Last night, the East Village pulsated with the energy of FranCon, the fourth annual celebration of all things Fran Lebowitz. This gathering, held at the vibrant Holiday Cocktail Lounge, was a testament to the enduring appeal of the author’s iconic style, a style she herself might find ironically amusing.
Lebowitz, known for her sharp wit and intellectual prowess, is equally renowned for her signature look: a white Oxford shirt paired with a navy blazer, blue jeans, brown cowboy boots, and tortoiseshell glasses. This timeless uniform, with its simple elegance and deliberate lack of trendiness, has found new resonance in an era where quiet luxury, capsule wardrobes, and minimalism are all the rage.
“It’s very streamlined and simple, but it’s so definitive,” explains Jane August, co-host of FranCon. “These are basics that everyone has in their closet. Everyone has a blazer, everyone has a button up, everyone has jeans, everyone has a boot or a loafer of some sort. Somehow [with] these things that everyone has, she has been able to claim it as her own.” August also sees Lebowitz’s uniform dressing as a powerful tool for social equality, leveling the playing field by eliminating fashion as a source of judgment. “We’re not judging each others’ outfit or thinking about that, because we’re all just the same,” she says. “Now we can really connect.”
Indeed, FranCon attendees embraced the spirit of the event, finding creative ways to personalize the signature Lebowitz look. Helen Hong paired a cropped top and ripped jeans with a classic Lebowitz blazer, while Marcus Drew sported a pinstripe blazer purchased from a Burlington Coat Factory in 2008. I myself had the opportunity to experience a true “Devil Wears Prada” moment, being transformed into a Fran Lebowitz look-alike by the event’s intrepid fashion editor, Ciarra. To my surprise, my Fran-ified ensemble was entirely composed of readily available pieces: a crisp white button-up shirt and oversized navy blue pinstripe blazer from The Frankie Shop, a pair of the cult favorite Khaite Danielle jeans, a Khaite trench coat, brown Frye boots, and Warby Parker tortoiseshell glasses.
Inside the lounge, a sea of Fran look-alikes—complete with matching bobs and blazers—mingled and sipped on cocktails aptly named “Franhattan” and “Rent Stabilized Apartment.” The zeitgeist was reflected in the attire of two younger Frans, one sporting a bright green “fran” tee in the Charli XCX brat font, the other pairing a Spider-Man shirt with a button-up. At the bar, two male Frans, wigs and all, debated the merits of the interpretation. “I think she would love it,” one declared. “You think so?” the other responded, “I don’t think she would.”
The event drew a significant queer crowd, who found a special resonance in Lebowitz’s style. “The butch look is an under-appreciated look, especially in our era,” observed Rosella Tursi. “For us, I think it’s pretty nostalgic because we all kind of blossomed into our queerness in the nineties. It’s representative of that time.” Tursi’s partner, Christine Champagne, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the confidence that Lebowitz’s sartorial practices inspired. “I feel confident dressed like this,” she said. “I don’t normally dress like this and I just feel really good.” Champagne’s experience was not unique. Co-host Micaela Fagan, who embraces Lebowitz’s style beyond FranCon, shared her own transformative experience. “Honestly, when I started to really like her, [and] started incorporating the way that she dressed into my own style, I found a shocking comfort in it and a shocking power in it,” she explained. “There’s no gender to it. She is both simultaneously feminine and masculine, and so I think everyone can to get on that page.”
FranCon, then, is more than just a celebration of Fran Lebowitz’s personal style. It’s a testament to the enduring power of simple, timeless clothing to transcend trends, inspire confidence, and create a sense of community. It’s a gathering where individuality and shared style converge, proving that even in a world obsessed with trends, the power of a classic uniform can never be underestimated.