Fashion Icons: Fran Lebowitz
Lebowitz is kind of a jerk, but she's smarter than you so just deal with it. She says things like, "All God's children are not beautiful. In fact, most are barely presentable." Damn man, that's harsh. But at the same time, anyone who has ridden public transportation knows just what she means. She criticizes New York as being too rich to be exciting, and again, damn. Again, anyone who has eaten at the Ralph Lauren Cafe knows just what she means.
Lebowitz is one of those people who arrives unapolegetically as the best dressed person in the room, not because of her crazy expensive or obsessed-over wardrobe, but because of her confidence, succinctness, and commitment to classic. White blended fabric button ups with navy pinstripes, thick scratchy wool sweaters in only neutral colors, straight leg denim and utilitarian boots and pea coats, and herringbone or plaid blazers are her go-to's, and they blend practicality with a nod to fit and form. Almost never without her tortoise shell glasses, she looks smart, and she is.
Lebowitz style is iconic and is the unisex answer to Woody Allen style. I aspire to her confidence, though perhaps not to such a jagged point, but at least enough to get heard in board meetings and a nod of authority when directing others. As a woman who often wears mens clothing, knowing there are those that have gone before me (without looking like a truck driver) has so far, made all the difference.