finesse • \fə-ˈnes\ • noun
: subtly skillful handling of a situation
The word finesse has appeared in 186 New York Times articles in the past year, including on Dec. 26 in “Patricia Field Hangs Up Her Retail Wig” by Michael Schulman:
It also changed the store, which was suddenly deluged with tourists expecting Carrie Bradshaw couture. “The buses would come in: 40 people, 50 people,” Ms. Field said. “They would try on a wig and take a picture.” It wasn’t her usual crowd, but she expanded her online business by selling Carrie-inspired name necklaces and studded belts.
As her Hollywood career exploded, running the shop with any finesse became impossible, she said, and grooming new management apparently wasn’t her priority. Last year, she saw a big drop in business, and felt compelled to step in herself as the buyer. Not long after, she began negotiating the sale of the property to Thor Equities.
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