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It all started with a pair of sweatpants. They were gray, shapeless, two sizes too large, with my company’s logo printed on the left hip—a gift given out at our 2019 holiday party. I couldn’t resist sinking into their cozy warmth every chance I got. After three months of enjoying them on weekend bodega runs, they became a much more permanent part of my wardrobe when the pandemic hit. With nowhere to go, I couldn’t muster up the energy to wear anything else.

My sleek leather pants and cool vintage Levi’s only reminded me of how life as we knew it was over.In the grand scheme of things, this was not a problem. I had my health, my family was safe, and I could easily work from home—it was a privilege to have enough time and energy to even briefly think about clothing. But by April 1, 20 whole days into my quarantine, it felt like I’d been wearing sweats forever. That’s when I had an idea.

I’m a novelist, and at that point, I was 60 pages into writing a murder mystery. I abandoned that project—it was too depressing—and cast around for another topic. Sick of my aforementioned sweatpants, I wanted to dive into a glamorous world. I imagined my new protagonist would be a fashion stylist. (This was truly the very first character detail I came up with.) I missed live music and all the other fun New York City has to offer, so I decided her love interest would be a musician, and they’d have date nights at all my favorite restaurants and bars. I craved travel, so there’d be chapters set in Portland and Miami. Most of all, I wanted to hug my grandparents, so I dreamed up a fabulous matriarch. Two years later, that book hit shelves. It’s called Meant to Be Mine, and it’s about a woman who knows the exact day she’ll meet the love of her life, thanks to a prophecy from her eccentric grandmother.

Student cat today

brown tabby cat on white stairsPhoto by Alexander London on Unsplash


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Meant to Be Mine' by Hannah Orenstein

One of my favorite parts of writing the book was constructing a fictionalized version of New York’s fashion industry. I knew the subject fairly well, thanks to years of interning for fashion magazines and a womenswear designer, as well as reporting on fashion week. I’ve spent my entire career as a writer and editor for lifestyle publications in the city—so while I’m not a fashion industry insider, I’m pretty adjacent. Still, I wanted to learn more, so I started my research.

To flesh out stylist Edie Meyer’s world, first I called Audree Kate López, a stylist living in Manhattan, to get the scoop on what her career looks like behind the scenes. We had crossed paths early on in our careers when I was at Seventeen and she was at Redbook. I’ve been a fan of her work ever since. She has such a knack for styling vibrant, fresh, very New York looks that embody the energy I wanted readers to feel while reading my book.

She told me about the time she styled a pop star with such long, unwieldy nails, she couldn’t put on her own underwear. She talked about a gig styling a rapper who insisted on having lobsters delivered to the set of his photoshoot. Off-camera, López cringed as lobster juice dripped all over the expensive pants she was wearing. I couldn’t resist putting both of those stories in the book. She also considered descriptions of my characters and recommended brands they should wear. (For Edie herself, vintage Versace and Valentino from her grandmother’s closet paired with chunky Lulu Frost jewelry.)

I also used my own experiences in magazines as inspiration. Pre-2020, I went to lots of press previews, which strike me as such a quirky element of the industry. The guests were often familiar to me—typically people who held my same job title at other publications. I could count on there being copious amounts of wine and cheese, and I was always tickled by the unusual perks publicists offered to get busy writers and editors in the door. (I’ve received everything from a dance class led by the Rockettes to Beyoncé tickets.)

In Meant to Be Mine, Edie goes to a press preview and air-kisses the guests she knows: fashion editors, Bachelor contestants-turned-influencers, and “Frank, who does not work in fashion (or seem to work at all), and yet somehow makes an appearance at more industry parties than any of us.” (Don’t we all know a Frank?) She enjoys the brand’s signature cocktail, and after viewing the clothes, listens to a “fireside chat by a renowned career coach,” because what else would a brand specializing in great suits do?

Photo by Alvan Nee on Unsplash

mer, if not the movie of the year, and we're counting down the days until we're able to see it in theaters. After first looks and casting info, we finally have an official teaser for the film and it promises to be as self-aware, colorful, and fun as we hoped.

mer, if not the movie of the year, and we're counting down the days until we're able to see it in theaters. After first looks and casting info, we finally have an official teaser for the film and it promises to be as self-aware, colorful, and fun as we hoped.

mer, if not the movie of the year, and we're counting down the days until we're able to see it in theaters. After first looks and casting info, we finally have an official teaser for the film and it promises to be as self-aware, colorful, and fun as we hoped.

mer, if not the movie of the year, and we're counting down the days until we're able to see it in theaters. After first looks and casting info, we finally have an official teaser for the film and it promises to be as self-aware, colorful, and fun as we hoped.

mer, if not the movie of the year, and we're counting down the days until we're able to see it in theaters. After first looks and casting info, we finally have an official teaser for the film and it promises to be as self-aware, colorful, and fun as we hoped.

@paigeniemann Who’s your favorite character from mean girls? 💗 #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #viral #meangirls ♬ original sound - Pierson Fodé

It can be nerve-racking to be meeting your in-laws for the first time, but it's important to relax and be yourself. This doesn't mean you should act like they're just any other acquaintance, or that you should let your guard down SO much, you end up acting inappropriately (there's no need to do tequila shots and suggest playing Cards Against Humanity, for example).

It can be nerve-racking to be meeting your in-laws for the first time, but it's important to relax and be yourself. This doesn't mean you should act like they're just any other acquaintance, or that you should let your guard down SO much, you end up acting inappropriately (there's no need to do tequila shots and suggest playing Cards Against Humanity, for example).

selective focus photography of plant Photo by Kent Pilcher on Unsplash

Rather, show genuine interest in what they're saying, answer their questions honestly and pleasantly, and don't be afraid to politely disagree on low-stakes topics like your favorite travel destination, musician, or after-work activity. If you disagree on anything more high-stakes (i.e. politics), it's best to save those conversations for sometime down the line when you know each other better and have already established a relationship.

2 girls sitting on floor Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Rather, show genuine interest in what they're saying, answer their questions honestly and pleasantly, and don't be afraid to politely disagree on low-stakes topics like your favorite travel destination, musician, or after-work activity. If you disagree on anything more high-stakes (i.e. politics), it's best to save those conversations for sometime down the line when you know each other better and have already established a relationship.

To download your copy of
The Great Report
2020 Global Report Sheet

welcome to the start of the day.

Photo by Joe Yates on Unsplash


listicle 1

Before you even list your items, you're going to want to do a few things first. First, go through your closet and pull out those pieces that kinda fit, but not really. Oh, and those trendy pieces that were really only wearable for a season, or that are kind of cute but you don't feel good in. Finally, take out those pieces that are just not you… even if you got them on sale for a great deal. These are the pieces that you're going to want to list online (before you hit up the thrift store...again).

listicle 3

Before you even list your items, you're going to want to do a few things first. First, go through your closet and pull out those pieces that kinda fit, but not really. Oh, and those trendy pieces that were really only wearable for a season, or that are kind of cute but you don't feel good in. Finally, take out those pieces that are just not you… even if you got them on sale for a great deal. These are the pieces that you're going to want to list online (before you hit up the thrift store...again).

listicle 5

Before you even list your items, you're going to want to do a few things first. First, go through your closet and pull out those pieces that kinda fit, but not really. Oh, and those trendy pieces that were really only wearable for a season, or that are kind of cute but you don't feel good in. Finally, take out those pieces that are just not you… even if you got them on sale for a great deal. These are the pieces that you're going to want to list online (before you hit up the thrift store...again).