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Fed-Up Comedian Has The Perfect Solution To Absurd Wedding Costs

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Wedding expenses got you down? Is the thought of shelling out your hard-earned cash for "Mr. and Mrs." napkins driving you insane?

Stand-up comedian Scott Schendlinger feels your pain and has a solution to one of the most frustrating and expensive parts of wedding planning: the invitations.

"When you tell someone you're getting married, they know they can just screw you insanely. We wanted to get invitations -- you want to know what invitations are? I'll tell you ... invitations are pieces of paper with words," he says.

Suffice it to say, when he was charged $2000 for "words on paper," Schendlinger wasn't thrilled.

Watch the video above to find out his spot-on fix.

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




Why I Want My Sons to See Me Naked

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I live with a houseful of boys: four, to be exact. But they're still relatively young -- so there are no nudie mags stashed between mattresses, no stealthily-accessed porn sites that someone forgot to erase out of the Internet history, nothing like that. As much as I'd love to think my kids won't be curious, I'm well aware that won't be the case: those things are looming and will probably start happening much sooner than I'd like. (I mean, if I had my druthers, they wouldn't even think about sex until they were like 25.)

But before all that happens -- before they're exposed to boobs that are as round and firm as cantaloupes and pictures of taut, airbrushed, dimple-less butts -- I'm exposing them to a different kind of female body.

Mine.

Ours is not a modest household. I don't lounge around in the buff like my boys do (and I spend more time saying, "Put on some pants!" than anything else) -- but I've never refrained from changing clothes in front of them, or leaving the door open when I shower, or nursing babies without a cover. Because I want them to see what a real female body looks like. Because if I don't -- and their first images of a naked woman are the impossibly perfect physiques in those magazines or those movies -- what kind of expectations will they have? And what woman could ever live up to them?

Between you and me, I'm dismayed, big time, by my post-baby body. But for the sake of my boys -- and my future daughters-in-law -- I lie through my teeth. When they ask about my stretch marks, I tell them proudly how growing a baby is hard work, and that they're like badges I've earned (gaming references always hit home with dudes, no matter what you're explaining). As much as I'd like to cringe and shrink away when they touch my squishy belly, I let them squeeze my flab between their curious fingers. Do I hate it? Yes. I want to wail, "Leave my fat alone!" and run for the nearest oversized T-shirt (or, like, the nearest liposuction clinic).

But I don't. Because for right now, for these few formative years, my flab is their one and only perception of the female body. And I want them to know that it's beautiful, even in its imperfection.

2014-09-11-Templetons.jpg



I tell them how strong my body is. They see me work out. They see me make healthy food choices, but still indulge my love of baked goods. And though -- like most women -- I might inwardly beat myself up over my jeans getting too tight, or groan in frustration at the numbers on the scale, I'm never anything but proud of my body in front of my boys. Even when I feel the complete opposite inside. Instilling a positive body image is not an issue reserved for people with daughters -- and for boys, it involves not only making them confident about their own bodies, but also letting them know that real is beautiful when it comes to the opposite sex.

I don't want to do them, or any women they might happen to see naked in the future, the disservice of telling them that saggy boobs are bad or that a little bit of flab is something to be ashamed of. I want them to know that this is the norm, not the nipped-tucked-and-digitally-enhanced images they're going to be bombarded with. Sure, they'll gawk at those bouncy boobies and flat stomachs and perky butts... but I have hope that, deep down inside, they'll know that isn't the standard to which they should hold women's bodies. Like, ever.

There will come a time when I cover up when they're around. I'm sure at some point I'll hear, "Ugh, Mom, put some clothes on!" or that they'll learn to knock before barging into the bathroom (which sounds heavenly -- I'm not gonna lie). But until then, I'll let them run their fingers along my stretch marks, and grin and bear it when they squeal with delighted laughter at the way my butt jiggles when I walk across the room to grab a towel. Because while they're young, I want to plant the seed -- so that when they're older, and their wives say, "I wish my thighs were smaller," my sons can say, "They're perfect just the way they are."

And mean it.



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The One Person Who Rachel Zoe Really Wants To Wear Her Clothes

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Most fashion week events involve a circus of photographers, security, limited seating and a packed venue. But leave it to Rachel Zoe to take a different approach to her 2015 Spring/Summer presentation. Zoe's latest collection was shown in the penthouse of the Soho Grand hotel, with cocktails, food and one of the prettiest views of New York City.

We got to chat with the stylist-cum-designer at her presentation about what inspires her, who she would most like to see in her clothes and whether she prefers New Balances or Birkenstocks. Here's what we learned:

HuffPost Style: What was the inspiration behind the collection?

Rachel Zoe: You know what, it's that jet-set girl. It's that girl on the go. She dreams of gallivanting all over Europe and abroad and even if she's not, that's where she is in her mind. And you know, she's a city girl, but she's going to the south of France and Marrakesh. You know it's always that '60s, '70s glamour influence but modern and a little bit tough -- very luxe bohemia kind of thing.

HP: Why did you decide to do a presentation this season instead of a traditional runway show?

RZ: I took off last season because I had my second son and then just coming back in, with all the changes with location -- downtown and uptown and Lincoln Center -- I just said, you know what, I kind of want to go back and talk to people and be more intimate and be more interactive with people and the clothes and see how I like it this way. Any maybe I'll go back, I don't know. I always like people to come, have a drink, have something to eat, talk about clothes, look at the girls, that kind of thing.

HP: Who would you love to see wearing your clothes?

RZ: Kate Middleton. I want Kate Middleton to wear my clothes. I made this for her [gestures to her low-cut jumpsuit and laughs]. No, I'm kidding.

HP: You live in Los Angeles but show your collection in New York. In your opinion, how is the style different in each city?

RZ: They're so different and I'm this very weird hybrid of both places. I am because yesterday I was wearing this Moroccan caftan and today I'm in a tux jumpsuit. I think as a designer, that's how I think. I think of women who live all over the world and how they live their lives and I think LA is a much more casual city, much more relaxed and New York, you know, it's got more of an edge, it's more tailored and polished, and you know heavier, for lack of a better term. Heavier meaning you're wearing jackets all the time, all year -- although I try to do that in LA, even when it's really hot, because I love coats.

HP: Okay, I'm going to ask you a few rapid fire questions.

RZ: Oh god.

HP: New Balances or Birkenstocks?

RZ: Birkenstocks.

HP: Crop-tops or off-the-shoulder tops?

RZ: Off-the-shoulder.

HP: Online shopping or going to a store?

RZ: Shopping in store when I have time, online most of the time.

HP: Normcore or couture?

RZ: Both -- couture.

HP: New York Fashion Week or Paris Fashion Week?

RZ: Not a fair question.

Check out the entire collection below:

Iggy Azalea's Rep Slams Sex Tape Allegations (UPDATE)

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Reps for Iggy Azalea slammed reports that the 24-year-old Australian rapper ever made a sex tape.

“It is categorically not Iggy Azalea in the video in question. She has never been involved in any sexually explicit recordings," Azalea's rep wrote in an email to HuffPost Entertainment.

Azalea's rep denied such a video exists following a TMZ report that Vivid Entertainment reached out to the rapper to negotiate "what could be a multi-million dollar deal," though the company was also told it was not the musician in the footage it had obtained.

Just two weeks ago, nude photos of many celebrities -- including Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Upton -- were hacked from their iCloud accounts and shared online.


UPDATE: Iggy herself took to Twitter today to further slam rumors regarding the alleged sex tape.




















The Bags Under My Eyes Are Not Chanel: Treating The Baggy-Eyed Blues With Patchology

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Fashion Week is heavy on street style, jam packed with fun events... and totally exhausting.

Between running back and forth to shows during the day and sipping on cocktails at night, the week-and-a-half long sartorial soiree can really take a toll on you...and by you I mean your face.

I don't typically have under-eye bags, but when I woke up Wednesday morning after covering a super-swanky event that didn't even begin until 9:00 p.m. (more on that another time), there they were: Puffy, purple bags in all their glory. I needed a remedy, and I needed it fast.

droopy eyes

We first found out about Patchology Energizing Eye Patches backstage at the Tracy Reese show (where even Tracy herself was spotted wearing them). I was instantly intrigued and decided to give it a spin.

patchology

What is it?

Patchology Energizing Eye Patches are described as being "a re-charging station" for the skin below your eyes. According to the package and the website, use of the patches in conjunction with an accompanying energizing gel result in fresher, healthier-looking skin. If it was good enough for the models at Fashion Week (who are working 15-hour-days and running all around the city). then it was good enough for me.

How I used it:

I woke up and showered as usual, washed my face with Purity facewash and patted dry. I then peeled each patch from its plastic adhesive and was surprised its stickiness. I worried that they would end up feeling glued to my face, but once I applied the accompanying gel to the patch, they felt smoother.

patches

I stuck one under each eye and continued getting ready, putting 20 minutes on my alarm clock. At first it felt uncomfortable to look around (they rest very closely to your eyeballs, after all). I got dressed, brushed my hair and made breakfast all while letting the patches do their thing. There was just enough of a cool, tingling sensation for it to still feel good and not burn.

When I first took the patches off, there was a clear mark on my face where they had just spent the last twenty minutes. The sticky substance came off with the provided wipes, and as soon as I started to apply my bronzer, the marks faded. Not only did the area around my eyes look a little brighter, I actually felt more energized, too. I still drank a coffee though, because let's be real.

jamie

Rating: 4 out of 5. These patches are great every once in a while, but twenty minutes is a large chunk of time in the morning, and these are not exactly the kind of things you can wear at your desk. Still, the refreshing feeling alone is worth giving these a try.

Try the patches for yourself by visiting the Patchology website, Neiman Marcus or Bergdorf Goodman.

Have you discovered any amazing under-eye treatments? Share in the comments section!

Patchology provided samples of their Energizing Eye Patches for review purposes.

New York Fashion Week Trends That Work On The Runway AND In Your Home

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As New York's Spring 2015 Fashion Week comes to an end, it's time to take stock of all the trends we can expect to see come spring and, more importantly, what they might look like if we brought them into our homes.

Check out the runway-inspired accents we rounded up below and start giving your home a stylish update that even Anna Wintour would approve of.




Oversized Polka Dots


As inspired by Marc By Marc Jacobs
polka dots
Flatware, One Kings Lane; Desk Chair, Pottery Barn Teen





All-White Everything


As inspired by Nonoo
all white
Pendant Lamp, Domino; Agate Box, One Kings Lane





Sportswear


As inspired by Alexander Wang
sportsware
Side Table, Domino; Dining Chair, Houzz





Gingham


As inspired by Altuzarra
gingham
Throw Pillow, Hayneedle; Pendant Lamp, Houzz





Linen


As inspired by Victoria Beckham
linen
Tea Towels, One Kings Lane; Stool, Domino





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Are you an architect, designer or blogger and would like to get your work seen on HuffPost Home? Reach out to us at homesubmissions@huffingtonpost.com with the subject line "Project submission." (All PR pitches sent to this address will be ignored.)

This Is The Raddest Nail Art From New York Fashion Week

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The Blonds have a knack for turning up the heat at New York Fashion Week. The big, big hair and innovative silhouettes are intensified by the always-legendary nail art, done by CND.

We got a backstage look at what goes into CND's process and how the next-level manicures complement designers David and Phillipe Blond's out-of-this-world vision. Jan Arnold, CND co-founder and style director, told us about the specific looks that were inspired by the clothes that hit the runway.

melting wax

The outfits and manicures were part of a collaborative effort between the CND design team and The Blonds. "Our creative process really involves connecting with David and Phillipe, we go through every single piece in the collection," Arnold said. Afterwards, the CND artists sketched rough nail art concepts that served as blueprints for the show.

Although fashion designers typically determine which types of manicures go down the runway, The Blonds encouraged CND to test its imagination. "The guys are just like, 'Go for it, do whatever you think is right,' which is kind of cool because they trust us," Arnold said. Given the creative freedom, there have been seasons when David and Phillipe didn't see the nails for the first time until the day of the actual show.

Of course, the nail art showcased at The Blonds show is definitely in the category of "don't try this at home," but at least the picturesque designs can inspire us to go outside the boundaries of a standard manicure. Check out how CND prepared for fashion week in the video above, and scroll down to learn more about the blood, sweat and tears behind the handmade designs that took over 500 hours to make.

closer dagger bleeding heart

new dagger

"So this is a heart against plaid, with a blood chain and pearl stripping. The chain was actually hand created using liquid and powder and then it’s smoothed and filed. Practically every product in our product line was used to create this one look, which is amazing."


closer corset nails

corset example

"I love the rose gold chains -- there’s actually a corset that almost looks exactly like this nail so we were really inspired by the shape of the corset and the length of the chains."

rose petal nails one

blow roses

"These roses are interesting --- a rose will be on each nail and the model will create a full rose with her hand -- and will throw petals into the audience. Nails have become a part of the performance art and with The Blonds, we’re so connected -- we’re like artistic soul mates. We love that they allow us to push the boundaries of our unrivaled artistry."

Keira Knightley Gets Completely Windblown On The Red Carpet, Takes It Like A Champ

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You can plan a glamorous outfit, but you can't predict the weather.

Keira Knightley learned that the hard way when she -- along with a thunderstorm -- hit the red carpet at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 10. Despite the bad weather, Knightley posed for photos instead of ducking for cover. The 29-year-old was all smiles as her navy blue dress, embroidered with black beads and a chic black overlay, blew violently in the wind:

keira knightley

keira knightley

Whelp, that's one way to achieve that windblown look.

Cosmetology Rules Show Absurdity of Occupational Licensing

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Your stylist has to get government permission to cut your hair. That's true no matter what state you live in.

In West Virginia cosmetologists must go through 467 days of training and pay $185 before they can receive a state license to operate legally, according to a report from the nonpartisan Institute for Justice.

Alabama charges aspiring cosmetologists $275 in fees and requires 350 days of training in exchange for a state license, according to the report.

Occupational licenses cost time and money, and more than 1,000 occupations are subject to regulation in at least one state across the country, according to a 2007 Reason Foundation report.

Under America's vast occupational-licensing systems, the perception is that a piece of government-issued paper proves that a person is capable of working in his or her respective trade or profession. But in reality many government-issued licenses are simply hoops through which individuals must jump before they can start to make a living. These hoops provide a hefty revenue source for government but do little besides pose a barrier to entry for people wanting to start out in their chosen field. And often the rules for each profession don't match up with the level of safety required to perform the job well.

In Wisconsin becoming a cosmetologist takes 15 times the amount of training that it takes to become an emergency medical technician, or EMT, according to the Institute for Justice report. Nationwide cosmetologists spend an average of 372 days to get a license, whereas the average EMT spends just 33 days.

Increasingly, going into business for yourself or embarking on a new career doesn't just require setting up shop and acquiring the necessary skills for success. It's about paying fees and meeting arbitrary government requirements. The Reason Foundation report noted that 20 percent of the workforce needed to obtain a license to work as of 2007. In the 1950s that number stood at about 4.5 percent. And since licenses are often difficult and expensive to obtain, professionals already working in a given field feel less pressure from new competition.

Many cosmetologists already seek certification outside government to gain added expertise, skill and value for the customers. Esthetics companies such as Aveda and Redken offer tiered educational and achievement programs that serve as a benchmark for professional expertise. And some stylists operate outside the system altogether, running salons out of their homes and hauling in a healthy income.

Customers recognize talent and results. Finding a great stylist is often difficult, but once customers find someone they trust and who does a good job, they tend to be loyal. Having a government license has nothing to do with that.

Actually, Vogue, The Era Of The Big Booty Began A Long Ass Time Ago

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Middlebrow is a recap of the week in entertainment, celebrity and television news that provides a comprehensive look at the state of pop culture. From the rock bottom to highfalutin, Middlebrow is your accessible guidebook to the world of entertainment. Sign up to receive it in your inbox here.

mid

Well, it happened: Vogue discovered big booties. In a post earlier this week, they declared that we are "officially in the era of the big booty" ... With "J.Lo to thank (or blame)." Absurd, yes, but when you get done face palming yourself, there's something really icky there. The post skips around the obvious racial overlay with the dexterity of a cricket playing hopscotch. And if refusing to directly acknowledge women of color wasn't offensive enough, the idea of a body type trend piece is as troubling as the ready image of several tiny, white models debating the merits of large behinds. If moving past the thin ideal means fetishizing body types to the point that they are "en vogue," we've missed a step on the path to body positivity. Having and embracing big butts is not "new" just because you've never seen them on a runway.

vogue

There's a lot to unpack here, so let's start with the fact of discussing the "big booty" without referencing women of color. To do so "perpetuates the idea that curves are new, trendy, covetable accessories, thereby dismissing women of color whose curves existed long before it was fashionable to have them, and whose bodies have been critiqued throughout history" (as Carimah Townes wrote for Think Progress in response to Vanity Fair's Jen Selter story). Author of the Vogue piece, Patricia Garcia, even goes so far as to include Miley Cyrus in the movement, saying she "proved you didn't need to have a large butt to become a part of the conversation." It's bad enough to ignore African American and Latino women who have proudly been part of this butt "conversation" since the dawn of humanity. Giving credit to an individual who actively accessorizes herself with these women is just irresponsible.

Probably the most egregious aspect of the whole thing is that Vogue alleges a big butt is something women have been required to try to get rid of. "For years it was exactly the opposite," Garcia writes. "A large butt was not something one aspired to, rather something one tried to tame in countless exercise classes." That statement buys so whole-heartedly into the idea of a societally dictated body type it should make you want to drown in an over-priced kale smoothie. In spite of Vogue's lack of approval, there are plenty of women who have not spent all previous decades aspiring to whittle themselves down via Soul Cycle.

Overall, the daunting reality is that what's most visible in pop culture -- on our magazine covers, television shows and runways -- often becomes the desired look. The way Vogue participates in this (i.e. that they feel they should be applauded for discovering that other bodies exist in 2014) is hugely problematic. Their role in culture contributes to and reflects a very real (and totally myopic) world view. All of the white people who think twerking is a 2013 invention also probably see the celebration of big booties as a newfound thing, because it is suddenly being embraced and recognized by white culture. That sucks, and we can (and should) make fun of it, but maybe there's a glimmer of hope in all the offensive ridiculousness at play here.

We don't need Vogue to believe in big booties for them to exist. We don't need Vogue's acknowledgement of any body part or type. That's the real power of J.Lo's role as a "trailblazing butt girl," as Garcia called her. She represents not just the glory of her backside, but the confident presentation of a form that falls far outside the size zero standard. Reducing that to the idea that a specific body part is something that's really hot right now just creates one more box for women to be placed in and ignores the value of all other bodies. That's precisely the kind of thinking we need to break from in order to truly be free of the unrealistic images we've been bombarded with since the premiere issue of Vogue. Body diversity is important whether the aesthetic ideals of the fashion world choose to acknowledge diverse bodies or not. Anyone who doesn't understand that is welcome to kiss our big, small and medium-sized butts.

Follow Lauren Duca on Twitter: @laurenduca

Kylie Jenner Tries On Fall's Mod Beauty Trends

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Take one look at Kylie Jenner’s Instagram account, and it’s clear that she’s mastered the selfie and is well-aware of which angles best display her genetically blessed features, like that bee-stung pout and perfect bone structure. “It’s all about good lighting, usually by a window with diffused light, and finding your best angles,” says Jenner. “Just take a bunch of photos, you can always erase.” But for a refreshing change, Jenner stepped away from her own camera and let us do all the picture-taking at our ‘60s mod-inspired Byrdie feature shoot.

Miley Cyrus Shares A Naked Photo From The Shower, Surprises No One

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By now we're all well aware that Miley Cyrus is pretty comfortable being naked. Whether she's nude on the cover of Rolling Stone or topless in the middle of nowhere, the 21-year-old isn't shy when it comes to baring it all.

So it should come as no surprise that Cyrus provided her 12 million Instagram followers with a glimpse of herself in the shower. The ever-eloquent singer captioned the photo: "FUCK YEAH PUERTO RICAN SHOWER #showeringinnatureisdashitmane."



That's a strategically placed heart if we've ever seen one.

This Guy Staged An Elaborate Fake Wedding To Propose To His Girlfriend

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As the CEO of LJDJs Event Design & Entertainment in New Jersey, Jack Bermeo has been to countless weddings. So when it came time to pop the question to his girlfriend Sophia, he incorporated his area of expertise into the elaborate proposal -- by staging an entirely fake wedding.

In the video above, Sophia notices Jack getting oddly emotional during the pretend couple's first dance. Jack whispers in her ear and explains that the event is actually for her, as family, friends and the couple's son enter the room.

"Honey, you cant do this right here," she says, still under the impression that he's proposing at another couple's wedding.

Slowly she realizes what's happening and her answer, of course, is a resounding "yes!"

"We complement each other," Sophia says in the video. "I always felt like nobody gets me. I'm very strange and awkward, but he gets me. We can be free in front of each other. And he's an awesome dad. That's the cool part -- I know we did things backwards, but to see him in that role, I don't know, it just makes it that much sweeter. It's a beautiful thing."

h/t Elite Daily

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Model Confidential: Maggie Rizer Takes Us Backstage At Michael Kors

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Our latest Model Confidential is with American model and actress Maggie Rizer. We were lucky enough to sit down with Maggie while she prepared to make her return to the runway and open one of the most highly anticipated shows of the season -- Michael Kors. Find out Maggie's thoughts on returning to the runway, her must-have accessory for fall and more -- including her exclusive backstage snaps -- in the interview below:

This was your first NYFW show in over a decade. What was it like returning to the runway for one of the biggest shows of the season?

Walking in one of Michael's shows is so comfortable, I'd honestly forgotten it had been so long! You can always be sure he will make you look gorgeous and chic and that the clothes will be stunning.

What were your thoughts on the collection? Any favorite pieces?

I love the navy and yellow combination! The two-piece outfits (tops and skirts) were also a favorite. I could definitely see myself wearing that out.

maggie rizer

What did you do to prep before the runway?

I shopped! If it's good for the US economy, it's good for me!

What's the best makeup tip you've ever gotten from a makeup artist backstage at a show or on a shoot?

Brush your eyebrows up! It opens your whole face up. That and don't overdo it. Too much makeup isn't necessarily a good thing. In fact, it's often not.

How do you thrive during Fashion Week? What ways do you find peace or Zen during all of the chaos?

I make sure to keep things in balance. Life may be fabulous backstage and on the runway, but I love going home to my boys. If you get too into the glam of it all, it's easy to get burnt out, at least for me!

What is your must-have fashion and/or accessory for fall?

My new gorgeous Michael Kors bag!

What is your off-duty uniform or go-to look?

Great jeans, a good black T, Rick Owens black leather jacket, and Fiorentini and Baker black boots.

What's the one thing about the fashion/modeling industry that you wish you knew when you were first starting out?

That it's an amazing industry filled with some of the kindest and most genuine people you could ever meet. It's not as scary as it appears!

More on Modelinia.com:

5 Things You Need to Know from NYFW Day 7

#NYFW Day 7

The Definition of Beauty for Black Women Is Still in Flux -- Why?

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In the 40 years since I was the first woman of color to appear on the cover of American Vogue, things in the fashion realm have gone through a world of change. And yet at the same time -- unfortunately -- many things have remained the same. As I wrote just last year, the absence of black runway models in high fashion is stark, and it is really startling and troubling to me.



The notion of what is beautiful in black women is still a source of great debate in popular culture; just look at the recent casting call for a movie about the trailblazing rap group N.W.A. The call sheet asked women to "grade" themselves, from A through D, using such criteria as skin color, waist size and hair type. The "A"s were the women who had a model-like build, light complexion and long hair.



By their scale, Beyoncé would rate only a "B" grade! Sure, "B" is for beautiful and Beyoncé, but I don't think there are many who would argue that Bey earns an "A" on the scale of beauty across all races, so what gives?



That we are still held to standards like these -- even for a movie about a legendary hip-hop crew -- says a lot about how far we've come ... or, sadly and more accurately, how far we haven't come since that August 1974 issue of Vogue.



And there is still the issue of hair -- which, for black women, is fraught with great meaning that goes as deep as our roots (both literally and figuratively). By that casting-call scale of beauty, Solange Knowles could have scored only a "C" at highest, mainly because of her choice of hairstyle. When does hairstyle make such an impact on our perception of beauty as it does on black women? The quick answer is: really, never.



And the politics of black hair -- both personal and public -- rages on. For proof, no need to look further than the recently announced new regulations regarding acceptable hairstyles in the U.S. military. Though not purportedly aimed directly at black women, the guidelines most directly affect them, banning many styles that are the easiest to create and least expensive to maintain. Is it any wonder that black women account for 70 percent of sales of hair extensions and weaves?



There has been some notable progress, of course. Beyoncé and Solange represent such a terrific range of proud black beauty. Award-winning 12 Years a Slave star Lupita Nyong'o's recent meteoric rise on the red carpet and as the new face of Prada has been wonderful to watch (her first Vogue cover was just one month shy of the 40-year anniversary of mine). Of course, there is Kerry Washington's amazing role as the star of Scandal in the high-profile role of the solver as a smart, beautiful and sexy black woman. And Orange Is the New Black has offered so many shades of black beauty to its viewers, from the touching vulnerability of "Crazy Eyes" (played by Uzo Aduba, an actress of Nigerian descent) to Sophia's strong, sexy and beautiful black trans woman (portrayed by real-life strong, sexy and beautiful black transgender actress Laverne Cox).



When I became the first model to brand herself 25 years ago with the Beverly Johnson eyewear line at Sears' optical and then 17 years ago as the hair guru and the face of the third-largest Korean hair company in America, the core of my business was to offer a wide range of beautiful hair products to women of all colors, but especially black women, by licensing my name.



Now, as a "modelpreneur" for the past three years, I have been building my own company, BJE LLC, and I've expanded from licensing my name to building my business to include television, media, retail, makeup and accessories, but the cornerstone is still the hair. I want to empower black women to be able to be their most beautiful selves -- however they define it, not how it's defined for them. And I'm proud to have been at the forefront of helping black women in the journey to define their own beauty. But I know we still have further to go in that journey, and there are many of us who are in it for the long run.



#ThinkBeauty.



Love,
Beverly Johnson


These Are The Top U.S. Cities For Couples, According To Rent.com

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Living in a big metropolis like Manhattan, Los Angeles or Chicago can an awesome experience for young lovebirds. But there are plenty of other smaller, lesser-known cities that have a lot to offer.

Rent.com recently compiled a list of the best U.S. cities for couples based on factors such as a high percentage of married adults, a low percentage of divorced couples and a variety of dining, entertainment and other activities available nearby. Find out if your city made the list below:

1. Newton, Massachusetts

2. Staten Island, New York

3. Edison, New Jersey

4. Fremont, California

5. Arlington Heights, Illinois

6. Sunnyvale, California

7. Troy, Michigan

8. Irvine, California

9. San Mateo, California

10. Bellevue, Washington

11. Woodbridge, New Jersey

12. Columbia, Maryland

13. Newport Beach, California

14. Farmington Hills, Michigan

15. Torrance, California

Rent.com considered cities with populations of at least 75,000, where more than 25 percent of households are rental properties and where the crime rate was lower or equal to the national average. All stats and demographics were provided to Rent.com via Onboard Informatics, a data and technology company.

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4 Things You Didn't Know About YouTube Star Michelle Phan (VIDEO)

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Armed with a laptop, makeup brush, and a creative mind, Michelle Phan has become one of YouTube's biggest stars, with some of her videos reaching upwards of 50 million views. On Oprah.com's new #OWNSHOW series "Who Am I," the beauty guru gives viewers a deeper look at the foundation of who she is and how her past has shaped her journey.

Her name means "Avalanche."
"My Vietnamese name is Tuyet Bang, which means avalanche," Phan says. "Still to this day, I'm like, 'Thanks Dad for calling me something so crazy sounding.' But now I understand how powerful this name is. Being as delicate as snow, but also with all the power that I have with my followers, we can really create an avalanche."

She was a broke college student.
Whenever I had spare time, which I rarely did as a college student, I would break out my laptop and film a beauty tutorial – whether it was how to do a smokey eye, how to take care of your skin, how to put cat litter on your face because I didn't have enough money to buy clay. But cat litter is bentonite clay, so that's a little trick," she says.

She's strong.
Phan has spoken about how her mother and siblings left their stepfather, without going into detail. "My stepfather left a lot of scars that I'm still trying to heal from," Phan shared in one of her YouTube videos. More recently, she saw her stepfather again and had to be fearless. "I hadn't seen him in a long time and he was very sick," she says. "And at the time, no one would help him. I never had the best relationship with him."

"I had to help him, pick him up from his bed and put him back and take care of him," she describes. "I knew that seeing him would bring back all these terrible memories, but I said, 'He's still a human being, and I'm a strong person.'"

Her artistry goes beyond makeup.
"I have sounds and pictures and images and textures that are constantly just going through my brain, and I feel like I have to share it," Phan says. "If I don't share it, I'll just go crazy and so I create because that is how I exist."

Watch more #OWNSHOW videos on Oprah.com.




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Reese Witherspoon Shares Teenage Throwback Photo, Makes Us Miss The '90s

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Reese Witherspoon took a trip down memory lane with a throwback photo from the set of her second-ever movie.

The star used Instagram and Twitter to share a snap of her 15-year-old self on the set of "Wildflower," a 1991 TV film directed by Diane Keaton.



"#TBT On the set of my second movie ever, Wildflower. Always playing a tomboy... " she wrote.

Now 38, Witherspoon has remained in the spotlight, most recently gaining Oscar buzz for her upcoming film, "Wild," based on a memoir by Cheryl Strayed. The movie premiered to a standing ovation at the Toronto International Film Festival on Monday, and hits theaters Dec. 5.

Beverly Johnson's Scary Diet: As Supermodels In The '70s, 'We Thought Water Was Fattening'

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Beverly Johnson broke a big barrier for models of color when she became the first black woman to appear on the cover of Vogue 40 years ago, but it came with a price. While she was achieving that milestone, she was starving herself on "maybe a bowl of brown rice and an egg a week."

Johnson opened up about her dangerous strategy for staying skinny in her supermodel heyday during an interview with HuffPost Live's Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani.

"I weighed from 103 to 117 pounds my entire career. And how do you get to be that weight? You don't eat," Johnson said.

That habit wasn't unique to Johnson. She said the same attitude was commonplace among the other models with whom she worked.

"Food was the enemy. We didn't even drink water because we thought water was fattening," she said. "It was really terrible."

Johnson shed so much weight that it scared her mother, who finally hit her breaking point. When Johnson arrived home one night, her mom "literally dragged me out of the bathtub and she stood me in front of a three-way mirror," allowing her to truly see her body from all angles. It was a frightening sight, she said.

Johnson realizes now how scary her diet was, but at the time the behavior was glorified by those in the fashion world: "In our industry at that particular time, you were chiseled to the bone and you were fabulous."

See the full HuffPost Live conversation with Beverly Johnson here.

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This Is What Hair Will Look Like In The Future

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Every season, we spot recycled trends coming down the runway. We’ve heard (and, hey, reported on) about how hot the bob is and how to perfect your ponytail. We’ve even quaked in fear at the mere mention of the return of the perm. But, we have to say, we’re tired of the same old, same old.
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