Harper's Bazaar May 2023

BEAUTY IS A WORD that has become exceedingly squishy. By most traditional definitions, it’s used to describe something aesthetically or emotionally pleasing. Beauty, we’re told, is something we need to look for—something rare and exotic and always slightly out of reach. Beauty should be easy, though. It is abundant and plentiful. It is something that we can define (and redefine) for ourselves in every aspect and at every stage of our lives. This issue is about how we learn to do that. It’s a reminder to do that. Because that’s what makes us all beautiful. On Changkou: Dress, LOUIS VUITTON. High Jewelry necklace, BULGARI. On Nobis: Pillow T-shirt and pillow, JW ANDERSON. Trainée d’étoiles earrings, VAN CLEEF & ARPELS. On Garcia: Hooded dress, SAINT LAURENT BY ANTHONY VACCARELLO. Elsa Peretti…

I sat down to write this letter following the news of another mass shooting at a school. Three nine-year-olds and three school workers at an elementary school in Nashville are dead. Next week, three school employees won’t get to show up to the jobs they took pride in or see their friends or family. Three nine-year-olds won’t go to school next week or play Roblox or try to stall their bedtimes. My son is nine. Usually, I use this space to talk about the magazine, how it came together, the stories I’m excited to tell you about. I’m very proud of this issue, which celebrates beauty—not just in the traditional aesthetic sense of the word but also in the myriad ways we seek it out and define it for ourselves.…

FEATURED TRACKS 1 “IF WE WERE VAMPIRES” Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit 2 “EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING” Lauryn Hill 3 “NO OTHER WAY” Jack Johnson 4. “DEEP STAYS DOWN” Larkin Poe 5 “LONGEST APOCALYPSE” Harris Harper 6. “CLAP YOUR HANDS” Jessy Wilson 7. “BOYFRIENDS” Harry Styles 8. “FIVE YEARS” David Bowie 9. “THE MAGIC NUMBER” De La Soul 10. “I KNOW YOU GOT SOUL” Eric B. & Rakim 11. “MAKE LOVE” The Jack Moves 12. “I WISH I KNEW HOW IT WOULD FEEL TO BE FREE” Nina Simone 13. “LOVER, YOU SHOULD’VE COME OVER” Jeff Buckley 14. “I CAN” Nas 15. “MOVE ON UP” Curtis Mayfield 16. “MERCY MERCY ME (THE ECOLOGY)” Marvin Gaye 17. “REDEMPTION DAY” Sheryl Crow 18. “DON’T OWE YOU A THANG” Gary Clark Jr. Listen to…

1 INDULGE IN MY SOFT MACHINE Revel in the melancholy dream pop of the British singer-songwriter Arlo Parks’s excellent sophomore album, out May 26, featuring 12 brooding tracks about grief, anxiety, addiction, and first-time love. 2 GET THE BEST KIND OF STAGE FRIGHT Grey House, opening May 30 on Broadway and starring Tony winner Laurie Metcalf, follows a young couple (Tatiana Maslany and Paul Sparks) who crash their car in the woods and seek refuge in a nearby cabin, where hair-raising events unfold. 3 SEE “NEW PHOTOGRAPHY 2023” Opening May 28 at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, this exhibition spotlights the work of seven creatives connected to the vibrant art scene in Lagos, Nigeria, including Akinbode Akinbiyi, Yagazie Emezi, and Logo Oluwamuyiwa, who aim to redefine modern photography by incorporating…

NOW THAT YOU HAVE OUR MAY ISSUE, GET READY TO SHOP IT. Look for the SBZ icon next to an item in HARPER’S BAZAAR: It means the item is available to buy on SHOPBAZAAR.COM—the online store brought to you by our editors. We’ve partnered with the best specialty boutiques, most coveted designers, and prestige beauty brands to present the must-have fashion and beauty edit of the season, in a shopping destination that’s open around the clock and around the world. SHOPPING AT SHOPBAZAAR.COM IS EASIER THAN EVER. SCAN THE CODE WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE TO DISCOVER OUR EDITORS’ PICKS FROM THE BUZZIEST BRANDS. SBZ = BUY ON SHOPBAZAAR.COM…

WHY DON’T YOU…? TIE IT all together with a PRINTED SCARF.…