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Women's Running Features Yet Another Plus-Size Model On Its Cover

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Women's Running is slowly but surely becoming our favorite magazine.


After making waves by featuring a plus-size model on its August 2015 cover, the magazine, which calls itself the largest for women runners, has done it again -- this time, with plus-size blogger and model Nadia Aboulhosn.




This marks the first magazine cover ever for Aboulhosn, who shared her emotional reaction with nearly 400,000 Instagram followers.


"When I got the email I still didn't believe it was going to happen," she wrote. "I for sure thought last minute something was going to happen and I wouldn't be on the cover just solely off the fact that things have turned wrong for me so much of my life when I'm almost about to have something, I get disappointed or let down."


 




She also thanked the magazine's editor-in-chief, Jessica Sebor. A champion of body positivity, Sebor previously explained to The Huffington Post that fitness is about so much more than size.


"As a runner, it's obvious that fit, healthy women come in all shapes and sizes. There's absolutely no such thing as a 'runner's body.' You can go to any marathon finish line for proof of that fact. Healthy isn't about what a person looks like; it's about how she lives her life," Sebor said in July.


While we'd love to see other magazines hop on board, too, it's refreshing to see one that is truly committed to inclusivity.

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I Went Undercover As a Teen Model, Here's What I Learned

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All photos by Meredith Wright.

Starbucks is our happy place. Iced lattes cool us down from the oppressive Shanghai heat, and the cheerful, air-conditioned interior serves as welcome relief from an afternoon of monotonous castings. But one of our crew wasn't happy: She was a model from Russia, 15 years old, sitting alone and looking down at the floor. Her English wasn't great, and she mainly talked to the other Russian girls, but through a friend, she told her story. She had just returned from a photoshoot where the photographer was touching her inappropriately. She started to cry on the set, and when the photographer complained to our agents, the agency hastily discounted the model's fee.

I would like to tell you that this day was unusual. But events like these are common -- I'm tempted to say normal -- for young models working overseas. When I was 17, a modeling scout approached me at a mall. Modeling helped me pay for courses at McGill University and allowed me to travel the world. I climbed Mount Fuji, ate gelato by the Coliseum in Rome, and sailed high above the rooftops aboard the London Eye.

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Me (second from left) and friends at an Osaka fireworks display.

My Facebook page boasted photos of exotic destinations and new friends. But I struggled working in an industry that exploited so many young women so easily. After seven years in the business, I was ready to quit. But to move forward, I had to go back. So I returned overseas on a modeling contract -- only this time I packed a camera along with my portfolio and heels.

The result is Agency, a documentary film I made working undercover as a model in Japan. It tells the story of models like Holly Angus, the 13-year-old Canadian who told me about being so homesick that she felt physically ill and would cry herself to sleep every night. Our agency, like many others, discouraged parents from accompanying their daughters abroad and assured them we would be chaperoned. But Holly's apartment was unsupervised, her weekends were unsupervised, and her photoshoots were unsupervised. "I'm 13 and I'm doing this on my own? Well I guess this is what I signed up for," she said.



I met Jacqueline, a chain-smoking 17-year-old from South Africa who talked at length about her recent trip to the hospital. She had been working back-to-back jobs, partying in the evenings, and not eating -- something "models do all the time," she explained. Concerned because she had not left her room in hours, a male model broke her door down. He found her shivering and feverish and rushed her to a hospital where she "had convulsions and almost went into a coma," Jacqueline says.

I interviewed an Estonian model named Dagmar who was crestfallen when she was sent home after two weeks for gaining two centimeters around her waist. Like the other models, her contract guaranteed her pay and housing for two months in Osaka, which she had banked on to launch her modeling career. She never got a chance. Laura, a 14-year-old American who looks like a real-life Anna from Frozen, told me how she loves modeling wedding dresses because it makes her feel like a princess. She beamed when she described working 18 hours over the weekend and getting to kiss a 23-year-old male model on the shoot. When I asked her how she felt being away from home, she said "It gets lonely sometimes. It's a lot to take on at 14."

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Katia Prokopyeva, age 15, at a wedding shoot casting.

Models in the U.S. lack the legal protections that many other workers enjoy. In Europe and Asia, conditions are even worse. Because they are told they are independent contractors by their agencies (an issue a newly-proposed California bill, put forth by the Model Alliance and Assembly member Marc Levine, aims to clarify), they are not protected from workplace sexual harassment, they have no mandated breaks in the workday (or night), and no minimum wage. They are weighed and measured -- often on a weekly basis. I've witnessed contracts being voided because a model dared question her payment, and pocket money being withheld to discourage models who've gained weight from buying food. Though many are legally too young to drink, they are regularly exposed to drugs and alcohol by nightlife promoters, who value their fresh young presence at their clubs.

In most other industries, this would never stand, not when the majority of the workforce is still young enough to be in high school. However, because we're talking about the fashion industry -- the glamorous fashion industry -- lawmakers have traditionally turned a blind eye.

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But things are finally changing. Federal lawmakers are currently considering passage of the Child Performers Protection Act of 2015, which would classify models under the age of 18 as "child performers." The law would limit working hours, guarantee financial protection in the form of proper payment (and not just discarded runway garb), and put in place a system to hold employers and contractors liable for any sexual harassment that occurs on their sets. If this bill passes, it might finally protect these girls from needless mental and physical abuse.

Following the CFDA's implementation of model health guidelines, fashion industry trendsetters like Vogue have vowed not to work with underage models. But until the government takes on regulation of the industry, the abuse will almost certainly continue. That is why we need to support the Child Performers Protection Act here at home. Then, at least we can stand up as a model for the fashion industry abroad -- a beautiful, healthy, safe, and prosperous model.

By Meredith Wright

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Elon Musk’s Mom Is A 67-Year-Old Model

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To most of the world, Maye Musk may be better known for raising whatVanity Fair called the "First Family of Tech." She has three kids: Tosca, a filmmaker; Kimbal, an entrepreneur and restaurateur; and well, Elon. But Maye has modeled for over five decades (including in the plus-size category); she's a licensed dietitian and nutritionist with two masters degrees in dietetic and nutritional science; and she starred in Beyoncé's music video for "Haunted." Her campaigns have included Revlon and Clinique, and she's posed for covers of multiple magazines (including New York!). Here, she talks to the Cut about what she's learned about wellness from her time in the industry, the importance of bean soup, and how she never allows herself to get hungry. 

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Why You Should Ditch Your Prom Dress And Wear A Suit Instead

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Well, ladies and gentlemen, prom season is officially upon us. High school students all around the country will spend the next few weeks booking limos, planning afterparties, and of course, picking out what to wear. And this year, we have a suggestion for all the ladies in attendance. Instead of wearing a dress (like all your girlfriends), why not think outside the box and wear a suit?


Just hear us out. Or rather, hear Teen Vogue out. The fashion magazine put together a short video detailing the benefits of ditching that pouffy ball gown in exchange for a sleek suit. Just think about it, it will be much easier to get down in pants and a jacket than a long, strapless dress. 

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.











Guys, Here's How To Know If That V-Neck Is Too Deep

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Ashley Weston knows how a T-shirt should fit on a man. 


Celebrities such as Jon Hamm, Harrison Ford, Rob Lowe and Rami Malek have all trusted the stylist's instincts, but you don't have to be an A-list celebrity to benefit from her knowledge: She shares it to guys everywhere on her website and newsletter, and has published a series of "fit guides" with advice on how to wear everything from chinos and polos to sweaters and shoes.


Just in time for warmer, more casual weather, Weston's most recent lesson is all about T-shirts -- how the neck should fit, how the sleeves should wrap around your arms and how many inches of fabric you should be able to pinch around your love handles.





Basically, the perfect T-shirt is classic, not too tight or shiny or emblazoned with logos, and if it's a v-neck, the bottom tip of that V shouldn't go past the top part of your armpits


And yes -- you can wear a T-shirt under a blazer and still look sharp (Weston has tips on how to wear a blazer, too).

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.











The Myth of Perfection

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If you're anything like me, you're hard-wired to strive for perfection.

As a chubby kid, I learned early on that if I performed well, that was a quick way to get the acceptance and praise that I was so desperately seeking. I learned to get good grades, to perform for authority figures in a way that got me positive attention and to otherwise morph myself to meet the standards being set by others as a way to fit in.

But my body was always a barrier to this. I went on my first diet at the age of 7, but no matter how much I tried to deprive myself I was always the biggest girl in my class. At the age of 14, I went out for the crew team and found that, finally, my size was an asset: I was almost instantly one of the fastest girls in the pack. I realized that although I might not ever be the perfect, petite, demure girl that ruled the social scene in high school, I could be a big, strong, powerful female athlete.

My perfectionist tendencies spiked to an all-time high! I poured my energy into my training, seeking out strength training and nutrition coaches who taught me to tailor my habits for maximum performance. I got recruited by a number of top institutions, and ended up accepting my appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. Being a female athlete became my primary identity at Navy, the hub upon which all the other spokes of my life (social, romantic, professional, academic, etc.) were fixed.

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Me (in the San Francisco Giants visor) at the Head of the Charles regatta with my Navy Crew teammates.

If ever there was another area of my life that wasn't up to standard, I could always find solace in athletics. If I had a bad day, I would lace up my sneakers and go for a run (on top of whatever practice(s) I'd already had for rowing that day). If I wasn't at the top of my class academically, or in military training, I could best many of my peers (male and female) in the weight room.

It wasn't until I injured my back the summer before my Senior year at the Academy that I realized that I wasn't just training my body and making it stronger, I was actually hurting it. But by then, the damage had been done, and my relationship with my body (in addition to the rest of my life!) would never be the same.

I know many women out there have their own experience of perfectionism with their body. We toil in the gym. We put our bodies through crazy experiments with our diets. We apply and consume serums, wraps, powders, pills, juices and other "snake oils" that promise to transform our bodies virtually overnight. When those don't work, we blame ourselves and internalize the shame of those failures. "I'm not disciplined enough," "I'm too lazy," "It's too hard for me," and "I don't finish things," are among the self-defeating things we tell ourselves when we fall off yet another quick-fix diet wagon.

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Me as a plus size model, feeling healthy and strong as a size 14/16, 210lb woman at 5'10.5". Photo by Elina Khachaturyan, hair by Christine Poindexter, outfit by Nike.

I'm not a licensed trainer or nutritionist, but I do know this: the only approach that has actually allowed me to achieve a greater level of love, acceptance and freedom with my body has been to abandon any attempts to change it, and instead embrace it exactly as it is. Rather than obsess over transforming my body, I work on transforming how I feel about my body. And instead of making the gym a place that I punish, abuse and mutilate my body, it's a place that I go to show my body love.

Perfection is a myth that keeps us shackled to fear, shame and self-loathing. You have it in your power to tear off those shackles and just start loving your body instead!

Check out the #healthyatanysize community to find support and connect with other women who are working on this, too!

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.











Get Moving

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Perfection is a myth that keeps us trapped in a negative cycle with our bodies. I no longer worry about being perfect in the way that I work out.

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As I was trying to get back into a workout routine following my second back surgery, I would adopt a new workout routine and then quit because I was so focused on doing it exactly right. I would often find it was legitimately beyond my strength and ability level. Because my perfectionist goals were too ambitious, I wouldn't be able to get through the workout, or I'd injure myself in an attempt to do so, or I would just plain lose motivation and quit. That produced a sense of shame that kept me from wanting to get back at it once I had given myself a few days off. So a few days became a few weeks, or a few months--then, I was back to square one.

Having a support system would have been massively helpful during this time. But in addition to rehabbing from my back surgery, I was working full time and adjusting to professional life after being medically discharged from the Navy. I was also ashamed that I wasn't the elite female athlete that I had once been, so I isolated myself in my efforts to get back to full strength so that no one would see the feeble, overweight, and discouraged version of myself that I had become. This is one of the reasons that I share my story now, and encourage others to do the same: we give ourselves and other people a great gift by sharing so that they can relate and find commonality. Sharing consistently and with like-minded people creates community, and communities are where magic happens!

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Whether you're stagnating in your commitment to showing your body love through movement, or just beginning the process of transforming your relationship with your body and therefore in search of new approaches to fitness, remember to give yourself (and your body!) a break. You don't have to be perfect in how you go about this. You also don't have to do it in order to look "perfect" and achieve a "perfect" body. It's completely acceptable to just hit a Zumba class for fun, or go throw around some weights because you're curious about it. You can time your cardio around your favorite show, or use it as a way to punctuate your work day from your down time in the evenings--as a way to turn it "off" and be a more relaxed and present version of yourself at home.

There is no set number of times per week, or length per session, that you need to hit. You can just get out there and move until you feel like stopping. Over time, you will find that you want to keep going longer and longer because you're enjoying it, not because it's going to burn more calories or score you more imaginary points in the race to perfection.

It's okay if you look like a mess while you're working out. I myself am someone who has always quickly and profusely begun to sweat once I start working out. "I'm not a sweaty, sloppy, disaster," I tell myself. "I'm just a really efficient cooler!"

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You don't need perfect clothes, shoes, headbands, or gear to begin. You can use wine bottles as hand weights (done it!) or take a few trips up-and-down your stairs to get your heart pumping. Group classes are way fun, and you should totally look into those, but you also don't need to spend a bunch of money to find community. Little communities spring up naturally if you go to the same gym at the same time each day, or find a park that you consistently show up in to work out. You'll meet people if you are open and willing to meet people. It's also okay to be a loner when you work out, as long as you're not doing it out of fear or shame.

It doesn't matter how you do it. What matters is that you just get moving!

Check out the #healthyatanysize community to find support and connect with other women who are working on this, too!

Photos by Elina Khachaturyan, hair by Christine Poindexter, clothing by Nike.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.











The Birth of the American Power Suit

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By Liza Corsillo for GQ.

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NBCU Photo Bank

A Saint Patrick's Day throw back to Irish actor and alright James Bond, Pierce Brosnan, who's suited detective style influenced America's most terrifying fictional finance bro.

Who: Pierce Brosnan, a.k.a. Remington Steele

When: Sometime during the early and indulgent 1980s

Where: On the Los Angeles set of NBC's Remington Steele

Why: In his break-out role as conman turned private eye, Pierce Brosnan portrayed the exceedingly charming and expertly suited Remington Steele. The TV show centered around female lead Laura Holt who, to attract serious clients, invented an imaginary boss detective by the ridiculously masculine name of Remington Steele. Brosnan's character in the premier episode, "License to Steele" (that's some serious James Bond foreshadowing) claims the imaginary man's name for himself (we never do find out his real name).

Ten years before Bret Easton Ellis wrote American Psycho and almost 20 years before the movie came out, Remington Steele had all the quintessential trappings of Patrick Bateman, minus the homicidal tendencies. His double breasted pin-stripe suit, man jewelry, and billowing silk tie and pocket square are all perfect examples of the status symbols of the time, that whisper confidently "you. are. a. waste. of. my. time." Wall Street style of the Reagan era was all about excess: sex, cocaine, cash, fine Italian fabrics and the great looking assholes (maybe they weren't all assholes) who wore them. And guess what those guys were watching when they finally came home from the office, that's right: Remington Friggin' Steele.



More from GQ:

The Hottest Women of the 21st Century

The Best Haircuts for Men

Everything Kanye West Wore in 2015

75 of David Beckham's Best Looks

Amber Rose's Nude GQ Photo Shoot

Cristiano Ronaldo Has Mankind's Greatest Body

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.












The Top 5 Cosmetic Procedures Men Are Spending Their Money On

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By Megan Gustashaw for GQ.

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Getty Images

Maybe you haven't thought about going under the knife yourself, but the world of plastic surgery is hard to escape these days--not that it's necessary to name names or anything. This week the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery released its annual report on industry trends of 2015, and the results were kind of staggering. First of all, Americans spent more than $13.5 billion getting work done last year, which is roughly $1.5 billion more than they spent in 2014. Secondly, while only 9.5% of the cosmetic procedures performed in the U.S. last year were on male clients, the number of men partaking in cosmetic procedures has grown by 325% since 1997.

So what exactly are men having done?

Grandpa Bod, Be Gone
In 2015, liposuction, nose surgery, eyelid surgery, male breast reduction, and facelift were the top five surgical procedures for men. Male breast reduction for the treatment of Gynecomastia rose by 26% last year alone, and by a total of 173% since the '90s.

The Benjamin Button Club
Injectables like Botox and Juvéderm were the most popular nonsurgical procedures among both men and women. These treatments minimize signs of aging on a temporary basis--they are essentially the thing that makes celebrities look like they're aging in reverse (or, in some unfortunate cases, turning into a melted wax figures).

No Regrets?
Tattoo removal, which seems so sweet and innocent compared with all this other stuff, ranked number 11 on the list of the most popular nonsurgical procedures for men. The treatment has seen enormous growth in the last year (about 39%), which kind of makes sense given how easy it is to get a terrible tattoo.

We just want to say, for the record, your original face looks great. Maybe just eat an avocado or two and be done with it.

More from GQ:

The Hottest Women of the 21st Century

The Best Haircuts for Men

Everything Kanye West Wore in 2015

9 Men Who Mastered the Art of the Rock 'n' Roll Beard

Amber Rose's Nude GQ Photo Shoot

Cristiano Ronaldo Has Mankind's Greatest Body

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.











6 Months Into Growing Out the Grays - It's Time to Deal With the Line

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It has been just over 6 months now since I last colored my hair and made the decision to grow out my grays. At this point, I am still very eager and excited about this process, I like the gray growing in. It's just "that line", you know the line of demarcation between my roots and last hair color application -- I wanted it to disappear.

Are you currently growing out your grays or are you thinking about it? There are ways to hide, minimize and blend "that line". I recommend discussing with your hair stylist or colorist the best way for you to transition to gray while maintaining a stylish, refined and professional look.

In the video above, Katie Fontana of Studio Fontana in downtown Toronto, Canada, performed a gray blending process on my hair to diminish "that line" through a highlighting and toning process. The video above documents my before and after and the steps Katie used.

I feel so much better now when I look in the mirror about continuing the 'growing out the gray' process. I absolutely love how easy now the going gray transition will be. My grays are still there, but, there is much better harmony between my roots and rest of my hair.

Stay tuned for my next going gray update...

I hope this blog post inspires you to wear your authenticity!

Carol Brailey is an Image Consultant and Color Analysis Professional based in Toronto, Canada. More of her blogs can be found at carolbrailey.com and virtualcoloranalysis.com. Carol is a member of the Studio Fontana team located in the Fashion District of downtown Toronto.

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Crowdfunding Campaign Aiding Refugees Raises Nearly $15,000 in 72 hours

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A new, high-end jewelry brand has successfully launched a crowdfunding campaign with a twist that has managed to raise nearly $15,000 in just the first three days.

It's called Liberti, and its mission is to empower and employ refugees aiming to start a new life in America. Throughout 2016, the United States government is committed to allowing as many as 85,000 refugees into the country who are looking for a better life and a chance at a fresh start. While that number may seem large, the fact is that less than 1% of individuals living in refugee camps around the world actually manage to make it out of the impoverished and war-torn countries they hope to escape, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency.

Simple division tells you that means only 140,000 people seeking refuge will actually get the opportunity to be moved to safety, leaving the other 1.36 million people in camps all around the world. Facts and figures clearly tell the story. People need help and it's up to those who've been given every opportunity to live in abundance to help spread the wealth and open the doors to freedom.
That's what makes the Liberti's mission to stay socially aware and responsible so refreshing. As part of the company's apprenticeship program, refugees will receive the average starting wage for related programs across the country, meaning that anybody taking advantage of the opportunity will earn $15 an hour. It really is an incredible concept.

Just because Liberti is opening its arms to refugees however, it doesn't mean there's going to be anything sacrificed when it comes to putting together quality jewelry. The jewelry is exclusively available to those that back the campaign at the moment, and those that pledge will get pieces made from materials sourced and crafted together on home soil. The jewelry itself will get shipped to backers sometime in May with the company's Embrace Ring being the most affordable option. Fashionistas can have it on their hand for just $25 before shipping costs.

Liberti is clearing positioning itself to position itself as a company and a brand committed to making a difference in ways that many larger corporations perhaps don't. Those that support the campaign are not only going to look good wearing the jewelry, they will be contributing to something that matters and directly impacts the lives of people who really need it.

It truly is heartwarming to see what can happen in such a short time frame, all in the name of helping refugees be free to live the dream. Do yourself a favor. If you know you are going to buy yourself some new jewelry to bring in the spring season anyway, contribute to something that goes beyond making you look beautiful. Lend a helping hand to something bigger than what you see in your vanity mirror. People all around the world could use your help.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.











Tips to Help Honest People Navigate Online Dating

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If you're over a certain age, you're usually between old school and new school when it comes to online dating. Some of you communicate on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram for connecting. You might even do the occasional 'poke' or 'dm' a member of the opposite sex who caught your attention. But what about online dating sites such as Match and Tinder? If you're old school you don't. You want to meet a mate in person through a random act of fate. You don't want to fill out profiles and answer questions and put yourself out there for the whole cyber-world to see. So the question to the old school people is: How many dates has that gotten you in the last five years? How many of you have gotten married from random meetings of fate?

Now let's move on to the new school folks. You have no problem sitting down and writing your likes and dislikes for your potential mate to see. You upload your best picture, and you wait for someone to give you a 'wink.' You check out the picture and the profile and, by George, we've got a match! You agree to meet up with your wink, who turns out to be 15 years older than their profile picture. Their demeanor and general likes are nothing like they described on the dating site. You leave the situation pissed off because of their lack of honesty. You wish you could meet an online fairy godmother to deliver you to the Land of online Oz.

Now let me introduce you to the online Oz fairy godmother of this article, L.A. Dawson, who is the author of the online dating book Waiting OnLine for Love.


Question: Godmother, what's the best way to write an impressive profile?
Answer: Online dating is exciting and sexy and flirty and intimidating, but it doesn't have to be intimidating. There are, however, a few things that you need to decide before you begin the process. Most importantly, keep your sense of humor! In order to find true love, you are going to have to dip your feet into the rough seas of uncertainty. It will definitely push your boundaries, but that is not a reason to back off from online dating. So put on your tallest waders and have at it.

Q: What should you be looking for when you decide to embark on online dating?
A: Know exactly what it is you are looking for before you jump into the dating world. Are you interested in a long-term relationship possibly leading to marriage? Do you want a casual relationship that you navigate gently, hoping for a slow burn to love? Once you figure this important piece out, you can move on to your profile.

Q: What if you are completely honest on your profile, and you show up on a date and find the other person is not?
A: One of the pitfalls is that the anonymity of online dating is a perfect hiding place for the world's most deceptive personalities. If the person of your dreams on paper shows up looking like your one of your parents, it sets the tone for the rest of your date. Personally, I would tell the person that his profile and pictures are deceptive and that you are uncomfortable sitting through a date. I would excuse myself politely and leave.

A very good friend of David Gershaw of Portland, Oregon recently met a women and married her within 45 days of meeting her online. Prior to this he had met and spoken with a few hundred women. He physically went out with about 20. One lasted a few months, the other lasted one date. When I asked David how he knew the woman he married was the 'one,' here is what he had to say:

I knew from the first phone call by her voice, vocabulary, and expressiveness. She spoke of her father as being the best male role model in her life. She spoke lovingly of her mother and family. She described each of her brothers/sisters and their spouses, which made me realize what she valued. She spoke of her 3 children as the best things that have happened to her and about enjoying being pregnant and the birth of each. She then spoke of her transformation into the person she aspired to be, which involves career, family, and personal matters. She was the only one to ask me about goals for the future and didn't dwell on the past. We spoke for a period of three days before meeting. This amounted to about 10 hours of talk time. She felt like someone I already knew. She was someone who I already understood and was comfortable with interacting, being open, and sharing personal details of me. I already knew during these lengthy talks that she would be the one. The only question was whether she would feel the same, but of course I hadn't even met her yet.


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Stay tuned for part two of this amazing online dating love story and more advice from L.A. Dawson.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.











Kendall Jenner Just Made Express Cool Again On Our Cheap Celeb Finds List

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When is the last time you stopped into an Express store? Well, if you're Kendall Jenner, it was pretty recently. 


This week, the supermodel stepped out in an Express mock neck sleeveless sweater and now all we want to do is run to our nearest store.


Other stars also wore affordable items over the past few days. Bella Thorne rocked Topshop pants, Miley Cyrus got real in American Apparel and Lucy Hale found $68 jeans we have to have. 


Check out the best cheap celeb finds of the week:


Kendall Jenner's top




Express Sleeveless Mock Neck Engineered Rib Sweater, $39






Lucy Hale's jeans


 






A photo posted by Lucy Hale (@lucyhale) on





Free People High Rise Roller Skinny, $68


Bella Thorne's pants



A photo posted by BELLA (@bellathorne) on





Topshop Pinstripe Crop Trousers, $68


Miley Cyrus' bra



A photo posted by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus) on





American Apparel Christie Bra, $18


Keke Palmer's crop top




N12H Complicated Bustier, $134

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Why This Massage Bar Is Causing Plants To Grow In People's Drains

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Normally, we’re not too psyched to see things growing in the shower, but in this case it’s pretty cool.


People using the Wiccy Magic Muscles bar by U.K.-based cosmetic company Lush may have been noticing a little something extra in the tub. The massage bar contains aduki beans (also known as adzuki beans), and when people use the bar in the shower, the beans frequently fall down the drain or into various cracks and crevices. And, as it turns out, it’s extremely easy for the beans to sprout.




A Tumblr post about the issue Wednesday went viral and was picked up by BuzzFeed, but people have been posting on social media about their unexpected plants since at least 2015.






You’re not actually supposed to use the massage bar, which is made from plant butters and oils, in the shower. Lush’s instructions for using the product specify: “Glide the massage bar directly over dry skin; it will melt upon contact.”


Lush did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But Helen Ambrosen, Lush co-founder, told BuzzFeed that the shower plants indicated that Lush’s products really are as fresh as the company says.


“In order for the beans to germinate they must have been left in the shower for a few days,” she said. “The results you get just go to show how fresh the ingredients really are.”


(Not to dispute that Lush products are fresh, but if stored properly, aduki beans can have a shelf life of around 5 years.)


Aduki beans, which are especially popular in Japanese and Chinese cuisine, are high in fiber and protein and are helpful at regulating blood sugar. That said, we’re not sure how keen we’d be on eating something that grew in our shower.

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Getting Educated In Style

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I've always found it interesting to me that those in the fashion industry often have known they wanted to be in the industry for years, usually even before diving in head first into the world of fashion. Despite how long these people have immersed themselves in the field, their passion often is hard to miss. I've been lucky enough to be an ambassador and student of the Parsons and Teen Vogue new online program where my fellow students and I will receive a Certificate in Fashion Industry Essentials. This amazing online program gives you an insider peek into what the fashion industry looks like at an accelerated speed - so you can start to define fashion instead of just following it.

I had always known my heart belonged in fashion. Little clues included a wave of emotions when I entered New York Fashion Week for the first time in 2012, or the way I fell in love with the Teen Vogue office touring it for the first time during their Fashion U weekend. When I first heard this certificate program would be starting, I rushed to my laptop to apply and had my fingers crossed I would be accepted to this once in a lifetime course.

Today, I am in the final course of the program, titled Developing Fashion Marketing and PR Skills. I have learned so much through this program and am getting truly sad I'm almost done. But it is exciting to think of how much I have learned and that I can now go off and apply my newfound knowledge and share my portfolio of work that will be reviewed by an industry expert.

One of the most important things I learned throughout this program was how important social media is for somebody trying to make their break into the fashion world. In the course, we hear from the Social Media Manager at Teen Vogue, Drew Elovitz. She shares in Module 4, entitled Working In Fashion Media, how important it is for Teen Vogue to interact with their readers on social media (where they are currently on 15 different platforms!).

My favorite part of this course was learning how to build a community around my own content, whether that was my Instagram page, or a future YouTube channel or blog! Caletha Crawford, a faculty member from Parsons School of Design talks about the challenges that come with content creation. She says what is important is to look out for what your readers, viewers or followers are really responding to by paying attention to their engagement. She says that "those audience numbers are what make your social media attractive to advertisers and other brands."

As someone who runs their own company, it was really important for me to learn these insider tips on how to make the most of the digital world. Everything I post is a reflection of who I am, or what my brand is. I've recently started managing the Parsons x Teen Vogue Instagram and Facebook, and that is why I found this module so beyond helpful. To someone else, an Instagram post may simply be a photo, but to me and the other students in the course, we see an opportunity to share a part of our personal brand. I have realized now that learning to use social media to tell a story is an irreplaceable tool.


There's a ton to learn, and I'm eager to dive in.

Ready to get your style education on? Check out the Parsons x Teen Vogue program to learn everything you want to know about the business of fashion from Parsons elite faculty and the leading fashion experts.

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Never In A Million Years?

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This past week I have pretty much completed the unlocking my visual style part of the course. However, there are a few more assignments that involve me going to stores, and creating an editorial shoot. I mean I know who can complain, but I got really sick this week so I was not that efficient with any of my assignments. (major sad face). Although, I still managed to watch the videos to pass the time being at home.

This week was a really interesting one. I found myself rethinking a lot about THE FASHIONABLE NOBODY. Not, in like an anxious what have I been doing kind of way. Just rethinking is what I am putting out on my platforms, and the content truly a reflection of me. To be honest, that wasn't the case a few months ago. Which for those of you who have followed me for a while now. Know that I took a few months off of blogging.

After a few assignments in this section of small activities of like setting a timer for your self, grabbing 5 things that inspire you, and then rearranging them, doing it again, then bam snap a photo. Okay, I truly felt like this is what happens in the magazine world. This exercise really made me realize I am kind of good at building concepts. This is something that is very useful in the fashion industry. Check out my gallery below so far! It really neat to kind of track everything I am doing. You know when you are in school and you hand in all your assignments... and you like barely get them back until the following year? Yeah not with this course. It is right there for you to constantly go back for reference. This course really teaches you to not only evolve as a fashionista, but as a creative person in general.

Katrina Lainsbury is a blogger, rising fashion star, and fashion student of the Parsons x Teen Vogue certificate program.

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The 'Booby Trap' Sports Bra Holds A Knife Or Pepper Spray For Emergencies

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The name may sound silly, but Booby Trap Bra could help you -- and your chest -- feel seriously confident during your next run. 


The sports bras have special pockets to hold either a small knife or pepper spray close to your bosom for self-defense: 





Jennifer Cutrona, a mother of two, said she invented the Booby Trap bras after she was assaulted during a trail run near her Texas home. The bras come in editions that hold either pepper spray or a knife, storing the self-defense tools for quick responses should anything happen on the road. 


And with soft nylon neoprene material, they're bound to make your boobies feel safe, too. 


The Just In Case Pepper Spray Bra retails for $49.99, and the Just In Case Knife Bra is $54.99. Pepper spray and small rescue knives are sold separately on the Booby Trap Bras website. 


Stay safe, stylish ones!

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Bella Hadid Wears Nothing But Jewelry For Harper's Bazaar Spain

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OK, we need to talk about this photoshoot for Harper's Bazaar Spain featuring Bella Hadid, the mag's April 2016 cover star.


It's news to no one that Gigi's little sis, who has emerged as a top model in her own right, is stunning. Yet it becomes more clear with each photoshoot she does or runway she walks that she has the star power to match that of her sister (and her supermodel mom, for that matter, too).


Just look at this photo of Hadid wearing nothing but jewelry and slicked-back hair:



By @txemayeste for @harpersbazaares

A photo posted by Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) on




Who looks that good with wet hair?


There was some major underboob:



By @txemayeste in Paris @harpersbazaares

A photo posted by Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) on




Not to mention that face:




Seriously. Look. At. That. Face.



A photo posted by Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) on




To quote our beloved Rihanna, work, work, work, work, work. 



New Harper's Bazaar Spain cover!! Thank You @harpersbazaares shot by @txemayeste by @juancebrian

A photo posted by Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) on



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Women's Running Features Yet Another Plus-Size Model On Its Cover

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Women's Running is slowly but surely becoming our favorite magazine.


After making waves by featuring a plus-size model on its August 2015 cover, the magazine, which calls itself the largest for women runners, has done it again -- this time, with plus-size blogger and model Nadia Aboulhosn.




This marks the first magazine cover ever for Aboulhosn, who shared her emotional reaction with nearly 400,000 Instagram followers.


"When I got the email I still didn't believe it was going to happen," she wrote. "I for sure thought last minute something was going to happen and I wouldn't be on the cover just solely off the fact that things have turned wrong for me so much of my life when I'm almost about to have something, I get disappointed or let down."


 




She also thanked the magazine's editor-in-chief, Jessica Sebor. A champion of body positivity, Sebor previously explained to The Huffington Post that fitness is about so much more than size.


"As a runner, it's obvious that fit, healthy women come in all shapes and sizes. There's absolutely no such thing as a 'runner's body.' You can go to any marathon finish line for proof of that fact. Healthy isn't about what a person looks like; it's about how she lives her life," Sebor said in July.


While we'd love to see other magazines hop on board, too, it's refreshing to see one that is truly committed to inclusivity.

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REVIEW: 'The True Cost' Documentary -- Fearless Fashion Comes at a Price

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Millennials love cheap makeovers -- and why not? If you have a closet full of nothing to wear, just head over to the nearest Zara or Joe Fresh, wave your credit card and score some spankin' new, on-trend outfits without breaking the bank.

'This is a story about clothes,' the True Cost documentary starts; but it is so much more than that.


In ninety minutes, the documentary juxtaposes the product and process. The camera jumps from glamouros European catwalks to the Indian slums in which those garments are created. But wait, how did that happen?

When our mothers were our age, they couldn't easily afford to buy a dozen shirts on one shopping trip. Could you imagine passing down your H&M dress to your great granddaughter? You'd be lucky if it lasted beyond one season.

Like fast food took over our kitchens, fast fashion took over our closets.


The big companies today seem to measure success by the final product on the runway or on the shelves. They likely don't think about the mothers who are forced to live away from their toddlers in order to create those fast fashion items on wages that are too low to live on.

Cinderella's singing mice aren't working behind the scenes to sew garments in your bedroom.


Real people are doing it, who have real lives. Far from the eyes of the world, companies are getting away with murder -- literally. Factory fires, building collapses and diseases have all killed factory workers recently. And these aren't isolated incidents. Workers are getting skin cancer as well as digestive and liver problems -- all health issues directly related to the chemicals found in those factories. It doesn't seem to be slowing down either. The U.S. was producing 95% of the clothes domestically in the 1960s. Today, it's more like three percent.

The rest of the production is outsourced to developing countries and those atrocities are increasing steadily.

The documentary encourages the viewer to get off the conveyer belt of constant motion and focus on the living things that breathe life into garments.


Many companies are contaminating the land and adding toxicity to the soil. Crops and people are affected and the earth is being abused. They estimate that one cotton farmer commits suicide every 30 minutes. This new destruction isn't just impacting third world countries though.

Clever ads tie consumption to happiness, but people in the Western World seem much more depressed.


In the past, getting a new dress was an event. You would eye an item at the store, dream about it, work hard for it and when you finally got the prized package in your hand, it was a real treat. You would take care of it and wear it on special occasions. Today, you can purchase six affordable pretty dresses with one click online.

After that selfie, that dress becomes too old and you head to the shop to buy another piece to lift your mood.


We are just consuming and adding without thinking of the consequences. Only 10 percent of donated clothes get recycled or up-cycled, and thrift stores can't sell a lot of the garments that come in, so they end up in a landfill.

Fashion bloggers clutter YouTube with vlogs and confess that they can't physically wear everything. "I don't even know if I like it anymore," one blogger confesses after showing her new purchase to the camera.

Since it takes 200 years to break down textile, the clothes just sit there releasing harmful fumes in the atmosphere for centuries.

Packed with mini narratives and interviews with designers and factory workers, the documentary was paid for by participants on the crowdfunding site, Kickstarter. About 900 strangers funded the project which took 2.5 years to make.

Watching the documentary, you are reminded that cheap fashion might be friendly on the wallet but harmful for humanity. The main takeaway is this: Don't be a "Fashion Victim" and, if you buy something new, try to make sure that there aren't any victims at all. Available on Netflix. More at The True Cost Movie.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.











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