Playing Diana Vreeland’s ‘Why Don’t You’ Game
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/Patrick McMullan
The remarkable Diana Vreeland, who defined what it meant to be a fashion editor at the helm of both Harper’s Bazaar (for 26 years) and Vogue (for 8), always urged her readers to shed the ordinary and live an adventurous life. And by all accounts, she practiced what she preached, as recounted in her granddaughter-in-law Lisa Immordino Vreeland’s new documentary, Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel. The legendary editor dressed Wallis Simpson, advised Jackie Kennedy, discovered Twiggy, and championed the bikini and the blue jean, so when she began issuing provocative missives from her infamous “Why Don’t You?” Bazaar column, readers took note. “Why don’t you rinse your blond child’s hair in dead Champagne to keep its gold?” she once wrote. “Why don’t you wear velvet mittens all day long?” One of the best scenes from the documentary is when her great-granddaughter reads these aloud. And so, to honor Vreeland’s spirit, those attending the documentary’s premiere at MoMA and the after-party at the Monkey Bar have contributed their own “Why Don’t You”s for the Cut.
Stefano Tonchi "Why don't you take more risks?"
Photo: CLINT SPAULDING/© Patrick McMullan
Ally Hilfiger "Why don't you pour the rest of your coffee pot in your bathtub in the morning? Why don't you put your black coffee in your ba...
Ally Hilfiger "Why don't you pour the rest of your coffee pot in your bathtub in the morning? Why don't you put your black coffee in your bath? Take a bath in your coffee!" Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Dennis Basso "Why don't you always put heavy cream in your Rice Krispies?"
Robert Tagliapietra "Why don't you carry your dog down four flights of stairs instead of making him walk?"
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© P...
Robert Tagliapietra "Why don't you carry your dog down four flights of stairs instead of making him walk?"
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Robert Verdi "Why don't you buy the thing you can't afford instead of paying your rent? You may get a promotion. Why don't you just steal it...
Robert Verdi "Why don't you buy the thing you can't afford instead of paying your rent? You may get a promotion. Why don't you just steal it? It may get you the press you need to get ahead in this city. Why don't you just put one of his hairs in your bag to use as a DNA sample and tell everybody he's the father? Why don't you just make a reservation at the Monkey Bar under somebody else's name and put it on their tab? Why don't you just forget about wearing underwear? They ruin the line of your clothes! Why don't you just let your skirt fly up while you're not wearing underwear?"
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Mary Alice Stephenson "Why don't you wear sequins in the sun? Why don't you wear your heart on your sleeve? Why don't you realize nothing lo...
Mary Alice Stephenson "Why don't you wear sequins in the sun? Why don't you wear your heart on your sleeve? Why don't you realize nothing looks good on a bitch?"
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Angela Lindvall "Why don't you take a bath in gallons of milk? That would actually be really good for your skin. Fill the whole bathtub up. ...
Angela Lindvall "Why don't you take a bath in gallons of milk? That would actually be really good for your skin. Fill the whole bathtub up. Truthfully, what is it, three dollars a gallon? Get a couple gallons, and it's not that expensive of a beauty treatment, really. That would be really cool, like out of Snow White and the Huntsman."
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/Patrick McMullan
Christine Baranksi "Why don't you just tear off your clothes and be the first one into the lake, under the stars at 2 a.m., and invite your ...
Christine Baranksi "Why don't you just tear off your clothes and be the first one into the lake, under the stars at 2 a.m., and invite your guests in?"
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Alan Cumming "Why don't you turn off the television and do something more interesting? Why don't you put down the magazine and stop being a ...
Alan Cumming "Why don't you turn off the television and do something more interesting? Why don't you put down the magazine and stop being a sheep?" Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Gina Gershon "Why don't you try having fun all day? Why don't you make weird things and just wear it? Why don't you make presents for people...
Gina Gershon "Why don't you try having fun all day? Why don't you make weird things and just wear it? Why don't you make presents for people instead of buying them? Why don't you draw more? Why don't you draw something and frame it like it's fancy art?"
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Natasha Bedingfield "Why don't you try something you've never tried before? Why don't you pick up a new hobby? Why don't you learn to snowbo...
Natasha Bedingfield "Why don't you try something you've never tried before? Why don't you pick up a new hobby? Why don't you learn to snowboard? Why don't you learn French? Why don't you learn French while snowboarding in the Alps? And have fondue?"
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Gabe Saporta "Why don't you stop being an asshole? That's always the first thing, because that's what I ask myself every day, Why don't you ...
Gabe Saporta "Why don't you stop being an asshole? That's always the first thing, because that's what I ask myself every day, Why don't you stop being an asshole? Why don't you wear one of those hats with two beer cans on either side that you can drink from? Why don't you drink from your hat?" Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Lizzie Tisch "Why don't you wear your wedding dress again?"
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
Brooke Shields "Why don't you allow yourself to be happy? Because that's the thing. We spend so much time thinking about how we would like o...
Brooke Shields "Why don't you allow yourself to be happy? Because that's the thing. We spend so much time thinking about how we would like our lives to be, instead of really focusing on enjoying life. And that's actually okay. Why don't you dance in the rain?"
Photo: PAUL BRUINOOGE/© Patrick McMullan
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