Current Job?

Eye Reporter for WWD— I write about culture. It’s the paper of record, so you have to think fast.

Most recent “must have”?

Well, I bought my first real hat.  We’ll call it a gateway hat.  Weirdly, I saw it in Kiki de Monteparnasse (there are unexpected treasures everywhere).  But… I didn’t buy it there. Turns out Veronica, the beautiful milliner who designed it is my Bond St. neighbor!  So, I went to her studio in the basement of the Bond 07 by Selima shop, and voila!

What’s the most daring thing you’ve worn?

Others find things I wear more daring than I do, even when I wear Mark Fast (risky business).  I always dress around proportions and often highlight my legs, neck, and shoulders.  The balance of exposure is sexy and natural.

What about the hot pants you wore to fashion week?

I was wearing my mother’s Chanel jacket in that photo.  If I wore it with pants I would look like, well, my mother! But if it hadn’t been fashion week, I probably would not have worn the heels.

So, what do you consider daring?

Some people wear really bold things every day; Michelle Harper, for example, courts daring looks all the time.  It’s just her style rather than something completely shocking. To be daring, you can’t be too comfortable; you have to take risks.

Bianca Jagger wearing a tuxedo… YSL in the 70′s… I think these had more of a shock element.

Which do you notice first: the clothes or the person wearing them?

The person wearing the clothes, and how, is more important than the actual clothes.  But, if you wear a sweat suit to the Met Ball, you’re going to look like a jack-ass. So, it’s really about the whole package.

The sexiest thing is being comfortable, and if you’re making a statement, knowing what that statement is.

Skimp when buying?

Socks, I never have any.

Salon?

Tomo at Sally Hershberger Downtown is a hair genius and a good friend.

Skincare Favorites? Shiny hair secrets?

I always use La Mer and Cetaphil. For the hair I use Pantene Pro-V, Aesop, or miniatures from hotels.

Which item(s) in your wardrobe do you cherish most?

For Christmas my mom asked for her stolen things back, like that Chanel jacket. I have a big beautiful pendant necklace of hers that I love, it’s a statement, and probably too nice for me to wear… but I like the Ines (de la Fressange) idea of wearing it with a grey sweatshirt. Her big cocktail rings are incredible, but more challenging to wear and easier to lose than big necklaces.

If I shrink a few inches, I’ll be able to wear my mom’s incredible Lanvin one-shoulder dress; it’s T-length, and if I tailor it the drama will be lost.

Favorite Designers?

I really love the pieces I have from Wes Gordon.  I met him when he was at Central St. Martins.  His “girl” used to be a lot more ‘young uptown’, which is not my style at all, and has evolved quite dramatically.  But, the appeal is his exceptional tailoring. For example the butter soft python jacket that fits like a glove, it’s so clean (and way more than I could afford). He made a striped ball gown-type skirt, which seemed preppy, but I would wear it with a white tank and sandals.

I’ve grown to like nipped waists, maybe because I have broad shoulders.  Things look so much better when they fit in this way. Celine actually does this well despite the loose silhouettes.

Style icons?

My Mother, Lee Miller, Bianca Jagger, and Winston Chmielinski (a young, amazing painter with such great style).

Which shops are exciting you right now?

Vintage is far more surprising and exciting to me right now; it’s a treasure hunt for gold.  It’s fun to find things others don’t have, and see pieces in mint condition after so many years. When you work in fashion, well, there’s a flaw in the system; by the time things come out, you’re tired of them!

What vintage places do you love?

In New York: Amarcord Vintage and Sucre.

In Paris: Gabrielle Geppert.

Most stylish place you’ve been in the past year?

Cartagena.  The city is beautiful and I love the history.  The seaside fort, the connection with Gabriel Garcia Marquez; there is such an appreciation of simple pleasures.

A friend there makes these amazing pendant necklaces of Saints, which I make sure to bring home. Beautiful woven bracelets are 2 cents there as opposed to 50 bucks here!

Whose career style do you admire?

Sally Singer, she’s so refreshing. It’s hard to separate the meat from the fat sometimes.  She does this in such a clean way.  I saw her sitting with David Byrne (another favorite) one time, forget it!

Best way to get the scoop?

If you have a tape recorder in someone’s face as opposed to writing things down after a conversation, you’re never going to capture anyone saying something interesting. That’s why it’s smart to revolve it around food, and really talk to someone.

What’s your go-to New York resturant?

La Promenade Des Anglais…Alain Allegreti is a genius! They have this provençal fish soup that is insane, and I’m not a fish soup person.  Also the lamb chops, they make my knees weak. And wine, great wine.

Publications you find most intriguing?

WWD, The Atlantic, the Paris Review.

The Atlantic? Explain…

The Atlantic is brilliant. I love that they’re bringing back Fiction in the issues, and they’ve had an interesting ongoing dialogue about women that has been fascinating to follow.

What elements would you like to see or bring to fashion journalism?

I want to write fiction in the long run. E.B. White and James Thurber wrote about culture in a magnificent way, for example “Is Sex Necessary”, which is a favorite. Another is Gay Talese, “Frank Sinatra Has A Cold” and other older Esquire articles; smart, witty writing that you don’t see as much anymore.

Others I see putting things together in unexpected ways are Chuck Klosterman, Joan Didion, and David Foster Wallace.

How does your upbringing reflect in your style today?

My parents instilled in me the importance of quality; things that will last and appreciate with age.