Rando Report: Anatomy Of An It Girl, Devon Lee Carlson, and More
And a paid subscriber benefit! Plus, a book you need.
The Rando Report is a weekly roundup of observations…some longer than others.
Anatomy Of An It Girl
I like Devon Lee Carlson and her approach to the Internet. She embodies a perfect “What’s In Your Bag” moment, which typically includes elevated products and then those CVS-nabbed eyeliners. After all, It Girldom is “drugstore nugget” mentality, as in a gorgeous person muses on about that CVS-nabbed eyeliner in their zillion-dollar bag. That whole idea makes you think: “Hey, me too! I can relate!” (Read the Bella Hadid effect piece from eons ago–it funnels into this idea). The same high-low approach goes for Carlson’s feed: Major campaigns and partnerships, and then a seemingly uncurated random iPhone shot.
Case-in-point: Two days ago, Carlson posted a two-slide carousel of herself in a $110 Gimaguas tank top with charming little bows on the straps, while in the forefront, there was a pair of tangled wired headphones. The next slide was a random pull from TikTok that felt very Tumblr, very Pinterest circa 2014: two dressed-up girls sitting on the sink of a fancy bathroom—one with a very overpowering sidebang—taking a selfie. On the photo was a quote in white text that connotes a mood: “being drunk, knowing a boy likes you back, feeling pretty, fresh sheets, etc.” A few days later, Carlson posted a Balenciaga campaign for Le City Bag. The video and still captured a front row of It Girls and guys wearing the Le City Bag, while chatting, putting on lip gloss, and texting. And…look at what has more engagement! The first low-fi post.
I’ve always loved the high-low anatomy of an It Girl. This “drugstore nugget” dichotomy is why there is a rabid cult following that exists for some women and what they wear—and what they do. There are different versions and levels of this, and the women range. There is Jane Birkin when she dumps out her disgustingly stuffed Birkin on the street. (I tackle this in “Everday Aspirational”). There is Bella Hadid who supposedly wore her very own Depop grails in her looks. Radiant Rihanna in a vintage football jersey that anyone could potentially nab on eBay. Charli XCX partying in some nasty basement (We’ve all been there!). Chloë Sevigny is in a league of her own and nails every look by consistently including and reinterpreting something affordable, like a down-to-earth shoe, into her outfit.
Sometimes, this high-low mesh is purposeful and can be grating, but at its best, the combination is natural—and that’s why we gravitate.
I saw the It Girl formula play out years ago when I was deep in the celebrity style beat at Vogue, and one of the best-performing posts at Vogue was about Angelina Jolie going to the airport in a $168 Everlane Loafer. Jolie is not an It Girl, but there is a sliver of that sentiment…relateability!
The psychology behind why we love these It Girls is essentially, “Sure, we don’t have access to their star power, but we can purchase these affordable items or recreate these everyday gestures to emulate a sliver of these people we adore.” Essentially, an It Girl is Stars!–They’re Just Like Us but in chic, shoppable form. It’s that Kate Spade Contents book as a person. That’s why the French It Girl market has always been annoyingly booming. The whole shtick is branded as effortless by way of a $10.99 lip balm. But make no mistake: You first need to be able to afford that ticket to Paris.
Still Here Jeans For My Growing Body
I still refuse to buy maternity wear, although sometimes, I show so much skin that you’d think I’d rack up charges for indecent exposure. Whatever. A holy grail of non-maternity pants I wear is a pair of Still Here jeans called “Cool in Classic Blue” which fit below the bump. (I’ve been dressing for under-the-bump lately). There are buttons I can undo, and then I shimmy the drawstring upwards to tighten. Voila!
A Gen-Z Whisperer on Marithé et François Girbaud
Gen-Z whisperer, Simone, who works with me, as well as at a vintage store, noticed the Marithé et François Girbaud comeback in the resale verse. “A lot of people my age have been buzzing about it. You can still get a lot of it on eBay and Poshmark, but curated vintage stores are starting to sell it more, obviously at a higher price point,” she tells me. There were murmurings of a comeback in 2023, but we haven’t heard or seen much. The vintage denim is great, and the leather jackets are…yummy.
This One Book As a Gift
The Old Jewish Men's Guide to Eating, Sleeping, and Futzing Around by Noah Rinsky is a gift I recommend. I have a blurb about why I love bald men in this book. Let that orb shine. Let those tresses fall. I want to count those follicles on the damn pillow the morning after. The hottest men are bald and embrace hair loss.
Aside from waxing poetic about men with no hair, I love the illustrations by Dick Carroll that breakdown of different OJM archetypes. Rinsky also has a stunning short story tucked among the humorous passages.
Ultimately, the book is for everyone. It taps into how old men generally…don’t care after a certain age! That’s why they have the best style—it’s based on comfort that works for their life.
NEVERWORNS: Marketplace
I’m introducing a new listing component to the once-a-week Rando Report for paying subscribers who want to list one GREAT item they want to part with.
First up, it’s my own bag that I need to let go of finally. I got a Louis Vuitton Luco bag instead of a Neverfull years ago. I wanted something structured, specifically after watching Shalom Harlow, who played a corporate meanie in How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days. She wore an epic suit and a killer Gucci monogram briefcase that screamed: “close and win.” Ultimately, I realized I am more of a schlepper than a Shalom.
Here it is. I’m parting with it for a cool $875. I’ve been seeing ones of the same great condition online for $1,200 and up. Contact me for more info!
A note! This is a benefit for paid subscribers, and this bag is a good example of the sort of items that I want to help people offload. It’s vintage and in good condition, although I encourage new pieces. If you’re interested, I’ll need a blurb about why you bought it in the first place and what was going through your mind at the time of purchase! You’ll be in charge of shipping, etc. I’m merely the…classifieds-messenger.
More about this and the NEVERWORNS paying subscriber rebrand coming soon.
Devon is my favorite influencer. She has warm, inviting, charismatic energy.
Take it from someone who tried to only wear pants below the bump…if you haven’t yet I highly rec at least one pair of maternity leggings (or worse..a jumpsuit) on deck for months 8/9 and immediately postpartum. You look amazing tho