Leandra M. Cohen
- Founder and Writer, The Cereal Aisle by Leandra Medine Cohen
- Founder and Writer, The Cereal Aisle by Leandra Medine Cohen
New York
As seen in:
The Cereal Aisle by Leandra Medine Cohen,
TIME,
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Slate,
Substack,
The Hyphen by Emma Gannon,
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InStyle,
On Substack,
PORTER
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Always in fashion at the Copacabana.
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Articles by Leandra M. Cohen
A portion of this newsletter is brought to you by Warby Parker. My working theory is that June and December are the same months with the: high intensity! Being so busy! Tying up loose ends before The Big Break! And an overall positive, cheery spirit in the air. Ditto that July and January: the novel part of a new season when the crux of THE PLANS get made, play out. And February/August, when we start to dull, dream ahead. In February, we future trip into Spring.
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How to wear black without looking boring, the sequel
They say wearing black is the easy style choice but I challenge that claim because assembling an outfit that is thought-provoking or inspiring but is also made up only of black demands a level of shrewd thinking. It’s a creative challenge that invites you to consider the depth of the range of shades of black you can put together, what silhouettes are most impactful when paired, how texture and hardware and software and outerwear play lead roles in keeping things interesting.
Letter of Rec #090: Stupid things I love
My friend Camilla put this list together yesterday, my other friend Max sent me this one later; they both detail all sorts of ways you can help re the LA fires. Consider it the only urgent recommendation in this week’s edition. If you know of any others and feel compelled to share, drop them into the comments below. Friends in L.A.: I’m thinking of you and sending so much love. Do you remember that silver-stem nautilus sugar bowl I told you about before the break?
Good accessories make ordinary outfits a little extra
Not sure if this reflects where pop fashion culture is heading or if I’m tuned into a personal inclination that has a hint of newness about its flavor but these days, the only clothes that feel comfortable, honest, right, good — however you want to describe the click-in feeling you get after you’ve put something on that makes you eager to go out and do something — are so simple, it’s almost criminal.
The unbeatable chicness of a plain black turtleneck
Dressed in a black, long-sleeve jersey turtleneck and knee-cap leggings some 3 months ago, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror of a fitness studio. It occurred to me that I was wearing what could become a versatile winter uniform, made only more true given the context of where I was — On a Pilates reformer.
It’s holly, jolly out there
It got to be like, 60 degrees on Tuesday and the sun came out after a few days down at around noon or 12:30. It was perfect given where I was walking — through midtown, in the heart of New York’s holiday cheer. But this is the season of chasing time, which makes it hard to pick up on the tacit qualities that unknowingly lead us as we embark on these races against an indefeatable clock.
Making time work for you
The above is a recording of the below essay. I had a tantrum last Friday morning. I’d just returned home from getting my kids to school and before my baby was going to wake up, I wanted to do 30 minutes of something. But I was in the delirium new moms face when they’re met with a rare, sparkling moment of freedom and don’t quite know what to do with it: open the boxes that are in the hallway? clear the kitchen counter? send off these emails?
Letter of Rec #088: It's cool to copy your friends
I went to a party last Saturday night dressed in the sequined St. John set shown in Tuesday’s letter, with sheer black tights and these shoes. To offset slippery-slip-slopping, I took a pair of rubbery nipple covers I originally got to wear under a sheer tank top to a wedding and stuck them, adhesive side down, into the slope of the shoe, which to my surprise, totally worked.
Subtle outfit makers
Still on the theme of incurring a light lift as opposed to a heavy lift when it comes to getting dressed, there are a few outfit makers that have facilitated my wearing variations on the same thing over again without feeling the same or over the top. Some of the below makers are whimsical (a tassel), with others mind-numbingly casual (Ugg-ish boots), but all of them afford whatever I’m wearing a sharp edge you’ll want to poke.
Letter of Rec #087: We’ve re-entered our “I’ll def stop by” era
I figured it out. The reason it feels so alive to think about coats as part of the outfit these days is because they are part of the outfit these days. Especially now-a-these-days with all the holiday stuff going on. We’re back in that swirly cycle of coming in, going out, stopping by and through it all, remaining bundled up. The good news is: no new clothes necc., lest you crave a good tank top for when the heat cranks up. The bad news?
Are tights the festive season outfit unlock?
It occurred to me last year that the month of December (and I guess now November) is basically a dressing season in its own right. It’s like we go from summer to fall to the holidays to winter and in the space between summer and the anterior, there’s a wrestle between oatmeal-y knits and hunter green corduroy, and sequin tops with like, lace hem silk skirts. I get it though. Getting dressed for the holidays feels good.
Notes from the running path
If you get out early enough, there’s no one on the path. It’s just you and the trees and a reservoir of water and the expanse of road that surrounds it. The water looks like glass when the air is still and on these quiet days, I run without music because the pattern of my breathing is rhythmic enough to anchor me into my body — bring me home if I’ve been spinning too far out.
How to get dressed with Aaron Levine
Aaron Levine is a menswear designer who lives in Granville, Ohio with his teenage twin daughters and wife. He just launched his first label, Aaron Levine New York and on the occasion, we spoke about his career trajectory, family life, a freaky-deaky recurring dream that found him nose to door with an attic he refused to enter, and the simultaneously comforting and electric feeling of aliveness you get when you show someone your weird and they show theirs back.
Letter of Rec #086: What are you doing about pants these days?
I have been working on a jewelry collaboration with the Utah-based brand, Audry Rose, since early last Fall and it launched last week.
When your coat is part of the outfit
Creative expression reveals itself through many different mediums, and when it’s alive — when it reflects an active emotional experience, it is also distinctly seductive. Lately I have been feeling spread thin, like I’m being pulled in too many directions.
Scarves and hats and gloves have entered the chat
I realized last week (because of a conversation with a reader under Friday’s Letter of Rec) that feeling alive in your clothes is informed by how driven you are to appeal to your feelings when you’re getting dressed. The downfall is that you’re more than likely to look back when your feelings have changed and think, “Wtf?” This is part of the reason why there’s something nice about having a fixed sense of style (meaning style that doesn’t change).
Letter of Rec #085: The highs and lows of outfit documentation
There’s something nice (and valuable) about the time capsule element of fashion and style, of looking back to indulge in the “What was I thinking?” that is so often implicit in style reflections. It’s a marker in its own right of a moment in time you may have forgotten until the visual jogged your memory. You remember what made you feel cool, and how different it is to what makes you feel cool now. Maybe that tempers the lid on one’s judgment, reveals a sort of toilet paper roll vs.
The fall dress code is slowly taking shape
A cycle I’ve been rotating through for the past few weeks: I go to my closet excited to get dressed and see what will come out of me that day, but end up on the other side kind of deflated or dejected or just discombobulated. I feel flat or dull or like a parody of myself. Nothing is coming alive.
The street report: What people are wearing during “peak New York” season
Revisit the last street report from the Union Square farmer’s market here. New York peaks in the fall. It’s the only season we get where you can actually find yourself more inspired by the leaves on the trees than the clothes on the people. Something about the way the shades of green and orange and yellow and red flirt with each other, and the cement they stand on and across from, can actually get you out of bed, make you want to leave your house.
i interviewed a bunch of cool ppl and now it's a...print publication??!
For the past few months, I’ve been having pretty dope, v vulnerable conversations with people who inspire me. The result, about which I am still in disbelief, is a physical and digital print publication called… Whoa, Vol. 1 Conversations To Make You Feel Human The zine opens with a lil letter from me which I wanted to share with you all below.
#102924: The paradox is the condition
October 22, 2024 There is a familiarity about the postpartum phase that feels like it comes wrapped in frantic energy. I think it has to do with this regaining access to former parts of myself: a faster pace, a higher tolerance threshold, being able to wear my old clothes again. I would get so frustrated that I couldn’t move as quickly as I was used to, as my mind wanted me to when I was still carrying Joelle, and now it’s like I long for that slowdown.
How Many Clothes Do You Own?
Let’s not mess about, this is hard. In my first year of Rule of Five, I had to calibrate to new (well, new to me) levels of deprivation - shopping had become such a panacea for me when it came to entertainment, self care, reward and renewal, doing without it required a whole new mindset.
Letter of Rec #084: What an odd, minimalist nook
I came across this brand on social media earlier this week. It’s called Brave Pudding and they make one product: sock boots. They retail for $380 and achieve the effect of a mesh slipper for a colder climate. They’re a good alt to a shoe like this or this (or better yet, this) and should be paired, in my view, with: tailored trousers and jackets — and to this point, it’s wild how far a quick accessory change can go.
What do moms really wear with Kyla Flax
What do moms really wear is a series that captures to process of getting dressed for mothers with young kids. To revisit the last edition with Courtney Grow, click here. Up today: Kyla Flax, one key reason Anthropology looks so damn good these days, who lives in Philly with her two kids and husband. This is going to sound early but on a regular day, I wake up around 4:30 a.m. I really love to be able to work out and have some time for myself, so I will usually do a workout during this hour alone.
Big change dressing
These lookbook posts usually take like, 2 weeks to make because there’s a lot of stewing. I’ll either have a thought on a dressing concept I want to explore (how to wear black without looking boring, is a khaki anorak the ultimate spring coat), or come nose to nose with a dressing challenge I want to tackle, or find myself toiling at the turn of a new season as I figure out what clothes feel right.
Letter of Rec #083: Seeking the tiny fashion minutiae that reflects a life lived-in
Two women who have recently been on my mind: Maryam Nassir Zadeh and Margherita Missoni. Both are quality social media follows, if only because their slideshows full of informal, often blurry photos, taken from all over the world and compiled who knows when and with how much thought actually succeed in bringing to life the qualities of what inspire them. There’s a real femininity, in particular about Maryam’s output, that is very inviting and seductive.
All Day I Dream About Substack (ADIDAS)
I used to always think about sex. How to have it, where to have it, whether anyone, anywhere would be remotely interested in having it with me. And not just that. Boobs and butts and naked women on horses too. Importantly, I was not having sex. I mean, eventually I did, when I was 19, and then again a few times after that, but the thoughts just kept coming. And the shame, my god the shame. Did I do too much? Was I too weird? Partners would say “that was nice” but did they mean it?
The best leopard things and ways to wear them
Animal prints have been circulating on the shoppable internet. In just the last week, I noticed these cow print slippers from Ancient Greek Sandals (I’m gunning for the gold in the same shape), these from Jil Sander and Le Monde Beryl. These Christopher John Rogers and Saks Potts coats (respectively), a 40% off Tod’s skirt and thisparade of Acne.
Small styling lifts from Milan
September collections hold such a different weight when compared to those that present in February/March. I feel so much more desperate for a lift in the latter, eager to experience the flicker of inspiration again. Inspiration is so important to the creative process, huh? Without it, there’s no motivation. It’s not impossible to generate new ideas from there but it does feel like a slog. Meanwhile in September, there’s a natural excitement blanketing life.
Letter of Rec #082: Is it the fall of loafer heels?
It could be the fall of many things, loafer heels just one among them. I’m also completely seduced by these pants Becky highlighted (and recommended to buy 1x oversize) in her letter last week, the way these Neous shoes look against Laura Reilly’s Auralee jeans, and the possibility of a collarless silk antique blouse styled with a low rise straight skirt, though I’d probably add pants under it to style with the sheer tights/sock and textured black shoes.
What do moms really wear with Courtney Grow
What do moms really wear is a series that captures to process of getting dressed for mothers with young kids. To revisit the last edition with Megan O’Neill, click here. Up today: Courtney Grow, the fashion personality and unofficially but highly apt market editor who lives in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn with her four kids and husband.
Sunday Scoop - Retail alert and a Fashion š Spiral on Loafers
šØ Alert for Retail Industry: Walmart along with Target and Amazon plan to start holiday promotions and messaging as early as October 8th. What this could mean: Early competition: With major players starting their holiday promotions in early October, other retailers may need to reassess their holiday marketing timelines to remain competitive.
Letter of Rec #081: Good handbags inside
Lately, I can’t slice out the sum of an outfit without affixing a bag to it. Whether as decorative garnish to fancify knee cap leggings or as a black structured something to ground color, the looks feel incomplete without one.
Why does dressing this time of year feel so good?
It felt like a revelation when I realized a few weeks ago that the reason we, uh, professional dressers get so excited to dress for the fall, like more than at the turn of any other season, is because it comes after a two-month break from actually getting dressed.
Letter #080: Fitted t-shirts, low rise pants and the perfect black clutch
Three things I know for sure about what’s coming for us style-wise, but first: an easily replicable, trans-seasonal outfit that has been sitting in my screenshots folder since the beginning of August.
Letter of Rec #079: The wisdom of pain
I started making this letter before I gave birth, chiefly to acknowledge: the book I’d been reading (August Blue) by Deborah Levy.
How to get dressed with Brie Welch
You know those people who wreak coolness? Like you look at them and kind of squint your eye as you’re sizing them up and down to ascertain how much of how they carry themselves can be translated on your person. Nothing is ever so satisfying as when you realize they’re also, actually, really nice. Brie Welch, the stylist, creative consultant and very good dancer who lives in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn is one such unicorn with a scrunchie on her wrist and shirt around her waist.
I am so sure about chemise dresses, silk shirts and leopard print
But first: Aritzia really does make the best basics. It’s a function of the breadth of the styles. What goes on in those design meetings? It’s like they have a silhouette litigator making sure every sleeve length, hem length, waist shape, crop, color and style is accounted for (this cropped 90s style tee is what I’m after these days too).
The street report: What people are wearing this week at the Union Square farmer’s market
See the last street report here. There’s a tender quiet about the farmer’s market if you can get there early enough on a summer morning. When it’s really hot, you can smell the basil from two blocks away. The soft aroma almost creates the illusion of a breeze. You hear the small murmur of transactions in progress, and produce bags crunching and bunching while shoppers pick at the bounty of stone fruit, each peach more juicy than the one next to it.
The paradox of motherhood
starts when the baby is still in the womb. I thought about that earlier this week after I dropped my daughters off at their camp bus and remembered last summer how intense and unsolvable it felt for the week between school’s end and summer’s beginning when it was just the 3 of us doing everything together on the fingernail-sized world that exists between a mother and her children with shapeless time.
A silk scarf is the key to good summer styling (part 1)
A few things a silk scarf can do for your outfit, depending on how you wear it: Conceal a camel toe, FUPA, bad pant/skirt waist line, zippers that won’t close or which just should not be shown Break up the monotony of a one-and-done dress, or blouse it as a way to give it more character (imagine it as a more elegant alternative to the shirt-around-waist) Cup the bottom of your belly so whatever you’re wearing doesn’t flare out unintentionally (this one might be pregnancy-specific) To this...
9 Things People Are Wearing on the Upper East Side
Want to get the 411 on where fashion is happening locally? Try Pinstripe—your personalized NYC shopping guide. “The Upper East Side is one of the best neighborhoods in Manhattan because it lacks trends.” This is what my friend, Lulu of explained to me when I asked about the fashion destination in question. I love that Lulu lives Uptown. And in the best way, her style reflects all the best bits of neighborhood. Long Live is a reader-supported publication.
What do moms really wear with Megan O'Neill
What do moms really wear is a series that captures to process of getting dressed among mothers with young kids. To revisit the last installment with Sophie Green, click here. Up today: Megan O’Neill, the longtime beauty editor who lives in Bushwick with her two sons and husband. We wake up around 6:45 a.m., Lagos [my son] who is 3 usually gets into our bed around then, which is how I know it’s time to get going.
Letter of Rec #076: Would you wear a nightgown to disco?
I got in touch with this California-based, Afghan designer late last week who hand-makes clothes using vintage and dead stock fabrics. The brand is called Ghesal — have a look at it. I’m nuts about the crochet horse dress she posted a couple of weeks ago. It’s premature to be thinking about wool suiting, but can’t imagine wearing it (or one of these) any other way. In the realm of premature ogles: this vintage suede fringe jacket from Ralph Lauren. Or this new one from Bode.
I think this is the last hurrah
This newsletter is brought to you by Croissant, a new kind of resale experience. The heat doesn’t really bother me, which I think is because it doesn’t feel like an impediment to my style. I get frustrated in the winter, when the practical limitations imposed by the weather make it impossible to wear inconvenient shoes.
3 Women and canned convenience
More than a few years ago I pitched Into the Gloss a shopping story about looks and accessories tied to the movie 3 Women. This was during the heyday of Glossier pink, and if you’re familiar with Altman’s film or seen a screenshot, you’d instantly grasp the connection. 3 Women is awash in shades of carnation and buttercream (with the occasional pop of violet and orange) and taps into femininity, friendship, and performance, all preoccupations of the beauty industry if you ask me.
Letter of Rec #075: What makes a sale worth shopping?
I encountered this brand, Kapsul, earlier this week thanks to a DM from the founder, Mar. It’s line item no.1 because I like what she does: limited capsules made from dead-stock fabrics. I’d been thinking that I’m dying for a tube top to wear (but settling on one-piece bathing suits, or tbh bikini tops, in their place) with my cargo shorts and think this one could be the postpartum hooray.
When does a trend become immortal?
I walked into Bergdorf Goodman last week and noticed dozens of mary janes for sale on the shoe floor. Each version was from a different brand: Prada, Margiela, Alaia, Aquazzura, Jimmy Choo, Gianvito Rossi, Manolo. Louboutin, Bottega, Valentino, JW Anderson, Phillip Lim (5th floor), Pierre Hardy (I love these ones), Miu Miu, The Row and the classics: Le Monde Beryl, Vibi, Carel.
Letter of Rec #074: Seeking novelty
Do you remember this top? I slotted it into one of these letters last summer and now I wonder if it’s fate that there is one left on the internet for anyone who is serious about re-approximating this look (at left). I’ve been thinking a lot about the trend funnel — the fandom that develops around brands and designers, where it starts and where it ends. What makes an editor/influencer/blogger want to rally behind a brand?
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