Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ Dream Job

Gerwig brims with references and influences, many of which she marshaled to make the movie “authentically artificial,” with everything “fake, but really fake” — make-believe and yet tangible, tactile, like playing with an actual toy. She called Peter Weir, the director of “The Truman Show,” to ask how to “execute something that’s both artificial and…

A Love of the Worn

She said her grandfather was a hobo, who owned a Ferris wheel he set up around San Antonio. Her parents, who are deceased, were artists, but she said her mother also worked as a prostitute and her father was a drug addict. The family was on food stamps, frequently homeless, and she and her brother…

How Do I Pack for a Short Trip?

I’m going on a two-week hiking trip in August and am trying to figure out what to pack. We’re limited to about 33 pounds, so I need to pack light. I’d love to put together a wardrobe that’s practical, chic and wearable beyond the trip. Any suggestions? — Suzanne, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The capsule holiday…

Why More Men are Wearing Crop Tops

It is often the case that, as summer rolls around and temperatures rise, so do hemlines. As men have embraced shorter shorts over the past few years, some have also started to wear shorter shirts — specifically, crop tops. Though men have been known to wear stomach-baring garments when they exercise or go to the…