|
||
 
The 1940s and Depression era “girl reporter” embodies everything I could ever want to be. The very quintessence of dame-ness, she’s smart, savvy, confident, independent, and quick with the comeback. (She also looks pretty steppy in her fitted suit.) As adept at a snappy line as she is with a byline, . . . → Read More: Girl Crush on Girl Reporter (Wish MY Name Were “Torchy Blane”)  11 comments  DAMES, MOVIES  1940s, 40s, classic films, feminism, his girl friday, journalism, Lois Lane, movies, reporters, Superman, tcm, women
If I Had a Ribbon Bow (aka Why I Need a 37th Little Black Dress)Lately I’ve been having all kinds of epiphanies up in here. Not “meaning of life” stuff, but staggeringly obvious insights that mostly annoy me with their tardy blatant-ness. Some are unimportant, of the “Hey, it is a soul-deadening waste of time to keep up with the Kardashians!” variety, but others are more substantive. Ever . . . → Read More: If I Had a Ribbon Bow (aka Why I Need a 37th Little Black Dress) Low Self-Esteem? Big Whoop.I’ve written about low self-esteem before; I feel like a bit of an expert, a connoisseur even. I can spot lurking insecurities at 50 paces, which is why I’m always so flabbergasted when anyone says they’re surprised I’m not as confident as I appear. Anyway, it’s a problem that casts a shadow over one’s . . . → Read More: Low Self-Esteem? Big Whoop. Bitchin' Kitchen
My kitchen may not get much foot traffic, but maybe it’ll get more on the Web. our kitchen Some people want to be on the cover of TIME magazine, or in Playboy, or in the New York Times. Dixie Laite, she is pleased as punch to be in Apartment Therapy – not . . . → Read More: Our Bitchin’ Kitchen There’s this show on USA Network called Fairly Legal (a hilarious take on barely legal, get it?) that I’ve only been able to stomach watching once or twice. But to be “fairly”, I came into watching the show with prejudicial feelings. Prejudicial feelings of the sort that made me want to throw a heavy object at . . . → Read More: Lawyer? I Barely Touched Her! One comment WTF advertising, attorneys, criticism, feminism, law, lawyers, marketing, media, mediation, mediators, sexism, sexy, TV
I've Got a Cherry on My Back
I have long been powerless against the cherry. Not the kind you eat, the kind you wear. For reasons not entirely clear to me, from time to time clothing manufacturers and designers put cherries on dresses, blouses, purses, barrettes, shoes and I don’t seem to be able to help buying these fruit-festooned garments. I’m . . . → Read More: I’ve Got a Cherry on My Back 2 comments STYLE cherries, cute, fashion, Miu Miu, Miu Miu Cherries Sandals, Mui Mui, rockabilly, sandals, shoes
Sleeping With the EnemySigmund Freud said, “Intelligence will be used in the service of the neurosis.” That is not only depressing, it’s true. My brain drives me crazy. Literally. With my brain in the driver’s seat I’ve done, said, and perpetuated the nuttiest, most self-destructive stuff. All my life I’ve operated as though I can think myself . . . → Read More: Sleeping With the Enemy (Update to this post: Here is the finished result; I call “Anything Gauche”.) I avoided all sorts of grown-up stickywickets for so long, I guess it was inevitable that the whole renovation nightmare thing would strike blithely, superciliously carefree me like a cobra. I’ve seen dozens of times, I saw Tom Hanks and Shelley Long Long sink into The Money Pit back when, but I had no idea how close to documentaries these movies were. The story thus far: Single 40-something-me buys a lovely little studio in the Manhattan glam-ish Parc Vendome, thinking I’ll live there til I die. Four years later I got caught up in the real estate fervor and upgraded to a one-bedroom – a HUGE one-bedroom, especially by New York City standards. This apartment (which I call and I have the matchbooks and cocktail napkins to prove it) is only a block away from the Parc Vendome, on a lovely tree-lined street near Central Park, shopping and tons of restaurants. It’s got 2 bathrooms, a washer/dryer in the apartment, again rare for New York City, and a big kitchen and private storage room. (Uh, it’s for sale by the way.) It’s fantastic, and I planned to live here in this fabulous den until I died.
Then 4 years ago I met this guy reading a philosophy book on the subway and fast-forward 2 years, we’re married. The guy (call him Raffles, I do) agrees Bluebird Manor is pretty swell, but big though it is at the end of the day it’s still a one-bedroom and where’s a man to hunker down and escape the Real Housewives’ chatter, his own housewife’s chatter, and the dogs and parrots that came with said housewife? Raffles needs a mancave. So, we set about looking for an apartment that would allow him his cave and me to continue to walk to work. Continue reading Buying and Renovating an Apartment is Not for Pussies Part I 2 comments STYLE apartment, city, contractors, decor, interior design, Manhattan, New York, real estate, renovation
Self-Esteem is TrickyYou hear a lot about self-esteem, and apparently you’re supposed to have it. A lot if possible. I have always found this tricky. Of course, I’m old enough that when I was little, no one ever talked about self-esteem. On the other hand, not being too big for your britches, not acting conceited, those messages were heard loud and clear. (I think in elementary school, at least among us girls, “being conceited” was the worst thing of which you could be accused.) At home I got the distinct impression I needn’t think too highly of myself, and tamp down whatever exhilaration any little girl grade success might bring on. When I was put in a gifted program I knew not to discuss it much at home so my brother’s feelings wouldn’t get hurt. I could have easily risen above all this accept for the fact that the accomplishment that meant most to me was being loved, being liked – or at the very least not not-liked. And so began my diligent immersion into self-effacement. Continue reading Self-Esteem is Tricky Now THIS is a cover letter!Being a dame is synonymous wit confidence, actually possessing it or behaving as though you did. Of course, it helps to have the goods to back up that confidence, and maybe that’s what helped Hunter S. Thompson write this ballsy cover letter. Anyway, I’d love to have such balls (and talent). Applying for a . . . → Read More: Now THIS is a Cover Letter! |
 
|
|
|
Copyright © 2014 The Lost Art of Being a Dame - All Rights Reserved |
||
