpe de chine silk, curve hugging silhouettes and fitted, asymmetrical skirts. She will also get really into high-rise flared jeans and wear them with off-the-shoulder tops on weekends with her son, Michael.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Don’t see one of your favorite characters? Add her below and tell us what she’d wear.

Illustrations by Autumn Kimball.

Enough of the fiction, let’s talk real wardrobes with Sophie Auster, Jane Bishop, and our entire NY Closets treasure trove. Now, back to the show. Can’t stop watching Netflix? Same. Hallelujah we no longer have to wait on long lines for the newest and greatest blockbusters! (Wait, back to the fiction, remember that time we styled Jared Leto and Leonardo DiCaprio? We “dressed” a few other iconic women, too.)

Happy (Almost) Birthday, Mary-Kate and Ashley!

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen turn 29 on Saturday. This upsets me for two reasons:

1. It’s a poignant reminder that the Olsen’s last movie, New York Minute, was released over a decade ago.

2. At age 29, Mary-Kate and Ashley will be swathed in more cashmere throws than I’ll ever know what to do with.

The Olsen evolution has been an exciting one to witness. Once the century’s poster children for rubber chokers and Blockbuster weekend rentals, they are now the emblem of cool. With two successful clothing lines under their belt and enough croc-embossed luxury goods to raise Steve Irwin from the dead, the Olsens have made the ultimate 180.

Or have they?

Mary-Kate and Ashley have always been retailers. Among the things they sold me were Malibu Style Eau de Toilette Spray, dirty blond highlights and matching denim overalls with which I had no twin to share.

I owned their Travel the World boxset before I could navigate a remote control.

In the year 2000, you were either a Mary Kate or an Ashley; both options were available at your local Walmart.

Indeed, our favorite set of twins have graduated from grandmother’s house. They’ve since traded in their spaghetti straps for bohemian-bourgeois silhouettes. Their pouts may have grown slightly more sober but nonetheless, their expressions seem to say, “We know we’re cool. But our lips are sealed.”

So happy Birthday, MK & A, you chic warriors of modest hemlines and shuffling flats. We’ll continue to watch you on your journey and loudly support you as you grow.

But is Thursday, after all. TBT.

Feature Image via CFDA

Perhaps the now-streamlined style of the Olsen Twins will inspire you to wear a black slip dress or acquire a pared-down uniform to call your own. Or you, know, maybe you can help us caption this Vine of the twins that NYT’s Vanessa Friedman captured. And speaking of sisterhood…

How to Exercise at Your Desk

You know what we like more than deskercizing? GIFS of deskercizing.

I know, I know, you know, I know. I’ve been saying that a lot lately. It’s sweet because on the one hand I really feel like we know each other, you know? Like you can reliably expect what I’m going to say and feel like, “Ha, ha, ha, oh, Leandra! There you go, talking about being cool or how much fun resort season can be, or, there you also go! Treating exercising like it is your second coming of age.” On the latest clause, here’s the thing: I have no choice.

The way in which metropolitan humanity interacts socially these days is while exchanging notes on the treadmill. Meeting for a spin class. Discussing rising glutes. Drinking the subsequent smoothies.

And for the most part, I get it. Here I only started exercising like a year ago (yes, it took 25 years, no I don’t regret the preliminary quarter life-long-state of being sedentary) but I have to say, it feels cool. My thighs are rock hard and my butt practically flirts with my shoulder blades because it has been lifted so significantly. But that’s not even the half of it. I AM IN A GREAT MOOD! When the sun doesn’t shine, the resistance bands do! When the threat of rain looms violently overhead, I just look to my weights and train. Train, I tell ya! Get fit.

Oh, who am I kidding? Working out sucks. I favor sleep over leg lifts 10/10 times. Drinks over bicep curls 11/10 times and serving jury duty over burpees. Point blank. But summer is close, my friends. So close, in fact, that I can smell it on my knees. And that means skin — lots of it, in the flesh! On display! Out for public consumption. Which might possibly trick you into thinking that you need to prioritize exercise over living well (sleeping, drinking, jury duty), but I’m here to tell you that it’s not true. Okay? All you have to do is procrastinate while at work and perform the following five subtle fitness movements, modeled by the team to ensure tighter skin.

I think tighter skin is one of the grosser phrases I’ve typed out.

1. Kegels at your desk

These are so insouciant and mysterious that no one knows you’re doing them. You might not even know you’re doing them but here is the deal: you are doing them by simple virtue of clenching your inner thigh muscles together — as though you are holding in pee or something. Clench and unclench in pulsating intervals until boom: your inner thighs are no longer angel foreskin (now they’re rock hard gem stones!) and you can withstand a 4 hour drive after 10 bottles of beer on the wall.

You will know how well you’ve done them the next time you attempt coitus.

2. Wall sits against the nearest wall (or column)

Sure, someone in your office might wonder why you’ve decided to turn yourself into a human desk, but that is only because he or she has never experienced the mythic power that is the ability to remain in squat-formation for upward of three seconds. By doing this in intervals of, let’s say 5 minutes (not easy! I know!), there is no doubt in my mind that come time for Iron Man (or, you know, your weekend in Montauk with Amelia and her freaky cats), you will feel like the best version of yourself.

3. Side twists in your chair

The thing about obliques is that everyone ignores them, when in reality, they’re the most important part of getting tighter skin. (There’s that gross-ass phrase again.) Why, without side twists (left, right, right, left, whatever), how do you expect to engage yours abs’ peripheral vision? Pray tell.

4. Raise da roof! 

This is a simple bicep exercise, and while you might feel self-conscious executing it in an office environment, I ask you to reconsider. Why? Because raising da roof might very well be how you become the office’s most-loved employee. How? Figure this: my lunch just arrived. If Amelia raised da roof every time my lunch just arrived I would feel like she really cares about my being well-nourished. Thanks Amelia!

5. Leg lifts

One more for your legs because you have so many shorts. Pretend they are made of wood and make like an isometric tree. Hold them off the ground then lower your right foot, then left, while keeping the opposite one raised. Do this for two minutes then call me and say “thanks.”

If you complete all of these exercises, go ahead and brag about it. If you’d rather meditate, I don’t blame you. I’ve been doing it and it’s working wonders. In addition to lifting your butt, squats also lift your spirits — especially if you can’t get a guy out of your head. You know what else you can do at work? Send weird emails.

The Funny Evolution of Trends

I have a lot of opinions about trends. This has been underscored by the vast number of stories we have published on what they can be. I’ve called them one hit wonders and tried to explain their lifespan through the art of the hand-drawn illustration. We spoke about trend inception and this condition called “High School Trend Regression Disorder.” I have even attempted to renounce them all together but I have one more opinion to share before we expound upon that.

Ready?

Trends are like a good mobile plan in that they offer rollover minutes. I’m not sure what your experience was like growing up, but I was only allowed to get a cellphone once the notion of rollover minutes were introduced to T-Mobile’s billing plan, ensuring that if I didn’t use the dedicated minutes I was allotted one month, I’d be able to use them the following month. Where these minutes failed, however, was that there was no real sense of evolution within the rollover. Maybe one month I wanted my text messages as opposed to my talking-on-phone minutes to roll over, but did I get that? No. And so it seems, once again, fashion prevails.

Why? Because the rollover plan present in fashion is smart. It advances, it evolves, it knows what you’re thinking.

But maybe you’re still confused. If I’m being really honest, I’m confused too. So allow me to illustrate this point using the pervasive choker as a model for explanation.

How long has the choker — a trend with roots that date back to ancient Egypt — been back on the table? Three years? Let’s say three years. This makes perfect sense — it was, after all, right around then that the 90s (with their velvet ribbons and tattoo-style plastic band chokers) began seeping into the fashion zeitgeist. Within high fashion, a differet interpretation on the neck garnishment was stricken. As opposed to the highly 90s-inspired chokers of yore, brands like Givenchy and Delfina Delettrez were favoring thick, metal bands to wrap around the female neck. Céline’s Phoebe Philo simultaneously gave a try to the thick, gold chain choker, building a dual-pronged layer within the trend.

Of course, with their respective levels of popularity among the grand participators of runway trends came rejection, too.

They were, after all, quite rigid. But the trend didn’t end there. Like any good unused minute, the choker trend shimmied into the next season — sometimes looking like a double-wrapped belt, other times like a thin slice of suede fabric. Then there were the bandanas; these were a partial-nod to the 90s, partial-nod to Céline.

And with the resusication of the 70s, we’ve entered phase three. Long strands of skinny gold chain are appearing crossed around the female neck. As recently as last season, designers like Saint Laurent took this a step further with thin slivers of fabric, as though men’s ties, worn as once-wrapped scarves with the ends hanging from either side of a woman’s chest. The resort season is starting to share a new tale for the fabric choker, too, installing it in dresses as a sort of 60’s style neckline but–

Sorry, I’m out of minutes.

Want more trends? Check out these babies on $ale. And if you’re feelin’ style, read our Round Table with Gary Pepper Girl’s Nicole Warne. Sometimes trends are just plain abusive–if that doesn’t make sense to you, read about Esther’s experience with the Apple Watch. 

Happy Birthday to the Late Joan Rivers

The late Joan Rivers would have been 82 years old today. To celebrate her memory, we complied some of her best looks and quotes about life. She was known for her humor, yes, but she also knew a lot about what it meant to live. Click through, smile, and add your favorite Joan Rivers lines below — the woman loved an audience.

“Life is tough, darling. Life is hard. And we better laugh at everything; otherwise, we’re going down the tube.”

“Never floss with a stranger.”

“I eat much chocolate as I can get my hands on.”

“God doesn’t care that I have a sandwich on Yom Kippur. He cares that I helped a blind man across the street.”

“Olivier once said to me, ‘I walk out onstage, spread my arms, and I tell myself, This is my circle. No one may enter it without my permission.’ How great is that? Only now, at this point in my life, do I walk on a stage and say, ‘This is my space. And if you don’t like it, fuck you.’ Took me thirty-five years to get to this space.”

“Tell a joke to a comedian and he won’t laugh. He’ll point at you and say, ‘That’s funny.'”

“Never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century.”

“I have become my own version of an optimist. If I can’t make it through one door, I’ll go through another door—or I’ll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present.”

“I enjoy life when things are happening. I don’t care if it’s good things or bad things. That means you’re alive. Things are happening.”

“Life goes by fast. Enjoy it. Calm down. It’s all funny.”

Read Leandra’s eulogy for Joan Rivers here. For more MR birthday celebrations of great women, see Kristen Wiig, Daria Werbowy and Rihanna. 

When You’re Not a Size 2, but Need Shorts

You may recall from past memories of summer that by the time heat rises above a comfortably-warm 80 degrees, that whole let’s-sit-outside-in-the-sunniest-spot thing is exchanged for fuck, it’s hot, and I am sweating.

You may also recall that we previously spoke about how fashion, like the weather, isn’t always the most accommodating. Where one person’s idea of heaven is a heatwave and a pair of denim underwear, another claims this exact scenario as their textbook idea of hell.

The reality of “summer dressing” is that in general, it tends to be rather naked. And if you are over a size sample and have any sort of wiggle in your step, dimple in your thigh or friction as you glide, then you know — you know (and I know!) — that shorts can run a series of Sunday Scaries down the spine.

But Katie Sturino of the newly-birthed 12ish Style/momager of Toast is here to prove that shorts don’t have to be scary. In fact, they can be your wardrobe’s new friends. Just follow her guide:

Get Waisted

High waisted shorts are really flattering — don’t be scared of them.

Watch the Length

The point of shorts is that they’re short; you’re avoiding pants for a reason. If you have thighs, however, the longer the shorts, the better. This eliminates chafing (chub rub) and that annoying thing where your shorts rise up as you’re walking and make it look like you have a solid-sized penis.

Embrace the Width

If you can find shorts that create an A-line silhouette and skirt out a bit at the thigh, go for them. This style not only provides summer ventilation, but flatters fuller thighs.

Color Choice is Personal

I’m a prints-person, but I like to stick to solid colored shorts, either white or black. Blue denim shorts don’t work for me — they add two sizes to my look, so I’ve made peace with avoiding them.

Fall into The Gap

Gap shorts are my favorite. They’re easy, basic and cheap.

Do: a wedge — even a low one. They make legs look so good.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

But If You Do Sneakers…

To avoid instant camp counselor vibes (you know that tennis shoes & long-shorts look) I like to wear a silk top or add chunky accessories.

Don’t Leave Home in Shorts Without…

Swiping your skin with a Gold Bond anti-chafe stick. It’s the best $5.99 you’ll ever spend.

Embrace Athleisure for Errands

This is more of a tip-for-skirts, but it saves lives: if I’m really running around, aka walking over 10k steps on my FitBit, I wear shiny biker shorts because they produce less friction than the cotton ones.

Regarding Cellulite

I’ve stopped caring. It’s a normal part of life/bodies. It’s just not on my list of things to worry about. Everyone has it and no one is looking at yours. Life is too short for that business. Summer is even shorter.

[image error]
Turn on your JavaScript to view content

Follow Katie Sturino on Instagram @the12ishstyle. Did you miss our last chat with Katie Sturino? If so, you best click here. For more stylish ladies, view some bad a$$ NY closets. And, it’s also not too late to celestially gear up for the month. While you’re at it, watch how Amelia and Leandra fell in love.