Pablo Picasso had his blue period. Holly Golightly had the mean reds. Kendall Jenner painted a wall in her home Baker-Miller pink because she heard that it was scientifically proven to soothe stressand suppress the appetite (which, while true, might not be the best reason to redecorate). Since as far back as 2000 BC, people have been exploring the connection between color and the human body, and the art of chromotherapy, or color therapy, as a way to treat and heal. Some call it pseudoscience — but that’s probably just because they’ve never met Roxie Darling, NYC’s coolest hair colorist-turned-intuitive healer.
New Yorkers already know Darling, the former lead colorist at Hairstory Studio who now works her magic out of Soho’s Suite Caroline salon, as the go-to girl for vivid Crayola color. So it makes perfect sense that the authority in all things technicolor recently decided to follow a vocational calling outside of the salon by becoming an intuitive color healer. (Yes, that’s a job a person can have.) Last September, Darling started channeling her expertise into a new project called Spectrum Experiment. The “experiment” involves Darling photographing her clientele beneath a spectrum of colors created with photography lighting in her own Brooklyn studio.
Colors have meaning and significance, and they can help you feel like you have the power to transform who you are — like dyeing your hair black after a traumatic breakup or going bleach-blonde to add some light into your life. Darling understands this, and she harnesses that therapeutic energy by encouraging people to go from natural brunette to bright blue, or bathe themselves in a medicinal combination of color and light. But Darling also explains that utilizing certain colors in any aspect of your life can inspire and create change, so if you’re not feeling an aura reading or trying to book an appointment in the colorist’s highly-coveted chair, makeup might just be the answer.
Ahead, we’ve teamed up with makeup artist Meredith Menchel and Darling herself to show exactly how you can make Darling’s transformative approach work in your own day-to-day life, without having to worry about root touch-ups or how many color-therapy photos on your Instagram feed is too many. (For what it’s worth, there’s no such thing.)
Welcome toMyIdentity. The road to owning your identity is rarely easy. In this yearlong program, we will celebrate that journey and explore how the choices we make on the outside reflect what we’re feeling on the inside — and the important role fashion and beauty play in helping people find and express who they are.
If You've Been Too Busy Budgeting Your Trader Joe's Trip To Follow Your Dreams
Best for: Capricorn, Virgo, Taurus, and Aries.
Your color prescription: Purple/blue.
Why it works for you: You're most likely the one who would rather spend their hard-earned money on Blue Apron kits than weekly happy hours. You tend to be the grounded, logical survivalist in the room — and Darling explains that's totally normal for earth signs. But that also means it's time to stop being so rational and start spending some time outside of your budget-tracking Excel sheets and a little more time in your dream journal. Purple and blue will remind you to stop focusing so much on the little things you need to get by and more on what you really want.
Photographed by Erin Yamagata.
Trend to try: Upside down eyeliner.
A fun twist on a Hollywood trend, this two-toned, upside-down liner is for the earth sign who needs a healthy balance between work and play. Start by dipping a dense eyeliner brush in a blue cream shadow and drag it halfway across your lower lash line. Then do the same with a purple cream shadow and continue the same line until you reach the outer corner of your eye. The opposite of the practical cat-eye, this inverse trend will remind you not everything has to make sense — especially not your eyeliner.
Pamela Love Satellite Ear Jacket, $350, available at Pamela Love; Urban Outfitters Shimmer Pleat Top, $39, available at Urban Outfitters; Zara Oversized Sweater, $49.90, available at Zara.
Givenchy, $26, available at SephoraTarte, $21, available at SephoraPhotographed by Erin Yamagata.
If You’re Ready To Know Yourself Better Than A Rupi Kaur Poem
Your color prescription: Purple/yellow.
Who should try it: Libra, Taurus, Virgo, Aquarius, Sagittarius, and Cancer.
Why this works for you: If you constantly ask yourself, "What the hell am I doing here?" this color combo is yours for the taking. Alone, the color purple channels your long-term vision and psychic power, but when combined with yellow — a color all about asserting your independence — you have the opportunity to figure out your place in this world.
Photographed by Erin Yamagata.
The trend: Floating crease.
We have Solange to thank for our recent obsession with a floating crease. The minimalist trend adds edge to an otherwise low-key look that only takes seconds to create. After dipping a tapered eyeshadow brush into a purple gel shadow, draw a line on top of your crease. Use a cotton swab dampened with micellar water to clean up the edges; the thinner the line, the bigger your eyes will look. Use the other side of the swab to clean up the edges as needed.
Pair the purple line with a dab of canary-yellow shadow in the inner corners. You can use a brush to recreate the graphic look, or just use your fingertips to paint the color. Everyone knows a light-reflecting highlighter brightens the face, but this bright matte yellow takes things to another level.
Lancôme, $25, available at Ulta BeautyMake Up For Ever, $25, available at SephoraPhotographed by Erin Yamagata.
If You Spend More Time With Your Head In The Clouds Than At The Office
Your color prescription: Orange/red.
Who should try it: Pisces, Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra.
Why this works for you: No offense, but it's time to get your shit together. While your head is in the clouds, your Venmo requests are piling up as you live off the late-night menu on Seamless. Darling says most water signs can benefit a lot from typical earth-y behavior. While red is the color of survival, orange is all about your intense emotions — combine the two, and you'll be the new mom of your friend group in no time.
Photographed by Erin Yamagata.
Trend: Brow liner.
Just like your upside down eyeliner, but a few inches north. Take your thinnest brush and dip it in orange pigment, lining it up just beneath the brow. Once that color dries, add a bit of glitter for a disco effect. While brow liner isn't the most practical trend in the world, you can ground your look with a classic DGAF-red lip.
Genuine People Wool Ruffle Turtleneck, $110, available at Genuine People; The Shiny Squirrel earrings.
Make Up For Ever, $21, available at SephoraStila, $24, available at Ulta BeautyPhotographed by Erin Yamagata.
If You’re Ready To Ditch Your Day Job & Make Money Moves
Your color prescription: Blue/orange.
Who should try it: Cancer, Virgo, and Scorpio.
Why this works for you: Like the iconic writer and politician Shirley Chisholm once said, "If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair." If you're having trouble asserting yourself at work or in your personal life, it's time to bring out the boldest combo there is: blue and orange. Blue is all about creative expression, not only inspiring you to insert yourself more creatively into a space, but also to inspire others. Orange represents your "deep waters," says Darling — her favorite way to describe the place in your body where all the emotions are stored. Mix the two, and you've got the kind of elevated passion to change the world.
Photographed by Erin Yamagata.
The trend: Color-blocking.
Color-blocked lids used to be a bold look reserved for the runway; now, it's one of the easiest to pull off IRL, as long as you're prepared for a lot of color. Use a cream or gel-based shadow to cover your entire lid in one solid shade. Menchel suggests tapping a similar shade in a glittery finish right in the center of the lids, too, to keep the shade from looking flat. Finish it off with a blotted orange lip, and in mere minutes you'll have a fire and ice combination hotter than Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen.
Clé de Peau Beauté, $45, available at Cle de Peau BeauteFENTY BEAUTY BY RIHANNA, $18, available at SephoraPhotographed by Erin Yamagata.
If Your Inbox Is Overflowing With Cancelled Brainstorm Invitations
Your color prescription: Pink/purple.
Who should try it: Leo, Aries, and Taurus.
Why this works for you: You have a lot of power, says Darling, but hoarding it all for yourself is the opposite of productive: She explains that now is the time to channel that power and put it to work. Colors like pink and purple add softness to an otherwise abrasive energy and inspire you to share the wealth. She adds that pink is the color of generosity, which is ideal in a team-based environment where you collaborate on ideas.
Photographed by Erin Yamagata.
The trend: Two-toned lip.
Two-toned everything has erupted all over Instagram recently and, as far as we can tell, there's no turning back. This bold, yet sweet, look is exactly what you need. To achieve the gradient effect, take a dark purple lipstick and start filling in the outer edges of your lips. Then, take a pink lipstick and fill in the center. (Or you can totally cheat by trying one of these smoky lip kits.)
Opening Ceremony Floral Ribbed Turtleneck, $325, available at Opening Ceremony; Eleven Six Camilla Sweater, $495, available at Eleven Six; Oscar de la Renta Single Tendril Crystal Earrings, $435, available at Oscar de la Renta.
Kat Von D, $19, available at SephoraDior, $37, available at SephoraPhotographed by Erin Yamagata.
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You’ve probably seen its polish wall on Instagram, spotted its minimalist nail designs on Pinterest, or, if you live in L.A., maybe even splurged on a custom manicure yourself. Cool-girl salon Olive & June has played a major role in the massive uptick of nail art in L.A., thanks to its modern and playful aesthetic. So, it should come as no surprise that when O&J owner Sarah Gibson Tuttle decided to create nail decals for the masses, she spared no expense to get them just right — and it took her and her team halfway around the world.
Today the brand is launching some of the chicest nail decals we've ever seen. Designed in L.A., but made in South Korea, the new nail art packs harness the streamlined designs that have made O&J an Instagram favorite, with the advanced nail technology only found in Seoul. They actually look like hand-painted art, not stickers you just pressed over your polish. "Each sticker pack features the salon's most popular manis of the moment paired with the styles we see coming up next," explains Tuttle.
The first two limited-edition sheets, named Desert Mood and Lovely Day, launch today and new designs will continue to roll out over the next few weeks. The packs ring in at $7.50 each, which includes about 30 stickers, and when they're gone, they're gone. Check out the exclusive first look at the decals, plus tips for application, ahead.
Pack #1: Desert Mood
The first sheet, just in time for Coachella, features desert-inspired designs like butterflies, moons, palm tress, sunglasses, and simple geometrics in an array of black, white, and dusty pinks and greens.
Application is easy: Peel off the backside and stick the decal over dry, fresh polish, or a clean, bare nail. Press down evenly, then apply a clear top coat to lock the design in place. Gibson Tuttle says you can expect seven days of wear when worn with a regular topcoat and even longer with gels. (Yes, your manicurist can apply them between your color and gel topcoat — they won't change color or shape in the UV curing process.)
Olive & June Nail Stickers in Desert Mood, $7.50 per sheet, available starting April 6 at OliveJune.com.
Forget colorful palm trees with kitchy coconuts — the brand opted for a sleek L.A. symbol in solid black. We love the design set over a pale pastel or worn alone over a bare nail.
O&J didn't forget about the minimalists in the crowd — these simple white gemstone designs add a little something special to a solid-colored manicure.
Pack 2: Lovely Day
The other set to hit Olive & June's website today is a '90s-inspired take on the '70s flower child aesthetic. Expect daisies, rainbows, clovers, hearts, cherries, and lemons in a muted color palette of white and pastel.
We love this dainty daisy applied over a neutral beige polish — or channel your middle school trips to Hot Topic with a red or black base.
Olive & June Nail Stickers in Lovely Day, $7.50 per sheet, available starting April 6 at OliveJune.com.
If we had to pick favorites, it would be these half-moon rainbows — which is a popular design at the brand's Beverly Hills location. "Being located in L.A. means not everyone can visit us," Gibson Tuttle says. "So these nail art stickers were designed to make it possible to create an instant Olive & June nail look wherever you are."
Layer these tiny hearts over a pastel base for a mani that makes people do a double take.
Prom season is upon us, and the nerdiest one of all is happening soon. But instead of high school kids dancing awkwardly to the sound of slow, romantic jams, a bunch of grown journalists will make jokes and talk about the importance of the First Amendment in one fancy evening.
We're talking, of course, about the White House Correspondents' Dinner (WHCD), taking place April 28. This glitzy event is one of the biggest annual parties in Washington, D.C. (It's also the geekiest, hence the nickname "nerd prom.") The lines between the media, the federal government, and Hollywood always get a little blurry on this night. But, in the Trump era, the soiree has become something a bit different.
Ahead, we break down everything you've ever wanted to know about the WHCD.
How did the dinner get started?
According to the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA), the first dinner was held on May 7, 1921 at the Arlington Hotel in Washington, D.C. About 50 men were in attendance, but President Warren G. Harding didn't go.
The event was basically a celebration of Warding's renewal of regular White House press briefings, which were previously abandoned by President Woodrow Wilson, sending the White House Correspondents' Association into hiatus. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge became the first sitting president to attend the dinner.
People of color were banned from the dinner until the 1950s, and women until 1962. Women were allowed to join the soiree because Helen Thomas, the first female White House reporter, said she would start a boycott unless the rules were changed. Eventually, President John F. Kennedy agreed, and the WHCA let women participate.
What's the deal with the celeb guest list?
There were always celebrities involved with the dinner. For a long time, the event included musical acts, variety shows, and even movies. Some entertainers who once graced the WHCD's stage include Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, and Irving Berlin.
In 1983, comedian Mark Russell hosted the evening, and after that, a comedy routine by the president and the host became the soiree's most recognized tradition. It also inevitably led to media organizations inviting celebrities as guests, which seemed fitting because President Ronald Reagan (a former movie star) was in office. Since then, the event has resembled a Hollywood awards show more than a dinner for political journalists.
Some celebs who have attended in recent years include Chrissy Teigen, Emma Watson, Tom Hiddleston, Laverne Cox, and the casts of House of Cards, Scandal, and Veep. Even President Trump attended as a guest in 2011, when he was famously roasted by both President Obama and Seth Meyers, who was hosting that year.
"The White House has informed us that the president does not plan to participate in this year's dinner but that he will actively encourage members of the executive branch to attend and join us as we celebrate the First Amendment,” White House Correspondents’ Association President Margaret Talev said in a statement. "In keeping with tradition, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also will represent the administration at the head table."
Last year, Sanders acknowledged that the clashes between the administration and the media were the reason why Trump wouldn't attend.
"I think it's kind of naive of us to think that we can all walk into a room for a couple of hours and pretend that some of that tension isn't there," she told ABC News in February 2017. "You know, one of the things we say in the South, 'If a Girl Scout egged your house, would you buy cookies from her?' I think that this is a pretty similar scenario. There's no reason for him to go in and sit and pretend like this is going to be just another Saturday night."
Has any other president skipped the dinner?
Yes. Last year, Trump became the first sitting president in 36 years to skip the event. Before him, the last president to not attend was President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
However, Reagan had a pretty good excuse for his absence: He was recovering from a gunshot wound he suffered during an assassination attempt. He still called in and made some jokes, even referencing the attempt.
"If I could give you just one little bit of advice," he said, "when somebody tells you to get in a car quick, do it."
Before Reagan, two other presidents skipped the dinner: Richard Nixon in 1972 and 1974, and Jimmy Carter in 1978 and 1980.
Is the dinner still going to happen?
Yes. The absence of President Trump won't deter the event.
"I'm delighted to announce 'Nice Lady' Michelle Wolf as our featured entertainer this year," Talev said. "Our dinner honors the First Amendment and strong, independent journalism. Her embrace of these values and her truth-to-power style make her a great friend to the WHCA. Her Pennsylvania roots, stints on Wall Street and in science and self-made, feminist edge make her the right voice now."
John Legend knows a thing or two about a great wedding song. But while his classics like “All Of Me” and “Ordinary People” are perfect for first dances, his new single “A Good Night” is guaranteed to be every wedding DJ’s go-to jam to get the two-stepping started this summer.
But what makes the tune even better is the video, which is just as romantic and joyful as the track. As Legend croons lyrics like "Everything's gonna be alright/I think I just met my wife," we watch as two people at a party "swipe" on each other, bringing together the ideas of online dating and IRL meet cutes. I won't spoil the adorable end for you, but let's just say the visual makes it pretty clear that "A Good Night" was intended to be a wedding dance song.
Fresh off rave reviews of his performance in the live NBC musical Jesus Christ Superstar, I talked to Legend about his new single and video, how he and wife Chrissy Teigen are finding quality time with a nearly 2-year-old daughter, Luna, and a baby on the way, and his advice for anyone looking for love. Plus, you can check out the video for "A Good Night" — which features cameos from Insecure's Jay Ellis, Susan Kelechi from This Is Us, and Yara Shahidi — below.
Refinery29: There’s a lot of negativity in the world right now, but this song feels like just the kind of delightful moment we need. Was that purposeful? John Legend: "Yea, you know, when I started writing again after I got off tour late last year, this was the first song that I wrote. It was on my mind to write something joyous and celebratory, and when I started playing it for people, it gave so them joy. So it definitely felt like something people needed right now."
How did the concept of the video come about? Because I loved the idea of seeing people "swiping" each other in real life. "The whole idea behind the song is that when you least expect it, you could find someone that could change your life, you know? So it was kind of looking at the idea of dating and how people date today. A lot of that obviously is with apps, but hey, it still can happen in person. So we merged the the two ideas into this fun, fictional club."
I loved seeing you as the DJ, spinning the tunes for this couple that's trying to find love. Did you purposely want to be the secondary character and make it more about someone else's love story? "Yea, definitely. I think people are so invested in my relationship with Chrissy, and this song and video is about meeting someone new. So I felt like it would be cooler to feature another couple and let it be about them, rather than me and Chrissy, because people have seen us so many times in videos by now. It’s more about new love and celebration."
A lot of people do feel like in this dating app age, it's too overwhelming to try to find love. What’s your advice for anyone who feels like they'll never find "The One?" "It’s crazy because, I never dated on an app — Chrissy and I started dating before people were doing that. So it’s definitely a new world, but I think there’s a lot of things that are still timeless. I mean, love is timeless, and and you can find that connection with someone whether it’s on an app or not. The technology changes, but there are so many things about the human spirit that will never change. So I'd just encourage people to stay positive and be open. And hopefully when they’re ready, they’ll find the person they’re meant to connect with, however they find them."
I guess not everyone is so lucky to meet their future wife on the set of their music video!
"[Laughs] Yeah, I guess that’s not really realistic for everybody! But a lot of people do meet in work situations. I think it's all about being open."
I appreciated that the song started with the lyric “I had no intention of getting fucked up tonight,” because that's how so many nights turn out for many of us. When was the last night that you got unexpectedly fucked up? "Well...[laughs] I gotta think, because we don’t really go out as much anymore! This song is more about younger John! But probably the last time we went all out was my friend’s wedding a few months ago...actually, it was almost a year ago now that I think about it! So yeah, it's probably been a good year since the last time we really wiled out."
My favorite part of the chorus is the line "I think you might be my wife." Do you remember the first time you had that thought about your wife now? "I don’t know the exact moment, actually. I’ve had friends that said the day they met their wife, they knew she was gonna be their wife. And I have other friends who kinda grew into it. Chrissy and I definitely grew into it — we started to learn each other, and then I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I think everybody comes to it differently, but at some point in Chrissy and I’s relationship, I just knew that I wanted to build a life with her and be with her forever. You know, have babies and all that!"
So romantic! Speaking of babies, do you think it's going to be even harder to squeeze in the kind of sexy date nights this song and video remind us of when you have a second baby? "I think we’ve learned pretty well how to balance being parents and also focus on ourselves as a couple. We have Chrissy’s mother around, and a nanny, and other people that help us out. You have to make time, so we make time to go out on dates and vacations and spend time with just each other. But I hear having a second baby makes things a little harder."
You’re juggling so much right now. How do you find to get your creative juices going and write new music? "I usually write when I get off of tour. So when I’m done, I come back and get in the studio and start writing. This was literally the first song I wrote when I came back from the tour in November. I sat in the studio with Bloodpop the producer, and a couple of other really great songwriters, and we were all bouncing ideas off each other. It definitely feels like a wedding song, so we wanted the video to go there and not try to be too subtle about it."
Do you play new music for Luna? "I play her new music all the time! Right now her thing is when we play her stuff, after the song is done, she always claps and says 'Yay!'"
I can't handle the cuteness! So, you just came off of Jesus Christ Superstar, and you have a new single and video. Will there be a new album? What’s next for John Legend? "I’m gonna go back in the studio soon and write some new songs and hopefully have another album out by the end of the year. In the meantime, I wanted to give my fans this song. I felt like it had to be out this summer with the kind of vibe that it has, so I didn’t want to wait until the rest of the album was done. I figured let’s put it out now, because right now we all just need something that feels good."
Watch the video for "A Good Night" below.
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In 2015, hip hop artist Nas told TheNew York Times: “Your coming of age is about representing who you are, and hip-hop music contains a message — it tells a story about who you are — and what you wear is also proof of it.” For rappers, this idea of “making it” has seemingly always equated to a flashy lifestyle. The story of who they are is just as outward facing as it is inward — and you better believe it’s shiny. That might be why most rap songs feature braggadocios lyrics with obvious and repeated references to how much money rappers have, how big their chains are (and who’s wearing them), and how fly their gear is. It’s almost as if you can’t rap the part if you don’t look rich enough to play the part. But what exactly does “rich” look like?
Photo: Jordi Vidal/Getty Images.
For male rappers, gold chains have become a sign of newfound wealth. First, there was Big Daddy Kane, who made the necklace the status symbol it is today. Years later, Jay Z would give rappers who signed to his label “Roc-A-Fella” chains; Kanye West would take us through his materialistic urges in “All Falls Down,” rapping about how he went to Jacob the Jeweler before purchasing a home; and Big Sean would offer some insight as to why this particular accessory is so important to an artist once they become successful. In an interview with GQ, he said: “I worked hard as hell for it, you what I’m saying? Man, all them times I had to sleep on the floor. Didn’t have money for gas. I couldn’t afford McDonald’s. Like those times...that’s why it means so much to me to able to do that type of stuff for myself.”
Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.
Rap’s earliest female pioneers had a similar chain reaction, embracing an aesthetic that looked just like that of their male counterparts. Roxanne Shante pulled her hair out of her face and into a high ponytail, pairing her oversized denim jacket with bamboo earrings; MC Lyte and Queen Latifah favored extra-large jeans, snapback hats, tracksuits, and sneakers; Salt-N-Pepa rapped in coordinated streetwear looks. Even Missy Elliott sported expensive sneakers and piled-on the jewelry — not because they were status symbols for women, but because in order for women to have their craft taken seriously, they needed to take their bodies off display.
But for female artists today, the proof of finally feeling liberated, paid, and sexy looks pretty different: Their “get money” outfits no longer consist of hoodies and grills, but are instead comprised of luxurious furs and neon-bright colors first popularized by Kimberly Jones, also known as Lil’ Kim.
Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, Lil’ Kim challenged the idea that a woman had to dress like a man in order to be taken seriously as a rapper. Though Jones rose to popularity working with both Notorious BIG and her rap group Junior M.A.F.I.A, it was her debut album Hardcore that cemented her as a force, vocally and visually. To date, some of her most iconic looks can be seen in her “Crush On You” video, which featured the 4’11” rapper decked out in designer goods that match the colors of the various scenes in the video. Today, you’d recognize her influence the minute you see it — and once an artist chooses to channel Lil’ Kim, it signals that she is ready to own her power. She has arrived.
Photo: KMazur/WireImage.
In 2015, Rihanna channeled Lil’ Kim at the iHeartRadio Awards for the first televised performance of “Bitch Better Have My Money” wearing a green fur coat with matching thigh-high boots and sunglasses. (It makes sense Rihanna would pay homage to Lil’ Kim while singing about being paid her due). As critic Doreen St. Félix wrote for Pitchfork: “The Black girl flaunting money is ratchet, the Black girl with money bankrolled her way there through sex, therefore the black girl with money does not properly own it. Since the racist and the sexist are also by definition prudes, this Black girl of their fantasy, no matter how tall her money, can never signify wealth, a sort of class ascendance that has as much to do with politesse in gender roles as it does one’s stock profile.” Trends once considered “hood” — wearing too much lipgloss, brightly-colored fur, heavily-logo’d clothing — are now mainstream. But for Black women, it was validating to see Lil’ Kim flaunt not just these trends, but her sexuality and wealth, on a global stage.
In October, Beyoncé stopped the world — and most of the Internet — when she posted photos of herself dressed up as Lil’ Kim for Halloween. Like Rihanna, the timing was definitely not coincidental: Since the release of Lemonade, Beyoncé has arguably become more vocal about sociopolitical topics like white supremacy and misogynoir (misogyny towards Black women). Lil’ Kim is someone who owned her sexuality through her clothing and body language long before it was a mainstream occurrence for Black women — and perhaps she’s inspired Beyoncé to do the same.
Like Lil’ Kim’s “Crush On You,” Cardi B’s “Bartier Cardi,” which was released on Monday, was the second single off her debut rap album. Though Cardi B has always owned her sexuality, her latest video shows the rapper reaching new heights visually, thanks to photographer Petra Collins. Patientce Foster, who co-creative directed the music video, tells Refinery29 the aesthetic shift began with the Love and Hip Hop alum’s appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the night before the song came out. “In December, Cardi expressed that she wants to explore different looks and be more creative,” she said. Her styling team, including Kollin Carter, decided to focus on the '70s. Foster explains that while Cardi loves Lil’ Kim’s style, the Bronx native is looking to express herself in her own individual way. The fact that there is now more than one way for a female rapper to dress and still be taken seriously shows Lil’ Kim’s impact. And now that Cardi B can “walk it like she talks it,” she was more than willing to glide through the door Lil' Kim kicked down in designer heels.
But that’s the beauty of Cardi B and what she represents to her fans. She isn’t afraid to be sexy or talk about her money, and each happen on her own terms. We have yet to see a woman of color demand more and be frank in her struggle to do so. Cardi B has taken Lil’ Kim’s promise to flaunt sexuality and further broken down the stigma of what it means to unabashedly work to be successful. She’s honest about busting her ass to be able to afford certain shoes, and the luxury of how she presents her body — even her plastic surgeries (transparency we have yet to see from Lil’ Kim). Mastering the strip club as a dancer (a culture within itself often moving hip hop forward), helped Cardi B learn to negotiate, not just the terms of her body, but her sexuality.
“Where she’s from, when girls are ready to get dressed up that’s what you wear,” Carter told Billboard in September. “And in real life, ‘Bodak Yellow’ blew up, she wore red bottoms because that’s what it means to make it in the Bronx. It’s a status symbol that the masses can relate to; everyday girls work hard and save up their money to have that shoe. Cardi did the same.”
So when we see Cardi B dripping in diamonds, vintage Dior red fur, and super-glam makeup that could rival Lil’ Kim in her prime, we know it signifies a woman who is even more sure of who she is and where she is headed. And in doing so, she’s inspiring a generation of regular, degular, shmegular girls — all probably wearing Fashion Nova — to get “schmoney” too.
Welcome toMoney Diaries, where we're tackling what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. We're asking millennials how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.
Today: a toddler teacher who makes $32,800 per year and spends some of her paycheck this week on a Nutella crepe.
Occupation: Lead Toddler Teacher Industry: Early Education Age: 24 Location: Cambridge, MA Salary: $32,800 Paycheck Amount (2x/month): $1,009
Monthly Expenses Rents: $1,000. (I live with one roommate and we each pay this amount. Heat and hot water are included in our rent.) Health Insurance: Free, through work. Student Loan Payment: $0. (Thank you, Mom and Dad!) Spotify: $9.99 Netflix: $0. (I use my sister's account.) Internet/TV: $77.59 Electricity: My roommate covers the electric bill. MBTA Pass: $84.50. (My work pays $31.73 per pay period.)
Day One
8:27 a.m. — I wake up slightly before my alarm is set to go off, which is the worst because there's not enough time to fall back asleep. I make my way over to the living room, turn on the TV to The Today Show, and make a yogurt parfait for breakfast with Trader Joe's French vanilla yogurt, frozen mixed berries, chia seeds, and homemade granola bars that I crumble up for added texture. Yum! Today I have an afternoon shift at work, so I take my time getting ready in the morning.
9:30 a.m. — It's a gorgeous sunny day! As I'm walking to work, I look at my phone to choose a podcast for my commute and realize I need to buy a new monthly train pass. I make sure to stop into the nearest T station to reload my Charlie Card and then head out to walk again. I feel so lucky to live in a city where transportation is relatively inexpensive. $84.50
9:40 a.m. — A couple of nights ago, I saw on Instagram that Dunkin' Donuts has three new Girl Scout cookie-flavored coffees! I. NEED. Moving from upstate New York to Massachusetts has suddenly turned me into a DD addict. Since I just want to try one of the new flavors and I don't actually need the caffeine, I order a small coconut caramel iced coffee with milk and no sugar. This may be my new go-to order for a long while! $2.34
11:45 a.m. — I work at a preschool that has an in-house chef who is amazing! I love her cooking, so I never bring my own lunch. The school administrators also encourage teachers to eat the school lunch with the children to model appropriate eating practices and to socialize with the class. Today's lunch is banana pancakes, corn, strawberry yogurt, and navel oranges. It's tasty, but I know that this vegetarian lunch won't fill me up.
2:30 p.m. — I recently learned that you can preorder cronuts from Dominique Ansel Bakery! I'm visiting my older brother who lives in New York next month, and while I visit often, I've never had a Cronut because of how quickly they sell out. I am shaking with excitement as I successfully put in my preorder for two. I text my brother to let him know it's done and he texts back asking why I didn't order the max number of Cronuts you can order, which is six. Sigh. $13
6:40 p.m. — Home at last! It's late and I'm starving. Luckily I have tons of leftover pasta carbonara that I made over the weekend. I quickly prepare a salad of organic mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and a honey-balsamic dressing for a balanced meal. Dinner is ready in less than 10 minutes. After dinner, I wash the dishes, take a shower, and go to bed early.
Daily Total: $99.84
Day Two
6:40 a.m. — I definitely did not get enough sleep last night and have to be at work by 7:30 for the opening shift. When I have an early morning, I only give myself enough time to get dressed, put on makeup, and walk to the bus stop. I hustle out the door with my homemade granola bar in hand and catch the bus with a few minutes to spare. I pay with my Charlie Card.
7:15 a.m. — I'm immediately on the hunt for coffee when I get off at my stop. The preschool I work at is affiliated with a well known university, so it's located right on their campus. I pop into one of the academic buildings that I know has a café inside and get an iced coffee with three pumps of caramel syrup and milk. The breakfast buffet has a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich that looks bomb, but I resist the temptation. $2.30
11:45 a.m. — Lunch today is a good one: turkey Tex-Mex, stewed tomatoes, and pineapple. I'm very thankful that this preschool has a lunch program.
1:30 p.m. — There's a staff meeting today that I fail to get out of. (Only two out of four teachers in each classroom are required to attend.) The one bright side is that there is always a sweet treat at every meeting, and today there are Girl Scout cookies. I snag a couple of Thin Mints and shortbread cookies for myself and a couple more to bring back to my co-teachers.
3 p.m. — Since I'm out of work early, I go grocery shopping at Trader Joe's. It's a short 10-minute walk, and it's a lovely day. I have no idea what I'm in the mood to eat for the rest of the week, but I start with finding the basic foods I typically get: apples, cara cara oranges, a salad kit, tea, and frozen meals. I decide to make pizza this week. I have marinara sauce at home, so I grab a garlic and herb pizza dough, mozzarella cheese, onions, and chicken sausage. I'm happy with my purchase and even more happy that everything fits in my backpack without breaking my back. I wait about five minutes for the bus and then head home. $39.14
4:30 p.m. — While I unload my grocery haul, I check my phone for texts from my best friend so we can plan a time to chat. She still lives in New York, and I miss her terribly. Over the weekend, she took a road trip to D.C. to visit a mutual friend and I have to find out the juicy details! She just got home from driving for six hours and tells me she will call later tonight.
5:15 p.m. — I make spaghetti and meatballs for dinner with ingredients I already had in my pantry. I have lots of greens to make a simple salad – the same as yesterday. I plan on saving the pizza for the end of the week.
7:45 p.m. — My best friend finally calls me and I am happy to hear from her. I normally hate talking on the phone (I 100% prefer texting), but she is a great storyteller. We talk for just over two hours, and then I shower and plan an outfit for tomorrow. I get sidetracked when my roommate finally comes from work and I debrief her on my phone call. She'll be away on a trip until the weekend and I want to hang with her as much as I can tonight. I get to bed by midnight.
Daily Total: $41.44
Day Three
8 a.m. — The sound of car horns jolts me awake. I can never fall back asleep once I'm up. I go to the living room and watch The Today Show while I do my morning yoga stretches. I have a lot of time to kill before work, so I make Vietnamese coffee. When it's finished brewing, I stir in condensed milk and add ice cubes. I have a yogurt parfait too.
9:30 a.m. — I have an afternoon shift, so I walk to work, taking in the vitamin D while listening to a podcast. Luckily, the weather this week has been cool and sunny.
10 a.m. — There's still a half hour before my shift, but I always get to campus early and chill out in the building with the café. I run into a coworker who is writing her children's documentation. I just finished doing mine last week, and we talk about how stressful work has been. After our chat, we walk over to work together.
11:45 a.m. — Today's lunch: chicken fajitas, Mexican rice, corn, and apples. As expected, it's delicious! The toddlers love it too and we make sure to let the chef know.
2:30 p.m. — I'm never not hungry. While the toddlers are napping, a co-teacher and I look for "second lunch" in the fridge (a.k.a. leftover school lunches), but sadly the fridge is nearly empty. I settle for pita chips and cheese, and she gets cottage cheese and Wheat Thins from the pantry.
6 p.m. — My friends and I are going to the Syracuse vs. Boston College game tonight. We bought our tickets for $15, months in advance. The group that we are going with is all SU alums, so it's gonna be a good time. I got an email earlier this week for 50% Uber rides, so I take advantage and Uber and dinner to meet a few of the girls. $4.10
6:20 p.m. — One of the girls arrived early and got us a table before the dinner rush. The menu looks amazing. I order a burger ($18), and my friends order a black bean quinoa burger and a Buddha bowl. We haven't gotten together in weeks, and it's really nice to hang out. It makes me sad to think of how busy everyone's lives are. When dinner is over, we ask for separate checks, and my friend offers to Uber us to the liquor store to buy Bud Lights to bring to a pregame at someone's apartment. I brought my own Harpoon IPA. $18
8:30 p.m. — The pregame gives me a lot of social anxiety. There are 50 people and I probably only know 10 of them. My friends and I find room on a couch that's away from most of the action. I feel awkward, but after an hour, everyone is ready to go, so I call an Uber XL for my friends and me and we make our way to the game. GO ORANGE! $8.54
9:30 p.m. — Throughout the night, I run into old college friends that I had no idea would be at the game. We don't talk for too long, but I promise to text them and make plans for the weekend.
10:50 p.m. — I leave the game a little early since SU is losing. I order a Lyft using the promotional code that was advertised during the game, but the Lyft driver never shows up! Next I try Uber Pool, but they can't match me with a driver. Then I see a co-teacher and her boyfriend who coincidentally also were at the game, so I take the T with them to their apartment, where I finally get an Uber home. $5.18
12:06 a.m. — Time for bed.
Daily Total: $35.82
Day Four
8:40 a.m. — I didn't end up falling asleep until 1:30 a.m. and kept waking up throughout the night. I'm exhausted, but I make the effort to get out of bed. I stretch, watch TV, and make myself a yogurt parfait. I'm a creature of habit – my routine is the same everyday.
9:40 a.m. — I need a pick-me-up from DD. Today I try the peanut butter cookie iced coffee with milk. I also get my coworker (from last night) a brownie batter donut as a thank you gift and a box of 10 munchkins to bring to my co-teachers. The cashier is new and feels bad for holding up the line, so he gives me two extra munchkins for the trouble! Our toddlers are a great group of kids, but they are a handful, especially with the stomach virus running rampant throughout the center, so these donuts will be a good boost for morale. $6.06
9:45 a.m. — I have two offers on a Madewell cardholder that I'm selling through Poshmark. I bought the cardholder around Christmas last year, but sadly didn't love it as much as my old one. I go to CVS to buy a small bubble envelope since I anticipate that I will sell this soon. $1.46
11:45 a.m. — Lunch today is tortellini with turkey meat sauce, steamed carrots, and bananas. Delish!
1:45 p.m. — The toddlers are finally napping, and my co-teachers and I demolish the donut holes in just a couple of minutes.
6:30 p.m. — I go out for ramen with two of my work friends. We all work in different classrooms so we don't usually see each other during the work week, unless it's by a chance encounter. We vent to each other about work stuff and catch everyone up on our lives. When the bill comes, I use my card to pay and the girls Venmo me their portions. Miso ramen was the right choice on this cold night. $22
7:45 p.m. — As we leave the restaurant, I'm still hungry and remember there's a crepe place close by. No one objects to going. (I love my friends.) We each order a crepe. I get strawberry, kiwi, and honey in mine, and they order raspberry, lemon and Nutella, and coconut, Nutella, and strawberry, respectively. We each eat a third of our crepe and then pass it around, which is probably my new favorite way of sharing food. The consensus was that the raspberry, lemon and Nutella crepe was the best one. $8
9 p.m. — I'm having so much fun hanging out with my friends that I'm sad the night has to end. It feels like the weekend and I almost forget I have work tomorrow. I take the T home.
9:25 p.m. — Shower and then end my night by scrolling through Reddit while watching Chopped until I fall asleep.
Daily Total: $37.52
Day Five
6:55 a.m. — I wake up to a massive rain storm. There's a nor'easter in Boston and flooding along the coastal areas is expected. I slowly get dressed, put makeup on, brush my teeth, etc. I still have a few granola bars left, which will be my breakfast for today. I look out my balcony window to witness how bad the storm is, and also to people watch for a few minutes before I catch the bus.
8 a.m. — I make it onto campus and walk the five minutes to work. The rain is unreal.
11:40 a.m. — Today's lunch is cheese quesadilla, red peppers, and plums. Not my fave.
3:30 p.m. — I'm out of work and my weekend can finally begin! The rain and wind are much heavier now than they were this morning. I run to the bus stop. I get a good Snapchat video of the rain for my friends and family in New York, where there is snow (which I prefer over rain) today.
4 p.m. — I made a grand exit off the bus when someone pushed me towards a fire hydrant as they were trying to board. I take off my leggings immediately when I'm home to inspect a nasty gash on my right leg. Greaaat. I'm bleeding a little and unfortunately don't have the right bandages for the job, but I have small ones. I'll have to make the trip to Walgreens tomorrow for more.
6:30 p.m. — I veg out for a couple of hours on my couch watching YouTube before I build up the energy to be productive. I haven't vacuumed my apartment in over a week, so I get cleaning, and then prepare dinner. I make spaghetti with tomato sauce again and using my salad kit from Trader Joe's. I feel too lazy to cook anything more complex than that. I settle in to eat and watch an episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills that I missed this week.
8:30 p.m. — I texted my friend earlier to ask if she could talk on the phone, and she was more than happy to. She is another friend of mine who lives in New York. I curl my hair while she tells me about her week. We get really deep in our conversations, but she always knows when to switch up the topic and change the mood. After a solid hour, we hang up.
9:30 p.m. — I'm finally going to start watching This Is Us tonight, after many recommendations from friends. I slice up an apple with cookie butter on the side, put on a sheet mask, and watch a couple of episodes. There's no better way I can think of to end a night.
Daily Total: $0
Day Six
9:30 a.m. — I wake up at 7:30, which is too early for a Saturday, and I want to sleep for a few more hours, so I set my alarm for 9:30. When I wake up again, I check my phone and see a text from my friend who I'm going to see Black Panther with. Tickets are almost sold out and I'm worried we won't get the time we want.
10 a.m. — I feel groggy and in need of coffee. I make my usual weekend breakfast: Vietnamese iced coffee and scrambled eggs with mozzarella cheese and everything bagel seasoning. I turn on This Is Us, my new TV obsession.
10:30 a.m. — My friend texts me that she got us movie tickets! She Venmos me and I pay right away. $13
12:30 p.m. — My roommate is coming home from her vacation and she's bringing her boyfriend and his parents back to the apartment. I want to give them space and privacy, so I get ready for the day and walk to Harvard Square to go to CVS. I pick up Band-Aids, sour gummy worms, Sprite, and cranberry juice. I need candy for the movie and drinks to make a mixed drink when I go to a pregame later. $15.06
1 p.m. — Before I go home, I make a pit stop at one of my favorite bookstores. They have a basement with a lot of used books for a decent price. I'm looking for new books for my class because my co-teachers and I are getting tired of the books in our library. I choose Fancy Nancy and The Posh Puppy. The kids have been loving Fancy Nancy lately, and I may selfishly want this one because the book cover is glittery and purple (my fave color). It's half the price of a new book. I'll bring in the receipt on Monday and my work will pay me back. ($5.50 expensed)
2 p.m. — I'm starving. I make a big pot of pasta again, most likely for the last time this week.
3 p.m. — I take an Uber to my friend's house in Medford and then she drives us to the movie theater. $5.58
6:30 p.m. — OMG Black Panther is amazing! On our drive home, we can't stop talking about it.
7 p.m. — My roommate and her boyfriend are home when I get back from the movies. We talk for a few minutes, since we haven't seen each other all week, but I have to eat and then get ready to go out tonight with work friends. I reheat the pasta, blast the Black Panther soundtrack on Spotify, and get dolled up.
8 p.m. — My friend lives all the way in the North End, and the easiest and quickest way for me to get there is Uber. I feel guilty for spending so much money on Ubers this week, which is very unusual for me. I make a mixed drink of tequila, Sprite, and cranberry juice to bring with me before I go. $7.30
8:33 p.m. — This is my first time seeing her apartment, and it's so freaking nice. Her rent is way too expensive for me to afford, but she gets what she pays for – location, location, location. I meet her friends and we have a low-key night.
10 p.m. — It's time to go out, and my friend calls the Uber.
11:30 p.m. — After an hour of waiting in the cold, we pay the $10 cover at the bar and rush inside. First order of business is coat check ($1). We pay and then head to the bar. I suggest we get a round a lemon drop shots. A girl I met at the pregame beelines to the bar and orders the shots as well as two Bud Lights for me and my coworker and a vodka ginger ale for herself. I Venmo her for the drinks. $25
1:30 a.m. — We're all feeling tired and ready to go home. The prices for Uber are crazy expensive at this hour, so I opt for Express Pool, which cuts down the cost a lot. I get home just before 2 a.m. and pass out. $6.97
Daily Total: $72.91
Day Seven
9 a.m. — I take my time this morning and check Instagram, Snapchat, and Reddit before getting up. I go to the living room, where my roommate and her BF are, and we tell each other stories about our nights.
10 a.m. — I'm super dehydrated, so I get a tall glass of water and then make a cup of tea to have with yogurt for breakfast. I stay on the couch and read two chapters of Into The Woods. I bought this book last summer and it has taken me a long time to finish it, even though it's really good.
11:30 p.m. — Since, I don't have plans today, it's a good time to clean my apartment. During the week, my bedroom floor is covered with my clothes and shoes. I have a bad habit of throwing them on the floor instead of putting them in the hamper or back in the closet. I end my cleaning spree in the kitchen by washing dirty dishes from yesterday and scrubbing the counters until they're pristine. Cleaning the apartment makes me feel better.
12 p.m. — As I was cleaning my room, I thought about how many clothes I have in the closet. I'm running out of space and hangers and with spring approaching, it feels like the right time to clean out the closet. I pride myself on making this a biannual routine. I order a donation bag from thredUP.
1 p.m. — Last month I started watching Planet Earth II on Neflix. It's still a mystery how that began, since it's not the usual type of show I would watch, but I'm really into it. I finish the rest of my salad for lunch and watch more episodes from the series.
5 p.m. — I only get through one episode before zonking out. I take a VERY long nap. I'm surprised by how tired I was! Then I take a shower.
6 p.m. — Dinner tonight is a frozen bibimbap bowl from Trader Joe's. I make a fried egg to go with it, which makes a huge difference. I watch another episode of This Is Us during dinner.
8 p.m. — Before the end of the night, I make overnight oats for breakfast and choose an outfit for tomorrow.
Daily Total: $0
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When I first challenged myself to try 5 Days of Bullet Journaling, I had no idea how obsessed I would become. However, soon after creating my bullet journal and setting up a few monthly logs and trackers, I gave up. Building my own monthly and weekly spreads became too intense; I found myself getting stressed out not only about work itself, but also about creating the pages in my journal that were supposed to be helping me get my work done in the first place.
When 2018 rolled around (and new planners and spreads started popping up all over the Internet), I decided to give it another try. I bought a brand new custom journal from Case Station — the fresh, new pages were motivation enough — and I turned to Instagram for bullet journaling inspiration.
On this episode of LucieVlogs, I take you on a tour of my 2018 bullet journal and let you plan for the month of April with me. Check it out for some planner inspiration of your own, and if you're looking for the pens, pencils, markers and other supplies I'm using, I've shared links below.
Watch me take you through my bullet journal process and click ahead to shop my picks.
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Listening to Adwoa Aboah talk about feeling lost in the world reminds you that not even supermodels who've appeared on the cover of Vogue are immune to insecurity. The only real difference is that some of them are in a unique position to help other people overcome theirs. As the founder of the nonprofit Gurls Talk, an online community that encourages discussion of tough topics like sexuality, mental health, and body acceptance, Aboah hasn't shied away from taking on new responsibilities as a powerful voice representing young women everywhere.
When we sat down to chat with the model and activist about her brand-new beauty gig as the face of Giorgio Armani's Sì Passione fragrance campaign, Aboah emphasized how important it is to be honest, and to surround yourself with a tribe of women who share those values. Yes, the British Fashion Council might have crowned her Model of the Year, but she's also here to help other women show up for each other when it's most important — and battle the occasional breakout. She's only human, after all.
The fashion industry still has a long way to go, but it's more inclusive and progressive than ever. Is that something you noticed backstage during Fashion Week?
"There was actually an amazing energy backstage this year. I was really happy to see that there were some amazing women of color doing hair backstage who really understood how to style natural hair. It's always been something I thought the industry lacks. When I had hair, there were none."
Did you see a more accurate representation of women on the runway, too?
"The diversity on the runway was actually amazing. It was actually really good. There are some great models coming up who were doing lots of different shows. The industry is really listening to everyone who is speaking out and everything happening regarding inclusivity. That also includes sexual assault in the industry, and really wanting to pave the way for models' voices. I think people in the industry understand the power they have and that they have to use it for some good."
I fall into moments of insecurity when I feel completely unsure of the path I've taken. That's just what being a human is.
Speaking of women in the industry, do you feel like there's a good sense of mentorship within it?
"I'm definitely like the model mom to a few girls in the industry. Chanel [Iman], she's amazing, and Slick [Woods], who has called me her fairy godmother since we first met. But all of them are my sisters. There is definitely a bond I have with other models of color because we're in this together. We know how hard we've had to work to get to this place, so we support each other. I've been mentored, too. Not necessarily by other models, but definitely by photographers, designers, and stylists."
Adwoa Aboah in the new Giorgio Armani Si Passione fragrance campaign.Photo Courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty.
A lot of your campaigns give you a powerful platform to use your voice. Does that attract you to certain partnerships in your career?
"Completely! It's something my team and I take into account when we choose what work to do or what kind of job fits best with everything else I do, like Gurls Talk. I advocate for those things. All the work I do within the industry shouldn't contradict what I do outside of it. I'm very lucky to be at a point in my career that everything I speak about is being celebrated and I'm being celebrated as a person who stays true to themselves. With most of the campaigns I do, like this one with Armani or [as a face of] Revlon, I've kept true to myself. And that's something the client and the photographers also want."
Speaking of Gurls Talk, what's one conversation that consistently comes up within the community?
"The recurring question we talk about is, 'Am I good enough?' I think that filters into everything you do in your life, like your career, love, friendships... It's just part of being young and lost. We have amazing people at Gurls Talk who advocate confidence and pave the way in the community to make sure that everyone is getting to a place where they have more self-love. And we're really honest. I'm not always there, in that place. There's more work I can do on myself. I fall into moments of insecurity when I feel completely unsure of the path I've taken. That's just what being a human is. It's a valid feeling."
Aisde from Gurls Talk, where is the one place in the world you feel most beautiful?
"I go to Kenya a lot with my family. That's a place where I feel really at peace and healthy. It's also where I eat well and sleep a lot!"
I can imagine you travel a lot...
"Yes, which kills your skin. I'm militant with my skin-care routine and that's why it's so annoying when my skin is bad. I was talking to one of my girlfriends last night and we were saying how well we take care of our skin. I'm quite an anxious and sensitive human being, and I think that when I'm feeling those emotions it comes out in my skin. It's something I'm just having to deal with."
We've all heard the lofty beauty product claims: foundations that last 18 hours, serums that contain wrinkle-erasing magic crystals, and, of course, nail polish that looks and lasts like gel, but doesn't require a UV lamp or the damaging removal process. And we're always a little skeptical — because if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
But in the past few years, affordable nail brands have doubled-down on the idea of long-wear, non-chip polish and seriously upped the ante in terms of user-friendly brushes, shades that deliver complete opacity with one swipe, and ridiculously shiny top coats. So, we decided to put four of the most popular formulas to the test — in shades of red, which tend to chip fastest — to see if they really stood up to their claims. Check out our unfiltered reviews, ahead.
The Claims: "Provides up to 2 weeks of color and shine in 1 easy step."
The Tester: Lexy Lebsack, senior beauty editor
Wet n Wild 1 Step Wonder Gel Polish in Crime Of Passion, $4.99, available at Wet n Wild.
Day 1
"I had heard great things about this polish firsthand so I had been dying to try it for months. A few initial observations: The polish smells a lot stronger than most, so apply it outdoors or in a well-ventilated room.
"The formula is a bit thinner than most regular polishes, so go easy or you'll end up having drips onto your cuticles. It dries very quickly and the brush is wide and flat, so the actual manicure was a breeze. I prepped my nails with a bit of hand sanitizer on a tissue (I was at work) to clean up any residue or oil, and the polish went on beautifully along with the accompanying base and top coat.
"The color is GORG and I could have stopped at one coat; it's very opaque and bright. The hue is a dead ringer for Deborah Lippmann's It's Raining Men, which is one of my favorite reds."
Day 3
"By day 3, the polish had not moved — score! The shine dulled a little, but no chips, yet."
Day 7
"By day six, I had a tiny chip or two. The polish had receded slightly from the tips — but it still looked darn good. By day seven, I had a few more chips at the fingertips, but nothing that would make me remove the polish. I kept wearing this polish for a few days after, so 10 days in total. And it was easy to remove. I would definitely use this polish again; I may even take it into a salon to see how long they can make it last. A+!"
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Polish in Red Eye, $9.99, available at Ulta Beauty.
Day 1
"As soon as I opened Sally Hansen's Miracle Gel Polish, I had a hunch I'd love it. The brush is super-wide, meaning it can coat my entire nail in one or two strokes. The formula is opaque and never left streaks. After applying two coats of the polish, I followed up with the brand's top coat which made my manicure super shiny."
Day 3
"By day three I was surprised that the polish was still in perfect condition on my nails. I am very hard on my hands and this withstood a few hours of guitar playing (a hobby that usually wrecks any manicure)."
Day 7
"The polish continued to impress me for days after that and remained flawless for six days before I finally noticed a tiny chip on my index finger on day seven. At this point, I resolved to take off my polish (which was easy and swift) and start fresh, but I could have rocked it for another day or two if I wasn't picky.
"All in all, I was really impressed by the quality of this polish. Sure, it didn't last two full weeks, but it sure-as-hell put the rest of the long-wear polishes I've used to shame."
The Polish: OPI Infinite Shine
The Claims: " Gel shine without the light. Last up to 10 days."
The Tester: Jen Anderson, editorial assistant
OPI Infinite Shine Nail Polish in Big Apple Red, $12.50, available at Ulta Beauty.
Day 1
"On first impression, the polish applied very easily, but the applicator isn’t my favorite. Personally, I’m a fan of larger brushes because I like being able to cover my entire nail in one swoop.
"That being said, I loved the formula, which wasn’t too goopy or thick. It was easy to spread out for an opaque, thin coat. I followed up with another layer of the color and the top coat. I’m incredibly impressed with how quickly it dried. For clumsy people like me, this is incredibly helpful. I can’t count how many times I’ve painted my nails and then somehow managed to mess them up 10 minutes later."
Day 3
"The polish wore perfectly for three days. But on the third day, I noticed my first tiny chip. I have to be completely transparent: I’m really hard on my nails, and I have a feeling the combination of washing my hair and aggressively typing lead to the downfall of my manicure."
Day 6
"After 6 days, I had more chips on the sides and tips of my nails. From a distance it didn’t look too bad, but I personally couldn’t stand it so I removed the polish with regular remover.
"While I might not wear this on a 2-week vacation, this polish is great for a big event or night out when you need a quick-drying formula that will look flawless. And the shade range is killer."
The Polish: Essie Gel Couture
The Claims: "Gel-like perfection in an easy 2-step system [that] provides up to 14 days of color."
The Tester: Michael Rollings, Associates Partnerships Manager
Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish in Rock The Runway, $11.49, available at Target.
Day 1
"As a chronic nail biter, polishes tend to have a short lifespan on my fingers. So when I heard that Essie was releasing an at-home gel polish, meant to last longer on the nails without the hassle of hitting up a salon, I was intrigued.
"The polish itself was really easy to apply, and the color was a stunning true red. Applying the gel top coat was really simple, too, and only took an extra minute or two. Once the polish had dried, I was really impressed with how shiny and 'well done' the mani looked, despite my novice skill level with painting my own nails."
Day 3
"Over the next few days, it totally stayed put on my nails, and didn't peel or chip off in chunks like polish usually does on me. The shiny top layer left by the gel top coat also stayed put, which made it look like I'd just had them done, even after it had been a few days."
Day 7
"At the one week mark, there was a tiny bit of wear and tear on the edges of my nails, but nowhere near what my nails usually look like after seven days. Overall, I was very impressed with the longevity of the mani, and it definitely helped me curtail my nail-biting tendencies, which is an added bonus!
"The polish came off easily — though I admittedly bit some of it off. (I know, I know...)"
The Polish: Revlon Colorstay Gel Envy
The Claims: "Salon-quality color and diamond-like shine."
The Tester: Ally Hickson, Senior Social Media Editor
Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy Longwear Nail Enamel in All On Red, $8.29, available at Walgreens.
Day 1
"I typically alternate between getting gel manicures and painting my nails with regular polish at home (when I'm lacking in funds or time), so an at-home mani that has the lasting power of gel would be a godsend! I'd never used this polish before, but I have heard lots of rave reviews about the brand's Diamond top coat, so I was pretty excited to give it a whirl.
"I went for the shade All On Red, a vibrant crimson. I applied two coats straight to my clean, dry nails (no base coat needed) and found the polish really easy to apply. You don't need more than one dip in the bottle to do all five fingers — a little goes a long way! To finish, I topped with the brand's Diamond top coat."
Day 3
"After three days, my nails still looked great. Plus, I got a lot of compliments and there was zero chipping. They weren't quite as glossy as they were on day one, but they were holding up."
Day 7 " Days later, my nails still look great! If you get super close, you can see a few little cracks in the polish, but it's nothing too noticeable. At this point, they're starting to look dull compared to how glossy and vibrant they looked on day one, but they look perfect to most people — and isn't that what really counts? Verdict: Worth it."
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On the fourth floor of a residential building on Lexington Avenue sits the studio of 23-year-old industry protégé Christian Cowan. It's New York-small and sits atop a quartet of stairs carpeted in a trail of forgotten sequins. Guests are greeted by Mango — his loyal Dachshund and confidant who's 22-and-a-half years his junior and not to be referred to as a Weiner Dog ("gross") — and a hug from the man himself.
The Cambridge-born designer is on a high after another round of dressing Cardi B, this time for her debut album Invasion of Privacy. That, and a slew of high-profile editorial and celebrity placements. His workspace, lined with racks of his collections (so far, just three), houses a team of interns, a studio manager, and a seamstress. That Cowan is an amateur is debatable; that he's like anyone before him is bollocks.
Photographed by Helen Eriksson.
Though they’re both newcomers to the music and fashion industries, Cowan and the Bronx rapper go way back. "I got the call from her team a long time ago, before 'Bodak Yellow' came out. I put her in a cropped sweatsuit and the reaction was insane. I’d never seen anything like it on my Instagram: I didn’t have mass production or sales setup yet, but I’d gotten 600 orders in two days," Cowan reveals. Since then, he's dressed the rapper nearly a dozen times. "She’s just a total babe and is there to support people who support her. A lot of brands wouldn’t lend back then, so it meant a lot that she chose me. When we met, I said, Hey, I’m Christian Cowan, and she was like, You made me go viral!" He notes that Offset is friendly, too.
Cardi may have been destined for Instagram fame, but recognition is still new to Cowan. "I wanted to be David Attenborough until I was about 12 years old (still do, to be honest)," he says of his previous interest in entomology. "Insects have the most varied range of designs, textures, and colors." And then, out of the blue, he "just decided" he wanted to be a fashion designer. "My parents only spoiled me when it came to my hobbies. For example, there was a time when I wanted to be a fine artist, so they bought me all the oil paints I needed," he recalls. So when it was time to try his hand at making women's clothes, his mother bought him a "rickety, 45 GBP sewing machine" that he'd eventually break.
Photographed by Helen Eriksson.
After moving to London and completing his foundation year at Central Saint Martins, Cowan transferred to the London College of Fashion to get his degree in fashion design. He didn't fancy either, but giving up wasn't an option (his "hardcore" mother wouldn't have it). "I didn’t pass with flying colors because while I was studying, I was making things for Lady Gaga and doing Miley [Cyrus]' tour, so I’d get to deadlines and they’d be like, Where’s your work? and I’d be like, I’m so sorry — it’s in L.A. with Miley right now," he says.
Cowan's love for Gaga runs deep. The singer was the soundtrack to the early days of his namesake label. She'd be the first person he'd ever dress. "She’s a huge supporter of young designers, so I hate when people knock her fashion from back in the day," he professes. "She literally started career upon career upon career." Like most of her Little Monsters, as a kid, Cowan considered himself the odd one out. One of 11 children, he felt separated from his surroundings — but it was Gaga who got him through it. "When I made my first few outfits, I was listening to her the whole time. And then she wore the outfit! It was a full-circle moment."
Back at university, his professors were fed up with his elusiveness and sharp tongue — not to mention misuse of his homework by loaning to celebrities. "I’d get kicked out of the sewing machine room for working on stuff outside of the university and I got in a lot of trouble. They didn’t love me," he remembers. "What I’d secretly do is make whatever the fuck I wanted and then try to pass it off as part of my schoolwork, too. They did not find it funny. I had an argument with a tutor once who said I couldn’t do Miley’s tour and to concentrate on my university work. I got quite sassy and said, How do you expect me to pay for this expensive course if I can’t take jobs that give me money to do it? He shut up and now they use me in all of their brochures and social media pages."
Photographed by Helen Eriksson.Photographed by Helen Eriksson.
These days, Cowan is a regular in the pages of magazines. But despite finding success at a young age, the real world hasn't always been so kind to him. "There’ve been times when I’ve suffered from too much tunnel vision and too much of a bubble," he says of his tendency to shut the door behind him, adding that growing up, he ran away from home, struggled with his sexuality, and even overdosed — none of which, now, are allowed to disrupt his creative process. "The thing is: From ages 14 to 18, I went hard with my social life. Like, hard. I did it all: every music festival you could think of, I went out all the time, I’d DJ at clubs — at one point I tried go-go dancing — I just did everything you could do. But by 18, I was just done."
Really though, Cowan was just getting started. After making the jump to New York, where he lives with his boyfriend Drew Elliott two floors below his studio, he's shown at New York Fashion Week for the past three seasons, the industry watching his star rise with each spectacle. His first, in the blistering cold at Pier 59 Studios, included a mini dress featuring a portrait of Caitlyn Jenner that put his name in the papers (“A lot of people dislike her, but you can’t deny that she brought a topic into every household in the world”); his second, an intimate affair at Indochine with a skintight guest list; and his third, a more traditional, larger format show at Spring Studios, with more rows and seat crashers than ever before. All of the above, by the way, were styled by close pal Patti Wilson.
Cowan differs from the flight of designers who've traded New York for Paris and has his sights set on a growing customer base in the East, starting with Shanghai, Seoul, and Kuwait. On the retail side, he's just secured his first window display in Jeffrey New York. And as for where he sees his brand in 10 or 50 years, it's no surprise a house like Versace comes to mind. "I think mid-range [retail] got obliterated. I think people are into either super high-end and luxury, or really low and fast fashion. I really want to do both," he says. "But in order to do fast-fashion, you have to have capital. It’s annoying when people on Instagram are like, Why do you make things so expensive? It’s like, because you need to spend a lot of money to make things cheap."
Photographed by Helen Eriksson.
When asked to define the Christian Cowan woman, it’s simple: anyone is eligible. But when asked to define his brand, it’s complicated: "When you start a brand at such a young age, it grows with you as you change. I think some people find deciphering my brand hard because it keeps shifting a bit, and though there’s always this bright, energetic, disco, fun element to it, it’s really changed leagues from what it was," he explains. (In terms of paraphernalia, Cowan would say his brand is an upper.) "I’ve gone from the hard, pink, glittery, giant sombrero to a lot of wearable looks. But, at the heart of it, I want it to remain that way and to focus on the joy in the world. I just want to put a good message out there: it’s inclusive, happy, and just meant to bring everyone up."
What you won't see, however, are haughty displays of political propaganda; Cowan prefers to separate church and state. "I have my own political views and I generally don’t like to leak those through the brand. I don’t hate every woman who doesn’t believe in my own political values. That’s so harsh," he says, noting that a large number of female Trump voters are loyal customers to young designers like himself. "I don’t think it’s fair for me to do a T-shirt that alienates all these lovely women who also want to feel empowered through wearing clothes. Besides, I’ve done some of those before and I’ve felt bad about some of the reactions. Some people are really nice and they have a different political view, but that doesn’t mean they’re, like, the devil." When asked if he'd ever dress First Lady Melania Trump, he replies with a full-throated no. ("That would be an insult to the people who’ve supported me and who my brand is devoted to.")
Photographed by Helen Eriksson.
At a time when many might say entering the fashion industry is a crazy idea — and just an idea, at that — it’s Cowan’s bad-kid background that makes him the perfect guy for the job. May his hair be green, pink, orange, or purple; he’s “totally cool” with people not liking him — he’s just here to have a good time. “I think the context of how the industry was originally built isn’t the same, so yes, it’s time to change. But things change. At the end of the day, people still want to wear clothes. No one’s going nude just yet.”
Looking back on where he’s come from, and discussing ad nauseam where he wants to go, he remembers a sour Facebook post from an old schoolmate who asked the question that was once on everyone’s minds: What is a Christian Cowan?
Well, now you know.
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No matter which coast (or state in between) you call home, spring is a signifier that warmer days and easier living are on the horizon, bringing forth the inevitable itch to snap out of hibernation and back into jet-setting mode. But if you haven't been on a quick trip in a minute, it can be easy to forget how to pack exactly what you need — nothing more. To save you the trouble of lugging around an overstuffed suitcase (we've all been there), we teamed up with Time and Tru to round up a bevy of versatile spring staples that will get you through any weekend getaway in style. Swipe through our picks below to create your own personalized packing list, and go ahead and use all those minutes saved to start prepping the real important matters — aka which trendy doughnut shop or vintage store you'll be hitting up first.
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We've heard it over and over again — social media and technology in general are making us anxious, depressed, and ruining our self-esteem. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. But what if there were ways to use our liking and texting skills to make us feel better about ourselves? Or to make us feel like we have everything under control?
That's where the good news comes in: There are a ton of apps out there that can help you do everything from de-escalate a panic attack to remember to take your meds.
These aren't alternatives to therapy and they won't cure you of anything. But they will make the day-to-day struggles of living with a mental illness or just run-of-the-mill stress a little bit easier. With these in your pocket, you'll have new options for handling those moments when you're not feeling great. And when you do feel better, you'll be able to see it right in front of you. Ahead, we've collected a few of our (free) favorites.
This app comes recommended by the American Psychological Association for stress management, especially amongst those who suffer from anxiety disorders or PTSD.
Breathe2Relax guides you through breathing exercises to help with stabilizing your mood, controlling anger and managing anxiety. It's also user-friendly, and can even be personalized to fit to a pace that's best for you.
In this app’s first life, it was a website called Panoply developed by an MIT researcher as a social network for people with depression. And it functions much the same way in its app form.
Users can share problems, feelings, or thoughts with the community, and get feedback from others. How does this help? The idea is based on a form of a well-established cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) technique called “reappraisal,” which is a way to help reframe negative thoughts. For example, you can share an experience like having a bad day at work, or a fight with your S.O., and the community might offer alternative readings of that situation to help you not jump to negative conclusions. (Like you’re going to get fired or you and your partner are breaking up.)
The best news of all: A 2015 study of the original website found that this approach significantly improved participants depression symptoms after just 25 minutes per week for three weeks.
The main goal of this app is to just “feel happier,” and the program gives you plenty of options for working toward that goal. You’ll get to choose a path of activities that reflects what that really means for you.
You’ll start by taking a test to see where you're at and how you tend to approach tough, stressful spots in your life. Then the app will suggest a path based on your answers. To move along the path, you’ll complete gratitude exercises, do a little meditation, and learn a lot about yourself along the way.
Flowy is a game app created to help those with panic and anxiety disorders. In the game, you’ll solve puzzles with your breath. You hold down a button while breathing in and let it go while breathing out, sending your little boat forward along its path.
The goal here is to actually retrain the way you breathe: Rather than taking breaths with your chest muscles, which can cause a similar sensation as an oncoming panic attack (and actually start to make you feel panicked), you’ll learn to breathe with your diaphragm. You’ll breathe deeper, your heart will slow down, and you’ll feel calm on the waves.
This helpful app comes to us from the makers of Iodine, a website where patients can share their real-life experiences with different medications. But Start is their app specifically dedicated to helping people manage and keep track of their depression symptoms as well as any medications they’re taking. Because it can take weeks for you to notice any changes on antidepressants, the app is designed to help you spot when (or if) you’re starting to feel better and whether you’re experiencing any side effects.
Keeping track of your ups and downs is crucial when you’re dealing with a mental health issue. Without knowing what’s going on, you can’t predict an anxiety attack and you can’t tell if all that time doing mindfulness exercises is really lifting your mood. Rather than lugging your diary everywhere, try In Flow’s mood-tracking system. You can put in a new entry whenever you want, but the app will also prompt you a few times a day to check in. From there, it will show you trends and, if you want, connect you with friends to cheer you up during tough times and celebrate the good ones.
Unfortunately, it looks like In Flow isn't available in the iTunes store anymore. But you can still snag it with Google Play or in the Windows Phone Store.
Remembering to take your meds is tough — until you get a little reward for it. Seriously, we’ve seen gamification of pretty much everything (hello FitBit takeover!), but rarely is it as effective as it is here. Mango Health functions as a medication reminder, but also gives you information about what you’re taking and a heads up for how it might interact with anything else in your regimen. Plus, take your meds when you’re supposed to and you’ll get those precious points, which are entrance into raffles for a chance to win actual rewards — including charity donations and gift cards to places like Starbucks.
Although there’s no substitute for real, live therapy, 7 Cups Of Tea can help you out when you just need someone to talk to, fast. Sign in and the app connects you with a trained counselor (or “listener”) to talk about pretty much anything. You can choose a listener based on what you’re interested in talking about or their life experience. Whether you want to chat about anxiety attacks with someone else who’s been there or you just want to vent about your boss for a few minutes, 7 Cups has your back.
We won’t lie to you, T2 Mood Tracker is the definition of “no frills.” But this tried-and-true mood tracker is a classic for a simple reason — it works. Developed by the National Center for Telehealth and Technology, it was originally created to help people in the military to monitor their emotional health. Since then, it’s become popular with the rest of us, too. The app will prompt you at certain times of day to tell it where you’d rate your emotional state on a variety of axes. It will also graph your progression over time so you can keep a lookout for any trends.
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Nadege Green from WLRN in South Florida reported that the statement was a last-minute decision to respond to a letter that ran in the school newspaper headlined "All Lives Matter," in which a student called BLM "ridiculous" and said "they seem to be good for nothing but creating mistrust between civilians and police."
This view doesn't take into account that police disproportionately murder Black and brown civilians. Black people, according to an analysis of FBI data, represent 13% of the population, but one-third of those killed by police. As evidenced in many cases, most recently those of Saheed Vassell and Stephon Clark, unarmed Black men are at greater risk of being killed by police officers. Also, police officers are rarely ever charged for on-duty shootings: According to researchers, there are about 1,000 police shootings a year in the U.S., and there were only 80 arrests (one-third of which were convictions) between 2005 and April 2017.
During the assembly, a teacher had the student's microphone cut off and shut them down while they were speaking. Students said they felt this was insensitive.
"The rebuttal [we had prepared] was pretty much saying that the Black Lives Matter movement is a respected movement," Mei-Ling Ho-Shing, a junior who helped plan the assembly, told WLRN. "Just because you don't have to experience it doesn't mean that it's absurd and ridiculous."
A Broward County Public School spokesperson told WLRN that the teacher stopped the speech because it hadn't been planned or approved in advance. "Due to the potential for disruption and breach in protocol, the student was asked to stop and leave the stage."
In a population of about 3,000 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas, only 11% are students of color. Some Black students at the school have said that their voices are not being heard in the growing Never Again movement, which was launched in the wake of the shooting. The students called a press conference just a few days after attending the March for Our Lives in Washington, D.C. The issue of increased police presence at the school is a particular concern: It might make some white students feel safer, but intimidate their peers of color because police officers are often not properly trained.
"There's not that many of us, and if we're doing checkpoints and we're doing backpack checks I feel like we may be viewed in a different light by officers, and we may be criminalized and we may be looked at as if we hold a weapon or we pose a threat to school campus," MSD junior Kyrah Simon told WLRN. "The racism that our country is built upon...is still something that plagues our country, it may be subconsciously, but a lot of people have it in the back of their minds when they look at Black people."
You can argue that this was a cut-and-dry protocol situation. But to shut down a message that Black people shouldn't have to live in fear of being gunned down, during a Black History Month assembly — even if it's an unexpected one — takes an extra amount of cognitive dissonance. What type of "disruption" were the teachers hoping to avoid?
A student has every right to write or publish a letter with the headline "All Lives Matter." But you better believe people will speak out in response.
Kyrah, an MSD junior, adds concerns about police violence extends to more police presence at her school. She fears minority students will face the unintended consequences. pic.twitter.com/8DHNXMtrvk
What goes around comes around, and we know that to be doubly-true when it comes to fashion trends. Court shoes, kitten heels, slingbacks — whatever you call them, they've been sliding into our peripheral and are ready to make a full-on comeback. These low-heeled shoes are reminiscent of feathered-edge mini dresses and half the closet scenes in Sex and the City, and it's that exact late-'90s/early 2000s nostalgia that makes them so great. Since we're already half-way there when it comes to our apparel, we might as well go the whole nine yards.
After a few years of platform booties, towering lace-up heels, and strappy stilettos, a light-weight mini-heel is the perfect break for our summer outfits (and for our feet). With these, you still get some of the height, minus the teetering — and with a d'orsay cut, they're practically sweat-free. So if you're still searching for the shoe of the season, consider your mission accomplished.
Gianvito Rossi Plexi Slingback Leather Pumps, $795, available at MyTheresa.
Zara Striped Mid Heel Slingback Shoes, $49.90, available at Zara.
It’s been about 15 years since we last brushed up on our unicorn trivia so pardon us for asking, but are unicorns eternal or something? We’re only curious because the unicorn food trend absolutely refuses to die. Though the novelty of cakes served with edible horns has worn off a little — after almost two years — the trend continues to spawn other food fads. Most recently, sparkles seem to have been shaken off the unicorn’s glistening coat and onto nearly every single dish, drink, and treat you can think of. The oddest among them might just be Ice Breakers' new Glitter Gum.
Yesterday, Hershey’s released a limited-edition version of its Ice Breakers Ice Cubes gum and it’s called Glitter Gum for a reason. The small white cubes really do shimmer and shine, and they even leave little sparkly flecks on your hand after you throw them in your mouth. To achieve this effect, the candy company used edible glitter, an ingredient we've seen a lot of lately. Not only is the gum glittery, it also has a flavor that's much more unique than just mint. Glitter Gum comes in Summer Snow Cone "an icy, cherry snow cone flavor." Yes, it's minty, fruity, and sparkly.
Despite all that's going on in these tiny cubes of gum, the glitter is definitely the most noteworthy feature. The press release announcing Glitter Gum's introduction, reads, "A trendsetter in the gum and mints category, Ice Breakers is tapping into the glitter sensation that’s sweeping the nation. Experts have declared 2018 'the year of glitter' when it comes to new food products."
It's true that in recent months there has been an uptick in the amount of glittery foods out there, however, this phenomenon has been building for quite some time. Almost a year ago, the internet was abuzz over glittery Prosecco, and this past summer, Twitter had some strong opinions about glitter cappuccinos.
Though there are definitely downsides to glitter — it just gets everywhere! — when it comes to glittery foods, we do see the appeal. There's no denying it's a fun experience to try, say, the Sugar Factory's "edible disco glitter" dusted glazed doughnut. Even if it's just once, and even if it's just for an Instagram photo, it's hard to deny that the sparkly offerings are mesmerizing. Where glittery food is concerned, we're really no better than the magpie lining its nest with stolen shiny objects.
Still, gum just seems like an odd medium for unicorn food's latest offshoot. Gum, more than anything, is simply utilitarian. You chew it if you need to freshen your breath, keep your ears from popping on a plane, or maybe even to keep yourself from biting your nails, but you're probably never going to take a photo of it for Instagram — which is the whole point of the glittery food trend, right? When you chew Glitter Gum, you don't get a sparkly tongue — not that you'd necessarily want to, but glittery tongues are apparently a trend in their own right. Instead, like with all gum, you ultimately end up with a lump of soggy, flavorless putty. Glitter Gum serves its purpose as gum, but does it need to be glittery? Probably not.
Finally, Cardi B’s hotly-anticipated first studio album, Invasion of Privacy, which features Chance the Rapper, SZA, Migos, and Kehlani, is now available to stream on Apple Music and Spotify. Between letting it slip that she wants a threesome with Chrissy Teigen and Rihanna, and reminding the world (er, Offset) that she’s not one to be cheated on, she offered up a whole list of fashion-y lyrics that we can't wait to use as Instagram captions.
We've had our eye on the Bronx native since before her appearance at the BET Awards last summer (way before the fashion industry became so enthralled with her), so we aren’t surprised that Cardi B 1) now has a certified “get money” rapper style, and 2) is freely flexing her fashion cred on her debut album.
If you consider yourself a Fashion Person™, then we are pleased to tell you that Invasion of Privacy is Insta-caption gold. We’ve done all the heavy-lifting and listened to the album on repeat to pull out its best fashion references. All you have to do is copy and paste.
“Gotta stay outta Gucci (woo), I'm finna run outta hangers (woo).” - “Drip”
The best thing about this lyric isn't that it's about one of the most relevant brands in fashion right now, but that you can very easily swap out Gucci for a store you really do have to stay out of, like, Zara.
“Hit the store, I can get 'em both, I don't wanna choose.” - “Bodak Yellow”
Sure, she’s talking about “bloody shoes,” but feel free to post this in reference to the swimsuits you’re debating on packing for Coachella to wear as tops.
“It’s my birthday, at least that's what I'm dressed like.” - “Best Life”
Save this one for when your ‘fit is flames and you know it.
“I like those Balenciagas, the ones that look like socks.” - “I Like It”
Coincidently enough, so does the rest of the fashion industry, because you can’t step foot into a retailer, fast-fashion or otherwise, without seeing a pair of sock boots.
“Dress me down in that Raf, Saint Laurent jacket, dapper, dapper, I look fine and my checks defined.” - “I Do”
While we appreciate the brand call outs, use this caption the next time you Instagram yourself wearing an on-trend plaid suit. Checks defined? Get it?
“These heels are Givenchy, ho, these are some boss bitch shoes” - “I Do”
No matter the label inside your shoes, remind your followers that you are indeed a boss who makes boss moves, sometimes in “bloody shoes.”
“I wear Off-White at church.” - “She Bad”
It’s a crime and a shame we didn’t have this at our disposal for Easter Sunday. But now we can actually plan to wear Off-White the next time we step into our place of worship.
“Spoil me in Prada, I'm worth every dollar (cash).” - “She Bad”
If you didn’t listen to the full album (judging, by the way), “She Bad” is one of Invasion of Privacy's most quote-worthy songs. See this slide (and the slide before, and the slide after) as proof.
“I could buy designer, but this Fashion Nova fit all that ass.” - “She Bad”
Cardi did this for us, the regular, degular, shmegular girls, and for that reason, we predict you'll start seeing this lyric all over your feed. Bonus points if you’re actually wearing Fashion Nova in the post.
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We're now seeing that, for too long, men in positions of power have gotten away with abuse due to a complicit system that protects predators and a culture of fear where victims don't feel safe speaking up. A cultural shift is happening in the post-Weinstein world, and in this new world order, even the people in the higher spheres of government aren't untouchable anymore thanks to brave women who are sharing their stories, intrepid reporting, and a willingness from the public to believe survivors.
Both Republicans and Democrats are struggling to deal with sexual harassment claims and subsequent fallouts among their ranks, from the accusations against President Trump to the allegations made against freshman Democratic Rep. Ruben Kihuen.
Ahead, we're keeping a list of all the elected officials in Washington, D.C. who have been accused of sexual misconduct. We'll continue to update this story if more allegations come out.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call theRAINN Sexual Assault Hotlineat 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
Rep. Blake Farenthold
The allegations: Rep. Farenthold's former communications director sued him on grounds of gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and creating a hostile work environment. They settled the case, and she received a $84,000 payout.
The allegations: Rep. Meehan was accused of sexually harassing a former aide who was decades younger and looked up to him as a father figure. After the woman began a serious relationship with someone else, Meehan allegedly tried to confess his feelings, though they were unrequited. The woman says the Republican became hostile as a result, which led to her filing a formal complaint and eventually leaving her position. Eventually, Meehan's office paid an undisclosed amount to the aide as part of a confidential agreement. Meehan denies the claims.
The allegations: Two women have accused Rep. Kihuen of sexual harassment. A former campaign staffer alleges that Kihuen, a freshman congressman, sexually harassed her continuously during the 2016 election. A female lobbyist came forward in mid-December, alleging Kihuen made several unwanted sexual advances to her and groped her on three separate occasions while he was a Nevada state senator.
The aftermath: In response to the allegations, Kihuen said: "I sincerely apologize for anything that I may have said or done that made her feel uncomfortable." Several Democratic leaders have asked him to resign, but he has said he will not step down from his position. In mid-December, the House Ethics Committee announced it was launching an investigation into the allegations. Kihuen said he would cooperate with the investigation, but won't seek reelection in 2018.
Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.
Rep. Alcee Hastings
The allegations: A former staffer accused Rep. Hastings of sexually harrasing her repeatedly for over two years while she worked at the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. She also alleged he threatened to fire her after she resisted his advances. The woman sued Hastings and the commission, and the case was settled in 2014 for $220,000.
The aftermath: Hastings denies the allegations and says he wasn't aware of the taxpayer-funded settlement until the story about the payment was reported in early December. (He was removed from the lawsuit in 2012.) As of mid-December, Hastings hadn't been asked to resign by the Democratic leadership.
Photo: Al Drago/CQ Roll Call.
Rep. Trent Franks
The allegations: Two female aides said Rep. Franks created an uncomfortable workplace environment by asking them if they wanted to be surrogates and bear his child. The staffers allege they were concerned that Franks was asking to impregnate them by having sexual relations with him.
The aftermath: Franks admitted the allegations are true, but said he had never "physically intimidated, coerced, or had, or attempted to have, any sexual contact with any member of my congressional staff." The House Ethics Committee announced it planned to investigate the allegations, so Franks said he would step aside. His resignation was originally supposed to take effect on January 31, 2018. But one day after making that announcement, Franks said he would resign immediately due to his wife being admitted in the hospital for an "ongoing ailment."
The aftermath: Franken has apologized in some cases, and denied the allegations in others. Originally he said he was open to being investigated by the Senate Ethics Committee, but after the seventh accuser came forward, several Democrats called for him to step aside. On December 7, Franken announced on the Senate floor that he would resign "in the coming weeks."
Photo: Alex Brandon/AP Images.
President Donald J. Trump
The allegations: At least 16 women have accused President Trump of sexual misconduct, ranging from groping to rape over the last several decades. Many of them came forward after the infamous Access Hollywood tape, where Trump can be heard boasting of "grabbing [women] by the pussy," was made public.
The aftermath: Trump has consistently denied the allegations, and the official White House position is that his accusers are lying. And even though POTUS admitted in October 2016 that the Access Hollywood tape was real, he is now claiming the voice in the recording isn't his. ( Access Hollywood said the clip is authentic.) Trump is also facing a defamation lawsuit brought up by one of his accusers, Summer Zervos.
Photo: Olivier DoulieryPool/Getty Images.
Rep. John Conyers, Jr.
The allegations: At least four women have claimed Rep. Conyers groped them or made sexual advances and inappropriate remarks toward them. One of his accusers received a $27,000 settlement.
The aftermath:Conyers resigned several weeks after news of the allegations broke, and endorsed his son John Conyers III to succeed him. His lawyer Arnold Reed has said Conyers is not planning to pay back Congress for his past settlement, since ethics attorneys "cleared" the payout.
Photo: Alex Brandon/AP Images.
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You meet someone, sparks fly, and you exchange phone numbers. After some witty banter via text ( OMG you love Big Mouth too??), you finally set a first date. You're excited, of course. But then they do something so egregious, so harrowing, that you're ready to pull the plug on the whole situation: They ask you out to dinner and a movie.
Is there anything more boring than a canned movie-and-dinner date? It's long, it's overly intimate, and it's such a snoozy way to get to know a person. And while it may be the way some of our parents got to know one another, our parents also didn't date online or use the word "fuckboy" in everyday conversation. Times are changing, so shouldn't first dates change, too?
Ahead, find date ideas that aren't dinner and a movie. If things go well, you can grab dinner on date two. But chances are, you'll want to go on another date from our list. Trust.
Take a long walk in the park
If you're lucky enough to live in a place with gorgeous outdoor spaces, take advantage of the scenery and invite your date for a little fresh air and exercise. Bonus: There's no set time for a walk in the park, so you can cut it short if you're not into the date or just keep strolling along if you are.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Meet for breakfast
The great thing about a breakfast date is that it opens up the rest of the day for you. If you two hit it off over bacon and eggs, you can keep the date going. No sparks? Your evening's still open for something else to come along...
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Browse a bookstore
Books are the ultimate conversation starters, so you'll probably have tons to chat about. Bonus: Most shops have coffee spots, so you can discuss your finds over a brew, too.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Take a cooking class
Ambitious? Sure. But it's a pretty solid way to create some major bonding. Worse case-scenario, you'll walk away with a few good recipes to recreate.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Visit an outdoor market
Whether it's a flea market or a farmer's market, wandering from booth to booth is a fun way to get to know one another.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Plan a day trip
This is a great idea for someone who you know as a friend, but want to get to know in a more romantic way. Head out of town for a ski or beach trip, and enjoy some one-on-one time.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Go for a picnic
You can each agree to bring something specific, or meet at the grocery store and shop for a spread together.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Go to a poetry reading
Not someone who can muster up sweet nothings on your own? Let someone else come up with the romantic words to set the mood.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Take a painting class
The couple who crafts together, stays together — right?
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Go ice skating... or apple picking...
Seasonal-specific activities are like limited-edition dates: You can only participate in them during certain times, which makes them all the more special.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Pop by a cat café
Both fans of felines? Get cozy with some cats while you sip some beverages. Your date gets bonus points if they wind up adopting one, of course.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Play some bar trivia
What better way to test if you'd make a good team?
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Go bowling
If a casual first date is your speed, rent some bowling shoes and play a few games against each other. Plus, if you load up on bar food and beer, it is technically dinner.
If you live in a big city, chances are you've never played tourist there before. Grab your potential S.O. and jump on a double-decker bus for a fun date.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Take on some rock-climbing
This date allows you to get your sweat on while also participating in a serious trust test.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Stargaze at the planetarium
There's something super romantic about staring up at the stars. But if it's too chilly outside (or light pollution makes your view not-so-pretty), take the gazing inside.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Visit a food truck festival
Go around from truck to truck and rate your favorites. If the winning truck has a standalone restaurant, then you already have an idea for date two!
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Chuckle at a comedy show
If a typical two-drink-minimum comedy club isn't your thing, look up comedy podcast tapings. They're just as fun, and you can listen to your episode later on.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Belt it out at karaoke
It's even more fun if you pick one another's songs.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Date like a kid
Whether it's arcade games or laser tag, find a spot that lets you indulge your younger self. Laughter is basically guaranteed.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Take a boozy tour
Whether it's at a brewery or a vineyard, it's a perfect way to spend an afternoon.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Check out a live music venue
Concerts can be tough for a first date, but a smaller venue makes it easier to mingle between sets.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Cheer on your favorite sports team
You can watch at a bar or at the stadium. Either way, you guys will bond over your shared love of sports.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Have a multi-venue meal
Okay, so this is technically dinner. But it's more of an adventure than a typical sit-down meal. Have your appetizer, main course, and dessert at different spots — because who doesn't want to have nachos followed by sushi followed by flan?
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Skip dinner and just get dessert
If your date isn't willing to share an over-the-top milkshake with you, then are they really The One?
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Stretch it out in aerial yoga
Sure, there's not much time for talking during a yoga class, but stretching your body while flying through the air in a giant hammock suspended from the ceiling will surely give you and your date something to talk about once the class is over. And if you don't end up enjoying the other person's company, at least you got a cool experience out of it.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
Play tourist
This one's mostly for big city dwellers, though smaller towns have plenty of exploring to be done, too. Take the day to hit up any touristy spots that you've never seen, or revisit old favorites. It can be fun to see your city from someone else's eyes.
illustrated by Tristan Offit.
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Small and delicate tattoos are all the rage right now, and they're especially perfect for anyone looking to get some ink without getting too much attention. Their hidden placement — often behind the ear, or on the finger — can lend an edgy sense of mystery to them, even more so when they're done in white.
White tattoos are practically invisible, which is why it may come as a surprise to learn that a ton of It girls, like Kendall Jenner, Cara Delevingne, and Shay Mitchell, have them.
Ahead, we've rounded up our favorite celebrity white tattoos (plus a few examples from those without a "k" or "m" next to their Instagram follower count) that'll make even the most body art-averse maybe, just maybe, start to change their tune...
When you like your music loud but your tattoos subtle, this treble clef design hits all the right notes.
White ink is the coolest trend to happen to your ears since helix cartilage piercings — but it's the butterfly outline that gives this look a personal touch.
Want to take you and your bestie's friendship to the next level? Trade in your bracelets for two half-heart tattoos.
Back in 2014, Cara Delevingne added a white tattoo, which reads "breathe deep," to her collection. Who doesn't need a reminder to do that every now and then?
@caradelevingne
Kendall Jenner got a tiny white dot by the NYC-based celebrity tattoo artist JonBoy, and he told us about how it came to be: "To her, it's the little things that matter. And the white color was because she didn’t want it to show with modeling and all that."
@jonboytattoo
Jenner also got inked in white with BFF Hailey Baldwin, then revealed the true meaning of the tattoo on her website. "The one on my right hand is a full heart to represent an angel, and my left is a broken heart — kind of like the devil side," she wrote. The white, shattered heart on her left hand matches the shattered heart in red on Baldwin's inner finger.
PHOTO: VIA @HAILEYBISBORING
Shay Mitchell showed off her super-subtle inner wrist art on Instagram back in 2012. "Infinite #love for my girls ...," she captioned the post.
@shaymitchell
Ellie Goulding got a white arrow tattooed on her index finger in 2013. The musician has a collection of delicate tattoos, but we think this is the perfect example of how to pull of light-colored ink.
@elliegoulding
This anchor would be barely noticeable to anyone besides your manicurist.
@erni_sascha
Not only is the ink badass, that's some major brow and highlight inspiration, too.
@connie_correa
These matching finger tattoos from NYC's West 4 Tattoo are so chic, especially with a polished mani.
@wickynicky
The back of the neck is an ideal place to hide a tattoo if you have long hair. Do it in white, and no one will ever know until you want them to.
@connietattoos
Nothing pairs with a Cartier bracelet quite like a diamond...
Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
Whether it's a reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or just a reminder to chill, this white ink is quickly rising to the top of our wishlist.
From the same tattoo artist who gave Jenner and Baldwin their BFF white ink, this design reads "stando sana" (which translates to "staying healthy" in Italian).
All the commands you'd find on a remote control to help guide you through life's narrative.
A minimalist's dream, this cornicello outline by tattooist Christopher Vasquez is the subtlest way to bring good luck wherever you go.
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While everyone’s focused on the Baby Spice-approved trend revivals from the ‘90s, I’m loving a a different piece from the era: the Diane Keaton-inspired, female lawyer in a TV drama staple power trouser. But fear not, the high-waisted wide-leg pant has stylistically evolved beyond the gray herringbone prints of the past. Now, you can find the pant in khaki culottes, bright red hues (courtesy of the lady who brought the pant back, alice + olivia's Stacey Bendet), and even silky tiger prints.
Here's the thing to note: The '90s power trouser isn't just any old wide-leg pant. With a tapered high-rise waist and a slightly flared bottom, the elongated silhouette manages to look perfectly tailored every single time, no matter how it's styled. (If you're not quite sure how to wear it, throw it on with a crop top for the easiest look, ever). So whether you've caught onto the trend or are ready to finally give it a go, click on for 15 pairs we're eyeing (and, let's be real, buying) right now.
Dianne Von Furstenberg Ribbon-trimmed Wide-leg Linen-blend Trousers, $493 $246, available at MatchesFashion.
