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Feb 25, 2008 @ 11:24am

I didn't discover Daphne Merkin until this great article in T:Style a couple years ago.

It was about the idea of the "jolie laide" and it became the basis of my own senior thesis on the idea of beauty.

Ever since then, I've read everything of hers that I can get my hands on, but what I'm always most impressed by are her articles for T - always sharp, always reasonable and always about fashion.

I almost laughed myself silly when she contextualized lip gloss using Sontag's "Notes On Camp," and now I am again totally tickled by her newest T story, "Heel, Girl!" an essay that compares high-heeled shoes with men known to her as "heels" and that reveals a lot about Daphne herself.

I'm pretty sure that was a story idea of Carrie's on Sex and the City when she started working at Vogue, and yet, Daphne makes me smile over an idea that once made me smirk.

I actually get excited whenever I feel the heft of an extra magazine in my Sunday Times and I go out to buy a latte companion after I've made sure that Daphne's words are included.

Never let this writer go, T. She practically makes every issue.

posted by Faran Krentcil

Feb 25, 2008 11:32AM

I actually hate Daphne Merkin and think her writing often borders on self righteous and also, quite boring.

posted by guest

Feb 25, 2008 12:29PM

i love t!!!

posted by fashionursta

Feb 25, 2008 1:29PM

I am also a Daphne fan, and have enjoyed many of her pieces from Allure and T. She is quite clever and funny. I also think that I like her because we come from similar cultural backgrounds. I was surprised at the comment from Faran, who is also clever and funny in a similar way. That T magazine was awesome- it kept me busy reading it all yesterday. Good articles!

posted by Holly

Feb 25, 2008 2:04PM

I remember reading those articles and really enjoying them.
I think what I like best is that Daphne is a little irreverent in her writing.
A little cheek in fashion writing is a good thing.It keeps things from getting way too serious.

Feb 25, 2008 3:36PM

I was like, Daphne Merkin, where have I heard that name before? Oh right, she wrote the article on how feminism and self-examination cause women to feel so disgusted with their vaginas that they get plastic surgery to fix them. Basically, she blames feminism for the prevalence of labiaplasty! Ugh.

Feb 26, 2008 1:22AM

haha faran ... you're calling the kettle black!!