Leandra Medine's Blog, page 364

7 Things I Just Learned About Kelly Rowland’s Beauty Routine

Kelly Rowland, successful musician and author, doting mother, supportive BFF of Beyoncé and rowl™ model to all, just gave an interview to Into the Gloss that details her beauty routine. And in my correct opinion, it’s packed to the gills with critical info. Perhaps more critical, even, than the fact that she’s capable of stealing a photo that contains Beyoncé, which I learned via Beyoncé’s gram this morning. Or that her married name is Witherspoon (no relation to Reese), which I just discovered via her novel of a Wikipedia page. Kelly Witherspoon.

A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce) on Apr 30, 2017 at 7:22pm PDT

If you want don’t want to miss a beat — like that she wears blue eyeliner (hides tears!), prefers face masks that peel (same) and washes her face twice a day (attn: Harling Ross, single-day face washer) — you may want to jog over to ITG to read it in its full glory. If you just want 10 important takeaways to copy down in your diary tonight, please find a seat and get comfortable.

1. She wrote a book for new moms because she needed it herself.

“I have one son. He was born two years ago on November 4, and he’s the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me,” is the opening line of the interview. While traversing the onslaught of changes that come with having a kid (skin, hair, life, everything), she sought help in the form of a book and couldn’t find it.

“I remembered this Toni Morrison quote…’If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’ So that’s exactly what I did.”

And thus, Whoa Baby was born.

2. A woman in Atlanta hand-makes her body lotion.

Celeb perk I didn’t know existed: bespoke lotion. “There’s a company called Iwi Fresh out of Atlanta, and this woman handmade my body lotion for me,” says Kelly, who deserves it.

3. She let music guide her last haircut.

In what is truly an act of modern bravery, Kelly allows her hair stylist to cut her hair according to a soundtrack. “She’s a vibe-type of hair stylist,” she explains, referring to her stylist Nikki Nelms, “so when we were figuring out my hair, she was like, let’s listen to the music and decide where it wants to take us as far as hair.”

Would you or wouldn’t you?

4. She’s too scared to touch her own hair.

While she has a few hair opinions, such as liking a clean scalp (direct quote: “I like a clean scalp”), she says she mostly leaves her hair in the hands of others. “I’m too scared to do anything else. Anything more than [wave spray], and I’m screwed. Screwed! Makeup I can do — hair, I cannot.” As a haver of literally incredible hair (please google Kelly Rowland hair), she could have fooled me.

5. She learned how to contour after Destiny’s Child performed at the Brit Awards.

“When Destiny’s Child did the Brit Awards, [makeup artist] Eric Ferrell … did this beautiful contour that made us look like we had no makeup on. I was like, ‘Oh God, this looks so good,’ but I eventually had to wash it off.” She learned to contour as a result.

Comment below if you, too, learned how to contour because of Destiny’s Child.

6. She uses the foundation Claire deemed “the best” in a recent MR story.

Remember when MR beauty expert Claire Carusillo tried 15 of the most celebrated foundations to find the best one and picked Koh Gen Do? She should have just asked Kelly. “My foundation and concealer is Koh Gen Do,” she says, answering Claire’s burning question in a single breath. Also, she applies it with her fingers, which means you can too.

7. KELLY’S GOT A SECRET.

In the most mysterious/intriguing finale in ITG history, Kelly refuses to share how she smells so perfect and amazing (an assumption). “My scent? I never tell. It’s a secret. I like a little hint of rose — something sexy but effortless. I like for it to strike a memory, you know what I mean? It’s funny… the other day, Delta [Goodrem] goes, ‘I knew you were here because I smelled you!’ I adore that. It’s the one thing—everyone wants to be remembered by their scent.”

Raise your hand if you want to remember Kelly by her scent.

Photo by Cindy Ord via Getty Images.

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Want to Win Two Tickets to Camp Man Repeller?

In partnership with Lou & Grey.

You know how it goes on Ice Cream Surprise Sundays at camp: the moment the news breaks over the loudspeakers, the moment the sprinkles run out, no matter how fast you hustle your fanny out of the lake. Well, the same thing happened with Camp Man Repeller. We put our bugle to our mouths to announce our first-ever adult sleepaway camp and within 72 hours, it sold out.

It was bittersweet. When you throw a birthday party, you’re always a little nervous no one’s going to come, but then you get yelled at by the bouncer for attempting to sneak in twelve of your friends who weren’t on the list under one trench coat because, “no one checks Facebook events anymore, Amelia.”

B U T !!!!!!!

Our sneaky friends at Lou & Grey are about to make your day if you wanted to come and couldn’t. They have two tickets to Camp Man Repeller to give away (the dates are Friday, June 2nd to Sunday, June 4th), AND a $1,000 gift card to their shop. See the white shorts and sweatshirt our model Elizabeth McAvoy is wearing? The shorts are under $50 and the sweatshirt is under $60, which means that if you win you can get both and barely scratch the surface.

It’s like eating the top scoop of ice cream off your cone and realizing there a whole tub of your favorite flavor waiting in the back with your name on it, which makes those camp tickets the sprinkles.

Or the cherry on top.

Enter to win below(!) and learn more about Camp Man Repeller here.

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By entering I agree to the terms and conditions and understand I will receive email correspondence from Man Repeller and Lou & Grey.

Special thanks to model Elizabeth McAvoy; follow her on Instagram @e_mcavoy. Photos by Edith Young.

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5 Women on Their 2017 New Year’s Resolution Fails

Last December, when we set out to track the New Year’s Resolutions of five different women, we were nothing if not collectively bright-eyed. By the end of January, things were going really well. I think we all quietly wondered if we’d broken the resolution curse. By the end of February, cracks were starting to show. Nothing a solid March couldn’t fix! But by early April, things were feeling rather dismal.

A close read of Andrea, Lucille, Isabel, Jasmine and Tyler’s answers over the months reveals a slow but steady disillusionment around the charm of publicly tracking their goals. At first, it was energizing. Soon, it felt daunting. In some cases, it made reasonable pivots tricky, because decisions had to be justified to all of us. And so, in a twist of irony, the very narrative we set out to squash — that resolutions are made hopefully and forgotten quickly — ended up being the same arc we ourselves followed, if at a slightly slower pace.

That’s not to say there weren’t successes, though! Threaded through the hand-wringing was plenty of optimism and determination. Enough to warm the most cynical of hearts, I’d venture. In fact their willingness to keep trying in the face of their own setbacks always struck me as more inspiring than if they haven’t failed at all.

As we put a bow on the first trimester of 2017, this will be our final resolution check-in. What was this whole thing like? Would they do it again? Will they keep going? Scroll down to get their rundown on April and the project overall. Wish them luck in the comments, but not goodbye! You’ll find ways to follow along in their answers.

Andrea Raymer

Andrea is 25 and a freelance graphic designer and art director. She lives in New York City. Visit her YouTube channel here.

Her January 1st answer to: “What’s your 2017 resolution?”

This year I am going to start daily vlogging. Eek.

Hi! April is over. How did your fourth month go compared to others!?

I really couldn’t have cared less. I filmed when I felt like it and edited when I got around to it. I didn’t beat myself up over not sticking to my schedule.

What sucked versus felt great? Any new learnings or realizations?

I did a bit more research into how to make videos look better in April, and started brainstorming and planning content that I actually want to execute rather than just making things for the sake of sticking to my resolution. In that vein, I’ve definitely still been lazy when it comes to filming and editing on time. Having a job really just sucked all of my time and creative energy. The last thing I’ve been wanting to do when I get home from work is more work!

Since this is our last time tracking you month-to-month, how did you like sharing your resolution so publicly? Did anything surprise you about it? Would you do it again?

I definitely enjoyed sharing my resolution publicly. It made me try harder. My resolution itself was all about sharing things publicly and keeping a record of my life. I would definitely do it again — I love having other people to keep me accountable.

What’s the rest of the year going to look like for you? Think you’ll keep at it? Is there anywhere people can follow along?

I hope I manage to keep going, even if it’s just once a week or when I do something exciting. Making videos regularly changed the way I think creatively and I want to explore other ways to make work with this medium. (I may also just be saying that because Tribeca Film Festival is happening right now and I get really jealous when I see the work other people make).

Anyone can follow along (and see if I actually stick with it) by subscribing to my Youtube channel!

Lucille Wenegieme

Lucille is 26 and a digital engagement strategist. She lives in Denver, CO.

Her January 1st answer to: “What’s your 2017 resolution?”

To exercise regularly and make a habit of it, finally. My goal is three times a week. That way I have some flexibility and it’s doable.

Hi! April is over. How did your fourth month go compared to others!?

Hey! April was a month of re-dedication (pretty apropos for the Easter holiday, in retrospect). Usually I would have forgotten about my resolution by this time, but after the disaster that was March, April felt as good a time as any for redemption. I still didn’t hit my goal of three times a week — averaged one to two times — but I’m actively thinking about it and striving towards making it a habit.

What sucked versus felt great? Any new learnings or realizations?

Getting back on the horse with exercise was the hardest part. I battled feeling like I’d failed, and being demoralized when I found that all the strength I’d built up the first couple of months felt gone. It felt a little like starting from square one, but it’s taught me why routine is important.

Since this is our last time tracking you month-to-month, how did you like sharing your resolution so publicly? Did anything surprise you about it? Would you do it again?

I LOVED sharing my resolution, especially with the MR community. Checking in to see the discussion was always great. So many legit tips and honest encouragement! I don’t think I would have been comfortable doing it any other place online, tbh. The act of sharing publicly was good for me too, because I know I had to be honest with myself. It really did motivate me on some days when I might have otherwise opted out. I would definitely do it again.

What’s the rest of the year going to look like for you? Think you’ll keep at it? Is there anywhere people can follow along?

I definitely intend to stick with it! There are a lot of moving parts to my life (as I’m sure there are for everyone), but I really want wellness, self-care and routine to become more of a focused priority, instead of being relegated to “whenever it’s convenient.” This resolution has become such an integral part of that journey that I can’t stop now! Feel free to keep up with me at on Instagram or my blog, The Black Velveteen!

Isabel Sanoja

Isabel is 22 and works in digital media. She was raised in the Dominican Republic and has been living in New York City for the past four years.

Her January 1st answer to: “What’s your 2017 resolution?”

My resolution is to dedicate 30 minutes every night to a book, whichever one I’m reading at the moment, in the hope that I’ll read two books a month (and improve my crappy sleeping habits along the way).

Hi! April is over. How did your fourth month go compared to others!?

It went better than March, but still not great. I guess it’ll take time to recover.

What sucked versus felt great? Any new learnings or realizations?

New realization: When I’m reading while sleepy, I get cross-eyed.

It felt great to get [kind of] back on track after such a disastrous March. It also felt great to read the comments from all the MR readers month after month, which cheered me on and gave such great advice as to how I could better keep my resolution. It sucks to realize that, despite the fact that I shared this with the world, I still couldn’t devote 30 minutes every day to read. I’ll keep trying!

Since this is our last time tracking you month-to-month, how did you like sharing your resolution so publicly? Did anything surprise you about it? Would you do it again?

I would definitely do it again. I’ve always heard that the Man Repeller community has the nicest comments section, and I couldn’t agree more. Every comment was encouraging and helpful, even if I wasn’t always the best at taking their advice. It was great to share my project with the four other amazing girls that participated with me. This journey has given me the opportunity to meet amazing people and show the internet how bad I am at keeping resolutions.

What’s the rest of the year going to look like for you? Think you’ll keep at it? Is there anywhere people can follow along?

Yes! I’m trying to fully recover from the past month and get back to reading every day as I did in January. If you’d like to make fun of my inability to keep resolutions or if you’d just like to cheer me on, you can follow me on Instagram at @isanoja. I’ll also be posting cryptic GIFs on past MR articles, which may hint at how my resolution is going. Thanks for all your support!

Jasmine Afia

Jasmine is 25, a trainee lawyer and style blogger. She lives in London.

Her January 1st answer to: “What’s your 2017 resolution?”

To complete a novel by the end of the year.

Hi! April is over. How did your fourth month go compared to others!?

It wasn’t my best month (that was January, for sure), but I can confidently say that it wasn’t the worst, either.

What sucked versus felt great? Any new learnings or realizations?

I finally sat myself down and put a writing structure in place (a few months too late, but hey). Doing this has really helped me to plan out what I hope to write over the next few months, which feels great.

I’ve realized that I’m a horrendously impatient human being. As you can imagine, this doesn’t lend itself too well to something which can take years(!) to complete, so setting a resolution and actually having to stick to it has allowed me to work on that shortcoming.

Since this is our last time tracking you month-to-month, how did you like sharing your resolution so publicly? Did anything surprise you about it? Would you do it again?

Sharing my goals so publicly was incredibly motivating at first, because the support of my friends, family, the MR Community and anyone else who was reading along really helped me to start off strong.

What surprised me was how hard it has been to also hold myself accountable — especially during the in-between moments when nobody was checking in on my progress but me. For that realization alone I don’t regret it, but I’ll probably opt to chip away at my goals in silence going forward.

What’s the rest of the year going to look like for you? Think you’ll keep at it? Is there anywhere people can follow along?

I’ll be moving back to London next week which I’m really excited about! That said, the quietness of Belgium helped me with my writing, so I hope this doesn’t mean I’ll fall off the wagon.

I definitely intend to keep at it. Writing a book is something I’ve always wanted to do, and this process has reminded me just how much I love writing. It would be such a shame to stop, especially now that I’ve started (and have over 15,000 words!).

I hope to share some of what I’ve written so far online very soon, so anyone who wants to follow along can do so via Twitter. I’m @afiaandjay!

Tyler Coffin

Tyler is 23 and works at Ralph Lauren. She’s a recent Texas transplant living in New York City.

Man Repeller.

3 Outfits You’ll Want to Screenshot on Stylist LaTonya Yvette

In today’s edition of What to Wear This Week, Brooklyn resident, stylist, writer and consultant LaTonya Yvette breaks down the mechanics of what she wears and why.

What do you think about when you get dressed in the morning?

Who do I want to be? And what does she have planned for the day?

Do you start from the shoes and then work your way up, or clothes and then down?

Bottoms tend to be my statement piece, so I start there based on what I’m feeling. Some days I want to have this 70s-cool look, so I’ll wear wide-leg pants. Some days I just feel bleh and grab a patterned pair of pants. And some days I kind of want to feel sexy, so I’ll throw on my favorite form-fitting jeans.

You were born and raised in Brooklyn. How did that influence your style?

I grew up receiving the latest pairs of Air Maxes from my uncle every single Christmas. Your kicks were everything. I never really felt like I fit in to that sneaker-head mentality, but it’s so Brooklyn. And I envied it in a way. Later on, when I got older, I realized I loved the newest sneakers, I just wanted to wear them differently. I adapt them to my own personal style for the day.

My mom worked in a law office and got dressed every single day to the nines, and my grandmother wore metallic suits and espadrilles and dresses and jeans and men’s vests with bow ties, so I kind of grew around it all. If anything, being a New Yorker has taught me that you can be and do and wear anything and get away with it with a lot of confidence. It’s more about the person than the clothes.

When I was around 8 (I think) we moved out of NY for the first time (came back, left again, then came back for good in my early teens) and leaving showed me that the way you dress and enjoy getting dressed, whether you have money or not, is your one true contribution to yourself as a kid. Parents won’t always hang your art, you may not get the best grades or get the science fair award (damn those), but being able to be ME through clothes allowed me something of my own no matter where I was. It’s the same lesson I try to instill in my children: to appreciate all of the characters around the city and what they wear, and feel confident in their own choices in fashion.

Help! One transition-weather dressing tip:

Cool socks and clogs.

What do you like your outfits to say about you?

She’s her. Whoever that is.

What’s your foolproof styling trick?

If it doesn’t fit, quit! Ha. Could be your current mood, style, body shape, anything. Go shopping and style for who you are right then and there.

The one garment that never lets you down?

Orange anything!

What item of clothing makes you feel most like yourself? Why?

Wide-leg pants. When I match those with my hair it feels like I’m some activist from the 70s. And I feel like that in my soul most of the time; it’s in the music I listen to, the books I read, the way I see things. It feels like my soul, in a way. (Even though I wasn’t born until the 80s!)

At what point in your life did you really start to come into your own in terms of personal style?

Oh man, you know, it was kind of always there for me. It’s just the one thing I had. Though I have to say, having kids, changes in body and weight, schedules, etc. changes a lot. So I am also always re-inventing myself. My kids are older now, in school and pre-school, so I have more time to frolic around in things I want to wear more often than not. You know, skipping the playground stares.

How do accessories change an outfit?

Lipstick, bracelets — I think accessories say someone tried. And I like looking and feeling like I give myself energy in the morning .

How does working in fashion influence your daily style?

It actually drains me in this weird way. It overstimulates me in a way that makes me feel like I can no longer create. I am most influenced by people watching. I just want to park on a bench and make up stories about what and why people are wearing what they are. It’s better than working in fashion to me. Real life.

What are your favorite three places on the Internet to get inspired?

I’m loving the Instagram “saved” folder. It’s become this beautiful secret thing that I can change out and be inspired by.

What about three favorite places in the city (or the world) to get inspired?

A park.

A library.

A café.

Anywhere in the world.

What’s the coolest thing you’ve learned in the last week?

When you drop your phone in the toilet, it CAN survive with a case on.

Best song to get dressed to?

“Juicy,” Biggie.

Check out LaTonya’s website here and follow her on Instagram @latonyayvette. Photos by Edith Young.

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19 Met Gala Looks No One Should Ever Forget

No one humblebrags that they got ready for the Met Gala in 10 minutes or a little drunk. Such an admission would be tantamount to insulting Anna Wintour, the party’s host. Because while most red carpets serve as, if not just an entrance, at least a precursor to something more significant, the Met Gala’s red carpet is the lynchpin around which the event evolves. Even the carpet itself is extraordinary, all expansive and permanent-looking. It, and the people perched upon it, thoughtfully and artfully dressed, are kind of the whole thing, you know? Few seem bothered by what follows. (My research, for the record, indicates champagne, a speech and possibly a miserably hot party, per Gwyneth Paltrow.)

The focus on fashion makes complete sense. The event is, after all, held in honor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute and themed around the forthcoming exhibit. This year’s honoree is visionary designer Rei Kawakubo — her, her point of view and the house she created, Comme des Garçons. According to the Met website, the exhibit, entitled “Art of the In-Between,” will attempt to break down imaginary dualisms and expose their arbitrariness.

Let’s recall her words as quoted by the press release: “I have always pursued a new way of thinking about design…by denying established values, conventions, and what is generally accepted as the norm. And the modes of expression that have always been most important to me are fusion…imbalance… unfinished… elimination…and absence of intent.”

I don’t want to overhype it, but it’s hard to imagine a theme better poised for a thought-provoking, avant-garde red carpet. I’ve never been more ready to see Sarah Jessica Parker in, say, this. So while we await the Vogue parade of the first Monday in May, I’ve curated — with the help of the team — a slideshow of memorable looks from galas past to get us in the mood. There have been some real showstoppers, for reasons both good and…interesting, and it seems almost irresponsible to not pay them due homage as we anticipate the eccentric offerings of a Rei theme. Click through to reminisce and tell me which you would permanently retire/marry yourself in if I made you choose. Or just your favorite, whatever.

Photos via Getty.

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Some Catcalls Offend Me, Some Don’t (and That’s Okay)

Catcalling and harassment are often mentioned in the same breath. That’s because many argue that catcalling is harassment, no matter the intention. A catcall is an unwelcome imposition, a not-very-veiled command: to feel complimented, to smile, to at least say hello or thank you, to “just ignore it if it bothers you” and “don’t dress that way if you don’t want the attention.” It’s an objectification, sexualization and subordination that often prompts fear, intimidation and discomfort. At least, that’s how it’s typically defined. Some, women included, would disagree.

In Milan, a woman walks into a café and orders a coffee and brioche. She notices a group of men sitting nearby. “Ciao, ma come sei bella,” trails her as she walks to her table. She dismisses the comments as part of the Italian culture, where women are often bella, cara, tesoro, and seldom referred to by their actual names. Later, when she leaves the café, the men don’t notice; they’ve moved on. She feels relieved. In DC, a woman walks past a group of men standing by a bar. They try to get her attention with “hello, gorgeous.” She ignores them and walks away uncomfortably. The next week, that woman is robbed. She tells the police that she remembers the men who did it and that before he’d run away with her purse, one of them had said: “you should have said hello.” Both of these stories are true.

You might say something along the lines of: The latter is just sensationalizing a one-off occurrence. Not every instance of catcalling escalates to assault or robbery. You’d be right — not every instance does, but enough do. More importantly, 68% of women who are harassed on the street fear the possibility that the incident will escalate to something worse. For many, escalation is a reality; 23% of respondents to this survey were sexually touched, 20% were followed and 9% were forced to do something sexual.

The average male is taller, weighs more and is physically stronger and has more muscle mass than the average woman (although there’s been a lot of debate about how to accurately measure strength). In his book, The Gift of Fear, Gavin de Becker captures how this discrepancy translates to a situation where women perceive threat, writing, “It is understandable that the perspectives of men and women on safety are so different — men and women live in different worlds […] at core, men are afraid women will laugh at them, while at core, women are afraid men will kill them.” When humans perceive threat, there’s so very little room and time to consider the more benign intentions of a larger, more powerful person. De Becker urges women to follow their instincts, to cherish and listen to their gift of fear and to stop letting the pressure to be nice nullify the need to protect oneself.

The problem with the term “catcalling” is it has become a catchall supposed to arouse feelings of indignation amongst self-respecting women. The debate is strangely categorical — you’re either with us or against us. It doesn’t leave much space for, well, reality. You’re allowed to feel in danger when you do, and flattered when you do. As Christina Cauterucci writes for Slate, “There is absolutely nothing wrong or anti-feminist about wanting to be objectified, whether all the time or in specific situations with specific people. But women aren’t creating drama when they resist their own objectification.”

In an ideal world, women wouldn’t have to worry about how to respond to catcalling. We wouldn’t have to convince others of our reality. We also wouldn’t all feel the need to be a united front on an issue that doesn’t always present the same way. We wouldn’t have to worry about how one particular personal experience does or doesn’t feed into the patriarchy. The onus to remove the threat and discomfort of a catcall would be on those who pose it, and that is overwhelmingly men.

Until this power balance changes, one option is to, when safe, firmly and negatively respond to situations that make you uncomfortable. Hollaback!, a grassroots movement to end street harassment, suggests naming and denouncing the offensive behavior while maintaining eye contact. Stop Street Harassment publishes success stories from women who confronted their harassers. There’s strength in numbers: If you witness predatory leering, or hear someone being harassed, help them. Public shaming is an effective deterrent of unwanted behavior.

Catcalling is often really scary. It makes the receiver assess her surroundings, look for exit strategies, grasp her keys defensively — it makes her feel that she might be attacked. As women existing in public, we’re sensitive to our surroundings; living in a world where street harassment is a constant serves to heighten this. But not all catcalls are preludes to harassment, just like not all attention is unwanted. Is it wrong to acknowledge that nuance? Where do you stand on catcalling? Where do we disagree? How do you respond when it happens to you?

Helena Bala is a writer, former lawyer and the genius behind Craigslist Confessional. Follow her on Twitter @Clistconfession. Photo by Alfred Gescheidt via Getty Images; illustrations by Maria Jia Ling Pitt.

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Gwyneth Paltrow and Anna Wintour are Hatching a Magazine

What are the odds! Two of my dearest friends, Anna Wintour and Gwyneth Paltrow, are joining forces to make a Goop magazine. When I say “ dearest friends,” I mean “people whose lifestyles and psyches I took it upon myself to mimic for journalistic purposes.” Please see: I Lived Like Anna Wintour and I Tried Living Like Gwyneth Paltrow and Barely Lasted 3 Days for further proof of my uncanny personal connection to this situation. I texted them to see if they considered naming the new mag Gwynnie and Annie, but so far haven’t heard back.

The idea for Goop magazine germinated during a conversation between the two women, presumably after they finished comparing middle-hair parts. “I’ve known Gwyneth to have wonderful taste and vision,” Anna told WWD. “Goop and Condé Nast are natural partners and I’m excited she’s bringing her point of view to the company.”

Condé will co-produce a quarterly issue of the soon-to-be publication, the first of which will hit newsstands in September. Popular subjects currently covered Goop.com like health, fitness, cooking, style, interior design and travel will translate into the magazine’s headlining sections. Goop’s handle on the highly lucrative wellness market will presumably fill a hole left in the wake of Self’s closure at Conde last year. Anyone else curious what Anna thinks about jade vagina eggs?

When it was Gwynnie’s turn to compliment Annie, she told WWD, “Anna is a powerhouse, and one of the most admirable thought-leaders in media. Collaborating with her and Condé Nast on this multiplatform content partnership, anchored by Goop’s emergence into a physical entity, was an opportunity for us to push our boundaries visually and deliver Goop’s point of view to consumers in new, dynamic ways.” The majority of content in each print issue will be original and produced by Goop, with an accompanying stream of co-produced, co-branded digital content distributed across Conde’s channels.

It’s not hard to identify the pros from each participant’s standpoint: Condé is getting an infusion of wellness content with the kind of free branding and promotion that only a celebrity of Gwyneth’s renown could generate; Goop is going from editorial startup to publishing big leagues and effectively piggybacking on the clout that only one of the biggest media companies in the world with more than 164 million global consumers could provide.

Framing Goop magazine as a partnership between Anna and Gwyneth — the “faces” of this new Condé brand — also makes a lot of sense. Both women have a powerful cache in the media, sparking equal parts controversy and respect over the course of their highly public career trajectories.

I just have one question: how many gluten-free muffin baskets did Gwyneth have to send before Anna forgave her for dissing the Met Gala in 2013?

Photos by Todd Williamson for Bleecker Street and Michael Stewart via Getty Images.  

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32 Harlem Street-Style Looks, Plus a Playlist

Harlem is my favorite place to people-watch. Granted, I may be biased, living there and all, but it’s a welcome reprieve from all the downtown mural-backdrop selfies I witness Monday through Friday. Swapping a workweek MetroCard swipe for a Saturday morning step out of my apartment sets the scene for my favorite wardrobe-inspiring weekend ritual.

First, I fail to decide on a definite destination (Lenox Coffee for a caffeine fix? Amy Ruth’s for waffles? Apollo Beauty Land for a shopping spree?), which, as practiced people-watchers know, doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. Next, a stroll through Marcus Garvey Park, headphones in and playlist queued, because what awaits on Lenox Avenue calls for a soundtrack: A never-ending parade of impressive accessorizing, pattern-pairing, hairstyling, street vendor-slinging and shoe-gaming.

Trying to predict what sartorial slice you’ll be served is futile. I may pace my wandering walks to “Fashion Killa,” Harlemite A$AP Rocky‘s brand name-dropping anthem, but this borough is less about what’s trending and much more about doing you from head to toe. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait until the weekend to Uptown Funk it up. We asked Angela Datre to capture some Harlem street style while we were chained to our desks, so sit back, hit play and click through her snapshots for a sampling of what I’ll be soaking in this Saturday.

Photos by Angela Datre; follow her on Instagram @angeladatre.

The post 32 Harlem Street-Style Looks, Plus a Playlist appeared first on Man Repeller.

Get Thick Hair By Eating Right and Washing It Less

Horses have it all: excellent morning breath, people petting them all the time, built-in highlighter when groomed properly. The number one thing they have that everyone wants, however, is thick hair. Grab a fistful of a horse’s mane or tail and you have in your palms the ultimate hirsute dream.

Because you are not a horse (

How to Wear a Floral Dress Without Looking Like a Doll

I have a closet full of contradictions. To the right are folded the trends I thought I would never get over (poplin, collarless blouses, self-frayed jeans, white sneakers) and to the left are all the trends I thought I’d never try, but fell into anyway. At the top of this list are the only two garments I own by Vetements: a pair of jeans (that I love so much) and metallic pink boots (that I have never worn). Among the rest of the trends I love but thought I’d never try: knee-length skirts (I have a complex from attending Orthodox Jewish day school); shapely trousers; cropped, fitted sweaters and tea dresses. So many tea dresses. I can’t stop saying tea dresses!

For the tea dresses, I blame the panoply of runway designers who genuinely impact the way we want to dress. I never get over how easy it is to manipulate a consumer into believing they are having a unique or independent thought (“I never knew I loved tea dresses but just like that, randomly, out of nowhere, I do!”). Of course, it’s not actually random or out of nowhere: Céline had long-sleeve, ankle-length dresses running rampant down its Spring runway, Gucci has been heralding the shape since Alessandro Michele took his post, Maria Grazia Chiuri has turned Dior into a case study in ladylike dresses and Dolce & Gabbana are probably rolling their eyes. They’ve been doing this since fruit was still just fruit — hold the print.

My problem with dresses, generally, is that they say too much. They’re too convicted about who they are. When you wear a dress, you wear a single sentiment for everyone to acknowledge. In one, you might be a vixen (I hate this word). In another, an absolute dame. And in a tea dress, you’re delicate and dainty and floral. But I’m more complicated than that! I have so much more to give — to say! So here are three ways to wear very feminine tea dresses without feeling like you’re not you. Or I’m not me. Or whatever.

Céline top, Roksanda dress, Marni belt, Isabel Marant shoes, Adam Selman x Le Specs sunglasses

You probably can’t even tell that this dress is essentially the motherload when it comes to meeting your in-laws (here’s a link to it pre-me). It is as proper as they come. And it’s beautiful, but for today and right now, I feel more jovial than a mere dress; I want a peplum, I want another print, I want shoes that make me feel like if not handled thoughtfully, I could easily look like Jessica Simpson.

Ulla Johnson dress, Staud crop top, Rosie Assoulin coat, Jimmy Choo sandals, Rejina Pyo sunglasses

This was a cool case study in turning a dress (dainty and tank-y) into a skirt, adding shoes that further perpetuate the inherent femininity of the dress, but then fucking that shit up with a Matrix-style patent-leather trench that genuinely makes me feel like I can fly. Moving on!

Rebecca Taylor dress, Chanel sock boots, Adam Selman x Le Specs sunglasses, Cult Gaia bag

Finally, for the sake of demonstrating that if you hate layers or don’t want to obliterate your dresses with shirts and belts and jackets and the like, here’s one that lets the dress be what it is with unexpected sock boots (easily replicable) that conceal the entire ankle and a pair of sunglasses because I have apparently established that you need them to tell your story.

I’m so glad it’s Friday — what should we do tonight?

Photos by Edith Young.

The post How to Wear a Floral Dress Without Looking Like a Doll appeared first on Man Repeller.