Leandra Medine's Blog, page 643

A Thursday Crush on Miles Teller

John Mayer is a nice boy from Connecticut. I know this because my mom brought it up routinely when I was in high school as though she was trying to set us up. She got her facts from some friend of a friend who knew someone who grew up with him, and everyone knows that five degrees of maternal hope results in reality.

The problem was, of course, our age difference. He’s 10 years older than me. I guess it wouldn’t be that weird today…I’m 27 in a month, John’s 37. Yet the gap was wide, awkward and illegal when I was a mere 15.

He’s also a celebrity. Oh that. But aren’t there certain celebrities — famous musicians, notable actors — who you kind of feel that if you met, you could date?

The thing with John was never my thing, however. It was my mom’s on my behalf. For a while there, in fact, I considered myself Fay-sexual. That’s A-sexual with an “F” before it and a “Y” after it, pronounced “fay,” as in famous. A Fay-sexual doesn’t have crushes on celebrities. A Fay-sexual never put up posters of boy bands doing camp counselor squats in JNCOs, nor did she write in her adolescent diary about dreams of taking Tom DeLonge to a dance. A Fay-sexual may pretend to harbor unrequited crushes on Brad Pitt or Devin Sawa, but that’s just to save face. To carry on small talk or you know, seem “normal.”

Just because I was fay-sexual doesn’t mean I wasn’t able to identify that which could constitute an attraction. (See: Jared Leto, A$AP Rocky.) It’s the same thing with trends — just because I don’t like grunge doesn’t mean I never saw its redux coming.

But they always say that’s how love goes, that it’s exactly when you’re not looking that the person comes. I’d planned to have a date with Coach Taylor’s Kyle Chandler by watching him The Spectacular Now. Knowing nothing about the film other than that the trailer seemed promising, I turned it on one hungover morning (I looked like crap, by the way, isn’t that always how it happens) and there he was: Miles Teller, standing on a roof, preparing to jump into a pool.

I think Shailene Woodley and I fell for him at the same moment.

From there the crush grew. I watched bad On Demand options just because he was in it. (That Awkward Moment is an awkward hour-plus. Two Night Stand should have been only one.) I’d YouTube interviews of him — did you see the one where he talks about his mom and grandma on Jimmy Fallon? So cute. I’d Google pictures of him, search “Miles Teller single,” and browse Facebook just to see if we had any mutual friends. Though I avoided Divergent (Shailene…) I encouraged everyone to see Whiplash as though my own boyfriend starred in it, because I just feel like if we met, we’d probably date.

My mom tells me he’s a nice boy from outside Philadelphia.

Images via W Magazine and Twitter.

Lingerie on the Pavement

On the topic of lingerie, there are two conclusive schools of thought heralded by (1) the champions of inner-wear or (2) the unflinching naysayers.

Frequently, the champions emerge from another school of thought. One that is ring-lead by the tenets of TYS, or Treating Yo’ Self — to silk negligees and inconvenient bras, the kinds of underwear that have no place being worn under any wear. And the naysayers? We’re “as practical as Bloomingdales.” I might own upward of ten bras but do you know how many of those I wear? One. Maybe two. Or none. I got “dressed up” to get into bed exactly one time three nights after I got married and proceeded to vomit Rubirosa pizza like an exorcist on command as if struck by an allergic reaction to the counter-intuition of dressing up to, uh, get down. Now I wear my bedmate’s boxers.

But lately, I’ve taken a liking to delicate underthings. Call it the result of a recent interest (likely foretokened by the return of 70s) in bodysuits, or simply one more way I’m learning to self-indulge. But if I’m going to start taking lingerie more seriously, I’m only doing it if I can wear it outdoors. Enter the above photos, which dutifully incorporate a recent acquisition from Anine Bing (it’s a lace body suit, presumably designed to make coitus feel attainable but not actually be attainable) as worn with a utility jacket by the same brand and a pair of baggy white jeans from J.Crew. 

My arsenal of bras is still paltry and as such is comprised of 87% sports bras, but when that changes, I anticipate volume: big-ass, high-waisted khaki pants or a skirt to compliment my bare midriff. And a jean jacket! Or two. Scrunchy ballet flats or “Esther shoes” as I like to call them. And per those silk shorts thing-ys that people love? There are a pair of sandals that lace up beyond the knee somewhere waiting patiently and cordially for the priest that will marry them to the glorified underwear and summer.

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You with me?

Amy Schumer Tackles Rape Culture in ‘Friday Night Lights’ Parody

Storytellers tread on thin, scary ice when they make light of heavy situations. Our thresholds as listeners are dependent on our personal biases — this was discussed in a recent MR round table on the gravity of our words: jokes about race, gender and sexuality affect each individual differently.

“Rape jokes” are at the top of my limits. They’re never funny. They stir physical reactions like a clenched jaw or tightened fists. But comedians make them. Strangers make them. Friends make them. I remind myself that they’re in it for a punchline; that they’re telling a story with humor as opposed to malicious intent. And I have a choice: to tolerate it, or leave the room — because people are going to say what they want to say, right? Freedom of speech.

Where this important freedom clouds the water is when the media argues that such jokes proliferate rape culture. Whether this is true or not is widely debated, and can be likened to the correlation struck between video games and gun violence. Or music and crime. And somewhere in the crowd, someone is always shouting, “It’s a joke! It’s art! Lighten up!”

But my point here is not to argue. It’s to highlight that sometimes jokes — humor — change the conversation.

In a skit that’s making waves across the Internet, Amy Schumer parodied Friday Night Lights while fearlessly hitting the notion of rape culture. The original show was about a community obsessed with football. In Schumer’s version, it’s about a football team obsessed with rape and the community that supports it. Then a new coach comes to town with a game plan. He writes it down on a dry-erase board before a roomful of young men: “No raping.”

“You might look at this scene and think we’re making light of something serious, but we really are trying to educate,” Schumer said at the Tribeca Film Festival, per Time.com. “We know what message we want to send, and then we also think the premise is funny, and then we go to town.”

The skit is important. It makes a statement. It is funny and it is well done (Josh Charles as Coach Taylor!). If it gets shared because the “jokes” landed, and the message was heard loud and clear: that rape is never okay, you can consider this a coup for Schumer and frankly, the rest of us.

If it gets shared because someone hates it, that’s fine too. The skit deserves to be seen. It should be traded and talked about because as women and men who believe in free speech amid a reality that rape in our society is prevalent (whether we want to blame the culture or not), we have to do two things: 1) reject the overarching level of political correctness neutering our opinions, and 2) shout from the rooftops that our bodies, and our voices, demand to be protected. So, let’s do that.

Happy Earth Day! Let’s Celebrate Mother Nature in Style.

Happy Earth Day, fellow dwellers! In celebration of today’s 45th anniversary, we’re sharing sustainability tips from some of the fashion, music and health industry’s eco-conscious influencers.

Elana Rosenblatt, The Reformation

“98% of clothing bought in the US is imported, causing up to five pounds of CO2 per garment — the equivalent of driving an SUV for five miles. As much as 80% of a garment’s energy footprint happens during garment care and nearly 90% of clothing is tossed before the end of its life.”

Tip: “If you live in the US, choose US-made clothing and practice smart washing. Only wash as needed and opt for line drying. In the next few weeks, The Reformation will be introducing Ref Cycle, a clothing recycling program that aims to give life to old garments. We want to encourage reusing and recycling. Give your clothes a chance to fall in love with someone new!”

Mike Del Ponte, Soma

“Some people mistakenly think of Earth Day as the one day to be extra nice to the planet. In reality, Earth Day exists to remind us to be nice to the planet every day.”

Tip: “Try to incorporate recycling into your daily routine. Switching to a sustainable water filter is a relatively low cost and effective way of making a small change for a meaningful impact.”

Danielle DuBoise & Whitney Tingle, SAKARA Life

“It’s so important to tap into Mother Earth’s rhythms. Granted, it can be hard to do while living in the concrete jungle, but eating fresh, organic foods is definitely one way to stay in touch with her.”

Tip: “Go barefoot! There’s a grounding effect that happens when you do, and it’s super reenergizing. We grew up near red rocks and vortexes, so the importance of tuning in with nature is not lost on us.”

Vanessa Bley, Musician, Twin Danger

“Fashion is the third most polluting industry in the world, and the second largest consumer of fresh water. Being conscious about where you shop is more important than ever. Consider buying vintage or second-hand; it’s zero waste and proves to be very cost efficient, plus you’ll find some serious gems.”

Tip: “When in Brooklyn, I tend to shop at Beacon’s Closet. I also love organizing clothing swaps with friends. Sustainable style sites and shops like Modavanti, The Reformation, and Campos Bags are all great resources for where and how to shop eco-consciously.

I used to wander in and out of mass market ‘trendy’ stores with cheap quality clothes and always felt tired and disappointed afterwards. They never fit quite right and basically disintegrated after a few washes. It’s amazing how shopping second-hand and from conscious, sustainable brands not only offers you a unique style, but invites you into a community that cares deeply about our planet and future. To me, there’s nothing more stylish than that.”

Clare Vivier, Clare V.

“We try to be generally thoughtful people at CV, which means we need to think of the consequences of our actions, especially as we continue to grow as a company. Our office is certified Green by the City of Los Angeles — we had to have a city official come out and see that among other things, we recycle, use the appropriate light bulbs and cleaning materials. As a policy, we always try and use all parts of the hides of leather to minimize our waste.”

Tip: “Look out for clothing and accessories that are created domestically. The fact that we produce everything in LA is very important to us as it lowers our carbon footprint considerably.”

Flo Morrissey, Musician

“Staying away from mass produced items is both eco-friendly and friendly towards your purse. To have a couple of items that are specially made so that you know where they come from is, in my opinion, better than having the same t-shirt as everyone else.”

Tip: “Opt for sustainable and long lasting pieces that mean something. Ruffle though your mother, father, sister, or brother’s old wardrobe. You never know what you might find!”

Rachel Kibbe, Founder of HELPSY

“If it seems too good to be true, it most probably is. If a pair of jeans cost $10, someone in the supply chain is being abused. We need to stop priding ourselves on getting the most items for the least amount of money. If we knew the atrocities going into getting those prices so low, we’d want nothing to do with them.

On HELPSY, I’ve developed a metric system which includes  13 different ethical qualities. Everything we sell falls under at least four of those qualities. I know ethical shopping can be very personal — some people are more concerned with animal rights than they are with environmental preservation. Out of respect for those differences, I make these facts transparent and searchable by ethical category.”

Tip: “75% of energy used in the life of a garment is how you care for it. So washing less and air drying is huge. If you wore your garments for just nine months longer, you’d save 20-30% more energy!  When you’re shopping, look for brands who go out of their way to tell you how and where their products were made. If they don’t, chances are it’s because they’re hiding something.”

Morgan Bogle, Freedom of Animals

“Being more sustainably minded in the fashion world is easier than you think.”

Tip: “Look for items that are made in the USA, items that contain organic cotton and/or recycled cotton and environmentally friendly materials like low chemical, post-consumer polyurethane with vegetable based dyes, or even tinsel and bamboo (sustainable fibers).

Also, seeking out companies that are partnered with earth friendly organizations is a good way to give back! We donate to wildlife conservation, for example, and Amour Vert plants a tree when you purchase from them.”

Now it’s your turn: what are your Earth (Every)Day tips?

Image via Glamour Magazine.

The Rules of Style by Chloë Sevigny

1. If you project enough attitude, black and white doesn’t have to be, you know, black and white.

2. Hair is nothing more, nothing less than an accessory to punctuate your outfit.

3. Cement lions will only ever be as audacious as the legs that garnish them.

4. Little Red Riding Hood has nothing on Bumping Black Biking Hood.

4a. Bumping Black Biking Hood?

5. Bras can be tops can be necklaces can be disregarded altogether.

6. Denim cut-offs are like sliced bread in that everyone knows about them but not everyone feels as though they can, or should, wear them. Remember this.

7. Wear a guitar as a skirt if you can.

7a. But not while you’re posing nude in a bathtub, possibly foretelling future Daria Werbowy-powered Céline ads.

8. Red lipstick does not have to be intimidating. Treat it like Chapstick.

8a. Brush your hair but only ironically.

8b. Until irony starts trending, then brush it earnestly.

8c. Into a delicate pile of banana curls.

8d. Wrapped with a bow.

9. Avoid pants.

10. Never forget the 90s happened but respect that you’re no longer them.

11. Avoid pants.

11a. Unless they promise an obtusely high waist and at least the semblance of a flare.

11b. Or compartment B in the grander scheme of a suit.

12. Respect your belt holes: clip suspenders to them.

13. Wear what you want and only what you want. Reject the popular opinion — life’s too short to wear stuff you don’t like.

The 10 Best Tweets About This Damn Rain

If you rocked yourself to sleep last night, knees at your chest and arms around your shins in prime fetal position to assuage your Sunday Scaries, then you probably woke up this morning and had a damn shit fit. It’s raining, in case you haven’t heard, which comes after two days of THANKYOUBABYHANNAHITISFINANLLYSPRING, which followed about 800 years of Winter with a pointy-ass capital W — the alphabet’s middle finger. (If you don’t live in the area, please allow me to project this on to you, then feel free to reciprocate via sunshine brag in the comments below, I deserve it.)

However, as Leandra once pointed out before, lamenting about crap weather unites us all. It’s times like these that we turn to Twitter, avoid doing all work for at least 20 minutes and bask in the union that is Le Grand Rain Complaint (and one April-sucks-in-general-jab):

are you kidding me with this monsoon? Spring just booty-called us at 2am, coaxed us out of bed and fell asleep before answering the door.

— carlye wisel (@carlyewisel) April 20, 2015

April Fools, taxes, pothead Christmas. April, you’re not that great. — Mary Beth Williams (@embeedub) April 20, 2015

Why Is Spring Being So Passive Aggressive? http://t.co/rDuLcylDnq

— Nisha Chittal (@NishaChittal) April 20, 2015

RAIN MY FRIEND U R SO LOUD TODAY I HEAR U HI — Jeanette Hayes (@jeanettehayes) April 20, 2015

Lets have a moment of silence for all the fallen umbrellas who fought valiantly to protect their owners from the heavy rain. RIP: 20/04/15.

— Peter Du (@ChoboCrucius) April 20, 2015

Wear your ugly shoes today! #NYC #rain #AprilShowersBringMayFlowers — Raphael Miranda (@Raphael4NY) April 20, 2015

See you in hell, Monday http://t.co/GjDCb3HiGO pic.twitter.com/cAn13shIK6

This rain disrespectful — SLICK’ (@_onlyna) April 20, 2015

Honestly haven’t washed my jeans in 2 months so getting caught in the rain was probably a sign. — Brandon Pagano (@brandonpagano) April 20, 2015

This rain disrespectful

— SLICK' (@_onlyna) April 20, 2015

This rain has #nyc looking like a 90’s #R&BVideo — BenYC (@beN_YC) April 20, 2015

(•_•) OFF THE / \ (•_•) April 20, 2015

Arm yourself:




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Now take us home, Missy.

LA Closets: Tasya van Ree

The case for a uniform is strong: it streamlines your closet, takes the thinking out of getting dressed and sends the message, loud and clear, that you’ve established your personal style.

But if you’re not the kind of person who’s ready to commit to a life of black turtlenecks and blue jeans, or if you’re someone who uses clothes as a means to express your ever-changing personality — one day you’re into pajamas and the next you’re about that funeralcore meets Canadian tux life — then consider having just one item as a permanent fixture in your closet. A trademark, so to speak. For LA artist and photographer Tasya van Ree, it’s her incredible cowboy hats. Observe as she dresses for 9 days in 9 different outfits, typing up each look — and her West Coast Closet — with a felt brimmed topper.

Monday:

Meetings, meetings, more meetings…shoot…meetings, meetings and more meetings.

Vintage Stetson hat, Norisol Ferrari jacket, a Cèline top, Balenciaga pants and Gucci shoes.

Tuesday:

Today was gallery and museum day, which included a trip to the Getty to see one of my favorite photographers, Josef Koudelka.

Vintage Stetson hat, Ann Demeulemeester shirt, Rick Owens tank top, Yohji Yamamoto pants and Comme des Garçons shoes.

Wednesday:

I’m off to the lab to look at some prints.

Gucci hat, Alexander Wang tank, Yohji Yamamoto pants.

Thursday:

Shoot day! Driving down to the desert today to shoot some landscapes.

Vintage hat, Phillip Lim sweater, vintage shirts, RTH pants and Marsèll shoes.

Friday:

Off to a brunch meeting, tea meeting, lunch meeting, and then I’m off to shoot for the rest of the day.

Vintage Stetson hat, ACNE shirt, Costume National vest, Balenciaga pants and vintage shoes.

Saturday:

I’m location scouting today, which is one of my favorite things to do!

Wearing a Lanvin hat, Derek Lam jacket, Rick Owens shirt, vintage vest and Marc Jacobs pants.

Sunday:

Headed to the studio to do some work.

Vintage Stetson hat, J.Crew sweater, vintage Levi’s denim shirt, Rick Owens tank and Prps Heirloom pants.

Monday:

Researching and antique shopping today. Hat is vintage, shirt is Gap, pants are Haider Ackermann and shoes are Gucci.

Tuesday:

Meetings in Malibu…weather forecast: partly cloudy.

Vintage Stetson hat, Ann Demeulemeester shirt, Opening Ceremony sweater, The Row jacket and Current Elliott pants.

Follow Tasya van Ree on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and check out her own site here. Want more closets? Click here. 

The Bouncer

Perched atop his Village throne,

The gremlin sits: he sits alone.

Many a heart he’s filled with shame,

The guardian keeper of the Jane.

“Try to enter if you dare,”

He breathes beneath his lemon hair.

I urge you all to never test this,

But if you must—be on the guest list.

Words by Emily Siegel, Illustration by Gabi Anderson. Follow them both at Urban Ditty.

While Mom Was Sleeping…

I spent the better part of my childhood as co-founder and co-president of the prestigious Candies sorority. This all played out while my mother was asleep.

My sister and I filled up our weekends breaking furniture while trying to reenact every move in Janet Jackson’s “The Pleasure Principle,” watching The Wiz until the tape broke and practicing Wilson Phillips’s “Hold On” until our voices went hoarse. This was us, girls, best girlfriends.

But fun was fun and business was business. Where the Candies were involved, the last thing we were concerned with was child’s play. After hours of perfecting Janet’s all too complicated chair move for the 74th time, we knew when it was time to buckle down and work on the Candies mission statement.

My sister Tracy and I created fake identities and spearheaded a fake sorority for the majority of our childhood. I can’t discuss the details. The level of privacy surrounding The Candies is more than I can express in words. But I can tell you that it involved independently owned companies, a carefully curated congress and an intricate prison system. This was anything but playtime. Somewhere in the world exists hundreds of pages of paperwork to prove this.

For years, we didn’t discuss The Candies in public. Even writing this, I’m nervous. Will she be flattered, or feel exposed?

Candies gave me so much more than something to work on instead of my homework. It gave me a sense of independence: something adults tend to underestimate the value of. It gave me confidence to try things. There was nothing I wasn’t capable of according to Tracy. I was responsible for so much. The quality of life for dozens of Candies members rested in my hands.

I was six years Tracy’s junior and yet she thought I was smart enough to counsel on every Candies decision. My leadership abilities were never questioned and I never caught on to the possibility that she might have been playing for years after it was fun for her. When Tracy moved out and into her college dorm, I reacted with all the melodrama one would expect from me at 12. I sat on the grassy knoll of her campus and cried.

My life was over. This was bigger than not living with my best friend anymore. We had built things together. While most pre-adolescent girls would be ecstatic to have her own room, I was desperate for my co-everything, checking off calendar boxes for the next “come home holiday.”

The Candies weren’t real. There was no nationally-recognized sorority, no congress, no third partner named after Janet Jackson. We made it all up. Together. All the work and commitment that went into making this great thing a reality made us so much better than just sisters. On Saturdays we created worlds.

If there is any justice in the land of motherhood, it was proven when our overextended mom was allowed to sleep through all of this.

Image Shot by Eleanor Hardwick for Rookie Mag. Want more Writers Club entries? Check ‘em here. 

We Tried the Literalization Diet

“Holy cow” doesn’t actually mean “a holy cow.” It’s a figure of speech (this one with cultural/religious roots) that we use colloquially to show excitement or wonder, to replace “wow.”

But what if “holy cow” really did mean that I saw a holy cow? What if calling someone “a real crab” meant that Leandra was an actual crustacean because she didn’t have her morning iced coffee? As members of the generation that uses “literally” to excess, Leandra the Lobster and I decided to find out.

Enter: the Literalization Diet, where no verbiage is safe and no hyperbolism goes unnoticed. If you say, “I’m going to barf,” then baby, you better barf.

Amelia:

According to the office who has clearly been conspiring and talking a lot of shit behind my back, here are the things I say the most:

– I’m gonna fucking kill someone.

– Hold on a sec.

– I’m dying.

– I’m going to pee my pants.

– Hanging out (as in, “X and I are hanging out later.”)

The first one was ruled out completely for obvious reasons.

“Hold on a sec” was easy. Someone would ask me a question, I’d say hold on a sec, and then whomever I said that to was forced to freeze-mid sentence for a second. It was sort of like being in a Bruno Mars music video.

“I’m dying” was less dramatic than one would think. Here’s what I’d do: say, “I’m dying!” And then go take a nap. Napping, if you’re quiet about it, can look a lot like dying, or so my mom once told me when I gave her a “heart attack” because I wouldn’t wake up from a 4 p.m. snooze. Being a teenager really takes it out of you, you know?

I almost announced “I’m going to pee my pants” multiple times throughout the day because it’s a verbal habit that haunts my personal lexicon. I kept the thought to myself, however, and took the route of more established humans: upon feeling the need to pee, I got up and, you know, pardoned myself to the loo, or whatever.

“Hanging out” was thrilling if not slightly dangerous, although I’ve been told that’s what it’s like being my friend in general. Anyway, when I asked Leandra to “hang out after work,” it meant that she and I had to hang from windowsills and just chit chat that way. It was fun for about two minutes and then our hands cramped and I almost literally did die.

Leandra:

It all started two weeks ago when I walked over to Man Repeller’s digital director and linked arms with her. She was seated at her computer with some graphs and pie charts pulled up on her monitor and could not, for the life of a tweet, understand why I had intertwined my arm with hers. It was because just the day before I told her we would reconnect at some point the following day! And I wanted to be literal! I thought it would be fun!

Cut to the following week when I bequeathed to Amelia and myself the world’s best new Diet idea: the hyper-literalization diet. So now you know we’ve spent the majority of today assuming all of our axioms as literal expressions and here’s what I’ve learned so far.

Jumping on a call is really good cardio. It makes communication with the other end of the phone call vaguely difficult but you can still make out most words and miscommunication is just a drop in the bucket when you’re at a cardio cavalcade.

Circling back with people can be quite dizzying. I told Esther we’d circle back on her next slew of “picks” and when we were going through the potential items to highlight I got real dizzy.

Another one that’s been weird to execute was related to my frequently calling poor solutions our “putting a Band-Aid on a wound that needs stitches.” I tried really hard not to say it today but in trying to prepare the creative assets for the morning’s post and failing miserably thus experiencing the gaping hole that is a Charlotte deficiency, I took to a needle and thread and began stitching the napkin in front of me because I was too afraid to weave thread through my skin.

The most difficult expression to literalize was definitely, “I’m going to stab myself in the heart,” which it appears I say about once every thirty minutes. I have poked, like, three holes into my stupid striped Saint James shirt today and ink-stained it because of the amount of times I have been forced to jab pens into the left side of my chest. One time I said I would stab myself in the eye but I have to draw the line somewhere, you know?

Conclusion: It is a blessing to live in a world that supports the tenets of hyperbole. Can you imagine if every time you said you’d fallen down a rabbit hole, an ambulance showed up at your doorstep?