OUTFIT DETAILS: Mach and Mach shoes (borrowed from Allie) // YSL lipstick in Rouge Volupté

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Some days, when it's bitterly cold and dark outside...

Few things lift my spirits quite like a beautiful pair of indulgent shoes. To which you might ask, are they practical? Far from it. Could you walk several blocks in them? Certainly not. Will they fix all your problems? Don't hold your breath. But damn, they do make me sigh in the best way possible and on those bitterly cold, dark days, that has to be worth something, right?

ONE // The US is seeing a massive spike in anti-Asian hate crimes

This is a hard but worthwhile read, so I encourage you to please make time for it. And then after that, please read my dear friend Serena's words on the matter here.

TWO // I was a teenage girl in Britney Spears's heyday. The way she was treated hurt us all.

As a fellow teenage girl in Britney Spears's heyday, this article really struck me, namely how much her poor treatment was really a disservice to us all. We haven't watch the new documentary yet -- but it's on our weekend agenda.

THREE // The type of love that makes people happiest

When it comes to lasting romance, passion has nothing on friendship. I personally don't think this gets emphasized enough, when it comes relationships that stand the test of time.

FOUR // What HBO's Fake Famous doesn't understand about young people and influencer culture

This article is probably as close as I'll come to giving this documentary any more attention. If there's one thing I can't stand especially for a controversial documentary, it's poor and lazy storytelling and this sounds like a prime example of that.

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FIVE // LaTonya's new series -- Sex Stories

A powerful new series from LaTonya -- submitted anonymous stories about their experiences with sex. Here's an excerpt:

“I lost my virginity during a pandemic.

I dated a man in college who believed sex was reserved for marriage. At the time, so did I. I was going to marry him, so I figured it was just an exercise in patience. Turns out, his patience didn’t extend to online sex."

SIX // New York...or elsewhere?

A moving essay from my dear friend Helena sharing her thoughts on her future here in New York or possibly somewhere else. A question I think a lot of us, myself included, here in the city have been thinking about.

SEVEN // When I want to feel strong, I turn to Eartha Kitt

As someone who adores Eartha Kitt as well, I enjoyed this essay. Here's an excerpt that I think sums it up nicely:

"Beauty and brilliance have always guided me, and Kitt is foundational to both."

EIGHT // 3 things making me smile

This is my latest favorite Instagram account -- Classical Cringe -- fine art masterpieces paired with 2021 snark. // "I'm not a cat," moment from the Zoom video gone wrong. // Celebrating the Lunar New Year -- ushering in the year of the Ox.

First photo by Allie Provost // Second photo by me