February 08, 2019 at 05:14AM by CWC There are so many ways to show love—from public declarations like going “Instagram official” to subtly sweet gestures like a home-cooked meal and perfectly folded piles of laundry. Some love is sappy and sentimental. For others, it’s all about physical connection like packing on the PDA and keeping things interesting in the bedroom. And all of it makes sense from an astrological perspective because, depending on where your Venus sign falls on your birth chart, your ideal love language can look like a lot of different things. Like your sun sign, the placement of Venus in your chart can influence your views on how to give and receive love. (Helpful intel ahead of Valentine’s Day, no?) Venus’ placements represent your attitude toward love, relationships, and generally the things you want in life. “For example, Gemini Venus people are usually a little aloof when it comes to matters of the heart,” says astrologist Jaadee, a personal reader for stars of a different type like singers SZA and Kehlani. “As a result, you give off the impression of being detached from your lovers. But the reality is, you’re absolutely crazy about them!” After figuring out what zodiac sign rules your Venus, the fun can really start. Through conscious actions, you can really get in touch with the Venus elements inside you and nurture them to strengthen your romantic intentions. “The best way to get in touch with your Venus sign is to give yourself the
Category: Fashion
5 Eco-Fashion Trends To Watch Out For During NYFW
February 07, 2019 at 11:18PM Look out for them on the runway this year. Continue Reading… The fashion industry as we know it isn’t doing the planet any favors. Clothing production doubled from 2000 to 2016 to keep up with shoppers buying higher volumes of cheaper clothes. If we keep going at this rate, the fashion industry could eat up 26 percent of the carbon budget the world needs to stick to in order to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius by 2050. But change could be coming. The Global Wellness Institute, a nonprofit that aggregates and analyzes wellness research, just pegged “Well Fashion” as one of its 2019 trends, claiming all signs point to a new era of sustainable, ethically made, and inclusive clothing: “We think 2019 will be a watershed year where more people will trade in the addictive endorphins of manic fashion consumption for the serotonin (true peace and happiness) of buying slower and choosing clothes with values and meaning,” the trend report reads. Last week, world leaders in fashion and beyond gathered at the United Nations to discuss how to get these types of clothes into people’s hands. Hosted by ethical clothing company Slow Factory, the summit explored how the fashion industry can help support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to forge a healthier world by 2030. It was no coincidence that it took place just days before NYC’s most stylish flocked to the hallowed runways of Fashion Week. Keep your eye on
Here’s your cheat sheet for the ambitious Green New Deal everyone is talking about
February 07, 2019 at 09:28AM by CWC The weather has been all over the place this winter, serving as further proof that global warming is definitely not going away. (Recent bouts of cold weather do not mean the whole thing is fake news, sorry.) On Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced the Green New Deal, a point-by-point strategy to tackle the problem. According to NPR, the plan focuses on the importance of lowering carbon emissions in various industries, including agriculture and transportation, as well as an overall reduction in the usage of electricity. Ambitious? Yes. Complicated? Also, yes. Get ready to look so smart when it comes up at work because we’ve got a cheat sheet outlining the main objectives of the Green New Deal: Goal 1: Stopping fossil fuel usage completely by 2050. This is the part of the deal that has people talking the most. Markey and Ocasio-Cortez want to see anything and everything currently that currently uses fossil fuels to switch over to clean, renewable energy sources. That means buildings, transportation, farmers…everything. Goal 2: Cutting down on airline travel. Diverse and reliable modes of transportation could significantly reduce the amount of pollution caused by air travel. The Green New Deal includes an expansion of electric car manufacturing and upgrades to train infrastructure, making it significantly faster and more efficient and thereby reducing our overreliance on air travel. Goal 3: Working with farmers to create a more eco-friendly supply chain. Next time you sit down to eat, think
The dainty bralettes for larger breasts that passed our DD test
February 06, 2019 at 12:42PM by CWC Bralettes have taunted me all of my life. When I was younger, it was because I couldn’t even begin to fathom wearing one as even my everyday bras were coming from specialty stores. Now, it’s because the ones available for women my size (36 DD) are very heavy on the utilitarian aspect and way too light on the chic, aesthetically pleasing part. But after a lifetime of disappointment, I’m starting to see the size inclusive light at the end of my online shopping tunnel. A few underwear companies have finally figured out how to make a bralette for bigger boobs that can do both. You see, it’s not that I can’t find bralettes for my cup size—supportive options without underwires exist. But the problem is that these tend to look like a sports bra or are simple by design. There’s none of the delicate lace, pastel colors, or subtleties that the item often conjures. And those dainty and effortless touches are the essence of what a bralette is and what I’m searching for in the undergarment. I’ve put a dozen different bralettes through my own customized fit test. With these criteria in mind, I’ve put a dozen different bralettes through my own customized fit test using some very basic measurements of success. Number one was the fit, obviously—there just needed to be enough support that the bralette wouldn’t become relegated to the confines of my loungewear wardrobe. In other words, I wanted to be able to
6 pairs of minimalist running shoes you’ll actually want to lace up
February 06, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC As a kid, light-up sneakers were all the rage. The more glitz, glamour, and glitter on your feet at recess, the better. As adults, though, the criteria about what makes a good running shoe has a lot more to do with function than flare. Enter: The best minimalist running shoes out there, which have all of the stuff you need and none of what you don’t. So, uh, first and foremost, what the heck is a minimalist running shoe, other than one that doesn’t have flashing lights on the heel? The Journal of Foot and Ankle Research defines minimalist running shoes as “footwear providing minimal interference with the natural movement of the foot, due to its high flexibility, low heel-to-toe drop, weight-and-stack height, and the absence of motion control and stability devices.” So basically, they’re the shoes that make it feel like you’re running barefoot. The idea is that the less shoe you’ve got between you and the ground, the better the experience. “Minimalist shoes provide little to no support in the arch, heel, and ankle and often are very light in weight,” Rich Velazquez, Coach and COO at Mile High Run Club explains. “‘Regular’ shoes will provide the support to these areas in varying degrees and can be designed to offset, prevent pre-existing injuries and/or imbalances the runner may have in their landing.” The principle behind using these no-frills sneaks is sort of a less-is-more situation. “Shoes with too much cushioning or too much ankle support
We’re all rooting for Tyra Banks’ empowering theme park, Modelland
February 06, 2019 at 08:53AM by CWC The majority of America’s Next Top Model fans agree that the makeovers—known on the show as “Ty-overs”— are the crown jewels of each season. Without fail, at least one model with a hip-length mane ends up crying over a fresh pixie cut. Otherworldly contacts and face weaves (yes, really!) are part of the physical transformations as well, too. It’s high-quality entertainment IMO, and soon you’ll be able to get in on the action. Coming to Santa Monica, California, in late 2019, a new theme park dubbed Modelland is part of Tyra Banks’ creative vision to make the everyone smize with delight. “I’ve always been insanely inspired by attractions like Disneyland and Universal Studios and have wanted to bring that spirit of adventure and storytelling to the world of modeling,” Banks told Variety. “But not the exclusive modeling industry. I’m talking about modeling for the masses.” Banks says the project is 10 years in the making. Of course models will be welcome to strut through the gates of this 21,000-square-foot high-fashion hub, but Modelland is for the general public, too. “Modelland is going to be a place where the modeling world meets fantasy, meets entertainment, meets technology, meets retail, meets dining, meets…your fiercest best self you could ever imagine,” says the supermodel. A ticket to theme park doesn’t necessarily guarantee a whole new #lewk, but you might get a figurative makeover at Modelland, right? While Banks won’t spill all the details just yet, she tells Variety that Modelland promises
Conquer laundry day by folding your T-shirts like they do in U.S. Army
February 05, 2019 at 10:51AM by CWC If you ask me, laundry day is, hands-down, the lowlight of the week. I can think of no fewer than 5,000 things I’d rather do. Nonetheless, each Sunday I find myself trapped in the basement of my apartment buidling, separating my whites and delicates. I’ll admit that a sense of accomplishment washes over me once the detergent has been shelved and all my leggings have been cleaned in preparation for a week of workouts. Learning how to fold T-shirts correctly is key to winning laundry day. And now that I’ve mastered a genius, Army-approved method, I’m certain I’ll feel more fulfilled the next time I rejuvenate my wardrobe. As you’ll see in the video, the “ranger roll” is a technique that turns a shirt into something resembling a tightly-wrapped burrito. The YouTuber’s method, derived from basic training in the U.S. armed forces, is strangely satisfying to watch (like when Dr. Pimple Popper faces off with a whitehead but not gross). How to fold T-shirts, the Army-approved way. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so93nqxZLjM?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281] Step 1: Spread the shirt out on a flat surface, front side facing up. Step 2: Fold the bottom part of the T-shirt upward about three inches (like you would a beanie). Smooth out the corners and make sure your fold is straight all the way around. Step 3: Take one side and fold it over the center. Fold the sleeve over as well. Step 4: Repeat on the opposite side. You should be left with a six-inch wide shirt that’s ready to be
6 date night outfits Marie Kondo would approve
February 05, 2019 at 10:07AM by CWC As a typical New Yorker with a strong desire to expand her closet, but the sinking reality that my apartment space just won’t allow for it (or my budget for that matter), there’s one question that, in one way or another, I’ve been asking myself a lot thus far into 2019 and that’s: WWMKD? (What would Marie Kondo do?) What would Marie Kondo do about this extreme weather? What would Marie Kondo do about (another) government shutdown? What would Marie Kondo do with Ariana Grande’s jewelry collection? And while this story isn’t necessarily here to answer any of the above burning questions (although we should still look for their answers!), it does get me wondering how the Tidy Queen herself approaches something a bit more tangible and up her alley, like Valentine’s Day. Regardless of how you celebrate (or don’t celebrate), I think we can all agree, Valentine’s Day comes with its own fair share of consumerism baggage—a quick walk into any local CVS will confirm this, with a never-ending variety of stuffed animals that play ting-y sounding renditions of “My Girl,” “You Sexy Thing,” and, my favorite left-field option, Toto’s “Africa.” Of course, once you factor in candy or flowers, dinner reservations, and possibly a gift that isn’t of the stuffed animal variety, Valentine’s Day starts to resemble a collection of things veering into the “no longer sparking joy” pile. Throw in a pink sequin cocktail dress that doesn’t quite fold well using the
5, um, creative methods for clocking in all my steps during the winter
February 05, 2019 at 03:30AM by CWC Wearable fitness trackers may be good news for your health, but trust me when I say that step-counting changes you. I no longer leisurely stroll; now I mean business as I ascend—3409, 3410, 3411—all in an obsessive quest to hit my 10,000 step count benchmark OTD. And ironically, I use my iPhone to track my steps, which is hardly known for its accuracy. (In fact, one study found the iPhone undercounted by an average of 1,340 steps a day.) This means I work I’m trying to reach a number I can’t even count on. Yet, loyal to the mission I remain, even in the face of seasonal frigid temps coaxing me away from my running shoes to tend to my running nose. Well, good news for all wintertime hygge priorities: The science backing up that 10K-step gold standard is shaky at best. One study published in the International Journal of Obesity notes that to boost your metabolism, 15,000 steps is best to shoot for. And, um, I’m def not lacing up my snow boots and wrapping myself in a blarf for that, which, according to one doc, is A-okay—it’s more important to make sure you’re moving regularly. “If you really enjoy counting steps and utilize that metric to help prompt you to remain physically active, then go for it,” says physician Nesochi Okeke-Igbokwe, MD. “However, if you have serious medical problems that hinder you from ambulating, you’ll need to discuss with your doctor other exercise alternatives that
Happy Lunar New Year! Here’s What The Year Of The Pig Symbolizes
February 05, 2019 at 01:07AM Come on out of the doghouse—there’s a party in the pen! Continue Reading… Come on out of the doghouse—there’s a party in the pen! As we celebrate the Chinese (Lunar) New Year this February 5, 2019, the Year of the Earth Pig begins, kicking off the night before with the Lunar New Year’s Eve on February 4. After two intense years, this convivial cycle gives us a chance to “rest and digest.” The pregnant pause of 2019 might even help us make some sense of all the global mudslinging that’s been going around. Serenity now? The pleasant and genial Earth Pig’s arrival will be a welcome relief after 2018’s Earth Dog antics. Here’s what we can expect for the year ahead: 1. An open-door policy will be reinstated, since the Earth Pig’s M.O. is far more welcoming. Dogs are pack animals, and in the past year, groups have stuck together out of “loyalty” at times, to a fault. It’s widely agreed that the world has never felt more divided, and no surprise that the coop-stalking energy of 2017’s Rooster and the border-guarding vibes of 2018’s Dog spiraled into xenophobic extremes. To wit, hate crimes have increased internationally, and last year saw the tragic separation of children from parents who were seeking asylum at the U.S. border. This friendly creature can be quite the social butterfly, with pals from all walks of life. In 2019, a good bottle of vino—not a good fence—makes a good neighbor.