Leandra Medine's Blog, page 70

How to Find the Only Sweater You’ll Need for Fall & Winter

You know those cleaning supply commercials where a big pile of uni-tasking products are swept off to the side and replaced by this miracle worker thing that can do it all? I want that in a sweater. Just like, the single perfect sweater to best all others. The one I could wear over all my collared shirts, under all my decorative jackets (by these I mean any ilk of like, blazer, or tweed collarless dude) tucked into jeans or out with wide-leg pants. It looks cool with denim shorts and tights, or a mini skirt and loafers. I don’t get cast arm (that thing where you can’t bend your elbows) in my winter coats, and most valuably, never have to think again about how I’m going to keep the top half of my person warm. I’ve wanted this for a while but have mostly failed to find it. I am a woman of many very good knits, but none so far are The One. So what’s it gonna take to find it?

It’s been, like, an hour and a half since I wrote that paragraph and two weeks since I pitched this story, and I’ve spent a pretty significant amount of time before all of this thinking about finding The One. For me, for you, for us.

I tried to create a matrix to help us evaluate what makes a sweater The One but I keep tripping over myself because, now that I’m here, I don’t think there is a one-size-fits-all sweater. I thought I hadn’t found it because I’ve been shopping in a silo, assessing knits based on their merits alone as opposed to how they fit in with the elements of my closet but now I’m convinced that The One is actually more like The Three—from which you can pick Your One.

Either that, or I give up. But hear me out first! I wear a ton of jeans. But also a good number of mini skirts and shorts. I like leggings and loose-fit pants, a surprise attack from a jumpsuit on occasion. And in the context of all these scenarios, I want to add a sweater, because a sweater is a hug, and I love getting hugged, but sometimes I need that touch from a lover. Other times from my mom and on occasion, too, I need one from you so here’s what I can offer: three different kinds of sweaters, for the different kinds of people from which I desire that hug. Or in other words: as informed by the clothes you’re most likely to wear. I hope this helps. If it doesn’t, just know that I hired a babysitter last Saturday so I could go to my office and write this.

If you are most likely to wear: wide-leg or non-denim pants, exercise clothes or suits, try a crew neck that is lightweight and short enough to tuck into your pants, but still thick enough to look deliberate when styled to be worn untucked:

I really like this one from Mansur Gavriel—the crew neck is tight enough to hug my neck, but open enough to not choke me. It looks good over a t-shirt (you can see a sliver of the t’s neckline) or turtleneck, but is just as comfortable under a decorative jacket, or stuffed into a pair of wide-leg pants. It’s got a loose hem, which is why I like it for tight-ass exercise pants, and that makes it a good contender to layer over something else you plan to leave untucked—it creates this like, fabric waterfall. I’d wear the same top half-styled here with denim cut-offs and tights. This one is styled for the office.

Btw: the shoes are Manolo Blahnik, I got them from you know where for $105.

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If you are most likely to wear: dresses, skirts, the occasional jumpsuit or need a quick dry top coat for the pajamas that you socialize in, try a cardigan.

This one is from my collabolab with Mango, which is out today! I wish I’d also made it in navy, but then again, the whole point of this exercise, I mean story, is streamlining. One is enough. You can wear this just as easily with the wide-leg or non-denim pants from example 1, but it doesn’t make for a great layering experience under decorative jackets. It’s not too long, so you won’t look schleppy if you wear it with a jumpsuit or your socializing PJs, and obviously it looks guhhhhreat with a pleated skirt and socks, but that opinion is biased, and you seem pretty equitable, so, do with that what you want.

Btw: I also really like this one from Entireworld, which I wore on day 3 of Office Apropos last week.

See All 3


If you’re a jeans person through and through, try a thick knit turtleneck with a loose hem.

This one is Toteme. It retails for $540 and asking you to seriously consider investing in it is probably the same as like, recommending you have 6 $80 gratings of truffle sprinkled over your pasta because it won’t be the same without it so here are a couple of alternative options that make a good case for themselves.

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The reason I recommend this silhouette is because it looks good with all jeans. All of them—wide leg, skinny, high waist, ripped, cropped, boot cut, flare, butt cut, ham sandwich, asymmetric. It’s also good with leggings. I’d probably pair it with nothing but some opaque tights and festive heels, too, and as it relates to this sweater in particular, it’s also not oppressively warm. In that way, it feels a lot like the hug from a lover I was talking about earlier. I’ve also worn it at least 15 times and have only had it like 2 months/it’s not even winter yet. So that’s something. Plus, it’s prime up-to-us-not-fuck-it-up-sweater-sandal-weather, so you know the drill.

Was this helpful? I don’t think you need to get all of these, or even any of these, maybe you already have them! If nothing else, let them serve as ~inspo~ and remember: Not trying to pressure you into liking me, but I hired a babysitter so I could write this for you. It was worth it.

Photos by Sabrina Santiago.

The post How to Find the Only Sweater You’ll Need for Fall & Winter appeared first on Man Repeller.

Man Repeller Makeover: A Retiree Whose Style Icon Is Victoria Beckham

Norma Alcaca is trying to decide who her style icon is. We’re chatting on the phone to plan her impending Man Repeller makeover, and her daughter, Marcela, is translating; English is Norma’s second language. Marcela says something in Spanish and I hear Norma exclaim, “Ah, I like Anna Della Russo. And Victoria Beckham!”

Norma’s personal style is playful with an emphasis on comfort. A typical outfit of hers is composed of Nike sneakers with black pants, a black t-shirt, a zebra trench coat, and, perhaps most importantly, one of her signature brightly colored foam visors. She’s fanatical about sun protection and likes how a visor is also a style statement. It’s clear from our conversation that, at 65 years old, she has a pretty defined aesthetic when it comes to getting dressed, but that she’s also emotionally ready for a change.

The “Before” Shot: One of Norma’s Go-To Outfits

Norma is Japanese but grew up in Mexico, where she was orphaned at the age of 10. “Growing up in a small city, my mom always felt different because of how she looked,” Marcela says. “She felt like she didn’t belong, which is why fashion and beauty played an important role in her self-esteem from an early age. They ultimately became a conduit for her to express herself.”

Later, Norma got married and had four daughters. One of them, Flora, was born with half a heart. Norma devoted herself to taking care of her, traveling all over to find the best medical care. Flora had three open-heart surgeries but tragically passed away at the age of 10. Eventually, Norma separated from her husband and moved to New York to support Marcela while she was in school.

“Now that my mom is retired and her daughters are out of the house, she has more time to pursue her personal interests and passions,” Marcela says. “For years now, she has been taking college courses here in the city. A few years ago, my sisters and I took her to Japan to meet her long-lost relatives and connect with her Japanese roots. This past summer, she traveled to Italy and Spain for a month by herself.”

I learn that, for Norma, as she continues to reinvent herself in this new stage of life, a makeover presents an opportunity to empower herself through the precise vehicles that liberated her during her childhood. She wants to demonstrate—to herself and to others—”that regardless of age, we are always entitled to expressing how we feel, through style or otherwise, as long as we have the courage to be comfortable in our own skin.”

When I ask how she wants to be transformed, she tells me that she fantasizes about a more streamlined, sophisticated version of herself to celebrate this new, independent era–but one that still maintains her sense of playfulness. “So basically a combination of Anna Dello Russo and Victoria Beckham modified for the practicality of everyday life?” I offer. This suggestion is met with enthusiastic murmurs of affirmation from both mother and daughter, and as soon as we hang up, I start brainstorming.

A few weeks later, on the day of her makeover-to-be, Norma is sitting in the Man Repeller office. She’s getting her makeup done by Sarah Fiorello–a true pro–but at certain points asks if she can take over the brush and finesse aspects of the makeup herself (a little more cat-eye here, a little more smoky eyeshadow there). Watching her, I’m struck by the significance of letting yourself be a canvas for someone else’s creative vision. Vulnerability is at the heart of any “makeover moment” in that sense, which is why it’s rarely a straightforward endeavor. We’re so accustomed to caring for–and controlling–this external but deeply intimate part of ourselves.

This is particularly true when letting someone else dress you—an allowance most people retract by the age of four or five. I try to approach Norma’s makeover bearing that in mind, concocting outfit ideas that nudge her in the new, slightly more experimental direction she fantasized about, while grounding them in elements of her trademark style proclivities.

Makeover Look #1: Statement Sleeves and Sneakers

For the first look, I style her in an accordion-pleat blouse from Tory Burch with super dramatic sleeves, tucked inside a Tibi pencil skirt. Norma tells me that she loves both but is intimidated at the same time; they aren’t pieces she would typically wear. Since she is a big proponent of sneakers, I ask her to try on a platform pair from Zara, which she loves. When I press her to give me honest feedback about how she feels in the outfit, she says, “Very fun. But very different for me.”

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In her expression, I recognize the simultaneous intrigue and wariness of a person venturing outside their comfort zone, and surmise from the way she smiles at herself in the mirror but fidgets with the edges of the shirt and skirt that she probably feels as if she’s wearing someone else’s skin–that she likes what she sees but is grappling with its unfamiliarity. But maybe I’m projecting.

By the time Norma tried on look #2, she seemed more comfortable with the idea of wearing something that departs from her usual purview–in this case, tailored trousers (she almost always wears leggings) in a unique shade of plum. She tells me that she has always avoided tailored wide-leg pants in the past because she thought they made her look short, but this pair has changed her mind completely. She does another spin in front of the mirror and I hand her the outfit’s finishing touch–a visor, a.k.a. her signature accessory, although this one is a black leather version. Both she and her daughter are excited when they see it, and when Norma puts it on, she visibly relaxes.

Makeover Look #2: Elegant Tailoring and a Visor Just Because

“I feel elegant,” she says when I ask her opinion. “And confident?” she says, phrasing it like a question, as if she’s still parsing the sensation of dressing in this particular way. I turn to hang up some discarded clothes on a rack, watching her smile at herself in the mirror one more time before changing back into the clothes she arrived in.

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When I asked what she thought of the experience overall, Norma told me that she “enjoyed the opportunity to play with different styles.” If vulnerability is at the heart of any makeover moment, then that word–“play”–is ideally at the heart of their outcomes. At its best, a stylistic transformation isn’t about changing who you are or forcing yourself to be something you’re not. It’s about indulging in the pleasure of plumbing your depths and unearthing the possibilities you might contain.

Photos by Sabrina Santiago.

The post Man Repeller Makeover: A Retiree Whose Style Icon Is Victoria Beckham appeared first on Man Repeller.

There Are Two Types of People: Those Who Knock on Bathroom Doors and Those Who Jiggle the Handle

A few days ago, I posed a seemingly mundane question to my Instagram followers, unaware that in doing so I was blithely slicing a fingernail through the skin of humanity’s proverbial grape, straight to the tender, fleshy mess of who we are and why: Do you knock on the door or jiggle the handle to determine if a restroom is occupied?

In an accompanying poll, 66 percent of people said they knock, and 34 percent said they jiggle, which puts me squarely in the minority. I find that a (gentle) jiggle is the most effective means of not only determining if a bathroom is locked, but also of (gently) alerting the person inside that there is another person waiting to use it. According to some–okay, fine, many–this opinion and corresponding course of action is an offense tantamount to squirting poison on someone’s birthday cake as they’re blowing out the candles:

“Only pyschos jiggle, right?” one person messaged me in response to my query.

“Jiggle!?!?!?! Are you insane!?!?!?!” another offered.

“I find it extremely rude to jiggle the handle,” said another.

“Barbaric,” chimed in a fourth.

“Real type of evil,” said another.

“That’s like a serial killer trying to get in!” said another.

“Name and shame the jigglers,” said another.

“Excuse me but you are a danger to society and should be put away if you’re a jiggler,” another added.

Amidst the deluge of #teamknock outrage, a few confessed to changing their approach when noise levels required it (“It depends on the loudness of the environment! If it’s too loud to hear a knock response then I’m going for the jiggle. But I think a knock is the more respectful approach when possible”), but for the most part, there was little gray area. Knocking wasn’t just a method for determining bathroom occupancy–it was a badge of honor, a code of ethics, an identity.

Though there were fewer responders on #teamjiggle, those who were responded with equal passion:

“Idk who these animals are that immediately knock without trying the door, like they’ve just arrived at a friend’s house and want to be let in,” one person wrote. “I am passionate about this topic! I have my pants down, I don’t want another human knocking.”

“Knocking is SO HARSH and it gives me anxiety when someone knocks if I’m using the restroom,” another said. “Like, now I feel an urgent need to hop off the toilet and frantically wash my hands, whereas jiggling is much more mild and patient.”

“A knock is so aggressive!” said another. “It demands an answer and is there anything worse than yelling from the toilet that you in in there? The jiggle is polite, quiet, and doesn’t require a response, which is most preferable [when] at your most vulnerable.”

One of my friends (a staunch knocker, alas) told me @the.wingdings, an account that posts memes about popular co-working space The Wing, had conducted a poll on this topic a few months ago. When I reached out to the account’s creator, Sarah*, I learned that the percentages of knockers vs. jigglers who responded to her poll were the reverse of those in mine, with 33 percent voting “knock” and 67 percent voting “jiggle.” Intrigue! I also learned that The Wing added “vacant”/”in use” signs to their bathroom stalls earlier this month, shortly after her poll. Though the connection between this development and Sarah’s poll is unconfirmed, the timing is striking.

When I asked what prompted her investigation, she said, “People knocking on my stall doors and me thinking, what is going through this psychopath’s head?” (Cue my delight at encountering a fellow #teamjiggle). “I realized that I was dealing with a completely different group of people,” Sarah continued. “That the way they operate in the world must be different in all ways, not just pertaining to toilets. I was curious how many of ‘them’ were out there.”

After polling her followers, she developed a theory that jigglers expect order—they assume a bathroom in use will be locked if it’s in use—whereas knockers expect chaos, and assume no such thing.

Leandra (a jiggler), shared a different interpretation with me: “Knockers are others-aware and jigglers are self-absorbed. Isn’t it obvious?”

I’m honestly not sure.

*Name changed

Graphic by Coco Lashar.

The post There Are Two Types of People: Those Who Knock on Bathroom Doors and Those Who Jiggle the Handle appeared first on Man Repeller.

Office Apropos: 5 Outfits That Are Peak Fall

In years past, fall felt like a chilling reminder that a New York winter was on its way, but this year I’ve been properly swayed by the fall enthusiasts around me. Suddenly, I’ve been embracing the crisp mornings with delight, especially when they’re as bright as this one was. Last Wednesday was sunny with a capital SUN and hit a pleasant high of 66 degrees. Here’s what Team MR wore to celebrate this platonic ideal of autumnal weather.

P.S. In case you missed it: We’re publishing our fall 2019 edition of Office Apropos one day at a time. Here’s Monday and Tuesday.

Leandra

I’ve been up since 4:30 a.m.—my daughter woke me up and then I couldn’t go back to sleep. I’d planned to wear a sequined collarless jacket today with velvet pants and black and white loafers because I was visiting a nursery school uptown and wanted to look like a mother with her shit together, but didn’t end up taking that meeting because, you know, I don’t have my shit together, so instead retreated to a new cardigan from Scott Sternberg’s Entire World (it reminds me of the bradigan, how’d I do?) with jeans I got for $50 from the Creatures of Comfort sample sale before they went out of business last year. The shoes are Prada, I bought them from the Soho store right before the Jewish holidays because NEW YEAR, NEW ME! They were very expensive. The weather today was like 65 and super sunny so this is all I wore, though I do wish I’d included an actual bra under the cardigan because my nipples are chafing.

Crystal

Okay, I caved and wore an actually full-ass sweatsuit, but for good reason: It’s Croctober 23rd a.k.a. Croc Day. Am I a brand spokesperson, you ask? Do I get paid to wear Crocs you wonder? The answer is no and no. I truly just love the brand and feel free to fight me on this but there isn’t a more comfy shoe in existence. Crocs sent me this absurd sweatsuit as a thank you for actually paying money for the millions of Crocs I own and I was all too happy to oblige them in wearing this for Croc Day. Also, it’s not one of those shitty promo sweat suits, which is why I wore it. It’s a heavy but breathable Champion suit and I felt so comfy in it. Absurd looking but comfy, which is my general modus operandi anyhow.

Haley

Dare I speak more about this Tibi skirt? Everyone around me is sick of hearing about it, but it’s really that good. Like I said on Monday, I’m not really one for skirts and dresses, but this one doesn’t feel very traditionally femme to me. For some reason it reads more like a pair of casual pants. Either way, I’ve been looking forward to wearing it in a cold weather context, so I paired it with this long sweater I sometimes have trouble styling with jeans because of its length. It worked. The boots are from the recently launched women’s collection from Jack Erwin and they’re really good. Not sure I would style them like this again but I was excited to wear them so I forced it anyway. I wore this to Harling’s house after work and felt like I was lounging around in pajamas.

Elizabeth

While I did have time to drop my humungo bag at the office before taking this photo, I appreciated how its checkerboard matches my knit mini dress (a recent purchase from Etsy), so I kept it with me. I usually carry a normal sized bag and a big bag daily because I’m often lugging clothing or samples or product to and from work. The aforementioned checker dress was purchased a week ago during one of my 6 a.m. Etsy scrolls. I love checker print this season and I was excited to score this knit mini dress for $30. Ask me about my hair! It was feeling like I over-conditioned it this morning but I didn’t and I don’t even use conditioner so today is a rare day in which I wore it up. I expected (and endured) a 3 p.m. headache.

Patty

Today was a rugged day for me so I dressed in what I consider my most resilient attire: Canadian tux, all-purpose trench, stomp-worthy boots, and my handy plaid pack. I have more than a dozen pockets on my person in this one ensemble. Yes, I counted. Hands free and ready to rumble.

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Office Dress Code Makeover #002: An Ad Agency Duo Stuck in a Style Rut

Welcome to Office Dress Code Makeover, a new series that will evaluate the stringent office dress-code regulations of Man Repeller community members and then offer creative solutions to help them express their style instead of compromising it.

Sam Cohen, 25, and Jessica Joiner, 28, work at an advertising firm in New York as a copy writer and art director respectively. The dress code at their office is extremely lax but employees are still encouraged to “look professional.” The CEO wears athleisure every day. Most people wear various combinations of jeans and sweaters. Nothing is off limits, per se, but it’s also not the type of place where you could walk in wearing a bikini top and raffia skirt.

The Challenge
I asked Sam and Jessica to show up wearing their “typical” work attire, and this is what they arrived in.

Both Sam and Jessica want to have more fun with their office attire. Because the dress code is so open-ended, they find that it’s super easy to fall into a rut that supersedes the desire to mix things up. “We default into wearing basics that lack the flair we both aspire to convey,” Sam told me. “We’d love to find a way to show off our personalities through clothes while still feeling effortless.”

When I asked them to describe their respective personal styles, Sam told me that she really identifies with the marriage of masculine and feminine elements espoused by Copenhagen street style, like a dress paired with sneakers. Jessica, on the other hand, categorized her aesthetic as “urban and easygoing.” They echoed each other in admitting these elements aren’t always evident in what they end up wearing to work every day, though they wished they were. As I listened, my eyes twinkled and I stroked my chin sagely, flushing with the thrill of an office dress code makeover on the horizon. I asked them to come to the Man Repeller offices the following week, preserving my dignity at the last second by saying “see you then!” instead of “be there or be a rhombus.”
The Solution(s)
Makeover #1, a monochrome bonanza.Sam is wearing Mango corduroy overshirt and pants, Kule cardigan, Kule T-shirt; Jessica is wearing Lands' End sweater, Eloquii pants, Common Projects shoes

During our styling session, I wanted to give Sam and Jessica at least two meaty takeaways that could apply across numerous hypothetical outfits going forward. The first was pretty straightforward: reinforcing that monochrome is an instant “formula” for making a polished sartorial statement without exerting too much undue effort because we are all baby sloths in human clothing and sometimes getting dressed in the morning is a task tantamount to quantum physics, truly. To demonstrate this tip, I selected pieces in similar colors for both women–red Eloquii pants and a red Lands’ End sweater for Jessica, and a cream corduroy jacket with matching pants from Mango for Sam. The color coordination instantly cultivated a sense of put-togetherness in both outfits, which is great for a professional setting, but also super fun for the same reason. Like a penguin wearing a bowtie. If that makes sense.

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“It’s such a revelation that you can make a suit out of things that aren’t typically a suit,” Jessica commented after changing into her all-red ensemble. And that’s precisely the point–DIYing your own version of a suit will convey the same coordinated vibe but allow you to exercise more creativity.

My second takeaway involved using Sam and Jessica’s personal style descriptions to suggest a plug-and-play work outfit template for both of them that spoke to their aesthetic proclivities while simultaneously bringing something new to the table. Since Sam told me she enjoyed exploring contrast while getting dressed, and wants to experiment more within the bounds of work-appropriate attire, I styled her in a jumpsuit with a camel sweater underneath, a blazer, and sneakers. The casualness of the jumpsuit and sneakers is offset by the preppy conservatism of the sweater and blazer combo, resulting in an outfit that is equal parts professional and interesting (IF I DO SAY SO MYSELF!!!!!!!)

May I interest you in an outfit template!?Jessica is wearing Eloquii denim dress, Lands' End turtleneck, Universal Standard denim jacket, Lane Bryant boots; Sam is wearing Alex Mill jumpsuit over Everlane sweater, Everlane blazer, New Balance sneakers, Comme Si socks

When Jessica described her style as urban and easygoing, the first thing that came to mind was a Canadian tuxedo, but I wanted to give it a slightly unexpected twist, so I styled her in a dress instead of denim pants and layered it with a white turtleneck and resisted the urge to mime sprinkling salt on the resulting outfit à la Salt Bae. I mentioned this same template could expand into multiple different silhouettes (a denim shirt, a denim skirt, overalls, etc.) but recommended sticking with dark denim and finished edges so as to lean into the more refined iterations of what is an innately relaxed material, as they say in the office dress code makeover biz.

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I checked in with both women a few days after our styling brouhaha to see how they were feeling, and ask if the experience had impacted the way they were thinking about getting dressed in the morning before work. Sam told me that she could easily see herself wearing either outfit to the office and that it was helpful to see a tangible demonstration of presentability and creativity coexisting in the same look.

Jessica chimed in, “After our session I totally stepped my game up the rest of the week and started pairing things in my closet in different ways. I have so many new outfit ideas. It also just reinforced how different my energy feels when I actually put effort into a look. There have been times when I put something on and thought, this looks like I’m doing too much. Especially in a more relaxed work environment. But whatever, if doing too much makes me feel good, then I’m going to do too much. And honestly, is looking good and feeling good really doing too much?”

To that question, let me just say: absofruitly never.

Have a friend, or a friend of a friend, or an “asking for a friend” you’d like to nominate for Office Dress Code Makeover? Slip into our DMs!

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Leandra and Harling on Fall Shoe Nirvana and Schleppy Outfits

“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 but stay for the feelings.

On Oct 13, 2019, at 6:11 AM, Harling wrote:

Lately when I think about my shopping philosophy, I’ve been more critical about focusing only on items I feel are “missing” in my wardrobe—every time I think to myself if I had [insert thing here], it would make this whole outfit, I write it down, and tally which items come up the most. I’ve historically had a tendency to impulsively fall in love with something and disregard what would actually be helpful to spend the same amount of money on, i.e. an item that would fill a hole. But I no longer get a spine-tingling thrill simply from making a new purchase. In order to evoke that feeling, the purchase has to be explicitly meaningful—which is different from practical, though connected in some ways.

I’m curious if you identify with any of this.

On Sun, Oct 13, 2019 at 12:42 PM Leandra wrote:

Do you think maybe that behavior is influenced by the way fashion consumption habits are being impacted by the recent era of austerity? Is it dramatic to call the collective push towards “conscious consumption” the era of austerity?

Or do you think you’re kind of growing up and coming into consciousness of the order of consequences, and in doing that, delaying the instant gratification of buying something from inside the myopic silo of “I love it!!!” And thinking more critically (and broadly!) about what actually you need (if anything)?

On Mon, Oct 14, 2019 at 11:26 AM Harling wrote:

I’m not sure we’re living in an era of austerity. I’ve been giving this some thought, and even though streamlining has been on my mind (and yours too, from what I can tell), the apparent injection of it in fashion’s collective consciousness appears to be more of a balancing of the scales than the tipping of them. Because the increased appeal/success of streamlined brands like Khaite, Tory Burch, the new Thakoon, and COS has not come at the expense of the appeal/success of brands that lean in the complete opposite, maximalist direction like Gucci, Christopher John Rogers, or Area. They coexist!

Maybe it’s a good thing because it forces brands to really define what they are. Good for brands, yes. For people, though, I’m not sure. I’m conscious of the fact that my taste is constantly being manipulated by an algorithm. I’m also conscious of the fact that I’m growing up, and I’m sure that has something to do with my craving to dress (and shop) more simply. The outfits I’m excited to wear again and again over the next few weeks consist of these black pants from AYR, this COS cardigan, a white turtleneck, and these New Balance x Reformation sneakers. I’ve mentioned this in prior  conversations, but I’m still struggling with jewelry. Perhaps it is an era of austerity in the way — and yet! I wouldn’t be mad at all if the tooth fairy left this wildly-out-of-my-budget ear cuff underneath my pillow (big news: I’m back into ear cuffs).

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On Tue, Oct 15, 2019 at 11:37 AM Leandra wrote:

I actually don’t think maximalism has to necessitate an absence of austerity—the common denominator among the brands you mentioned is a severe level of focus. They seem to reject distraction and in their own ways, commit to essentialism. Obviously denying superfluousness for Gucci or Area is going to look very different from doing that for new Thakoon or like, The Row, but you could still argue they’re both doing it. If I were a more linear thinker and not a victim of distraction, I might dig into how and why but I really want to respond to that ear cuff!!!! Given how many diamonds are on it and the fact that it’s ~the real deal,~ $1,200 seems like a fair price.

Fair.

I so rarely refer to price points as fair, but I think it’s the best compliment you can give one, no? It doesn’t imply favor or disdain, advantage or disadvantage (e.g. when it’s very cheap, that might not be fair, but it is to the consumer’s advantage), and it enables a bit of objectivity (I’m not coming at that price thinking about whether I can afford it, and therefore whether I think it’s too much or little…I’m evaluating its features).

I don’t know enough about how COS clothes are made to really back this up but the price point appears to be fair there too. I’m rly into this top, feel like it would look great with a white t-neck under and, because I’m insane, some leggings-cum-tights + silly shoes.

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I am low-key obsessed with these from Marc Jacobs. They’re kind of a joke, but also seem essential to me?

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Meanwhile! I have recently been scouring consignment sites for men’s cardigans to varying degrees of success. Look what I recently found from The RealReal.

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Not a cardigan, I know, but a worthwhile vest to pair under a turtleneck with high-waist blue jeans and New York mules.

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Also not a cardigan, but see high-waist blue jeans and New York mules here, too.

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Here’s the enchilada. The Missoni one is fun, huh? I think I’d wear with like, a patent leather mini skirt, or leather shorts + tights and boots because I’m a knee-high boots person now, waiting diligently and patiently for Toteme to release these in knee-high:

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And then I feel like I should get this for Haley for Xmas.

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How’s Spain, btw?

On Thu, Oct 17, 2019 at 6:02 PM Harling wrote:

Hmmm, I get what you mean now. I think austerity probably isn’t the right word though. In the context of this era of fashion, it’s not so much an absence of extra-ness as it is an absence of excess. The latter is what I’m trying to trim, because I want a wardrobe that feels solid. Less like the whipped cream topping and more like the brownie, if you know what I mean.

Spain was a whirlwind. I got a sneak peek at Zara’s new collection which actually just came out today and has a ton of good stuff with interesting details. For example, this trench coat, which is double belted so you get the layering effect of wearing two trenches on top of each other without the bulk. This pleated skirt, which looks simple at first when you put it on, but when you move it showcases the contrasting lining underneath. These great black trousers that have subtle side vents. Ooh and this oversized light blue shirt with buttons that run up and down the sleeves. They told me the vibe of the campaign was “refined magpie,” which is incidentally a great Instagram bio if you’re in the market (but also plz never change your current one).

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I love that COS top u found!!!!! It was born to be layered over a turtleneck. Except instead of leggings and silly shoes I would wear it with satin pajama pants and a heavy boot.

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I feel like your fall/winter 2019 sweater identity is “male chemistry teacher.” Lmk if that’s fair to say. The Missoni one is so good. Not men’s but this one’s a good addition, although slightly more Latin teacher than chemistry teacher methinks.

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I just bought two pairs of perfect trousers from The Row sample sale and I need help deciding how to debut them! One pair is a chino material with pleats and the other is a straight leg scuba material situation. Any ideas?

On Thu, Oct 17, 2019 at 9:26 PM Leandra wrote:

Did your chemistry teacher wear leather shorts to school often?

I got great pants from The Row sample sale too! For $140 bucks a pop! I need photos so I can better evaluate how you should wear them, but in the mean time mayyyy I just sayyyyyyyyy: I always forget about Marni, but yes yes a thousand times yes, that cardigan partigan is the tits.

I feel like this top is very Leandra 1.0 and maybe that’s why I’m gravitating toward it but 10/10 would wear with an a-line mini skirt (or black cashmere underwear, tbh) and tights like these, which I was inspired to source after evaluating your Zara links.

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Back to the leather shorts thing for a second…I was pretty sure that I would never want to wear shorts with tights again, much less leather ones, but now I think I’m becoming that person? I want to pair them with a chunky sweater (tucked in, or at least fake tucked in because who the hell can fit their chunky sweaters INTO waist lines) and a pair of like, knee-high kitten heel boots. Who am I becoming?

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On Fri, Oct 18, 2019 at 11:29 AM Harling wrote:

I think you’re becoming yourself in 2012! A full circle moment.

Hey, Jack Erwin just launched a women’s collection and the loafers look like a chef’s kiss. You know what actually, over the course of this convo I’ve come to realize that shoes are really the main hole in my wardrobe. I never seem to have the right pair to wear with a particular outfit, so I’m thinking ~~~~critically~~~~ about what seems to be consistently missing and I think black suede loafers might be it. Also black or brown knee-high boots (I’m eyeing these and these).

If you could only own 3 pairs of fall/winter shoes, what would they be? Tell me truly.

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On Sat, Oct 19, 2019 at 2:55 PM Leandra wrote:

Fall/winter shoes are always a source of annoyance for me and I’ll tell you why: They don’t look good with jeans. Seriously. The best shoes for jeans are sandals—loafers or ballet flats are too basic with straight or skinny-leg jeans (which is what I wear most days). Those kinds of shoes require a pair that is baggier, and that’s fine, but baggy jeans look too schleppy with a long coat, so then I have to change into a short jacket and I don’t have a good one. This from Toteme is pretty nice, but I doubt it’s warm. If I don’t change my jeans so as to keep my long coat on, I have to change my shoes, but I don’t actually know what the right pair of shoes looks like. So far, this new pair by Emme Parsons is the closest I’ve come to fall shoe nirvana. The most basic, boring purchases we make tend also to be the most useful ones. I’d like to make a case for taking the emotionality out of shopping to see what happens.

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I didn’t answer your question though…if I could only own 3 pairs of fall/winter shoes, what would they be?

These, no question. I don’t know why I like them so much, maybe I am blinded by the price tag. I guess I’d wear them with long skirts, dresses, sweatpants and high-waist jeans. (And per the last way, short jackets only!) Something akin to these to wear with long pants and short things + tights. And then it seems redundant to have another flat (like a pair of Mary Janes) and the Emme Parsons loafers so it’s a toss-up. Either would be worn with baggy pants and sweat pants, Mary Janes would be good for straight-leg or skinny jeans too. And actually might pair better with mini skirts. Hmmmmm.

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This is weird and hard, though, because I do feel like there is a big hole here that would be accommodated by like, these. I guess my first pick I am actually least likely to wear so I have to kill my favorites. Ugh, WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME, HILLARY?

On Mon, Oct 21, 2019 at 11:54 AM Harling wrote:

That Emme Parsons pair is a full dream. I just did a deep dive to see if I could find some comparable lower-priced suede loafers in a similar silhouette and came across these from Aquatalia which look pretty great. I think their appeal lies in the high rise(?) or is the correct term “upper”? and now I understand why I felt the urge to abscond with the black velvet slippers Austin bought to wear to our wedding. Slippers are it right now, huh.

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Those boots from The Row. Oof. I’ve been analyzing why I think they’re so good and I’m pretty sure it’s because the chunky sole gives them an element of edge but the fact that it doesn’t have those little visible grooves that most chunky soles makes them sleeker. Am I overthinking? Honestly not sure at this point but in my fantasies, I’d wear them with this $60 skirt in dark brown from the Uniqlo x JW Anderson collab (which is really good btw) and this jacket.

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I like the white puff-sleeved blouse you’re wearing today. Wish I could tap for credits.

On Mon, Oct 21, 2019 at 12:48 PM Leandra wrote:

Thanks! It’s Fabiana Pigna. I actually feel too normal today. Like the actual outfit is right—puff sleeve button-down with black t-neck underneath plus navy blue skinny pants and New Balance sneakers, but it’s missing the quirk. Like a turquoise necklace, or a sash that reads “best clumsy” around my chest. I guess it doesn’t have to say “best clumsy” but I do think whatever it says should not make sense.

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Hey, do you use the word abscond regularly? Like in informal conversation? Also, I almost bought this skirt from JW Anderson/Uniqlo off the window mannequin this weekend. I think I’d probably wear the navy one more often tho. I have such a complex about knee-length skirts from going to Yeshiva day school but this one is good enough, methinks, to power through the hang-up. Your outfit for The Row boots, btw, is really good. That jacket link led me to this one, which is not styled well but makes such a good case for light jacket weather. Imagine it with a counter fringe skirt and like, this bag, for example. Funky!

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What are your thoughts on Bermuda shorts with knee-high boots? I think as long as they’re not too long to be mistaken for culottes, there is potential, and now that I look at these ones again, I actually think they’re  too long. In searching for a better-shaped pair, I came across these trousers. They are like, the perfect silhouette and length, but do you think they’ll make me look like a kid wearing her dad’s clothes with a winter coat?

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What is the solution for outfits that get ruined by coats, but are still warm? I wish someone would invent a turtleneck that is also a cropped down jacket.

On Tue, Oct 22, 2019 at 12:06 PM Harling wrote:

Is “best clumsy” a reference I should know about?

In addition to addressing what comes after the balaclava–a pressing Q–we also need to do a story about how to look warm but not schleppy this winter. Narrow tightrope to walk, that one. I don’t think Bermuda shorts and knee-high boots are for me, but I’ll take those trousers and ordain the marriage to a turtleneck that is also a cropped down coat. Plus white sneakers because I’m a sneaker person now!

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Speaking of I do use the word abscond regularly. Like these shoes, it’s too fun to save for special occasions only.

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Photography by Cody Guilfoyle, Prop Styling by Sara Schipani  ; Photo featuring Marc Jacobs shoes and Mango bag.

The post Leandra and Harling on Fall Shoe Nirvana and Schleppy Outfits appeared first on Man Repeller.

Which Home Renovation Show Suits You? (I’m ‘Rehab Addict’)

We’re living in the golden era of renovation shows. Gone are the days of only getting our fix once a week (shout out Trading Spaces)—today, there’s a little something for everyone, all the time. You have your House Hunters, holding up a mirror to anyone who doesn’t cook yet desires a six-burner Viking stove. You have your Love It or List It, making you question how passive-aggressive you are to your loved ones. You have Flip or Flop, making you certain you could tell the foundational integrity of a home from just a 10-minute walk-through. The reno-opportunities are endless, and each are as soothing as agreeing with your partner on getting a white subway tile backsplash.

Watching these shows brings me the same organization-related pleasure as cleaning my house, but without requiring me to move or think or actually improve my space, which is ideal. If you’re after the same mental health benefits, grab a pen and paper like it’s 1999 and take the below quiz to determine which home show best suits you. Mark down which number most reflects your feelings for each question.

1. An autumnal activity that’s speaking to you right now is:

1. Getting out my jewel tones and “really dressing.” There’s only a few weeks before full winter black takes over.

2. Planning where I’ll be and who I’ll be with for the four next holidays. It has to be considered carefully.

3. Carving a pumpkin, putting some spooky stuff on the front door, etc. You have to enjoy the seasonal décor.

4. Getting a really cute group costume together this year. I know it’s on Thursday, but we can do it!

5. Jumping into all that hearty fall food: chili, pumpkins, soups, squash, yes, yes, yes.

2. It’s Tuesday: How far along are you on your weekend plans?

1. Definitely checking out that new restaurant in the village. I have a res for eight.

2. I’m already double-booked for most of it….

3. No plans. Just need to get a few things done around the house, errands, etc.

4. Date night. Yes, you heard me I have a DATE.

5. My Saturdays are booked solid through January. But Friday? No plans. I know I’ll need to chill.

3. You’re lost in Home Depot. What section are you fantasizing in?

1. The appliances section. Specifically, stroking each STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCE and fantasizing about welcoming guests to my glamorous home.

2. The paint aisle. Gloss, matte, satin, and—plot twist—wallpaper. Paint is the easiest way to give a room a mood change. The possibilities will make your head spin!!

3. The molding and trim department. Crown molding, floor molding, those classy ass medallions that go on the ceiling around chandeliers. The tiny touches are what makes a house truly charming.

4. The bathroom aisle. Tiles, backsplashes, deep vanities, pedestal sinks. Why go to the spa when you could cover yourself in cucumber slices in a lux bath at home?

5. The outdoor furniture section. Loungers, grills, benches, fire pits, and pillows. Gathering spaces finish a home and what is a better end of day than time in a garden or on a porch!

4. Imagine you own a restaurant. What are you known for?

1. Our “elevated” seasonal menu is finished with signature cocktails.

2. Our menu is broad, and build-your own. Everyone can find something they like from healthy to hearty.

3. We’re proud to serve classic, quality food made from traditional recipes, handed down through our family.

4. We’re the hottest power-lunching spot downtown.

5. Our portions are huge, we’re reasonably priced, and there’s a pinball machine for the kids.

5. What does your best friend think you need to “renovate”?

1. Apparently I “don’t text back.”

2. I’m too much of a people-pleaser.

3. Sometimes it’s that I’m a workaholic, sometimes it’s that my significant other is … a lost cause.

4. They think I should NOT be dating right now.

5. I “don’t go out anymore.”

6. What’s rolling around in the bottom of your bag?

1. Nail file

2. Phone charger

3. Hair tie

4. Lose pills

5. Chapstick

8. What’s your favorite feature on a house?

1. Steam shower. Grand staircase. Wine cooler. It needs all the modern trappings!!!

2. Could I have one in the country and one in the city?

3. Charm and uniqueness.

4. A good value that will get better over time. My home should be a financial launchpad.

5. Open floor plan with lots of light. We need room to grow.

Which number did you get the most?

House Hunters, HGTV.

Mostly 1s: Watch House Hunters

Real estate drama. Couples negging each other. Unrelenting dissatisfaction. Extensive dialogue about “eat-in kitchens.” House Hunters is THE guilty pleasure reno-show.

You’re the on-trend friend. People rely on you to get into the function, to hear about the new app, and to know what the youth are laughing at. On House Hunters, couples search for their dream home with requirements that often contradict each other (ex: “We want a cottage with old-world charm that is completely updated.”) They bicker a lot, and one gets the sense they’re doing it for show, which you appreciate. (“I need a man cave,” demands the husband who makes no mention of what he would do in said cave aside from watch TV.) Like House Hunters, you’re always looking for the better option. You gravitate towards the new and interesting and you actually have a good eye for it. Just remember to spread some of your clout around and that the best things in life aren’t trending.

Hosts Hilary and David during reveal in new kitchen.
Mostly 2s: Watch Love It or List It

Analysis paralysis. Never having enough bathrooms. Intense driveway conversations. Going on national television just to prove your spouse wrong. This is Love It or List It.

Would you happily spend an hour weighing every possible option when making a decision? Congrats, it’s always Libra season on Love It or List It. This Canadian show has one divided couple decide if they want to remodel their existing home or just buy a new one. While they flounder, a designer and real estate agent bend over backward to get the couple’s favor. Like Love It or List It, you tend to patch up your indecision by doing the most. No one can be everything to everyone, so keep in mind that the most important person to please is yourself, no matter how over-budget the remodel may already be.

As seen on Rehab Addict, Nicole Curtis (host) and her design assistant Aaron Douglas discuss details about the second floor bathroom in the house on Grande Ave. in Detroit, MI.
Mostly 3s: Watch Rehab Addict

Of all the house show hosts, Rehab Addict’s Nicole Curtis is The Actual Business. She’s TOUGH. She’s a SINGLE MOM. She pays for the homes in CASH.

You love a project, a challenge, and sometimes plunge yourself into a lost cause. People depend on you to get shit done and completing that shit feels deeply satisfying to you. On the poorly named but brilliant Rehab Addict, Nicole Curtis won’t give up on old homes until they are restored to their previous glory. She sands, paints, and reframes with a charming mix of love and obsession, and teaches the viewer as she goes. Like Nicole, you take pride in your work. Just remember that working through a problem yourself isn’t always the best answer—sometimes you really do need to abandon ship (unless that ship is Rehab Addict).

Flip or Flop, HGTV.
Mostly 4s: Watch Flip or Flop

LA. Drama. Sunglasses. Taking a call on speaker while holding your phone flat. B-roll of highway driving. Bronzer. All of this and you’re only 45 seconds into an episode of Flip or Flop.

You’ve got spontaneity, glamour, good stories, and chaotic energy. Your friends depend on you to lighten things up and be real (even though they sometimes have to talk you off a ledge from some bad decisions). On Flip or Flop, Christina and Tarek have seemingly low-key conversations behind trendy sunglasses. Only on later episodes does it become clear they recently divorced and all their bickering about tiles has some very real baggage to it. On Flip or Flop, there is more going on than meets the eye. This is true for you too. You’re good at being vulnerable but can mistakenly label something as “good” simply because it’s intense.

Joanna Gaines visiting husband Chip to check in on the progression of the Pahmiyer home, as seen on Fixer Upper. Joanna points out where is she wanting to put a fireplace.
Mostly 5s: Watch Fixer Upper

*Rooster Crows*

Hello, old reliable. Welcome to Waco, Texas, where the living is easy, Joanna’s skin is perfect, and Chip will build you a screened-in porch by supper. Fixer Upper is the hometown favorite.

You’re a settled-down babe. Friends find you loyal, dependable, and welcoming. Fixer Upper is heart-warming and predictable. Some may learn some renovation tips, but people mostly watch Fixer Upper to see Joanna and Chip at work. They truly respect the value each one brings. Chip likes to SMASH. Jo likes to THINK. They are cute and flirty and let each other thrive and it feels more like couples-counseling-by-example than a home renovation show. Like Fixer Upper, you’re at your strongest when welcoming others into your happiness.

Graphic by Dasha Faires, Photos via HGTV.

The post Which Home Renovation Show Suits You? (I’m ‘Rehab Addict’) appeared first on Man Repeller.

Office Apropos: 5 Outfits for a Rainy Tuesday

During the many conversations I’ve had with people about their favorite and least favorite days of the week, Tuesday rarely fares well. It lacks the fresh-start feeling of a Monday and doesn’t have any of the end-of-the-week magic that Thursday and Friday possess—it doesn’t even have a fun nickname like Wednesday a.k.a. hump! day! Which makes it even more impressive when I see people craft a truly :Italianchefkissesfingers: outfit despite it all. Here’s what everyone wore last Tuesday when it was 55-degrees and raining.

p.s. In case you missed it: We’re publishing our fall 2019 edition of Office Apropos one day at a time. Here’s Monday.

Leandra

Apparently it’s going to rain today. I track weather like a hawk because I am compulsive about dressing how I want to dress but doing it within the parameters of what the weather will allow. For this particular installment of Leandra Gets Dressed for Work and Would Get Fired If She Worked in a Regular Office, I pair Lululemon kneecap leggings with a tweed jacket and the same turtleneck that I wore yesterday, but in a different color. The Celine brogues are from Vestiaire Collective—they belonged to a Celine employee, which I know because another employee told me that these were never for public consumption, they were cut specifically for the sales team. In case you’re wondering what’s on tap for today: in-office all morning. Taking my kids to a porty in Flatiron at 4 p.m., handing them off to Abie at 6 p.m., going to ~an event~ at 7 p.m. I’d have worn heels if I didn’t have to walk a lot.

Crystal

Okay, full disclosure? I saw a mouse in my house last Friday, so today’s look is sponsored solely by fear. I woke up and sprinted to my closet/bed and grabbed, like six things and prayed to sweet baby Jesus that I could make fetch happen. Jury is still out on if fetch indeed happened, but I was feeling comfy and warm, which are literally my only two desires at the moment.

Haley

As I wrote in this story, my fall outfit formula consists of cropped trousers, a sweater, and some kind of structured outerwear. So when I woke up today and felt uninspired, I went straight for it. This sweater, which you can’t really see, is only about three weeks old, and I’ve already worn it over 10 times. Everything about it is perfect: the funnel collar that stays up, the slightly cropped length so I don’t have to tuck it, the knit material that holds its shape. It’s also super warm and comfortable. Should I keep talking about the sweater? I don’t have much to report about my day otherwise, I just sat at a computer all day.

Beyond the Halloween Rush: We Asked 13 People at NYC Craft Stores What They’re Making

It’s Monday, October 28th, which means that those of us who dare to construct a last-minute Halloween costume are now fanning out in the aisles of craft stores across the country, doing our best to fashion a coherent ensemble from felt and yarn and construction paper and googly eyes. For many people, this is the only time of year that we descend upon these types of stores, and we don’t think about them again until October rolls back around.

But, of course, there are 51 other weeks of the year when people are making all kinds of things for all kinds of reasons. So we stopped into a handful of arts and crafts stores around New York City, well in advance of the Halloween rush, to find out what exactly these people are up to.

We listened to stories about their lives, wacky crafting histories, and current obsessions—from karate-studio missions to apartment renovations.

The Student: Mashael

Age: 24

From: Bahrain

What brought you to the store today? I’m going to grad school at NYU and I’m a photographer. I’m working on a short film inspired by my favorite artist, Etel Adnan, she does these abstract paintings and I’m kind of using her color scheme to talk about the idea of home. She has an amazing book called the Arab Apocalypse and that’s like source material for this. In my short film, I’m using yarn as a motif related to what brings you back home. That’s usually what I explore in my photography—identity.

When are you shooting the film? This week. I cast a couple of people. It’s going to be one really long shot—I love when art films can be a little bit uncomfortable and disturbing, a little too long. It really makes you sit with the work.

How often do you find yourself in a craft store? All the time. I love to host and I love themes [laughs]. I just threw a housewarming that was themed “Arab Disco” and we played Arab and North African disco music.

What’s your weirdest craft store project of all-time? I make my own jewelry, so I’m often here buying hooks and stuff like that, but I would have to say this [film] one. I’m just buying yarn right now, but it’s going to be so much more than that.

What’s your favorite section? The beads. I get so distracted!

The Teacher: Esther

Age: “Too old”

Favorite section: Crochet

What brought you here today? I’m a teacher at a not-for-profit called Super Happy Healthy Kids, and I usually get a lot of supplies here for my students. Sometimes I come once a month, sometimes I come every week, depending on what they need. They’re very creative, my students. It just never seems to be enough. Which is a good thing. When I come to Michaels, I go aisle by aisle. I just need peace, you know, with myself. I don’t even bring my team.

What will you be doing with the stuff in your cart? With the pompoms, honestly, I don’t know. I’m sure the kids will figure something out. We need more pipe cleaners. The spiders—we’re making slime later, so I thought we could put the spiders in the slime.

What’s the weirdest craft store project you’ve done? In our edible art program, we made monsters out of rice balls. That was probably the funniest. We used seaweed.

Wow, she’s a weaver on the low!
The Roomies: Zaynab Tawil, Praneet Kang, Calvin Reedy

What brought you guys here?

Calvin: Zaynab!

Zaynab: I love it here! I watercolor, and it started off kind of casual, but I’ve been doing it more therapeutically because I hashtag-can’t-afford-therapy [laughs]. I write poetry, so a lot of my watercolors have been inspired by that recently.

Do all of you watercolor or are you just running an errand together?

Calvin: We had brunch, we’re on our way back home.

Praneet: I was checking out the supplies too. I sketch a bit.

What’s your weirdest craft store project?

Zaynab: Last year I wanted to be Ivy for Halloween so I bought a bunch of nasty green cloth and I was very certain that I would be able to hand-sew my costume. I was not able to do that. I literally just threw it out.

Praneet: I got into looming once.

Calvin: Wow, she’s a weaver on the low!

Praneet: With my mom!

Zaynab: [laughs] Ah ok. I was like, “How, when, where? We’ve lived with you for so long, where’s the loom?”

What’s your favorite section?

Zaynab: I love the mini sketchbooks, it’s interesting to think about what could be accomplished with a smaller size.

Praneet: I like the pastels and I want to get into them but I don’t think I’m good enough yet.

Calvin: I love seeing all the organized colors. It just does something to me.

The Creative Kid: Marina

Age: 8

From: Russia

What brought you to Michaels today? It was raining and we wanted to go inside so we came to Michaels. It’s my favorite place.

What art are you working on right now? I’m using the black paper… with fall themes.

Do you have a favorite section? Yes. This! [Gestures to the jewelry section.]

How often do you come here? Not really often.

Not really often? You’d like to come more? Yes, I would like to!

The Spray Painter: Adam

Age: 30

From: New York City

What’s the weirdest craft store project you’ve done? Last year for Halloween, I was Wendy Williams when she fainted when she had the Statue of Liberty costume on. So I came here to make that.

That’s incredible. You put it together from scratch? It did not stay for even 30 minutes.

Good thing you just had to fall, right? Yeah. That’s all I did.

What brought you here today? I need to get some spray paint, because I’m spray-painting fake leaves for my apartment.

Cool. Are you an artist? Yeah. I went to art school, but I don’t get paid to do it or anything. I do it as a hobby now.

We made an Oreo surfing on a milk wave.
The Photographer: Ash

Age: 24

Job: Photographer and photo assistant

What brings you here? I’m looking for props and styling stuff for a shoot—backgrounds and fabrics and scrapbook paper. The shoot is for a jewelry company, rings mostly. I’ve never been to this location, so I don’t know where everything is. I really want plain stuff—minimal, natural, monotone.

How frequently do you come to these types of stores? I typically don’t come here for shoots—usually a stylist would do this, but I’m doing it for this shoot. Otherwise, I’d find myself at a craft store like once a month.

What’s your weirdest-ever craft store project? One time I had a project for school that was like, “Here’s an Oreo. Make it into a person.” So we made an Oreo surfing on a milk wave. We made a surfboard for it. It was cool.

Do you typically make your Halloween costume? I love Halloween but I’m really lazy about it. I usually wait till the last minute and then go to a thrift store and pull together something weird. I was Xenon last year, and just wore a lot of shiny stuff.

Check out Ash’s photography here.

The Daydreamer & Archivist: Mo

Age: 25

From: Jamaica, Queens

What brought you here? I’m working on a project painting queer folktale paintings so I got canvases and paints and little jars to mix my colors. I’ve been painting for a long time, I just started doing these folk tales because I’m dreaming about moving out of New York and they’re based in the countryside with chickens and other animals. There are a lot of women in bed dreaming. I just finished reading Alice Walker’s memoir and she has eight chickens and she just writes about her love for them.

Are there any artists who you’re inspired by? Yeah, there are a few, and I’m really paying attention to their edges. The way they paint the edge of a person’s face to the background feels very seamless and it’s just beautiful. I feel like I have a lot of hard edges that feel more illustrative and I want it to feel more painterly.

What’s been your wildest craft store project? Making marionette puppets about two years ago. They were made out of papier-mâché, wood, little eyelet screws, and feathers. They were bird puppets and I performed with them for some kids.

What did you study in school? I made my own major—art and art history. I’m an archivist at the Studio Museum. I’ve been there for a year.

Do you have a favorite store section? I love looking at the fluid acrylic paints, but I have a very sensual relationship with the brushes when I have time.

The Landscaper: Mac

Age: 22

From: New Jersey

What brought you here? I’m working on landscapes for this show in February. I’m not sure if this will be in the show, but I’m working to submit. My friend just opened her own gallery in her apartment and she’s been having a lot of group shows there. I’m really interested in this painter Marianne Mitchell. She makes abstract landscapes that kind of remind me of James Turrell’s work, but they’re more colorful. I haven’t really been doing landscapes for that long but I’m getting this today to teach my friends how to mix oils and solvents and stuff.

Are they also artists? One of them makes pottery and the other one is a photographer.

Do you primarily work on landscapes? No, I’m usually more into figures, like ghosts. I do this thing with Aztec clay with the background that makes it really textured and gives it a cool cracking effect.

What’s the most memorable craft store project you’ve embarked upon? I was trying really hard to make a resin cast of my friend’s family crest. The crest features three fish, and I made it, and then I realized that his family switched it up and the fish are backwards. I tried to heat it and bend it, it was just… done. It was supposed to be a birthday present and I still haven’t given it [laughs].

The Entrepreneur: Majee

Age: 26

What brought you here? I’m starting my own business, it’s a printing company. I do business cards and labels and stuff like that. Soon it’s going to turn into banners and t-shirts and hoodies. I just came today to pick up some boxes so I can spray paint and put my logo on it and ship out some business cards.

How often do you come? This is my first time here.

Do you have a favorite section? Well, I like the glitter [laughs] and the spray paint and I like the different boxes. I saw that they have heart-shaped boxes and when I send out my stuff I want to make sure that the client feels appreciated and like I put a lot of thought into it.

Do you do all the graphic design too? Yeah, I custom design everything. But I went to school for human resources, actually. This is something that I like to do in my spare time that I can probably turn into something that is forever.

I’m just looking for a frame—I was sent by my karate master.
The Nice Brother: Emilio

Age: 20

From: Caracas, Venezuela

What brings you here? I’m just looking for a frame for this—I was sent by my karate master to get it. Her daughter might’ve done it. It would have been years ago.

So you’re on a karate studio mission? Literally, exactly. She was like, “Hey, do you have like 20 minutes to do this?” And I was like sure.

You work there? Yeah. I’ve been there since I was 6 years old.

What’s the weirdest craft store project you’ve done? My little sister is nine years younger, so my mom will be like, “Go figure out how to make what she’s making for whatever.” And I’m like, “What do you mean for whatever?” She’ll be like, “Just make a turkey, figure how to make a turkey!”

Do you take your little sister with you usually? I mean, if she’s lucky.

Photos by Franey Miller.

The post Beyond the Halloween Rush: We Asked 13 People at NYC Craft Stores What They’re Making appeared first on Man Repeller.

We Asked 13 People at NYC Craft Stores What They’re Making

It’s Monday, October 28th, which means that those of us who dare to construct a last-minute Halloween costume are now fanning out in the aisles of craft stores across the country, doing our best to fashion a coherent ensemble from felt and yarn and construction paper and googly eyes. For many people, this is the only time of year that we descend upon these types of stores, and we don’t think about them again until October rolls back around.

But, of course, there are 51 other weeks of the year when people are making all kinds of things for all kinds of reasons. So we stopped into a handful arts and crafts stores around New York City, well in advance of the Halloween rush, to find out what exactly these people are up to.

We listened to stories about their lives, wacky crafting histories, and current obsessions—from karate-studio missions to apartment renovations.

The Student: Mashael

Age: 24

From: Bahrain

What brought you to the store today? I’m going to grad school at NYU and I’m a photographer. I’m working on a short film inspired by my favorite artist, Etel Adnan, she does these abstract paintings and I’m kind of using her color scheme to talk about the idea of home. She has an amazing book called the Arab Apocalypse and that’s like source material for this. In my short film, I’m using yarn as a motif related to what brings you back home. That’s usually what I explore in my photography—identity.

When are you shooting the film? This week. I cast a couple of people. It’s going to be one really long shot—I love when art films can be a little bit uncomfortable and disturbing, a little too long. It really makes you sit with the work.

How often do you find yourself in a craft store? All the time. I love to host and I love themes [laughs]. I just threw a housewarming that was themed “Arab Disco” and we played Arab and North African disco music.

What’s your weirdest craft store project of all-time? I make my own jewelry, so I’m often here buying hooks and stuff like that, but I would have to say this [film] one. I’m just buying yarn right now, but it’s going to be so much more than that.

What’s your favorite section? The beads. I get so distracted!

The Teacher: Esther

Age: “Too old”

Favorite section: Crochet

What brought you here today? I’m a teacher at a not-for-profit called Super Happy Healthy Kids, and I usually get a lot of supplies here for my students. Sometimes I come once a month, sometimes I come every week, depending on what they need. They’re very creative, my students. It just never seems to be enough. Which is a good thing. When I come to Michaels, I go aisle by aisle. I just need peace, you know, with myself. I don’t even bring my team.

What will you be doing with the stuff in your cart? With the pompoms, honestly, I don’t know. I’m sure the kids will figure something out. We need more pipe cleaners. The spiders—we’re making slime later, so I thought we could put the spiders in the slime.

What’s the weirdest craft store project you’ve done? In our edible art program, we made monsters out of rice balls. That was probably the funniest. We used seaweed.

Wow, she’s a weaver on the low!
The Roomies: Zaynab Tawil, Praneet Kang, Calvin Reedy

What brought you guys here?

Calvin: Zaynab!

Zaynab: I love it here! I watercolor, and it started off kind of casual, but I’ve been doing it more therapeutically because I hashtag-can’t-afford-therapy [laughs]. I write poetry, so a lot of my watercolors have been inspired by that recently.

Do all of you watercolor or are you just running an errand together?

Calvin: We had brunch, we’re on our way back home.

Praneet: I was checking out the supplies too. I sketch a bit.

What’s your weirdest craft store project?

Zaynab: Last year I wanted to be Ivy for Halloween so I bought a bunch of nasty green cloth and I was very certain that I would be able to hand-sew my costume. I was not able to do that. I literally just threw it out.

Praneet: I got into looming once.

Calvin: Wow, she’s a weaver on the low!

Praneet: With my mom!

Zaynab: [laughs] Ah ok. I was like, “How, when, where? We’ve lived with you for so long, where’s the loom?”

What’s your favorite section?

Zaynab: I love the mini sketchbooks, it’s interesting to think about what could be accomplished with a smaller size.

Praneet: I like the pastels and I want to get into them but I don’t think I’m good enough yet.

Calvin: I love seeing all the organized colors. It just does something to me.

The Creative Kid: Marina

Age: 8

From: Russia

What brought you to Michaels today? It was raining and we wanted to go inside so we came to Michaels. It’s my favorite place.

What art are you working on right now? I’m using the black paper… with fall themes.

Do you have a favorite section? Yes. This! [Gestures to the jewelry section.]

How often do you come here? Not really often.

Not really often? You’d like to come more? Yes, I would like to!

The Spray Painter: Adam

Age: 30

From: New York City

What’s the weirdest craft store project you’ve done? Last year for Halloween, I was Wendy Williams when she fainted when she had the Statue of Liberty costume on. So I came here to make that.

That’s incredible. You put it together from scratch? It did not stay for even 30 minutes.

Good thing you just had to fall, right? Yeah. That’s all I did.

What brought you here today? I need to get some spray paint, because I’m spray-painting fake leaves for my apartment.

Cool. Are you an artist? Yeah. I went to art school, but I don’t get paid to do it or anything. I do it as a hobby now.

We made an Oreo surfing on a milk wave.
The Photographer: Ash

Age: 24

Job: Photographer and photo assistant

What brings you here? I’m looking for props and styling stuff for a shoot—backgrounds and fabrics and scrapbook paper. The shoot is for a jewelry company, rings mostly. I’ve never been to this location, so I don’t know where everything is. I really want plain stuff—minimal, natural, monotone.

How frequently do you come to these types of stores? I typically don’t come here for shoots—usually a stylist would do this, but I’m doing it for this shoot. Otherwise, I’d find myself at a craft store like once a month.

What’s your weirdest-ever craft store project? One time I had a project for school that was like, “Here’s an Oreo. Make it into a person.” So we made an Oreo surfing on a milk wave. We made a surfboard for it. It was cool.

Do you typically make your Halloween costume? I love Halloween but I’m really lazy about it. I usually wait till the last minute and then go to a thrift store and pull together something weird. I was Xenon last year, and just wore a lot of shiny stuff.

Check out Ash’s photography here.

The Daydreamer & Archivist: Mo

Age: 25

From: Jamaica, Queens

What brought you here? I’m working on a project painting queer folktale paintings so I got canvases and paints and little jars to mix my colors. I’ve been painting for a long time, I just started doing these folk tales because I’m dreaming about moving out of New York and they’re based in the countryside with chickens and other animals. There are a lot of women in bed dreaming. I just finished reading Alice Walker’s memoir and she has eight chickens and she just writes about her love for them.

Are there any artists who you’re inspired by? Yeah, there are a few, and I’m really paying attention to their edges. The way they paint the edge of a person’s face to the background feels very seamless and it’s just beautiful. I feel like I have a lot of hard edges that feel more illustrative and I want it to feel more painterly.

What’s been your wildest craft store project? Making marionette puppets about two years ago. They were made out of papier-mâché, wood, little eyelet screws, and feathers. They were bird puppets and I performed with them for some kids.

What did you study in school? I made my own major—art and art history. I’m an archivist at the Studio Museum. I’ve been there for a year.

Do you have a favorite store section? I love looking at the fluid acrylic paints, but I have a very sensual relationship with the brushes when I have time.

The Landscaper: Mac

Age: 22

From: New Jersey

What brought you here? I’m working on landscapes for this show in February. I’m not sure if this will be in the show, but I’m working to submit. My friend just opened her own gallery in her apartment and she’s been having a lot of group shows there. I’m really interested in this painter Marianne Mitchell. She makes abstract landscapes that kind of remind me of James Turrell’s work, but they’re more colorful. I haven’t really been doing landscapes for that long but I’m getting this today to teach my friends how to mix oils and solvents and stuff.

Are they also artists? One of them makes pottery and the other one is a photographer.

Do you primarily work on landscapes? No, I’m usually more into figures, like ghosts. I do this thing with Aztec clay with the background that makes it really textured and gives it a cool cracking effect.

What’s the most memorable craft store project you’ve embarked upon? I was trying really hard to make a resin cast of my friend’s family crest. The crest features three fish, and I made it, and then I realized that his family switched it up and the fish are backwards. I tried to heat it and bend it, it was just… done. It was supposed to be a birthday present and I still haven’t given it [laughs].

The Entrepreneur: Majee

Age: 26

What brought you here? I’m starting my own business, it’s a printing company. I do business cards and labels and stuff like that. Soon it’s going to turn into banners and t-shirts and hoodies. I just came today to pick up some boxes so I can spray paint and put my logo on it and ship out some business cards.

How often do you come? This is my first time here.

Do you have a favorite section? Well, I like the glitter [laughs] and the spray paint and I like the different boxes. I saw that they have heart-shaped boxes and when I send out my stuff I want to make sure that the client feels appreciated and like I put a lot of thought into it.

Do you do all the graphic design too? Yeah, I custom design everything. But I went to school for human resources, actually. This is something that I like to do in my spare time that I can probably turn into something that is forever.

I’m just looking for a frame—I was sent by my karate master.
The Nice Brother: Emilio

Age: 20

From: Caracas, Venezuela

What brings you to here? I’m just looking for a frame for this—I was sent by my karate master to get it. Her daughter might’ve done it. It would have been years ago.

So you’re on a karate studio mission? Literally, exactly. She was like, “Hey, do you have like 20 minutes to do this?” And I was like sure.

You work there? Yeah. I’ve been there since I was 6 years old.

What’s the weirdest craft store project you’ve done? My little sister is nine years younger, so my mom will be like, “Go figure out how to make what she’s making for whatever.” And I’m like, “What do you mean for whatever?” She’ll be like, “Just make a turkey, figure how to make a turkey!”

Do you take your little sister with you usually? I mean, if she’s lucky.

Photos by Franey Miller.

The post We Asked 13 People at NYC Craft Stores What They’re Making appeared first on Man Repeller.