A special piece: “A pair of red leather stilettos I got in France. They were Dolce &Gabbana, and they had safety pins on the front. They were just so ‘80s and funky.” Why I love: Apart from denim on denim, which is making a huge comeback, Alice’s accessories are awesome. Her shoes are – […]
Posted inRebel Street Style
A rebel street style manifesto
My parents tell me this story. They say when I was younger, maybe 2 years old, I would tear around Kids ‘R’ Us, pointing things out, screaming “CUTE! CUTE!” at the top of my lungs. Well, I haven’t grown out of it. Maybe I don’t scream anymore, but I still have a deep appreciation for […]
Posted inMovies
‘Pitch Perfect’ Hits the Weird Notes
“Pitch Perfect” is about the competitive collegiate a cappella scene, an apparently vicious place filled with college students more interested in performing a perfect rendition of the Ace of Base classic “The Sign” than ever going to class. It’s the heartwarming story of how a thin, pretty white girl learns to love college enough not […]
Posted inTV
Fall TV Preview: ‘Parks and Recreation’
Station/time: NBC, Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. Premiere date: Sept. 20, “Ms. Knope Goes to Washington” Standout female characters: Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), April Ludgate (Aubrey Plaza), Ann Perkins (Rashida Jones), and Donna Meagle (Retta) Why feminist viewers should watch: You mean other than the fact that the show stars feminist comedy badass Amy Poehler? For starters, […]
Posted inPluck
Toddler birthday how-to
Well everyone, Ida Jane turned 3 last week, and with no small amount of fanfare and my usual off-the-cuff approach, we celebrated in style! Just in case hosting a toddler birthday party looms on your horizon, I’ve amassed my collective wisdom and experience on the subject. Several tips from the ultimate half-assed party host: Invite […]
Posted inRebellious Women in Poetry
Marilyn Chin’s ‘The Survivor’
I met Marilyn Chin at a week-long, Indiana University writing workshop in 2003. Not only did I find her poetry brutally direct, intensely honest and yes, confrontational—all qualities of a rebellious woman—I found that her personality and teaching style were also quite similar. I immediately adored her! I still do. In her courageous poem “How […]
Posted inRebellions Archive
Meshell Ndegeocello on Nina Simone, ‘The Hustle,’ and Why She Loves Chicago
Meshell Ndegeocello won’t say what she’s cooking. A few minutes into our interview, the unmistakable clanging of pots gets louder in the background, and she asks with an apologetic tone if she can call back in 15 minutes. Who can say no to that velvet voice? When we resume, she refuses to say what’s for dinner: […]
Posted inMile-High Club
Open letter to my high-school self
Dear 17-year-old me, Right now, you’re probably sitting at Bakers Square in Homewood, choking down watered-down coffee, pretending to study and reading your friends’ terrible poetry. I imagine that you’re stressing out about getting into the College of Your Choice, the nightmarish indignities of gym class and the fact that the boys you like never […]
Posted inEssays Archive
Louboutins: Red Soles Not Beaten But Bruised
They were an unexpected gift from my husband. Lovely strappy black Christian Louboutin heels with the signature red lacquered soles. I had casually mentioned to him that when Oprah sat on her couch interviewing guests, you couldn’t help but notice her perfectly shiny red soles. A few weeks later those signature “China Red” lacquered soles […]
Posted inPluck
Mommy brain
Earlier this summer I was at a bar with an old friend chatting about all kinds of interesting stuff. We share a lot of things in common. One thing in particular is that we’ve participated in Christian fundamentalist culture. Another thing is that we’ve each since split from that scene in a rather grand and […]