March 08, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC Right after getting off the phone with my 70-something-year-old landlord about a leaking toilet, my boyfriend burst into laughter. “Did you just say ‘I love you’ to your landlord?” he asked.“What? No. Did I?”“Yeah, you did. You said ‘Okay, I love you, talk to you later.’” Um, well, whoops—that’s awkward. I love yous can feel unpredictable, random, and tricky to digest when you’re the surprised recipient of one. And when the source is a platonic, possibly fresh relationship, the strangeness can feel even more magnified. Hey, you might just not have that bond with Karen in accounting, who says she loves you after you did her a quick favor. NBD! Still, why is it that hearing “I love you” from someone new-ish to your life can be so jarringly weird? First things first: It’s not a phrase to be taken lightly. There are roughly 14,000 episodes of teen dramas dedicated to those three words and eight letters on the CW alone. In short, it’s a high-stakes thing to say, which helps explain why our first reaction is often of the “???” variety. That awkwardness arrives when we don’t feel the same way about the loose acquaintance or third-tier work friend. Or, perhaps more precisely, it’s awkward when we don’t feel about the person how we assume they feel about us, courtesy of the “I love you.” But before you offer a return “I love you” out of politeness slash horror slash shock, take a hot sec
Category: Fashion
The sustainable swimwear brands making a big splash this season
March 07, 2019 at 12:44PM by CWC Sustainability is one of the most important movements permeating popular culture today, particularly fashion. And the wave of designers embracing eco-friendly, ethical, socially responsible practices is starting to swell. You can now find cool options for everything from vegan shoes to sustainable activewear, luxe-looking purses made from leather alternatives, sneakers (like these chic French ones made from corn waste), jeans, and ready-to-wear—with a lot of the coolest brands coming out of Cali, btw. Given how much the sustainable fashion market has grown over the past few seasons, it’s unsurprising that there are more options than ever when it comes to sustainable swimwear. Major sportswear brands like Adidas and Athleta continue to expand their ethical offerings and introduce innovative new fabrics made from recycled materials and focused on performance. Then there are the indie, boutique labels that are showing that being eco-friendly and elevated aren’t mutually exclusive objectives, as evidenced by the minimalist maillots from brands like Lacausa and Reformation—plus, the playful suits from lines like Mara Hoffman. Scroll down to see what we mean and shop the sustainable swimwear sure to make a big splash this season. 1. Adidas Photo: Adidas Adidas by Stella McCartney Triathalon Crop Top, $69, and Triathalon Short, $53 Like its activewear, Adidas’ swimwear meets the quality standards of both the Better Cotton Initiative and Sustainable Apparel Coalition, which makes finding sustainable performance suits and separates that can stand up to SUP sessions, open swims, and other watersports, a cinch. 2. Athleta
Spring’s freshest makeup trend is honestly so easy to wear
March 07, 2019 at 07:19AM by CWC Hold up, is that sunshine? Yes, spring is just around the corner (the groundhog said so) and the time to rethink your beauty routine for the warmer weather is now. Replace those muted tones of autumn and winter with something bright and cheery because if there’s one takeaway from Paris Fashion Week, it’s that pastel makeup looks are fully on trend in 2019. While the fantastical color combinations featured on the models walking the catwalk might be a little much for the sidewalk, a toned down pastel palette is effortlessly fresh. Pastel makeup dominates on the runway, but here’s how to wear it yourself. 9 pastel makeup looks for spring View this post on Instagram A post shared by Celia Burton (@celiaburtonmakeup) on Jan 30, 2019 at 3:19am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js 1. Touch of purple Sometimes all you need is an eye-catching purple shadow to make a big difference in your look. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rachel Rebibo (@rachelrebibo) on Mar 5, 2019 at 10:13am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js 2. Unicorn vibes This look perfectly mixes pinks and blues for daytime glamour. View this post on Instagram A post shared by davidkoppelaar (@davidkoppelaar) on Feb 20, 2019 at 12:06am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js 3. Under-eye pop A quick way to master the pastel trend is adding a swipe of color to your lower lash line. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taryn Rae-Lee (@tarynraeleephotography) on Mar 6, 2019
How to deal with ambiguous loss—the grief you feel when closure isn’t an option
March 07, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC The death of a loved one is never easy to process, and the grieving process is different for everyone—but what if you’re left to grieve someone who is very much still alive, or gone but not indefinitely? While there’s a name for it, there’s unfortunately no resolution. Ambiguous loss remains unclear, says psychologist Pauline Boss, PhD, who coined the term. While studying families of pilots missing in action during Vietnam in the 1970s, Dr. Boss named ambiguous grief to describe a physical absence with a psychological presence, such as with missing persons (like the military example above), divorce, miscarriage, and desertion. The term also describes psychological absence with physical presence, as with cases of dementia, traumatic brain injury, chronic mental illness, or addiction. And when you’re tasked with handling ambiguous loss, the feelings that arise are often complicated because there’s no real recovery. “Ambiguous loss can freeze the grief process.” says Dr. Boss, “People can’t get over it, they can’t move forward, they’re frozen in place.” Unlike with death, there is no proof that allows for any sort of conclusion. There’s no funeral and there’s no script, so to speak, to follow. “Ambiguous loss can freeze the grief process. People can’t get over it, they can’t move forward, they’re frozen in place.” —psychologist Pauline Boss, PhD With death, eventually you reorganize family roles, and somebody takes over what the lost person used to do, says Dr. Boss. “But when somebody is just missing, oftentimes
A dozen pairs of sustainable jeans so good nothing will come between you and them
March 06, 2019 at 11:33AM by CWC Socially conscious, eco-friendly, cruelty-free, sustainable. All buzz words you’ve heard to describe ethical fashion. The category—which was once synonymous with scratchy fabrics and blah-as-heck hues—has far surpassed “trend” status. More and more, clothing and accessory brands are innovating with their social and environmental impact in mind and turning out some of the best new fashions out there from swimwear to lingerie, plus one of the most-loved categories, denim. There are a lot of things that can make a garment unsustainable from tons of waste to the use of toxic chemicals and unethical labor practices. The biggest culprit when it comes to denim, though, is water. “Apparel production and in particular denim depends heavily on water availability. Not just in the washing of a jean at the point of garment production, however, [but also] at the very beginning point in the cotton agriculture stage,” says Jac Cameron, co-founder and creative director of the clothing brand AYR. “The water consumption for denim production is usually 1,000 gallons per one wash load, which is roughly about 60 [pairs of] jeans.” Cotton farming can negatively impact the environment, too. “The use of hazardous chemicals used in the cotton farming, dyeing, and finishing stages, and highly repetitive and manual finishing techniques, make the traditional process of making jeans dangerous for not only the environment but also the workers handling the denim,” says James Bartle, founder of Outland Denim, a premium-denim label that was founded with the mission to employ
12 pieces of beautiful, sterling silver jewelry you can score for under $100
March 06, 2019 at 08:20AM by CWC Sometimes it feels like there’s no middle ground between paying a handful of dollars on costume jewelry or forking over hundreds for fine jewelry. The former used to exclusively be my accessories MO, but as I (very belatedly) embrace adulting, I’m realizing that there is something to be gained from spending a little more money for a piece of sterling silver jewelry that won’t break or rub its color off the second time you wear it. And it turns out that with a little bit of time and patience, you can find some very chic, solid silver jewelry in the double digits. Plus, switching to affordable luxe jewelry is a natural progression of stepping away from fast fashion—replacing items that, while uber affordable, are doing harm to the planet, with ones that will hopefully be in your jewelry arsenal for years to come. Furthermore, I’ve come to learn there are several reasons, beyond durability, that you may want to spend the extra little cash on sterling silver jewelry. Silver is hypoallergenic, which means no mystery ear rashes, and in my very humble opinion, the material and shade, relative to gold, is much more aesthetically versatile. Shop our silver picks below Buy Now Wolf Circus Matisse Silver Necklace $88 Buy Now Boma Sophie Chain Ring $18 Buy Now Kestan Margo Ring $45 Buy Now Merewif Silver Link Studs $65 Buy Now Merewif Holmes Silver Necklace $99 Buy Now Catbird Kitten Mitten $56 Buy Now Catbird
7 under-the-radar activewear brands to know…before everyone else does
March 05, 2019 at 09:50AM by CWC Shopping for activewear or athleisure pieces is now overwhelmingly easy to do. You’re as likely to find the workout ready pieces you’re looking for somewhere like Asos or Shopbop as you are to find them at specialty boutiques and stores such as Bandier and Carbon38. There are so many activewear brands that are now household names that it can be easy to miss some of the more under-the-radar labels on the scene. The brands rounded up below aren’t necessarily new or extremely niche, but they are a decidedly less common choice than your Lululemon’s or Outdoor Voices. Rounded up are seven of the activewear brands you should get familiar with before they become ubiquitous sightings at your workout studios. View this post on Instagram So excited to launch our Valentine’s Day Capsule with @carbon38 today! A post shared by BEACHRIOT (@beachriot) on Feb 1, 2019 at 11:56am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js 1. Beach Riot The best way to (sort of) succinctly describe Beach Riot’s activewear is: Miami Beach Sailor Moon. This is activewear that’s whimsical and fun. The pieces in the collection are colorful and made up of prints, like gingham, hearts, and polka dots, that you wouldn’t think to pair with activewear but that work surprisingly well. The styles are a mixture of the usual suspects (high waisted leggings) and surprising accents (ruffles, knots, cut outs). View this post on Instagram STRONG is the new fit. SHOP our new #allaccess colorways and feel the
Why knee injury rates from running haven’t budged over the last 40 years
March 05, 2019 at 08:30AM by CWC There’s an all-too-familiar story among ex-runners that goes something like: I ran X amount of miles a day until I blew out my knee. Growing up, I heard my dad tell his own take on this narrative again and again. “At one point, I logged 10 miles every day until a knee injury sidelined me,” he said. But there’s always that pivotal “until” in these type of recollections, that moment when you can no longer participate in the beloved sport shared by 60 million people in America alone. When I recently visited Brooks Running’s HQ in Seattle, I learned two major statistics about this particular affliction: Its rates have completely plateau’d over the last 40 years and it’s the most common injury sustained on the run. And the why isn’t so clear. In attempt to find an answer, I took a deep, deep dive through past research conducted on the subject and spoke to experts in the field. In the end, it was kind of a selfish endeavor, TBH. Because here’s the thing: Once you’ve had a taste of the kind of euphoria that can come along with lacing up your shoes and hitting the trail/road/treadmill, the idea of one day leaving the sport behind seems equally terrifying as the possibility of sustaining the injury in the first place. Below, experts weigh in on why knee injuries persist and every step you can take to run injury-free through 5Ks, 10Ks, and marathons far in the future. Photo:
Finally, someone found an effective way to limit excess screen time
March 05, 2019 at 08:00AM by CWC Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by screen time. Even though you probably didn’t actually raise your hand, there’s a good chance that if you’re the proud owner of any kind of digital device, you’ve felt some of its nasty potential effects. (Hi, skin issues, relationship issues, and general happiness issues!) And since many smartphones have enabled a tech-use-monitoring feature, you’d think that we’d all lean into some form of a self-imposed digital detox. But, a lot of us definitely haven’t—and, hey, maybe it would all be for naught anyway. According to the results of a recently released survey of 1,000 people conducted by Mojo Vision, 54 percent of participants reported that attempting to cut back their reliance on tech use did little to change their long-term habits. Oh, and a third of the respondents said an intent toward moderation either had no effect or ultimately led to a screen-time spike. Well, I think I speak for everyone when I say, OMFG, what the heck is wrong with all of us addicts? Part of the problem with our smartphone reliance comes from the fact that, well, it’s literally difficult to live your life in 2019 without smartphones and iWhatevers. “It is all about balance,” says Goali Saedi Bocci, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of The Social Media Workbook for Teens: Skills to Help You Balance Screen Time, Manage Stress, and Take Charge of Your Life. “Life without cell phones and our devices can seem impossible
Your ultimate guide to cleaning jewelry naturally, from insiders who know
March 05, 2019 at 06:20AM by CWC Although my clothes change everyday, my jewelry remains the same at all times. As in: They’re literally a part of me by now. I sleep, work, sweat, and repeat while rocking my couple of necklaces and handful of earrings—for better or for worse. The worse part of the spectrum? My jewels definitely get dirty. I may know how to clean everything from myself to my apartment, but I’m pretty clueless when it comes to knowing how to clean jewelry. So I tapped jewelry pros for insider tips on making sure your precious jewelry—which is likely a part of you, too—stays clean and shiny like the gems that they are. “All jewelry can collect dirt or smudges from wear and handling,” says Jess Hannah Revesz of J. Hannah Jewelry. “Silver jewelry tarnishes with exposure to air and light, which means it will regularly need to be cleaned to keep it looking fresh.” If you’re dealing with gold, on the other hand, it’s less maintenance. “Gold never tarnishes, so wiping it with a microfiber cloth to remove any fingerprints usually does the trick,” she says. “Silver jewelry tarnishes with exposure to air and light, which means it will regularly need to be cleaned to keep it looking fresh.” —Jess Hannah Revesz But it’s not just the dirty air and your fingers touching it that makes jewelry get dirty. “It all depends on what materials [your jewelry] is exposed to,” explains Revesz. “Some lotions, perfumes, or cosmetics will