The subject of this week’s letter is Lena Dunham. The iconic writer, director, and actress; creator of Girls and Too Much; the mind behind Good Thing Going; and the author of the forthcoming Famesick, which arrives on April 14th. No joke, she is the voice of our generation! Now, she is a Habiter woman.

Actually, as you’ll read, Lena demurs when it comes to that last title. She is a self-proclaimed student of Habiter, but personally, I don’t think she needs any lessons. Who actually is a Habiter woman? Does she have to be a slick minimalist or a uniform dresser? I’d argue no. She is simply a thinking woman—someone who appreciates the value of a strong look, understands herself, and dresses authentically and with perspective. It’s a category Lena undoubtedly falls into: a true fashion lover who knows her shit and dresses with an explicit mission—to spark joy with each and every item she wears, from ball gowns to compression socks.

I absolutely love this packed interview with Lena, who is so generous and funny. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading. Lena actually told me to edit her, a request I obviously ignored. So if you’re reading this in email, you simply must click to view the entire thing—trust me! Here’s what Lena has been living in lately.

Describe your personal style. What are you living in right now and why?

I must admit—as a Habiter student, I feel like a bit of a poser! I love how the newsletter focuses on the idea of style habits, things we return to again and again. It’s so fun to read because the women in it have such a clear sense of their own identity (sartorially, at least!) and through the hard work of getting to know themselves they’ve been able to whittle their wardrobes down to reflect that. I mean, how about the “single ingredient life” gal who says she could get dressed with her eyes closed and feel great because every item she has works!

This is not that…

I have always been a collector. I have always been a “magpie” (a concept I must credit Rachel Syme with, women who cobble together a nest full of shiny junk). I have always been highly suggestible—any chic woman owning her look can send me down a rabbit hole of mimicry.

Plus, I live between countries (divide the closet mess by 2…)

So I’m not that minimalist girl, and I’m even gonna use more words and include more pictures than she would because I’m almost 40 and I have to just admit to being who I am.

I do have a few philosophies that have always stood me in good stead (depending who you ask).

1- If a friend (or even a random at a dinner party) seems more delighted by something I own than I am, I’ll give it away. Right then and there. And make space for what’s next.

2- I don’t keep items that don’t fit the body I have now, unless they’re sentimental enough that I’m willing to pay to store them—and my clothing storage charges by the piece, so I take this seriously. Having been many sizes, and also dealing with chronic illness and disability, I’ve often felt like I love fashion but fashion doesn’t love me back. So a big part of healing has been finding the things that support my body as it is, not as I wish it were.

3- Lastly, unlike anyone ever giving professional style advice, I don’t have “foundational” pieces, filler pieces or basics. Not t-shirts. Not pajamas. Not socks or underwear—even my compression stockings, which are medical, are so fun that my mother stole the burnout black lace ones. Every single thing I have because I love it and even if I were buck naked and wearing it by itself I’d be delighted and feel like I was expressing myself.

Together, that can make for sort of an intense outfit—like, the vision may be as simple as “I love this, this and this.” But at least it’s sparking joy in me all day, every day.

How often do you shop?

Constantly but not at all! Every day, but never. I can hardly remember the last time I “went shopping” (remember window shopping with friends? It was everything!) I live fairly near what I consider to be the world’s best department store, Liberty, and I probably enter twice a year, usually to buy flowers or have my dog groomed.

While I’m not out on the town, I am always on some little tangent via many saved resale searches. (Currently: Luella Bartley handbag.)

I’ve always been drawn to emerging designers. Even in high school, I used to look at all the credits in Teen Vogue, tear out what I liked (which was never a “high end” brand) and—if it wasn’t in a boutique—contact the designers directly. I was once asked if I was placing a wholesale order on wicker earrings and I was like, “No, I’m fifteen, and I’d just like one pair please.” And I’d take the subway to wherever it was and wander some warehouse hallways to pick it up, and be so excited just to peek at what was going on.

I like the freedom that comes with designers being young and scrappy, and I love when I can buy something and, in the process, get to know the creator a bit. I save every single card that’s ever been packed with a custom order, be it from Etsy or a designer. Some newer favorites: Cawley, Imi Studios, Golshaah, Connor Ives, Factory New York, Leorosa, Panconesi, Rightful Owner.

My version of a “basic” is a “cozy”. I want to feel comfortable but still fetching, for it to be well made and amusing, and to support diverse owned businesses as often as possible. Cou Cou Intimates, Rue Sophie, Wales Bonner (icon of our time), Donni, Connor McKnight, Rat Boi, Buci, Sandy Liang.

I feel lucky every time free things appear at my door and I do put a lot of them into rotation—if not I take finding the perfect home very seriously! But when it comes to indie businesses especially, I insist on paying full price. It’s crazy what is expected of these folks just to keep their business going and I am never gonna assume that dressing me is a coup. I’m really just a fan.

Speaking of how hard the business is, I miss Christopher Kane and Puppets & Puppets—they both dressed me for some of the biggest moments of my life, and always made me feel like, well, me. Waiting eagerly for their second acts.

Below, CK and P & P, in my favorite lapis blue…

Where do you shop the most?

Uh… the airport. I wish I were joking. I love the satellite Selfridge’s at Heathrow so much.

It’s where I found this Ganni “item” on sale (unsure of its true purpose) paired here with Levi’s 501 cut offs and whatever comes up when you Google “vegan fringed cowboy boot” which smell so much like endocrine disruption that my mother actually removed them from my home.

Actual most spending? Had to consult the receipts! And the receipts speak for themselves: it’s eBay, honey.

I get a lot of inner strength from those lucky moments when my search and someone’s sale convene, at a price we can both feel good about. It reminds me of when my mother used to have me bargain for antique dolls at the flea market, because I was a child and they’d naturally assume the toy was *my* object of fixation—whereas if she said she was an artist using it for her work, they’d jack the price up. Then we’d use whatever money we saved and I’d get to buy very silly little enameled costume jewelry brooches.

I’m realizing as I type this, I’m into whatever the opposite of an “investment piece” is—I want many small options, none of which are overwhelmingly useful unless you are me!

Onyx and Jasper Tiffany beans, located on eBay. The sky was raining well priced beans that day. Worn here with my mother in law Alma’s lapis bracelet from Peru, where she lives, and apparently goose bumps.

A pair of Entire Studios blazers, scored on Black Friday for less than a third of the listed price (hence owning the same item in black sateen *and* the pleasantly named Fern.) My theory was they are also dresses.

Donni pop simple pant and matching button down. Wore this on a very delayed airplane full of angry, angry people and was blocking the aisle as I tried to put my bag in the overhead compartment. Saw the flight attendant coming for me and was sure it was trouble, but instead they cooed “well hello, pajama chic!”

A men’s Margiela trench with layered collars. The only thing better than one trench is *two trenches* that *are* one trench.

These Medea ballet flats, made of what appears to be a 90s father’s sweatpants.

Best buy of the last year?

Because of all these intensely convincing girls on Substack—and the lifelong toxic romance that is women and denim (CC Jane Herman)—I invested in 3 pairs of jeans from Jamie Haller recently. My hands were truly shaking as I finally checked out after what was, no joke, a month of deliberation, waist measuring, contemplating how and when they’d be worn. I’d been used to spending Asos/Mango money, because curvy girl denim is tough and, sadly, it tends to be the big corporations that are willing to offer the full size range. But JH goes up to a 40 waist, and it was some of the clearest proof I’ve seen of the difference between a throwaway item and a human making something they care about. The details are perfect, down to the studs and pocket placement. Each pair serves a different purpose. They feel like a shield. Jamie, if you’re reading this, take your size range even further—you really know what you’re doing and the extended sizes gals will come in droves, demanding their day in the luxury denim sun!

What are you currently searching for?

Always on the hunt for kooky little jewels. Jewels doesn’t mean diamonds, or even pearls. I want gelatinous shapes and surprising textures—Sophie Buhai, Alan Crocetti, Mais x Frida. I have my eye on some mottled lavender enameled Coperni earrings, but I keep not pulling the trigger quickly enough.

What’s your go-to bodega/coffee/grocery-run outfit?

A weird girl trench (be it the aforementioned double collars, pleather from Alice Temperley, a ruffled lapel, a sailor collar or leopard lining from Damsen Madder) or Charlotte Simone faux fur, ancient red Comme Si sweats covered in paint or a little dress that *could* be a nightgown (CC Batsheva, Fruity Booty) one of many Paris Review hats and sold out sequined Wales Bonner for Adidas kicks I located on StockX.

Sometimes it’s nice to show some toe cleavage tho…

Does your style change when you go to work?

When I’m directing, I try to dress in a way that makes it clear how much I care about where I am. A film set is the closest thing I have to a religion and we don’t go to temple with our shoulders out, hence the phenomenon of the Bat Mitzvah pashmina!

Maybe this is also why it’s so tempting to direct in a grandpa hat? Oh no, that’s just Steven Spielberg.

Love this one. Working Title Studios had old hats from the 90s lying around the office. When my hinting didn’t get me one, I begged them to make more, so they did them as wrap gifts for our show Too Much. This button down is from when I did a collaboration with 11 Honore, an extended size brand that did an amazing job getting designers to make select pieces in a bigger range.

I love how Paul Feig directs in a suit. My equivalent of that is my father’s oatmeal plaid blazer (custom made for him at Seize Sur Vingt in NYC in the early 2000s) and a button down.

Below, a full summer in NYC workweek of looks—usually committing to building them around whatever handbag has most recently arrived in my life. The blue snap bag is a well loved gift from Eckhaus Latta, the red pleather appeared from Banana Republic without explanation…

What’s your go-to out for a night out?

A night out is dinner with my husband and some friends/family in a cozy spot where they don’t get annoyed if you ask to turn the music down ever so slightly. I love that my husband is a little fashionhead and he totally embraces mood dressing. I’ve never come down the stairs, no matter how “specific” the look, and felt that he was anything but thrilled. He only gets annoyed when I insist on wearing heels he knows will leave me in pain the next day (it’s never not happened).

Early in our relationship he took me to an extremely chic with a capital C British summer wedding. All the ladies—many of whom work in fashion—looked incredible in slinky slip dresses or sequined but subtle minis from Annie’s Ibiza (though I love that even the most old school UK fashion has a little bit of eccentricity baked in—I mean, fascinators!). I wore a puffy polka dot tulle dress in an alarmingly vivid aqua. I looked, frankly, like a delusional Bridgerton extra.

And it’s just nice to have someone who appreciates those moments and never asks you to shrink literally or figuratively.

We ended up making an episode of our show, Too Much, all about this and our costume designer, Arielle Cooper-Lethem, did the most incredible work dressing every woman in something iconic and cutting edge, then designing an electric blue lamé ruffled halter dress for Miss Megan Stalter.

What clothing item or accessory do you always travel with?

I wish I had an answer to this, but who could ever know. My suitcase is a mysterious sinkhole of pure chaos. Many good men have been lost in its gaping maw, trying valiantly to help but not realizing it’s a Beowulf’s mom type situation—you’re not getting out intact.

Do you change your accessories or wear the same ones?

There’s always 2-10 necklaces happening at any given time, and they’ll honestly remain on until I enter an MRI machine and am asked to remove them, at which point I begin again.

This is minimalism in action.

Rings are a constantly evolving roster with a few permanent lovers—my wedding ring, which I designed with The Gild and a Retrouvai flying pig ring. Right now, they’re next to a Pamela Love spiral and a candy silver heart from Millie Savage.

My Spinelli Kilkollin silver stacking ring was a gift from my business partner, Michael. Thick cigar band covered in moons and stars from Local Eclectic.

The black and white enamel is from Mayle—their Kusama ring, which gives me an instant hit of that holy spirit. Rashida Jones alerted me to Mayle’s jewelry—Rashida is one of the most naturally cool/chic/surprising people I know (though I am lucky to have inspiring friends, sartorially and otherwise—Alissa Bennett, Janicza Bravo, Carly Mark…)

I was once having a meeting (with a straight man!?) who took a long pause and said, “Do you get all your rings from the same place? It seems like you take them really seriously.” I was floating around all week like I’d won an Oscar.

My mother always had vintage purses around as objects, and they’re a motif in her work:

So she gave me the idea they could be collected, which is how this happens (Carly Mark did really feed my cookie bag habit…)

My set bag is always and will forever be an XL Telfar shopping bag. I’ve had a new color for every shoot I’ve done in the last decade, and I remember the job based on which one was with me…

We clap when we wrap the actors, and then we clap for the bag and what she’s been through on the last day.