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The Best Natural Hair Extension And Wig Brands. Period.

February 2, 2015, 9:56 am
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People have been wearing hair extensions and wigs for centuries. Amazingly, 70 extensions were uncovered still intact on the skeleton of an ancient Egyptian woman in 2014. Her stylist deserves a posthumous award, in our opinion.

Traditionally, beauty supply stores have catered to women with straighter, finer and blonder hair, providing an endless array of synthetic and human hair pieces. Thankfully, women with thicker, curlier and coarser textures have gotten access to more alternatives as the natural hair extension market started to boom within the last five years, according to Heat Free Hair Movement founder and salon owner Ngozi Opara.

"It's really a reflection of the evolution of black hair care," she told HuffPost Style. "More African American women have embraced their natural hair texture than I have ever seen before. I think having extensions to provide options for protection and versatility for our textures is a part of that movement and why creating Heat Free Hair was so important to me."

Curl Sistas co-creator Joy Adaeze could relate firsthand to customer demands. She told us, "When I first went natural, I big chopped since my relaxed hair was damaged with lots of breakage. I'd never had short hair in my life so that was a big change. I tried to find hair that would match my thick 4C texture (so I could do protective styles) and came up empty handed. This is why I am most proud of Curl Sistas. We are giving women options that are true to who they are."

If you're part of the growing numbers of people interested in trying out natural hair extensions and wigs, here are some brands that are helping turn heads.

Heat Free Hair Movement

Step By Step layout of @ngozithestylist's Perm Rod set on our For Kurls Collection! #heatfreehair #Forkurls #naturalhair

A photo posted by Heat Free™ Hair Movement (@heatfreehair) on




A favorite among celebrity hairstylists and their clients for its seamless blending, Heat Free Hair is 100 percent virgin human hair (aka hair that hasn't been permed, dyed or straightened) that can be installed as a partial or full head sew-in, wigs or clip-ins.

Kurly Klips

By @naturalbelle "@kurly_klips in my fringe [bangs] for added hair omph! #naturalhair #clipins"

A photo posted by Kurly Klips (@kurly_klips) on





UK blogger Natural Belle put us on to this international fave she wears in so many stylish ways, including to add fullness to her bangs. Kurly Klips can be dyed or straightened to blend in with your natural hair, and their spirals collection has three options of loose waves that are to die for.

Haute Kinky Hair





Like the name suggests, this hair extensions brand is big on texture. But what really makes it stand out is its full head hair piece that comes in a natural-looking shade of gray.

King Me Hair





King Me Hair boasts an impressive lineup of natural hair extensions specifically created for braiding. They're great for making fabulous updos like the one pictured above on fashion and beauty blogger Jessica Pettaway.

Curl Sistas





If the thought of clip-in hair extensions is intimidating to you, we recommend easing your way in with Curl Sistas. Co-creator Joy Adaeze makes going from a teeny weeny Afro to a big body 'do in minutes look super easy.

Fingercomber

RACHELLE looking so fab in her HONEYCOMBER Unit! #fingercomber #honeycomber #protectivestyle #teamnatural

A photo posted by Fingercomber (@fingercomber) on





It's hard to get bored if you're sporting a hair piece by Fingercomber. This brand has an endless amount of extensions and wigs that appeal to the naturally curly girl who loves textured curls as well as voluminous blowout.
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Derek Lam And Athleta Will Make It Seem Like You're Headed Straight To Yoga After Brunch

February 2, 2015, 9:59 am
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"Athleisure" apparel is not going anywhere. Now, there's yet another new, surprising collaboration in the works: Athleta and Derek Lam 10 Crosby.

The athletic gear haven and designer are teaming up on a 10-piece "lifestyle collection," which includes everything from leggings, to jackets and even dresses. The partnership is the first of its kind for Athleta, which will offer the collection on its website as well as select stores. The collection will also be available at the 10 Crosby New York City boutique starting in September 2015.

According to Lam, the two entities are the perfect pair. "Our customer leads a very active lifestyle," he stated in a release, adding, "Fitness is very much a part of it and we always strive to create clothing which works in her life. Athleta's expertise in performance fabrics and fibers has offered us a really exciting opportunity to create a collection which complements perfectly what we do for Derek Lam 10 Crosby."

derek lam sketch

It's true, Lam's 10 Crosby line caters to an active lifestyle. A simple perusal of the site proves that the clothing is as functional as it is beautiful. That being said, we're curious to see how that aesthetic translates to fabrics and materials typically associated with, well, getting sweaty.

Either way, we have a feeling this collection is going to be a good one. Because really, Derek Lam designs that promise to be as comfortable as gym gear seems like a win-win.
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The Seahawks Fan Who Prematurely Got A 'Back To Back Champions' Tattoo Plans To Just Keep It Anyway

February 2, 2015, 10:35 am
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A lifetime Seattle Seahawks fan who goes by OC got a tattoo on Christmas Eve in 2014, predicting that his team would win the Super Bowl this year. As you probably know by now, the New England Patriots ended up defeating the Seahawks in the last minutes of Super Bowl XLIX, foiling OC's prediction. Curious how he was feeling this morning, The Huffington Post reached out to get some more context about his decision and see how he was feeling about his tattoo almost coming true.

OC told HuffPost that he'd actually had the Seahawks part of the tattoo since the team played their first Super Bowl in 2006, where they lost to the Pittsburg Steelers. To get the extra Super Bowl addition for this year's game, OC sought out a tattoo shop that was still open on Christmas Eve and ended up paying $300 to add two Lombardi trophies and the words "Back To Back Champions" at Fantasy Tattoo in Orange Park, Florida. While there, OC took a few videos, including one in which he initially expressed some regret:





The Seahawks were first created in 1976, when he was about 5 years old, and OC has been a fan of the team just about all his life. He remembers watching the games on the TV with his brother and getting to go a game at the Kingdome with his grandpa. This lifelong fandom explains the importance of Super Bowl XLIX, and the difficulty of those final, suspenseful moments. OC said he was at the edge of his seat as the clock wound down, and that he hit the floor when the interception happened. "I fell to the ground and put my head on the ground for about 30 seconds or something like that, I was just in shock," he said.

When asked about how he feels about the tattoo now that the Seahawks are not back-to-back champions, OC explained:

I feel like you only live once, you know? I knew that there was going to be consequences to me getting it, even before I got it and everything I just didn't get it blindly ... I knew that there was a chance that they could lose obviously. But I'm going to keep the Seahawks tattoo ... Hey, at least I did it. I took a chance. Sometimes though you take chances and you have the wrong outcome that you don't think is going to happen.


OC gave a video "press conference" on Facebook before the game, talking as if the Seahawks had already won and making fun of the Patriots for failing to defeat his team. Throughout the game, OC was also tweeting updates from @ocashughjhazz as well as making many Vines from his account. OC's friend jokingly tried to rub the tattoo off after the game:




OC ended up summarizing the game on Twitter and publicly expressed what he plans to do with the tattoo:



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4 Women Wore Hijabs For A Day To See What Life's Like For Some Muslim Women

February 2, 2015, 10:56 am
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If you are a woman who chooses to wear a hijab, do people treat you differently? Does the experience impact the way you feel about yourself? In a new Buzzfeed video, four female staffers -- who don't normally wear the head covering -- try to answer those questions.

The traditional Muslim headscarf is sometimes viewed as oppressive and sexist in Western cultures. "I feel like it's an American thing that if you see a woman with a hijab it's like a symbol of oppression," one woman said at the beginning of the video. By the end, however, the four women concluded that as long as a woman makes a personal choice to wear the hijab, no one has a right to judge that decision.

The women in the video spoke with Edina Lekovic, the director of policy and programming of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, to learn what the hijab stands for and how to put it on correctly. Lekovic also shared her personal experiences with the headscarf, telling the four women that the first time she wore her hijab a woman came up to her and said, "Honey you're in America now, you don't have to wear that here."

Not knowing how people would react, all of the women who participated in the video were nervous to wear the hijab in public. Each of them received some stares and one reported that she was "patted down extra" at the airport. One of the women even shared a moment with another woman wearing a hijab, saying that she “recognized and smiled back at me. Like saying ‘OK sister, we’re on the same mission.’ We had this kind of female connection. It was very sweet."

Towards the end of the video, one of the women perfectly summed up the conclusion all four of them reached: “As a woman you should be able to wear whatever you want, and if [a hijab is] what you want to wear that’s what you should wear.”

H/T WifeyTV
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How One Young Entrepreneur Is Revolutionizing the Bow Tie

February 2, 2015, 11:27 am
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As a high school student, Brandon Etheridge liked wearing bow ties but couldn't afford to buy new ones and keep his look "fresh." He had an idea: Invent an interchangeable bow tie that you can mix and match and get more use out of. Now, at 18 years old, Brandon is a full-time student at the University of South Carolina with big dreams of building his bow tie company, Deck Head, into a full-blown lifestyle brand. Here's Brandon's story of how he went from high school dreamer to a young entrepreneur.

What interested you in becoming an entrepreneur?

I was always an entrepreneur, even before I really knew what that word meant. When I was 12 years old, my friend Ryan and I created a cooking show for kids. We made a few demos and showed it around to local TV stations. We were told that it was a great idea, but nothing ever came of it. Nowadays, there are all sorts of cooking shows with kids. I guess we were just a little ahead of our time. Then, at the age of 14, I started watching Shark Tank. That changed everything for me. I saw regular people like myself who risked so much to take control of their future, and I thought to myself, "If they can do it, maybe I can too."

What makes you unique compared with other entrepreneurs?

The drive and the vision that I have at my age -- that and maybe the fact that I wear a size-17 shoe.

What makes your company unique compared with other tie companies?

Deck Head has changed men's neckwear. My patent application has been approved, and we are the only tie company to sell bow ties in halves. The interchangeability of my ties allows for a consumer to never have to buy one long bow tie ever again. Buy two identical halves for a traditional look, or mix and match your colors and patterns for a unique, fresh look.

2015-02-02-DeckHeadexampleofties.jpg


What has been the biggest lesson you've learned from running your own business?

Patience. I believe that my generation is used to having everything be just a button or a click away. Taking this idea I had and creating an actual company took a lot of patience. I wanted my company to be up and running right away. Going through the different steps in setting up a company, such as creating designs, packaging, manufacturing, warehousing, and so much more, was a humbling way to learn how to slow down.

What have been the greatest rewards?

Gaining the respect of businesspeople that are older than me. Just a few weeks ago I had a friend call me who I had not seen in a while. He wanted to just hang out, catch up, and maybe play some video games. I told him that I could do that right after my meeting with the Charlotte Hornets. Just to be able to say those words is still surreal to me. Also, when I was in high school, I left school early on some days to go on sales calls with adults in the working world. At the end of these calls, and after closing a deal with them, I would have to ask them to sign a note for me to go back to school. That was a little awkward, but I was really proud to be able to hold my own in those situations.

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Brandon closing a deal with the Charlotte Hornets.


What advice do you have for other young entrepreneurs?

Believe in yourself. Do not let your age be a barrier. If you have a great idea, then the world needs to hear about it.

Where do you see Deck Head in five years?

I see Deck Head becoming a household name as a lifestyle brand, including clothing for men, women, and children.

What have you learned about yourself through becoming an entrepreneur?

Entrepreneurship has shown me that I have more grit and follow-through than I ever imagined. I find myself having to wear many hats throughout the day, from designer to marketer to salesperson and a whole lot more in between. I have to not only work hard but also work smart all day, every day, making every second count. Being an entrepreneur is hard enough, but when you add in a full-time college load, a fraternity, family, and friends, it is insanity, but I would not have it any other way.

Is an entrepreneur born or made?

I believe entrepreneurs are made. We are all born with strengths and weaknesses unique to ourselves. It is how those qualities are nurtured by the people in our lives, our experiences, our surroundings, and our own personal drive that turn some of us into entrepreneurs.

How valuable have mentors been in getting you get started?

Mentorship is priceless. Without it, we can spend years just trying to navigate through unknown territory and reinventing the wheel. I found myself doing that for many months. When you first start out, you don't know what you don't know. I have been an avid fan of the TV show Shark Tank for many years. There was a particular pitch made by entrepreneur Nate Holzapfel of The Mission Belt Co. that always resonated with me. As a senior in high school, I was working my Deck Head booth at the CAMEX trade show in Dallas when, out of the thousands of faces there, one stood out to me. It was Nate Holzapfel. I immediately introduced myself to him and showed him my product. He was incredibly generous with both his time and knowledge to talk to a high school student about a product I was trying to launch. He has become my mentor and my friend, and I am so grateful to have him in my corner.

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You can learn more about the interchangeable tie at DeckHeadNC.com. Thank you, Brandon, for sharing your story and inspiring other innovative entrepreneurs to chase their dreams.

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Fashion Designer Julia Shapiro Discusses The Queer Dynamics Of Her Line J SHAP

February 2, 2015, 12:03 pm
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This is the fifth installment in a miniseries that elevates the work of up-and-coming queer individuals working in the fashion world. Check back at HuffPost Gay Voices regularly to learn more about some of the designers of tomorrow and the way their work in fashion intersects with their queer identity.

Julia Shapiro is a young fashion designer and recent graduate of Cornell University living and working in New York. Though Shapiro doesn't identify as queer, her brand, J SHAP, informs a queer understanding of radical self-expression and self-determinism that translates through her designs and the overarching ideology. The greenest designer featured in this miniseries, Shapiro orchestrated a guerrilla-style presentation of her line at last year's New York City fashion week, drawing attention to her garments when she crashed the outside of Mara Hoffman's show. Embodying a philosophy that encourages individuals to "reject the business of fashion and give yourself over to the art of fashion," Shapiro is currently planning another guerilla-style "takeover" of fashion week in September of this year. Read the interview below to learn more.

julia

The Huffington Post: What has your journey as a fashion designer entailed?
Julia Shapiro: I have always wanted to be a fashion designer for as long as I can remember. It all started with a Manolo Blahnik sketch book I got when I was young and morphed into what it is today. I attended Cornell University’s Fiber Science and Apparel Design program but quickly realized I was unhappy with the lack of design focus. I felt like my loudness and craziness was being stifled and watered down by the atmosphere and feedback from my colleagues and teachers. Nobody really understood it. So, I left for my junior year and did an urban semester program in NYC in the fall, attending London College of Fashion abroad in the spring. This period of turmoil -- as well as what I turned it into -- was really when I found the confidence and boldness I have now. I came back with a whole new attitude about my work, finally understanding how to make the program I was in work for me. I think that always questioning, going against the grain, and not putting up with bullshit are what has got me to where I am today.

jshap

What is the nature of the work you produce? Why do you use a lot of recycled materials?
At the base of all my work is a commentary on consumption and the themes that go along with that: i.e. globalization, mass marketing/manipulation, obsession, anything that is “so American.” I like to apply these themes in an ironic way -- they are at the center of my aesthetic but they are also what I am fighting against. For example, a picture of a McDonald's sign next to an American flag would be something I would love -- an ironic glorification of something so American that it is beautiful but, in reality, actually sucks about our culture. The concept of "so bad it's good" is a solid way to describe it.

This is why I use a lot of recycled materials; fabric stores are very limiting, especially when it comes to these themes. Using recycled materials takes away all of the boundaries and allows me to literally create the garments out of the themes I am working with. For example, using beanie babies or hamburger wrappers to construct my garments. Even the work I do with recycled t-shirts is intentional because of the logos. Working this way not only frees me from limitations but it also encourages creativity because certain items will inspire me to make them into something I wouldn’t think to sketch.

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While you don't identify as queer yourself, I would argue that your work speaks to a queer aesthetic. What is the underlying philosophy driving your brand?
The driving philosophy of my brand is self expression, baby! I look at fashion as escapism and identity exploration in the same way that Leigh Bowery and the club kids did. I try to push people a bit outside of their boundaries in every aspect of my life, encourage people to be more open, fun and self expressive. Through my clothes I do this by making things that people can’t say no to. I find a lot of “weird” or “out there” clothes are made with either no sense of aesthetic eye or taste level -- or else they are radically expensive. With my work I make it so that people relate to it, want it, look good and feel confident in it. If I can be the designer who prompts someone to buy one piece a bit outside their comfort zone that they love, that is almost like the gateway drug to being self-expressive and loud in other arenas of their lives.

jsharp

Why do you think your work has such a driving appeal to the queer community?
This aspect of self expression has always been aligned with the queer community. Those in the queer community are almost like the ambassadors of self-expression in my mind. There needs to be identity exploration in order to come to the conclusion that you are queer, and a big part of that exploration is through dress. Once you become comfortable and open with your sexual orientation (which is a hard thing to do) you become fearless. Fearless people have no problem with expressing themselves, and that's why I gravitate towards drag queens, gender benders, taste makers, etc. for my brand -- and also why I appeal to them. It doesn’t matter at all how someone identifies themselves to me, it’s all about the attitude.

jshap4

What did your "takeover" of Fashion Week last year entail?
I was always told, like everyone else was, how New York City is this amazing creative hub where you need to be if you are in the fashion or art world. After living in NYC a handful of times for internships and art programs, I felt uneasy. Why wasn’t I feeling the way everyone else seemed to feel? Where was this magic I was told about? I had also lived in LA one summer to intern with Jeremy Scott and London for a semester abroad. These places seemed way more current in terms of self expression and fashion but, realistically, all arrows still pointed to NYC. For some reason I was unhappy with this.

It was one tireless night right after graduation that I was grappling with this dilemma and realized it wasn’t me, it was that NYC, in regards to the fashion scene, is not current. The mythos of New York Fashion, and the keywords traditionally associated with it -- groundbreaking, unique, creative, self-expressive -- are defunct. What remains is a handful of watered-down design houses relying on a dated reputation using spread sheets, trend forecasting and other statistics to pump out collections that will sell to the masses with generic (and unearned) praise best described as “conservative chic.” Many of these “designers” don’t show passion, they don’t create worlds, they aren’t doing anything new. I want fashion to come back to being an art, treated more democratically, with individuals having unique opinions rather than being dictated to by the market. I want to revive the spirit of what New York once was -- you should be able to tell a New Yorker from a tourist just by looking at them. This is why I chose to do the takeover, to point out the shortcomings of New York fashion week, to stick it to the man, to say fuck the system.

jshap5

What do you feel like was accomplished by the takeover? What are you trying to articulate about the fashion industry and the future of fashion?
The takeover proved that people are ready and receptive to this type of change in the fashion scene. Photographers literally ran out of the tents at fashion week during Mara Hoffman’s show to get pictures of us. Everyone loved it and was really supportive. Some people even joined in. Honestly, this type of fashion makes people smile, whether they are loving it or appalled. Fashion is getting way too serious and stale. Yeah, putting on a top designer outfit may make you feel accomplished because of the label stitched on the inside, but the clothing I am making makes you feel happy, take on a different persona, attitude, or air. My brand, as well as this type of self expression, is just that on a larger scale. I want the future of fashion to be that people stop looking at clothes as a necessity but to look at it as personal adornment once again. For it to be more democratic in terms of designers who get praise, for people to have their own list of favorite designers, have opinions that are devoid of that of the industry, and to own pieces that will make them feel proud to wear. Reject the business of fashion and give yourself over to the art of fashion.



What is next for J SHAP?
The response to my takeover has prompted another event for fashion week this coming September that will remain to be seen. I have also been working on building inventory so that people will be able to start purchasing J SHAP! Recently I have launched a long-term series called "Dress Up With J SHAP" in which I invite friends into my studio to explore and create looks with my clothes, a sort of free-form photo shoot that is very organic to come up with looks, inspiration, and get great shots through the lenses of the person I'm working with, the environment, and the supplies/garments I have. I have also come to the conclusion that fashion as art should be seasonless, collections should come out as ideas are finished just as art series come out. This means that collections can come out as frequently as lookbooks or on the other hand can be given more time and attention if an idea calls for it. This also means that the silhouettes in the collections do not have to adhere to a set of rules set by a season but can be reflected solely by the inspiration and what the collection calls for. So you can look forward to a lot of new collections coming from J SHAP.

Most recently I was invited to attend the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the largest trade show in the world which pioneers cutting edge and upcoming technologies, to gather the free giveaways and in less than 24 hours create a wearable technology look with the "swag" I gathered around the convention. This was my first exploration into wearable tech, integrating LED technology into the bodice controlled by an easy to use app, and hopefully I will be able to integrate more of this in the future.

Want to see more from J SHAP? Head here to check out the designer's website. Missed the previous installments in this miniseries? Check out the slideshow below.
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17 LOL-Worthy Bouquet Toss Photos For Your Amusement

February 2, 2015, 1:12 pm
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The tradition of the bouquet toss may slowly be fading, according to some wedding planning experts. And for good reason -- we totally understand why some brides aren't keen on asking their unmarried friends to elbow each other over a bunch of flowers.

But doing away with the tradition entirely would mean losing out on some very entertaining wedding photos. Below are 17 bouquet toss moments that deserve to be remembered.




Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Weddings on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Sign up for our newsletter here.
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Kerry Washington Reveals Latest 'Scandal' Collection For The Limited Will Include Looks From Other Cast Members

February 3, 2015, 8:11 am
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"Scandal" fans rejoice! The Limited is rolling out another collection inspired by the hit TV show's stylish heroine, Olivia Pope.

Kerry Washington, who plays Pope, has once again teamed up with The Limited's head of design, Elliot Staples, and "Scandal" costumer designer, Lyn Paolo, to design more sleek power suits, outwear and smart separates.

“What's most exciting about the spring collection is that we were inspired by the fan's reactions to the line," Washington told HuffPost Style. "Lyn, Elliot and I were constantly discussing the responses we saw on social media about what people were loving and gravitating towards. That direct fan and consumer response really informed the new pieces of the spring collection."

scandal collection

The collection will also include a few new looks, thanks to "Scandal" fans who expressed interest in the rest of the cast's enviable attire.

“We're introducing three fantastic looks inspired by the other women on the show," Washington explained. "Mellie, Abby and Quinn each have a signature style and it’s fun to offer the fans something that reflects those characters as well."

Basically you'll soon be able to snag all you need to channel Olivia's polished look, Quinn's edgy attitude (left), the first lady's modern elegance (center) or Abby's understated awesomeness (right), under one roof.

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The collection retails from $44.95 (tops) to $198 (jackets) and will be available in stores and via TheLimited.com on February 13.


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The Reaction To #LikeAGirl Is Exactly Why It's So Important

February 3, 2015, 8:50 am
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Out of all the controversial ads that aired during the Super Bowl, the one that may have spurred the most vocal backlash was the one that promoted gender equality.

The original "Like A Girl" spot, which first aired in June 2014, featured people being asked to throw, run and fight "like a girl." Instead of simply doing these actions, each person weakly reenacted them, by accidentally dropping the ball or slapping instead of punching. But when the same questions were asked of young girls, they threw, ran and fought aggressively -- like anyone would. The implication: To do something "like a girl" is to do it badly, but that negative connotation is something that is only learned over time. Therefore, it's something we can change.

The campaign received a lot of positive attention when it originally aired, but it wasn't until Sunday's shortened Super Bowl ad, which approximately 115 million people watched, that the Internet's resident haters really found their voices.

After the commercial aired during Sunday night's Super Bowl, women took to Twitter to describe what they did "like a girl" and how their gender doesn't stop them from being strong and powerful. #LikeAGirl started trending on Twitter in no time with tweets like these:



maya j/Twitter



Tamar Bains/Twitter




It wasn't long before a new hashtag cropped up -- #LikeABoy. In the past 24 hours, #LikeABoy started trending on Twitter as critics and self-proclaimed "meninists" discussed how unfair it was that the Always commercial only pertained to women. (Reminder: Always sells menstrual products.)






Many people were rightfully upset that a 60-second commercial devoted to building up young girls' self-esteem caused such a loud and hateful uproar. It doesn't seem too much to ask that one minute out of a four-hour event -- an event that primarily focuses on men -- be solely devoted to addressing women.






To all the "meninists" and people supporting them, let's be very clear: There are commercials that focus on female empowerment because females need to be empowered. Yes, it seems crazy that women -- a group of people that make up over half of the world's population -- are somehow underrepresented and oppressed. (Don't believe us? See here, here and here for examples.)

The focus on women cannot possibly compromise gender equality as the "meninists" claim, because gender equality simply does not exist yet. The phrase "like a girl" is similar to saying something is "gay" -- both are used in a derogatory manner. The terms "gay" and "girl" are not synonymous with being weak or stupid, these are identities.

So when someone uses these identifiers -- whether it's sexual orientation, ethnicity or gender -- as an insult, it becomes very problematic. Using the phrase "like a girl" as an insult is proof that sexism is still very much a part of our everyday culture.

#LikeAGirl is so important because it shines a much-needed light on this sexism and reminds everyone that being "like a girl" means being badass and fierce. To drive that point home, here are a few of our favorite #LikeAGirl tweets:






Rick Ramsey/Twitter






Leah Majeski/Twitter






D L F /Twitter






Jennifer Fenton/Twitter




People also started jumping on the #LikeABoy trend to show just how absurd it is for "meninists" to be complaining about the "Like A Girl" ad.















So, to sum it up:




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Big Red: One Ginger's Love-Hate Relationship With Her Hair

February 3, 2015, 9:04 am
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As I was brushing my two-year-old daughter's hair recently, it became very clear to me: I have major hair envy. Her long, soft locks float down her back, swinging back and forth while she walks. The perfect shade of blonde, and poker straight, her hair is the polar opposite of mine. While she lucked out in the hair department, I sadly was cursed with not one unfortunate hair trait, but two. Not only is my hair red, but it's also curly. And thick. Just call me Big Red.

On a good hair day when the frizz is tamed and the curls form just right, I'm a walking throwback to Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. On trend in 1991. Not so much in 2015. Working in the field of fashion doesn't help either. The industry that promotes unrealistic beauty standards, which unfortunately includes what is considered "good" hair. Today, it's straight, shiny, and either brunette or blonde. Certainly not big, red, and curly. Oh, if only it were still the '80s. A time when people paid big bucks to get hair like mine. I could have saved a lot of money.

Having red hair also means that I wear a lot of blue. And green. Why? Because not many other colors go with red. Sure, there's browns and tans that typically compliment the warm undertones many redheads have. But actual color -- that's different. While my blonde and brunette friends can wear any color under the rainbow, my fiery tresses clash with most. So when everyone's sporting their red or pink outfits on Valentine's Day, you won't see me donning those colors. No thanks. Red accompanies me every day of my life, so the last color I would ever wear is red.

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High school and college, when trying to fit in is of the utmost importance, were the worst years between me and my hair. Who knew that so many nicknames for redheads existed. Ginger, Carrot Top -- I've heard them all. It was during that time though when new discoveries allowed for subtle changes. Red hair's not so bad with heavy blonde highlights. Turns out, however, than red hair is super hard to dye, so the bleach that had to be used to achieve those cookie-cutter highlights actually just damaged my hair even more. Red's also not so bad if it's straight. Many a morning did I spend running that flat iron through my curls in attempt to replicate the on-trend styles of my friends.

Fast forward to today. As a full-time working mom of two, I hardly have time in the mornings to wash my hair let alone straighten it. Sitting in the hair salon for two hours getting highlights? Ha! But turns out it's not just the lack of time as a busy mom that's ushered in these changes. As I've gotten older and left those teenage social pressures behind, my hair and I have come to a truce.

Since becoming a mom, particularly, I've been able to appreciate my hair for new reasons. Two that top the list: I got my hair from my mom, and I gave it to my (second) daughter. The three of us make up part of very small 1-2 percent of the global population that has red hair. And we redheads are also in pretty good company. Besides the aforementioned Julia Roberts, we've also got Queen Elizabeth I, Bonnie Raitt, Grace Coddington, and even Ariel the mermaid. Men too: Prince Harry, Conan O'Brien, Ron Weasley.

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Having red hair comes with its pitfalls and perks. For instance, we might have a lower tolerance for physical pain, but we're less likely to get gray hair as we age. Along with our fiery locks comes a fiery temperament (Hell hath no fury like a ginger scorned!). But our dispositions can't be all that bad since there's entire functions dedicated to us. That's right! The Netherlands celebrates Redhead Day each year in September, and Ireland holds its Irish Redhead Convention in August. I haven't heard of other hair colors being celebrated quite like this. Maybe being a redhead's not so bad after all.

Still, there's days when I have hair envy. When I recently told my friend that I loved her hair and wished I could style mine that way, her response surprised me. "My hair?" she said. "Everyone has this boring hair. I'd kill for your hair!" I guess the saying is true: You always want what you don't have. Even someone else's hair.

In the grand scheme of life, I know that hair color and texture ranks pretty low on the significance ladder. Nonetheless, I'm sure that my red curls and I will continue to do battle for many years to come. Ultimately, however, I will stick to this motto: In a world where everyone's striving to fit in, there's something refreshing about being a little different. Gingers unite!
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Kim Kardashian Bares Her Butt Again In Leaked Love Magazine Photo

February 3, 2015, 9:23 am
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No, you aren't experiencing déjà vu, Kim Kardashian has bared her butt for yet another photo shoot.

The 34-year-old attempted to "break the Internet" with her racy Paper magazine cover in November, and now she's doing it again, just sans eyebrows.

The photo from Love magazine's Spring/Summer 2015 issue leaked on Twitter on Monday:




The magazine (which was guest-edited by model Cara Delevingne, who interviewed the reality star for the issue) hits newsstands Feb. 9 and features more than 30 pages of Kardashian modeling custom designs by Miuccia Prada.

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Bob Dylan Does First Interview In Years -- And It's With AARP

February 3, 2015, 9:44 am
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The times, they are a-changin'. Bob Dylan, well-known as a media recluse who shuns interviews and hasn't given one in three years, chose one publication to give an exclusive to -- AARP. From the cover of Rolling Stone to AARP? One factor in the 73-year-old legendary songwriter-singer's decision may have been that his 36th studio album, "Shadows in the Night," which was released Feb. 3, features him singing 10 American classics from the 1920s to the 1960s.

But AARP The Magazine? Really? Even Robert Love, the writer of the 9,000-word piece, expressed some disbelief when Dylan's representatives contacted him. Love wrote, "Dylan’s representatives reached out and told me he wanted to speak to AARP The Magazine about his new project. 'I don’t work at Rolling Stone anymore,' I told them, thinking it was a case of crossed wires, since I put in 20 years there. No, they said, there’s no mistake; he wants to talk to your readers."

AARP The Magazine reaches 35 million readers, age 50 and older. Said Dylan to Love, "Well, a lot of those readers are going to like this record. If it was up to me, I’d give you the records for nothing and you give them to every [reader of your] magazine."

Each of the classic songs on the new release have been recorded by Frank Sinatra, who Dylan is known to admire greatly. He told AARP, "To be mentioned in the same breath as him must be some sort of high compliment. As far as touching him goes, nobody touches him. Not me or anyone else."

The Huffington Post recently gave a big thumbs-up to Dylan's Never Ending Tour, which wrapped up in December.

To read the full AARP interview, click here.


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10 Times Amal Clooney Made Us Ask, 'George Who?'

February 3, 2015, 11:17 am
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We're going to be totally honest here: photos of Amal Clooney have been our computer desktop backgrounds since September. After her wedding weekend in Italy, it's safe to say that our love for her turned into an obsession.

When she isn't working hard as a human rights lawyer, she is stealing the spotlight on the red carpet or sticking it to reporters who ask silly questions. This woman has brains, style and grace, and is easily becoming one of the biggest fashion icons of our time.

In celebration of her 37th birthday today (Feb 3), we wanted to take a look at all her amazing sartorial moments from the past couples of months (though we know she has many, many other accomplishments).The British barrister is taking Hollywood (and the rest of the world) by storm.

Behold, 10 times Amal made us think, George who?

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Weekly Roundup of eBay Vintage Clothing Finds

February 3, 2015, 11:34 am
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No time to page through thousands of eBay listings? Then just sneak a peek at my Weekly eBay Roundup of top vintage clothing finds.

This eclectic mix of designer and non-designer vintage clothing and accessories caught my discerning eye because of its uniqueness, contemporary feel and highly collectible nature.

As always, buyer beware! Be sure to read the listings closely and contact the sellers with any questions.

This week's roundup includes items by Roberta di Camerino, Lilli Ann, Bes-Ben, Koos van den Akker and Stephen Sprouse. Don't miss the 1930s wedding gown, the Moschino text maxi dress, the framed Campbell's Soup dress, the metallic crochet coat, the 1970s Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress and the 1960s novelty shoulder bag.

ebay roundup of vintage clothing finds



GET READY, GET SET, BID!!!
(Click on Pic for More Info and Auction Links)



Which item is your favorite? Leave me a comment below to let me know.

To receive the eBay Roundup of Vintage Clothing Finds via email, sign up for Zuburbia's mailing list here. Your information will never be sold or shared and you can easily unsubscribe at any time.

DISCLOSURE: Editorial selections are made by Zuburbia with no direct promotional consideration from the featured eBay sellers however Zuburbia may receive revenue as an affiliate member of the eBay Partner Network.

PLEASE NOTE that Zuburbia does not endorse the use of fur, feathers, leather or animal skins in fashion. Any of these selections are offered only as more thoughtful and eco-friendly alternatives for contemporary fashionistas who have not yet eliminated animal products from their wardrobes or for collectors who are seeking to preserve these items.
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Reese Witherspoon Started Her Own Company Because Women 'Deserve Better' From Hollywood

February 3, 2015, 11:39 am
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Reese Witherspoon is a woman who leads by example. Two years ago, she started her own production company after seeing six of her favorite actresses "fighting over a really crappy role in a movie," she told journalists at the annual Oscar Nominee Luncheon Monday in Los Angeles.

"We deserve better," she said. "It’s great to speak up, but what I really think is you’ve got to do something."

Last year, Witherspoon produced the acclaimed book adaptation of "Gone Girl," as well as starred in and produced another best-selling book adaptation, "Wild." That latter film scored Witherspoon an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, her first since winning in the same category at the 2006 Academy Awards ceremony for "Walk the Line."

"I set out with the idea that I wanted to develop material that has strong female leads. I wanted to make movies about what I want to put out into the world -- put some good into the world," Witherspoon said.

The two female-driven films are quite different in terms of story, but both feature hyper-independent women and have added to the ongoing conversation about feminism and women's roles in film.

"Wild" is the true story of Strayed, who set off alone to hike 1,100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in the wake of her mother's death.

On Monday, Witherspoon called “Wild” the greatest gift of her professional life. "I’ve never been so challenged before -- physically, emotionally -- by a story and also by a director," she said, referencing filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée.

"I feel like I really fought for this movie to get made. And it was hard. But it’s so rewarding. All those days hiking up mountains and crossing freezing rivers carrying equipment," Witherspoon said. "It feels very hard-won. I get more emails and letters about this film than any other movie I’ve ever made."
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Mary Lambert On Body Acceptance And 'Little Hacks' To Keep Perspective

February 3, 2015, 11:44 am
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Mary Lambert is an outspoken out advocate for LGBT rights and mental health awareness. The singer is also championing body love, but admits true body acceptance has taken her some time.

"I just had this revelation like two nights ago -- I was crying so hard because I realized I had so much work to do with feeling comfortable with myself," the Grammy-award winning singer told HuffPost in a Monday interview.

Over the course of her "six years of growth," Lambert felt "miserable," and went through "every diet possible" trying to change her plus-size body. Today, the songwriter's proud to be in a much happier space.

"I am now... so body positive and just about self-care," she said, pointing to a song titled "Body Love" in her repertoire.

Lambert said she still has days of insecurity and self-doubt, but recognizes that it's a process.

"I've only gotten to a place where I tolerate my body," she said. "Dang... I have so much work to do!"

The songstress shared a few "little hacks" she's developed along her road to body positivity. For instance, a way to reconnect with your body when your mind might be obscuring the view.

"I think a lot of us have some form of body dysmorphia... You're looking in the mirror and you're kind of disassociated in some way," she said. "I think a good reminder is to actually, physically touch yourself. 'Ah, okay, this is what my arm feels like. It's not what I'm mutating in my head. I'm not some sort of scary monster.'"

Sing it to us, please?

Watch more from Mary Lambert's conversation with HuffPost Live here.

Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live’s 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!


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How These Students Learned To Embrace The Style Choices They Were Bullied For

February 3, 2015, 12:05 pm
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Looking back at your high school fashion choices can make you cringe. But for some college freshmen, what they once wore to class represents a lot more.

A new project from WeStyle called #MyStyleStory has students embracing their style evolutions and the struggles they faced in high school while developing their sense of fashion.

“A lot of people just don’t want you to be unique,” one young woman said.

The participants discussed the clothes they wore in high school from band shirts to patterned pants. Many of them opened up about getting ugly looks from classmates and being bullied for their clothing choices.

One student, who was pushed into lockers and even cut with scissors by bullies, explained that his choice to not conform paid off.

“It was rough,” he said. “But it was worth it because the people that I found because I was more open with myself really made a difference.”

Though they were bullied growing up, the freshmen now use their favorite looks from rainbow-colored hair to denim shirts to express themselves with one woman adding that style allows people to reveal more than what's on the surface.

“You can’t break them down for their style because it’s who they are. It’s their insides coming out.”

Follow HuffPost Teen on Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Pheed |
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The 10 Biggest Style Turn-Offs for Women

February 3, 2015, 12:28 pm
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Have you ever wondered if there's something you're doing with how you dress -- either consciously or unconsciously -- that might be causing women to react less favorably to you than you'd like? Humans are visual creatures, and first impressions matter quite a bit. With Valentine's Day coming up, and with it the possibility of romance (or attempts at romance on the horizon) this is an especially key time to be sure not you're not making any style mistakes.

I wrote a piece a while back on how to look irresistible to women, and now I'm sharing my list for what not to do. You know the obvious don'ts, like pleated pants, clipping your phone onto your belt, skinny jeans, and boxy suits, right?

Below are ten more nuanced don'ts that you may not have previously thought of (and that you may even have been thinking of as do's).

1. Shiny black leather shoes with jeans

2. Suit jacket with jeans (as opposed to sportcoat/blazer)

3. Wearing the same thing to work as you do going out

4. Popped collars

5. Overfilling your pockets

6. Running sneakers and gym socks with nice shorts

7. Untucked dress shirts that are too long and were not designed to be untucked

8. Saggy, wide-legged work pants

9. An entire wardrobe consisting of shirts with writing or logos on them

10. Overt branding (spending all of your money on items with prominent logos and branding gives off the unsexy and arrogant message that you have something to prove in terms of achieving a certain status. You should buy brand names only if/when you like the quality, fit and look).

Does anything surprise you on the list above? Have you noticed anything else that seems to turn women off? Let me know in the comments below!
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15 Nerdy Valentine's Day Cards For Adorkable Couples

February 3, 2015, 1:00 pm
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Nerdy couples, rejoice!

In years past, you may have been underwhelmed by the Valentine's Day card selection at your local supermarket. But this year, we've made it easy to find something cute and clever that more accurately sums up your special brand of nerd love. Whether your boo is a science geek, a video game fanatic, a Potterhead or a Whovian, we've got you covered.



Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Weddings on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Sign up for our newsletter here.
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Fabrications: Meet Queer Fashion Designer David Siferd Of GODDESS

February 3, 2015, 1:42 pm
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This is the sixth installment in a miniseries that elevates the work of up-and-coming queer individuals working in the fashion world. Check back at HuffPost Gay Voices regularly to learn more about some of the designers of tomorrow and the way their work in fashion intersects with their queer identity.

David Siferd is a queer fashion designer currently based out of Ohio, having previously lived and worked in New York City. Sold under the street wear label GODDESS, Sieferd's designs are intended for a range of bodies and identities without limitation by an individual's sex or gender. The target customer for GODDESS is broad, with Siferd noting that he views fashion as "the perfect platform to help people understand the entire range of human expression and identity." Check out the interview below.

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The Huffington Post: What has your journey as a queer artist and fashion designer entailed?
David Siferd: When I was in the third grade, I moved to a new school and told all the kids that I transferred from "fashion school" where I was kicked out for wearing plaid. As I grew older, I was always drawn to the world of fashion: enticing and glamorous and unlike anything I experienced in my small hometown in Ohio. Fashion seemed like a way for me to escape the pressures and anxieties of growing up. In middle school I became determined to be a fashion designer. Eventually I graduated high school and studied fashion design in college, launching my own label GODDESS after interning with Gerlan Jeans while finishing my degree.

Where have your designs appeared?
My designs for GODDESS have appeared in a number of media outlets, from BULLETT Media, LUTEFISK and GRAPE Magazine to Subjekt Magasin, Mask Magazine and The Cool Hour. My summer 2014 collection sold at the boutiques VFILES in New York and GR8 in Tokyo. Interestingly, several of my designs were used in an artwork by Bjarne Melgaard in 2013 as well.

goddess

All items produced by GODDESS are unisex. Why do you consider this to be important?
Unisex is very important to me. I don't see clothing as only for a male or female-[identified individuals]. I think if someone likes something, they should be free to wear it regardless of their sex or gender. I think fashion is the perfect platform to help people understand the entire range of human expression and identity and, if I can help people be open to new things that way, I will feel I've made a positive impact.

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You explicitly target queer people with your designs. Why is it important to you to create clothing for the LGBT community?
When I design, I try not to think about whether the person who buys the product and wears it identifies as male or female or trans or anything else. I simply want to create interesting designs that anyone might be interested in wearing. Certain designers and brands have an incredibly narrow and specific target customer in mind, but what's more interesting to me is when people subvert the intentions of companies. Being appropriate is the most boring and innocuous thing, in my opinion, so playing with things like gender and class and trying to make people think about these things is very exciting to me. If my designs appeal to LGBT people, that's awesome, but it's just as interesting to me if I see someone I would never expect wearing my designs.

goddess3

I think many people are starting to become aware of the huge range of personal expression and fashion designers, in particular, are very perceptive of the ideas of identity that people hold today. Fashion has been increasingly inclusive since its earliest days servicing a very small number of very rich women and if fashion runs on trends, it only makes sense that fashion will continue to expand its reach into the LGBT community.

Where do you draw inspiration for your work? What is your concept?
Each season has a different concept or inspiration behind it. I'm often inspired by certain people -- friends or unique people -- and then create a world for them to live in. One season the concept was of genderless, anime-esque angels, and another season was inspired by high-maintenance femme bros. Other times my inspirations are more abstract or simply guided by garment design. Taking a different approach at different times keeps my work fun and exciting to me.



What does it mean to you to be a queer designer? How does your queer identity intersect with your work?
Fashion has always gone hand in hand with being gay in my mind. Growing up, I somehow was aware that fashion attracted interesting, unique people, and I always imagined that becoming a fashion designer was kind of like joining the gay circus in a way. Even though I've matured and understand much more of the complexities of queer life and the fashion world, being queer is so much a part of me that it's impossible to divorce that fact from my work.

What's next for GODDESS? Where do you see the brand going?
2015 is a very exciting year for GODDESS! I can't reveal too much yet but I have a lot of interesting surprises coming soon and I'm really looking forward to working with more talented stylists, photographers and models to help realize my vision.

Want to see more from GODDESS? Head here to check out the designer's website. Missed the previous installments in this miniseries? Check out the slideshow below.
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