March 04, 2019 at 12:18PM by CWC Anytime your favorite models are in New York City, you can always find them at the Dogpound, training with founder Kirk Myers. The tough-as-nails workouts include activities that range from super-heavy weightlifting to resistance band training. And that’s exactly why it’s such a hot-spot. The wide range of activities keeps fitness fun with impressive results. While anyone can train at the Dogpound, booking time with Myers himself is expensive. A single session runs $500, and a pack of 12 is $5,400. (This is the kind of money I definitely don’t have to spend on fitness; I have student loans!) The good news is that it’s completely possible to train with him for free. You just have to follow him on Instagram. Myers consistently shares the workout routines of everyone from Jasmine Tookes to Ashley Graham. And while working out with him via Instagram isn’t exactly the same as the in-person experience, you’ll reap similar benefits for free. The next time you’d ready to sweat, choose a few model-approved exercises from each of the categories below for a full-body workout. Want a Dogpound workout for free? BYOW (build your own workout) with these exercises from Kirk Myers. Cardio 1. Jump rope View this post on Instagram @kellybellyboom #dogpound highlight reel – jump rope making like moves @dogpound #smashcity SWIPE LEFT A post shared by Kirk Myers (Keherjot Sing)€ (@kirkmyersfitness) on Dec 28, 2018 at 6:29am PST //www.instagram.com/embed.js 2. Bosu ball burpees View this post on Instagram CRUSHING IT
Category: Fashion
The best under $50 black leggings that Anna Wintour would totally approve of
March 04, 2019 at 10:27AM by CWC In the fashion world, the “AWOK”—AKA the Anna Wintour stamp of approval—is one of the highest possible honors. It’s been bestowed upon the world’s top designers—and in some cases, it’s actually how they became the world’s top designers—and more recently it got scribbled onto a pair of seriously chic sneakers where it was forever immortalized in the wellness world. And now, Wintour has leant the AWOK to everyone’s favorite athleisure item: the black legging. In a recent Vogue.com video titled, “Ask Anna Anything,” a reader inquired about the legendary editor’s thoughts on the athleisure essential. And while it’s pretty clear from her initial chuckle that she’s not totally on board with the whole gymwear-as-streetwear thing, she does have a few positive things to say about it. “Well, this is not the first time in fashion that we’ve celebrated leggings,” Wintour says of the history behind the stretchy wardrobe staple. “We saw them happen I think first in the ’80s, courtesy of I believe Azzedine Alaia, and also the explosion in fitness and everybody starting to workout in a frantic way that they hadn’t done before.” Then, she goes on to drop the truth bomb fitness-slash-fashion aficionados have been waiting for: “I tend to think they look best in black.” Earth-shattering insight, right there. And in what might just be the best moment in the whole video, a producer points out that Anna Wintour herself had a pink leggings moment in 1993, to which she
10 vegan shoe brands with the best cruelty-free kicks
March 04, 2019 at 08:34AM by CWC Whether you live a cruelty-free lifestyle or want to make a few small changes with the planet in mind, vegan shoe brands are a great place to start in the wardrobe department. Going beyond cool sneakers and slip-on sandals (brands like Birkenstock and Vans have been making vegan styles for years), myriad labels are popping up and delivering on non-granola styles. “It’s so wonderful that consumers are demanding stylish, ethical, and sustainable shoe options because there are so many great choices now,” says Rachael Wang, a stylist and brand consultant who recently transitioned to a cruelty-free wardrobe. “The vegan Birkenstock Arizona is one of the first shoes I leaned heavily on when I first transitioned to a cruelty-free wardrobe,” she shares. Over a year later, the fashion insider has discovered a few new favorites: “I love Rafa for their sassy-heeled sandals in fun colors, which are equally great with worn out Levi’s or a sweet sundress. Sydney Brown makes great ‘work’ shoes [that are] stylish but polished and comfortable—I especially love their mules. Matt & Nat makes my favorite vegan boots.” A life-long fan of Dr. Martens (the brand has a super solid vegan selection), Wang forecasts the label as an ethical front-runner for 2019. “I rotate between the six-eyelet matte black low top, the 16-eyelet combat boot and the pull tab Chelsea boot (which will be big for fall if Celine-alum Daniel Lee’s first runway collection at Bottega Veneta is any indication).”
15 upcycled clothing ideas you’ll actually want to wear
March 04, 2019 at 07:10AM by CWC Viewed from the outside, the fast-paced fashion industry appears to be all glitz and glam. There’s a new trend to jump on every day, and that means store shelves are constantly being restocked with plenty of tantalizing new looks. Unfortunately, it’s not so shiny behind the scenes. By keeping an eye on what you wear and the environment, learning how to upcycle clothes allows you to showcase your style and keep up with the latest trends without hurting the planet. Upcycling creatively transforms the products you already own in order to cut down on waste. It’s nothing new, but with global warming threatening the future, there’s no better time to start doing it yourself. Creating a more sustainable closet requires little more than a few pieces of clothing you already own. A cozy old sweater can quickly be updated with a little imagination. Those jeans you haven’t worn in years are just begging to be transformed into a cute pair of shorts or a denim skirt. A smattering of creativity can revive your tired wardrobe. Plastic and material waste is a problem that plagues a variety of industries—and retail is no exception. More than 75 percent of the plastic produced in 2015 ended up in a landfills and more than 270 million tons pollute the world’s oceans. In the same year, the fashion industry was responsible for 92 million tons of waste sent to landfills. That’s just the beginning of the negative impact it has on the environment, though. Past studies
Why this week’s Mercury retrograde could have you feeling like you’re in (extra) slow motion
March 03, 2019 at 07:30AM by CWC This week, the first Mercury retrograde period of 2019 kicks off—and if you think the “what can go wrong will go wrong” periods are usually challenging, get ready for some extra slowdowns. Why? It’s paired with the energy of the new moon in Pisces, which has its own swimming-upstream vibe. Combined, the two could make for an arduous (but illuminating!) week—astrologer Jennifer Racioppi gives the full cosmic 4-1-1 below, along with the hidden opportunities you can take advantage of. (Mercury retrograde isn’t all bad, you know.) Monday, March 4 As above, so below. With the cosmos making quite a few hairpin turns, your life may feel dramatically impacted. So, check in with yourself. Are your behaviors aligned with what you say you want? Where aren’t you in sync with your truth? What’s the universe pointing out for you to learn? With the moon waning dark while traveling through Aquarius, consider how you can maximize your time. What behaviors and dynamics are you ready to surrender? Focus on your top priorities and let the rest go! In the words of The Happiness Project author Gretchen Rubin, “The days are long, but the years are short.” To that point, despite challenges, make each day count. Tuesday, March 5 Today Mercury, the planet of communication, stations retrograde, officially commencing the first Mercury retrograde period of 2019. While many fear Mercury retrograde cycles (yes, they often feel dreadfully annoying) the truth is they assist by helping us refine
With a rep for attracting love and money, jade’s the low-key crystal hero we all need right now
March 02, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC If rose quartz is the Ashley Olsen of love-enhancing crystals, then consider green-hued jade to be Mary Kate—the cooler, more colorful sister to everyone’s favorite pastel pink sparkler. They’re alike in that Jade and rose quartz are both thought to help balance the heart chakra, the invisible energetic hub that’s believed to govern our feelings of love and compassion. But the jade stone meaning is a little bit different, energetically speaking. “Jade assists with accessing the dreams of the heart, and having the stamina and vigor to bring them into the physical world,” says Mariah K. Lyons, the crystal healer, herbalist, and reiki master who created gemstone footwear line Astara. Compare that to rose quartz, which has a softer, more soothing kind of vibe. “Jade works with the heart on both a physical level, helping assist with circulation, as well as energetically with the heart, helping to move trauma and past wounds to find a deep place of understanding, love, and openness,” Lyons adds. With that in mind, it’s no wonder cultures from around the world have long used jade for healing and spiritual rituals. Lyons points out that ancient Mayans called on it to clear negative energy; Traditional Chinese Medicine utilizes it in health remedies and beauty treatments; and Maori tribes in New Zealand carved it into sacred talismans. But how can you use it in your life? Let’s investigate. Photo: Getty Images/RapidEye Jade stone meaning: 3 key things you should know 1. Jade is
How to make a mala necklace that’ll supercharge your meditation practice
March 02, 2019 at 09:00AM by CWC If you pay attention to your yoga teacher’s fashion choices—my personal favorite thing to focus on while balancing in dancer pose, call me shallow—you may have noticed a long, beaded necklace hanging from his or her neck. It’s not just there to complement the “Good Vibes Only” tank your instructor’s wearing; it’s called a mala, and its significance is actually more spiritual than it is sartorial. “Traditionally, a mala is a long strand of beads used to aid in meditation practice,” explains fashion stylist-turned-shaman Colleen McCann, author of Crystal Rx: Daily Rituals for Cultivating Calm, Achieving Your Goals, and Rocking Your Inner Gem Boss. “It has 108 beads strung together and one ‘guru bead,’ which is larger than the rest.” Focusing on a mala can help you drop more deeply into your meditation, especially if you’re someone whose mind usually pirouettes from your to-do list to your date this weekend to Friends trivia. Yogis have historically used malas to concentrate during mantra meditation, starting at the guru bead and moving their fingers from one bead to the next as they recite a given word, sound, or phrase. Once they’ve returned to the guru bead, they know they’ve recited the mantra 108 times—a sacred number in yogic tradition—and the meditation is complete. (Yes, it’s similar to saying Hail Marys with a rosary—which also has 108 beads—although the Catholic prayer beads in general were thought to originate from Hinduism.) Ultimately, focusing on a mala can help
Why fitness pros say the treadmill is the best way to get your run in
March 01, 2019 at 09:25AM by CWC People think I’m a freak, but I can go on-and-on about my love of treadmills for hours. Days, even, probably. The cardio machine is my OG fitness love, and it’s become a total source of empowerment for me and my workouts. But I get that, for a lot of people, the tread is torture. And to be honest, that’s exactly why it was created. According to Business Insider, at its advent in 1818, the treadmill was first released as a form of punishment for prisoners that was akin to a stairclimber that just. kept. going. It was outlawed in the 19th century, but in the middle of the 20th century made a resurgence for the purpose of helping people exercise. Now let’s be clear: I definitely know plenty of people who hate the monotony of running in place, and other runners who swear that an outdoor jog is the most elite form of running…but I am not one of those people. The main reasons why I live for treadmills is because they give you total control over your speed. When I run outside, I have no earthly idea how fast I’m going and if my sprints even compare to the 8, 9, or sometimes 10 mph speeds I hit on the treadmill. When I run outside, it’s a true guessing game, in which I’m blindly adjusting my speed and how long my intervals are. When I’m on a treadmill, it’s a safe space in which I
We got Google to share its most-searched spring fashion trends—here are the ones you can start wearing now
March 01, 2019 at 04:28AM by CWC Before you @ me for talking about spring fashion trends, March 20, also known as the first day of spring, is less than three weeks away. It’s still definitely wintering outside, but the days are getting longer and with that additional sunlight comes the promise of warmer weather and transitional dressing. When it comes to the latter, there’s good news: Some of the top searched spring fashion trends, according to Google, are ones that you can start mixing into your wardrobe now. I reached out to the ultimate search-engine and asked it to pull data on its most-searched trends for spring. While I could have predicted that retro sneakers (hi, Gigi Hadid x Reebok!), headbands (via every single street style star on Instagram), and tones of pink, would have piqued interest of shoppers all over the country, there were others that surprised and intrigued me enough to re-evaluate my own wardrobe for the season to come. Check out all the top spring fashion trends below in order of search volume. 1. Fringe Photo: Stocksy/GIC The fringe trend has expanded for spring, surpassing its Americana roots and settling comfortably in sportswear and after-hours staples alike. Our picks H&M Sweatshirt with Fringe, $28 Zara Fringed Pareo Skirt, $40 Jacquemus Capri Fringed Bouclé Midi Skirt, $635 2. Tie-dye Photo: Stocksy/Leandro Crespi From Proenza Schouler, R13, and more, tie-dye hit the spring runways in full-force, infiltrating everything from tailored suiting looks to oversized athleisure hoodies. Add a bit
Microbags are great, but this new supersized tote trend has stolen my heart and all my money
February 28, 2019 at 05:23AM by CWC I have a confession: I was one of the kids who had a rolling backpack in middle school. I know. But at the time, I liked it because it was practical. Why haul all my books and notepads around—oh yeah, I was also the kid who took all her books to every class—when I could conveniently roll them behind me in the world’s nerdiest suitcase? While my tastes have become decidedly less practical in other areas of my life, I’m still prone to carrying around literally everything I own when I go anywhere. For obvious reasons, the microbag trend that’s been happening doesn’t work for me. And now, the pendulum is beginning to swing back toward the opposite: giant bags that can hold your entire life in them. Brands like Jacquemus—who debuted a teeny, tiny microbag last year—sent huge totes down the spring 2019 runway. And then there’s the Dior Book Tote that’s been blowing up all over Instagram—plus, the Bottega Veneta Maxi Cabat, which takes the trend to the extreme. I’m here for it. All of it. I basically want the equivalent of an Ikea bag when I buy a tote. I want to need a flashlight to find that one specific lip balm among the 24 lip balms buried at the bottom of my bag. I need snacks. Maybe a La Croix. Probably some workout clothes. Definitely, a bag containing concealer, blush, bronzer, highlighter, powder, and mascara in case I need a