First Person Singular by Wendy Braitman

Are High Heels Worth It?

A handsome friend of mine, who is straight and single, asked me why women wear high heels. He doesn’t find them attractive, and anyway, shoes are the last thing he looks at when he’s checking someone out. That’s a relief, but also a disappointment, when recounting the hours of pain I’ve subjected my feet to, in the service of dating and mating. Here in L.A., women alternate between flip-flops and stilettos, with me falling somewhere in between. But I was happy to hear from a high-end shoe rep that flats are trending big for fall and spring. Today, on the 90th anniversary of getting the right to vote, we can choose fashionable, yet rational, shoes. It’s a fitting tribute.

Image: Derek Gores

The Single Life

In a Single Shoe/Live Girls, 2009, by Jessica Sofia Mitrani

Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

Have you ever dated vicariously? Yesterday, I spoke to a woman who has fallen in like and I wanted to know everything. In particular, what’s different this time? For starters, she decided to forget Match.com, and instead, go out to new social settings, without the comfort of close friends. Within the first week, she’d met a great guy. It’s good to be reminded of what works for people, and now, I’m game. On Sunday morning, rather than Whole Foods, I’m heading to the Hollywood Farmer’s Market to buy produce and talk to a stranger. In case you’re so inclined, here’s a list of the top Farmer’s Markets in the country.

CONTEST deadline, August 9th. Don’t miss out!

Image: Spring vegetables at the outdoor market, Campo dei Fiori, in Rome.

What’s Your Go-to Shoe?

Birkenstock was nowhere in my lexicon, and certainly not in my closet until three years ago. I can’t pinpoint the moment when my aversion turned to adoration, but I know that I’m happier because of them. Perhaps as with a mate, it’s a question of finding the right match. In my case it was the Gizeh sandal, which defied the hippie image I’d associated with Birkenstocks, and when paired with cropped jeans and a pedicure, it’s a surprisingly cute look. The walkability is addictive, and since I’m in them almost everyday, the CPU (cost per use) is next to nothing. This love’s for real.

Image: Untitled Detail (Vans) 2007, by Amanda Ross-Ho

Sister Envy

I grew up with a much taller brother, and since it was before the advent of the boyfriend jean, we couldn’t swap clothes. On the bright side, no hand me downs, either. But I used to wonder, if I’d had a sister, would we borrow each other’s shoes? This 1984 sculpture, by the Swiss artistic team of Peter Fischli and David Weiss, and currently at MOMA, is called The Three Sisters. I’ve been looking at it for hours, trying to figure out the name. Here’s a little six degrees of unmarried separation…. Chekhov wrote a play, Three Sisters, related to the Brontës, two of whom never married. Could there be a connection? What are your thoughts?

Don’t be shy. Enter our CONTEST!

Manicure/Pedicure?

This surprised me. You can spot a tourist in Rome by looking down at her feet. With no nail salons in sight, my orange-colored toes (as in A Good Mandarin is Hard to Find) were as obvious as a map and a fanny pack. Back in L.A., in perennial sandal season, I feel right at home.

Photograph: Le Bain de Pied, 1998, by Sarah Moon

When You Have to Wear a Hat

Yes, there’s sweltering July heat on the East Coast, but here, we’ve been living in a never-ending cycle of what Los Angelinos call June Gloom. Still, it’s summer, so when I go outside for any length of time, I grab a hat. It’s not just the premature aging that concerns me, but the expensive auburn highlights I want to keep intact. In my closet, I have two limp choices – a black Nylon baseball cap, and a wide-brimmed SunPrecautions bonnet, both of which make me look ridiculous. At least I’m protected. For a better solution, check this out –

Image by Kimiko Yoshida, Self-Portrait, 2010

The Elements of Style

Style is a simple way of saying complicated things

Drawing and quote by Jean Cocteau, poet, writer, artist, filmmaker, July 5, 1889 – Oct. 11, 1963

Are School Uniforms a Good Idea?

My friend, a former dentist, loved going to work wearing his scrubs. Getting dressed in the morning was a breeze. No decisions about color or silhouette. No insecurities about making a fashion faux pas. His closet was a sea of blue. I can’t imagine. I’d get so bored. But the other day, this friend’s niece was at the house, all giddy about the uniform she’s required to wear when she starts high school in the fall. (Maybe it’s genetic.) Tell me, is there an upside to dressing like your peers?

Artwork: Us and You, 2007, by Sidney Pink (pencil and watercolor on paper)

How To Update Your Wardrobe

What woman wears only one outfit for 60-plus years?*

When I need a fashion freshen and money is tight, I buy a lipstick.  If I can spare a little cash, a couple of new t-shirts can make a difference. But  if I’m feeling flush, the best single item to update last year’s clothes, is an awesome pair of boots. Wonder Woman, who appeared in this mod look, in 1968, doesn’t have to choose. She’s getting a complete re-d0. Check out her before and after -

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