Table of contents for October 2014 in ELLE

Alex González BASED: New York City PROFESSION: ELLE Creative Director; cofounder and executive creative director of luxury branding and advertising agency AR New York BONA FIDES: BA, arts, Parsons the New School for Design; has worked at Marie Claire, GQ, German Vogue, Männer Vogue, L’Uomo Vogue, Flair, and W INSPIRATION: “Iím very much inspired by an urbane woman, a woman who has multiple facets in her life: family, career, an interest in the arts. This issue of ELLE represents all of that—itís a summation of all of those qualities of a modern woman.” READING: One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez. “Iím rereading it in homage to his passing. Perhaps because Iím Cuban-American, and absolutely because Iím a father, Iím very much connected to the depth of surrealist…

In my teenage years, I tried a lot of things and generally failed. One of those things was a septum piercing, or, as we called it, a “bull ring.” After weeks of secretly taking apart paper clips and shaping them into horseshoes to try out on my nose, I was ready to take the plunge, to go for the real deal. In the apartment of a friend of a friend, late one night after my shift at Urban Outfitters—still somewhat new and edgy in the mid-’90s—we put safety pins to lighter flame and tried to do it ourselves. Let’s just say it ended in an ER visit and no piercing. The truth was that all through the ’90s, I really wanted a labret, the piercing that goes under your lip…

“I love the Eastside because it’s more colorful,” says Silver Lake resident Sonny Ruscha Granade. “There’s a mariachi band that practices on my street, and piñatas are readily available.” Her bestie, Claressinka Anderson, a London transplant residing in Santa Monica, is a Westside girl: “Living by the beach is a dream—the air is clean, and everyone rides bicycles!” But one thing the two up-and-coming curators can agree on is that the City of Angels offers ample room, metaphorically and literally, for creative expression. Ruscha Granade, daughter of pop-art legend Ed Ruscha, manages Hollywood’s Hannah Hoffman Gallery (3), and Anderson hosts a regular salon series, Marine Projects. Their favorite spots bridge the 405 freeway divide. There’s warehouse exhibition hall 356 Mission (6) and the attached Ooga Booga #2 (7) in Downtown;…

THE BEAT GOES ON Queen Bey and her bodysuits have some competition in SOLANGE’s bold new ’70s (Diana Ross–inspired?) look (right). Fellow musician RITA ORA (left) is making music offstage with her own high-voltage, sporty style and a collaboration with Adidas. NEW BOMBSHELLS SPORTS ILLUSTRATED model GIGI HADID and actresses NICOLA PELTZ and MARGOT Robbie (left to right) are all in contention for the title of modern-day Marilyn. Will Hadid’s endless legs and minuscule frocks be enough to ensure victory? It’s hard to tell. Robbie’s constantly changing hair color has given the WOLF OF WALL STREET seductress surprising range, while Peltz—with her plunging necklines and hip-grazing skirt slits—isn’t afraid to risk a possible wardrobe malfunction in the name of fashion. SEPARATED AT BIRTH No, you’re not seeing double. Ever since…

Leather clutch, milly, $275, visit millyny.com Iridescent leather jacket, roberto cavalli, price on request, at Roberto Cavalli boutiques nationwide Iridescent python pump, reed KraKoff for J.m. weston, $1,500, visit reedkrakoff.com Iridescent headphones, monster diamond tears, $270, visit monsterproducts.com Gold, emerald, ruby, sapphire, and diamond ring, wilfredo rosado, price on request, collection at Just One Eye, L.A. Fashion Trends Opalescence abounds with 15 more shimmering wardrobe options at ELLE.com/iridescent.…

Embellished handpainted leather vest, diesel black gold, $1,495, at Diesel Black Gold, NYC Quilted leather trousers, giles, price on request, visit giles-deacon.com Mcq Alexander Mcqueen Enamel, metal, and strass necklace, sonia rykiel, $480, collection at Bloomingdale’s, NYC Leather jacket, acne studios, $1,230, visit acnestudios.com House Of Holland Patent leather and rubber pump, dior, $1,450, call 800-929-DIOR…

Leather and patent leather ankle boot, LOUIS VUITTON, $1,710, at select Louis Vuitton stores nationwide Platinum and diamond rings (far left, far right), both, HARRY WINSTON, prices on request, visit harrywinston .com. Platinum and diamond ring (middle), TIFFANY & CO., price on request, call 800-843-3269 Leather handbag, FENDI, $2,050, at Fendi, NYC…

Multicolor diamond and white gold bracelet, DIANE VON FURSTENBERG BY H.STERN, price on request, at H.stern, NYC Multicolor sapphire, ruby, emerald, and rose gold earrings, SYDNEY EVAN, $1,650, visit sydneyevan.com Multicolor sapphire, diamond, and black-gold-plated silver necklace, AS29, price on request, visit as29.com Multicolor sapphire, black pave diamond, and white gold bracelet, STEPHEN WEBSYER, price on request, at Stephen Webster, Beverly Hills…

PEEKABOO Bashir in her office at Peek headquarters, in San Francisco’s Financial District Crepe top, PREEN BY THORNTON BREGAZZI, $546, collection at shopbop .com. Nylon-blend skirt, JONATHAN SIMKHAI, $495, collection at Owen, NYC. Rhodium and crystal bracelet, GILES & BROTHER, $135, visit gilesandbrother.com. Gold and diamond rings, both, SARAH CHLOE, $398 each, visit sarahchloe.com. Leather clutch, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $1,695, visit valentino.com. Leather and suede sandals, JIMMY CHOO, $795, at select Jimmy Choo stores nationwide The Woman: Ruzwana Bashir, 31, San Francisco The Job: Cofounder and CEO of Peek.com, a digital concierge that delivers a curated selection of the best local businesses and insidery activities—from ATV jungle tours in Kauai to market-fresh cooking classes in Paris—to would-be travelers looking to book their plans with just a few clicks. Bashir, an Oxford…

If there were a fashion equivalent to the Sheryl Sandberg Lean In movement, it would have to be Tory Burch working-mother-CEO-designer -philanthropist paradigam. Running Tory Burch LLC, plus the Tory Burch Foundation and its woman-entrepreneur-empowering offshoot Elizabeth Street Capital, mothering three boys and stepmothering three girls (including Trademark designers Pookie and Louisa Burch), Burch knows a thing or two about time management. After launching a successful perfume last fall—one more essential empirebuilding step—it was only a matter of time, ahem, before she added watches. Burch’s new Swiss-made, Fossilcollaborated timepieces capture the spirit of her boho-preppy designs, but with prices ranging from $395 to $995, they mark a new category for designer watches at the luxury level. “I wanted to create a keepsake item,” says the 48-yearold tycoon. “A watch can…

The phrase “off-duty style” seems to be a bit of a misnomer, its implication being that casual dressing requires less time or effort. Quite the contrary. To aid in the quest to find the perfect casual-chic balance, we’ve rounded up the biggest trends in denim, that perennial wardrobe workhorse, such as these nautical-inspired Gucci trousers. Then, we gathered the season’s musthave coats—everything from chevronstripe fur to double-faced cashmere—to top it all off in style. Finally, we livened things up, adding a few of-the-moment mini trends (Star Wars–themed Vans, anyone?). The only thing missing is a cure for the Monday morning blues. THIS MONTH IN SHOPS: Denim’s darker side page 258 // Channel your inner Amelia Earhart page 260 // Fall’s most covetable coats page 270 // It’s back! The return…

SUBURBAN CHIC As seen at Trademark Wool and shearling coat, CRIPPEN, $3,995, visit crippen-la.com Leather coat, COACH, $1,795, visit coach.com Mohair coat, TIBI, $950, visit tibi.com Acrylic faux-fur coat, ZADIG & VOLTAIRE, $610, at Zadig & Voltaire boutiques nationwide Wool and cashmere capelet, LEON MAX COLLECTION, $518, visit maxstudio.com Cotton, raccoon, and fox coat, YVES SALOMON, $3,250, collection at Otte, NYC FINISHING TOUCHES Wool-blend scarf, RAG & BONE, $195, collection at intermixonline .com Leather handbag, LONGCHAMP, $1,270, at Longchamp boutiques nationwide Leather loafers, TRADEMARK, $428, visit trade-mark.com Leather oxford, COLE HAAN, $268, visit colehaan.com Stretch-tricotine pants, PAULE KA, $735, at Paule Ka, NYC Cashmere coat, MINA + OLYA, $3,005, visit minaolya.com Cashmere coat, JOSEPH, $935, visit josephfashion. com Wool-blend coat, MANGO, $230, at Mango stores nationwide THE ROBE COAT As…

Near the end of Jonathan Eig’s The Birth of the Pill (Norton), a well-researched account of what went into making oral contraception available to the masses, a socialite turned activist named Katharine McCormick walks into a California pharmacy in 1959 with a prescription for Enovid, a new drug that will soon become so popular it will be known simply as “the Pill.” It was a straightforward transaction, but it reflected a society on the cusp of drastic upheaval, not to mention the pinnacle of her life’s work. Eig’s narrative is full of such telling moments (in 1923 McCormick returned from Europe with eight trunks filled with the latest fashions, 1,000 diaphragms sewn into the clothes). Taken together, they make for a tale of scientific progress and social change as engaging…

When the Today show sent relative newcomer Katie Couric on a puff-piece White House tour with Barbara Bush in 1992, the president fortuitously dropped by, and Couric maneuvered their meeting into nearly 20 minutes of impromptu interrogation on weighty issues. It was a career-defining moment and is just one of countless telling anecdotes in The News Sorority (Penguin Press), Sheila Weller’s extensive behind-the-scenes exploration of the women who changed television journalism. Charting the paths of Couric, Diane Sawyer, and Christiane Amanpour into the historically male-dominated world of news anchors, Weller pinpoints what made them great, the professional and personal grit the camera doesn’t capture: Sawyer sleeping at the State Department during the Iran hostage crisis so she wouldn’t miss any updates; Amanpour’s armored car taking savage sniper fire in Sarajevo;…

ARTIST: Flying Lotus ALBUM: You’re Dead GENRE: Alt-EDM SOUND: A wicked headphone roller coaster of flamenco guitar, jazz breaks, and hip-hop backbeats GUEST STARRING: Kendrick Lamar, who shatters syllables at max velocity on “Never Catch Me”; bass wizard Thundercat trips out on “Descent Into Madness” WE LOVE: FlyLo’s undeniable musicianship demolishing the button-pushing DJ stereotype ARTIST: Zola Jesus ALBUM: Taiga GENRE: Baroque pop SOUND: Lush atmospherics; Jesus’ soaring, staticcutting voice; catchy electro squiggles and jabs BEST SONG: Pop-leaning banger “Dangerous Days,” on which Jesus croons “It’s a dark, dark day” over snappy ’80s synths and fiery drums WE LOVE: How her signature chillygoddess vibe evolves by giving way to energetic, shimmery sonics ARTIST: Christopher Owens ALBUM: A New Testament GENRE: Indie rock SOUND: Stomping guitar; resonant vocals; wide-eyed lyrical romanticism…

The first thing makeup artist Nicolas Degennes, creative director for Givenchy Beauty, does when visiting a new locale is check the sky: “The natural light of the city affects makeup, and each city has its own unique light. Paris is gray-based, Tokyo is a bluegreen, New York is bright and clear,” he says. And although Degennes regularly visits every continent (except Antarctica—so far) searching for inspiration for new products, it is Tokyo, with its soft ambient light, that has sparked more ideas than any other city: “Even with the most simple activity, like making a cup of tea, there’s such attention to detail and a drive for perfection,” Degennes says. To craft his “ultimate” liquid eyeliner, Degennes made three trips to study under Japan’s top calligraphy brush makers and traditional…

Majoring in math at Harvard in the mid-’90s, Christian Rudder was awed by the supergeniuses in the program who skipped over the toughest courses he ever took; several went on to work for the NSA. Rudder eventually found a very different way to slice and dice Big Data: He cofounded the dating website OkCupid in 2003 and now writes the site’s popular OkTrends dating-research blog. (Rudder cracks, “ ‘Making the Ineffable Totally Effable’ really should have been Ok Cupid’s tagline. Alas.”) As he explains in his fascinating, funny, and occasionally howl- inducing new book, Dataclysm: Who We Are When We Think No One’s Looking, an unexpected by-product of collecting detailed data on millions of OkCupid users’ inner most “habits, desires, and revulsions” was the discovery that the numbers can tell…

If you’re a serious foodie, you know Michael Pollan from his books Cooked and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, culinary game changers both. If you’re a native New Yorker, you know Corky Pollan, the pioneer of New York magazine’s hit “Best Bets” column, which made her the pre-Yelp authority on where to shop for everything from the perfect silver-plated coffeepot to Sardinian saffron. And if you’re a human who has watched television in the past three decades, you know Tracy Pollan and her husband, Michael J. Fox. But people don’t always put two and two together. “I don’t know why, because it’s not a common last name,” Tracy says. Anyway, it’s their mother, Corky, who’s the really famous one in the family: “Growing up, walking into any store in Manhattan with my…

Gorgeous days are few and far between in Chicago, so when they come around, people make the most of them. “Soon as it hits 70, everyone’s in the water,” my cabdriver says as we round the edge of Lake Michigan, its luminous surface dotted with tiny human faces gratefully upturned to the sun. All along the sandy strip encircling the lake, sunscreen is being smoothed onto pasty midwestern limbs, ice cream is dripping onto hands, packs of teenagers are roving, up until Lincoln Park, where the beachy tableau is rudely interrupted, replaced by such ordinary urban sights as tall buildings and shoe-wearing professionals shuffling to their next meeting. Inside the industrial-chic lobby of the Hotel Lincoln, a publicist, tour manager, and assorted other protectors of the singer known as Lorde…

Utility jacket, $199, polyamide gloves, $30, leather belt, $80, all, ALEXANDER WANG x H&M, visit hm.com. Lace bra, LA PERLA, $234. Stretch pencil skirt, T BY ALEXANDER WANG, $250. Veil headband, JENNIFER BEHR, $182. Diamond and platinum earrings, HARRY WINSTON, price on request. Platinum and diamond necklace, CHOPARD, price on request. Custom-made suede clutch, ALEXANDER WANG, price on request. Stretch-nylon tights, FOGAL, $59. Satin pumps, MANOLO BLAHNIK, $735. Alexander Wang in his own clothes. For details, see Shopping Guide. Waterproof coat, price on request, leather survival kit, $1,295, lizard-embossed leather flask case, $195, all, ALEXANDER WANG, at Alexander Wang, NYC. Polypropylene-blend bra top, $35, pants, $60, leather boots, $299, all, ALEXANDER WANG x H&M. Hat, T BY ALEXANDER WANG, price on request. Fox stole, BRYAN BOY FOR ADRIENNE LANDAU, $1,295.…

Stay tuned throughout this month as the Hollywood royal turned model turned foodie brings her refreshingly approachable kitchen wisdom to Elle.com Elettra Wiedemann is the benefactor of two very complementary sets of DNA: You probably know that her mom is Blue Velvet icon Isabella Rossellini (and that grandma is Ingrid Bergman). But did you know that her dad, Jonathan Wiedemann, is a former Microsoft design manager and a Harvard-educated sometime model? But far be it from her to coast on the familial good looks. The Lancôme spokesperson, whose very first modeling contract was for Bruce Weber and Abercrombie & Fitch, has turned lessons learned backstage into fodder for a thoughtful (non-ascetic) approach to consumption. “I actually credit modeling with really refining my palette,” she says. “Rather than restricting myself and…

I bought my first muumuu about seven years ago. It has narrow shoulder straps and can fit half a dozen people inside its gauzy cotton, sort of like a small circus tent. It weighs approximately an ounce and feels like wearing nothing at all. I also have three Mexican huipils, with colorful embroidered flowers around the neck: pink, yellow, and blue. I have another muumuu that I found in a friend’s closet when I was staying at her house—I tried it on one day and loved the purple and white Indian printing, the sturdy cotton fabric, the pockets, for God’s sake! I wrote my friend and told her I’d give her any sum of money for the dress—it simply had to be mine—and she was nice enough to give it…

Is the shelfie the new selfie? Emerald Carroll and Jenna Fain give us an inside look at the jewelers and jewelry collections of women (and men) with great style on their new website, The Stone Set. Think of it as an Into the Gloss for the gemstone obsessed. “All great sites are storytellers,” says Carroll of the inspiration to detail the histories of pieces owned by the likes of model Crystal Renn and interior designer Ryan Korban. “First and foremost, that is what we strive to be.” In their amusingly named “On the Rocks” feature, Carroll and Fain, who met while working in the digital-media division at Coach, join collectors for a cocktail-hour yarn. Carroll’s own tipple of choice? “A vodka martini at the Pool Room,” she says, referring to…

Silk and viscose dress, $3,025, gold-tone ring, $375, suede boots, $2,395, all, VERSACE, at select Versace boutiques nationwide. Gold-plated brass, sandstone, and pavé crystal earrings, EDDIE BORGO, $190. Gold-plated bangle (worn on arm), ALEXIS BITTAR, $125. For details, see Shopping Guide THIS MONTH IN FASHION: TRENDS Iridescence takes you light-years ahead page 194 // Racer girls, indulge your need for speed page 200 //ACCESSORIES The new wisdom of pearls page 210…

Suede and fur boot, rené caovilla, price on request, visit renecaovilla.com Fur coat, altuzarra, price on request, to special order, call 212-966-0638 Mink coat, valentino, price on request, at Valentino, NYC Limited-edition mink, sapphire, and diamond watches, both, fendi timepieces, prices on request, to special order at Fendi boutiques nationwide…

Rose gold and pavé diamond bracelet, vmt, price on request, visit vmtlosangeles. com BALENCIAGA Leather and fishnet sandal, casadei, $895, visit casadei.com STELLA MCCARTNEY Stretchcrepe skirt, jay ahr, $2,015, visit jayahr.com Lambskin dress, jay ahr, $3,045, collection at shopbop.com ANTHONY VACCARELLO Lambskin jacket, elie tahari, $998, at Elie Tahari boutiques nationwide…

Pearl-embellished sunglasses, CHANEL, $800, at select Chanel boutiques nationwide Pearl-embellished leather ankle boot, REBECCA MINKOFF, $325, visit rebeccaminkoff.com Pearl, rose gold, and leather ankle boot, EUGENIA KIM, $995, visit eugeniakim.com Pearl-embellished goatskin handbag, CHANEL, price on request, call 800-550-0005…

MULTIFINGER Gold and diamond ring, HALLEH, $4,200, visit halleh.com Rose-gold-plated metal ring, DIOR, $500, at Dior boutiques nationwide Gold and diamond ring, HEARTS ON FIRE, price on request, visit heartsonfire.com Gold and diamond ring, CASATO ROMA, price on request, to special order at Manfredi Jewelers, Greenwich, CT ROYAL White gold and diamond ring, DEBORAH PAGANI, price on request, collection at Barneys New York White gold and pavé diamond ring, HOUSE OF WARIS, $4,920, visit houseofwaris.com Rose gold and diamond ring, KISMET BY MILKA, $1,022, collection at fragments.com Gold and diamond ring, KHAI KHAI, $1,750, collection at Bloomingdale’s stores nationwide NEGATIVE SPACE Gold and diamond ring, CROW’S NEST JEWELS, price on request, visit stoneandstrand.com Gold and diamond ring, LANA JEWELRY, $4,555, collection at neimanmarcus.com Rose gold and pavé diamond ring, J/HADLEY,…

NEW YORK Rejoice! You can now shop designer Rachel Comey’s wares at her new SoHo flagship, crafted to reflect the natural, quirky elements that have made her utilitarian jumpsuits and ankle boots must-haves. rachelcomey.com LONDON Those searching for comfortable shoes may have found their holy grail in Malone Souliers’ debut collection. Featuring optimal heel placement and soft sole cushioning, the four-inch booties will make you want to give summer’s ubiquitous sneakers a rest. malonesouliers.com VIENNA Austrian designer Roshi Porkar nabbed the Chloé prize at the Hyères International Festival of Fashion & Photography for her collection inspired by Afghan statues. She’s also won a statuesque fan: Tilda Swinton. villanoailles-hyeres.com NEW YORK Jewelry designer Gillian Steinhardt’s chic origami- and architectureevoking dazzlers caught the attention of the design duo behind cool-girl label Veronica…

The Jacket: Satin lapels and a snowy palette add a dressy contrast to sturdy denim. Wool crepe and satin jacket, PALLAS, $2,415, collection at theline.com. Brass necklace, JENNIFER FISHER, $250, visit jenniferfisherjewelry.com The Bag: A delicate cross-body bag breaks up the long lines, giving the illusion of separates. Calfskin handbag, MARC JACOBS, $1,300, at Marc Jacobs boutiques nationwide. Gold and diamond bracelet, MELISSA KAYE JEWELRY, price on request, visit melissakayejewelry.com The Leg: Rolled hems and a flash of ankle bring shape (and a little sex appeal) to the relaxed fit. The Shoes: A classic pump elongates a boxy silhouette. Suede pumps, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, $625, visit christianlouboutin.com The Suit: Perfectly packable and highly versatile, the jumpsuit is the epitome of fuss-free dressing. Denim jumpsuit, DENIM & SUPPLY RALPH LAUREN, $298, visit denimandsupply.com SHOP THE…

WEAR IT: COMIC RELIEF Colorfully illustrated separates and accessories pack instant pop art appeal Gold-plated brass necklace, NOIR, $185, visit noirnyc.com Cotton T-shirt, HOUSE OF HOLLAND, $147, visit houseofholland.com As seen at House of Holland Satin and silk skirt, MCQ ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, $760, visit alexandermcqueen.com Embroidered viscose and canvas clutch, SARAH’S BAG, $575, visit sarahsbag.com REVIVE IT: STARGAZER Why wait for the forthcoming Star Wars installment? George Lucas’ classic is already making a comeback As seen at Rodarte Printed-poplin shirt, PREEN BY THORNTON BREGAZZI, $493, collection at shopbop.com Gold-plated druzy stone ring, BEX ROX, $565, visit bexrox .com Canvas and suede sneaker, VANS, $65, visit vans.com STYLE IT: HANDS FREE These sleek belted pouches in exotic skins have come a long way from the much-maligned fanny pack of your youth…

Award-winning newspaper columnist Caitlin Moran considerably upped her game in 2012 when her memoir-manifesto, How to Be a Woman, became an international best-seller. Now comes How to Build a Girl (Harper), which boasts a stouthearted heroine, Johanna Morrigan, who much resembles Moran herself: Marooned in poverty on a publichousing tract in Wolverhampton, an industrial city near Birmingham, England, she resolves to become a music critic (nom de plume: Dolly Wilde). At age 16. Having long since dropped out of school. It’s a life story so good it hardly needs embellishing, but Moran lofts it into an impressively high-spirited orbit involving freelance work for a scrofulous music rag in London and copious, nay, legendary quantities of sex, alcohol, and Brit pop. We are also introduced to John Kite, the love of…

Near the opening of Elizabeth Rosner’s sumptuous third novel, Electric City (Counterpoint), it is 1919, and acclaimed mathematician and recent immigrant Dr. Charles P. Steinmetz finds that his upstate New York cabin has been struck by lightning. Examining the damage, the hunched, 4’-tall General Electric Company scientist—dubbed the Wizard of Electric City—has an insight about the nature of “Zeus’s handiwork” that leads to a series of groundbreaking innovations. We are quickly entranced by the tale of Steinmetz’s game-changing presence in Schenectady, New York, when it was on the cutting edge of early-twentieth-century technology. We meet, among other memorable characters, his loyal Mohawk friend Joseph Longboat and his adopted granddaughter, Midget. We learn about Steinmetz’s European backstory and his days exploring New York’s Lower East Side, where “the blending of Old…

In 1857, an enterprising—and somewhat eccentric—perfumer and chemist named G.W. Septimus Piesse published a popular olfactory guide called The Art of Perfumery, in which he went about assigning specific musical notes to 46 different aromas. His approach wasn’t exactly scientific—he placed each odor on an octave according to “its effects on our senses,” observing that “the scents which are most liked by youth are of lower bass note” while people “of age” prefer smells on the upper treble. His methodology of scaling notes—rose, for example, ranked as a middle C; civet, that substance extracted from the unmentionables of exotic catlike mammals, and so beloved by old-school perfumers, struck a trebleclef F—didn’t catch on, but the terminology stuck. Now when we talk about fragrance, we speak of notes and accords (which,…

I saw two young women wearing NOTORIOUS R.B.G. T-shirts on my way to visit Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her chambers. The 81-year-old associate justice, who was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Clinton in 1993, is portrayed by her many fans as a tough-talking, swaggering gangster. She’s developed this reputation, in part, because during the past five years, she’s written more notable dissents than any other justice. When the court decided against Lilly Ledbetter—a tire-factory manager paid significantly less than men in the same position—because she sued too late, Justice Ginsburg dissented. When the court ruled to invalidate a section of the Voting Rights Act, removing federal oversight from states with a history of racial discrimination at the polls, Justice Ginsburg dissented. When the court recently decided that the…

Headquarters, StartX, Palo Alto, California: Dolls, my little dating company, Tawkify, was selected to be one of 33 start-ups participating in Stanford University’s elite StartX—a nonprofit that runs one of the top accelerators in the country. This Stanford crowd is so smart, they can show a dead woman how to rebrand, and I’m tickled to learn anything that helps me answer your career questions. But imagine my delight when I discovered that StartX tactics can be applied to solving the Chump Who Breaks Your Heart, the Egomaniacal Interrupter, and the Boring Marital Bonk. FIRST GET THE DATA. THEN ENTERTAIN THE PITCH DEAR E. JEAN: While I was on a business trip, a guy whom I’d run into at a couple of New York advertising lunches and to whom I’ve always…

Mink coat, price on request, viscose pants, $1,290, both, THE ROW, collection at Barneys New York. Silk shirt, EQUIPMENT, $198. Silk, satin, and lace bra, CARINE GILSON, $350. Stretchcotton head wrap, LYN BORGA, $20. Rose gold and diamond pendants on rose gold chain, REPOSSI, prices on request. Leather loafers, LANVIN, $790. Wool and mohair coat, $2,795, silk knit top, $295, lambskin skirt, $2,185, all, BALENCIAGA, similar styles at Balenciaga, NYC. Stretch-cotton head wrap, LYN BORGA, $20. Rose gold and diamond pendants on rose gold chain, REPOSSI, prices on request. Calfskin pouch (worn at waist), $4,000, rose gold and diamond bracelet, gold and diamond watch, both, prices on request, all, HERMÈS. Rose gold ring, POMELLATO, $3,550. Gold and diamond ring, MANON, $1,595. Leather loafers, GUCCI, $575. For details, see Shopping Guide.…

“I’ve always wanted to do dramatic stuff,” The Skeleton Twins star Kristen Wiig told writer Ivan Solotaroff for ELLE’s August cover story (“Beyond Funny”). She had ample opportunity during her cover shoot at legendary Grey Gardens in East Hampton, New York. Readers agree— from high hilarity to high drama, Wiig really can do it all: This is how to do a kick-ass photo shoot with some class…. Super interesting and artistic. Bravo. —Jentoad, via Dailymail.co.uk Nice to see the discussions about dramatic acting go along with dramatic photos. Very canny; I’m a fan. —KateShouldBeWorking, via Tomandlorenzo.com I love that the cover really stays true to who she is, smiles and all. She looks great in all the shots. —Anna, via Fashiongonerogue.com LETTERS Reply All ELLE readers, sound off! Send your…

“London has a strong creative energy and buzz about it,” says Roksanda Ilincic, the fashion designer known for her bright, playful creations and bold experiments with colorblocking (7), who earned her MA at Central Saint Martins and put down roots in the UK after studying both architecture and applied arts in her native Serbia. “I’m inspired by so many things around me here, from art I see in exhibitions to the industrial architecture of East London, where my studio is located.” Her on-the-go essentials: Cutler and Gross sunglasses (3), a Moynat top-handle satchel (9), and Nicholas Kirkwood for Roksanda loafers (10). Ilincic loves the Mayfair gallery Waddington Custot (4) for its “amazing” collection of Bauhaus master Josef Albers’ works, and she geeks out a little at the Royal Institute of…

When designer Rosetta Getty, 44, and I meet at her home in West Hollywood, she apologizes for the place being in a bit of disarray. There’s a resonant percussive pulse coming from the basement, where her husband, Balthazar, 39, is rehearsing for an upcoming gig with his alt-Latin band, Abstrakto, and a number of Globe trotter suitcases are underfoot. But the early-twentieth-century Spanish mansion with panoramic views—on a clear day like this one, you can see all the way over Los Angeles to the Pacific Ocean—isn’t that disorganized. In a week, the Gettys and their brood—four children between the ages of 6 and 14— will be off for a family holiday in Europe. When you’re in the enviable position of being married to an actor and musician who also happens…

Trends For 20 ways to make lumberjack plaid more femme, check out ELLE.com/girly-plaids.…

Lamb-hair knit mittens, BRYAN BOY FOR ADRIENNE LANDAU, $145, visit adriennelandau.com Shearling coat, GUCCI, price on request, visit gucci.com Shearling and suede handbag, ROGER VIVIER, $3,050, at Roger Vivier, NYC Stretch shearling sweater, J.CREW, $698, visit jcrew.com…

White gold, sapphire, diamond, and tsavorite ring, WENDY YUE, price on request, collection at Fragments, NYC TOPSHOP UNIQUE Velvet-embroidered silk tunic, DOLCE & GABBANA, $4,445, at select Dolce & Gabbana boutiques nationwide VALENTINO Printed skirt, ALICE + OLIVIA BY STACEY BENDET, $348, visit aliceandolivia.com Embellished suede clutch, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $2,845, at Valentino, NYC DOLCE & GABBANA…

1. Gold vermeil, pavé diamond, and enamel pendant necklace, ASTLEY CLARKE, $595, visit astleyclarke.com. 2. Recycled gold and diamond pendant necklace, ME&RO, price on request, at Me&Ro, NYC. 3. Rose gold and diamond pendant necklace, KWIAT, $1,950, visit kwiat.com. 4. Gold, diamond, and onyx pendant necklace, CARTIER, price on request, call 800-CARTIER. 5. Rose gold and diamond pendant necklace, MONICA RICH KOSANN, price on request, visit monicarichkosann.com. 6. Gold and ruby pendant, $2,200, gold chain, $300, both, JENNIFER ALFANO, collection at Forty Five Ten, Dallas.…

BIBI VAN DER VELDEN From scarab wings to petrified mammoth tusks, few materials are off-limits for the dutch designer’s whimsically macabre, one-of-a-kind pieces: Think diamond-studded dragon and pavé-diamond frog rings, and ghostly quartz “eye” earrings that seem to stare back. Silver hand earrings, $420; silver, brown diamond, and tsavorite frog earrings, $1,725; silver, pink baroque pearl, brown diamond, and gold ring, $3,725, all, bibi van der velden, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC SOPHIE BILLE BRAHE The Copenhagen-based royal College of art grad’s playful pieces epitomize modern luxury with their futuristic silhouettes and unfettered treatment of precious stones. bille brahe’s signature diamond and pearl ear cuffs and constellation rings have been seen on everyone from emma Watson to Crown princess Mary of denmark. Gold and diamond earring, ring, prices on request,…

NAME: Paula Gerbase AGE: 32 PROVENANCE: Porto Alegre, Brazil CURRICULUM VITAE: The Central Saint Martins alumna took the un usual step of apprenticing at Hardy Amies and Kilgour on Savile Row—the London street renowned for its traditional men’s bespoke tailors—while studying for her BA in women’s wear. “I quickly realized that my interests were quite different from those of my classmates who were designing, you know, peacockfeather dresses while I was trying to cut a jacket,” Gerbase says. “It’s great to be really creative and do beautiful illustrations, but I found myself asking, ’When are we ctually going to learn how to put a sleeve in?’” GIRLS WHO ARE BOYS WHO LIKE BOYS TO BE GIRLS: “Masculinity to me is cut, construction, and precision, and femininity is texture, volume, and…

On a cool, foggy day in May, I made my way to the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The isolated neighborhood, once home to a burgeoning ship-manufacturing industry, is now mainly filled with vacant lofts, quiet artist studios, and a handful of growing communal work centers. It’s also the base of designer Lindsay Degen’s fishing-wire-and-yarn-strewn studio. The 26-year-old Ohio-bred, Rhode Island School of Design–educated designer, known for the fluorescent knitwear that graced Victoria’s Secret’s latest winged runway show, is busy at work on her upcoming spring/summer 2015 collection—a bright orange, sky blue, and muddy peach assortment of rave-ready tanks, leggings, and tees for Degen, the company she founded in 2011 with funds she earned playing an “art-school type” in a TJ Maxx ad. She’s also preparing to teach me how to knit,…

Woolly Bully However unlikely it may sound, Joseph Altuzarra has reimagined the classic Patagonia fleece with luxe patent leather trim. Above, from top: Fleece jacket, PATAGONIA, $229, visit patagonia .com. Shearling and leather-trim jacket, ALTUZARRA, price on request, similar styles at saksfifthavenue.com Wool scarf, COACH, $295, at select Coach stores nationwide Knit Wit Whether a homemade hand-medown or a designer interpretation, intarsia knits never fail to charm. Wool-blend sweater, KERSH, $104, visit kersh.ca To Have and To Hold Thanks to edgy hardware, Dolce & Gabbana’s Monica bag (as seen on Kate Mara, left) is the perfect update to the time-tested tophandle. Calfskin handbag, DOLCE & GABBANA, $2,595, at select Dolce & Gabbana boutiques nationwide…

THIS MONTH IN INTEL: MOVIES The Sundance stunner Whiplash page 286 // BOOKS Putting Lena Dunham’s debut memoir under the microscope page 289 //THEATER History’s hottest onstage couples page 297 A BuzzFeed article from last year offered up “16 Reasons Why Dylan O’Brien Is the Dork of Your Dreams.” Among them: He’s a red-carpet goofball; he quotes Hocus Pocus on Twitter; and his character on MTV’s hit remake series Teen Wolf, Stiles Stilinski, is “the closest thing to [The O.C.’s] Seth Cohen, since…Seth Cohen.” And it’s true that, as the best friend to the show’s titular angsty canine, the 23-year-old O’Brien brings Adam Brody levels of offbeat charm and comic relief to a high school world run amok with bloodthirsty creatures. (So much so that the role helped him beat…

Lena Dunham carries on a tradition of feminist performance art in which women artists get naked for purposes more challenging than seduction. But while Carolee Schneemann, Yoko Ono, and Karen Finley deployed their bodies on small stages and in low-budget films, Dunham performs her striptease smack in the middle of the mainstream. She is expanding pop culture simply by employing her regular-person body in uncomfortable sex scenes on HBO (the fourth season of Girls is scheduled to air early next year), performing a sort of exposure therapy for those viewers who still, in 2014, find a nude woman who doesn’t fit their fantasy to be an affront. Howard Stern raged on air about this “little fat girl…who keeps taking her clothes off” and said that watching the sex scenes on…

READERS’ PRIZE 15 ELLE readers choose their favorite among three promising new books—this month, accounts of triumphing over early traumas 1 EPILOGUE WILL BOAST (LIVERIGHT) By his midtwenties, Boast had lost his mother (to brain cancer), his brother (in an auto accident), and his father (to despair, alcoholism, and a perforated ulcer) and thought he was virtually alone in the world. Then he discovered he had two English half brothers from his father’s first marriage, which he’d never known about. Boast, an accomplished fiction writer and essayist, has composed a moving, elegantly contrapuntal narrative about coming to terms with his families—the one he lost, and the one that welcomed him with open arms. 2 NORTH OF NORMAL CEA SUNRISE PERSON (HARPER) Person’s mother and grandparents fashioned a way of life…

PRITIKIN LONGEVITY CENTER TRUMP NATIONAL DORAL RESORT, MIAMI pritikin.com ($4,600 per week) Founded in 1976, this medical spa is refreshingly fad-free—even the most minor additions to the menu or exercise protocol require approval by the 17 MDs and PhDs on the Pritikin Scientific Advisory board. And unlike many trendy fit camps, Pritikin has been proven to work in more than 100 peer-reviewed studies: You’ll almost surely lose weight, as well as leave with lower levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and other chronic-inflammation markers (and the blood work to prove it). The menu is all-you-can-eat and made without sugar, salt, or fat; the daily workout routine is low-key and absolutely doable (90 minutes split between stretching, cardio, and weight training). The least intimidating of the wellness camps we tested, this is the place to take…

One in eight American women is diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime These skin perfecters and sweet scents drum up funds for cancer research to help prevent and cure the disease Shimmer Star The subtly sparkly Nicole by OPI Nail Lacquer in Feeling Berry Pink Today brightens the outlook for breast cancer research by donating 5 percent of proceeds to the Young Survival Coalition. The Bee’s Knees We’re head over heels for Marc Jacobs Honey eau de parfum bottled in a specialedition pink vial; $3 from each sale goes to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Carry On The scent of inspiration: Estée Lauder Modern Muse combines wood and floral notes in a sleek compact; every penny of the $49.50 price goes straight to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).…

Susan Struck lives on a ranch in McNeal, Arizona, a short drive from the Mexican border, with four dogs, eight cats, nine chickens, a rooster, a horse, and a .22 pump action rifle she hides in a closet. She learned to handle a gun while she was stationed in Vietnam as an Air Force nurse. At war, she never had a reason to shoot anything besides a practice target, but she appears to wish otherwise. Above her living room couch, there’s a watercolor portrait of her old dog that a friend painted for her. “I did her a favor,” Struck says. “Something illegal. Something no one else would have done.” When I ask for details, she gives me a sealed-lip smile and shakes her head. Apart from the questionably bartered…

Erykah Badu, 43 Singer-songwriter “I was raised a child of the funk era: Betty Davis and Bootsy Collins. I’ve always enjoyed a very loosely put together style that feels like maybe I slept in it the night before—almost hobo chic. Effortless.” Cashmere coat, silk and chiffon dress, both, MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA, prices on request, at Maison Martin Margiela boutiques nationwide. Her own hat, head wrap, and necklaces. Paola Kudacki, 43 Photographer “I would call my style ‘ready-to-go’ instead of ‘ready-to-wear,’ as I like to wake up and not have to think about what I’m going to put on.” Silk tank, Isabel marant, $330, at Isabel Marant, L.A. Wool trousers, saInt laurent by hedI slImane, $850. Rose gold watch on rubber and alligator strap, hublot, price on request. Suede and lace…

Wool coat, PRADA, price on request, at select Prada boutiques nationwide. Lace and silk crepe gown, NINA RICCI, price on request. Vintage hat, OMO NORMA KAMALI, price on request. Pink sapphire, diamond, and white gold earrings, BOCHIC, price on request. Opal and sapphire necklace, ring, both, MARGOT MCKINNEY, prices on request. For details, see Shopping Guide. Embroidered silk and tulle gown, VALENTINO, price on request, visit valentino.com. Feather headpiece, FRANCESCO BALLESTRAZZI, $602. Frayed headband, $150, feather headband, price on request, both, EUGENIA KIM. Tourmaline and white gold earring, H.STERN, price on request. Cotton gloves, CORNELIA JAMES, $118. Leather and shearling coat, price on request, organza and goat-fur dress, $2,090, both, PRADA, visit prada.com. Crepe de chine tunic, ANNA SUI, $499. Feather turban, FRANCESCO BALLESTRAZZI, $749. Amethyst, emerald, and gold ear…