IF YOU’RE STILL WALKING tall with stilettos and pretty polished toes, yay for you. But if your feet are complaining, those great heights and glamorous hues — either separately or in combination — may be at the root.
About 75% of Americans have foot pain at some point in their lives, mostly caused by shoes that fit poorly or that force the feet into unnatural shapes. The impact of each step exerts force on the foot equal to about 50% more than the person’s body weight, due to the small size of the foot in comparison to the body. Based on the average daily standing time of four hours, feet can support a combined force equal to about several hundred tons a day.
Stilettos reached dizzying heights in their day, with a record-breaking 20 inches from an Indian designer to Alexander McQueen’s Fall 2009 12-inch platform boots. In 2010, the highest heel available to regular customers was the Sky Heel at nine inches. For every inch in height, body weight bearing down on the front of the foot increases, according to what Neal Blitz, a foot surgeon at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, told Huffingtonpost.com
In a Hotter Shoes survey of 3,000 women wearing high-heeled shoes (HHS), nearly 50% had twisted their ankles, but 60% of the total planned to continue wearing HHS. Studies have shown impaired functional mobility starting at a 7 cm (2.75 inch) heel, which can increase fatigue and cause misalignment of bones and joints. These also heighten the risk of falling and of injury to lower-body muscles, notably causing the medial calf injury (known as “tennis leg”) resulting from the foot’s frequent forceful push-offs.
While a poll of 3,000 women found broken ankles and twisted knees, and women of all ages suffer up to five times the number of bunions as men — Lady Gaga once stumbled in her enormous platforms while high-heel queen Victoria Beckham has large bunions visible when she wears sandals— six in 10 said they wouldn’t give up the heightened wobblers.
Stilettos will always be the “Beyonce of all shoes,” according to thefashiontag.com. But increasingly popular block heels, even at four inches, are easier on the feet — though some have dubbed them ’70s-inspired boho. With high-heeled booties, material around the ankle helps hold the foot steady to put you at less risk for injury, according to Blitz.
Wearing heels three inches and higher for long hours increases the risk of shortening the Achilles tendon, especially for those with flat feet, although this can be countered by calf-muscle stretches — best done on the edge of a step, with heels extending off the edge and dropping down to stretch. Also riskier for flat feet are ballet flats, with inadequate arch support and cushioning, though their flexibility can help strengthen hard-working muscles. Finally, flip-flops, with even less arch support or cushioning, can cause toe muscles to overgrip or if the big toe hangs over the edge, increase the risk of toe fractures.
Crowding the toes — wearing either high heels that push them against the front of the shoe or shoes that fit too tightly —runs the different risk of nail fungal infections. These have a variety of other causes, in particular nail polishes applied in layers that prevent the nail from breathing. Toenail fungus, or onychomycosis, is also more prevalent in those who work in a humid or moist environment, in people with circulation problems and/or family histories, and in older men.
Toenail polish can prevent moisture in the nail bed from evaporating through the nail. The risk of fungus can be lessened by drying toes completely before applying polish and by disinfecting pedicure tools, even if they are your own.
The foot-enhancing option warned against most vociferously by podiatric medical associations is cosmetic surgery to improve the fit of high-heeled shoes. Procedures include surgically shortening the toes and narrowing the feet, and injecting silicone into the pads of the feet. These are all likely to lead to severe foot pain, a major cause of general disability in women, especially as they age.
For the rest of us, in addition to wearing slightly lower heels with slightly more toe room and using slightly less polish, one unanimous suggestion: alternate shoes every day to avoid wearing the same pair day after day.
— Mary Carpenter Mary is the Well-Being Editor of MyLittleBird. Read more of her posts here.
Lori Bacigalupi uses techniques such as batik, shibori and screen printing while she continually experiments with new methods to create well-constructed, useful clothing.
A former apparel designer, Paz Sintes, born in Barcelona and now living in New York, began making handmade textile jewelry in 2005. She uses high-end vintage lace, which she cuts and dyes to create her ultra-light jewelry.
Ex Ovo designer Katrin Zimmerman was born in Germany and educated in Switzerland, England and China. Her jewelry juxtaposes soft leather with the shiny brilliance of silver; she pairs semi-precious stones with ordinary rubber. She has a celebrity following that includes Kate Moss and Halle Berry.
Katrin Zimmerman has expanded her repertoire with a new line of acrylic jewelry called Lucent. While colorful and sculptural, the pieces retain the clean, simple look she is known for.
Indian embroidery and beading influence the designs of Janice Kissinger who says she builds her garments rather than sews them, sculpting from fine wool, reclaimed vintage silk saris and her own hand-dyed silk.
In the 1990s in Paris, Sylvia Gottwald began recycling oyster shells sourced in French Polynesia into contemporary jewelry. With the shells now endangered, her jewelry is a way to educate others about the dangers facing our oceans.
Anastassia Goyne makes whimsical—and cozy—embellished coats and hats for tots.
Textile artist Heidi Paul deconstructs discarded cashmere with shibori dyeing, felting and silk screening to make entirely new garments.
SIXTY-FIVE of the country’s top craftspeople will bring their designs to D.C.’s National Building Museum for the Smithsonian’s Craft2Wear show and sale October 5 to 7.
The all-star lineup includes talents such as D.C.-based Sylvia Gottwald who crafts jewelry from recycled oyster shells, Janice Kissinger who designs divine dresses from vintage silk saris, Paz Sintes whose ultra-light jewelry is fashioned out of vintage laces and laser-cut fabrics and Heidi Paul who makes clothing out of reclaimed cashmere.
The event kicks off with an opening night party Thursday, Oct. 5, from 6 to 9pm. Nibble on inventive hors d’oeuvres and delicious desserts at the cocktail reception, catch the Art on the Runway fashion show and let stylists show you how to transform your wardrobe with statement pieces straight from the artists. Here’s your chance to mingle with the designers, learn about their techniques and inspirations and be the first on your block to buy one of their creations.
Hours on Friday, Oct. 6 are 10:30am to 6:30pm; Saturday, Oct. 7, 10:30am to 5:30pm. Tickets for opening night are $50, which includes a one-day pass to return to the show on Friday or Saturday; daily admission (must be purchased in advance) is $13; tickets sold at the door on Friday are $15; children 12 and under are free. For more information and ticket sales, go to the Smithsonian site.
Get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping and impress the hell out of your friends and relatives with a piece of wearable art they’re not likely to see on anyone else.
The show whose theme is “Find Your Fabulous” is produced by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee to support education, outreach and research at the Smithsonian Institution.
Left to right: Partners Mary Ruth Hedstrom, Lynn Krauss and Jane Ryan outside their South Street Linen shop. / Photo by Andrea Rouda.
Jane Ryan working the phones in the Jane dress. / Photo by Andrea Rouda.
Wearing her Grace shirt, Lynn Krauss contemplates the fabric board she works from. / Photo by Andrea Rouda.
Mary Ruth Hedstrom wears the company’s French tunic in lemon.
Individual yarn samples from Lithuanian fabric factory. / Photo by Andrea Rouda.
One-of-a-kind linen scarves was the first product from South Street Linen.
Linen scarves, available in two sizes, line the shelves of the Portland store. / Photo by Andrea Rouda.
Coats, jackets, dresses, pants and blouses hang on the clothing racks of South Street Linen in Portland, Maine. / Photo by Andrea Rouda.
EIGHT YEARS ago, when I first arrived in Maine from Washington, I worried I had left the world of style. It seemed like every woman I saw was dressed like Paul Bunyan, regardless of the season or even the occasion. But once my eyes became adjusted to my new surroundings I began to notice a certain kind of woman who looked stylish yet still relaxed and New England-y. Eventually I found my way to South Street Linen, a tiny shop tucked away in Portland’s arts district that is the source of original clothing crafted in unusual, eye-popping fabrics, and at affordable prices. What a relief!
It all started seven years ago when three women, all serious painters, met in an art critique group. One of them, Mary Ruth Hedstrom, had some linen with her that she had purchased in San Francisco. Jane Ryan and Lynn Krauss admired it, and before too long they started thinking about dying the linen. This led to some serious brainstorming, which in turn led to the production of one-of-a-kind linen scarves. The trio made these for a year, working at home in their own studios, dividing up the work of designing, printing the fabric and getting the word out.
Everything they made sold, so naturally they made more, adding table runners, pillows, napkins and blankets. “Anything square,” they all recalled. Eventually they started making clothes, beginning with the Pinnie dress, a wrap-style dress based on a pinafore that is still their biggest seller. Sleeveless, it can be worn over anything for dressing up or dressing down.
Today the women of South Street Linen are local celebrities with a huge fan club and dozens of devoted groupies. Their following spans several continents, including New Zealand, Great Britain and Australia. The Northeast U.S. remains their strongest customer base, with roughly 30% of sales coming right from Maine. “We always thought we would be more local, but because of the Web our customers come from all over,” said Jane.
Despite the focus on keeping it local, all the fabric comes from Lithuania; no linen or flax is grown in the United States. The team receives individual yarn samples and Lynn works from those, choosing colors and designating how she wants them used. Everything else happens in Maine, with local sewers working at their own homes producing the garments. “We believe in doing it here,” said Jane. “We know the people who make our clothes, we know their kids. It’s like a family.” Lynn nodded in agreement, adding, “It also lets us keep an eye on quality.”
Mary Ruth and Jane set the styles and Lynn designs the fabrics, which show the influences of Marimekko, Scandinavian and Japanese prints. Although the clothes are loose and far from form fitting (part of their appeal to women of a certain age), they are not shapeless. “We respect your shape, not hide it,” said Mary Ruth. As Jane put it, “After a certain age, women have certain body parts they want to embellish and others they want not to embellish.”
South Street Linen has grown from its three founders to a full staff including a production manager, an assistant production manager, someone who handles shipping and several sales people. Many of the positions overlap; Geneva Waite, sales associate extraordinaire, also models some of the clothes in their ads.
Because they have backup, the three owners are rarely in the shop at the same time. “When we got started, we made a pact not to get crazy,” said Mary Ruth. This winter Jane will be away for three months in Florida, and Mary Ruth will be in South Carolina. But no doubt they’ll all still be hard at work in their homes, handling advertising and social media remotely.
They produced menswear for a while, and while it did well, it wasn’t the direction they wanted to go. “Everything we do that isn’t women’s clothing dilutes the women’s clothing,” said Lynn.
The linen scarves, their first signature piece, get better and better over time, softening with each wash. They also make coats, jackets, pants, blouses, but stopped producing home goods because the demand for their clothing has grown so much.
“We get a lot of feedback from our customers,’ said Jane, so we keep adding and subtracting to our product line.” Lynn is especially proud of the constant stream of online “love letters” they get from their customers. “We have a relationship with each customer,” said Jane. “Our customer service is very personal.”
The owners are their own best advertising. People see them in their clothes and constantly approach them, asking where they got whatever they’re wearing. Their clothes are not for everyone (the target audience is women over 40). “Our bodies change, but still you’re not done with fashion,” said Mary Ruth. “Women of all ages and sizes look great in our clothes.”
And the prices? “We are the low end of the high end,” said Lynn. The linen scarves, available in two sizes, sell from $139 to $159. Another popular item, the Boyfriend Shirt, which comes in five colors, is priced at $199. The Pinnie dress, their first signature garment, is $159.
Linen is relatively easy to care for. You can machine wash it in cold water or by hand and then air dry on a hanger. And the good news is that a wrinkle or three is stylish, which is surely music to the ears of South Street Linen’s enthusiastic audience.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on her way to attend a news conference where House Democratic lawmakers and the LGBT community voiced opposition to Trump’s transgender ban in the military, July 26, 2017. / Photo by Michael Reynolds / EPA / Rex / Shutterstock.
NANCY PELOSI has a tough job and that’s in addition to her role as House Minority Leader for the Dems. Her wardrobe must subtly convey her position of power and authority. With that in mind, we thought we would poke around in her wardrobe and see what pointers we could find.
JANET: This simple knee-length (or just slightly below the knee) sheath plays well for a busy day at the office. The pink ensures she doesn’t fade into the background and it’s a cheery choice for a warm summer day. She’s slightly top heavy, so for balance she elongates her legs with a pair of pointy pale pumps.
NANCY: I think this is a terrific look: Pelosi gets to shed the armor of a suit jacket but in no way does she look the less powerful for it. In fact, I’ve come to think that one of the most powerful female outfits is a slim skirt or dress with those sky-high heels. (I didn’t say comfortable, just powerful.) She has the identical (I think) dress in a vivid green and it looks great too. Fashion folks may have shed their pantyhose on warm days, but on conservative Capitol Hill they’re apparently still a must.
KATHY: It must be terribly difficult for a woman to dress for Capitol Hill. To be taken seriously must you don manly power suits and forget femininity? I think Pelosi has found the solution with this ladylike pink number. Plus pink does wonders for a brunette’s complexion.
Nancy Pelosi and husband Paul at the MusiCares Person of the Year awards honoring Tom Petty in Los Angeles on February 10, 2017. / Photo by By Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.
JANET: A good lesson on how to do formal. By wearing black shoes and some sort of black stocking with her pants, she doesn’t disrupt the line. Pelosi’s white tunic works two ways: The funnel-shaped collar (a look favored by Brigitte Macron) frames her face, and the verticality of the V-neckline and the side slits taper the top half of the silhouette.
NANCY: I love this look: It’s feminine yet still dignified as suits her office and her age. In fact, it’s rather sporty, albeit in fancy fabrics. The shorter sleeves keep the jacket/tunic from seeming too heavy. It’s a look a lot of us gravitate to naturally, and here’s an excellent example to reinforce that instinct.
KATHY: I love this look too. It’s so elegant, pretty and unfussy. Plus the drape of the tunic takes 10 pounds off and who can argue with that?
Pelosi at the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, Lincoln Memorial, August 24, 2013. / Photo by Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock.
JANET: Rolling up shirt sleeves is a studied, casual look and requires practice to achieve. On the other hand, pushing up sleeves on a suit jacket just looks unpolished.
NANCY: I’ve done this with the sleeves of a lined jacket to save a trip to the tailor, but now I see how sloppy it looks and promise to stop doing it. Like most of her male colleagues, Pelosi wears her jackets buttoned when she’s standing (President Trump is the one man in public life who famously does not button his jacket, and it looks bad). But Pelosi has a little too much chest to always pull this look off successfully; in most of the pictures we’ve looked at, her jacket is pulling or gapping above and below the bust, making it seem like she’s wearing the wrong size. Working on the Hill does lend itself to conservative skirt suits and pantsuits, but maybe—note to self—adapting the cut of her evening jacket/tunic in white, above, would be more flattering.
KATHY: I want to like seersucker. I really do. But it conjures up images of panama hats and boardwalks. Yes, Washington can be unbearably hot in August, but this suit simply isn’t cool.
Pelosi with adorable grandsons at the Logo Trailblazer Honors in New York, June 22, 2017. / Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Rex/Shutterstock.
JANET: I don’t like lace much except on tablecloths, handkerchiefs and lingerie. Save head-to-toe lace for the boudoir. And, yes, I know lace is a big fashion trend. I don’t care.
NANCY: I know, it’s been hard to avoid lace these past few years—it’s everywhere, for day and night. But I think this outfit is simple and flattering. It’s obviously for a big awards ceremony, where it’s not over the top. It may not be my first choice either, but I think she looks great in it.
KATHY: I don’t have a problem with lace. It appeals to my inner frou-frou. Therefore, I’m a fan of this outfit. One of the things I like about her evening dress-up choices is the simplicity and ease of the outfits, as in easy to wear.
Pelosi, House Democrats call on GOP to cancel recess and return to the office to D.C. to do the country’s business, Oct. 2, 2012. /Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images.
JANET: Pelosi knows her strengths. Bright colors flatter her. This photo was taken five years ago, but pantsuits—and ones with flared legs—are having their moment today. Wide legs look better with chunky heels than high-heeled pumps. Wear the stilettos with your skinny pants.
NANCY: Here’s thesuccessful version of the Pelosi everyday formula: a pantsuit whose jacket fits correctly without any pulling or gapping, a blouse that cuts through the male-ness of the suit by allowing for a décolleté and simple jewelry, and high-heels that appear feminine but are capable of a powerful stride. Even though this jacket fits well, I still have doubts about always having it buttoned up. I don’t think a woman loses power points by letting it stand open.
KATHY: There’s no ignoring a woman in red. Female journalists learned that covering Ronald Reagan. If they wanted to be called on in press conferences they made certain to wear the red Nancy Reagan made so popular. Red stands out and so does Pelosi in this handsome suit.
BEFORE THE Internet, people called you on the phone to wish you a happy birthday. They may also have sent a birthday card in the regular, old-fashioned mail. You might get three or four cards a day for a few days before and after your birthday, and even a couple of presents from friends who lived far away. It was fun—a lot more fun than the “Happy Birthday!” messages that show up on Facebook after people who couldn’t care less clicked a reminder button that sent the message automatically.
Before cell phones, you had to be home to get a phone call. And if you were out and wanted to call someone, you had to find a pay phone. You couldn’t talk on the phone in an elevator or a grocery store, or on an airplane or train or bus, or in the waiting room at the doctor’s, making everyone around you hate your guts and hope your head explodes.
Before Facebook, you kind of sort of knew that there were loony tunes and hideously mean people out there in the world, but you didn’t have to interact with them on a daily basis unless they were family members, and even then not if you could help it.
Before Google, everyone you ever met or might meet or who might hire you wouldn’t know all your past mistakes. You could maintain a shred of dignity, living without fear that nude photos of you taken by a jilted boyfriend 20 years ago when you had one drink too many would suddenly be everywhere. And you never had to know who was gay and who wasn’t, thus allowing you to dream about Montgomery Clift all you wanted, believing if only you could meet him you might have a chance.
Before Google Earth, lunatics couldn’t find out exactly where you live and come to your front door with a shotgun, or even a box of chocolates, uninvited.
The bodice of this dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen (spring/summer 2012) corsets the torso and exaggerates the hips like an 18th-century hooped petticoat. / Photo by Antonio de Moraes Barros Filho / firstview.com.
Lingerie-inspired eveningwear: Dolce & Gabbana’s spring/summer 2013 wicker cage crinoline dress, which is perhaps inspired by a 19th-century cage crinoline. / Photo by Victor Virgile / firstview.com.
PAJAMAS HAVE morphed into streetwear, while corsets, bras, crinolines and slips have emerged from behind the scenes to streetwear. Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear, organized by London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, is set to open October 21 at The Frick Pittsburgh (its only North American venue). More than 250 objects, along with film images, packaging and advertisements, will track the history of underwear from the mid-18th century to today.
We recently had the chance to chat with Sarah Hall, the Frick’s chief curator and director of collections, for a preview of what’s in store.
MLB: Can you talk about the Frick’s decision to put fashion exhibits on the museum calendar? Last year, it was “Killer Heels,” next month “Undressed” arrives.
Sarah Hall
SH: It has taken a while to understand how fashion works in the whole cultural space. In the past several years, there’s been a growing appetite for fashion exhibits. Our existing collection—more than 2,000 items of Gilded Age evening gowns, skirt and bodice sets, parasols, underwear—and an initiative from our director (Robin Nicholson) have inspired us to create a niche for the museum. We’ve committed to an ongoing series: “Killer Heels” from the Brooklyn Museum, a Jacques Henri Lartigue photography exhibit (“Fast Cars and Femmes Fatales”), “Irving Penn: Beyond Beauty” (which includes many famous fashion photographs), “Undressed” in October; in 2018, the paper dresses of Isabelle de Borchgrave.
MLB: You mentioned there were lots of logistics involved in this exhibit. What do you mean?
SH: Well, the V&A is sending most things already mounted—which is their policy because it limits the handling of fragile materials. It’s still a very large, ambitious exhibition that requires a large team to prepare our galleries and help with the installation. The V&A also sends their team to unpack and handle the work here. So, while the individual objects and costumes are largely ready to go on display, there are many large crates to move in and out of the building, lots of labels and graphics to produce, and a lot of display cases to build in our galleries. Working with full-size mannequins and clothing requires a lot of resources!
MLB: What in particular made you choose “Undressed” from V&A?
SH: We have a substantial amount of lingerie in our collection—corsets, camisoles, night dresses, robes, tea gowns, etc., and we had always been interested in doing something that focused on undergarments. We’ve done some programs in the past in which we’ve explored the many layers of dress a woman would be wearing in the Gilded Age, and so the idea of taking a comprehensive exhibition that connects to our collection but tells a larger story was compelling. And, of course, the V&A are leaders in developing fashion exhibitions and they have a fabulous collection that we are so happy to be able to bring here to share with Pittsburgh and beyond.
MLB: How is the exhibit organized?
SH: The items are separated into sections: For example, Health and Hygiene, Support: Bras and Girdles, Relaxation and Temptation.
In the 18th century, underwear was more about health and hygiene than fashion and sex appeal. You couldn’t wash clothing very easily, so underwear functioned as a barrier to keep outer garments clean. In the support section you’ll see bras, garters and corsets as well as 21st-century shapewear (think waist trainers and butt lifters worn by the likes of Kim Kardashian). Fashionable bust shapes have kept changing throughout the decades. The 1920s flapper wore a bandeau; pointy bras were in in the 1940s and 1950s; today’s millennials want less padding and are opting for bralettes. Along with the unique, the exhibit also shows the ordinary—the Playtex rubber girdle and the Y-front jockey.
MLB: What are some of the show’s highlights? Any favorites?
SH: There’s a 1917 corset made from twine because of textile shortages in World War I. Also, one of the first thongs from 1978; it was created by Rudi Gernreich as a bathing suit following a ban on public nude bathing in Los Angeles. In the performance underwear section, a paisley-print petticoat from 1860, which is lined with plain red cotton and made up of five gored panels, is wadded with goose feathers in wide horizontal bands. This gives the look of a quilt and keeps the wearer warm.
MLB: Is this whole concept of underwear as outerwear anything new or not?
SH: Well, we’ve got a 1911 silk evening slip dress by Paul Poiret that could have recently gone down a runway, 1920s pajama playsuits for the cocktail hour and an ostrich-feathered bed jacket from the 1930s that blur the lines between underwear and outerwear. More contemporary selections are a corset dress worn by Gwyneth Paltrow at a 2008 red carpet appearance in Paris and an Elie Saab lilac gown (lots of lace and alternating bands of exposed and less exposed skin) Mila Kunis wore to the 2011 Oscars.
MLB: Is there anything you’d like visitors to take away from the exhibit?
SH: It’s really interesting to understand how the ways we think about ourselves are reflected in our undergarments. The acceptance of our bodies as they are alternates with how we want to make ourselves fit some sort of ideal. There’s also the very basic idea of taking pleasure in the finery and feel of lingerie against our skin. —Janet Kelly
When we posted this story in May 2016, skinny jeans were at the height of their popularity.This fall, boot-cuts and wide-leg jeans have come back into favor. But shapewear that is worn to make the body conform to a fashionable ideal is as in demand as ever. For more on the subject of underwear, be sure to read this Wednesday’s post about an exhibit on underwear.
IF YOU’RE HAPPY with your skinny jeans and Spanx, go for it! But if you’re looking for excuses to scale back on such constricting fashions, associated health issues abound.
Many people suffer from “tight pants syndrome”—abdominal discomfort, heartburn and belching, as Chicago’s Rush University Dr. John Michael Li told CBS Miami. He said pants are often three inches too small for the person’s waist. Pressure on the abdomen interferes with digestion. Tight clothes have also been blamed for blood clots as well as bladder and vaginal infections.
“Skinny jeans are meant to accentuate the way you look, not to make yourself look another way,” New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University vascular surgeon Nicholas Morrissey told HealthPop. “Clothing isn’t designed to give us a shape that we don’t have.”
For a 35-year-old British woman, tight pants caused her legs to swell until she collapsed at the side of the road and later at the hospital needed her pants cut off to release her legs. After squatting a lot during the day to help a family member move, she noticed numbness in her feet and then had trouble lifting them to walk. The diagnosis: extremely dangerous “compartment syndrome,” the result of increased pressure in a confined body space usually caused when limbs are crushed in massive construction accidents or during earthquakes.
As for “low-rise” pants, they can compress nerves in the hips, causing burning, tingling and numbness in the legs due to a condition called meralgia paresthetica, a nerve disorder like carpal tunnel syndrome. A teenager who wore shapewear under her soccer uniform until she felt numbness in her thigh and persistent abdominal pain was diagnosed with nerve damage caused by meralgia paresthetica.
The cause: pressure on the nerve that supplies sensation to the upper thighs. Meralgia paresthetica symptoms often occur on only one side of the body and can also be caused by nerve damage due to diabetes or seat belt injuries. Tight pants can also limit mobility of the hip joints, putting strain on the joint capsules and on the spine.
While reluctant to “Spanx-shame anyone,” Elizabeth Enochs on Bustle quotes physicians saying shapewear can cause nerve impingement and decreased circulation. And high-waisted shapewear that cover your whole abdomen can affect digestion and lead to bloating, gas and acid reflux.
Any synthetic material worn next to the skin, especially when it’s tight, can irritate the “lady bits,” according to Bustle. Wearing yoga pants all day—as well as tight underwear—can raise the risk of yeast and bacterial infections, caused when heat and moisture from your body as well as sweat remain trapped in the material and create good conditions for these to grow. Urinary tract infections, which can affect any part of the urinary tract, result when bacteria multiply in the urine and move into the bladder or kidney. Cystitis, a common UTI, inflames the bladder in response to chronic pressure or when yeast or fecal bacteria travel up the urethra.
“Super-tight jeans can push the fabric of your underwear all the way up into your crack, which transfers fecal bacteria from your butt toward your urethra and vagina,” Ob/Gyn professor Rebecca Amaru at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City told Cosmopolitan. “The rubbing itself could cause inflammation and break the skin, which makes it even easier for bacteria to get into your system.”
Cosmo suggests alternating between skinny jeans and looser-fitting bottoms—to “give your immune system a chance to clear out any bacteria that gets into your urinary tract during skinny jean days”—and warns that bacterial UTIs can be cured only with antibiotics, so see a physician ASAP.
Some women are genetically predisposed to UTIs while, for others, a series of infections can lead to chronic, repeating UTIs. An aggregated review of studies on cranberry juice concluded that it did not significantly reduce the incidence of UTIs.
While these may seem like extreme cases, wearing tight clothing is related less to health and more to fashion because what is compressed in one area will try to pop out somewhere else. So, when you’ve nailed the fitted look, it’s wise to change into something looser when you can.
Brigitte Macron at the May presidential inaugural of her husband, Emmanuel Macron. / Photo by Alfonso Jimenez / Rex / Shutterstock.
THE FIRST LADY OF FRANCE doesn’t care much for titles. In fact, as she told Vogue, “I don’t feel like a First Lady. That’s the translation of an American expression, and I don’t like anything about it,” she explained. “I don’t feel like the first or the last, or a lady. I am Brigitte Macron!” Gotta respect that, and although her wardrobe is filled with Louis Vuitton, Balmain and Dior, she doesn’t have the need to hashtag what she’s wearing. We’ll forgive her her terrific legs (what, us envious?). We admire her confidence and style. So, let’s talk about that: She may have lessons for the rest of us.
JANET: That cornflower blue Louis Vuitton skirt suit (see above) she wore to her husband’s inaugural was the first time a lot of us spotted those toned gams. The woman understands her assets and spotlights them, age be damned. That color works well for blondes but it’s also a fave of mine, whose coloring is nothing like hers.
NANCY: They do say the legs are the last thing to go! A friend of mine, in Macron’s age cohort, thinks Macron, 64, wears her skirts too short for her age. Maybe. But if I had a pair like that, everyone would know it! Honestly, it’s a handsome suit, quite severe and military in construction—it might look dowdy if the skirt were longer. What with this suit and the Ralph Lauren number Melania Trump wore to the American inauguration, I’m hoping to see more of this soft, flattering blue.
KATHY: As a matter of fact, do an image search of Macron and you’ll see her in that same blue a number of times. She’s chosen it for jackets, sweaters and shirts. And why not? It’s so pretty and feminine. But she clearly shies away from frou-frou so the blue never looks too-too.
Les Macron arrive at the G7 summit in Taormina, Sicily, in May 2017. Brigitte Macron’s white suit jacket stands out from all the dark suits in the gathering. / Photo by Angelo Carconi / Rex / Shutterstock.
NANCY: Here’s that jacket again, this time in white. There’s a lesson here for all of us: Go with what works for you. Here’s a woman who is being photographed on an almost daily basis, but she’s not afraid to repeat a style she likes. Most of us can’t afford the exquisite tailoring of Vuitton, but we can adapt the idea.
JANET: The structured, double-breasted military-style jacket is a classic and flatters her petite frame. The bright white hue lights up her face and is an elegant contrast to her husband’s navy blue jacket and tie. Note well: a good strategy for political photo opps and, note to self, family portraits. Remember how well the Obamas coordinated?
KATHY: And no obvious jewelry. A woman after my own heart. It’s just too much trouble to put on a bunch of beads and bracelets. Of course, if we were talking about diamonds and gold I might feel differently. The eye goes to the clean lines and precise tailoring with no baubles fighting for attention.
Brigitte Macron welcomes Rihanna to the Elysee Palace July 2017. / Photo by Frederic Legrand / Shutterstock.
JANET: To meet pop star Rihanna, Macron dons a white jacket with silver buttons again, but this time it’s single-breasted, boxy and with three-quarter sleeves. To offset the masculine look of the jacket, she pairs it with faded blue skinny jeans and coordinating suede stilettos. A first lady in jeans? Yes, if you’re Brigitte Macron.
NANCY: Yes, but I think a lot of us have realized that jeans look cool and tailored when worn with a cool jacket and heels (but oh, my aching instep, I couldn’t do those!). And it makes sense that someone promoting the French style industry would show ways of making traditional fashion modern.
KATHY: The jacket is wonderful. I’d love to have it myself. And pairing it with jeans is cool, but I just have to get this off my chest. I don’t think skinny jeans look good on anyone, and in Macron’s case they emphasize how truly tiny her legs are. And not in a good way. She looks like a toothpick. Plus, I dislike the way skinny jeans wrinkle behind the knees and bunch at the top of the thighs. So, shoot me.
NANCY: Well, I can’t in good conscience disagree. . . .
JANET: If anyone can wear skinny jeans, it’s Macron. I don’t mind the wrinkles.
First Lady Melania Trump and French president’s wife Brigitte Macron visit Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral, July 2017. / Photo by Martin Bureau / Pool / EPA / Rex / Shutterstock.
JANET: The 47-year-old Melania Trump in a stunning but demure red Christian Dior skirt suit and matching red pumps looks prim and textbook-proper (dare I say dowdy?) next to France’s first lady, almost two decades her senior, in a mod-inspired, zippered short shift by Louis Vuitton and blue suede heels.
NANCY: Trump’s people made sure she paid homage to one of France’s historic design houses, but Macron eclipsed that look, I think, with a dress that owed a lot to 1960s Courrèges. I think any modern woman of a certain age could wear the white Vuitton number, perhaps a little longer in the skirt. The sleeves wouldn’t have to be that short either, but part of what makes the look so young and fresh is that they don’t reach all the way to the wrist. Something to think about. And with only white above, you don’t have to (or want to) get match-matchy with bag or shoes.
JANET: I would have been tempted to go for a more neutral pair of pumps, but that would have been the much more conservative choice.
KATHY: This dress just looks so easy. Again, what appeals to me about Macron’s choices is the simplicity. Her clothes actually look like they are comfortable to wear.
JANET: But not those skinny pants, right??
The Macrons walk toward the Elysee Palace courtyard, prior to the launch of a program to enhance the diagnosis and treatment of autism, July 2017. / Photo by AP / Rex / Shutterstock.
JANET: Macron favors sharp, sculptural pieces, such as this shoulder-padded Alexandre Vauthier blazer. She’s a poster girl for French style in her blazers, above-the-knee skirts and dresses and jeans—a power wardrobe that supports the French fashion industry and has led to what WWD calls “Brigitte Mania.”
NANCY: I think we all know this, but this military-style jacket again showcases the power of tailoring—the nipped-in waist, the vertical march of brass buttons, these things give a woman a lot to work with, making anyone look as if she’s standing tall! And look at the sleeves: The jacket is not as trad as it appears at first blush, not with those sleeves drifting all the way down to her knuckles. And what’s she wearing underneath? Who cares? The red jacket gets all the eyeballs; the shirt and pants are just the backdrop. (That’s another lesson we keep learning: Spend on the one piece that will make staples fade into the background. The Vauthier blazer is still available, in black, on sale for $1,368 at farfetch.com.)
KATHY: I’m getting out my credit card. Black works too. Although the red is a smashing splash of color, and blonds do look swell in red. Plus I’m a huge fan of shoulder pads. This jacket would look wonderful with jeans too. Just not skinny ones.
Les Macrons coordinate their colors for the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 2017. / Photo by Lukas Barth / EPA / Rex / Shutterstock.
JANET: The wide-cut shoulders of this color-block tunic give Macron a strong silhouette that contrasts with her slender legs. She understands the power of details, her wide silver cuff and earrings echoing the clasp on her tunic.
NANCY: This is my least favorite of Macron’s looks. I like the idea of the color-blocking, a look any of us could adapt (perhaps with the aid of a tailor); it harks back to my Courrèges and Mary Quant days. And I know it’s incredibly chic. But it somehow makes me nervous, like you have to have real savoir faire to pull it off. Of course, Macron has that in spades, but I don’t know that it would translate for me.
KATHY: I bow to Nancy on most things fashion, but on this tunic we disagree. It’s one of my favorites. A departure from her military look that’s all sleek and smart. I like the drama of the geometry, the planes and angles. And she wears it with such ease.
JANET: It’s still tailored but it’s softer and works for evening with just the addition of simple jewelry. —My Little Bird staff
THAT OLD SAW “Money can’t buy happiness” is so wrong! I’m guessing it was invented to make people without money feel better about their poverty. But I just found out for sure that money actually does buy happiness, and probably the more money, the more happiness.
Most Saturdays my husband and I hang around the house doing yard work, or else go for a hike somewhere we’ve hiked a dozen times already, or maybe take a drive to someplace pretty. It’s nice, and certainly much better than being in surgery or homeless somewhere, I readily admit. But yesterday we spent the day with friends on their beautiful sailboat, and besides it being alternately thrilling and exciting and peaceful and exhilarating, the experience was also quite eye-opening.
For example, the wind took us far out into the Casco Bay and we saw places we never even knew existed. We were treated to spectacular vistas worthy of a European vacation. We also soon understood that many, many people with expendable income own sailboats—and power boats and even yachts—and spend their weekends cavorting in glorious nature, dropping anchor on private islands where they might have built a beautiful vacation home, or in secluded coves unreachable except by boat. Everyone we passed waved and smiled enthusiastically and seemed quite happy to be alive. In fact, much happier than the people we see in the garden shop when we go for extra mulch. They never wave or smile. But I bet they would if they had a sailboat.
I SPEND FAR too muchtime browsing fashion websites. My husband thinks I’m working, which, most of the time I am, but when I need a break I’m off in a tear, searching online for real and imagined wants.
Because I no longer live in an area that’s convenient to shopping for such, I’m even more attached to my browser than previously.
As the world of online shopping has exploded, so have the number of sites soliciting our shekels. So, when a friend of mine asked whether I would put together a list of my favorites— ones that readers might not find easily for themselves—I had to think hard about which ones I’d recommend and why.
As you probably know if you’ve been here before, I’m a fan of the San Francisco-based Everlane. The company maintains their “products are made at ethical factories, from the finest materials, and sold without traditional markups.” In particular I like their shirts, including the Relaxed Poplin Shirt ($65) and the Light Oxford Collarless Square Shirt ($65, shown above). The quality of the cotton is good enough you can wash the shirts yourselves and press with a light iron after line drying. I debated whether I could buy pants online at all, but I went for it and purchased Everlane’s Slouchy Chino Pant ($58) in June. I’ve worn them constantly. Now I’m waiting for the trench coat I’ve been eying for a couple of seasons to return to the site in early fall. Fingers crossed.
Ganni’s St. Pierre Crepe Shirt in Total Eclipse from needsupply.com.
I haven’t been to Richmond, Va., in a few years, but when I go again, I plan to stop at Need Supply on Cary Street. The store also happens to have an excellent website that’s not so exhausting you can’t quickly browse through the offerings. A mix of brands span the price range from a gingham ruffled blouse by Campbell for $78 to a Ganni floral crepe shirt for $148 to Robert Clergerie loafers for $725.
Levi’s 312 Shaping Slim Jeans from shopspring.com.
Three-year-old e-commerce startup Spring sells clothes from 2,000 clothing brands through its mobile app and website. (Groupe Arnault, the investment arm of luxury fashion conglomerate LVMH, is an investor.) Items for sale on Spring range from women’s Levi’s jeans on sale for $50 to $1,110 Gucci loafers—and lots in between. In addition to men’s and women’s clothing, the site also sells home design, tech products and gear for kids, so the selection can overwhelm you. Think sheets from Brooklinen, men’s shirts from Brooks Brothers, frocks from the trendy Brock Collection and Balenciaga moto jackets all in one space.
Assemble knit hoodie from Sweaty Betty.
My savvy daughter-in-law turned me on to Sweaty Betty. The London-based activewear company was founded by Tamara Hill-Norton, whose goal was to make clothes that could go from the studio to the street. I’ve been very happy with the power leggings ($105) I bought last fall and I wear for Pilates, yoga and as my favorite bottoms when I’m working at home. The butt-sculpting properties of the pants are worth the price. I recently spotted this oxblood cashmere-blend knit hoodie ($265, see above) and can see how it would make the ideal, throw-it-on piece for multiple occasions.
White wrinkled button-down dress — a combination of cotton and metal fabrics from fashion house Nehera. Reduced to $272 at totokaelo.com.
Begun by an ambitious fashion entrepreneur who first opened a store in Seattle and then Soho, the Totokaelo site feels fashion-insidery with labels like Yang-Li and Nehera that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere. Curated for a sophisticated, artsy audience who can never get enough black clothing.
Acne Studios cropped wool pants ($300), paired with a Bottega Veneta sweater, MM6 Maison Margiela dress, Marni earrings, Victoria Beckham clutch and Neous mules. netaporter.com.
NET A PORTERbet that customers would buy high-end designer clothing online when many of the high-end designers themselves were shunning the web. Founder Natalie Massanet was right. In 2015, Net A Porter merged with Yoox to become an even stronger player in the online fashion stakes. Even if you’re not buying, the site is always worth a look for the way it smartly coordinates outfits from its featured designers.
Ulla Johnson wide-leg denim pants with matching sleeveless top, modaoperandi.com.
Moda Operandi is the relatively new kid on the block. Its claim to fame is allowing users to order clothes directly off the runways of fashion week. Even more than Net A Porter, it seems like a site for the one-percenters. Nevertheless, one can dream, and the clothing featured on the site is frequently inspiring and sometimes within mortal means.
We’re nearing the end of another sizzling DC summer. But as those of us who have lived here for many years know, there are still hazy, hot and humid days to come. To remind, we’re reposting Alexa Mergen’s story of last August about keeping cool.
TEMPERATURES INTO THE 90s combined with humidity make the city feel like a terrarium at times, but D.C. is a great place to be hot. Museums are cool and exhibits plentiful, the city’s tree canopy is at 36%, not too shy of the 40% goal; theaters offer matinees; cafes and restaurants abound with indoor and outdoor seating, and hotel lobbies tolerate idlers checking mobile phones.
Summer just requires a little strategizing.
Growing up in D.C. in the ‘70s and early ‘80s in a Capitol Hill row house without central A/C, I froze homemade popsicles in Tupperware molds, played in sprinklers and gulped water from the garden hose. My friend Leslie and I bought Coca Cola and nacho cheese Doritos from the corner store, then sneaked into the campy Skyline Inn pool (now a swankier Capitol Skyline Inn).
As a teen, I swiped my face with Clinique Clarifying Lotion stored in the refrigerator after swatting tennis balls at the Garfield Park court. A server at Georgetown’s iconic Thomas Sweet, I stayed cool dishing up cones and sundaes. I’d scoop a pint of ice cream at closing time to share with my dad when he picked me up at midnight in the family’s red Rabbit. Days off, I rode what were then much-less-crowded, cleaner and cooler Metrorail cars anywhere and nowhere with friends, or alone with a book, treating the system like a private jet.
For grown-up girls in the 21st-century, work doesn’t stop when the weather’s hot. Each of us has places to be. In D.C., getting around means walking and bike commutes on concrete and asphalt—often in thin-soled shoes —taking breaks on park benches in the shade of trees or beside a public fountain. It means waiting in a bus kiosk with a bottle of water tucked in a tote.
Little girls and grown-up ones delight in thunderstorms and fireflies, juicy strawberries, sweet peaches and crisp corn. We like the breezy, feminine feel of cotton skirts on bare legs, linen dresses without slips and airy sleeveless tops. We pull up our hair in jeweled barrettes, powerful braids and swingy ponytails. Sunglasses, hats and scarves shade the eyes, nose and neck. Summer is textured fabrics in bright prints, chic black and classy white.
When I moved back to my hometown of D.C. last year, I brought with me tips gleaned from yoga study in California’s Central Valley, where triple-digit temperatures can begin in May and last through September, and summer’s more a state of mind than a season and you gotta know how to feel naturally cool.
For additional advice, I turned to Susan Jensen, D.C.-based traditional acupuncturist and massage therapist.
Add sliced fresh strawberries, mint or cucumber to chilled water and keep a pitcher handy for frequent sips.
Store a facial mist or toner in the refrigerator and spritz your face and neck.
Try a yoga cooling breath, shitali pranayama. Roll the tongue like a hot dog bun. Or softly place the tongue between the lips, resembling a macaron. Slowly inhale through the rolled tongue or over the tongue. Exhale through the nose. Try this 8 – 10 times. This breath directly freshens the back of the throat. Imagine you’re inhaling mist from a block of ice. (Bonus: Practicing this breath in a mirror may make you laugh, which will distract you from the mugginess!)
After being out and about, pause at a sink and run cool tap water on your inner wrists for a few seconds. Dampen a paper towel and dab cool water on the temples and back of the neck. This is great before a meeting when coming in from a walk or bike commute.
After invigorating your pulse points, take a minute and organize your body in yoga’s tadasana, mountain pose. Stand with feet under hips, legs comfortably apart. Raise the shoulders toward the ears and set them down slowly, like a descending elevator. Let the arms rest by the sides, leaving a little space in the armpits as if squash balls could nestle there. Perch the skull on top of the spine, ears over shoulders.
Breathe some more. While in mountain pose, notice the breath. Allow the hands to softly open on an inhalation and close on an exhalation, like flower petals unfolding in the morning and drawing in at evening. Count the length of the inhalation and the length of the exhalation. See if you can bring the portions into equal length, extending the inhalation or the exhalation as necessary for an equally balanced breath. Try this for 12 cycles and then resume your natural pattern of breathing.
Align with the rhythm of the season. Rise earlier to walk the dog or have breakfast when the air’s fresher. Plan a late evening walk. Remind yourself, Jensn says, to slow down and enjoy the warmth, fun, love and companionship that are part of the summer element/season/energy.
Accept and Appreciate. Sweltering summer days are part of life in the city and D.C. residents always find ways to adjust and enjoy whether it’s sitting on the stoop visiting with neighbors after the sun goes down, retreating to Hains Point, walking the waterfront or gathering with friends at a rooftop bar. So, stay out of air conditioning when you can (unless you’re escaping temporarily into a gallery!). Opt for lunch on a shaded patio or take your book to a park to read. “Maintain your cool rather than forcing coldness on or in your body with refrigerated air and iced drinks,” Jensen advises. “When you then go outside in the heat, all your pores are open to the heat which can ‘invade’ and give you a summer sickness. We call it a ‘cold,’” she adds, “but it can be either an invasion of cold in the air conditioning, especially from a draft, or it can be an invasion of heat when you’re all chilled, having to wear a sweater inside because of all the over-cooled air and then getting hit like a ton of bricks with the heat outdoors.”
When eating, think fresh. Celery, lettuces and other watery vegetables minimize stagnancy in the body, says Jensen. Avoid stews and slow-cooked foods. They hold more heat than quick-cooked or raw foods. Use judgment with spiciness. Hot food seems to cool some people in hot weather and makes others hotter. Alcohol in general is warming. White wine is less warming than red.
Fold forward. While you’re on the floor, take a break in a simple yoga pose called child’s pose, or balasana. Kneel on a blanket or rug. Sit back, bringing the bottom and sitting bones toward the heels. Fold the torso forward over the bent legs, resting the forehead on a yoga block, book, pillow or your folded hands. Or, from a chair, simply scoot forward to a desk or table, place folded arms on the surface and gently round forward, setting the forehead your arms.
Let go. When you’re resting, whether in child’s pose on the floor, at your desk or in an easy chair with a flute of crisp blanc de blanc, just chill out. Jensen advises avoiding things riled you. “In this election season (which has been more like an election eon than season),” she writes by email from where she’s finishing a sabbatical in France, “it’s easy to get agitated. Limit your time with the ‘news’ if that gets you frustrated or upset with no outlet for your emotions.”
Still can’t cool down? Take a brisk shower before bed.
While you’re attuning to the tempo and temperatures of summer, why not add a night of stargazing? The National Park Service’s Exploring the Sky program provides telescopes in Rock Creek Park for the public to use. The bright clear light from the closest of those stars takes more than four years to reach our eyes. That’ll put a few sweaty days in perspective.
— Alexa Mergen Writer and editor Alexa Mergen grew up in Washington, DC, and now lives in rural Nevada.
A RICH CUP Of COFFEE is our favorite way to start the day. And, of course, now that coffee is so good for you, we’re even more excited to explore places that serve first-rate joe along with healthy dose of character. Alexa Mergen and MyLittleBird staff have written about our top spots to caffeinate in and around DC ; summer intern and University of Pittsburgh student Emma Larkin told all about her favorite places in Pittsburgh. Now, Larkin reports about where to linger over a cuppa in the city of brotherly love.
If you love fine art and are a night owl, head to Chapterhouse. Located on a quieter side street in South Philly, this cafe features seasonally changing exhibits and some of the best espresso (so rich it tastes like fruit) a sleep-deprived body could want. If that doesn’t appeal, there are Italian sodas, smoothies, croissants and bagels available.
Elixr Coffee
Elixr
207 S. Sydenham Street
Monday to Saturday 7am-8pm, Sunday 8am-8pm
A haven with gorgeous colorful murals and friendly people. Seeing people focused on their work put me in the zone; I didn’t even open Pinterest. Communal benches line the walls; I preferred to snag a spot on a long table upstairs. During busy hours, you may be hard pressed to find a seat since it’s a favorite among locals. I particularly liked the spices available next to the half-and-half. They put in a little something special in their cinnamon and nutmeg blend. Elixr’s light-roasted beans gives their coffee more of a tea-like taste. It’s the one I most enjoyed drinking while compiling this roundup.
Bluestone Lane’s Rittenhouse Square cafe
Bluestone Lane
701 Locust Street
Daily 7am-6pm
267-239-0144
Tucked inside the historic Warwick Hotel, Bluestone serves up Australian-style coffee and dishes, along with a clean, minimalist decor. Brunch, which is served all day, includes avocado smash, creamy honey and cashew butter toast topped with seasonal poached fruit, ratatouille-style baked eggs and muesli. Seating options: stools at the center bar, window benches and extensive seating at the rear of the space. Ideal spot for those who think best in uncluttered space.
Ox Coffee
616 South Third Street
Monday to Thursday 7am-5pm, Friday 7am-6pm, Saturday 8am-6pm, Sunday 8am-5pm
215-922-2531
Conveniently located just off the bustling end of South Street, the compact and inviting Ox Coffee serves high-quality coffee (Stumptown Coffee Roasters) that is harvested, processed and roasted using sustainable and organic practices. Along with featuring local vendors, artists and musicians, Ox hosts night classes to encourage an informed, coffee-loving community. The absence of wi-fi means it’s not for customers who want to tap away on their laptops.
Menagerie Coffee
Menagerie Coffee
18 South Third Street
Monday to Friday 7am-7pm, Saturday to Sunday 8am-7pm
The open, spacious atmosphere in this Old City coffeehouse (a former art gallery) helped me clear my mind after trekking around the city. Bonus points for a very friendly staff two immaculate bathrooms and large tables with outlets in the back. They serve light-to-medium-roast coffees from Dogwood Coffee Co., a small roaster out of Minneapolis. Also, homemade sandwiches and locally sourced yogurt, granola and pastries.
La Colombe
130 South 19th Street
Monday to Friday 7am-7pm, Saturday to Sunday 8am-7pm
215-563-0860
There are several locations around the city, but this spot on Rittenhouse square, near some of the best shopping in the city, is perfect for a quick pit stop or meeting friends. While the weather’s warm, try a draft latte, a unique on-tap libation that mixes cold-pressed espresso and frothed milk for a delicious, energizing drink. Note: No wi-fi is available, and it tends to get louder and more crowded than most of the other shops on this list. For at-home coffee prep, check out their premium coffee gear (French presses, grinders, espresso makers).
THE SEASON OF white wine and rosé is running out. More serious drinks are on the horizon! With that in mind, we spoke with Audra Kelly, cocktail program manager for Pittsburgh’s Wigle Whiskey, on how to make sure your bar is appropriately stocked for the season ahead.
But first a bit of background. Wigle, a craft whiskey distillery in the ‘Burgh’s Strip District, opened to the public in 2012. It’s the only whiskey distillery in the region and the first in the city since Prohibition. The family-owned and operated business is named after Phillip Wigle, who defended his distilling rights in a tussle with a tax collector. He unwittingly helped spark the Whiskey Rebellion, pitting Western Pennsylvania distillers against George Washington’s troops. Sentenced to hang by George Washington for treason for defending his love of whiskey, Wigle was ultimately pardoned by Washington. Today, all Wigle bottles have a drawing of a hangman’s noose on the label.
Audra Kelly
History aside, if you’re eager to dip into cocktail culture, here are Kelly’s suggestions for tools, spirits and garnishes to equip your home bar. Kelly says you’ll have all the fixins’ for concocting a Tom Collins, Negroni, Rusty Nail, an Old Fashioned, a Manhattan and a Gimlet (see Kelly’s recipe).
TOOLS
Cocktail shaker
Julep strainer
Fine mesh strainer
Jigger
Citrus squeezer
Bar spoon
Y-Peeler
North Korea launching nuclear missiles, white nationalist rally at University of Virginia. By the time I’ve read morning news and watched MSNBC, I’m feeling completely frazzled. Not a good way to begin the work day. MyLittleBird has written frequently about mindfulness, but lest we forget its power to help us focus on the present, we’re reposting Alexa Mergen’s story of August, 2015.
WITHIN OUR MORNINGS, there are moments as expansive as giant soap bubbles we could step into and inhabit. This is mindfulness: that intentional “stepping into” the current of right now, with curiosity, without judgment.
Why bother with mindfulness? After all, by the time the sun comes up there are cats to feed, coffee to brew, news feeds to read and cereal to chew.
Mindfulness, as defined by the American Psychological Association, is moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment. Noticing what’s happening in our mind and body, as it’s happening, appears to offer a host of benefits from greater relationship satisfaction to increased focus, strengthened immune system and a more functional memory.
Even better, the cat can eat, the coffee can pour and the cereal can be crunched. Routine activities provide the perfect home base for practicing mindfulness.
Reading the news, on the other hand, will have to wait. But after a few mindfulness moments, when you do turn to headlines, chances are you’ll feel more focused. A mindful morning increases the likelihood of continued mindfulness throughout the day.
How do we measure a moment?
Moments are by definition moving forward. To be mindful, we want to pause them, hold them up like a glass paperweight to the light. The surest measure of a moment is the breath. Yogis say that each person’s breath is as unique as her fingerprint. A Swiss study found exhaled compounds in breath can in fact serve as a “breathprint.”
The first step to mindfulness, then, is to breathe. If you’re reading this, that’s already happening. So read on.
Use the breath to measure a moment. On the inhalation, say to yourself “mo-.” On the exhalation, continue with “-ment.” The inhalation, “mo,” might offer a sense of expansion. The exhalation, “ment,” might provide a sense of slowing or anchoring.
Close the eyes now and continue for three more conscious breaths, marking, with attention, a moment in time.
With eyes open again, notice that this process is experiential. There’s no right or wrong way, no goal, prize or destination.
Try it again. Three more conscious breaths, saying the syllables “mo-ment.” Or dropping that, allow the breath to happen without the idea of a word at all.
Next, consider your morning routine. Look for activities that you do pretty much every day. I always have a mug of coffee, home-brewed from Open City grounds, or a cup of Celadon Pearl green tea from leaves shipped by Red Blossom Tea Company in San Francisco. Sometimes I sit in the living room; other times I’m on the go, and the beverage comes along in a kleankanteen travel mug.
The green tea is fussy. After reaching a boil, the water in the kettle needs to cool. Here’s where I can breathe, six or eight full cycles of inhalation and exhalation, standing in the kitchen, until it’s time to steep the leaves.
The coffee brews for four minutes. The timer on the kitchen stove provides a one-minute warning after three minutes. Beep! That last minute is when I close my eyes and follow my breath in and out of the body, being still for just 60 seconds.
In Buddhism, the sound of a bell, be it a doorbell or the “tink” of an incoming text message, can be used as a bell of mindfulness, a reminder that we are alive right now.
Out the door already? Waiting for a traffic signal is a classic mindfulness tool. Renowned teacher Thich Nhat Hanh writes small poems called gathas for enriching daily moments with mindfulness, including one for driving a car.
Before starting the car, I know where I am going. The car and I are one. If the car goes fast, I go fast.
Walking the dog means a significant wait for me at the traffic signal at Connecticut Avenue and Devonshire Place NW. That’s where I can stop and breathe. One of my students practices mindfulness on Metrorail sitting amid fellow commuters.
Having mapped a place in your morning routine to apply mindfulness, know that you can do it. Keep it simple. Mindfulness is not meditation. It requires no special cushion or technique. It’s about being with what is happening without holding sway over it through analysis or control. And it takes only a moment, a moment defined by you, by your breath, by your life.
Mindfulness practice is private, intimate and transformative. Ever present, the breath is like a good friend who always picks up the phone when she sees your number appear.
I leave you with my own start-the-day gatha.
This morning breath travels in and breath travels out, an unmeasurable moment fathomed.
Let me know how it goes!
—Alexa Mergen Writer, editor and yoga teacher Alexa Mergen grew up in and often visits Washington, D.C. She lives in Ely, Nevada.
OF ALL THE brilliant lyrics written by John Lennon, one line that sticks in my head illustrates how perfectly he captured so much in so few words: “I read the news today, oh boy.”
I read the news today, and oh boy. While there was no mention of “4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire,” still there was plenty of death and destruction to go around. In fact, being highly empathetic my mood gradually soured as I turned the pages of the newspaper, and by the time I reached the editorials I was weeping into my oatmeal, which actually wasn’t all bad since it was too thick anyway and the extra water helped.
Pulling myself together, I forged onward and found a brief article about cuddling, a therapeutic technique developed specifically to calm sufferers of anxiety, i.e., everyone who walks upright on two feet. Business is booming under President Trump, who is making everyone nervous with his constant tweeting. Turns out being a professional cuddler is a real job— who knew? You can work for companies like Cuddle Party, Cuddlist, Cuddle Sanctuary and Cuddle Up To Me. Following is an ad for one called Cuddle Comfort:
BECOME A PROFESSIONAL CUDDLER Are you a kind, caring and understanding person who loves to cuddle? Become a Professional Cuddler with Cuddle Comfort and earn great money as an independent contractor. Be your own boss and get paid after each session with flexibility of your own schedule if you fit these requirements: * You have a photo to attach. * You can be affectionate to anyone. * You are accepting of all races, ages, genders and sexual orientations. * You should be reliable with strong interpersonal and communication skills. * Ideally you should be a woman —the market for male cuddlers is very small. * You understand and agree to the Cuddler Contract.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I frequently receive makeup, tools and skincare creams from PR companies seeking publicity for their clients. I also buy a lot myself. There’s something about being in a Bluemercury or a Sephora or the ultra-luxe cosmetics department of NYC’s Barneys or Bergdorf Goodman that makes me feel like a kid in a candy store, albeit a pretty expensive one. Nor am I oblivious to the charms of drugstore aisles (see Dr. Tina Alster’s video about her cheap and cheerful brands.) Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Chanel, along with L’Oreal and La Roche-Posay and a host of niche brands promise you hope in a jar or in a mascara wand, BB cream, lipstick or eye shadow palette. They beckon like the Sirens of Greek mythology. And, although you know the risk of shipwreck, you’re still enchanted by their call. Flawless-looking skin, no more dark circles, natural color, extra-long lashes. In most cases, the triumph of hope over experience. Yet we persist.
In the past couple of months, I’ve tested several products, some new, some that have been around a while. Here’s my personal take on what works, what doesn’t and what still requires more time to test.
Glo-Minerals Concealer Under Eye: My friend Mary F. recommended I use this (and then unexpectedly sent me one; thanks, Mary) when I was trying to cover some bruises after a session with my dermatologist. It’s creamy but not oily so it does the job for covering dark circles and doesn’t creep into your creases. It includes two colors to use each alone or mix to match your skin tone. $32, gloskinbeauty.
Wet ‘N Wild Concealer brush: One of the friendlier salespeople at my neighborhood Sephora tipped me off to this brush that features a flat head. That makes it easy to maneuver under your eyes, for example. You can’t beat the price. $.99 at your favorite corner drugstore.
Color Me Pro Edition Applicator: Foundation that looks air-brushed? Sign me up. The folks at ColorMe sent me this fun sonic gadget, which is like an electric toothbrush for your face, except it’s a sponge. You apply a pump of your primer/concealer/foundation/highlighter onto a little triangular sponge; then press a button and move it around your face in a circular motion. It takes a while to get the hang of it, but the result is pretty good. I found it worked better with with a heavier product than it did, say, with my tinted moisturizer. But I’m still experimenting. The only, er, flaw, is that you need towelettes ($9.50 for 20) to clean the sponge and then the sponge refills are $9 for a set of two. I’m not a clean freak but I do have sensitive skin, so the process of cleaning and replacing makes me wary. $68, colormebeauty.
Nars Liquid Blush: Creamy blushes get my nod, and this new one from Nars is a snap to apply and blend. The color diffuses into your skin so you don’t get patches of pink or peach or mauve. Fans of natural-looking color should apply. $30 at Sephora, Bluemercury, Ulta and department stores.
Rodan + Fields’ Enhancement Lash Boost: Lush-looking lashes are the holy grail. Mine are thin and not particularly full. According to the Rodan + Fields website, Lash Boost “features a unique proprietary formula that improves the appearance of lash volume and length.” It also says best results come when you’ve used the product for eight weeks. I have not been faithful, so I can’t report on its efficacy yet. (A few years ago I used Neulash off-label, so to speak, on my brows, and they did look a lot fuller.) $150, rodanandfields.
Rudela & Co. Silc/Blender Silicone-Based Makeup Sponge: I’ve happily used the beautyblender sponge for a few years, but was always slightly worried that I didn’t clean it properly and was going to get a flesh-eating bacterial infection on my face. So, a silicone-based, hypoallergenic blender that could be easily wiped off seemed like a great alternative. Until I tried it. Instead of gently spreading the makeup onto my skin, it felt as if I were rubbing a sticky ball over my face. I’ll give it a few more go-rounds to see if I can get the knack—or not. $12, rudelaandco.
When the world is too much with us, as the poet William Wordsworth laments in his sonnet, it’s time to step back and appreciate the beauties of nature. Which is why we’re rerunning Alexa Mergen’s post on forest bathing. Translated from the Japanese shinrin-yoku, it means immersing yourself in the woods.
“FOREST BATHING is slowing down and connecting with nature with all your senses and it’s something you can do very close to home,” says Melanie Choukas-Bradley. The author and naturalist leads forest bathing walks in D.C.’s Rock Creek Park and regional open spaces. Forest bathing, she says, is linked to other mindfulness practices like yoga, Tai Chi and meditation, “but there’s another dimension to it because you’re feeling a connection with nature.”
That connection Choukas-Bradley describes seems to reduce stress and foster well-being. Studies conducted at Japan’s Chiba University, Center for Environment, Health and Field Services and described in the book Your Brain on Nature, found “that spending time within a forest setting can reduce psychological stress, depressive symptoms and hostility, while at the same time improving sleep and increasing both vigor and a feeling of liveliness.”
Guides like Choukas-Bradley facilitate forest bathing on the walks they lead.
“You’re engaged with nature and nature has a slow sweet pace, and it’s very rejuvenating to be around trees and listen to birds and smell the autumn smells from the earth and just feel fully alive.” She adds, “If we’re only engaged electronically, it’s not enough.”
At the heart of forest bathing is quieting the mind and awakening the physical senses. And it works, says Barnesville, Maryland artist and avid walker Tina Brown who took her first forest bathing walk with Choukas-Bradley in Rock Creek Park last October. The women have collaborated on guides to the plants of Sugarloaf Mountain.
“We were asked to focus on a tree,” said Brown, “to look closely at the bark and to pay attention closely to the stream, the water and rocks and smells and sounds.” Choukas-Bradley, Brown said, invited participants to dig deep into their immediate experiences.
A typical forest bathing walk might begin with breath awareness practices or a poem, drawing people into the present moment. What’s called an “invitation” follows, a suggestion to explore a quiet spot alone and notice with all the senses, listening, observing, savoring scents and touching leaves and stones.
“I’m always encouraging people to connect with their own backyard or park down the street,” says Choukas-Bradley, “to find a place of natural beauty that’s very close to where you live and visit as often as you can. It’s a form of intimacy with nature.”
She described her own special sitting spot in Rock Creek Park. The day we talked, she had just seen a kingfisher in the stream.
“It’s so rejuvenating to walk through this forest in a park created in 1890. The trees are huge. I am so intimate with this place that all of the changes that I see over time are incredibly meaningful. It’s like any relationship, the more you know a person the more you love the person; it’s the same thing with nature.”
Spending the time is key. Forest bathers set aside cell phones. They suspend conversations on politics, movies and work. They let go the need to identify a bird or classify a blossom. There are no miles to log. Wonder reigns.
“When I lead walks,” says Choukas-Bradley, “my favorite moments are when everyone gets quiet. We’re looking at Virginia blue bells blooming; I love it when people stop talking and just feel the quiet moments of pure reverence for nature and pure awe.”
A survey sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and cited in an article on forest bathing in The Washington Post states that Americans spend 87 percent of their time indoors and 6 percent in an enclosed vehicle, on average.
Choukas-Bradley believes forest bathing could shift that percentage, inviting more and more people to re-connect with the nature around them.
“Our culture and our way of life separates us from nature, so we have to work at it a little bit. It’s a practice like anything else. If it’s important to you and you make time for it, the rewards are boundless.” she says.
Ready for a dip into forest bathing?
As with any mindfulness practice, you can start small, with five or ten minutes. Next time you’re walking to the train, detour under a tree. Pause. Touch the bark. Lean against the trunk.
Or pause on a bench during errands. Lift your face and watch the clouds, feel the breeze on your cheeks and mist from a nearby fountain. Smell the fresh-cut grass.
Or, on a walk with a friend through a park, agree to drift in opposite directions for a few minutes, smelling the air, collecting fallen leaves. Then reconvene and share what you observed.
Participants in Choukas-Bradley’s walks range from 20 to 80.
“It’s for anybody who enjoys nature and wants to get outside, de-stress,” says Brown, the artist. “You’re not thinking about anything but being present.”
A wonderful aspect of the natural world is that it’s vast enough to absorb our moods.
“When despair for the world grows in me/and I wake in the night at the least sound/in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,” writes Wendell Berry in his poem The Peace of Wild Things, “I go and lie down where the wood drake/rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.”
The peace of wild things is a form of resting in the world. It’s a cleansing: Forest bathing both restores and rejuvenates.
“It’s healing and it’s celebratory,” Choukas-Bradley says. “There’s a great joy in feeling alive in the forest or in the field or any natural setting. It’s true that it’s comforting if you’re troubled or depressed, but if you come feeling happy your happiness will be enhanced by connecting with natural beauty.”
— Alexa Mergen
Writer and editor Alexa Mergen grew up in Washington, DC and now lives in rural Nevada.
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