ON WEDNESDAY of last week, while in a book shop, discovered a new little photo book by a photographer named Steven Ahlgren called The Office (Hoxton Mini Press), which essentially began when the author was a disenchanted banker working in an office in Minneapolis. Inspired by a 1940 painting by Edward Hooper titled, Office at Night, which he would view frequently at the Walker Art Center, Ahlgren decided to leave office life behind to become a photographer. The photos, taken over a ten-year period between 1982-1992, chronicle a view of corporate life that can either be seen as tragic and sad, or heartfelt and thoughtful, depending on your own experiences with this world. The book got me thinking about work culture in general, how it has shifted so much in the past few years. First, there was Hustle Culture, the glorification of busyness, of working late and long hours and not taking all of your vacation time. As an extension of this, 2014 saw the rise of the Girl Boss, heralding in the height of female empowerment and hustle in the workplace. The term would eventually morph into being seen as infantalising and sexist and ultimately usher in the movement’s demise in 2020. Next came Lying Flat (or Tang Ping), a lifestyle and social protest movement that began in China in April 2021 rejecting the societal pressures to overwork and opt out of a rat race that was producing ever diminishing returns. In March of this year, came Quiet Quitting (which we talked about last week), a term which translates to no longer going above and beyond at work, but doing only what you’ve been hired to do and nothing more. We are, as some have called it, in the Age of Anti-Ambiton. Rather than chasing higher tax brackets and fancy job titles, many people are disconnecting from the matrix to prioritise a more relaxed lifestyle.
This week’s links include the 35 best restaurants in Paris right now and something new in the metaverse; cashmere cardigans and 90s blue jeans, and much, much more.
xo,
{p.s.} past weekend links
A few lovely links :
* The 35 best restaurants in Paris right now
* For autumn days: this Patch-Pocket Denim Jacket & these High Rise Straight Long Jeans
* From the Archives: The Timeless Looks of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy
* For the last of the summer days: this Linen Two-Piece & this Basket Bag
* Soho House Opens Members’ Club In Copenhagen
* Perfect Pairs: this White Shirt & these Cotton-Twill Tailored Trousers
* The Row Is A Members-only Metaverse Community
* Cosy wardrobe staples: this Cashmere Cardigan & these 90s Organic Straight-Leg Jeans
& of course, a few things you may have missed …