i-Diary 03: I’m in Paris, Virginia
Plus a surprise guest.
Dear Diary,
Everybody is in Paris! Me too! I am also in Paris (Paris, Virginia but let’s not squabble about geolocation). Ah Paris, Virginia in the autumn! In Paris, Virginia all the waspy women wear riding pants, even if they are not on the horse, even if they are at the gas station. Paris, Virginia where the upper class participate in “The Hunt” and tear through fields after a fox, a scene snarkily rendered by Oscar Wilde as, “the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable.”
Everybody keeps asking me, “What’s in Virginia? Why are you in Virginia?” Oh small minded friends, let me tell you.
The skinny: I am currently dogsitting for some family friends, a gay couple who have three dogs, the rakish Triscuit, stately Colby, and sweet Beluga. Since arriving in Virginia I’ve perfected a gluten-free chocolate babka recipe that’s beyond (if you ask nicely I’ll give it to you), watched several Halloween movies of varying worthiness, gotten a full face rash because it turns out I’m allergic to down pillows (this is true Uptown Problem), went City Cinderella and tried on every single riding boot at a used tack shop (I could spend 5000 words on the boots in this tack shop), made a carbonara with farm fresh eggs that turned the pasta this gorgeous mustard color, and visited the county carnival where I managed to stay on the mechanical bull for 19 seconds AND land on my feet (something everybody told me was “weird” but I think demonstrates my natural athleticism and low center of gravity). The mechanical bull was operated by a drunken and fragrant man named Shaggy who told me and my best friend that he would allow us to go on the mechanical bull as many times as we wanted to which my friend replied, “I’m sure.” He also advised us the key to staying on the bull was moving your hips like you were twirling a hula hoop. Shaggy wielded the bull like a maniac. It’s a reminder that true power can both be unlikely and ineffectual, like people that work at the DMV or co-op boards.
One of these family friends is a landscape designer. As such, his home is also his life’s work, a rare place where the gardens are as vital to the place as the furniture. I love when a person’s home is overwhelmed by their artistry, like Niki de Saint Phalle or Frida Kahlo or, one of my favorite artists Xhul Solar, something that’s almost impossible in New York where everybody rents and taste is confined to the removable (art, furniture) instead of the structural (with the exception of those wealthy enough that the idea of turning a home into a bohemian gymnasium just wouldn’t cross their mind). Here there are plates as wall decoration, hand molded ceiling ornament, and a garden obelisk. Have you done something perfect and strange to your apartment?
Your friend,
P.S. Remember to write home!!
My Insi-Der Trending report from Paris, Virginia is that I picked up a tweed skirt, a pair of blue Levi 505 jeans (so normal), this exact purple Caché dress from the local Humane society that has a chunky beaded necklace and feels very Sluttiest Girl At The Sweet Sixteen. I did NOT buy this skims bodysuit, these strappy shoes, a babydoll dress, and this French cheese plate set for many reasons, namely I am lactose intolerant and live in what is basically a studio apartment. Overall, I’ve been trying to shop more for LIFE and less for PHOTO!!! And I’ve been trying to redirect the gluttony of my mind away from acquisition and toward curiosity!!!
As you can see I’ve fully transitioned into Fall but if you’re still dressing for the last days of warmth…
Cierra O’Day, a vintage obsessed stylist and blogger and trend forecaster though I don’t think she’d own up to it, on what she’s currently interested in.
This summer has been major in the vintage dress department. I went from having one or two (strictly for weddings or “fancy” things) to a full blown obsession. From Etsy gems to Miu Miu minis. it’s all I wear. Piggybacking off both Miu Miu & Prada’s SS25 collection, I hunted for similar vibes, but priced by a mom selling on Poshmark. Now I’m 3 deep & dabbling with a vintage linen apron I can’t wait to style.
Precious 1910s dress w/ Crochet Lace details (my fav etsy shop)
from over the top hats, dangling art deco earrings & ostrich feather accessories…I can’t stop playing with campy glamourous pieces. Most recently, I picked up this pink brooch from Am*z*n & clipped it onto my sheer stockings, it was just what the outfit needed.
If you’ve ever encountered me or my content, you know my heel addiction is a vice I fully embrace. There’s always a pump living in the back of my brain. Recently, it’s the Miu Miu crystal strappy heels Madonna wore on a 2000s press junket & these vinyl-y pink Prada pumps haunting my tabs.
For the home I would like to suggest:
Maybe it’s a fav designer, a 2000s campaign you’ve pinned a hundred times, or that one Juergen Teller x Dakota Fanning Marc Jacobs ad. Chances are it exists on eBay for under $15. From iconic Prada moments to a Helmut Newton heel ad . vintage print ads make the chicest (& cheapest) home art.
Lastly, I’ll leave you with something simple, but stitched with feeling: embroidered undies. Okay I know this might get me canceled…but Brandy Melville makes my favorite ones. They’re cheap, soft, & most of all very cute. I get it if that’s not everyone’s journey so I also recommend these sweet Hanro ones (yes, THAT Hanro, The Nicole Kidman tank from Eyes Wide Shut).
I basically live in the ones from Cou Cou
& while I haven’t tried the Araks yet, they’re adorable & come highly recommended.
Once you’ve found your perfect pair, you can:
A) Embroider or stitch them yourself
B) Take them to a local mom-and-pop embroidery shop
Add a little heart, a crushes name, your initials…whatever you fancy <3
XOXO Cierra
Georgia Graham asked: Why doesn’t Stephanie LaCava have pillows?
Stephanie responds: “This is in my writing studio - I have one or two thrown to the side.”
Isabella Rosario wondered in why writers are so austere in their eating habits (wine, water, coffee, a single date).
I can only answer this personally. I’ve always felt I do my best work when I’m a little hungry because it gives me a mental edge dulled by indulgence. Comfort is comfortable, writing is uncomfortable (mentally and physically) and to write a lot for a long stretch of time is like being the world’s least coordinated endurance athlete. Strategic breaks must be taken without sacrificing focus. When I’m editing I’m a massive snacker but when I’m writing I could forget to eat till dinner. One of my favorite things to passively read is Sylvia Plath’s Food Diary.
BUY OF THE WEEK: My friend Annie Hamilton impulse purchased Tennessee Williams typewriter???
Cierra forever !
“to write a lot for a long stretch of time is like being the world’s least coordinated endurance athlete” !! so true