Marie Claire March 2020

what we love about march

ART Behind the Velvet Rope The epicenter of disco and debauchery in the late ’70s (it was, after all, the nightclub where Bianca Jagger rode a white horse across the dance floor), Studio 54 has never faded from memory. Studio 54: Night Magic (opening March 13 at the Brooklyn Museum) celebrates the club’s impact on art, fashion, and culture with nearly 650 artifacts. ART REAR VIEW New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art turns 150 this year, and it’s throwing an epic bash to mark the occasion. (By bash, we mean a huge exhibit.) On view starting March 30, Making the Met, 1870–2020 is a visual history of the museum’s rise to global fame, from its founding to present day, featuring more than 250 defining works from nearly every genre of art. So go and get…

what we’re reading

The Glass Hotel (March 24, Knopf) Emily St. John Mandel’s fifth novel, her first since 2014’s best seller Station Eleven, involves a Ponzi scheme and an unlikely cast of characters connected by the racket’s leader. It’s a captivating reflection on greed and how our choices can haunt us. The Herd (March 24, Ballantine Books) In Andrea Bartz’s propulsive thriller, two sisters investigate the disappearance of their friend, the founder of a buzzy women’s coworking space. Through every twist, these enterprising ladies will have you breathlessly trying to keep up with them. Anna K (March 3, Flatiron Books) Already in development for an HBO Max series, Jenny Lee’s modern-day retelling of Russian classic Anna Karenina, set in the deliciously dramatic world of Manhattan’s teenage elite, is ridiculous fun, best enjoyed on a night in with a glass (or two)…

dark matters

Marie Claire: What inspired the novel? Kate Elizabeth Russell: I first read Lolita when I was 14, and it broke my mind open. It was the late ’90s, and there were so many examples of the teenage seductress in our culture. I saw men my father’s age joke about countdown clocks to when underage celebrity girls turned 18, or journalists ask Britney Spears about her virginity. It was clear to me that adults sexualizing teenage girls was seen as normal. What wasn’t as clear to me was how girls were meant to respond to that sexualization. I started writing about a student’s relationship with her teacher, trying to walk this line between “Is this love, or is it actually something darker?” MC: How do you hope readers respond to the story? KER: I…

coming up next

I couldn’t be more proud of my final issue as editor of Marie Claire. I love the features (from the behind-the-scenes account of the princess who valiantly plotted for seven years to escape Dubai, on page 170, to the story of the woman who tracked down one of Hollywood’s most prolific con artists, on page 174) and the fashion. (The cool French-girl-in-jeans story on page 128, shot by Robert Nethery, encapsulates exactly the woman I want to be.) This issue has so much of what I’ve loved about the seven years I’ve been here as editor in chief. The story about the upcoming abortion case facing the U.S. Supreme Court (p. 80), and its potentially dire consequences for Roe v. Wade, is an excellent example of the urgent journalism we publish…

worth it: leather jacket

THE EXPERT: David Mesquita, vice president of Leather Spa MARIE CLAIRE: Have you seen long leather jackets gain popularity? DAVID MESQUITA: Yes, because a long jacket looks important and powerful. I like it as a statement piece. MC: What’s the best way to store a leather jacket to extend its life? DM: Store your jacket in a breathable garment bag (not a plastic bag), and make sure that you’re keeping it in a place that’s not moist or too dry. MC: How do you spot clean a leather jacket at home? DM: The trick is to do something right away. A spot cleaner is best, or you can gently rub the spot using a paper towel and a bit of leather conditioner, which is safer than using soap and water. Always do an unobtrusive spot check…

worth it: framed bags

THE EXPERT: Koyaana Redstar, merchandising manager at Rebag MARIE CLAIRE: Why does this style transcend time? KOYAANA REDSTAR: Metal-framed handbags were one of the first silhouettes offered in the 19th century, so it’s unsurprising to see them making their way back into fashion time and time again. The frame shape can change the aesthetic of the bag: Rounded or curved frames add a flair of romanticism and antiquity, whereas straight or squared frames give a more contemporary feel. MC: How do you style one for day? KR: It’s a versatile style that easily transitions from day to evening. To reduce the formality of a bag for day, pair it with more casual clothing such as jeans, a T-shirt, and your favorite sneakers. MC: What makes a framed bag a good purchase? KR: Pieces that are structured…