The Melt is a newsletter by, about and largely to entertain Jason Diamond. Hopefully, you also like it and will consider subscribing and sharing this post.
First, mazel tov to Rihanna and A$AP Rocky. To paraphrase Luca Brasi may their child be a stylish one. And while I won’t be paying $1,500 anytime soon to buy the photo of the baby bump reveal, I keep thinking of A$AP in that denim Carhartt and the hooded (?) cricket sweater and how it deserves to be recognized as an inspired moment in layering. I know everything comes back around sooner or later, and maybe I’m projecting here, but the feel is very Teen who lives very close to one of the Great Lakes in winter and needs to wear his nicest sweater to something. And, if you know me, you know that is the highest of compliments.
For there was a time, let’s call it 1995, when a young man named Jason lived by a very big body of water in the middle of America and also loved to toss on whatever underneath a Carhartt jacket. Chunky sweater, hockey jersey, Earth Crisis t-shirt, you name it. I wouldn’t say it was anti-style and I didn’t really think about “layering,” but I look back on those cold-weather uniforms and it may have been the closest I ever came to reaching that effortless cool thing that has always eluded a person like me. This photo is styled by a team down to the last detail I’m sure, but it’s such a perfect example of weird layering to me. I think it’s really an overlooked art. And the white t-shirt under the cricket sweater seals the deal. Now I’m trying to think about how I can get weird with my layering over these last (hopefully) weeks of winter. Likely I’ll just do my default and keep trying to replicate old Ralph with the all-time greatest layering job maybe ever.
Other little bits:
Jaya Saxena on how everything is Flamin’ Hot now made me think about how much it sucks that we have every kind of everything and how easy it all is to get. We just run every idea into the ground. And yes, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are, to me, the height of junk food.
I really enjoy Tyler Watamanuk’s newsletter, but really got a kick out of this most recent one on how any random place could be a scent now. “One could assume it's only a matter of time before an even younger company one-ups and releases a scent named "Dimes Square."
It was an absolute joy to read Ruth Madievsky on the filthy things Russians say. I’ve been trying to explain this to people for years and I’ll just forward them this piece now.
I’m ready to go out again and I’d like to try the Nines.