December 03, 2018 at 09:46AM With the heavy influence of nostalgia in fashion right now, non-stretch denim is the look du jour, often with a high-rise waist and in a straight or slim-fit silhouette—you might also know them as “mom” jeans. But that moniker doesn’t really do this denim justice say those who are fans of the new styles on the market right now. “Non-stretch denim is one of our favorite fabrics to play with because of the cool, vintage attitude it gives to jeans,” says Jill Guenza, vice president of global women’s design at Levi’s. If you’re accustomed to super-stretchy jeans, rigid denim might feel like an unsavory style. But stiffer fabrics can actually be more flattering and get better over time, rather than breaking down and needing to be replaced after a season or two. (Let’s call it a win for conscientious consumption.) “The denim has just the right amount of body-molding give, yet holds you in and up in all the right places,” says Guenza. “Because non-stretch denim generally has more structure than high-stretch denim, it gives slim and straight-leg fits amazing attitude.” Warming to the idea of adding a pair to your wardrobe? Here’s a pro-tip for you: “With non-stretch denim, you can expect the jeans will expand slightly as they shape to your body, so be sure to buy them on the snug side,” Guenza advises. Photo: Tim Gibson for Well+Good Alaina Miller, women’s design director for Citizens of Humanity, agrees that a “perfect” or “snug” fit
Category: City
This dreamy, off-the-beaten-path destination is Airbnb’s top spot to visit in 2019
December 03, 2018 at 09:14AM It’s a common MO for travelers to flock to heavily-populated cities to check out the ultimate tourist hot spots, but one of the latest vacay trends involves doing the exact opposite: putting your Eiffel Tower dreams on hold in favor of more off-the-beaten-path experiences. Airbnb just released its top destinations to visit in 2019 after culling internal data from users’ searches, bookings, and wish lists—and the results don’t lie. Next year, the most sought-after places to visit and explore aren’t the Londons and Tokyos of the world. The top location on the list? Kaikoura, New Zealand, which showed a 295 percent increase in year-to-year bookings and a 210 percent increase in year-to-year searches on the platform. And get this: There are rentals you can book for as little as $89/night. Back in 2016, the coastal town of 3,800 residents took a massive hit after it was heavily damaged by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Two years later, the place is totally booming, and it’s easy to see why. Located on a rocky peninsula, the area provides a taste of the sea and mountains. And not only do visitors get to share their experience with its many friendly non-human locals—including sperm whales, dusky dolphins, and fur seals—but there are endless possibilities to keep you busy while you’re there. View this post on Instagram I don't know about you but I am a sucker for a good sunrise! @Regran_ed from @inestausch_photography – Kaikoura, New Zealand “Own only what you can always
The handful of personality traits emotionally intelligent friends tend to share
December 03, 2018 at 05:30AM Gold-medal-worthy friends remember to ask about your big work presentation. They slide into your DMs and pick up the phone to chat with you and make plans for real face time (rather than mere FaceTime). Put simply, they gas you up. Then there are friends who are meh at best. According to one friendship expert, this disparity between real-deal BFFs and pals who skew more toxic comes down to emotional intelligence. The term may sound more like psycho babble more than any kind of useful, nay, helpful personality measure you may actually turn to, but emotional intelligence—or EQ—is a key trait for forming successful, mutually enjoyable friendships. What exactly is it though? “Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and respond to others’ emotions and emotional world, as well as your own feelings, perspectives, and reactions,” says Jacqueline Mroz, journalist and author of Girl Talk: What Science Can Tell Us About Female Friendship. And certain personality traits are key to having it. “It’s the combo of empathy, self-awareness, adaptability, selflessness, ability to manage conflict, and openness to others perspectives.” “Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and respond to others’ emotions and emotional world, as well as your own feelings, perspectives, and reactions.” —friendship expert Jacqueline Mroz While a high EQ looks different for each person, there are common themes to look for. Below, Mroz shares how to tell whether you’re an emotionally intelligent friend. 3 characteristics of emotionally intelligent friends. Photo: Stocksy/Guille Faingold 1. You follow through
Pass the trail mix because this new fashion trend is all about embracing great outdoors vibes
December 01, 2018 at 02:00AM First, there was normcore (dressing like a normal person, so creative right?), then there was dadcore (chunky sneakers, and all), and now, gorpcore is the form of fashion taking over the runways and streets. But what, exactly, is a gorp anyways? In truth, it’s an acronym for “good old raisins and peanuts” or you know, trail mix. The trend gets its fashion inspo from a recreational lifestyle and the items that go with activities such as forest bathing, hitting up Runyon Canyon, and camping (or glamping) depending on how you like to enjoy the great outdoors. Seriously, there’s never been a better time to dress like a badass woman about to hit the trails—even if your only form of exercise is walking to work or taking the stairs. So many designers are dying to dress you for said purposes, from fashion houses like Balenciaga, Acne Studios, and Alexander Wang, to boutique labels like Veja and Outdoor Voices, to mainstream retailers like Nike, Urban Outfitters, and Converse. All of them seem to be reading the same sartorially tea leaves—and they’re saying it’s time to take a hike. In a lot of ways, gorpcore is a breath of fresh air for a fashion industry that’s been slowly loosening up. “The rise of athleisure and normcore has put comfort at the forefront,” says Hayley Johnson, senior designer at Camp Collection, (a brand which lives in this post-normcore, active fashion world) “Gorpcore takes both of those movements to the next level by adding more cold-weather functionality.” It’s essentially the intersection
Relationships are the single biggest contributor to a happy and fulfilling life
November 30, 2018 at 07:02AM When you’re a cute little grandma sitting on your porch someday—obviously still rocking high-waisted leggings with a matcha latte in hand—which parts of your long and awesome life do you think will have made you feel the happiest and most fulfilled? Probably not hitting a certain number of Insta followers or all those times you ditched friends to put in extra-long hours at work, right? The truth is, the single biggest contributor to well-being has been identified, and it’s much simpler. For a study of 75 years out of Harvard, researchers collected data on the well-being of two groups: 268 Harvard graduates from the classes of 1939 to 1944, and 456 men from inner-city neighborhoods in Boston. Over the years, researchers analyzed which aspects of the participants’ early lives best predicted being healthy and fulfilled down the line (using methods like brain scans and self-reported surveys). The main result? Making time for the important people in their lives is beneficial. “The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period,” says Robert Waldinger, MD, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. The study shows having love in your life—whether that’s with a significant other or great friends—makes you healthier both physically and mentally. It also provides you with trust and openness because you know someone always has your back, and you can feel comfortable and relaxed when you’re around them. In comparison, lonelier participants who didn’t have
Please meet the love of my life: the coat I’ve worn every winter for nearly 10 years
November 28, 2018 at 06:27AM Every woman has those power pieces that supercharge her personal style. And we’ve found, by walking up to enough strangers on the street (and women in our own office), that if you gas her up, she’ll share her best fashion advice with you. We’re collecting these pearls of wisdom in a new series, Good Style. Today our Senior Food and Health Editor Jessie Van Amburg waxes poetic about the one winter coat that’ll always have her heart. Here’s a fun fact about me: I never owned a real winter coat until I was 18 years old. No, my parents were not horrible, neglectful people straight out of Oliver Twist—we lived in Los Angeles, where it rarely ever gets below 50 degrees, even in the winter. I had peacoat-type jackets, and lots of sweatshirts and sweaters…but no winter coat. But then I went to college in Boston, and my flimsy $30 jacket was not going to cut it for a frigid East Coast winter. So for Christmas during my freshman year, my mom got me a beautiful red wool car coat. I have worn this coat every single winter since—going on a decade now. I get compliments on it all the time. And every time someone asks me where I got it, I proudly say, “Land’s End.” Photo: Jessie Van Amburg No, Land’s End is definitely not the sexiest of brands. It doesn’t have the tried-and-true caché of L.L. Bean (why people get so lit over those duck
11 decorative candles that are too cool to burn (which makes them the healthiest kind)
November 27, 2018 at 11:55AM A few years ago there was a cute little boutique in the Lower East Side called Objectify 139 that kicked off my obsession with kitschy (of course) candles. I soon began to collect them like I do vintage ashtrays (to hold my sage and palo santo, duh). I’d pop into the store and leave with a pastel blue Bambi candle or one shaped like a hand. Ever since, I’ve gravitated toward candles that are looks first and scent second, and truth be told, I’ve never lit most of them. (I hear it’s not that great for your health.) But just seeing my bedroom mantlepiece adorned with a wax Disney character deer is enough to keep the winter blues away. Today I was reminded of my love for candles that double as home decor when I came across news of a collaboration between Joya Candles and A24 (a production studio responsible for movies like Moonlight, Ladybird, and Hereditary). It sent me on a fond walk down memory lane by way of an internet deep dive into home decor candles. The results of my search are the 11 wax works of art below that’ll add some fragrant flair to your home—without getting lit. Little wax works of art Buy Now Feng Sway ’70s painted lantern candle $38 Buy Now Le Feu Phthalo Bleu $65 Buy Now Fornasetti Ortensia Scented Candle $195 Buy Now Urban Outfitters Tall Faceted Pillar Candle $10 Buy Now Cire Trudon Marie Antoinette Bust Candle $125 Buy Now Tom Dixon
A sleep therapist’s 5-step, ZZZ-inducing meditation that works every time
November 26, 2018 at 08:38AM There are plenty of reasons why it’s hard to fall asleep at night. There’s the stress of the job, an overly packed schedule, too much caffeine late in the day (damn you, deadlines!), a pup hogging the bed—you name it. To make matters worse, unfortunately there’s no magic solution that’s instantly going to make you doze off the second you close your eyes, but one sleep therapist does have a method—with a solid track record, BTW!—that’s worthy of adding to your sleep arsenal. Meditation has been long-proven to not only help you ditch the anxiety and worries keeping you up at night, but also to prepare your body for sleep, putting you into a fully relaxed state. While there are different types, London-based physiologist and sleep therapist Nerina Ramlakhan, PhD, swears by “acceptance meditation” for quality shut-eye, which she says has perks beyond just waking up totally refreshed and energized. “Being hard on yourself stops you from letting go. It stops you from feeling at ease and accepting rest and deep sleep. Practicing loving self-acceptance is an important step toward a good night’s sleep,” she writes in The Little Book of Sleep. So, how exactly do you achieve self-acceptable—especially past your bedtime? According to the Daily Mail, Ramlakhan has a five-step ritual that can help wind down in a loving way and reach “sattvic” sleep, which restores, heals, and realigns your body on both a mental and physical level. The next time you’re having trouble dozing off, try this
How to not feel like a jealous failure in light of other people’s achievements
November 26, 2018 at 08:20AM While I try my hardest to not be someone who compares herself to other people, there is one event for which this rule does not apply: the release of the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Every year when it’s published, I can’t help but read it with a mixture of awe and panic. It’s not that I’m straight-up jealous of the honorees; I’m proud of my accomplishments, which I personally feel to be noteworthy. But still, when I find myself reading about some embryo (read: a grown-up human a few years younger than I am) who’s obviously kicking considerable ass—recognition-worthy ass, that is—it weighs on me. Because, even if I am doing great, without my photo on some list, do my accomplishments even count? These feelings, it turns out, are totally valid. “It’s completely normal to engage in some degree of comparison between yourself and other people, whether those people are the subjects of these stories, your coworkers, your siblings, or even your friends,” says New York City-based therapist Daniel Olavarria, LCSW. In fact, he adds that a competitive nature can be a motivating force for many. “This can be especially true when people are led to believe that pursuing a dream or making a difference can wait until later.” Still, this motivation of sorts can certainly backfire. “Normalizing those types of pessimistic reactions can leave you feeling chronically negative and gloomy,” Olavarria says. “If you find that other people’s success tends to elicit feelings of shame,
Here’s How This Urban Oasis is Paving the Way for Wellness in Miami (Plus What to do When You Visit)
November 26, 2018 at 06:34AM The Sacred Space founder Karla Dascal Amidst all the white sandy beaches and glamorous night clubs that come to mind when you think of Miami, there’s simultaneously a wellness revolution going on in the Magic City. Exhibit A: The growing popularity of The Sacred Space Miami, which is basically an entire campus dedicated to all things wellness. The space takes up nearly an entire acre in the Wynwood Arts District, and it’s leading the charge in making Miami as well known for its wellness presence as it is for its night life. “A mass awakening is happening here in Miami,” says The Sacred Space founder Karla Dascal. “Miami has just jumped on the same train as New York City and Los Angeles. Since 2008 through the Sacred Space’s opening in 2016, I have been cultivating the conscious community and bringing the plant-based scene to Miami.” The Sacred Space Miami is leading the charge in making Miami as well known for its wellness presence as it is for its night life. Whether you’re headed down to see what all the buzz is about, booked on our next Well+Good Retreat (which will be taking a field trip to The Sacred Space’s plant-based restaurant), or just jonesing for a warm-weather getaway, you’ll want to check out Dascal’s favorite Sacred Space activities to really experience wellness in Miami like a local. “Overall, visitors should know that The Sacred Space Miami is an all-encompassing place for wellness,” Dascal says. “As soon you