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7 Ways to Like Your Body More (Because We're Tired of the BS)

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This post originally appeared on Bustle.

By Rachel Krantz

If there's one thing that's become clear to me over the last few years, it's this: Nearly every woman I meet, work with or assume is perfect probably struggles with her body image. No, we don't all have eating disorders or even disordered eating habits. But, unfortunately, every woman I've ever taken the time to ask has admitted she has an issue with at least one part of her body, face or appearance.

Personally, I came to the disordered eating party a bit late. I had managed to mostly fixate on disliking other parts of myself (see: my personality) until I was 24, when I took a job working the night shift as an editor at a different website. I suddenly found myself under increasing amounts of stress, and (just for extra credit!) in a half-baked relationship with a guy who withheld his affection.

My body understandably freaked out. My stomach felt bloated and tense all the time. When I went to the doctor, she suggested I go gluten-free, which did help somewhat, but created a new problem. Cutting something completely out of your diet can be dangerous, and for me, it led to a cycle of restricting foods that fell into the "bad" category, only to binge on all my "good" foods when I got off work in the middle of the night.

Food became the cause, the reward and the punishment; the funnel through which I attempted to pour control over a job and relationship that left me feeling increasingly disconnected from my body.

Now, just two years later, I view the path to regaining a healthy relationship with my body as one of the most important challenges of my 20s. Therapy, a new job and a new relationship have all been essential ingredients. But the real work? I've been teaching myself -- deliberately, and in small ways, everyday -- to love my body again.

Recovering from an eating disorder, body dysmorphia or any kind of ongoing body image issue is no small task, and professional help should always be sought. But if you're looking to supplement that help with some small, tangible exercises, I highly recommend using these practices as jumping off points.

Meditate for just 10 minutes a day

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For me, meditation has truly changed everything about my relationship with myself. I resisted meditating for a long time, because I thought I was failing at it if my mind wasn't completely empty. But as I've learned more about meditation over the past year, I found out that those thoughts are actually an essential part of the practice. By simply sitting with yourself and focusing on your breath, you are forced to become friends with the voices in your head (and yes, we all have them).

Often, without even realizing it, we have a downright abusive relationship with ourselves. We tend to bark orders, judge and degrade ourselves (sadly, especially as women). By just sitting and attempting to reconnect to the present moment through our breath, we become reacquainted with our our mind and learn to drive it -- rather than the other way around.

It's nearly impossible to hate someone once you truly get to know them. Meditating has helped me foster a kinder relationship with myself, so that when my mind inevitably goes to self-hating places, I actually notice it, because that voice doesn't sound like the friend I've come to know.

To begin, try this exercise: Sit cross-legged and upright. Place one hand on your heart, and the other on a part of your body you tend to fixate on (for me it's my stomach). Close your eyes and try to cultivate a feeling of love and acceptance -- just love and acceptance -- for that part of your perfectly imperfect body.

When you feel done, open your eyes, stare softly straight ahead and try to focus on your breath for just five minutes. Don't alter your breath or get mad at yourself for having inevitable thoughts and feelings come up. Just notice whatever is naturally there. When thoughts arise, note them and then try to come back to your breath.

If intense feelings surface, try to feel where they are in your body. (Where do you feel pain or fear? For me, it's also in my stomach.) Let whatever feelings you're having wash over you fully, if only for a moment. Don't push the uncomfortable away. Instead, let yourself feel whatever it is you're feeling and then, simply return to your breath.

It's that simple and that difficult. Do this for five minutes in the morning and five minutes before bed and trust me, interesting things will begin to happen.

Confront your own image

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When I was feeling my worst, I'd often cast my eyes down when passing my mirror, just to avoid my own image. (Oh, and then I'd beat myself up for being so idiotic, which was super productive.)

One day, when I was really fed up with my mirror-avoidance, I got a crazy idea: What if I made a video of myself on Photobooth and described, to my own face, what I saw? What if I turned the inner mirror monologue out?

Here's all I did: I turned on Photobooth's video camera and looked at myself as I was speaking and recording. The result was super weird and kind of cool (who doesn't like seeing what they actually look like when they talk?), and shockingly, it was also empowering.

I told the camera what I saw and what I did and didn't like. The results were surprising: What I thought I hated (my stomach) was actually not what I found myself disliking in realtime. Of course, I found plenty of other things to dislike just as strongly, as well as some surprising parts of myself that I found fundamentally OK, even kind of adorable. I realized, once again, that no matter what I "fix" there will always be more parts of myself to change.

By giving voice to my inner critic and making myself basically say it to my own face, a funny thing happened: That critic lost a little of her power. She finally had her chance to say her piece out loud, and though she's never one to shut up completely, she was able to step aside for the rest of the night.

Be naked more

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Oh god, I can just feel my roommates cringing. No, not naked in the kitchen or living room (unless you live alone, in which case hello naked cooking), but in your own bedroom. Since I've started sleeping naked, not only do I sleep better (your temperature is better regulated) but I've also starting appreciating my body more. When I wake up, I do some naked yoga and stretch in front of the mirror. Laugh all you want, but it's a great way to greet the day; moving, breathing and confronting my own beautiful, healthy body. I highly recommend it. If you live with a partner, don't be shy -- they will love it too.

Make self-love dates

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Hey, you're already naked, right? This is one we women somehow often forget to do, and believe me, it has repercussions. Just think of it this way: Almost every guy out there masturbates regularly. You think the fact that they walk around the world like they own it isn't connected?

While I'm not much of a morning person, I do believe that making time to connect to your own body in that way (even if you are having sex regularly) is crucial to having a healthy relationship with your body. If you only have orgasms with a partner, you will, on some level, always need to have someone on the outside affirming that you're sexy and lovable. Masturbating helps you connect with what you want and how damn fine you really are. Make a date with yourself, and if it helps motivate you, consider it exercise -- it gets your heart rate up, flexes plenty of muscles and has numerous mental and physical health benefits.

Try a writing exercise

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I've found that even if I write for 10 minutes once a week, it can really help me tap into what's actually going on. If words don't start pouring out of you right away, try this simple exercise to focus on body image:

First, imagine your inner food critic. She's the voice that tells you that you shouldn't have eaten that second piece of cake or that says you look ugly when you're brushing your teeth or that you would have a partner if you only lost 10 pounds.

Give the pen to her and write out everything she thinks about you and your body. Keep the pen moving for five minutes and don't edit or stop writing. When you think you've run out of nasty things to say to yourself, just keep going until time is up.

When you're done, hand the pen over to your "inner best friend" and write for five minutes. Your inner best friend is the kindest part of yourself -- and not necessarily the voice you should always channel -- but she is the other extreme. Keep writing in her voice until time is up.

So, for example, while the food critic might have written "You know you can't eat that because when you let go you start getting fat," the sweetheart writes "Eat anything you want! You will still be loved with 15 more pounds."

Giving voice to both of these extremes may help you meet somewhere in the middle, where your actual opinion lies. Do this exercise with care and some caution, and remember -- the critic is just that -- a critic.

Don't make plans on Sunday for a month


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I got this idea from my friend Natalie, and I liked it so much that I try to do this every weekend now. You're probably wondering what not making plans has to do with body image. Well, for me, one of the hardest things about recovering a healthy relationship with food has been learning to listen to when I'm hungry again. I found that during my period of restricting and binging I had lost touch with what I really wanted.

Not making plans on Sundays has helped me get back in touch with what I actually want, rather than what I think I should want. When I wake up without plans, I actually ask myself: What do you feel like doing right now? Whereas in the past I would have already formed a list of errands or social obligations for the day, now I just do whatever it is I genuinely feel like doing.

Sometimes it's sleeping another hour. Sometimes it's running errands. Sometimes it's cooking brunch or simply laying in the park all day. I try to follow each urge, moment to moment, and simply act in accordance to what I want to do, without judging myself. It's incredibly liberating and relaxing, and has not only made my weekends a hell of a lot more fun, but has also helped me communicate with myself on a much more honest level.

View this as a communal struggle

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I saved the most important tip for last. Yes, meditating and all of the work you can do on your own is crucial. But one of the most suffocating aspects of struggling with body image is that we all think it's our own dirty little secret. If you're anything like me, you probably even feel stupid, guilty or embarrassed of having these "trivial" thoughts to begin with. You may even feel that if you don't have a full-blown eating disorder you don't deserve to talk about the ups and downs of your relationship with food and your body.

In fact, you must talk about it -- not just for yourself, but also for other women. Talking to your friends about body image, and asking about their own experience, is crucial for destigmatizing what I believe is still very much taboo: Most of us are, on some level, struggling with this.

I'll never forget one day here last year at Bustle, when we had our first company headshots taken. Looking at the digital images that day, I felt particularly awful about the way I looked. But instead of just keeping it inside, I admitted to my coworkers Meredith and Alex that I was feeling bad -- and they chimed in with relief that they had been feeling annoyed about their pictures too. The joy we felt at sharing how we were actually feeling was palpable. So, naturally, we decided to take a whole bunch of flattering selfies on (once again) Photobooth.

I felt not only beautiful, but also empowered: We had taken our own image back.

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Talk to your friends about this stuff and you'll quickly find that they too are probably struggling to figure out what a healthy relationship with their body looks like. After all, things have gotten mighty tangled: Because the language of female perfection has in many ways shifted from "being skinny" to being "healthy," it can often feel as if we're the only ones for whom "being healthy" doesn't actually feel very healthy at all.

Every time we give another woman permission to talk about her experience openly, we reclaim a little power from a society that tells us we should just grin and juice cleanse it.

And that, much like my reflection in the mirror, is a beautiful thing.

More from Bustle:

Yes, Men Struggle With Body Image Issues, Too: Here's My Story

Is Picky Eating an Eating Disorder? Living With Selective Eating Disorder and No Vegetables

Thyroid Symptoms in Women are Hard to Catch, But They Sure Messed Up My Life

Images: Tumblr, The New Yorker

The Moment I Stopped Being Perfect: What Beauty Really Is

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It's been a long time since I told myself I was beautiful.



I remember in my mid-twenties, when my eyes would meet their reflection in the rear-view mirror of my car -- and I would pause for a second. There was something new -- something compelling -- that caught my attention. Perhaps it was the seedlings of wisdom, or the glimmer of new love, or the changing landscape of my maturing face. Still, that experience is etched in my memory as clear as day. I felt beautiful.



I had been coming into my own back then.



Fast forward a good fifteen years -- and I still catch glimpses of my eyes in the rearview mirror. Except, I'm no longer in my little, green hatchback that carried me through the sweetest -- and roughest -- times of my young adulthood. Rather, it's from the raised, worn-leather seat of my mini-van -- something I never imagined I might own.



My life has shifted its shape significantly since then. I moved up north, married and started a family, and am now raising three children and doing what had begun to take root within my heart way back then.



And yet, in the midst of all of this, I've stopped really seeing my own beauty.



I know it is there. But the truth is that I've become rather attuned to critiquing my outward appearance, as if beauty resides there.



I have to admit that the advent of social media -- like Facebook -- certainly doesn't help. We've created an almost paparazzi way of life where we've become voyeurs into the lives of old acquaintances and friends -- and friends of friends -- and they, in turn, into ours.



I'd like to say that my ego stays in check and that I waste no energy wondering how other women my age appear so youthful and, well, downright gorgeous, when wrinkles seem to be appearing on me with the same fortitude as the blemishes of my adolescence (as do dimples -- and not the cute, cheeky kind either). But I'd be lying.



I've spent many moments staring at another woman in awe of her appearance and then -- somehow -- finding myself feeling less than.



But then, Monday happened.



There I stood at the bathroom vanity, as I've done every day for as long as I can remember. But this time, I held my gaze. I was drawn in -- and what I felt inside was a rising of warmth and love and gratitude.



It encompassed me. And then, without any summoning, the thought arrived: You are beautiful.



And I knew it to be true. There was no questioning, no trying to convince, no boasting, nor angling of any kind to be had. I was listening the wiser part of me -- the woman within who knows what beauty is -- and what it is not.



And it is not what Calvin Klein ads would like us to believe. Instead, it is something that is cultivated within us. It's in the way we carry ourselves and the lenses through which we see the world. It's in the space that we carve out within us so that we are able to let others in.



It's not fleeting or temporary or confined by shape or age. It is immeasurable and knows no rules as to what does and does not qualify.



Because it's something that is evoked within us when we choose to see it.



Someday, I will likely look back on today with a deep longing within my heart. I may scroll through old photos of me -- here, in my 40th year -- and wonder how I ever believed myself to be old or anything less than beautiful.



I will have gained more wisdom -- more life -- by then. And my laugh lines -- and scowl marks -- will be deeper; perhaps seemingly engraved upon my face. There will be more sagging and loosening and finding things where they never used to be. And if I can't quite cover my grey hairs for any length of time right now, surely they will be peering through with even greater stubbornness.



I will be a different kind of beautiful. And I hope that I look deeply enough that I see it. Often.



In the meantime, I sit here now as I write, with tussled hair and a cursory make-up job at best. And while I could scoot upstairs and make myself more presentable for the day before the house comes alive with activity, I'd rather be doing this.



Finding beauty in what already is.



This blog post is part of a series for HuffPost Moments Not Milestones, entitled 'The Moment I Stopped Being Perfect.' To see all the other posts in the series, click here.

Beyonce Dons A Crop Top, Casually Poses Beside A Jet

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It looks like Beyonce is getting in on the crop top trend.

On Sunday, August 3, the star took to Instagram to post a fierce photo of herself -- in which she's casually posing beside a jet. Um, can we say "power"?



In the picture, the singer wears a classy light blue crop top with a beige pencil skirt, and accessorizes with a gold chunky necklace and blue purse.

Beyonce donned this sexy business look just one day after she dropped a surprise remix to hit single "Flawless" with Nicki Minaj. In the song, Beyonce and Minaj address the now infamous elevator incident between Jay-Z and Solange with the line, "Of course sometimes shit goes down when there's a billion dollars on an elevator."

When you're as powerful as Beyonce (see: pencil skirt, jet), there's no doubt, the song suggests, that conflict will sometimes arise in your vast musical empire. But at least with the star's latest chic ensemble, she looks ready to take on whatever might come her way.

Meet The Penn Student Who Started His Own Business Selling Custom College Sunglasses

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Students itching for a cheap pair of Wayfarer sunglasses with their frat's logo on the side have their needs covered thanks to one entrepreneurial 21-year-old.

Daniel Fine, a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and member of the Wharton Venture Initiation Program, launched Glass U in 2012, a company selling foldable Wayfarer style shades branded with university logos and fraternity and sorority letters.

Right now, Glass U is licensed to "most" fraternities and sororities, Fine said, but have glasses in stock online for 16 Greek organizations. Fine said they're licensed for hundreds of universities, and selling glasses for 23 schools online.

"We’ve also worked with events ranging from Lollapalooza to SXSW and The Rose Bowl," Fine told The Huffington Post.




Fine said the company started as a way to claim the idea of custom college logo shades as a brand, rather than people having to Google search for "custom sunglasses." To achieve this brand recognition, he recruited students to be "Glass Gurus" to promote the company on campus. Would-be Gurus can apply online to bring Glass-U to their campus and make cash for doing it.

It's a for-profit company, but Fine wants to keep it socially oriented and plans to soon launch a campaign specifically focused on raising money and awareness for causes.



Anyone who knows Fine would not be very surprised to hear about his success with Glass U, as the co-founder of Team Brotherly Love, an organization that has raised $1.9 million towards Saving Lives and Finding a Cure for those with Juvenile Diabetes. He started it a decade ago after discovering his brother, Jake, had Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes.

Philadelphia Magazine recently named Fine one of their 23 "Best Philadelphians." Philadelphia Magazine noted he also came up with an app called Dosed that helps diabetics sort nutritional info at more than 500 restaurants.

With all of these projects on top of school, Fine admits time is always a challenge, but setting and accomplishing smaller goals along the way is key, he said.

"That said, it's never easy and taking the time to step back and breathe is a necessity," Fine said. "Daily workouts are a must for me. They clear my head and are often where I do my best thinking."

He added: "Another thing that's recently become more important for me is conscious reflection -- thinking about and realizing different successes and failures and understanding the process of why those things occurred. Then trying to implement those realizations into work and life. That doesn't mean going nuts over it, but it is important to think about fairly frequently. I'm far from perfecting this, but it's an area that i'm personally working on improving."

'I Didn't Marry The Love Of My Life'

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By Nancy Lang for YourTango.com

I was 17 and Fred was 24 when we first met. Fred and I belonged to the same synagogue. We were both involved in local musical theatre productions, but had never crossed paths. Instead of randomly meeting at High Holy Day services like many Jewish men and women might, we were divinely united to sing "You Gotta Have Heart" for a temple fundraiser variety show.

Fred had red hair with accompanying adorable freckles. He had a sparkle in his smile, eyes that beamed with each playful thought, and a uniquely infectious laugh that made me melt from the inside out. For many weeks we rehearsed and kibitzed getting to know each other while sharing our love for creating and performing. We harmonized so beautifully that it didn't take long before we had a "heart on" for each other and he asked me out. As love stories go, ours would be right up there with the best them — I just didn't know it at the time.

Fred and I were two peas in a musical theatre pod, sharing not only our love for theatre, but for stand-up comedy, food (from knishes to Thai to his incredible lemon chicken), movies, music, witty conversation — and ultimately for each other. Our age difference was not an issue... until it was. They say timing is everything, and it seemed our time had to come to an end when the college bell rang from 400 miles away, and I needed to explore that stage of my life without him.

A couple years went by, and while I had my share of experiences away at college, I was very homesick for Fred. Somehow we found ourselves talking on the phone again, eventually every night, usually late at night as he was working a graveyard shift for a computer company at the time.

His voice and his wonderful laugh were so comforting. He gave me a sense of calm and a feeling that everything was right with the world. He missed me as well, so we decided to try a long-distance relationship. Not surprisingly, even as strong as our feelings were for each other, it didn't work. Contrary to the long-running commercial, long distance is not the next best thing to being there.

Fred and I attempted reconnecting again a couple years later when I moved back home from college. But again, we were unsuccessful. After much inner conflict, I came to the realization that our relationship wasn't working, ironically, because of the fact that we were both artistic people. Let's just say my vision of a financially secure and comfortable future didn't mesh with the soul I fell in love with. I needed to be with someone who balanced my creative side, providing me with a sense of security. As much as I loved Fred, I felt unstable about a future together, and that hurt and insulted him. After a terrible fight he stormed away, slamming the book shut on what appeared to be the last chapter in our story.

Loving someone and realizing you can't be together is not an easy dilemma. Five years had passed and I still missed him. Even though I had gotten married to someone else (three years after that blowout fight), each year at High Holy Day Services I wondered if I would run into Fred. I would visually scan the entire congregation to see if Fred was there, part of me hoping he would be, the other part terrified of that possibility.

Though our fight had cut off our communication, I knew nothing could sever the connection between us. I felt horrible about the way things had ended. Call it selfish, but I needed closure. I needed to see him and apologize for hurting him. I needed to see my Fred.

After a bit of detective work, I located Fred's phone number and called him, expressing how awful I felt about the way things had ended, and I asked if he'd consider meeting for lunch. I also made sure to mention that I was married and pregnant so he didn't think I had any other agenda. Fred was understandably taken off guard by my call and a bit hesitant, but to my surprise and relief, he agreed to meet.

Seeing him walk into the restaurant made my heart race and calmed my nerves all at the same time. He walked over to me and hugged me as he always had, with such passionate gusto and deep, genuine love, the likes of which I had never felt from anyone. No, not even from my husband. I didn't want to let go. His hugs were worth a thousand words.

We eventually sat down and talked about what had transpired in our lives over the past five years. He had not married, but was doing fine. We discussed our tumultuous breakup and mutually apologized. We agreed that our history and friendship meant too much to let it go, and decided to occasionally meet as friends; and we did for quite a while.

We met for walks on the beach and picnics with knishes in the park. We talked, and more importantly, he listened. He'd tickle the ivories to songs from "Guys and Dolls" and "Les Mis" with his cute, freckly fingers, and we'd sing. After my daughter was born we'd go for Thai food with her in tow. One time the waitress asked if she was our child since we all had red hair. His response was, "No, she's not, but she should be." I knew he wished we had married, but he told me that he never asked because he was afraid I would say no.

There was an undeniable magnetic pull between Fred and me. Being with him was like going home again. When we were together, we were in our own little happy bubble. It felt good to feel happy. After each visit I felt like I had taken a deep satisfying breath, and life was good. I felt seen and heard. I felt important, understood, deeply loved and adored — all the things I didn't feel in my marriage.

Ultimately, and not surprisingly to either of us, reality burst our bubble once again. While our bond was stronger than most people ever feel, we both knew the weak link that caused us to break up the first time was still there, and I needed to concentrate on my marriage, which meant discontinuing our visits. Instead of cutting all ties — which, frankly, would have been the wise thing to do — we decided to occasionally keep in touch by phone.

One day Fred called, his usual upbeat, adoring voice sounding flat, and I knew something was wrong. He was calling to tell me he had lung cancer.

Lung cancer? I had to repeat it to try to process what he had just told me. "No way," I replied in shock. "Way," he said, and we cried together.

Throughout Fred's chemo, I'd visit him in the hospital. I'd lay in his hospital bed with him, and he'd hold me, stroking my face as if to comfort me. One rainy day we were scheduled to meet for lunch. I arrived at the restaurant and waited and waited, but he didn’t show up. I panicked. I called him, and much to my relief, discovered he had fallen asleep. He insisted that he wanted to see me regardless of the weather, and asked me to please wait. As sick as he felt, he drove through the rain to meet me.

I hadn't seen him in a few weeks, and the difference was devastating. He was thin, gaunt and pasty gray. My heart was breaking.

I brought old pictures of us to show him, thinking it would lift his spirits. He shook his head as he reviewed them, asking, "Who is this person? What happened to me?" He looked at me, and his once-sparkling eyes were now rife with angst and frustration, as if he were stuck inside his own body, trying to escape. I kissed him, and then we hugged and sat for a long time holding each other tightly.

Not long after that visit, I got the call from his mom to come say goodbye to Fred. I gently caressed his face with my hand, and he opened his beautiful eyes, which were now at peace, filled with love and tears. "Thank you for being such an important part of my life," I said. I told him that I loved him, and I always would. I asked him to give me a sign once he crossed over to let me know he was okay, and then I kissed his clammy forehead and said goodbye.

For whatever reason, we were not meant to be a couple in this lifetime.

Fred has since given me many signs from beyond letting me know he is with me, and continues to do so, which is very comforting. As we sang together all those years ago, Ya gotta have heart, all you really need is heart.

He will always be in mine, and we will always be together. I miss you, Fred.

This article originally appeared on YourTango.com.

More from YourTango:
Grab Some Tissues: Here Are the 10 Greatest Love Stories of All Time
The Real Reason Why He Won’t Say ‘I Love You’
50 Love Quotes We Absolutely Adore
15 Ways Guys Say ‘I Love You’, Without Actually Saying It
7 Incredible Ways Love Transforms Your Brain

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Megan Fox Rules The 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Red Carpet In Little White Dress

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Megan Fox sure knows how to rock a little white dress.

On Sunday, August 3, the 28-year-old attended the Los Angeles film premiere of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" in a strapless thigh-length number.

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The actress completed the ensemble with black strappy black heels and a tiny metallic clutch.

Fox stars in the latest film reboot of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" franchise as April O'Neil, a reporter who teams up with the four turtles to bring a suffering New York City out of darkness. The actress recently told Entertainment Weekly that in director Jonathan Liebesman's re-envisioning, April has a much more well-rounded, three dimensional personality than she has had in previous iterations.

She’s more of a leader when she explores her relationship with the turtles instead of just the human companion that gets dragged along on the adventure,” she said. “It’s more representative of a modern woman.”

See Megan Fox fight crime with the whole team in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," in theaters August 8.

Hue Series: Blue Eye Makeup For Brown-Eyed Girls

Malia Obama Watches Chance The Rapper At Lollapalooza (PHOTO)

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Turns out R. Kelly wasn't the only famous Chicagoan to drop in on a Sunday night set from Chance The Rapper that closed out this year's Lollapalooza.

First daughter Malia Obama was spotted with three pals -- and two hulking security guards, according to the Sun-Times -- during Chance's performance.

Clad in an on-trend sunflower print romper and sporting a fresh braid, the 16-year-old easily blended in with the rest of the young crowd. Even so, a few attendees spotted the first daughter (who reportedly told several people she wasn't allowed to take pictures with them).

One intrepid audience member did get a snap with Malia in observance of the golden rule of teenage summer fun: Pics or it didn't happen.



Not Deadstock: The Sneaker Head Portrait Project

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Who doesn't love sneakers? I don’t remember my first pair of Stride-Rites, Vans or Keds (all three of which I donned as a young child). I do, however, remember my first pair of Air Jordan I sneakers purchased by my father as a Sr./Jr. matching set. That was followed a few years later with another matching set of Air Jordan IVs. Dad gracefully bowed out of the game in '89 but the seed had been planted. By my mid-elementary years, I was always on the lookout for the newest and freshest during every single trip to the mall.


Everyone has at least a pair of sneakers but some, no doubt, have more than others. Lots more. You can call them sneaker heads, collectors or just downright passionate about kicks, but who are they? What do they look like? What's their shoe size? What dope pair or what childhood memory ignited the flame? Everyone has a story and every story is unique.


I started Not Deadstock aka The Sneaker Head Portrait Project with the idea of photographing passionate sneaker collectors in their absolute favorite pair. The subjects all had interesting anecdotes about their shoes and why they were chosen for the project. One guy’s absolute favorite pair was the signature shoe of his absolute favorite player (Allen Iverson. Mine too). Another guy had finally tracked down some Nike Dunks that he coveted for years and pretty much wore them every day after.

As I began photographing people I’d met on buy/sell/trade groups on Facebook (there’s at least one in every city) and others at sneaker related events, I found that there is no homogeneous group of sneaker collectors. There are writers, firefighters, managers, basketball players, radio hosts and more, of all ages, all sizes and all different tastes in footwear. I want to photograph this amazing cross-section of people all united by one thing. Sneakers.


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Twin Girls' Intricate Braided Hairstyles Are Works Of Art

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No, you're not seeing double.

Jill Ehat has been on her hair game lately. The mother of three, including 6-year-old twin girls, has amassed quite the following on Instagram, where she has been posting photos of her daughters' elaborate hairstyles. Although Jill runs the account, her daughters Hallie and Brighton have stolen the show with their awesome braids, buns, fishtails and more.

According to an Instagram blog, Jill loves braids because the girls are so active, but the sisters like to create styles of their own, too. "They will braid, twist and put in ponytails on anyone that will let them,” she said.

They also take part in an Insta-game called "twinning" where you and another person wear the same style on the same day. From special braids for holidays to an Easter hairdo that must be seen to be believed, we are impressed.





































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Ashley Olsen Spotted With New Older Boyfriend Bennett Miller

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It's becoming pretty clear that the Olsen twins are attracted to a certain type of man -- specifically one who would have graduated high school before they were born.

On Sunday, Aug. 3, Ashley Olsen stepped out with just that kind of man -- her new boyfriend, director Bennett Miller, who at 47 is actually older than sister Mary-Kate's fiance Olivier Sarkozy, who is 45.

Olsen and Miller were spotted as they left the 28-year-old child star-turned-fashion mogul's Manhattan apartment, and sources tell Us Weekly they've been dating since February.

Olsen's latest relationship comes after splitting with Oliver Peoples CEO David Schulte, 44, in January.

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Elle Macpherson Reveals How Her Nickname 'The Body' Really Makes Her Feel

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It's not all that difficult to see why Elle Macpherson was given the nickname "The Body" just a few short years into her career. And now we know how she actually felt about it, too.

The 50-year-old -- yes, really-- supermodel, who continues to grace the covers of countless magazines revealed to HuffPost Live Monday that the name was way more than just an ego-boost. In fact, it has played a huge part in the longevity of her career. She explained:

When the body moniker was born the first thing I thought was: 'How can I capitalize on this?' Because being called 'The Body' just from an ego perspective doesn't really help me live my life. What I thought to myself was 'OK, that is a great name... how can i capitalize on it?' And actually, I've built a brand around that. The Body itself has become a business, and it's very profitable.


When you consider the fact that Macpherson seized the opportunity to be more than just, well, a pretty face and a great body, it's no wonder she has remained one of the most successful models in the business.

Head to HuffPost Live to see the entire interview, and check out the clip above.

Elle Macpherson Has No Advice For Kendall, Is Most Excited About Gisele

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Elle Macpherson was famously dubbed "The Body" in the '90s. Twenty-five years later, her figure still doesn't remotely beg for her to pass the torch, but there is one model she has in mind to inherit the title.

"Who do I think has a great athletic, kind of strong body that appeals to my taste? I would say somebody like Gisele Bündchen," she told HuffPost Live's Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani. "I like what she represents as a woman."

These days, the 50-year-old Australian beauty said she's finding herself more taken with the "insides of people rather than the outsides."

"And the insides of myself!" she added.

Another contender for Elle Macpherson-inspired fame is Kendall Jenner. When asked if she had any advice for the young model, MacPherson said she really wasn't in a position to offer her any.

"Her [Jenner's] circumstances are completely different from mine, so it wouldn't be very wise for me to try to advise anybody up and coming in this business -- because I'm not aware of what their circumstances are," she said. "I'm not one to give advice to anybody. Everybody's lives are different."

Watch Elle Macpherson's full HuffPost Live conversation here.


Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!

The Secret Language of Flowers

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At The Salonniere, we adore flowers. The appeal goes far beyond their beauty and fragrance. Flowers are a historically significant part of human social interaction. In fact, the custom of giving flowers dates back to early civilization, and the earliest known depiction of a mixed arrangement is a mosaic from the early second century at the Roman Emperor Hadrian's villa at Tivoli.

Mythology also blooms with associations between flowers and the gods and goddesses. Remember when Aphrodite's handsome beau, Adonis, was killed by that nasty wild boar? The story goes that a heartbroken Aphrodite used his blood to create the red anemone flower.

Assigning specific meanings to flowers is a tradition that is believed to have begun in Turkey in the 17th century and kept strong through the years by the French and English. During Victorian England, when expressing ones feelings openly was frowned upon, people used flowers as a way of expressing their deepest emotions. Not surprisingly, it was also the time when floriography books - beautiful floral reference books - abounded.

We all know that red roses express love and white lilies are a symbol of purity, but have you ever wondered what message you are sending with other popular flowers? Take a gander at the list below, which offers a garden of opportunities for using posies to proclaim a sentiment.

Throwing a tea to welcome a new friend to the neighborhood? Choose a centerpiece of yellow roses. Hosting an engagement party? Serve a dessert garnished with candied white violets. Yes, they're edible. Gathering the gals for a baby shower? Orchids, of course.

BUTTERCUP - Childishness
CALLA LILY - Magnificent beauty
CAMELLIA - Admiration, perfection and good luck when given to a man
CAMELLIA (WHITE) - Adoration
CHRYSANTHEMUM - Abundance and wealth
DAFFODIL (YELLOW ) - Chivalry
DAHLIA - Dignity and elegance
DAISY - Innocence
FORGET ME NOT - Memories
FREESIA - Innocence
GARDENIA - Secret love
GERBERA - Innocence
HYACINTH (PURPLE) - "Forgive me"
HYACINTH (RED OR PINK) - Playfulness
HYDRANGEA - "Thank you for understanding"
IRIS - Faith and wisdom
IRIS (YELLOW) - Passion
LILAC (GENERAL) - Beauty and pride
LILY (GENERAL) - Majesty and honor
LILY (CALLA) - Beauty
MAGNOLIA - Nobility
MORNING GLORY - Affection
ORCHID - Love, beauty and fertility
PANSY - "You occupy my thoughts"
PEONY - Happy marriage
PETUNIA - "Your presence soothes me"
POPPY (YELLOW ) - Wealth and success
RANUNCULUS - "I am dazzled by your charms"
ROSE (ORANGE) - Fascination
ROSE (YELLOW) - Friendship
SNAPDRAGON - Gracious lady
SWEETPEA - "Thank you for a lovely time"
TULIP (YELLOW) - "There's sunshine in your smile"
VIOLET (WHITE) - "Let's take a chance on happiness"
ZINNIA (MAGENTA) - Lasting Affection

Have something special to say? Follow the age-old tradition and let flowers do the talking.

The Bohemian Vibe at Penn State University

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"We Are...Penn State!" As all past, present and future Penn Staters know, this is the chant that makes the school. Anytime the cheer is starting, Nittany Lions everywhere know the response and say it back loud and proud. Heard on campus and off, the famous "We Are" cheer has been the face of, in my opinion, the greatest school on Earth.

Due to this everlasting chant, the Penn State population is notorious for our school spirit. We stand by our school and are some of the best fans in rural Pennsylvania and beyond. Nothing compares to seeing the sea of white and blue that lines the stands of Beaver Stadium come game day. We are proud of our school and that can definitely be seen through the numerous Penn State apparel all students are rockin'.

While the school spirit is great to see on a daily basis, the diversity in campus fashion is what I truly love. Being a fashion fanatic, I am always in awe of the different types of personalities that people on campus express through their clothing. From boys in corduroys and Vans, to the trendsetting gals rockin' Dr. Martens and knee-highs, those at Penn State are no fools when it comes to style.

The Fashionisto pictured here is a perfect representation of the fashion flare seen at Happy Valley. With his relaxed, bohemian vibe, it is clear that he isn't sweating the quickly approaching fall semester. What really caught my eye about his look was his play up on a somewhat casual and plain, denim button-down. He could have taken the easy way out and matched it with a solid colored V-neck, or buttoned it completely leaving the option for an article underneath off the table. However, he chose to make the outfit his own and worked around the button-down, using it as his starting point.

He decided to make the look stand out through a graphic tank top. I have always been a huge fan of T-shirts sporting legendary rock bands and super cool images. The fact this his fit my standards, but took them to another level through being a tank top, made this look a definite win. A tank top is a great option for college boys, especially in the beginning of the year when walking to class in the heat is less than ideal. I think all of us Penn State attending students can agree that the walk from the Hub to the Forum building come late August is sometimes unbearable.

This Fashionisto's tank is of an Aztec-looking pattern made into a clawed paw print, bringing a little bit of an edgy feel to the laid back, hippie pattern. The tank allows the button-down to act as a nice accent to the look and the two paired together work in harmony almost perfectly. To keep the tank as the main focus of the look, he made the rest of it rather simple. By matching boot-cut khakis with a pair of slip on, tan sandals, he succeeded at keeping all eyes on his awesome tank top.

It is clear that this Fashionisto not only likes to look good, but he without a doubt knows how to. He is confident on what pieces to pair together and he does it with ease. While most girls on campus are seen star struck at a frat boy in a Polo shirt and Sperry Top-Siders, this is the type of guy that catches my eye. So, whether you are a Penn State fan or not, I think we can all give my school a round of applause and a solid A+ when it comes to fashion.

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Allie DeBor is a rising junior at Penn State University studying Public Relations with a double minor in Business and Psychology. While residing in her hometown of Pittsburgh, she spent the summer interning at Pittsburgh Magazine while maintaining her roles as a Style Guru and recent editor for CollegeFashionista as well. Fashion obsessed since she was little, she hopes to make her dreams of working in the fashion industry come true post-graduation. She has been with CollegeFashionista for two semesters, and is excited to continue interning for them in the fall.

Rihanna's New Viva Glam Campaign For MAC Is Bold, Beautiful And Very Green

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It's safe to say we're obsessed with every campaign Rihanna is a part of. But her latest collaboration with MAC has us green with envy.

rihanna mac viva glam 2

Taking to Twitter this afternoon to unveil her second Viva Glam MAC collaboration, the green-haired beauty shocked fans with a neon wig and green leather outfit.

As MAC revealed on their website, they've partnered with the songstress on a frosted metallic mauve lipstick and lipgloss for the collaboration. Citing Rihanna's "fearless, confident style," we can't think of a better person to lead such a bold campaign.

The lipstick for Viva Glam Rihanna II will come in warm mauve with silver frost, while the lipgloss will be a cool mauve with red frost. Priced at $16 and $15 each, it's probably the closest (and cheapest) you can get to covering Rihanna's ever-changing look.

rihanna mac viva glam 2

There's another reason to make like RiRi and get icy -- in keeping with their past promise, MAC said all profits from Viva Glam Rihanna II will go to "helping women and children living with and affected by HIV/AIDS."

Judging from RiRi's frosty lips, the beautiful packaging for the products and the proceeds going to a great cause -- we're pining for the September 11th reveal date already.

See Who Got Married This Weekend!

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Congratulations go out to all of our readers who tied the knot this weekend and started off August with a bang! Check out some of their beautiful celebrations below:





If you go to a wedding or get married yourself, tweet a photo to @HuffPostWedding or email it to us afterwards so we can feature it on the site!

Check out more of this week's Real Weddings photos in the slideshow below:



Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Weddings on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Sign up for our newsletter here.

This Is How Sleep (Or, Lack Of It) Really Affects Your Looks

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We've all seen the headlines about how not sleeping enough harms your looks.

But while it's one thing to vaguely know the truth, it's another entirely to see it in front of you.

In this video from BuzzFeed Blue, a group of sleep-deprived people get a hard dose of reality when they get a taste of what they'd look like after 20 years of skimping on sleep -- with the help of some talented makeup artists.

You'll have to judge for yourself, but this video definitely inspires us to get our shut-eye every night.

7 Quick Tips to Map Your Midsummer Madness Makeover

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Midsummer madness can involve any number of interesting events or life changes -- a last-minute romantic vacation splurge, a BFF spontaneous road trip, a cross-country move for your dream job or the monumental first fall semester at college -- and all involve some sort of beauty prep work, makeover or packing of essential beauty items. These plans often trigger instant panic or fuel our desperate desire for a mini or even maxi overhaul in the beauty department. But it is possible to roll with the madness (and get great results), with a little planning. . . .

1. Get a game plan.
Whether you have 3 hours or 3 days to whip up your new image, pause and assess your needs so you can assimilate your makeover action plan. Make a list of what you need to do or what you'd like to accomplish -- writing it down will give you clarity and focus. Next, pull out your calendar and book time for yourself.

2. Consider one-stop shopping.
While I prefer to do as much DIY as I can, my favorite technique is to call and book into a salon that does it all. In a pinch you can hit the mall -- most usually offer a variety of walk-in welcome salons, stores and kiosks to accommodate even the most challenging grooming and product needs. Try chain stores like Sephora, Ulta, Target and Kohl's (all also available online) -- you'll be surprised what you'll find there.

3. Collect as you go.
Remember to pick up travel-size beauty samples at your cosmetics counter when you're out and about. You can find everything from eye-remedy creams and serums to mini-mascaras and travel-friendly hair products; I keep a Ziploc bag of my faves in my bathroom cabinet, that way, when I get whisked away on a last-minute business trip or my son's volleyball tournament six hours' away, I don't need to shop -- I'm always ready to go.

4. Try a house call.
Ask your local salon if its staff makes house calls -- it's a super-convenient option, even if it costs a bit more. Another trendy, up-and-coming beauty option is to call in the professionals from Vensette.com, an on-demand beauty service that makes same-day office visits and house calls in record time. The best news is you can book online or through the service's mobile app.

5. Shop online.
Check your favorite beauty apps and fashionista sites for inspiration. Consider ordering your everyday items (makeup sponges, brushes) in kits or in bulk. I always use the online beauty site frendsbeauty.com; they deliver overnight or the same day if you are local. Ask for samples, travel-size beautification elixirs and short-order to-go potions or have them throw in small refillable bottles. Ordering online also allows you to have extra time and energy for last-minute wardrobe incentives or accessories (or just an afternoon nap or extra Pilates class).

6. Think fresh.
Whether it's a new mani/pedi, a full-body scrub, spray tan or if you're simply trying out a few new bronzers and glosses -- go with the glow and do what feels good to you this summer. And don't skip the basics that can help get make any trip, event or new job effortless: the necessary lash and brown arch, the perfect trim, a twisted knot, braided bun or chic blow out. Even a few extra naturally adhered lashes make all the difference in the world.

7. Mix and match.
Your whole goal here is to map out a detailed list of your beauty must-dos and manage your makeover in minutes. So don't forget to mix and match: inexpensive with that must-have item; time-consuming treatments with "quick fixes"; salon treatments with DIY home remedies.

The key is to have fun -- enjoy your makeover with minimal madness no matter what your motives are. The ultimate solution to a new and better you is minutes away.

Nicole Cothrun Venables is a Hollywood stylist with two dozen films and television shows to her credit. Her interviews and beauty articles have appeared in Elle, InStyle, Women's World and Los Angeles.

Manners in Our Digital World

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Bad manners seem to be everywhere! Whether it's dinner guests fielding phone calls in the middle of a meal, drivers playing chicken for parking spaces, or the idiot on the subway clipping his toenails, we are one unmannered bunch.

We Babes interviewed Henry Alford, author of Would It Kill You To Stop Doing That: A Modern Guide to Manners, to get his take on whether our manners have gotten worse....or just changed with the times. Henry is a regular contributor to The New York Times and Vanity Fair, and is the author of three other acclaimed works of "investigative humor." Here's his take on today's rude behavior.

Cell Phone TMI

Rude cell phone users seems to be the bane of the mannered. While sitting on the subway, or cooling our heals in the grocery check-out line, do we really need to know about a stranger's acid reflex issues or that the boyfriend hooked up with someone else while drunk last night???? TMI!

Facebook Postings

And what about those rude people that post Facebook picture of parties, with all their nearest and dearest friends having a rollicking good time. Did our invitation get lost in the mail... again?!

Drug Store Restraint

Did you know that it's polite to practice "drug store restraint?" For example, if you see your neighbor at the local pharmacy buying hemorrhoid cream, it's probably best not to make a beeline towards them to chat. Henry suggests we head quickly to another aisle, thereby leaving your neighbor with his dignity intact.

"Reply All"

If you want to be seen as mannerly in the office -- please don't hit the "reply all" key when responding to a group e-mail with non-essential comments like "great" "thanks" or the worst, "Have a nice day." Henry says this is like a "pixilated version of a styrofoam peanut!"

It Really Has Gotten Better

Finally, even though Henry complains a lot about the modern day unmannered, he says our manners have definitely improved, especially from the era of the 17th century German Christmas revelers. When their dinner parties really got going, and the spirits were flowing, guests would throw dog turds at one another, just for fun. Now that behavior would be considered downright rude -- in any century!
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