Rat Diet No. 17

What I wore, read, watched, and ate in February.

This month, I spent a lot of time working on a column for NYMag about “boom boom,” a new (old) aesthetic coined by Sean Monahan of “normcore” and “vibe shift” fame. Unlike “indie sleaze,” it’s about looking like you’ve spent money for the sake of looking like you’ve spent money. Think 1980s and early ’90s power suits à la American Psycho, tanning oil, and furs. A$AP Rocky’s trial looks, many of which were Saint Laurent, are a perfect example that I wasn’t able to get into the piece: a louder, more macho version of the quiet luxury Gwyneth Paltrow wore for her “ski and run” court case a few years ago.

The aesthetic also arguably manifests in physical spaces like WSA, a suspiciously opulent office building with a $30,000 bed in the lobby, naughty-seeming private member’s clubs like Chez Margaux, and amber-hued restaurants like Le Veau d’Or, which serve as the culinary equivalent of a hot tub time machine. At first, indulging in all of this can feel like dirty, sexy fun, as sleaze often does. I love Veau d’Or. I want this $6,000 bedazzled Judith Leiber bag SO BAD. (Someone bought it right before the story went to print.) But the closer you examine it, the ickier it gets. 

I’ll let you read the article to understand why, but TLDR: having a soul is out, and greed is in. Fashion, obsessed with ‘Old Hollywood’ glamour, is sliding backward, not forward. I’m not entirely convinced that Prada’s “nouveau dowdy” is the antidote. However, I did find comfort this month at cozy little restaurants like Ha’s Snack Bar and Café Kestrel, along with bars like Liar Liar, where the vibe is homely and cash isn’t so obviously king. 

Below is everything else I bought, wore, and read in February. I’m closing it out with a meal at Sunn’s tonight. 🫡

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What I Bought and Wore

I’ve been searching for the perfect, simple, small black bag that isn’t too fancy. This month, I finally gave up on that idea—and the hope of ever being able to afford Alaïa’s Teckel (it's too everywhere now, anyway). Instead, I bought a Yohji Yamamoto “Discord” bag on sale. It checks all the boxes: it’s ladylike but not stuffy, fits everything I need, and is relatively affordable.

Available here.

It arrived just in time for my quick press trip to Paris. Of course, I stopped by an agnès b. store while I was in town, and I got this ridiculously adorable lamb wearing a snap cardigan for my friends who just had a baby.

Weeping.

I also visited my friend Baptiste, who started an all-natural perfume company called Ormaie with his mom, an industry veteran. He pours his heart into every scent (literally, one was made for an ex), and I love listening to him describe them like fine wines. My favorites are Yvonne, inspired by his grandmother, and 18-12, which reminds me of our trip to Marseille. (Tip: Some candles are also available on SSENSE.) 

The bottles look so pretty in my bathroom.

Below is the most Parisian look I could muster: A Leorosa scarf with a Babaà merino skirt set and Martiniano after-party heels. (Other colors here.)

My heels kept slipping off with tights/socks but are otherwise snug.

Before I left, I bought a new silver ring from Toledo, and it’s now part of my daily uniform. Its deceptive concave shape makes it fun to fidget with all day; it’s like a little suction cup. 

Bowl of chocolate mousse for scale.

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What I Read