I concentrated in high modernist poetry and poetics in graduate school, and while we read, studied, and wrote about a lot of ambitious, arcane works from the modernist canon, very few of us ever touched Marcel Proust.
Proust is dense.
Proust is intimidating.
Proust is the most cerebral of the highly cerebral intelligentsia from the modernist era. (I believe that the brilliant professor Joseph Epstein once said he had to carve out an hour each morning to labor through his work over the course of many months.)
Proust is to reading what mid-calf culottes are to fashion: that is, probably too challenging for most of us. Possibly worth the risk, but you’ll likely wind up in self-doubt, out of your depth.
{Um, I might just leave these to the pros.}
But, if you dare, start with Swann’s Way, the first in his trilogy In Search of Lost Time, and instantly win my eternal respect. (And, if you can rock culottes, you will earn the same.)
For the rest of us, let’s enjoy Proust in a different lane: have you heard of the Proust Questionnaire? Apparently, a friend of Proust’s asked him to fill out a questionnaire when he was in his teens — it was apparently in vogue at the time to answer such questionnaires in order to share personal “tastes and aspirations.” (You can see Proust’s 1890 answers here, BTW — my favorite is his response to: “Not to have known my mother or grandmother.” Hearts.)
Today, I thought I’d do a modern twist on the Proust Questionnaire and invite you pretty ladies to answer yourselves, too:
Your favorite qualities in a woman.
Conviction tempered by an open mind.
Your favorite heroine.
Anne Elliott from Austen’s Persuasion. Smart, loyal, kind, quietly passionate, and a keen observer of human nature. She’s just the kind of woman I want to be.
Your main fault.
I’m too quick to judge.
Your greatest virtue.
Work ethic.
Your idea of happiness.
Spending time at home with my loved ones, preferably around an amazing home-cooked meal, and definitely wearing something I love. (Like this magical night, when Mr. Magpie made paella on the grill and we sat in our backyard under twinkle lights with two of my sisters, my beloved brother-in-law, and a few friends. I was wearing a Self-Portrait dress that is now sold out errywhere, but I found one on sale at The Real Real here in black. This Shopbop steal (under $100!) totally nails the look, though (lovelovelove). And I also almost bought this similar style, now on sale for $141 (!), and I dig this variation, along with this. LOVE a breezy white dress.
Your idea of misery.
Spending time with impolite or self-involved people. I have no patience for ego or rudeness.
Currently at the top of your shopping lust list.
I’ve wanted a Fendi Peekaboo bag for.ev.er. But, more within the realm of possibility, a dress to wear to a wedding in April. I already listed my top candidates, and the dream would be this Zimmermann. I’m holding off on ordering anything, though, because I will have just recently given birth and have no clue what my physical situation will be like! This also joined the list of contenders, and the fit of this dress is very me.
Smaller purchases sitting in my shopping cart: this dress ($159), this printed loafer ($120), this blowout balm ($25), these toile Spode plates ($75 for 6 — I want to hang them on a wall in our kitchen area using these plate hangers), and this coffee table book ($40). P.S.: I’ve linked these and a few other new discoveries via the slider at the bottom of this post.
Desert island beauty product.
Diorshow mascara. (I’m assuming my lash extension technician, mentioned here, won’t be there with me. Sigh.)
Last thing you bought.
These gingham pumps from Banana!!!! AHHHHH!!! What a freaking steal. But I was then devastated (dev.a.stat.ed) to find that even the smallest size was too big for my pixie foot. So, had to return them. I was imagining pairing them with a ladylike dress like this. To ease the pain, I bought these instead. Hehehe. I also recently snagged this gold mercury glass compote dish to store #minimagpie’s growing collection of hairbows.
I feel most empowered wearing…
A great, unexpected, flashy pair of shoes (see above) and a blowout. (With clothes, too, HA, but those are the key elements.)
Favorite Magpie post.
I loved writing about my parents, but never have I been more excited than before I hit “publish” on this post. It was a long-time-in-the-making in more ways than one, and I feel like it brought me so much closer to so many of you lovely readers.
So, there we go — your turn! Answers?!
P.S. — SHOP MORE HERE:
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