The legacy of Joan Didion is a well-documented subject. Her enduring influence yields from her prose to her personal wardrobe, solidifying her image as an icon in the cultural zeitgeist. Her keen eye for observation spanned a decades-long career chronicling current events, a range that varied from political critique to psychological portraits. She pioneered a bi-coastal lifestyle that most modern-day creatives aspire to today— living between Hollywood and Manhattan and moving fluidly between social spheres with effortless grace and grit.
What makes Joan Didion a consistent inspiration to me (beyond a successful tripartite career with literary chops, a parallel interest in subcultures, and a bi-coastal profession and residence) is her straightforward style: Didion was simple and sharp, both in life and in writing. She understood the power of image and embodied a California brand of effortless cool. When a curated exhibition of her estate went up for auction, it painted a picture of her interior life in objects: A Loro Piana cashmere shawl. Celine tortoiseshell sunglasses. Set of leather-bound blank notebooks. Twenty-six shells and beach pebbles. Didion was cozy, cultivated, and above all, elevated.
While she channeled a disposition for disorder and chaos in her writing, her approach to all else seemed steady and streamlined. With a season of travels on the horizon, it felt timely to share my favorite author’s infamous packing list. Taped inside Joan Didion’s closet door in her Hollywood apartment, the list consisted of everything the author needed when she set out on assignment. It was printed, along with Didion’s analysis of it, in her 1979 collection of nonfiction, The White Album.
In honor of Didion, I’ve reinterpreted the master of letter’s packing list below:
Bottega Veneta Cat Eye Sunglasses, The Row Fadia Top in Ivory, Totême Novara Trousers, Ronny Kobo Lace Dress,, Khaite Long Sleeved Sweater, Beaufille Midi Skirt, Lemaire Beige Small Croissants,, Cartier Cougar 26 mm,, David Mallett Shampoo, Loro Piana Silk-Trimmed Scarf, Gil Rodriguez Bodysuit, The Row Tan Soft Loafers