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Inspired by: Anaïs Nin
By Erica | August 11, 2010
If there’s one thing on this planet that never ceases to inspire me, it’s sex. Steaming, passionate, wild, intense, romantic, lustful, sweaty S-E-X.
It’s not because I’m necessarily a big advocate of new feminism (I am) or because I daydream about affairs with long-haired musicians (I do), but rather because the most wonderful, intoxicating stories revolve around sex. Sex–sexuality–is the core of humanity. It’s primal. It’s chemistry. And it’s damn interesting.
I’m certainly not the only chick who ever obsessed over orgasm. Case in point: Anaïs Nin was a French-born novelist who gained international acclaim with her highly sexual & erotic personal journals. Today, she is regarded as one of the sexiest & passionate eroticists of her time (& ours). But it wasn’t just her sexually-charged prose that interested me in this lovely literary figure. I don’t know about you ladies, but I’ve always had a ‘thing’ for the glamorous & sexually-empowered women of the past. With sexuality being so in-our-face today, it’s hard to imagine what it must have been like to live as an overtly sexual woman in a world where females were expected to be silent, passive & practically asexual. Unlike the sex icons of today, the kittens of yesteryear didn’t have cotton-candy-painted music videos as an outlet (Katy Perry reference totally intentional). I admire any woman who was brave enough to be completely herself in a time when whatever “herself” was was frowned upon, or people were scared of it. And yes, I’d definitely go as far as to say that people were afraid of women’s sexuality–and still are, in some countries & in some respects.
But Anaïs was lucky to have landed in the United States on the brink of the sassy, sexual revolution of the 1960′s & in the heart of Greenwich Village, which embraced her. Until that point, her work had remained mainly hush-hush (her first books were personal diaries, after all). Due to societal circumstances of the era, the women who discovered Anaïs instantly thought: This is it. This is who I want to be. Through her diaries, women were exposed to radical ideas about living independently & taking charge of their own sexuality. Anaïs became a bit of the poster child for feminism & sexuality & the whole bit (but not without a share of literary critics taking their stab at her!)
Selected Anaïs Nin Works Include:
6 things you should know about Anaïs:
1. She was a forerunner in the feminist movement of her era. Anais eventually purposely distanced herself from feminism, but when her work first took hold in literary circles, she was crowned queen of feminism. Her diaries portrayed her as a largely independent jet setter (she did travel between California & New York for 25 years), but critics argue she possibly wasn’t as outspoken, independent & wild as she was portrayed.
2. She was stunning–and her style was impeccable. Anais was not only a literary figure, but a fashion one as well. She dressed in this romantic, boho-chic (long before the term existed!) way. She was a gypsy–both in spirit & in style, and loved scarves, long, drapey dresses & other romantic pieces.
4. She was largely self-taught. Anais didn’t attend fancy schools or creative writing programs. She was born to artistic parents (her mother a singer & her father a pianist), though, which could have fueled her creativity. But Anaïs took it upon herself to explore her interests. She was inspired especially by literature & foreign languages. Because she was born in France, her first journals were written entirely in French. It wasn’t until she turned 17 that Anaïs tried her hand at English (I know, right? French seems much more romantique et belle, but what do I know?)
5. Literary critics called her a narcissist & a liar. Among other things. Literary critics slammed Anaïs for fabricating parts of her journals, particularly the sections that proposed an incestuous affair between her & her father.
6. She was involved in “A LITERARY PASSION” with lover & author Henry Miller. Literally, the couple published a book, A Literary Passion, which was essentially a collection of intimate love letters between the two writers. I really can’t think of anything more romantic or fulfilling for a writer. It’s absolutely magical (sadly, but not surprisingly, the relationship didn’t work out. But Anaïs was a coveted & flighty lover, so she wasn’t broken hearted for long).
Channel Anais:
2. Immerse yourself in your passion. Anais was equally as passionate about men as she was about writing. She combined these two passions to create one of the most poignant series of diaries ever published. Imagine what you could do if you completely dive head first into what you love?
3. Give in to your desires. Anaïs had an array of lovers, which signals to me: The woman was not one to say “No” to her deepest wants. Sometimes, in order to feel really & truly alive, you have to throw caution & restraint to the wind. Try it sometime. Kiss that stranger on the first date. Initiate a conversation with the girl who wears fairy wings on the subway. Get the tattoo you’ve always dreamed of. Take a community college class in painting even if you’ve never touched a canvas, if that’s where your heart is.
4. Don’t be afraid to be feminine. “It’s all right for a woman to be, above all, human. I am a woman first of all.” (from The Diary of Anaïs Nin, vol. I, 1966) To Anaïs, femininity was power. What does being a woman first mean to you? My ideas: Loving your body. Not being afraid of breasts, hips & thighs. Accentuate if you wish (at least once!). Kiss the body drama goodbye. Compliment your friend’s curves. Don’t be afraid of the word “vagina”–or talking about sex with your girlfriends. Maybe kiss another girl once, just to understand how it feels (so much softer, more sensual & full of love than some male kisses I’ve experienced!)
5. Do whatever it is you do with breathtaking candidness:
“Anxiety is love’s greatest killer. It makes others feel as you might when a drowning man holds on to you. You want to save him, but you know he will strangle you with his panic. “
“Ordinary life does not interest me. I seek only the high moments. I am in accord with the surrealists, searching for the marvelous.”
“Each contact with a human being is so rare, so precious, one should preserve it. “
“We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.”
“I only believe in fire. Life. Fire. Being myself on fire I set others on fire. Never death. Fire and life. Les Jeux.”
5. But leave a little to be desired. Anais was also famous for mixing elements of fantasy into her “personal” stories. She wrote openly about the incestuous relationship between her & her father in her book, THE HOUSE OF INCEST, but many critics questioned the validity of her account, claiming she was embellishing for the sake of storytelling. Knowing the “real” Anais was a treasure few experienced. But it worked for her: This gave her life an elusive, secretive feel from the outside. How can you “leave a little to be desired” in today’s world, where almost everyone over shares? Channel Anais by exuding an air of mystery (that means no “Pool today 8-5, then hanging w/ my girls” Facebook statuses!). Disappear for a weekend & take an exotic vacation (or staycation). Never wear the same exact outfit twice. Listen more than you speak. People watch in your finest outfits in the middle of the day.
5. Emulate her style. Anaïs was as much a style icon as a literary one. You can achieve Anaïs’ ballerina-chic look using a mixture of trendy, vintage & classic pieces. Here are some pieces I think Anaïs would love:
6. Keep a journal. As if you needed another reason to keep a record of your life, know that Anaïs would applaud you. Anaïs was a huge advocate for journaling as a vehicle for self-liberation, particularly for women. She talks about her disconnect with the feminist movement & her belief in journaling as the ultimate liberation in A WOMAN SPEAKS: THE LECTURES, SEMINARS, AND INTERVIEWS OF ANAÏS NIN, a book released in 1975, two short years before her death. I recommend keeping both a digital & a paper journal. Try Xanga or Evernote .
Need more Anais?
♥ There is a daily blog dedicated to Anais, including “Anais Myth of the Day.” Yes, please!
♥ Every Little Counts on Etsy makes a wonderful, loose-fitting “A Literate Passion” tank, with the phrase “Henry & Anais” repeated down the entire front.
♥ Ever wondered what keeps French women looking so flawlessly young & vibrant? CBS News just released a slideshow of 8 Anti-Aging Secrets French Women Won’t Tell You. I can’t say if Anaïs implemented any of the techniques, but I can bet she would if she were alive today!
Your Thoughts:
Do any of you have a girl-crush on Anaïs like I do? What other totally glamorous & slightly neurotic historical women inspire you? Let’s talk about it in the comments–I always love to hear about other people’s muses (especially the lesser-known ones).
xoxo
erica lee
Topics: Inspiration, Lifestyle, Style | 6 Comments »
August 11th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Just from reading this post, I LOVE Anaïs! I had heard of her, but never knew much about her. I think all women should channel/emulate her. I love and appreciate women who embrace their sexuality. A I think that all women want to be like Anaïs, but are afraid to because of the way society has molded the way women should “act.” Even though sex is in our face like you mentioned, I still think some people are afraid of a women’s sexuality. There has always been a double standard…I’m done rambling lol
Mae West inspires me. She was an actress, screen writer and play writer in the 1800′s. She was seen as a sex symbol and was often criticized and censored because of her sexuality. She was classy, always had sexual/witty one-liners, she embraced her curves, wasn’t afraid to exude sexuality etc etc
“Sex is emotion in motion.”-MW
August 12th, 2010 at 6:28 am
I’ve sadly never read any Anais Nin, but I’m taking a trip to the bookstore and will pick up one of her books. I’m also inspired by fiercely bold women who live on their own terms. Great post E!
August 12th, 2010 at 9:16 am
OMG, is this really my Chanelle?! Aw geez, I miss you. I’d heard Mae West’s name before but never really knew who she was. I love that quote though. So true.
@Fajr – Ooh, you definitely need to check her out! I read her diaries first. I think you’ll get hooked. Her writing is so poetic & beautiful & just so damn true. Thanks lady (P.S. I’m interning for College Fashion & submitted your link about nail polish colors for the Hautelinks this week. Hopefully it makes it. I thought it was so clever!)
August 14th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
Yes! It’s me! I miss you so much (and I always read your blog. You should Mae West out on youtube, her voice is even sexy lol I love her and YOU!!
August 28th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
[...] someone’s private diary. Anais Nin, Anne Frank, and even strangers on Xanga or Livejournal have provided me with lots of creative [...]
July 13th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
In a weird way I still feel that sexuality is censored a little bit. I know, you might think I am crazy with the abundance of sexual material at our fingertips and my 11 year old niece that dresses “a little inappropriate” but there is still this uncomfortable stigma related to it. It is hard to put a finger on because on one hand, people are as feel wheeling as they ever have been, I think it is just that they don’t want other people to know about it.