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Joe Jonas Strips Down To His Skivvies For New Guess Campaign

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Joe Jonas has stripped down to his skivvies for a steamy new Guess campaign. 


Guess tapped the DNCE singer to serve as the face of its new underwear line, “Hero.” And judging by his rock-hard abs, Jonas has definitely not been eating cake by the ocean.



Though Jonas may be an unnatural shade of bronze in every shot, his torso is impressively chiseled. In order to prepare for the photo shoot, Jonas did rigorous cardio and boxing.


[My trainer] put me through the ringer,” Jonas told E! News.


Jonas appears in the campaign with Guess Girl Charlotte McKinney.


It’s been a fun shoot, and my first time doing [an ad] in underwear, so it’s pretty exciting,” Jonas told E! News. 



Jonas is the latest in a line of musicians to star in their own underwear campaigns. Mark Wahlberg famously modeled for Calvin Klein in 1992, during his Marky Mark heyday. Justin Bieber followed in Wahlberg’s footsteps with his own Calvin Klein campaigns in 2015 and 2016.  


Check out more photos of Jonas’s Guess campaign below.





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This Sweater Is Perfect For Anyone Who Is Done Talking About Politics

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If you’ve had it up to here with talk about the election, the president elect and the sheer volume of news surrounding both of those things, boy have we got the sweater for you.


The “Leave Me Alone” sweater, designed by Pinterest engineer Ruth Wong, appears at first glance like a regular old sweater but can, according to Wong, be worn three ways: cowl neck, off the shoulder and “leave me alone.”


What does a leave-me-alone sweater look like, you ask? Picture a turtleneck that just keeps going and is then zippered shut, like so: 





Wong wrote on Instructables, along with the steps to make it, that the leave-me-alone mode “is more of a statement than a functional piece of clothing,” and that she “can’t see anything through my sweater.” She suggests that if you’d like to wear it more often and in more situations, to “add eye holes.”





The sweater is just a DIY for now, but after it started getting attention Wong posted it on Betabrand, where it could eventually go into production. 


 Hey, it’s less work than getting into a Facebook fight, right?

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The Pitti Uomo 91 Diaries: Stefano Ricci, Concept Korea, and Photos from the Fashion Front Lines

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As soon as I met British war photographer Guy Martin, my view of fashion here at Pitti Uomo changed. There is something incredibly powerful, a spark alive in those who report from the front lines, and combined with the natural kindness photographers possess, Martin immediately dissolved all my natural defenses. Not to mention that when I started to see the menswear fashion arena through his eyes, I realized that it too is a war zone of sorts, a battle for who can make the world more stylish, and conquer the most fashionista hearts. More on Martin a bit later, but first things first. Starting from the kickoff show of the day for me, the Concept Korea event.

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Concept Korea: Bmuet(te) and Ordinary People, and kimchi wings.

As soon as the Bmuet(te) men, and women, started to walk down the worn-out cobblestones runway of the Dogana in Florence, I felt like Neo had found his Darcy-like counterpart, in a next installment of the Matrix set in Victorian England. I loved the black to grey to white color palette, and once my eyes stopped concentrating on the endless cool details -- like Elizabethan-style collars, strings hanging from shirts like those worn by Orthodox Jews and those gorgeous flat lens sunglasses -- I realized the full cinematic impact of the collection. To say that I loved the womenswear influences used for menswear here would be an understatement. Extra-long sleeves, Victorian rounded shoulders and even skirts for men were all phenomenal, especially because each look could be -- and at times was -- worn by women too. I think Bryung-mun Seo and Ji-na Um are my new fashion idols.

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Ordinary People by Hyeong-cheol Jang also required a period of adjustment on my part, once his more colorful-dressed models started sliding down the runway. After viewing so much black and white, the studded black palazzo pants in velvet and poet shirt in what Benjamin Moore calls "Corlsbud Canyon" orange needed a deep breath from yours truly. But heeding the advice of the beautiful Andie MacDowell, who made us all breathe during a recent interview in Dubai, I found myself inhaling and exhaling deeply, only to discover that Ordinary People had some of the same themes I'd loved so much in the previous brand. Black velvet suits with cropped tight trousers, pearl studded sweaters and even a bright varnish green leather jacket could all be unisex. And although I'll skip the Ed Snowden look sported by some of the male models, I may just become a new Ordinary People customer too. Plus, you gotta love the name, of my favorite film growing up, directed by Robert Redford!

Class act alert: The Concept Korea presentation ended with a wonderful snack of kimchi wings and Korean sushi, to be washed down with a special cocktail, framed by a slice of pineapple.

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Guy Martin and the impossibility of living down one's incredible act of resilience.

When I interviewed photojournalist Guy Martin, I tried to avoid bringing up the 2011 deadly attack which resulted in Tim Hetherington's and Chris Hondros' death, and left Martin seriously injured and in the care of Libyan doctors. But although when meeting Martin today one could never imagine what the young photographer has been through, there is a depth to his persona, a wonderfully refreshing calm about him that points to the kind of person who has survived a great deal. It's impossible, I think, to separate the man from the photojournalist, and that photojournalist, who went through so much and still manages to entertain a conversation with a man at a party who wants to talk selling Swedish underwear to Saudi customers. Yes, I witnessed Martin kindly engage as one business owner tried to pick his brain -- as a photographer who has worked extensively in the Middle East -- for enticing customers from Saudi Arabia to his brand.

But meeting Martin also made me look at fashion differently, particularly the shows. We stand in lines outside in the cold for up to an hour, awaiting to be let into this magical world where in five minutes we watch a presentation and then it's all gone. Armies of fashionistas pose with serious, at times threatening faces while photographers capture their looks, and models reach the "front lines" of photographers at the end of the catwalk eager to shoot the perfect shot of them. Shoot, front lines, armies of fashionistas, the lingo doesn't stray far from war terms you see.

But much more on Martin and his project with Pitti Immagine, through a collaboration with nineteensixtyeight, in a full interview to follow next week.

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Stefano Ricci: A timeless designer presents his perfectly classic line inside an iconic fashion room.

Perhaps it was the gods of fashion that allowed me to view Stefano Ricci's presentation for a select few lucky members of the press, inside the iconic Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti. Or maybe it was a great combination of professional publicists who managed to squeeze me in and find me a seat in the front row of this spectacle of beauty, style and ageless class. Whatever the cause, I felt like I experienced fashion history in the making. The Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti is where the Made in Italy brand started, back in 1952. And the setting hasn't be utilized for fashion shows since 1982. So it was only natural that a legendary menswear brand from Florence should re-christen the venue so important for Italian fashion, on their own 45th Anniversary celebration.

Adding to the magic of the day, I went to watch the Stefano Ricci runway show with Guy Martin and knowing he was in the photographers' pit made me look at the event through different eyes. In fact, I took this shot of one of the little boys who showed along with the adults, and saw him in all his vulnerability as he walked away from the clicks of the cameras. A bit shaken for the wear yet still incredibly professional for his age.

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The collection was of course phenomenal. Full of what men really want to wear, to the office, on an evening out, to a gala, and even on their days off -- Stefano Ricci represents iconic Italian style. And the fact that real men, some with grey hair and all possessing their own individual style and gait, showed the clothes only made the experience more wonderful. Oh, and someone said the room was decorated with 30,000 white roses, lining walls and nestled in giant vases. Thirty thousand, wrap your head around that!

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PS by Paul Smith, because a man needs to be able to wear a suit while riding a bike!

The PS by Paul Smith presentation saw us all walking through a pink neon lit doorway crowned by the designer's famous initial. Quintessential Paul Smith of course. But once inside, what awaited the fashion crowds were street wearable clothing pieces, like light reflecting windbreakers and suits that could be worn by everyday working guys, who ride their bikes to the office and don't want to worry about looking like the male equivalent of Bridget Jones at her worst upon arrival.

Smith is smart, as he is kind, and he knows his customer whom I believe likes to look good, but also be practical. Details have always been the best the designer has to offer, from his quintessentially colorful suit linings to the way his hems are stitched and this collection of active wear, for lack of a better term, is no exception. Plus, the dancers, acrobats and all around cool guys showing off the line made me yearn to go dancing.

Innocence and fragility by Chabaud, a classic scent.

Between shows, I felt like I needed a moment of zen. And I always find the best relaxation in scents. So I visited the Hi Beauty section of the Pitti Uomo fair, inside the Fortezza da Basso and headed for a stand I'd briefly stopped by the day before. Sophie Chabaud is the "nose" of Chabaud, a Maison de parfum from Montpellier and she kindly showed me around the line. I found respite in their "Innocente Fragilité", a white flower scent made of a blend of jasmine, orange blossom and gardenia. OK, time to get back to work now.

Most images courtesy of Pitti Immagine, used with permission.

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Ashley Graham's Sexiest Shoot Yet Is Also Her Most Powerful

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Attention, attention: Ashley Graham is not here for your labels. 


What she is here for, it appears, is arguably her sexiest, most fashionable photo shoot of all time: a six-page spread in V Magazine’s January/February issue. 


Graham is pictured scantily clad (if clad at all) in the series of images, making out with a male model, flashing her lingerie to the world from a window of New York City’s The Standard hotel and, you know, tying up a shirtless man.



The imagery is powerful, but it’s Graham’s interview, conducted by Chelsea Handler, that reminds us why we love her so much. Graham has become a role model of self-love and acceptance for women, but is still widely referred to as “plus size.” Graham told Handler what she wants for herself, and all women, is to strip the labels altogether. 


When people ask what it’s like to be a plus-size model, Graham says she “can’t stand that question anymore. ... I mean, I’ve been doing this now for 17 years and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve spoken up about the label ‘plus size.’ I don’t think women should be labeled at all, I think that it’s completely divisive.”



Despite her disdain for labels, she still recognizes the responsibility she has as the person who “for whatever reason, has been given the opportunity to be on so many covers and to have a voice. I don’t take that lightly,” she said. 


 In the event that she does forget the impact she is having, her fans are quick to remind her. “Some days I forget that and someone comes to me crying and says, ‘Because of you, I wore shorts today,’ or I’ll get an email that says, ‘I had sex with my husband with the lights on.’ At those moments I’m like, ‘Wow, you are changing people’s lives, and you’re doing it by just being yourself.’”



Ain’t that the truth. Head to V Magazine to see the entire spread. 

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Pretty Big Movement Is A Dance Company That Crushes Body Stereotypes With Style

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After years of facing excessive criticism and judgment because of her body type, Bronx-born Akira Armstrong had one probing question: aren’t there any other big girls in New York City who can dance? 


The answer, of course, was yes. Armstrong recruited some of the best in the game to join her full-figured dance company, Pretty Big Movement, which provides a “no judgement” space for women of all body types to flex their dancing skills and look damn good doing it. 


In The Scene’s video below, Armstrong discusses how, despite dancing in two Beyoncé music videos, she still had trouble finding an agent to represent her because her body didn’t conform to the mainstream beauty norms dancers are expected to embody.


“When people think about the stereotypical dancer’s body, they think [of someone] very thin, tall, long legs, long arms,” she explained. “Growing up in a dance environment, I did feel like my body was a negative.”


Armstrong founded her very own dance company to ensure that budding dancers with curves would not have to grapple with the same undue feelings of alienation and self-doubt. “It’s about uplifting and empowering women,” she said, “to feel like they can be confident to do anything, not just dance.”


Watch the ladies of Pretty Big Movement break it down ― and by it, we mean outdated beauty ideals, of course ― in the video below. 




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People Are Freaking Out About Donald Trump's L.L. Bean Tweet

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President-elect Donald Trump tweeted his support for L.L. Bean on Thursday, encouraging his followers to buy the brand after the retailer got mixed up in politics.  






Though it appears Trump was trying to direct followers to the retailer’s main account (@LLBean), the president-elect instead linked to Linda Bean’s lifestyle account (@LBPerfectMaine).


The tweet was made a week after the Associated Press reported that L.L. Bean heiress and board member Linda Bean contributed $60,000 to the pro-Trump pact Making America Great Again LLC, even though individuals were supposed to be limited to $5,000 contributions. 


Consequently, organizers behind the anti-Trump movement Grab Your Wallet asked its followers to boycott L.L. Bean and called for the removal of Bean from the company’s board. 


In response to the boycott, L.L. Bean executive chairman Shawn Gorman posted a Facebook message on the company’s page over the weekend saying that the company does not get involved in politics. 


“L.L.Bean does not endorse political candidates, take positions on political matters, or make political contributions,” he wrote. “Simply put, we stay out of politics. To be included in this boycott campaign is simply misguided, and we respectfully request that Grab Your Wallet reverse its position.” 





Bean responded to the controversy during a Thursday appearance on “Fox and Friends,” referring to the boycott as a case of “bullying.” 


“I’m not going to back down. I never back down,” she told viewers. “If I feel I’m right.” 





Twitter users responded to Trump’s L.L. Bean tweet with fury on Thursday, calling out the president-elect for promoting a brand on his social media account. 






















Some tweeted out that they were getting ridding of their L.L. Bean purchases, while others promised to boycott:






















Ah, politics. Sad! 





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Gina Rodriguez Reminds Us Fierceness Has Nothing To Do With Size

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If you missed the Golden Globes red carpet, you likely didn’t see tinseltown goddess Gina Rodriguez in her Naeem Khan dress. 


Here’s a slow-motion tribute to the dress the actress posted on Instagram, with an accompanying dramatic tune, that proves how amazing the “Jane The Virgin” star looked (as always). 




The following day a fan tweeted at the actress about her gorgeous dress but lamented that she’d have to lose weight in order to “rock it” like the star. On Tuesday, Rodriguez responded and reminded her that size has nothing to do with beauty. 










”Girl you ain’t gotta lose nothing!,” the actress tweeted back. “Trust me. Fierce is fierce no matter what size. Remember it. Write it down. Then walk with your goodness.”


It’s an important lesson the fan seemed to appreciate: “I’m feeling great after reading your tweet. Thank you for schooling me but in an inspiring way.”






Gina, you’re our body positivity shero. Give yourself a hand.




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Cringe-Worthy Video Shows What NOT To Do When You Match Your Colleague

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Some people can laugh it off when they show up to work wearing the same outfit as their colleague. Australian news anchor Amber Sherlock, it appears, is not one of those people.


Sherlock (center) and co-anchor Julie Snook (left) appeared on air with psychologist Sandy Rea (right) for a segment for 9 News Wednesday, in which it became clear as the three appeared on camera that they were all wearing what appeared to be the color white.  


A visibly annoyed Sherlock demands that Snook put on a jacket. After Snook explains that she had been busy and forgot, Sherlock laments that she told her to do it “two hours ago.” 


Snook, who clarified that her dress was actually blue, even offered to sit out of the segment entirely. 


Eventually the camera cuts out and Snook reappears in a black jacket, likely brought over by one of the producers.


Snook and Sherlock released a joint statement following the incident, in which Sherlock said she “probably overreacted” and credited the dispute with the stress of live television. Snook added that the two are “good friends” who “just really love white!” but we can’t help but feel like there are so many more important things in life (and work) than showing up in the same color.


Perhaps Snook and Sherlock could learn a few things from Nicole Richie and Minka Kelly, or Taylor Swift and her squad, who love wearing matching each other at any given moment in time. 



Happy 4th from us ❤️

A photo posted by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on




Watch the entire cringe-worthy video above. 

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Prince William Opens Up About Losing Mom To Comfort Little Girl

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Prince William knows what it’s like to lose a parent at a young age, and he’s using his experience to help kids going through the same thing. 


On Wednesday, William and the Duchess of Cambridge visited a Child Bereavement UK center in the district of Stratford in London. During the visit, William spoke to a 9-year-old girl named Aoife, who lost her father to pancreatic cancer six years earlier. 


According to reports, the prince comforted the little girl and shared his own story. “Do you know what happened to me?” he asked Aoife. “You know I lost my mummy when I was very young too. I was [15] and my brother was 12. So we lost our mummy when we were young as well,” he told her. 



William reportedly encouraged Aoife to not keep her thoughts and memories inside. “Do you speak about your daddy? It’s very important to talk about it, very, very important,” he said. 


During the visit, William and Kate made “memory jars” with the families at the center. The activity involved filling jars with different colored salts to represent various memories with the loved ones they lost.


Aoife and her mother, Marie, were touched by William’s kindness and advice. 



“It was really nice that he talked to me,” the little girl told reporters. “It was like there are other people who know what it is like to lose someone.”


Added Marie, “I couldn’t believe it when he started to talk about his mother. It was very emotional and I was willing myself not to start to cry. I almost did.”


The mom said she’s taking William’s words to heart and will remind her children how important it is to talk about their father. “Kids do not forget that,” she said. "Sometimes it hurts but we can remember the happy things too. It is so important to talk.”

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Michelle Obama Wore What's Basically The Perfect Outfit On Fallon

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Michelle Obama made one final television appearance as first lady Wednesday night on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, where she surprised unknowing fans, was serenaded by Stevie Wonder and wore, quite frankly, the perfect outfit. 



Just look at the way this Givenchy jacket and skirt, set with zipper detail, perfectly fit FLOTUS. It’s elegant, edgy and classic at the same time ― just like the first lady herself.


Mrs. Obama also rocked a pair of fun, metallic Givenchy pumps, which perfectly completed the ensemble. Seriously ― tell us this isn’t the face of someone who knows she just hit it out of the park. She’s like, “Yeah, I know I look good. And?”



Yes we can (not deal with how perfect this look is). 

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Octavia Spencer Says 'Less Underwear' Is The Key To A Fun Red Carpet

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Octavia Spencer knows how to make the Golden Globes even more fun: a sharp tuxedo and not a whole lot of underwear. 


The “Hidden Figures” actress appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Wednesday and spoke to the talk show host about her outfit ― and the lack of shape-wear beneath it. 


“I don’t think I’ve ever been to an awards show and had as much fun as I did this past time. I chose to wear a tuxedo and in doing that, I was able to be freer,” Spencer said while making a funny face, drawing laughs from the audience. “Less underwear. A lot less underwear.”




The actress said that everyone told her she looked “radiant,” which they assumed was because of her movie dominating the box office and overtaking “Rogue One” for the top spot. Not so, said Spencer, again crediting her lack of undergarments and the menswear-inspired outfit she wore. 


“More women need to say, ‘You know what? We’re going to wear the pantsuit,” she said.


Fellow Golden Globes attendee Evan Rachel Wood would agree. The “Westworld” actress showed up to the awards show in a custom suit by Altuzarra and explained why she chose the outfit over a dress. 



“This is my third nomination and I’ve been to the Globes six times, and I’ve worn a dress every time,” Wood told Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet. “And I love dresses, I’m not trying to protest dresses, but I wanted to make sure that young girls and women knew they aren’t a requirement. And that you don’t have to wear one if you don’t want to, and to just be yourself because your worth is more than that.” 


Amen. 


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23 Funny Shirts For The New Mom In Your Life

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When I became a mom, I immediately wanted to broadcast my new status to the world. (Plus have a public excuse for the bags under my eyes and/or perpetual topknot.) Luckily, many of the fine purveyors of Etsy had anticipated my need and designed hilarious shirts to let people know I was living that #momlife. 


Below, I’ve rounded up some of the best funny T-shirts for the new mom in your life (especially if it happens to be you). Perfect for throwing on with a pair of spit-up stained yoga pants. 



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This Clothing Line For Kids Is Saying No To Gender Stereotypes

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Inspired by her “spirited” daughter, a Kansas mom has developed a clothing line that says no to harmful gender stereotypes and encourages kids be themselves.


In June 2016, Tricia Steffes launched Crossing Arrows, a new brand that sells superhero capes, jeans and shirts with empowering messages for little girls. Steffes told The Huffington Post her 5-year-old daughter, Allie, is the inspiration for Crossing Arrows.



“After two and a half years of navigating her desire to wear boy clothes because her spirited (tomboy) taste didn’t have room for pink and princesses, I decided to design a line that allowed these spirited girls to embrace their individuality and say no to gender stereotyping,” she said. 


Steffes, who works in finance and also operates a clothing line geared toward tall women, said she got the idea to launch a brand for kids in 2015. In January 2016, she started the research process, and the website officially went live in June. As founder and CEO of Crossing Arrows, Steffes works with a marketing manager, Hannah Kowalewski, and designer, Kelsie O’Brien. 


The Crossing Arrows brand currently offers shirts with messages like “Be Adventurous,” “Future Coder” and “Donut Holes Not Gender Roles.” The website also has a selection of jeans, superhero capes and superhero-themed dresses



“We want all kids to be confident and feel empowered to pursue what they love.  If that is academia, athletics, music, robotics, dance ... whatever it is, we want them to go all out ― to get out of their comfort zones to pursue their passions,” Steffes said.


“We want to teach them through our line of graphic tees that progress is more important than perfection and that each child is unique in their own way,” she added. “Our overall mission for our clothes is to give children options that doesn’t force them into a stereotypical box based on their gender.”


Though Crossing Arrows was created with girls in mind, they’re working to expand their intended audience. “The initial concept of our clothing line was specific to what we call the ‘spirited girl’ or sometimes referred to as a ‘tomboy,’ Steffes said.



“However, through the process, we have realized that boys face gender stereotyping in clothing as well, so several of our designs are gender neutral,” she added. Steffes said they look forward to seeing how their business grows and changes over the next year.


But Crossing Arrows is also about more than clothes. “We are also building a community of parents to discuss all things parenting, and more importantly we are building a philanthropic component that surrounds our greatest passion, child advocacy,” Steffes explained.


The brand has pledged to give back a portion of its profits to organizations focused on child advocacy. They are currently working with several nonprofit organizations to build this component of the business model.



Steffes said they also hope to eventually establish a foundation with the same philanthropic goals and plan empowering events to inspire kids to embrace their individuality and take risks. Ultimately, the goal is to have a positive impact on as many children as possible. 


So far, they’ve received a lot of positive feedback from parents and kids. “I didn’t realize how much the gender stereotyping in children’s clothing had affected so many families until I launched Crossing Arrows,” the founder said, pointing to reviews from adults who said they wish there’d been a line like this when they were kids.



 As for the original target customer, it’s clear she’s a fan as well. 


“Allie is very opinionated and confident in what she likes, and she loves our designs and graphic tees,” Steffes told HuffPost, adding, “But what excites her more is knowing that we allow her to be who she is ... she appreciates that we don’t make her wear ‘girly’ clothes and dresses.”



Meet our inspiration, Amazing Allie! #spirited #crossingarrows #inspiration

A photo posted by Crossing Arrows (@crossingarrows_designs) on




The mom said both Allie and her older daughter have also been instrumental in shaping the designs. 


The Crossing Arrows team is gearing up for some exciting new developments as well. “We’ve had requests to produce other designs and one we are working on is a line of graphic tees for children with autism,” Steffes said.


What else does the future hold? She says you’ll have to “stay tuned!”

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President Obama Knows Better Than To Complain About FLOTUS' Outfits

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Any husband worth his salt knows to avoid criticizing his spouse’s outfits. That’s a rule President Obama has clearly taken to heart. 


Back at 2012 fundraiser dinner, Bravo’s Andy Cohen put POTUS on the spot, asking the President to reveal his least favorite outfit owned by the First Lady. (So brazen, Andy.)


Here’s how Cohen summed up the moment in a throwback Instagram photo posted earlier this week: 


“Putting @barackobama in the #PleadtheFifth hot seat at a fundraiser at @sarahjessicaparker’s house was certainly one of the most unforgettable moments I’ve had,” Cohen wrote. “He plead the fifth when I asked what item of clothing from his wife’s closet he would most like to burn. Smart man.” 




Very smart man. Not that he’d have any reason to complain ― Michelle Obama has style in spades ― and it clearly hasn’t gone unnoticed by the President. Here’s just a few times he’s admired FLOTUS’ look: 




And if this isn’t the look of love and total admiration, we don’t know what is:





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26 Dreamy Blue Wedding Dresses That Stand Out In A Sea Of White

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Your “something blue” doesn’t have to be limited to a pair of shoes, a piece of jewelry or a ribbon you tie around your bouquet


Instead, set yourself apart from the pack by wearing a blue gown on the big day. With dresses in shades of light blue, turquoise, navy and everything in between, you’re bound to fall in love with one of the gorgeous options below. 



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So THAT'S Why Cashmere Is So Expensive?

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There’s nothing quite like the soft touch of cashmere on your skin. It’s hard to imagine that the impossibly soft material is made from anything besides the threads of clouds and rainbows ― and it’s usually so expensive that you’d believe it if it were. But do you actually know what it’s made from?


Shockingly, it’s not clouds or rainbows. It is made from goats. Yes, you read that correctly. Cashmere comes from cashmere goats, the only animals that can produce those dreamy, luxurious, highly coveted fibers. 



Pam Haendle, a cashmere goat farmer in Central New York, started farming cashmere goats after retiring and has anywhere from between 55 goats in the winter to 90 in the summer on her farm. She provided some insight as to why cashmere goods are so expensive.


“A single cashmere goat does not produce a whole lot. You only harvest the fibers once a year, and most of us do so by combing the undercoat, which sheds yearly. You can get between six and eight ounces from a really good goat initially, but once it’s processed you’re not likely to get more than four ounces back,” she said. 


To clarify, the “undercoat” is not the hair you’re seeing on the goats in the photo above. The undercoat is closer to the goat’s skin, and must be separated from the outer layer of hair.


That’s why, Haendle said, she has been told “it takes about four goats to make one sweater.”


Karl Spilhaus, president of the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturer’s Institute, echoed that sentiment. “It’s a very finite resource, there is only a certain amount produced in the world. Like diamonds or gold, it is rare, so it’s priced accordingly.”


Haendle explained that the market in the United States is too small to work with major retailers, who she said typically work with cashmere imported from places like Mongolia and China. “[The U.S.]  imports a tremendous amount of cashmere because we just can’t produce enough,” she said.


Haendle combs the naturally shedding undercoats of her goats using a dog comb as soon as she sees them starting to shed. She explained that while ideally you’d like to have a goat that has good quality cashmere all over, the best areas for shedding are typically the goat’s mid-side or back.


That dispels the myth believed by some that the cashmere from a goat’s neck is best. “There have been different stories that have come up about places on the goat that are particularly good for cashmere, but actually the wool on the neck tends to be the lowest quality. They also don’t have anything of any length on their bellies. That’s another myth that sprang up because someone misunderstood what we meant by undercoats. As far as the chin goes they don’t have anything on their chins besides maybe beards, which are made up of guard hair,” she said. 



Both Haendle and Spilhaus said that cashmere products should always be soft, and it could be a red flag if it’s not. Spilhaus’ company’s mission is “to protect the market from mislabeled goods” and uses a “sampling process” to test finished products in the mass market, either using a “microscopic exam or a biochemical analysis.” If an item is found to be mislabeled as cashmere, CCMI “notifies the store and suggest they rectify the labeling, which they normally do. If they don’t, we up the ante legally by either reporting it to the government or bringing up a lawsuit.”


So, what gives real cashmere its softness? For starters, it’s the fibers’ extremely fine diameter ― “less than 18.5 microns,” Haendle said ― but also a result of the shape of the fibers themselves. “Cashmere is not a straight fiber, it’s bumpy. Angora, for example, is also very soft-feeling, but it’s a straight fiber. The bumpy fibers in cashmere all cling to themselves so nothing sticks out to itch you. Straight fibers are more likely to stick out,” she said. 



Haendle recommends that if you want 100 percent authentic, hand-spun cashmere goods, your best bet would be to buy them from a fiber festival (she runs one in New York state every summer), or to buy online from sites run by local farmers


If a fiber festival trip isn’t in your near future, Spilhaus offered some additional tips for shopping for cashmere at a larger retailer.  Some red flags: “If it’s too inexpensive compared to what you’d expect to pay, or if it doesn’t drape properly or conform properly to someone’s body.” He also said “a good product is not shiny or dull and won’t feel stiff to the touch.”


If you need us, we’ll be busy looking up “how to become a cashmere goat farmer” for the rest of the day.

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The Pitti Uomo 91 Diaries: Lucio Vanotti, Sansovino 6 and... Sulvam Saves the Best for Last

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This season's Pitti Uomo, which went by the theme "Pitti Dance Off" has really been rocking. Of course, the whole "peacock" phenomenon is fading and a lot of people are getting quite tired of seeing men pretend to be on their cellphones to be noticed, and get photographed in their Sunday's finest. Honestly, I walked really fast past the crowds in front of the main pavilion of the Fortezza da Basso, myself bored by the endless display.

But Pitti Uomo as a fashion fair, the amount of talent overflowing in the collections I saw, and the excitement for brands that are revolutionizing fashion as we know it, has exploded in the couple of years I've been attending. An older Russian fashionista I know said that fashion is one of the few things that makes people happy these days and we need happiness in this world. She's right. And lets not even start talking about numbers and figures, because on a global scale making fashion employs millions of people.

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Sansovino 6 stands for fashion, freedom and human rights.

Cool music, models that redefine true beauty and clothes that feel and look like what dancers wear on their days off is what I've come to know and love about the Sansovino 6 line. Designed by American in Milan designer Edward Buchanan, the brand's tagline for this season read "An optimistic approach to dressing for the future with confidence and integrity." For sure, Buchanan's models are all that and more. The way they strode self assuredly down the runway, while the band played behind a giant screen, it made the fashionistas in the audience yearn to possess just one pair of those patchwork woolen pants; or that loose orange sweater with the golden triangle; or even the black knit suit that looked so chic and probably felt so good! There is something early Rodarte (but much more wearable) about the line and perhaps the choice of George Michael's "Freedom" to close the runway show made me emotional, but I think it was more of a combination of that and discovering that great fashion can also be incredibly kind and cuddly.

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Tim Coppens and the challenges of pleasing a freezing audience.

I'm never one to put down others' work, because I know how much hardship, blood and tears go into making a film, creating a piece of art, or designing a line. But on Wednesday night, a combination of being forced to stand outside in the freezing cold for 45 minutes, tired seating that didn't allow for much of a view, models with caked on makeup that made them look sick and a collection that just didn't inspire me to dream made for an unpleasant experience at Tim Coppens. I love love love his aesthetics and I was truly disappointed because I wanted the show to be all the wow I expected it to be. In his description of the inspiration for this line, Coppens pointed to a man and a woman living in apocalyptic times, which of course made my cinematic taste buds water. The Belgian designer who typically shows at NY Fashion Week knows how to create a story that makes his customers yearn to wear his clothes. I give him that, even for this line, there are blasts of genius, like the white sweatshirt with the exploding atomic bomb graphic and lettering that read "Never Ending Fun". I'd buy that, it's a great conversation starter. But all in all, I didn't find myself smiling unabashedly throughout the line, perhaps too busy trying to defrost my toes and keeping warm near the giant glass windows.

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Lucio Vanotti "blurs the line between the sofa and the sidewalk".

If you're wondering, no I didn't come up with the above line on my own. It's part of the message of Lucio Vanotti's collection and it's simply genius. In a world that makes even getting a good night's sleep a challenge, to find clothing that allow a man to both look good and feel great, is a wondrous achievement. Vanotti does it time and time again, offers perfect suiting made in what looks like knit wool and lines that drape the male body in perfect harmony with their curves. Yes, men have curves too, they just sit in different places from ours and should be respected in the same way. Vanotti did, but he also was inspired by the Masai of Kenya, and irreverently but oh so fashionably, let fabric roll edges, knotted corners and unfinished hems dictate a whole new set of aesthetics for his audience.

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And then... Pitti closed with Sulvam, and all was right with the world!

OK, the "all was right with the world" may be a tiny bit of an overstatement, but when I am greeted for a fashion show with gourmet chocolates by "Les 3 chocolats" in Paris, premium sake and clothes that make me dream and wish I could be wearing them right now, I find the world to be just a little bit more beautiful. I smiled throughout the Sulvam collection by Japanese designer Teppei Fujita, a streetwise-looking fashionista who creates cravable yet absolutely wearable clothes. Fujita's eye for detail includes branded shoestrings in black and white hanging from his male and female models belt loops, flowing from their ankles and tied around their neck, chocker style. Those deconstructed suits, with the lining showing just enough to seem like an added layer, the splashes of color and some camouflage prints I just happen to be currently craving, made for a fashion extravaganza that not only sealed my Pitti Uomo experience as magical, but also pasted a smile on my face for the rest of the evening.

Great fashion exhilarates, entertains and makes a person dream. Thank you Teppei Fujita for understanding that, deeply and fully.

All photos courtesy of Pitti Immagine, used with permission.

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That One Time Kim Kardashian Matched Phyllis From 'The Office'

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Before Kanye West gave away Kim Kardashian’s entire wardrobe on TV and later convinced her to only wear nude spandex shorts, the 36-year-old was taking style cues from her pal Paris Hilton and momager Kris Jenner. But it turns out Kardashian also shares a similar taste to someone else ― Phyllis from “The Office.”


Thanks to Twitter user @skaime_, we finally have proof that the reality star and the Scranton, PA office worker share the same fashion sense. Back in December, @skaime_ sliced together two pictures of Kardashian and Phyllis wearing the same damn thing ― a pretty coverup. After a little digging, The Huffington Post figured out the coverup in question is the Nairobi Robe from Lotta Stensson, which retails for $429.


Kim wore hers to the beach in Miami, while Phyllis donned the robe for Robert California’s extraordinarily awkward office pool party. 






Here’s another look: 






According to our research, Kardashian was photographed wearing the robe in Miami Beach in 2010. Phyllis (aka actress Phyllis Smith) put on the coverup for “The Office” episode called “Pool Party,” which aired in January 2012


On the website where the robe is sold, Stensson shared a picture of Kardashian and Hilton wearing it. We think they should add Phyllis, too.





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Vogue Is Trolling Us By Suggesting That People Should Wear Dog Collars

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We wouldn’t exactly call Vogue an authority on down-to-earth fashion, but the glossy just took things a paw print too far. 


In a piece titled “10 New Wardrobe Essentials You Never Knew You Needed,” the mag states that “the definition of ‘essentials’ has changed” to include things like “crisp khakis,” “statement socks,” and oh, an actual dog collar reminiscent of those coveted Tiffany & Co. dog tag necklaces of our youth.



The “Chain Control Collar for Dogs, 14-inch length” is currently on sale at Petco for just $4.19, and boasts “maximum strength and durability.” It also touts itself as “a great deterrent for dogs that chew their collars,” something we all, of course, look for when in the market for new jewelry.


Is Vogue trolling us? Maybe. Do we suddenly have an urge to stock up on what are essentially $4 chokers? Maybe. Although, we’re personally partial to splurging on this one for $5.99, because it’s got a pink thread running through it. 


Check out more of Vogue’s “essentials.”


h/t Racked

-- 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.

Serena Williams Dances For The Sheer Joy Of It In Berlei Sports Bra Ad

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Serena Williams has shown off her magical dance moves before and she’s doing it again in a new ad posted this week. 


In a viral clip posted on YouTube Wednesday, Williams dances in a commercial for the lingerie brand Berlei. In it, she wears one of the company’s sports bras and freely prances around a studio to a version of Billy Idol’s hit song “Dancing With Myself.”





She plays tennis and the whole world watches, but dancing, it’s just for her,” the YouTube description reads.


Williams also posted the ad to her Instagram, writing: “I’m so disciplined every day with my training, but when I dance it’s about letting myself go.”


Watch the full clip above. 





h/t For The Win

-- 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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