October 17, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC Getting dressed when it’s cold outside is about as much fun as waiting for your number to be called at the DMV or getting your vagina waxed. As in, it’s literally zero fun. Like, at all. The grossness of the weather doesn’t exactly offer much as far as outfit inspiration goes, and if you’re anything like me, you wind up throwing on some iteration of the same sweater-jeans-boots or black skirt-sweater-tights combo every single day until March. But in my years of cold weather uniform dressing (… the most creative I get is swapping my blue jeans for black ones, but that’s only on fancy occasions), I’ve learned a handy little trick that helps me avoid my coworkers constantly asking me, “um, didn’t your wear that yesterday?” Which is: I dress up every outfit with a pair of earrings. It may sound simple, but you’d be surprised how much a simple set of statement earrings can take a boring all-black outfit and make it seem totally different. Going for a bohemian vibe? Try something with tassels. Want something a bit more elevated? Dress up your look with some sort of bling-y element. And of course, you can’t go wrong with a good, old-fashioned, gold or silver situation. Earrings are the easiest way to add some color or flare to literally any look, and thanks to Amazon you can have an entire earring wardrobe in less than 24 hours for under $20 a pop. Check out
Category: Fashion
“It’s not my race, it’s her race:” What it’s like to guide a visually impaired runner for the New York City Marathon
October 17, 2019 at 08:21PM by CWC Imagine spending the better part of the calendar year training for a marathon. Early mornings, or possibly late nights, logging double-digit miles, feeling so depleted from long runs and speed workouts that all you want to do is nap and eat. Perhaps you battle adverse weather conditions, dodge potholes and are working tirelessly on your rhythm of consuming nutrition as you run. Now, imagine you are adhering to this rigorous training block and are blind, have severely limited vision, or a disability that prevents you from being able to run solo. Picture not being able to see the ground, nor have peripheral vision, nor make out any object further than 50 feet in front of you. My friend Melissa is a visually impaired athlete who cannot see contrast on the road so with my help, as her guide, it is my duty to make sure she runs safely and crosses the finish line without injury or obstacle. The first weekend in November, she is set to run her fourth New York City Marathon, and I will be right by her side for the experience—cueing her for all 26.2 miles. Melissa and I met four years ago at an Achilles—an organization that pairs able-bodied athletes with disabled athletes to act as guides through races—practice on a chilly Saturday morning in Central Park and clicked immediately. We bonded over our shared love of fashion, running, and food—and we started running together from that day on.
The new definition of ‘American’ cuisine pushes the boundaries of fast food and TV dinners
October 17, 2019 at 12:00PM by CWC Between 2013 and 2015, artist Lois Bielefeld set out to photograph the “typical American meal” in a series called Weeknight Dinners. The scenes are as mundane as they are interesting. One image captures a couple eating on the floor of their living room. In another, a teenager places her phone between herself and a bowl of something orange. There’s a family barbecue, a TV dinner eaten alone, a paper plate with pizza slices, and—of course—a Tupperware meal. Consumed as a series, Weeknight Dinner paints a colorful portrait of 21st century American cuisine. One that’s focused largely on convenience rather than health. The food industry has kept these two factors at odds for decades. But now, a new crop of wellness-enthused consumers are demanding ease and nutrition in one bite. As a result, the portrait of American cuisine is getting revamped. If the $4.2 trillion global wellness industry ($702.1 billion of which centers around healthy eating and nutrition) has its way, a recreation of Bielefeld’s project 10 years in the future would look much, much different. Before looking forward, though, culinary historians and experts say a little bit of retrospection is in order. A brief history of American cuisine Coney Island hot dogs and French fries may come to mind when you think about America, but just like French food is more than baguettes and escargots, U.S. fare is vibrant, varied, and ever-evolving. “I’m an anthropologist, so I think of things starting off with indigenous foods, like Indian maize, beans, and
I tried 6 minimizing bras to make my boobs look smaller—here’s how they stack up
October 17, 2019 at 01:00AM by CWC My boobs were the first part of my body I ever felt confident about, and I usually take every opportunity to emphasize them accordingly. But sometimes—like when your job-interview-appropriate blouse starts to strain against its buttons so badly you look like you’re posing for the cover of a romance novel, or when the classy bridesmaid dress you’re trying on reveals a veritable Marianas Trench of cleavage—a large chest can be real trouble. I’d resigned myself to a buttonless fate until I stumbled upon a magical subset of undergarment called minimizing bras. Are these bras, which are designed to reduce your bust by a cup size or more, the sexiest bras you’re ever going to wear? Probably not. But, after taking six different kinds for a test drive, I can attest that they live up to their name—without resorting to the smush and squash techniques favored by your trusty sports bra. Below, find a ranking of the best minimizing bras, from “does the job” to “you’ll pry this off my cold, dead, chest.” 6. HSIA Minimizer Underwire, $19 Don’t be fooled by the delicate lace and the pretty design: This minimizer bra lives up to its name, and the black and white iteration looks very Black Swan. It doesn’t make it up higher on the list because the material is a tad flimsy and doesn’t provide a ton of support. 5. Wacoal Visual Effects Minimizer Bra, $65 This is not the comfiest bra of
How elephants in Thailand (and Nora Ephron) helped me feel strong as hell
October 15, 2019 at 02:00PM by CWC When packing to hang out with elephants in Thailand, I immediately thought to bring Nora Ephron’s Heartburn, hiking boots, and a straw hat I was gifted in happier times. I packed the second two items for my last-minute trip to Southeast Asia in anticipation of region’s rainy season and steamy temps. But the first item was just my literary comfort food for a journey I was hoping would turn around what was shaping up to be my worst year yet. Even though I had every intention for it to be the life-affirming stuff of Eat, Pray, Love rather than the treacherous cautionary tale of Into the Wild, I wasn’t confident about how it would turn out. So I clutched Ephron’s cathartic, darkly funny, inspiring, and nearly autobiographical story about her husband upending her world by cheating on her during her pregnancy with their second child—because if she can handle that, I can make it out of 2019 alive. And, not to be hyperbolic, but this year has been an isolating doozy for me. My friend died. My roommate of four years moved out. And, most recently, my long-term relationship ended. Repeatedly, change and loss—my two least favorite things—have been thrust upon me. But when AirBnb Animal Experiences—a new expansion of the company’s Experiences offerings—invited me to visit the Mahouts Elephant Foundation for a three-day adventure in Chiang Mai, I said yes. This change to my daily routine would be different, I told myself;
Blush draping is the under-the-radar way to sculpt your face without any contour
October 14, 2019 at 11:00PM by CWC Typically, when I want to give my face more of a sculpted look, I’ll either carve my facial muscles with gua sha, or use my NuFace (which uses microcurrent). That’s all because I’m not savvy enough with makeup to do any contouring, which would, in theory, be the easiest way to make my cheekbones look more chiseled. You don’t have to have an entire contour kit or Kardashian-level skills in order to fake a more angled face, though—all you need is some blush. Browse through photos of any 1970s-era icon (like David Bowie, Grace Jones, Jerry Hall, etc.), and you’ll see that they all did something called “blush draping”… which basically sculpts your face with zero contour product or microcurrent device required. “Draping is essentially sculpting the face with blush,” says Merrady Wickes, a makeup artist and beauty director for The Detox Market. “No wonder this blush is making a comeback right alongside flared jeans, silky blouses, and disco dresses—the blush sweeps high on the cheekbones upwards into the temples, and across the brow bone both above and below.” So think of it as a C-shape that blends in towards your eye. View this post on Instagram @georgiehobday wears Cloud Paint seamless cheek color in Puff A post shared by Glossier (@glossier) on Sep 10, 2019 at 1:56pm PDT //www.instagram.com/embed.js If you look to the 70s-style rockstars for the inspo, you’ll notice that the blush draping looks quite… bold. Which is totally fine, but
The Outdoor Voices sweatshirt that had a 20K waitlist just launched and… OMG
October 14, 2019 at 09:50PM by CWC It’s fall here in New York, and I am a self-appointed cozy queen, going straight into hibernation mode as soon as the temperature drops. As fun as fall activities sound, I’m very picky—it’s rare I voluntarily leave the comfort of my own cozy blankets. So when I saw Outdoor Voices’ new MegaFleece pullover that dropped on Friday, I think I actually shrieked from excitement. Well, me and 20,000 other eager beavers who joined the waitlist, patiently standing by for the ultimate cozy, hygge-friendly sweatshirt to go on sale. You’re telling me I can go on autumnal adventures while staying just as warm and toasty as I would be underneath the covers? Sign. Me. Up. The new MegaFleece Half-Zip ($135) riffs off of the brand’s beloved hooded MegaFleece which launched last fall, only this time, it swaps the snaps for a quick zipper and offers an improved, true-to-size fit. The hoodie now also incorporates a ton of storage, including a kangaroo pouch with a hidden pocket and a retro, zip-up arm patch for extra room—the perfect hands-free alternative for storing your phone, hyaluronic acid lip balm, and other essentials. Photo: Outdoor Voices The best part of all? It’s eco-friendly. Designed from a blend of recycled wool and poly-nylon, the brand’s entire MegaFleece collection (which includes the Snap Up, $135 and the Crewneck, $85) curbs its carbon-footprint by saving water and reducing the chemical waste that comes with traditional wool production. Don’t let the traditionally
For the love of your body, here’s why trainers want you to flirt with more than one workout modality
October 14, 2019 at 09:00PM by CWC Many of us like to practice workout monogamy. You might be so smitten with running, dancing, or hula-hopping that you drop other fitness flames to be with them 24/7. There’s nothing “wrong” with having a darling in your exercise regimen, but ask any trainer and they’ll tell you that mixing up your movements is essential. To stay healthy, dextrous, and strong, it’s necessary to flirt with a few different forms of movement. “Starting a cross-training program is a wonderful way to challenge body endurance and movement skills,” says Jose Duncan Jr., a trainer with Crunch Gym. “Cross-training not only challenges the body’s cardiovascular system, it requires optimal function movement mechanics.” Duncan says that an ideal workout regimen is polyamorous. It constantly challenges your proprioception (your sense of awareness toward your own bodies movement patterns) to make you more resilient in the face of injuries. “Choosing a workout routine to compliment your main choice of physical activity is vital and can make you a lot happier than randomized training cycles,” says Duncan. Keeping a triathlon mindset for all your fitness ambitions pays off in spades, according to the Mayo Clinic. (Psst: For you, it doesn’t have to be swimming, biking, and running. It can be any well-rounded combo of your choosing!) To find out which sweat modalities will work in tandem with your main squeeze, first break down its physical components. For example, a spin class will set your core, glutes, and hamstrings on
How to maximize your steps to turn all 10,000 of them into full-blown cardio moves
October 13, 2019 at 10:00PM by CWC There are times in life when taking a break from exercise can be the best thing you can do for your mind, body, and soul. Then, there are times when you truly yearn to get your sweat on, but outer forces just… don’t let you (hello, busy schedule/impromptu social dates/sleeping through my alarm, etc.). I recently took a five-day hiatus from anything that would make me sweat. Considering I rely on working out regularly to quell my anxiety, this situation didn’t exactly bode well for my mental health. But as a friend (hi Erica!) reminded me while I was nervous about skipping a week’s worth of workouts, “sweating” and “exercising” aren’t necessarily synonyms, and you can reap some of the same benefits you’d get in your usual HIIT class by way of good, old fashioned walking. While walking may not spike your heart-rate the way, say, a Barry’s Bootcamp class would, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have plenty of benefits behind it. “Walking is a fantastic cardio workout that is low-impact, while at the same time, can be a heart-racing, high intensity exercise when done properly,” says Aaptiv master trainer John Thornhill. “Brisk walking, and more specifically, walking with incline, torches calories and builds and strengthens the muscles in your posterior chain, AKA the muscles from your calves up to your back.” Plus, says New York Road Runners coach Roberto Mandje, it allows you to get your heart rate up with less pounding
Love leg day? Here’s the 4-move lower body routine a top trainer swears by
October 13, 2019 at 12:00AM by CWC Well+Good readers love leg day. When we put out the call on Instagram for you to share your happy-making (and dreaded) fitness routines, workouts targeting the lower body won out by a whopping 67 percent. Leg day calls for squats, lunges, high knees… all of those tricky moves that harness the power of your lower body and make your butt, quads, and calves burn—but in that hurt-so-good type of way. “Leg day is more desirable than any other day because who doesn’t want strong legs?” says Oliver Lee, Peloton Tread instructor. “Having strong legs allows you to perform your best in workouts. Plus, glutes fall into the leg day category, and everyone wants a good peach.” He’s not wrong. Lee’s leg day preference? Covering the basics. “The main part of any good leg workout should include some kind of squat, lunge, and deadlift combination,” he says. This ensures you work every muscle from core to toe (and, most likely, will be very sore the next day). Keep scrolling for Lee’s perfect lower body routine. Lee’s 4-move leg day workout 1. Glute bridges: For these, start by lying on your back with your feet planted on the ground at hips-distance. Lift your hips up while engaging the glutes at the top. 2. Dumbbell goblet squat: Lee recommends grabbing one heavy dumbbell with both hands and holding it at your chest. Set your feet shoulder-width apart while keeping a neutral spine, and bend your knees to 90