the world according to sherimaven

XO

Good day Friday...I would give ya five for Friday but instead I come to you from the wilds of North Moore Street, where me and five of my old school besties are renting a loft for the weekend to catch up on our lives- lest you think this is a bad Jeremy Piven/Rob Lowe/guy from "Hung" kind of moment, it's not. It's six girls who grew up together hanging out for the weekend. I'm excited to hang out for sure, but all of us have noticed that the loft we rented smacks very visibly of a sort of S&M aesthetic. My friend Stephanie says the first thing she noticed upon entering was the "glint of the handcuffs" hanging from the wall. There's also many ladders and hangy things from which to suspend, or be attached to. It's quite weird but still a great location and a truly gorgeous loft...although a bit too much on the dominatrix tip for my tastes. We have also spotted a whip amidst all the suspension and rapturesque artwork.

Other than that, I'm busy but wanted to wish you all a great weekend, here from my dungeon in Tribeca. What an apt setting for a high school reunion- we'll see how it goes. Cause that's what's up this whips n chains n old friends kind of Friday deep in the twisted heart of Tribeca. XO

Good morning, my little Thursday. I've got my girls coming into town this weekend- the ones I grew up with that knew me way before all of this Maven business, but were a huge part of what formed my sensibilities. Whether it was judiciously memorizing the words to REM's "It's the End of the World" or crushing on some boy with a long, sideswept bang at the mall, we were all in it together, a long time ago in Philadel-FI-A.

So it's no surpise I'm a bit nostalgic for some fashion of yesteryear, and leave it to Cavalli to have Steven Meisel channel a major 90s Versace moment with his campaign for Spring 2012. I am instantly reminded of Versace's amazing campaign shot by Avedon back in the day- I can't get enough of this concept and it still holds up beautifully today, and even gives us a bit of McMenamy. Yes. Love.

This is a good example of how fashion worships the past in order to get to somewhere totally new. It pays homage to the greats, and this campaign is simply one of my favorites that will surely dominate all the Spring books. I love...

But check out this original shot of Kristin McMenamy and Nadja Auermann, shown at the beginning of this post. Hitting someone with a shoe- so glam, so tough, and so AMAZING. Especially if you are a supermodel. Cause that's what's up this it may be the end of the world as we know it, but this nod to the past makes me feel just fine. All the love from Brooklyn town, peeps. Be nice to me and I won't hit you with a shoe.  All the love. XO

Good morning, Wednesday...you're gloomy but so very warm- 62 degrees today here in NYC. Crazy.

So if you men folk are wondering why Jason Wu is not channeling the French New Wave when it comes to your wardrobe, I feel your pain. The men of the French NW are equally as stylistically orgasmic as the women. Think Jean Paul Belmondo or a young Alain Delon- the look was a bit spy/jetsetter/macho/sexy as hell. The perpetual cig is probably way out of style now, but you can see where rock stars like Pete Doherty tried very hard to cop this look (Pete copping many other things as well, mind you) and make it his own...

But you simply can't touch these French types when it comes to that sexy je ne sais quoi- I remember noticing in Paris how all the men did this undone yet somehow done thing with fantastic aplomb. 

I love that this look is classic, but not overly conservative or stuffy. If you love this look, I recommend some vintage touches- if you are a dude who likes vintage check out one of my favorite shops for such things called Rue St. Denis over in the East Village. They have a huge selection of menwswear, and, coincidentally, they are French. If you don't want to go full new wave, then take pieces and make it our own and get modern on it- a trench, a hat, some Persols. If you can get within a quarter inch of Belmondo's cool, well then, good on ya. Cause that's what's up this sexy Frenchie kind of Wednsday in the 718. French kisses in the USA. XO

Hello, Ruby Tuesday. Who could hang a name on you? (I think I just did).

So with all of this hoo-ha surrounding the latest high end designers going low rent (Marni for H&M, Jason Wu for Target, Doo Ri for Macy's), it's hard not to get excited about the affordability and accessibility of great style. I have been a fan of all three of the above for years-  I wore Doo Ri a million years ago when she used to be headquartered in the East Village, and Marni clothes always remind me of cool chicks in art school. And needless to say, Jason Wu is a talent supreme- his ladylike nods to a vintage aesthetic are always the end. 

And speaking of the Wu man, I love that his inspiration for this upcoming Target collection channel les jeune filles of the French New Wave. For those of you not so film buffish, the French New Wave was a period of filmmaking in the late 50s and 60s that celebrated what Wikipedia refers to as a "youthful iconoclasm". As youth culture was seizing the States with bobby socks, ponytails, and rock and roll, the French got in on the game by giving us a stylized, modern, and innovative take on filmmaking with a heaping dose of whimsical fashion.

And its big stars were the likes of Jean Seberg and Anna Karina, who were divine creatures and stunning examples of young beauty. Thoug they were feminine, they were not prissy in any way- a bit saucy yet somehow still innocent. There was a fresh faced beauty combined with a new sensual confidence, and I just love, love, love the look of these chicks, don't you? Hats off to Mr. Wu for summoning the icons of the French La Nouvelle Vague for his upcoming collection. I am sure it will be a tremendous hit. (And how much do I love that little kitty with the red scarf serving as collection mascot? Genius).

As for today's versions of these girls, look no further than Michelle Williams and her gaminish pixie, and Zoe D. with her eyes as big as saucers and goofy countenance. With temperatures at a happy mild medium, go and stick a little ribbon in your hair, put on a pretty dress and shamelessly flirt with somebody very cute. Oh, and mark your calendars for February 5th, when Mr. Wu's collection hits Target, online and in store. Rest up, kittens. Rest up. Cause that's what's up this carefree kind of Tuesday stuck inside the movie "Breathless" kind of Tuesday. Going for a bit of the Bardot, Deneuve, Seberg, Karina today...). Maybe I'll show you how the men do the French New Wave thing à demain. If you want to know how to dress like the French New Wave girls, just channel that feeling of meeting a great love of your life, kissing them for the first time, and wanting to wear a dress because you just feel so damn pretty. XO (en Francais).

Monday morning you sure look fine. I'm excited for you because I'm getting my hair colored today and I'm going a bit more buttery blonde- yes I am. I'm growing my hair for the first time in years and I need to have some fun. Khan and I are trekking to Soho in a few for a bit of highlights and color.

And no, the title of this post has nothing to do with THAT "doing it", so get your mind out of the gutter, kids. I was thinking over th weekend about the old adage of practice makes perfect, and how any of us can do anything we want in this life as long as we take some time to do it well. Oh and just like the pretty picture above, perfect is boring, so don't let the idea that you may not be perfect at something stop you from doing said "it", whatever "it" may be. If being perfect is your goal, you're most likely going to fail, or get too annoyed to keep working on those things that may at first seem difficult to do.

A friend of mine came to visit me in Brooklyn last week and we got to chatting over some Vietnamese sandwichy things about what's next. If you are a Gen X type, you no doubt have pondered this very question over the past few years, as it's hard to avoid the avalanche of thinking thoughts such as "I just can't do this when I'm 50", or "I better not be doing this when I'm old", or "I'm too old for this shit". It's inevitable really, though I must admit that this line of reasoning was pretty prominent all through my 20s and 30s too. I always was looking to up the ante, regardless of whether or not what I was doing was cool or not. I'm one for options after all.

But check this out- my adorable friend asked me how it's possible that I come up with something to say every single day on this blog. She was puzzled by my ability to write each day and whip up a post come rain or shine. It's a question I've been asked more than a few times, and all I can say is this- if you want to get good at something, you gotta do it almost every day. And whether or not you're a Malcolm Gladwell fan, he had a point when he mentioned in "Outliers" that if you put in enough hours doing something, you're very well going to become an expert at it. He mentioned 10,000 hours, which may sound like an eternity but it's not when you're following your heart.

For instance, I've never had an interest in running a marathon, but I do know that if I worked hard enough to put in the time to train, I could certainly do it. I myself decided to dedicate myself to a career in writing, or at least get back in the game when it comes to having that feeling of ease when I write. As a young person, writing was second nature to me and flowed freely- as I got older, it simply did not, and it broke my heart. Writing every day got me there again, and now it's not only simple but I feel like I'm finding a new passion for sharing my thoughts with others, as well as refining my writing as the days pass. 

It's really all about a practice- we talk about practice mostly as a form of drudgery, but if you think of a practice in terms of a meditative, dedicated hour or two a day to focus on some sort of goal, then it becomes something you really look forward to, even if the goal in itself is just sititng down or standing on your head an hour a day to see if you can do it. This is more aligned with "practice" in the spirtual sense, just like when people talk about yoga in terms of a "practice"- what I have always liked about yoga is that you may very well be a beginner in yoga for years until you experience any sort of advancement in your practice, and that's ok. But when you finally can do a backbend or a head stand, it's pretty outstanding, though certainly not the goal- the goal is more about the hour to shut down and take some time for yourself and your body and mind. The ability to become more flexible as well as have a nice ass are bonus points.

I myself am not one for standing on my head, and to be honest with you, I can be a bit of a quitter when I find something grueling, tedious, or boring. Since I've always been a bit of a "on to the next one" kind of girl, it's not always easy to do something every single day, but as I devoted my time to this blog, I was amazed at how "second nature" it all became- I mean, think about it- do you ever question how you know how to tie your shoes or take a shower? No, right? Because you've done it enough times that it's part of you, part of your day, and part of the fabric of your experience on this Earth. So why should dedicating yourself to finding your passion be any different? I promise you if you do something every day, you're going to get good at it, and the only reason you're not going to is because you quit, and that's that. 

The only kicker is that if you are spending all of your days doing something you hate, it's pretty tough to find that hour to do what you love for some reason. The doing what you hate kind of takes over and doesn't leave much room for the loving. I know that sucks, but it's true. If you can rise above that, you're a better person that me. Sometimes when you ditch that stuff that makes you feel like a toxic waste dump, everything else clears up as well...so maybe for now, use that hour a day to figure out how to get out of Dodge, where Dodge is that situation that is keeping you from all that good lovin'. And on that note, sure it applies to sex, too- if you do it enough- well you know...

Cause that's what's up this LL got it right kind of Monday in the best borough there is...keep doin' it, unless you hate doin' it, then do something else, and never let a fear of not being perfect get in your way, because if you do things perfectly, there's never any room to get better, which is indeed a first class bore. XO

Hello, my Friday you little freak monkey. It's raining on the prairie here in Brooklyn but I'm cool with it...have much to say about seeing Antony and the Johnsons last night, as well as the zen of doing something every day until you're bloody good at it, but you'll have to wait till next week for such musings because it's FIVE FOR FRIDAY, and I'm sticking to the playlist. 

Here are my five picks for this week, in no particular order:

Gimlets, gin gimlets- So what that I still have a hangover 2 1/2 days later (the shame. I am way too grownup to feel this way)- gin gimlets are truly fantastic- don't ignore a well bred gin gimlet, friends.They're an excellent and refreshing little number.  I love that litlte pop at the back of the throat from them. Fantastic. Genius gin gims at Little Branch on 7th and Leroy if you are local by the way, and they get extra points for playing Toots and the Maytals most of the evening. 

Chantecaille foundation- Ok my ladies- I've become a woman who likes a bit of foundation- especially in these blotchy months of (fake) winter. I have tried them all and I'll tell you what- Chantecaille is the absolute top of the line, and believe me, it's priced as such. It's about $65 but lasts a while and melts onto your face in the most glowy and perfect of ways. My mom thought I got botox due to my even flesh and radiant visage. Also, anything that brand makes is top shelf- I adore their blush, which works that perfect I've just been kissed kind of flush, and their eyeshadows are sexy but super natural somehow, as are their little pops of color for the lips. Amazing stuff- also their stress cream is a little slice of skincare heaven for skin that gets as irritated as I do...

Henri Bendel- So I had a few moments to kill last night before the concert, and popped right on into Henri Bendel...let me tell you something- a classic is a classic and this place is a classsssicccc. The place is like a Wonka Factory for chicks- full of pretty makeup, amazing jewels and bags and such, and my favorite thing ever- an entire part of the second floor devoted to nothing but hair accessories- if you have a vagina, you need to go to there. It's not to be believed if you like to fuss around with things like that- and if you don't have a vagina, you can go there to buy a stellar gift for someone who does. I'm talking turbans, jeweled clips, spiked headbands and an assortment of hair doo dads that will flip your wig. I enjoy being a girl. And Henri Bendel knows it.

Good morning, Thursday. Crapiola day in the city- happy to be nesting inside avec puppy and very much looking forward to seeing Antony and the Johnsons tonight at Radio City with my dear friend, Eric. 

Now listen up because I have something to say to you, especially if the "you" who is reading this is a twentysomething something. You know I love all of you very much- I admire your optimism, your value set, your ability to have enough self belief and love to think everything will somehow work out and you will live the life of your dreams. But G-d damn, you really suck at customer service. Like, super suck.

Maybe it's that I'm slowly reaching the Paleozic portion of my life, but I have noticed a lot of bad behavior in the retail and restaurant world these days. Coming from Miami, I am somehow accustomed to bad service (it's the worst there by far), but here in New York, I expect more from all of you that work in shops or serve me coffee. You have no idea how many times in the past month I have been frantic for some help in a shop- whether my arms are full of frocks or I am searching for the perfect dog bag for Khan, the blank stares and dismissal of my being rocks me to the core. I'm wondering if it's all a product of this digital age- that everybody is forgetting about the human portion of connection- that real face to face thing that makes customers come back for more.

I'm somehow shocked by the number of cute young things in stores these days that absolutely suck at working there. I know there is not much glamour in retail or restaurant work, and believe me, I've done both. But nobody is holding a gun here, so why not just be nice and helpful and do your job? Is that too much to ask? You all are smart enough and driven enough, so stop killing retail with your smugness.

I'm worried about the future generations to come- who will surely grow up texting and social networking and not doing a lot of talking in person. With many saying retail is over (though it's actually enjoying a real renaissance these days as many of us crave something real) with the advent of so much shopping online, bricks and mortar better rethink their training programs for the hordes of young workers entering the force. It's a pandemic of nonchalance out there these days, and I for one am sick of it. I for one will walk out of a shop emptyhanded or latteless if I find the staff to be rude. I feel like it's up to this generation to prove us all wrong- everybody talks smack about your entitlement, and I for one am holding out hope that you will turn this bad behavior around. Just help me find the right dog bag, serve me a coffee and ask me how the fuck I am, or offer to put my Parker dresses in a dressing room while you see me wrestling with my purse and computer bag, would ya? 

That's how I feel and I'm sticking to it. If you keep this up, stores are going to go out of business, because the customer service on Gilt and Amazon's My Habit are pretty freaking stellar. You've got some "work" to do, friends. Please do it well, and with kindness. Cause that's what's up this how can I help you kind of Thursday in the cloud filled borough of Brooklyn. Talk to someone today and be pleasant, in person, please. All the love. XO

Oh, hello Wednesday. I still have one eye shut right now because I am a bit overhung today...had a fun evening with friends- in what other city could you sip bespoke cocktails one hour and be playing table top shufleboard with a magician the next? G-d I love New York. But I hate alcohol. Blech.

So onward. With all of this warm weather, it's hard not to get stoked for Spring and the need for some fun pieces that you can't live without, and last Friday I posted about my craving for an army jacket that would not do battle with my budget. Needless to say, I found the perfect piece at the Gap- an awesome little fitted number with a great hood- in the photo the hood looks a bit femmed up, but it's not- it's a lovely sort of funnel detail that has me swooning- it's much cuter in person, and on.

I also found this amazing tote there for Spring that speaks to my need for a preppy bag all spring and summer long to tote summer reads, beach blankets, and anything else I may need on warm days. Though I am a perpetual fan of LL Bean bags for such needs, I do adore this Gap bag- it's chic, classic, and well priced. I must get one, and I'm taking off the shoulder strap to make it more streamlined.

But wait there's more over at the Gap.  This striped tee for instance- perfect with the above mentioned army jacket and very cute with white jeans or black cropped pants (you will never hear me reference capris, ps) or shorts. I would also love this tee with something dressed up on the bottom- thinking a satin pouf skirt to the knee, a classic pencil,  or a floor length, sheer  chiffonish number. Could be hot, non? I adore sailor inspired tees like this- can be worn to suit your individual style whether you are preppy, hippy, or anything in between. I'm feeling stripes at home these days too, but more of the Paul Smith colorful variety. I need a rug like that...

So if you're feeling the need for some spring  in your closet, get thee to the Gap. You already know I'm a superfan of the brand and happy to see they've got some fun basics for the warmer months. Love...just goes to show that fashion is accessible to all, and chic does not mean expensive these days- ps the countdown begins to Jason Wu madness at Target. Practice your best push and shove if you are going to try to secure some pieces in store or work on your clicking finger for that online get. Hope you are enjoying your day wherever you are- I myself am nursing my wicked alcohol related malady and taking today one step and ibuprofen at a time. Is it too early for pizza? Cause that's what's up this boy do I love a good basic but man do I hate a hangover kind of Thursdy in the 718. XO

Oh, Tuesday, you little strumpet,  you have me busy...because of that, I can only post this photo today...I'm on lockdownuntil tomorrow and taking a time out from this here blog a log...all the love and mwah mwah mwah from the isle of Manhattan, yo, cause that's what's up this perched on the edge of edginess kind of Tuesday in the best city in the world. More tomorrow on my life and whatever else there is to talk about...I'm sure I'll find something. XO