the world according to sherimaven

Good afternoon, Wednesday. Had the lovely opportunity to catch up with a dear old friend for lunch today.  Nothing better than that, I can assure you. Laughter is the very best med. I needed some today. I have a weird case of the Spring blues- if only we could exfoliate our restless souls. I need a good sloughing.  Existential spa treatments aside, I'm feeling crazy angsty of late and could use some sort of break or breakthrough or, well, I'm up for whatever. As long as it's not more of the same...

And speaking of angst, I read with great snarled happiness that Hole, Courtney Love's infamous band, is getting back together and doing a European tour and releasing some new music. OMG. I'm a huge, huge fan and would like nothing else than to blast "Olympia" at full volume while I go through this bit of crisis/awakening/non PMS PMS.  Courtney's such a kooky lady and I love her- she's straight up gangly rock and roll piss and vinegar and I adore her for it. Plus she's got mad good style and was married to one of the coolest guys to grace my youth. And much like Courtney, I want to be the girl with the most cake. And that, my friends, is that.

Enjoy these amazing images of Courtney and Co. I can't get enough and may have to fly to Europe to go see them reunite- I can't guarantee I'll wear my pink logo'd Hole tee shirt with a vintage slip over it and some kitten heels circa back in the day, but seeing them live would be a dream- teen spirit or not (more like midlife crisis).  

I wonder what she'll wear when she takes the stage? I'm feeling better just thinking about that.  And that's what's up this doll part of a Wednesday in the hole ridden 212. Yours, in celebrity skin. Oh, look me over.  XO

Good afternoon, Tuesday. It's all a blur today. I'm feeling sleepy and looking forward to some quiet time at home tonight. But first, I wanted to share this fabulous little number from Zara, very on brief for my minimal moment and multipurpose too.

Technically, this piece is in the "shorts" section of the Zara site, but love that it goes double duty as a skirt. I love the slouchy silhouette, great with everything from a blazer and tank top and heels to a denim shirt tucked in and some sandals. You can wear this skirt/short/sarong to the office or to brunch and at just under $60- it's a steal, particularly that you're getting both a short AND a skirt. Can't beat it. Why are you still reading this blog? Go buy this right now and wear it everywhere. You know you love a modern skort. In navy. Super simple vibes. Love it.

Cause that's what's up this double entendre of a Tuesday in the (almost) short/skirt weather in the 212. Yours, in combinations, and possibilities. XO

Buy here.

Good afternoon, Monday. Lovely weekend spent celebrating birthdays and spring time and Game of Thrones premiere- all in the company of some of my very favorite people.  Tu know who tu are. Mwah.

So it's inevitable in my freelance career I feel myself on edge from time to time. Because although the promise of steady work is simply beyond a blessing, one can't forget one's rogue status for too long, or one will go, well, bananas.

So today I woke up feeling a bit of the wanderlust- when seasons change I find myself restless, in a good way, to see or try something new. Right now I'm feeling the call to travel- it's been a long, long winter and I'm ready for a change of scene for a week or two.  And with no vacation in my imminent future, I'm going to have to just dream one up on these here pages. And of course, one can't think of vacation without thinking about what to wear.  And since I'm feeling VERY open minded on where to go, I'm inspired by my ongoing obsession with all things spare/minimal to pack a bag that is simply suited for anything and everything. I'm thinking I'd like to go to another city, explore some museums, sit in some ancient cafes, read a good biography of an artist like Franz Kline- his epic use of black and white is pretty much what I'm all about these days. So with an arty city locale in mind (Rome, Tokyo, London- you name it) and long days wandering around and Spring evenings filled with wine and food, I came up with a perfect little suitcase full of goodness. The accessories would be very minimal as well to highlight the simplicity of the clothes- but I tend to always wear a little something- like a Miansai hook bracelet (rose gold) or a wood beaded necklace that serves as my protection from any bad juju.  Even though Spring is blooming, I am loving the feeling of balance I get from black and white- love all of the images below (adore photographs of natural elements like flowers and feathers in black and white)- and my perfect little vacation house would be just away from the action, and gorgeous like the ones below. And yes- that's Rei Kawakubo. Just because she's a constant inspiration and I have been obsessed with her from way back in the day and adore her style.

First I'd absolutely bring this coat from Emerson Fry to top things off- I adore the simple yet somehow anything but boring pattern- and it goes with everything and is a chic topper for chilly plane rides.

I'd go with a simple tote from Les Wants, and stash a few of my favorite Claire Vivier pouches (which are great to pack) in some sort of texture like the black and white numbers below, and of course, a splash of metallic never hurt anyone. So I've got to go with the silver for a sort of Warholian moment.

For shoes, I'd pack this Sam Edelman flat sandal (comes in white too), as well as this Vince heel, which also comes in nude. I'm in love. I also might find a place for this simple high top from Superga. I gotta bring sneakers.

Oh and this McQueen graffiti scarf goes well with my arty theme- nice counterpoint to all the simple pieces. Love it.

In terms of what to wear, I'd go with this amazing slip dress from DKNY that is just everything great about the 90s in a dress, I'd have to get down with a pink version (my new neutral) of my beloved slip dress with this John Patrick Organic wispy number, and no minimalist pack job would be complete without some iteration of jumpsuitedness. I'm all about this Isabel Marant one- worn with either sandals or heels and some red lipstick and you're all kinds of good. I'm also loving these Alisdair silk pull on pants, an Everlane silk button down in grey, and some basic tanks, and of course, a great knee length skirt- my new (old) favorite thing- this one here also from John Patrick Organic.  I also love that 3/4 sleeve top- very useful with pants or over anything you want. And how can you not love a cream blazer to put over all of it and serve as a respite from your favorite LBB? (little black blazer).

And of course at the end of the day I'm going to need to cozy up in some silk pjs, like these from Sleepy Jones. 

I also adore these fab "vintage" sunglasses found at the Dreslyn. Love. I adore tortoise frames and like this rounded shape- it feels new yet somehow old, in a good way.

So that's what I'm bringing on my urban zen Spring adventures. Who's with me? 

Cause that's what's up this packing for trips in my mind kind of Monday in midtown Manhattan. Yours, in simplicity. What you packing these days?  XO

Good afternoon, Friday. It's  Gloomy Gus out there but the weekend is coming and my favorite shows are starting up again on Sunday night (Game of Thrones and Mad Men) so there's that to look forward to, not to mention, IT'S THE WEEKEND.

So yesterday's post was about hair, specifically color. Today, I need to chat with you on cut. 

I've always been a short hair type- I haven't had long hair since college. I'm fine with it. I tend to sit somewhere between a bob and a shaggy kinda situation at all times, so seeing the gorgeous Vanessa Paradis's new FU haircut had me at bonjour. As many of you know, the lovely Ms. Paradis was married to Johnny Depp, who is now marrying the (too) young Amber Heard and has taken to wearing a woman's engagement ring. A big, feminine diamond engagement ring. Oy.

But enough about him. For me, it's all about Vanessa and her fabulous choppy haircut- it's so raw and cool and existentially amazing. Having short hair as a woman is pretty extraordinary- it's completely liberating, confident, and super high style. I'm just in love with it and had to share and there's no better revenge than a great rock and roll haircut. Extraordinary. 

So if your husband or lover or friend with benefit decides to leave you due to a midlife crisis, pay them no mind. Just get a great haircut and get back to it. Just cut that man right out of your hair and get on with it. Remember when Reese Witherspoon cut those bangs after she broke up with Ryan Phillipe over similar "issues"?  Take your power back, ladies and don't be afraid of cutting off more than you're used to. After all, it will always grow back, even if your once perfect relationship will not. Sometimes "cutting" is a good thing. A very, very good thing.

And that's what's up this snip snip of a Friday in the super hairy 212. Yours, in divine shagginess.

Good afternoon, Thursday. If you are in New York today, you're a lucky bastard. It's a gorgeous day here and the sun is shining in a cloudless sky and all of New York has heaved a collective sigh of relief that the tundra vibe has left the building. Blessings are many.

So as you know, I'm a proud Brooklyn resident. I'm constantly amazed by how beautiful the neighborhood I call home is, and how lucky I am to live there. Last night I visited a friend in Clinton Hill and saw how magic it is over there as well- shop after shop after gorgeous old home. Brooklyn is most certainly the borough. You can get the best food there, have any number of bespoke single batch cocktails there, and buy the latest Isabel Marant overpriced festival fashion. You can buy the greatest baba ganoush from Sahadi's. You can see any movie you want. You can now even go to Sephora when you run out of your Clinique eye makeup remover. You can take a barre class, a spin class, or any number of yoga classes and then reward yourself with the perfect pair of J Brands from any number of fabulous stores like Bird or Barneys. You can shop at Whole Foods, buy artisanal anything from French perfume to Hudson Valley Stilton, and get hyperlocal at any number of great butcher or wine shops or famers markets. You can buy books at charming little bookshops, and plug in as a freelancer at any number of coffee shops and never feel lonely as you pilfer the free wireless.  You can take your dog to a zillion dog parks or regular parks or just take a leafy walk surrounded by stately old brownstones and have your very own Holly Golightly vibe. You can feel perfectly ok looking rumpled and wearing Birkenstocks with socks, even if you have never heard of Normcore. 

You can go to a traditional Italian or Polish bakery or French bakery while drinking bubble tea. You can enjoy the latest and greatest while steel feel firmly steeped in the patina of another era. You can marvel at the insane amount of new construction, while getting your eyebrows threaded by a mean Russian lady whose gruffness is more than worth it because your eyebrows look like Linda Evangelista's when she's done. You can have a yard, a bbq, and some decent closet space. And though it's becoming trickier to find any sort of deal there, it's still a damn fine place to live and when you get off the subway in Brooklyn, it's awfully nice to see the sky. Oh, and since it is such a lovely place, it was only a matter of time before many of us plebes feel like we're being priced out of our idyllic little slice of heaven- when celebrities live in your neighborhood and townhouses are going for multimillions, it's pretty safe to say that the brand of Brooklyn is keenly well received as not just as cool kid on the block, but it's quickly becoming a luxury brand as well. Who woulda thunk it? Oh, the times, they are a...well, you know.

But there's one thing you just can't do in Brooklyn, or there's one thing I just can't do in Brooklyn. You can't get your hair colored there. Strange but true.  I can't speak for the whole borough, but I learned the hard way that as evolved and chic as the 718 is these days, you still can't find a decent colorist, and particularly if you want to do something a little tricky like go red. My hair color, though done by a lovely woman, has that magenta hue I hate and have always feared as a former redhead, and I have a sense that although there are a few decent salons around, they're just not quite there, though I admit I'm beyond particular (aka hair snobbish). I remember years ago my old boss, when seeing a particular shade of red gone wrong on my head, remarked that my hair color "does not exist in nature" and is therefore, terrible. I fully agree- unless of course you are in a band, dating someone in a band, or under 28. But back to the problem at hand- you may now be able to eat sushi in the BK (believe me, there was a time when you would not do that, and it wasn't that long ago), but you can't get your hair colored there. Are you there Bumble and Bumble? It's me, Sheri. I'll need about two and a half hours of your time this weekend...

Lesson learned friends, lesson learned. Because although Brooklyn is the epicenter of everything these days, it's not the place to get your color done.  Just wait a couple more years though- I'm willing to stick it out. Shocking that the big salons have not come to our nabe yet. I’m extending an invite- I'd much prefer Bumble and Bumble or any of the big Manhattan salons to open up in downtown Brooklyn than J. Crew come to the neighborhood, but that's just me. I've got my priorities well in order. In the mean time, see you at 10:45 am on Saturday, Manhattan. Please fix me- I would dye for you (and commute into Manhattan on my sacred weekend). Living in Brooklyn- still such a sacrifice...feel free to prove me wrong, ps. I'm sticking to Manhattan wins when it comes to great hair.

Oh, and for those of you wondering if I get my hair cut in Brooklyn, the answer is yes. My dear friend Siobhan cuts my mop right in my dining room, though naturally, I met her many years ago at a salon. In Manhattan.

Cause that's what's up this wearing a hat till Saturday kind of Thursday in the well tressed 212. Yours, in color correction. XO

Good morning, Wedneday. Welp, looks like Spring may finally be here. (The moment I wakeup, before I put on my makeup, I say a little prayer for youuu....)

And though some of you may not be so in the mood for Dionne Warwick (though I can't imagine why), you most certainly are in the mood to lighten up a bit, break up the monotony- style up with something soft, beautiful, and as pretty as Spring flowers.

In my usual am go around, I found these fabulous photos shot by Peter Lindbergh for Donna Karan Spring/Summer 1999. I can't say enough about how inspired these pictures are- the lovely relaxed vibe, the fabric, the gorgeous light colors and minimal silhouettes. Not much here I wouldn't put on my body this very moment, and to think that was 14 years ago, yet somehow so very right NOW. Any of these looks would be amazing with the sensible shoe du jour, the Birkenstock or something of that ilk (ps where is Ahn Duong these days? How fabulous does she look here?). If I was in that phase of my life where I still had loads of summer weddings to attend, I'd wear any of these gorgeous pieces- they have that 90s Ghost/Calypso vibe I love so very much. Crinkled silk in pretty colors. Good times. Perhaps I should host my own soiree this summer and wear something on par with any of the above?

And though I will never abandon my basic black, you can't help but feel resuscitated by these soft hues. Officially obessed. Let the Ebay hunt for some vintage Donna begin. Cause that's what's up this soft and relaxed flower of a Wednesday, cause it's Spring time in New York and I feel fine. And inspired. Yours, in pastel perfection. XO

Good afternoon, Monday. Had a pretty busy weekend where work/life were super duper blurred (ok maybe the life bit was beyond blurred and more out of focus). The up side is little Khan got to be in his first bonafide photo shoot, and David and I were pretty amazed at just how well he took to it. He's a food motivated dog so if you hold a treat in your hand, he'll pretty much sing for his supper. He's a good kid. I adore him and I'll share with you the pictures when they are out in the public domain. Now if only I could be Khan's stage mom for a living...

But speaking of making a living, I'd like a word. I was gazing at Facebook this weekend and came across a friend of mine's status update, which I must admit, had me ready to scream, but in a good way, as in "YES YES AND YES". 

My friend is a successful woman, who is always available and ready to make it happen. Her update reflected the fact that although she is available till about 9 at night 5 days a week, she would like her weekend to recharge her batteries and rest her brain, and that people who interrupt your weekend for non-essential work stuff are just not all that cool.  I love that she expressed this sentiment, because it's something I've been thinking about for a while. As a lifelong advertising type, my hours can absolutely suck.  Most nights I am online until I go to bed, and the response rate that's expected in our connected world is nothing short of real time. I can only speak for my own industry, but I'm just wondering- why can't any of us get our work done in a normal time frame anymore? Why is working all weekend ok? Why are you considered a bad employee if you don't work till 11 pm every night? Because the real question is- are we really making the work better by always working? I'd be willing to bet the farm that we aren't. Sure we live in an era where more is more and the amount of stuff we have to make to sell a car or a computer or a can of something has multiplied. We make print ads, we make TV ads, we make social campaigns, we make experiences, we make it all. But unfortunately, while we're making it all, we're not able to have it all. Or even part of all. We're having less so our jobs can be that all. There's got to be more than that, right? I can't be the first one that heard the rumor that life is short. Relax, human race. RELAX.

My husband works in this industry too, and has probably the biggest time suck vortex job there is- he's a creative. For those of you uninitiated, that means he's the one that comes up with the ideas, and apparently, coming up with said ideas has zero time limit or boundary. It's certainly true to an extent- we have great ideas on the subway, in the shower, taking out the trash. But my issue is not with boundless inspiration- it's with the bad and getting worse reality that working in advertising means you are never allowed to turn off. The expectation that any human being can function by working every single day, without a day (or like most reasonable people, two) off is disturbing. Listen, nobody goes into advertising to work 9-5- not if you want to be successful- I get that. But this whole constant bombardment of work that is sometimes non-essential (a lot of the time) at all hours makes me want to put up a fence for the weekend or after, say 8 pm during the week. 

I know evolution is most likely going to adjust to accommodate working this way- I don't know if our brains are going to magically develop more space, more bandwidth, or more of anything to help us process the constant influx of information with very little down time. For instance, I'm a bit of an insomniac, because of course, I have a hard time shutting down my brain after so many emails, conference calls, timelines, and Lord knows what else. So when I wake up in the middle of the night stressed out over some deadline or work situation, I do the worst thing one can probably do. I hop online. The fact that I can now shop for boyfriend jeans or lipstick or book reservations for dinner in Soho in the middle of the night may seem efficient, but in reality, it's quite depraved. We live in a time of very few boundaries- where you can get whatever you want (nothing scares me more than Tinder) whenever you want. That's a bad idea. And because as we're trying to communicate with as many people and vendors as we can in a 24-hour span, we've kind of stopped talking to the most important people in our lives- each other. Walk into any office these days and you can hear a pin drop. You know why? Because we all have our headphones on and have stopped talking to people in person. I'm grateful to this in some ways as a meeting happy culture is not for me, but really? I didn't get into advertising to sit in silence, I can tell you that. Where's the music? Where's the laughter? Where are the practical jokes? I can't be the only person that misses this stuff. Or maybe everybody is now very happy to exist in a sort of Shutter Island approach to work? Ugh.

And then back to boundaries- some of my Facebook friends will recall my post from 6 am (see I'm violating your boundaries by posting so early, I'm guilty as well) this morning, while on my way to the gym, I popped by Starbucks for a little caffeine. It's a lovely time of day- the morning is sacred to me and I've always enjoyed the city yawning itself awake and slowly coming to life. But enter that boundary free zone we live in and sitting in the window is a dude, wearing Toms, no socks, and sweats, conducting a full on status meeting on his computer, with headphones in, talking at the absolute top of his lungs. On what planet is that ok? He regaled all three of us sick enough to be up before the sun was with tales of how much he loved the simple yet colorful design of Square, how this one and that one should circle back and hustle up, how he looked forward to scheduling a meeting with some other annoying people he knew. And as I sipped on my latte, all I could think about was either stabbing him with a pen or putting chloroform rag in his mouth.  The air of self-importance that any of us plebes would want to listen to his high tech conversation was sickening. But then I realized the real truth- his significant other probably told him to leave the house, because he or she did not wish to be disturbed at this hour and listen to his big fat mouth blabber on. And with that, he ruined my few moments of solitude, before the day began, before the shit hit the fan yet again. Before I felt pillaged by emails and non-working conference call numbers and lunch eaten at my desk. 

I'm concerned that this is the new normal and that anyone not onboard is not going to make it.  We may very well be working harder and longer, but really, we are not working smarter. There's nothing smart about ruining people's mornings or weekends or sleep patterns. I remember a time when I was very small when, in the days before cable, network TV would just go off the air, and if you were an insomniac, perhaps you'd have to either try and go to bed, or read a book, or you'd be shit out of luck. I guess my big point here is this- is all of this content leading to our discontent? How much can we take before our heads just explode? If our brains have not yet adapted to all of this influx of stuff, how are we even equipped to handle it all? Is all of our value based on time we put in vs. the level of genius/creativity/smarts we bring to a project? And why are the companies well steeped in a religious right POV the only ones who have figured out the importance of family time?  As far as I can tell, we're all on the super shuttle and life is just passing us right on by, in favor of some I can work anywhere, any time sentiment. And although that seems freeing in a way, it's anything but.  If Allen Ginsberg saw the greatest minds of his generation destroyed by madness, I wonder what he would think of what's happening now. I'm afraid we are all coming very much undone- present company included, and as the big tech types in SF reinvent not trusting (or hiring) anyone over 30, I'm afraid it's going to get worse, because our life switch only has one setting, and it's on. I bring up tech as another place of very few boundaries, and it's not because everyone is young, but because everything is just moving so terrifically fast. And the young geniuses getting rich off all this high speed and high stakes innovation don't make time for non-work life- not when companies like Oculus Rift are selling for billions to Facebook, whose CEO is about to turn that magic age- 30. (Interestingly enough, Oculus is all about virtual reality, so welcome to the next huge thing- where the very notion of what's real is about to become way more blurred- think work/life/virtual life).

And believe me, I don't have an answer for how to solve all of this (dis)content. As I watch the greatest minds of my generation, I don't know if they're being destroyed, but they do seem very tired.  And if the work is truly never done, than why try to finish it? Tomorrow is another day...go out and live a little and I do think work will become something worth fighting for. And I know we can't slow down the pace at which we are performing and creating and advancing- all the more reason to take a bit of time to properly chill out.

 Cause that's what's up this trying to get the balance right kind of Monday in the 212. Yours, in working smart.

Good morning and happy Friday to all of you. It's been a long week (aren't they all until they're not?) and I'm dashing about trying to get ahead of the game. But I'm never too busy for a little bit of inspiration, and today's comes in the form of one Giovanna Battaglia, a favorite of street style snapppers like the Sartorialist and really one of the chicest women on Earth.  She's Italian, she's a stylist, she's shacked up with a Roitfeld. Needless to say, she's completely fabulous. She's basically the Italian Carrie Bradshaw- I adore her sense of feminine styling, her impeccable use of color, her understanding of accessories, and the joy she brings to dressing up, and it's all somehow unfussy, even though some of it is pretty over the top. I adore her choices when it comes to coats like the one above- with the tights and patterned shoes it could easily be scary but it all works beautifully.  If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know I'm having a maj minimalist moment, but looking at pics of this amazing iconic beauty has me rethinking all thinks straight and black, although I love that when she does wear black, it's anything but basic. It's simply a backdrop for everything else happening, and it's all amazing (that Eddie Borgo tasseled necklace business below? OMG).

A Facebook friend asked "who's your style icon?" to her friends the other day, to which I answered "how much time do you have?" It's so hard to pick one person who inspires us, but I'm going with Giovanna right here, right now. What I love about her style is you can see she's anything but a one trick pony- one day she's super girly, the next she's more art school, sometimes she goes more vintage - it's a mixed bag and that's what being a woman is all about- sure you have a style thread that permeates most of your wardrobe, but the ability to switch it up and have fun with it is one of the best things about being a girl.  She is so chic in that Italian way- I've read she cites Audrey Hepburn and Monica Vitti as influences and you can totally see the ingenue/film star thing in her approach to clothes. Italian women- so insanely stylish and sexy. We all could learn a thing or two...she makes fashion really fun.

Enjoy the myriad of photos I've selected for you- she's just beyond. Her look is really modern but owes a great debt to a vintage point of view that's both classic and creative at the same time. I am in love with that beige long sleeved dress with the black heels- it's very warm weather boho but does not feel too Coachella or crunchy- perfect.

Cause that's what's up this well dressed Friday in the very fashionable 212. Ciao, bella . XO

Good late morning, Wednesday. This weather has me so sleepy- the lack of sunshine is a bad hang for me.  I can't wait for Spring- it's supposedly here, but where the heck is it?

And as we have to wait a few more days to rock any new Spring frockage, I find myself struggling to stay on (self imposed) brief. I decided that this Spring and Summer would be brought to me by the minimalism of the 90s- I'm not looking for clothes that are overly trendy- I want to go very simple, very spare, very sparse. it's just the stripped down mood I've been feeling for months now, but being a girl who has an eccentric side, it's hard for me to dress like the characterization of Death in the "Seventh Seal". I mean, I want a little pop of what's up as much as the next girl.

So although I'm keeping it very low key on the actual garments these days, I'm going to say a resounding yes to good accessories- and right now I have my eye on shoes with an ethnic/global/folksy feel. True, these are very much off brief, but I love them. In some ways, they're part preppy and part art class for the summer in Rome. I'm absolutely in love with these from J. Crew- that block heel is so very current and that print is just the pop I need with all of that simplicity I crave. I can also picture them with an oversized white button down and some boyfriend jeans.

Of course, if I wanted to go big and (not be able to because of inability to pay rent) go home, I'd go for Dries Van Noten's ode to a global moment with these suckers below. In love. With a simple linen dress? Perfection. Also lovely with a knee length full skirt, or if you're that girl, shorts and a simple top.

And when Summer kicks in, it's hard not to get swept up in something a bit preppy, a bit Palm Beach, a bit Jackie O. I adore these raffia numbers from Tory Burch- it may be past season in Palm Beach, but these are just so pretty and elegant. I'd wear them with a simple white dress or even with a quiet print. (Off brief yet again).

So as much as I want to embody a whisper, I tend to be a bit of a loud talker when it comes to accessories. And since I'm just aching to travel, these shoes capture my wanderlust and need to get my passport stamped. PS this block heel thing is no joke- seeing it in every height in almost every store in New York. It's a great and comfortable way to get some height and looks equally stellar in a lower heel as well. You're welcome. I'll be here, trying to stay on brief and on brand, but having a hard time resisting all the fabulous stuff out for Spring, even if Mother Nature still has her winter coat on. Cause that's what's up this minimal/maximal moment in the 212. Yours, in fancy footwear. Don't you want to just get up and go? XO

Good morning, Tuesday. Yesterday I posted about the whole Vogue thing, but let's move on. I mentioned Gloria Steinem as an apt choice for the cover of Vogue. I stand by that and raise you that today is her 80th birthday, and we as women owe her quite a bit- in those pre-leaning in days, she helped us all by showing up, raising her hand, and showing the world not only what 40 looked like, but what women look like and are capable of. Besides all of that game changing, her style was simply the cat's PJs. 

I can't get enough of her- such a raw yet studied coolness that says "don't mess with me" in the most stylish of ways. I can only aspire to such awesomeness. I love how later in life and career she became well aware that basic black is a woman's very dearest friend, yet kept her trademark hair natural and awesome throughout the years- settling on shoulder length, a flattering look for most of us. What confidence. I love her. And though she is now turning 80, I challenge all of us to not put an age on the things that really matter about being a woman- confidence, bravery, intelligence, and fearlessness. There's no amount of botox that can give you any of those things, by the way. You gotta own that on your own, and nobody owns it better than Gloria. She deserves two days in a row of my attention, and really, all of our attention.

Here are some of my favorite images of Ms. Steinem and her take no prisoners brand of fabulous- happy birthday and thanks for all you have done for all of the Betty Draper types who perhaps were looking for a life more like Peggy Olsen's or really, whoever else they wanted to be- the choice was theirs, and in no small part, because of her. (Thank goodness). Cause that's what's up who runs the world girls kind of Tuesday in the 212. Yours, in blazing trails. Who's cooler than you? XO