Singular Behavior with Claire

Facebook Marketplace voyeurism, dressing for WFH, and clothing brands to know

Singular Behavior—a series about how women who live alone spend their time and get dressed—is back! with my friend Claire.

The two of us met October 2023 as we were embarking on our first solo winters in New York: her a recent city transplant and me, single and living alone for the first time in my adult life. Claire was wearing these fantastic low-rise pants, her whole look reminding me of Keira Knightly in Bend It Like Beckham, with her short hair, her moving from London.

I was nervous about winter. I’ve never liked the cold—or told myself I didn’t—escaping south during the Januarys and Februarys, sometimes into March, coming back when the weather became bearable. Could I make it all three months? It was for that reason I was so grateful to join Claire and three other women—Rebecca, Eliza, and

Adrian

—for weekly meetups to discuss The Artist’s Way, a book about fostering creativity.

It is a delight to get to know someone through their ideas instead of the contexts of what they do or who they know. Sitting in each other’s homes, me taking in the spaces, their books, their nicknacks, the way the arranged their things, we chatted loosely about the week’s readings and exercises. Claire’s books were stacked on the floor against the wall. Not unlike mine. They were titles I’d read, titles I’d heard of, books I was curious about. Later after reading several, I’d think of her shelf as a perfectly curated selection of the stories I seek.

I thought something similar of the clothing brands complimenting Claire’s wardrobe of secondhand and vintage pieces. Reading through her week, what she did and what she wore, I found myself Googling names I’d heard of, others I hadn’t, discovering a treasure trove of brands that make beautiful pieces, ethically. They are listed at the end of this newsletter.

Now both us into our second full winter, I’ve grown to appreciate the stillness. It is during this time that seeds are planted, which author

LaTonya Yvette

reminded me in her Storytelling Through The Seasons workshop. The dressing that comes from below freezing temperatures is what interests me the most; it is style that speaks to one’s personal taste, while also marrying the realties of living and walking in cold, wet, slushy, snowy, windy weather. Claire does just that with her clothes.

TUESDAY

5:40 pm — I’m on my way to meet my friend – her name is Robyn…you might know her :) – at an event at Books Are Magic in Dumbo. It’s cold but in a romantic way, because I insist!!

I’m loving red and brown together right now. I’m wearing a red mohair sweater by Bellerose with a black longsleeve by Baserange layered underneath. Layers = key to winter comfort. My scarf is from Gap and I might get another one; it’s so cozy and feels more expensive than it is.

The boots are Miistas from a few years ago and are my favorite winter stompers [ed. note: they’re mine too because they’re very hardy]. I layered my grandmother’s locket with a silver Laura Lombardi chain, and the bag is a cute little find from Facebook Marketplace.

I’ve been into buying and selling on Facebook Marketplace recently, both for the deals and for the little handoff encounters with strangers. Getting a glimpse into someone’s apartment to pick up an object and give it a new life always feels like a fun voyeuristic indulgence.