Quantcast
Channel: Style & Beauty
Viewing all 18686 articles
Browse latest View live

Amy Schumer Reminds Us She's 'An American Treasure' In Bikini Snap

0
0

Amy Schumer celebrated 4th of July the same way most of us did -- hanging out on the beach in a swimsuit. 


The comedian posted a solo shot from her holiday weekend, posing in a black-and-white-patterned bikini. Saluting the camera in front of two giant American flags, the 35-year-old captioned her photo "An American treasure." 



An American treasure

A photo posted by @amyschumer on




A day before, the comedian and her road manager sister posed for a photo in a pool, making fun of some of their celebrity counterparts via some hilarious hashtags. 


"#hadidsisters #balmain #eattolivedontlivetoeat #eattoeat #poolmanager," wrote Schumer, while making a funny face in goggles. 



#hadidsisters #balmain #eattolivedontlivetoeat #eattoeat #poolmanager

A photo posted by @amyschumer on




In May, Schumer used a bathing suit photo snapped by a paparazzi member to remind trolls that she's "strong and healthy."


"I meant to write 'good morning trolls!'" the comedian captioned her photo. "I hope you find some joy in your lives today in a human interaction and not just in writing unkind things to a stranger you’ve never met who triggers something in you that makes you feel powerless and alone. This is how I look. I feel happy." 




Tell 'em, Amy! 




-- 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.


Watch Prince William Eloquently 'Stand Up To Bullying' In New Video

0
0

As Prince William builds his own legacy of anti-bullying initiatives for children and adults and prioritizing the importance of mental health, he is also proudly carrying on his late mother Princess Diana's legacy, too.  


William appears in a new video to launch the U.K.'s first "Stand Up To Bullying Day" Tuesday. The event is organized and led by The Diana Award, a charity that runs on "Princess Diana’s belief that young people have the power to change the world for the better," according to its website. 


Acknowledging that "bullying is an issue which can affect any one of us, regardless of age, background, gender, sexuality, race, disability or religion," and that "the reach of technology can make it feel unrelenting," William calls the act both "stupid and cruel."






William, his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and his brother Prince Harry have each worked to spread mental health awareness and discourage bullying, often surrounding youth. William points out this time that bullying is not limited to young people, and has consequences far beyond the classroom. 


"Research shows victims of bullying can become more susceptible to depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts," William says in the clip.


William made history last month as the first royal to pose for a gay magazine, for a cover story for which he met with bullied LGBTQ youth who “give hope to people who are going through terrible bullying right now,” as he put it.  


Beyond serving as the face for Stand Up To Bullying Day, William also calls on viewers to actually do something about it.


"It is our collective responsibility to be alert and to be ready to challenge the behavior we see around us," he says in the video. 


Head to The Diana Award to learn more.

-- 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 Fourth

0
0
2016-06-30-1467257401-837959-1776.png


I've got the hamburgers and the sparklers. Washed my red white and blue T shirt. Everybody's got their assignments for the barbecue. And I find myself wondering--just what are we celebrating here?

Do you get a lump in your throat when the white-haired vets carry the flag by? Do you dream of home when you're in another country, missing American voices, jokes, tastes and sights and smells? I do.

But people all over the world have equally strong feelings for their home countries. Nigerians in a New York winter yearn for the warmth and light of Lagos. Russians in Osaka dream of the birch trees around St. Petersburg. The French, wherever they are, are certain that France is in every way better. The love of home must be almost universal, and patriotism based on these emotions is the same the world over.

But there's something beyond the emotional love of this land and its people that accounts for the pride, respect, and awe that I feel on the Fourth. Because the Fourth is special.

Consider that no shots were fired, no swords drawn on the fourth of July, 1776. What we celebrate is a quiet event, in a hot, closed room, in the colonial city of Philadelphia, when delegates from the British colonies in America signed a document that told their British lord and masters to piss off.

You had to read their Declaration in school--"When in the course of human events"--remember? Thomas Jefferson wrote the draft; the delegates argued over the words for three days. They took out Jefferson's blast at the king's slave trade, but what they left in was more than enough to get them all hanged. And on the fourth day they put their names on it.

These cheeky colonists held that certain revolutionary ideas were, if you please, "self-evident" truths. In a time when kings still thought they ruled by divine right, these colonists said it was obvious that all men were created equal, that they were born with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and nobody, including King George, could mess with those rights. Oh no.

Government had to be from the people up, not from a king down--governments' power came from the "consent of the governed" and if the governed were as fed up as the colonists were with George, they had the right to dump him and his government and start one that suited them better. They presented a long list of grievances to support their determination not to take it anymore and declared the United States of America free and independent states who would now govern themselves and do a proper job of it, thank-you-very-much.

They knew the king wouldn't sit still for this; they knew he'd move full-power against them. The closing words of the document bound them together in the trouble they knew would be coming down on them: "And for the support of this declaration, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

That's the Fourth. We're celebrating the courage of those delegates, and the principles they were sticking their necks out for, as they walked to the table, dipped the pen in the inkwell, and put their names, clear and bold, on that paper.

So when the flags wave and the fireworks light the sky, it's not just about loving purple mountains' majesty and amber waves of grain, and it's not just about American moms and apple pie--it's about the vision and courage of the heroes who launched an astonishing, revolutionary, democracy.

Way to go, Founders.

-- 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.

Christie Brinkley 'Was Forced To Hose Down' Woman Peeing On Her Hamptons Property

0
0

Word to the wise: don't urinate outside. And definitely, definitely don't urinate on Christie Brinkley's property. 


The supermodel shared a crazy encounter with a person who decided to pee on her yard in the Hamptons on July 4th. In a Facebook post full of bathroom humor, Brinkley said she whipped out a hose to stop the pissing match from going any further. 


"I know it's Independence Day but that does not mean 'free to pee' in front of my guests and me at my fireworks gathering," the 62-year-old wrote. "Maybe the trespasser should celebrate 'Depends Day' as she apparently thinks she lives in 'The Land of the Pee,' and I was forced to hose down her mess after she urinated in my yard all the while throwing things at me." 


Brinkley added that she wanted to "live in the Land of the Free from belligerent drunken stalkers with weak bladders and foul mouths" and would raise a glass of her own prosecco to making her wish come true. 





While Brinkley was dealing with her trespasser from hell, other celebs shared photos on Instagram of their pee-free July 4th celebrations.


Taylor Swift splashed around with her bevy of famous friends at her Rhode Island estate, while others, like Ariel Winter and Kate Hudson, got cheeky in their bikinis

-- 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.

A Handy (And Hilarious) Guide To Editing Your Swimsuit Photos

0
0



"MTV Decoded" host Franchesca Ramsey is here to make sure you get the perfect swimsuit photo this summer.


On Sunday, Ramsey, who is also a writer for "The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore," shared a video featuring "really easy editing tips" for getting that picture-perfect swimsuit photo that will rack up the likes. Got a camel toe while wearing your favorite bathing suit? Just add an actual camel as a distraction. Want to "add some ass" to the pic? Photoshop in some donkeys (you know, asses) and you're good to go.


Ramsey made sure to save her best advice for the end:


"Just remember that most of the photos you see on Instagram have been heavily edited so the last thing you want to do is compare yourself to an image that's been doctored, photoshopped, Facetuned and filtered to hell and back."


Forget about editing, ladies, and enjoy your summer!

-- 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.

This Woman Was Harassed For Wearing A Tight Dress. Her Response Was Perfect.

0
0

In yet another edition of "women's clothing choices being policed," one New Zealand woman was shamed for wearing a tight dress to a friend's wedding. 


One June 26, Waikato-based radio station The Breeze posted a photo of fitness coach Liz Krueger in a killer dress to its Facebook page. The post read: "[Krueger] got treated rudely by other women at the wedding who saw her as a target for wearing this dress," and asked its followers, "Did she bring ANY of this on herself by wearing this dress to a wedding?" Apparently, Krueger had her butt smacked, and had beer purposefully spilled on her at the reception.


(And to be clear: no one ever brings harassment upon themselves because of their choice of clothing.)





The post has since elicited hundreds of responses, with many of them veering into the realm of slut-shaming. 


One commenter wrote, "I do feel the dress was more appropriate for a club; it is an 'I want attention dress,'" while another felt the need to contribute this to the conversation: "She's old enough to know better and the designer (?) should be shot."


There were also plenty of supportive responses, too. "Women should never be harassed or bullied for what they wear. Shame on all the haters," one commenter wrote 


Shortly after the The Breeze shared her story, Krueger identified herself in an Instagram post, with a perfect "IDGAF" response: "Good thing for thick skin, being able to laugh at things and not take it personally," she wrote in the post's caption. 




Krueger is also turning her experience of being shamed by other women into a kindness movement with the hashtag #KruegerKindness, which she also introduced on her Instagram page:



I'm going to actively make it a priority to do good things for other women, every single day from here on out. I'm hoping to inspire others to do the same, just as I have with fitness journey.





Kruger's experience is a much-needed to reminder to "#KillEmWithKindness" -- and wear whatever the hell you want. 


H/T Cosmopolitan.com

-- 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.

Hillary Clinton's 5 Best Style Statements

0
0



Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has seen her fair share of fashion trends over the course of her political career, and she's made a few statements of her own with her accessories.


From headbands and scrunchies to glasses and neck scarves, we took a look back at a few of her show-stopping style moments. Check it out in the video above. 


This video was produced by Lily Corvo and edited by Kohar Minassian.

-- 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.

Men Shouldn't Wear Flip-Flops, But Not Because Feet Are Gross

0
0

It's summer, the season when the internet asks itself whether or not men who wear flip-flops are inhuman beast-slobs or irresistible sex magnets.


The ladies of The Cut hashed it out. Men's Fitness investigatedMashable and the Telegraph each wrote a hit piece, and bipartisan Birchbox provided both sides of the argument.


There seems to be no gray area: You're either for men in flip-flops or against it, and The Huffington Post newsroom is no different.


"I like to think I'm an open-minded person," said Noah Michelson, executive editor of our Queer Voices section. "But if I show up for a blind date and the guy I'm meeting is wearing flip-flops and jeans, I'm leaving."


Viral news editor Hilary Hanson is "pro-everyone in flip-flops. I honestly do not understand the hate that flip-flops receive as compared with other sandals."


For Melissa Radzimski, social editor for HuffPost Entertainment, wearing flip-flops is "like walking around barefoot, begging for you to get dirty feet, and then flaunting your dirty feet to the world as if it's something to be proud of. We must do better."



Truth is, there's never been a consensus -- there's always going to be one vote for "men should wear whatever they want" to match every person who thinks a guy's feet are hideous and should be hidden forever.


But the aesthetic argument is missing the point. As Voices culture writer Zeba Blay said, "No one should be wearing flip-flops ever."


She's right.


Men shouldn't wear flip-flops because they're dangerous. In fact, nobody should wear them.


This is according to podiatrists who told us that because flip-flops provide little to no protection or support for your feet, they're best reserved for minimal wear at the beach, shower or swimming pool.



"By design, a flat sandal allows flattening of the arch ... and can place undue tension or pulling of the plantar fascia," which can lead to plantar fasciitis, said Dr. Leslie Campbell, a podiatrist and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association.


Dr. Alex Kor, president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, told HuffPost that the most important feature in any shoe is the shank, something most flip-flops do not have: The shank is the supportive section between the inner and outer soles that provides most of the structure under the arch of your foot. 


Kor adds that because flip-flops don't secure themselves to your feet, they're flat-out dangerous.


"The fact remains that flip-flop injuries are a major problem for patients who have lost sensation to their feet (i.e. some diabetic patients), the elderly who may lack coordination, and even children who can get the flip-flop caught in a step, escalator, etc.," he said, concluding that he "cannot recommend flip-flops for long term wear."


"All flip-flops do not offer heel stabilization and this leads to gripping of the toes," Dr. Megan Leahy, a Chicago-based podiatrist with the Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, told HuffPost. "When the heel is unstable, toes tend to grip, which can lead to tendinitis, worsening of toe deformities, nail problems, corns, and calluses... Additionally, tripping and sprains and strains are more common with his unstable and un-protective shoe gear."


So if you're good to keep the flip-flops at the pool, we think the best thing you can do everywhere else is keep showing off those mankles -- man ankles. Check out these non-flip-flop summer shoe options: 


-- 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.


Bill Cunningham My Mother & Me

0
0
2016-07-05-1467679739-8436951-AlicebyBillCunningham.png

That Bill Cunningham's funeral service was held at St. Thomas More's Church put a wistful smile on my face. For to my late mother at least, of the several classy East side Roman Catholic churches in New York City, Thomas More was the classiest.

When I was a child my mother was maid to the Broadway producer, Jean Dalrymple who lived in an equally classy townhouse right off Park Avenue and 55th Street. Occasionally, when her work finished for the day she and I would walk up town to Thomas More to drop in, walk around, inspect the altar flowers, see how the rich worship and say the occasional prayer.

We'd bypass several near by classy churches: St. Vincent Ferrer on Lexington, St. Jean Baptiste (my mother called it St. Jean the Baptist) also on Lexington and the grandest of all St. Ignatius Loyola on Park, in favor of the modestly built, and somewhat dark St. Thomas More, at Madison and 89th Street.

Why my mother bypassed the others in favor of Thomas More remains a mystery. One is lovelier than the next. Now many years later I think it was because she mistook St Thomas for Episcopalian, a religion she deemed classy.

I thought it Episcopalian myself for years. It was only when Jackie O died and the papers said she was a parishioner, did I realize my Mother's mistake.

As every other woman whom he photographed, I have a soft spot in my heart for Bill Cunningham who, as it turns out was a Catholic. Several years ago on a glorious Autumn Saturday, he 'caught' me at the Union Square Greenmarket.

But what has truly moved me is that Bill was a Catholic, and not by name only. In the beautiful documentary Bill Cunningham New York he reveals that he attends Mass every Sunday. This surprised me and the old adage "once a Catholic..." sprang to mind. He needed more than his 'art' to sustain him.

In an article in The Guardian July 3rd, New York Times style section editor, Stuart Emmrich said that the priest officiating at Bill's service (it was not a Requiem Mass) said that when Bill picked up a camera 50 years ago his life changed: "For Bill photography was not a job or career, it was a vocation, almost like he had been called by God to it."

A few hours ago I went up to St. Thomas More to light a candle for Bill and I can see why my mother thought it Episcopal. The church, though Catholic since the 50's, has a serenity I find in Episcopal churches.

There was no one there, and as I looked around I called to mind what Bill said in the documentary - that as a child he loved to go to mass to look at women's hats.

As photography was not allowed at his service I can only imagine the array of hats and head ornaments worn by Bill's women to honor him one more last time. And I think of my mother who always wore a hat. Always...even at home.

-- 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.

7 Things You Should Think Twice About Before Putting On Your Face

0
0

SPECIAL FROM 2013-02-21-grandparentslogo.jpg


Lemon juice, baking soda, petroleum jelly...we're always hearing about these alternatives to traditional skincare products, but are they safe? And are they effective at keeping skin hydrated and smooth? We spoke to two dermatologists to find out.


1. Petroleum jelly



You probably remember your grandmother or mother slathering on the Vaseline. Turns out, petroleum jelly is indeed a home run for your face. 


"As we age, the skin on our face gets thinner and less elastic, which can lead to dryness," says Mamta Jhaveri, M.D., an assistant professor of dermatology at John's Hopkins University School of Medicine. "The best thing you can do is moisturize your skin. We prefer moisturizers to be thicker to lock in moisture." Petroleum jelly, she continues, is very thick and has close to zero water in it, meaning, it doesn't evaporate and let moisture out. Instead, it creates a barrier to lock in skin's existing moisture.


For optimal hydration, use it after the shower, when skin is a little damp. And lest you be worried that petroleum jelly will cause acne, a study in the Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists debunked that theory. However, says, Dr. Jhaveri, if you have oily skin or rosacea, she recommends using a lighter moisturizer which says on the label that it's "non-comedogenic," or doesn't clog pores.


2. Alcohol-based products



Toners and astringents line the skincare shelves, but do they dry out skin? Depends on the kind of alcohol in the product. 


Products containing isopropyl alcohol, can dry out skin. "Overuse, or use in an irritated area can lead to further inflammation and breakdown of the skin," says Amy Kassouf, M.D., a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Yet other types of alcohol, such as benzyl alcohol, found in a lot of cream formulations actually have a mild emollient effect, she says. 


"There is a place for toners and astringents to treat oily skin," says Dr. Jhaveri, but she recommends that her patients use them sparingly and put on a lightweight moisturizer afterwards to prevent dryness. "There are usually other treatments that we can recommend instead, like switching to a different face wash or using a topical cream if skin is oily," she says. Your best bet is to check the ingredients list before buying a product and see which kind of alcohol it contains. 


3. Toothpaste



Who hasn't used a dab of toothpaste to dry out a pimple or two? "Many toothpastes contain antibacterial agents such astriclosan and bases such as baking soda that can help dry a blemish," says Dr. Kassouf. "You may, however, end up with some irritation, so limit application to any area to just a day or two." What you don't want to do is dry out the skin. And if you experience burning from the toothpaste, wipe it off and stick to a more traditional acne product.


4. Lemon juice/vinegar



Lemon juice has always been heralded as a skin brightener, and apple cider vinegar is currently the rage when it comes to beauty treatments. 


"Citrus juices contain citric acid and vinegar contains acetic acid," says Dr. Kassouf. "Healthy skin has a slightly acidic pH which helps ward off unwanted bacteria and yeast." To get this slightly acidic effect on your skin, you can use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar as a mild astringent. "Apple cider vinegar seems to shine in this category and there are some studies to back the use of witch hazel as well," adds Dr. Kassouf. But if you decide to use lemon juice or vinegar, make sure you dilute it with water into a 50-50 solution. Otherwise, it can irritate or burn your skin. 


5. Body lotion


You may have read that using body lotion isn't great for your face, but the dermatologists say otherwise. "There are subtle and sometimes no difference between body lotions and face lotions," says Dr. Kassouf. "Face lotions may be more moisturizing and milder, but otherwise similar," Dr. Jhaveri agrees. "There's usually no harm in using them." 



6. Baking soda



You'll often hear beauty bloggers and experts tout baking soda as a natural facial scrub and skin brightener. And it is. You just need to use it sparingly.


"In general, we discourage a lot of scrubbing and exfoliating," says Dr. Jhaveri. "You might think it's a good way to clean your skin, but it can dry you out more." If you do want to try baking soda on your face, dilute it to make it less abrasive. Either mix it with your regular face cleanser, or try mixing it with coconut oil to create your own scrub.


7. Cleansing brush



"One of the more popular products currently is the electric cleansing brush (such as the Clarisonic)," says Dr. Kassouf. "While use of these products may be helpful a couple times weekly, everyday or prolonged or excess usage can actually cause irritation and swelling of the skin and pore openings that can result in acne flares and other problems." 


Read more from Grandparents.com:


8 Beauty Tips from Celebs Over 50


6 Habits That Cause Wrinkles


How to Go Gray: 10 Expert Tips





 



-- 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.

'A Modern Study Of Hair' Celebrates Women's Connections To Their Locks

0
0

Think of a woman you love -- your partner, maybe, or your mother. Now, imagine her hair. Is it thick, rich, beautifully braid-able? Is it cropped short above her neck, setting one of the most intimate parts of her body on view? 


The boundless opportunity for hairstyling makes a person’s hair one of the most expressive parts of her (or his) body. It can be a color-ready palette, a moldable sculpture, a gorgeous ready-made, or a work of art representing her family before her. Which is why photographer Tara Bogart’s series “A Modern Study of Hair” is compelling in its simplicity.


Inspired by a trip to the National Library of France, where she saw a photo taken by Felix Nadar showing a woman’s ornate hairstyle and draping costume from behind, Bogart decided to take a series of similar photos, using that vantage point to display the aesthetics of 21st-century 20-somethings.



“I couldn’t stop thinking about what that same image would look like today,” Bogart writes on her site. When she began to organize the project, she asked a few women she knew to sit for her, but realized the series would tell a more compelling story if she didn’t select the subjects herself.


“When I realized that I was going to make a lot more of these portraits, I asked some of the women to ask their friends and also their friends' friends,” Bogart told The Huffington Post. “I put some flyers up at the college I was working at and I took whoever came as long as they were 20-something. I guess I was making an attempt at an unscientific ‘random sampling’ of women in my area.”


Bogart notes in a statement about her work that her status as an outsider -- she isn’t a 20-something woman herself anymore, although, of course, she was once -- sets the tone of the project, which emanates a clinical air. The women are photographed from behind, just as Nadar’s subject was, making a scroll through the images feel like a flip through a textbook of lovely and varied butterfly species.


But Bogart’s emotional proximity to the subjects grants the series a touching, human feel, too.



“Being a woman photographer, I still have insight because I was once that age and I can relate in many ways to the women on a personal level,” she said. “I still remember well the challenges of my own generation to define ourselves in some way.”


Like Nadar, she photographed her subjects using natural lighting, rather than using flash to drown out any imperfections with floods of light. The resulting fly-away hairs, bra strap lines, freckles, goose bumps and split ends work together to form a series of images that is both abstract and deeply personal. Crimped strands of dark hair may look at home in a gallery to an anonymous viewer, but to the subject and anyone who knows her, it’s an intimate portrait.


“I hope that people see the unique beauty I see in each of these contemporary young women,” Bogart said. “We often get caught up in and are critical of traits that signify 'beauty' and by removing those things I see something special about each and every one of the women in the series.”


See the Kickstarter page for "A Modern Study of Hair" here.


-- 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.

How To Be More Like Frida Kahlo, As Told By Frida Kahlo

0
0


Let’s face it: We all wish we could be Frida Kahlo. She was a feminist before her time, incorporated indigenous and national Mexican symbols into her art with complete authenticity, and kept up a passionate -- if explosive -- romance with Diego Rivera. Her self-portraits are incomparable, as were her spirited, self-aware quotes.




There’s nothing like a great artist’s birthday to make us feel insecure about our own accomplishments. Brilliant writers and painters may be inspirational, but they also make us wonder how we could ever ascend to their godly heights. Luckily, Kahlo was never one to stay silent when it came to her worldview and lifestyle -- so she left us plenty of advice.




To commemorate her July 6 birthday, we offer you a seven-step program to becoming a bit more like the iconic painter. Uncertain as to how to approach a challenging situation today? Imagine Kahlo as your life coach sitting opposite you, her furrowed brow staring discerningly. Ask yourself, What Would Frida Do (WWFD)? Who knows? You might just end up becoming a brilliant painter.





1. Say you don’t do love letters -- then write gorgeous ones.



“I don’t know how to write love letters,” Kahlo penned ever so humbly to her 1946 flame Jose Bartoli. Then, she added, “Since I fell in love with you everything is transformed and is full of beauty ... love is like an aroma, like a current, like rain. You know, my sky, you rain on me and I, like the earth, receive you.”


The moral of the story: When communicating with lovers, set the bar low and then leap over it with dazzling colors. Kahlo's supposed ignorance of the epistolary form may have been her greatest strength. It let her play with language and emotion in ways that normal long-distance communication would have prohibited.




Plus, if you’re lucky, your love letters might end up being worth a fortune long after your life. In an April auction, 25 of Kahlo's communiqués with Bartoli sold for $137,000. Pretty good for someone who claimed not to know what she was doing.







2. Confront your most tragic experiences.



When something bad happens to most of us, we run and hide from it -- stuffing memories deep into our subconscious and hoping no one makes us confront them again. Unfortunately, that’s not the way life works, and repression tends to lead to all sorts of psychological problems. Kahlo had a different way of going about things.




Despite suffering from polio as a child and from a terrible bus accident as a young adult, she never despaired. In fact, she began painting while bedridden, for it was one of the few things she could do easily on her back. And after her miscarriage at 24, Frida wrote to her doctor, “I cried a lot, but it’s over, there is nothing else that can be done except to bear it.”


But she did far more than accept the tragedy; she incorporated it into her artwork. Her painting “Henry Ford Hospital” features a nude Kahlo connected with a set of umbilical cords to a series of potent symbols. Rivera’s mural “Detroit Industry” worked with similar imagery, showing a baby huddled inside the roots of a plant. These paintings are haunting and moving -- but we tend to forget that they’re radically brave. Kahlo (and Rivera) recognized that tragedy must be confronted, that the most private matters can have a place in our public and artistic personas. 







3. Start gardening.



Horticulture has long been associated with creativity and serenity, but Kahlo took the hobby to a whole new level. In the courtyard of her famed Casa Azul (Blue House) in Coyoacán, a borough of Mexico City, she cultivated a plant universe so serene it’s still being maintained for visitors today. Her botanical interests also inspired the natural motifs in her paintings, particularly as her health declined in the 1940s and '50s, and she spent more and more time at Casa Azul. “I paint flowers so they will not die,” she said of the works.




Just last year, the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx treated New York natives and visitors to Kahlo's gardening glory, showcasing a recreated version of Casa Azul, with everything from fuchsia to prickly pears to her cobalt house. So pick up a trowel and some seeds and you may just become so invested in the plants you’ll need to paint masterpieces to save their lives.







4. Learn to know thyself.



Millennials are constantly being accused of narcissism, and the “me! me! me!” attitudes on social media may have some wishing people would know themselves a bit less. But Kahlo recognized the importance of looking deeply within herself -- in a piercing and authentic way. There’s a reason, after all, that we cite her self-portraits as her most famous works. “I am my own muse,” she's often quoted as saying, without a touch of irony, “The subject I know best.”




Rather than presume she could speak for swaths of other people, Kahlo painted what she knew. But there’s a difference between those self-portraits and most Instagrammed selfies. Kahlo’s work was honest and accepting, portraying her life’s less glamorous side instead of hiding it the way we tend to today. She did not lurk beneath filters and a shiny social media sheen, for she recognized that knowing herself meant being candid and open.









5. Live in a world of paradox.



Most of us want to believe that the universe is logical, so we present ourselves as consistent human beings. But take one look at Kahlo’s work, and you’ll see that she never saw the world in that flat, boring way. It’s something her lover Diego Rivera captured exquisitely, in a letter to a friend:





I recommend her to you, not as a husband but as an enthusiastic admirer of her work, acid and tender, hard as steel and delicate and fine as a butterfly’s wing, lovable as a beautiful smile, and as profound and cruel as the bitterness of life.





Life coach Kahlo would tell you that gentle and harsh can be combined, ugliness and beauty easily intermixed. That your life, like her artwork, need not be understood through a single lens. It’s an incredibly liberating idea: to abandon singular identities and lean into the chaos.











6. Deny all labels.



Long before the “I’m not into labels” undergraduate began to flourish at American colleges, Kahlo was rejecting the idea that humans could be categorized and subsumed under simple words. She is often called a surrealist due to the way her paintings mix images in a dreamlike way, combining symbols and bodies in ways that seem impossible for the waking mind to perceive.


But Kahlo rejected the term, saying “They thought I was a surrealist, but I wasn’t. I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.” Truly great artists, after all, cannot be pegged to single movements or ideologies, and Kahlo knew this. She always defined her work on her own terms: as her reality.













7. Never get caught up in your success.



Even the most humble and authentic specimens of humanity cannot help but be dazzled by validation and fame. Unless you’re Kahlo. As her art grew popular and beloved by high-art circles, she stayed true to her roots and skeptical of elitism. “They are so damn ‘intellectual’ and rotten that I can’t stand them anymore,” she once griped of European surrealists. “I would rather sit on the floor in the market of Toluca and sell tortillas, than have anything to do with those ‘artistic’ bitches of Paris.”




So if you ever become too self-satisfied, too proud of the success Kahlo-as-life-coach has brought you, ask yourself once more: WWFD? The answer: Get off your pedestal and sit down on the floor.









 A version of this article originally appeared on The Huffington Post in 2015.

-- 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.

Mila Kunis Poses Makeup-Free, Slams Photoshop

0
0

All hail Mila Kunis, the latest celebrity to hop on the makeup-free movement.


The "Bad Moms" star is Glamour's August cover star, giving both a revealing interview about her marriage, motherhood, and Donald Trump, and a revealing back cover image that shows off her natural beauty. 


Posing in a tank top and her own necklace, Kunis is wearing nothing more on her face than "skin serum, eye cream, and lip balm," according to the mag. 



The 32-year-old, who also posed with makeup for the front cover and inside spread, explained to Glamour that she doesn't wear makeup or wash her hair every day, so the change of pace shooting the back cover was welcome. And while she commends "women who wake up 30, 40 minutes early to put on eyeliner," she said she is "just not that person." 


That sentiment holds true for her feelings about Photoshop, the reality of celebrity endorsements and altered images.


“I hate it. There was a company that I did a photo shoot for once that manipulated the photo so much, I was like, ‘That’s not even me.’ Like, what’s the point? You wanted my name, and then you wanted the version of me that I’m not. I absolutely hate it," she said, adding a caveat: "Now, do I sometimes want them to depuff my eyes? Help me out with a little bit of lighting. But do I want them to stretch my legs, thin out my waist, curve my hips, elongate my neck, blah, blah, blah? No."



Kunis has long been an advocate for a more natural look, having previously posed without makeup for a Gemfields campaign back in 2014. Are we the only ones who smell a collaboration with fellow fresh-faced beauty Alicia Keys on the horizon?


Head to Glamour to read the entire interview, and pick up your copy when it hits newsstands July 12. 

-- 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.

31 Frida Kahlo-Inspired Tattoos That'll Make You Want To Get Inked

0
0

If imitation is the best form of flattery, then Frida Kahlo would probably feel very flattered by these tattoos. 


The Mexican icon, whose birthday is July 6, was many things: a feminist, an artist, a lover and a resilient survivor of tragedy. And her legacy lives on six decades after her death thanks, in part, to those who've quite literally imprinted her work, words and image on their skin. 


Whether inspired by her most famous works of art or her empowering quotes, there are hundreds of Frida fans who've taken their devotion to the next level with some amazing ink work. 


Check out 31 of our favorite Frida Kahlo-inspired tattoos below. 







#fridakahlo #frida #kahlo #fridakahlotattoo #fridakahlotatouage #dusty #brasseur #duza #dustyduza @tin_tin_tatouages

A photo posted by Duza aka Dusty brasseur (@dustyduza) on







Frida Kahlo #NardiInk #tattoo #fridakahlo #fridakahlotattoo #sketchtattoo

A photo posted by Patricio Nardi (@patricionardi) on





so much fun

A photo posted by Daniel Medina (@dannymedina_art) on

























#fridakahlo #fridakahlotattoo #fridatattoo #illustration #tattoocolors #vintagetattoo #tatuadoracolombiana #tatuajesmedellin #tatuajes #tattoo

A photo posted by Natalia Álvarez Tattoo Artist (@natyalvareztattoo) on







Una de las mejores decisiones de mi vida... !Me ayuda a mantenerme firme! #fridakahlotattoo

A photo posted by Alejandra Quiceno Ríos (@aleja373) on





La mia Musa in progress! Done by @antikorpo!

A photo posted by Sara Cervelli (@saracervelli) on















Frida

A photo posted by Fernanda Prado (@fprado) on





Friction Featured Tattoo done by @arturas_dirma

A photo posted by Friction Tattoo Supply (@frictiontattoo) on






Closet Game

0
0
The proliferation of life organizing 'hacks' has become downright manic. This is no more true than for the square-foot-starved, hard-working people of New York City. There are organization gurus and closet 'designers,' there are online how-to's and all manner of books - and we here in NYC eat it up with aplomb. They all proclaim to save your valuable time, to improve your life, but rarely deliver. What I propose is an exception to this pattern of failure. Mine is a system for how to improve your wardrobe, style and life.

Let's face facts - picking the perfect outfit takes time. Most people insist on forcing clothes into in arbitrary, non-functional systems - like colorcoding. If you don't dress exclusively in monochrome, you shouldn't organize by color. In an ideal system, as I see it, I am looking only at the pieces that work for the specific day ahead. I've achieved this by creating two distinct closets: the "A-Game" and the "Everyday." It may sound simple, but I guarantee that this is a distinct and powerful improvement.
Here's how it works: the A-Game closet is where you keep the clothes that you wear to impress. Whether it's for a business meeting or a hot date, if a piece makes you look and feel on top of your game, it's A-Game material. You might think I'm advocating for a separation of formal and casual, a division of the apparel classes, but you would be incorrect.

Imagine this: you are heading for a long weekend this summer - it could be Southhampton, it could be Cape Cod, wherever. You are going to be surrounded by your attractive, successful friends. Picture it. What are you wearing? That makes the cut for the A-Game, too. This is a moment when you need to shine like any other; you must dress accordingly.

Your A-Game closet is full of pieces that, regardless of casual- or formal-ness, make you feel amazing. After all, trends in activewear and casual wear have bred many upscale offerings. Great style combines upscale 'casual' with traditionally formal pieces.

There is an exception that will need a separate home - formalwear. Gentlemen, this means the tuxedos and dinner jackets you would never wear with jeans. For ladies this means evening gowns and over-the-top dresses you would never wear to a business meeting. A baroque metallic skirt, however, is A-Game, as it could be dressed down.

Once we have established the A-Game closet, we face all that remains. First are pieces you would wear on an uneventful day at the office, around the neighborhood. These pieces make up your 'Everyday' closet. They are important but shouldn't distract from your A-Game pieces. Second are the pieces you wouldn't want to be seen wearing, and you need to be honest. You should toss most of these. We cannot expect to clear our closets or our minds if we are burdened by guilt. Guess what - your college orientation tee with a hole? Not even your girlfriend wants to see you in that - toss it! Once you have a tidy pile of 'staying in clothes,' should they be put back in the closet? NO! These do not belong near anything you wear outside. Call it apparel classism if you will, but put those clothes in their place - a drawer.

As a final note we must address basics. The basics of your wardrobe, although perhaps casual in nature, should not be subject to a single closet either. After all, you will need something simple and sharp to balance out that baroque skirt, and it shouldn't be the tee with a lose thread you keep forgetting to cut. Crisp, newer basics go in the 'A-Game;' older, plainer pieces go in the 'Everyday.' Judicious application of basics frees up fancier pieces to enter your rotation more often - and frequency of wear is part of the purchase justification.

These two distinct closets (and they may exist, divided, in one physical closet), will increase your fashion game profoundly. It's a big claim, but this system will make you more successful (i.e., looking good means feeling good).

This isn't a formula, it's a framework. You shouldn't be confined by someone else's definition of casual and formal. Style should be a freeing practice. It should not add stress to your morning and it shouldn't distract from those days when you need to be 'on your game.' The two closet system is like having a personal stylist - she won't inhibit your style, but she also won't lead you astray. Style should be as effortless as a single question - "is today an everyday or an A-Game day?"

-- 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.


Woman's Pubic Hair Dress Takes Fashion World By The Short Hairs

0
0

A British woman whose goal was to make a dress more hair-raising than Lady Gaga's infamous meat dress may have succeeded beyond anyone's expectation.


Sarah Louise Bryan recently unveiled a bra and skirt outfit made from pubic hair donated to her via her Twitter page.


The 28-year-old designer was inspired to create the haute "cooch-ure" design to outdo Lady Gaga's infamous outfit at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.


"I really wanted the world's most unique and disgusting design, so when someone sees a design they know it was me instantly," she told HuffPost.


Bryan told HuffPost she got the donated hair mostly from British men "plus the odd American," who sent her the hair in envelopes.


The hair came mostly from brunettes, but there is red and grey pubic hair in the mix as well.


Bryan sterilized the hair before applying it to a pre-cut bra and skirt with hot glue.


Bryan needed six months to get enough pubic hair to create the dress. She kept the donated strands wrapped in cling wrap in the room of her 13-year-old son.


"I didn't tell him the truth but he has the whole second floor of the house so it's a big area, the hardest part was keeping all the hair together in one piece," she told The Huffington Post.


When it came time to put the outfit together, things got hairy: She started gagging while working on the dress.


"I set to work with my eye mask, breathing mask and thickest gloves I could find, because who wants to eat pubic hair?" she said, according to the Sun. 


"I thought of the design because of how gross it is. I thought, 'What would be the worst thing to have on your dress?'"





This isn't the first time Bryan has created an outfit that has grabbed the fashion world by the short hairs.


Last year, she created a dress made from 3,000 Skittles worth $6,500 that became a viral sensation until it melted earlier this year while being transported to Los Angeles, according to the Birmingham Mail.





Bryan is willing to sell her pubic hair dress, but only for the right price and to the right person.


"I would only sell to a high profile celeb or museum," she told HuffPost. "I'd have to remake the top to size. I wouldn't make any wearable art for anyone unless they are high profile. I want to be exclusive. you can only have one if you are someone."


Meanwhile, Bryan said she has other ideas she's working on that may be just as shocking if this recent Twitter post is any indication:






"I've already had 300 offers," Bryan told HuffPost.

-- 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.

Here's What To Say To Your Barber If You Have Thinning Hair

0
0



You can't lie to your barber. They've heard it all.


If you have thinning hair, it's best to just be open about it. That's the idea behind Inside Hook and Aveda's new campaign, "Barbershop Confidential," which promotes Aveda's Invati line of shampoo for men.


Sure, it might be a commercial, but the clip is full of great tips on how to ask the right questions if you want a hairstyle that belies thinning hair.


Barber Frank Rizzieri, of Rizzieri's in New Jersey (and president of the Rizzieri Aveda School), explains his process in the video above.


Here's what you should tell your barber for a full-hair style, asking nicely, of course.


"Keep it tight and blended for shape." Tell this to your barber, especially if you have coarse hair. Keeping it tighter on the sides allows your style to have more length on the top, which makes your hair look thicker.


"Look into my eyes." Ask your barber to see how wide-set your eyes are so he or she can judge to see how far back to pull the sides of your cut. The closer your eyes are, the further back he or she should pull. Put another way, Rizzieri told HuffPost that he uses the corner of your brow line as a guide to keeping the hairstyle wide, because "you don’t want to cut above that, to avoid making your head look like a pin."


"Blow dry it before the product." Blow drying fluffs your hair and makes it look fuller. Add hair product after, such as a paste or pomade, to give your cut a little shape.


"Use the product with a light touch." Most people overuse their hair product, Rizzieri says, so make sure your barber starts little and slowly adds more until you get the texture you want.

-- 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 Most Fabulous Outfits Nancy Reagan Ever Wore

0
0

Nancy Reagan wasn't only a first lady. She was also an actress and a style icon.


During her time in the White House, Reagan wore stunning couture designed by major designers like Oscar de la Renta and Bill Blass. Her penchant for beautiful ensembles garnered lots of attention from the fashion community. In fact, she received a lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 1988.   


In celebration of what would have been her 95th birthday on July 6, we're taking a look back at some of her most iconic looks throughout time. Between her signature red suits and those stunning ball gowns, it's pretty clear that Reagan had style in spades. 


-- 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.

Please Don't Put Your Child In These Exquisite Couture Mommy-And-Me Gowns. We Can't Handle It.

0
0

You know the feeling when you're wearing a couture gown and you think to yourself, "Gosh, the only thing that could make this better is if I had another version of this same expensive dress in a child's size?"


Yeah, we don't either. 


Of course, the world in which Elie Saab's clients live is a world unfamiliar to most of us who aren't Taylor SwiftMila Kunis, Halle Berry, or Lupita Nyong'o (you get the best-dressed picture). The designer is responsible for some of fashion's most whimsical ensembles -- remember Lily James' "Cinderella gown?"


For his Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2016-17 collection shown in Paris Wednesday, Saab focused his intricate, exquisite designs on a younger set to produce what is arguably the most adorable -- and least necessary -- mommy-and-me collection of all time.




Clad in glitter, sparkle, headbands, glittery flats and wealth, the little girl models accompanied their full-size counterparts so adorably, they challenge any negative connotation ever before associated with mommy-and-me dressing.


They also paint a pretty clear picture of how Kim Kardashian and North West might look, should they ever walk a red carpet together. 




Please excuse us while we wrap our heads around the fact that these small children are dressed better than most adults we know.





-- 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.

Those Hoverboard Dancers Are Back And Better Than Ever

0
0



Last October, David Moore forever changed the dance world as we previously knew it when he uploaded “What Do You Mean / Epic HoverBoard Dance Cover @justinbieber” to YouTube.


The hoverboard dance cover was indeed epic, filled with innovational techniques and men gyrating on hoverboards (or Segways or whatever you call those things). The video eventually garnered 4 million views and led to spinoffs, because again, it was an epic hoverboard dance cover. Of course it did. 


Now, Moore is finally back with a second video. And trust us when we say that like its precedessor, “Like I Would - Zayn Malik / Epic Hoverboard Dance Cover @zaynmalik” does not disappoint. You can watch the full thing above, and you should definitely do so, but here are the three most epic hoverboard moments:


 


1. The Synchronized Swim-Like Move



Graceful. Beautiful. Measured ― those are just three adjectives that could be used to describe this magical movement. 


 


2. The Cooking Dance-Turned-Hadouken Move



Who knew the kitchen and Street Fighter mixed so seamlessly? No one, until now.


 


3. And, Of Course, The One-Wheeled Spin Move



What does the future hold for epic hoverboard dance covers? What moves will one day exist that do not as of now? No one can say for sure. We can only sit and wait and watch this epic hoverboard dance cover a couple more times. 

-- 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.

Viewing all 18686 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images