Lip balm has evolved a lot over the years — in good and not so good ways. We love all the awesome tinted options, and the fact that we can choose between squeeze tubes, sticks, and pots, but when it comes to the flavors, it's a grab bag. It's like, ever since brands realized there were flavors besides cherry, they went wild — often a little too wild.
We love citrus, vanilla, mint, and, heck, we'll even take bubblegum, but pickle? That's just wrong — and we love pickles. But that's just the tip of the weird-flavor iceberg.
Ahead, we round up the strangest lip balm flavors we've come across. Prepare to be equal parts grossed-out and curious.
Let's get off to a greasy start: double-cheeseburger balm — for the person who wants lips that smell meaty, cheesy, and oniony. Mmm.
Lip Smacker Double Cheeseburger Lip Balm, $2.50, available at Lip Smacker.
And, of course, nothing pairs better with a big, juicy burger than a hot batch of sweet-potato fries.
Lip Smacker Sweet Potato Fries, $2.50, available at Lip Smacker.
Have you ever wondered what a unicorn fart would smell like? The folks over at Long Winter Farm are solving the age-old question with this cotton candy-meets-mint formula.
Long Winter Farm Unicorn Farts Lip Balm, $4, available at Long Winter Farm.
Sure, it may not be the most convenient option to slide into your pocket, but this pot of cherry balm sure is cute.
Tony Moly Mini Lip Balm SPF 15, $10, available at Urban Outfitters.
ChapStick and Slurpee joined epic forces in honor of the slushee soda's 50th anniversary — and the result is pretty yummy, actually. One swipe and you'll be transported back to middle school nights at the movie theater. Best of all, these balms won't leave your mouth a Smurf-like color.
Chapstick Grape and Blue Raspberry Slurpee, $1.99, available at 7-Eleven stores.
We believe there are two types of people in the world: pickle-lovers and pickle-haters. That's why this balm is so divisive.
Accoutrements Pickle Lip Balm, $6.90, available at Walmart.
This eight-pack combines two of our favorite things: Halloween-candy bowls and beauty products. Keep 'em all on hand to satisfy any craving.
Lotta Luv Hershey 8 Pack Flavored Lip Balm, $7.99, available at Toys 'R' Us.
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If you've got a Buffalo Exchange in your neighborhood, you know how much of a hit it can be...and at the same time, how much of a flop. The chain is a staple around college campuses and can be a reliable resource for trend-hungry students on a budget. But for every cheap score you come across, you've also probably experienced a trip that where you blow way too much money on things you never end up wearing. Even worse, when you try to take those duds back to Buffalo Exchange in hopes of selling them back, it all ends up in the "pass" pile.
On this episode of The Hunt, Kailee McKenzie shows you how to game the system.
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Don’t Drop The F Bomb — Even If The Interviewer DoesNow, it’s worth noting I am a fairly casual interviewer. I’ve never worked for a stuffy, corporate company, so I like my interviewing style to mimic the culture of the company. I also want the person I’m chatting with to be at ease. My language is friendly and engaging. On occasion, I’ll even drop a “Damn, that’s rad,” if something really impresses me. Yet I still believe it’s never okay to say fuck in an interview. The word tells someone you lack a filter or are generally unaware of your surroundings. This may seem like common sense, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned as an HR manager, it’s that few people bring common sense to an interview. In an interview for a director level role, the candidate arrived confident, bordering on cocky, and began to fill my colleague and I on his accomplishments to date. As the interview went on and I asked a specific question about their credentials, the candidate noted how “fucking hard” it was to launch his own business. I grimaced. No matter how many times you hear the word, it still gives pause. The interview continued because this person was truly unaware that his words put me off. He continued with his anecdote and all my colleague and I could focus on was the cavalier way he threw fuck in a sentence. Despite the low-key nature of our business, the word threw off our entire perception of him. Had he not said it, he would have likely moved on to another round of interviews. Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
“So tell me a little about yourself.” You’ve rehearsed the answer in the mirror or with your roommate several times. You know to highlight the year you worked across Southeast Asia and the ambitious career goals you’ve set out for yourself. But instead what comes out is a jumbled word vomit — a mixture of where you grew up and that time you studied abroad in Amsterdam, which prompts the knowing smirk of the interviewer, who is all too aware of how little studying actually goes on in the Poppy City.
It’s fine, though. Really. If this is the worst faux pas of the interview, the hiring manager will walk out of the room elated. We all know interviews are awful. It’s a rare thing for someone to leave an interview with the same confidence he or she walked in with. Those who tell you otherwise are kidding themselves. There is always a way for it to have gone better — more research on the details of the position, for example, specifically noting professional growth and how you plan to achieve your goals and those of the company.
While we can all improve our interview skills in very basic ways, these are truly insignificant missteps compared to what hiring managers see on a regular basis. Candidates arrive late or not at all, they bring their kids, or the stench of their nerve-calming cigarette is still lingering on their clothes. On early-morning interviews, jittery candidates arrive sweating, as their bodies rid themselves of the previous night’s booze.
In the hundreds of interviews I’ve conducted over the past five years, I’ve seen nearly every possible scenario play out before my eyes. From waitresses and cooks to "directors of [insert high-paying job here]," each group had its outliers committing interview crimes without realizing. At first, the truly absurd things would shock me. I’d tuck the story away and recount it with my management team as we went over our recruiting process. But as the strange and unprofessional behaviors continued, it began to feel irresponsible not to point out these issues to the candidate. After all, it’s a manager’s duty to develop someone professionally, so why did that need to wait until after he or she landed the job? So I began my mission to civilize with the hope that future managers would silently thank whoever corrected the odd behaviors I regularly witnessed.
What follows are tales from a reformed recruiter who truly, desperately wants you to nail your next interview.
Don’t Drop The F Bomb — Even If The Interviewer Does
Now, it’s worth noting I am a fairly casual interviewer. I’ve never worked for a stuffy corporate company, so I like my interviewing style to mimic the culture of the company. I also want the person I’m chatting with to be at ease. My language is friendly and engaging. On occasion, I’ll even drop a “Damn, that’s rad,” if something really impresses me. Yet I still believe it’s never okay to say "fuck" in an interview. The word tells someone you lack a filter or are generally unaware of your surroundings.
This may seem like common sense, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned as an HR manager, it’s that few people bring common sense to an interview. In an interview for a director-level role, the candidate arrived confident, bordering on cocky, and began to fill my colleague and me in on his accomplishments to date. As the interview went on and I asked a specific question about his credentials, the candidate noted how “fucking hard” it was to launch his own business. I grimaced. No matter how many times you hear the word, it still gives pause. The interview continued because this person was truly unaware that his words put me off, but all my colleague and I could focus on was the cavalier way he threw "fuck" in a sentence. Despite the low-key nature of our business, the word threw off our entire perception of him. Had he not said it, he would have likely moved on to another round of interviews.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
If You’d Wear It To A Club, Don’t Wear It To An Interview
In addition to making my interviewee feel comfortable with the way I communicate, I also make sure to dress appropriately on interview days so I don't make a candidate who is dressed to impress feel out of place. But it’s crucial that you, as a prospective hire, know your audience. In the age of startups that tout benefits like meditation rooms and company dodge-ball competitions, professional attire now encompasses various levels. A large part of interviews is making sure you’re a cultural fit for the company — that is, can you get down with the vibe of the office? If not, you'll likely feel like an outsider and won’t be a hire.
But even as many offices develop a more casual presence, tasteful attire is still important. While I was working for a restaurant startup, a candidate arrived for a supervisor interview in five-inch heels and a miniskirt. This is literally the only thing I remember from the interview. As many HR managers will tell you, we often know within five minutes if we'd like to pursue a candidate. While this person was put together and well-dressed, her inability to differentiate between date and interview attire was immediately off-putting and took away from the rest of what she had to offer.
On the other side, I’ve heard stories of people feeling like they didn’t get a job they were entirely qualified for because they wore a suit and the hiring manager was in jeans. While my general rule is that it’s better to be overdressed than under-, as it shows you care, I too understand why candidates may feel like their suit signaled that they weren’t the best fit. So start with something that falls between Kim K’s body-con dresses and Hillary Clinton’s pantsuits of yore.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
For The Love Of All That Is Sacred, Don’t Show Up Stoned
We may work in HR, but we know how to have fun, too. Even the most uptight of our kind know what someone looks like after they’ve smoked a bowl. Now, I get that interviews can be nerve-racking, especially if it’s a job you’ve deemed your dream. But instead of hitting a bong 20 minutes before arriving, try a few yoga poses or deep breathing.
There have been many questionable moments in all my years of interviewing, where I've wondered if someone’s glassy, red eyes were a symptom of allergies or of marijuana, but there are a few that left no doubt in my mind. On one occasion, I was sitting in my office waiting for a 6 p.m. interview to arrive. An email popped up from the candidate saying, "I’m on East [blank] street and there is no building here." I quickly scanned our previous exchanges and the calendar invite, worried I put E instead of W, but no. The address was correct. I wrote back correcting the address, and the candidate was on his way. Once he arrived, sweaty and late, I caught that familiar sweet-sour smell as he passed me. It became clear to me that the address wasn’t what made this person late to meet me, but whatever he enjoyed before his arrival.
This candidate, like the one with the stilettos and ass-baring dress, was an immediate pass for me. Unfortunately, he would not take no for an answer until eventually I had to politely request he stop contacting me as the position had been filled. Which brings me to my next tip...
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
If You’ve Already Interviewed Once, Don’t Come Back Next Week
Cheech wasn’t the first person to believe I was passing on a dream candidate. For many of the interviews I’ve conducted, there's been an open call — meaning there is a window of time and an address for interested candidates to come and plead their case. Due to the number of people attending these open calls, I’ll often have a second interviewer with me to move things along, which means I don't always meet every single person myself. On many occasions, I’ve let people know that if we are interested in pursuing their candidacy, they’ll receive a phone call within 24 hours. If they don't receive a call, it means we aren’t moving forward. This is in part because I need time to consider all the applicants and in part because someone isn't the right fit.
One week, I was conducting the open-call interviews with a colleague and noticed the person she was talking to was someone I had turned down the week before. I finished my conversation and went to sit with them. The candidate smiled as she recognized me, and before I could sit down, she said, “I just thought I needed a second chance to show I’m the right person for this.” Don’t get me wrong — enthusiasm goes a long way. But for the sake of everyone’s time, giving it another shot so soon only hurts your chances. Unless there are extraordinary circumstances or considerable time has passed, giving you more experience with a particular role, it’s very likely that if you were not hired on Monday, you will also not be hired on Tuesday.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Take Your Headphones Out Of Your Ears
It’s a good idea to treat an interview like you’re meeting your significant other’s parents. You should hide all those odd and potentially rude habits until they really get to know you.
And yet, on interviews I’m often shocked by the habits people wear proudly. Often, on open-call interviews, I’ll sit at a table and candidates will come over one by one. While the nature of the interview is always more informal than in instances when someone schedules ahead of time, basic manners still apply. One standout performance was from a candidate who walked over to the table I was interviewing at, mid-interview, and sat down next to the person with whom I was speaking. I suggested he wait in another area, as the interviews were private. The candidate grunted and moved to a table to listen to music while he waited. When I called him back over to the table, the headphones came with him, still in ear.
Remember that mission to civilize that I mentioned? Well, this is where it started. I waited patiently, quietly, as the candidate stared at me. Eventually he asked me if we’d start, and I said, “I was waiting until you finished your song.” When the comment was met with a puzzled look, I said, “You still have your earbuds in.” “Oh, there’s nothing playing.” Snarky as this may be, I believe people deserve the same level of courtesy they put out in the world. Since the candidate did not think it rude not to remove his earbuds when he sat down, I didn’t think it was rude to mention them. Nothing says inattentive like keeping your headphones in.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Bring Your Résumé. The Right One. Yes, Even Though You Emailed It.
It’s true. Hiring managers rarely consult a résumé for in-depth information during an interview. The résumé is why you were asked to come in. And yet it’s still important to bring in a copy. While you may think you are a standout candidate (and you may very well be), interviewers see hundreds of résumés a day. We need them in front of us to kick-start our memory.
But bringing a copy of your résumé isn’t enough. You need to bring the right one. In an interview with a prospective manager, the candidate had to tell me half her experience because the résumé she brought stopped two years ago — which did not mirror the one that was emailed. Not bringing the right résumé tells me you’re disorganized, which is not a quality you want to lead with in an interview. It also makes me question the veracity of your résumé. In this case, I was told the résumé with a two-year gap was in fact the correct one. I felt duped, as the candidate scored an interview under false pretenses (if she didn’t disclose this until after getting a job, it could be deemed illegal). I cut the interview short because my time was wasted on someone who lied about her experience.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Unless You’re Coming From A NASA Mission, You Need To Call/Email/Text If You Anticipate Being Late
Notice how that says anticipate being late. It does a disservice to everyone if you let the hiring manager know you’ll be late five minutes past the interview time. There’s even cell reception on public transit now, so not being able to let the interviewer know you’re running behind is not excusable. Once, a candidate arrived two hours after an interview was meant to take place, apologizing for being tardy. After 15 minutes, most interviewers assume you’re a no-show. After two hours, we assume you shouldn’t be hired. Similarly, a candidate arrived when the interview was scheduled to end, remarking that he thought the calendar invite was a suggested window of arrival, even after confirming the start time.
But while it’s important to let someone know you’ll be late or need to reschedule, don’t make that call at 7 a.m. One day, I was waiting in line for my morning coffee at 7:04 when my phone began to ring. I picked up, and it was the person I was set to meet at noon, confirming our meeting. The enthusiasm was noted as a positive, but I also worried that this candidate may lack boundaries that are so important in the workplace. The call was for naught, however, as the person did not show up for the interview.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Know Your Role
A lot of people find new jobs by way of Indeed or other sites that automatically send their résumé toward positions that fit certain criteria. Technology makes it easy to apply for many jobs at once, which is great because there is strength in numbers. The downside is that you may not be entirely knowledgeable about the positions you’ve applied for.
I’ve lost count of the number of times a candidate has asked me what role he or she was interviewing for. But I do know that none of them got the job. As soon as someone contacts you for an interview, it’s time to start preparing. Review the job description and research the company, writing down any notes or questions you may have. On one occasion, it wasn’t until halfway through, when I asked if the candidate had any questions for me before moving on, that she told me she didn’t know what the role was. I asked what she thought she was interviewing for, and she responded, “I’m not sure. Indeed just sends out my résumé to different kinds of jobs.” An otherwise promising conversation was destroyed by this one statement. I responded with the title of the job and nothing more. You cannot expect a hiring manager to do the work for you. We know what the position is, and we assume that if you apply, you do, too.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
Learn To Spell
Oh, technology, how I loathe/love you. I have many feelings about how technology will be the downfall of a productive society, but that’s a different story for a different day. However, I love how easy technology makes it for you to learn someone’s name and role at a company. You don’t even need to go very far for this information. LinkedIn is best if you want to go down the rabbit hole of who’s who at a company, but an email address will tell you all you need to know.
It’s rare now for someone’s professional email address to not be his or her name. Additionally, in email, a person’s first and last name often appear in the place of an email address (thanks, Google). So if you’re responding to an email from a hiring manager, you should spell his or her name correctly. I cannot stress enough how little details like this do not go unnoticed.
In an email correspondence, one person referred to me as Suzzane, Suzan, Susan, and, my personal favorite, Sir. If you’re questioning the gender of someone, it’s best to use neutral pronouns. But when the interviewer's name is spelled out in an email (it’s Suzanne, by the way), referring to him or her as anything but is a clear sign that you DGAF. We’re not asking you to win a national spelling bee here; just copy and paste the name of the person who needs to think of you as the best person for the job.
Illustrated by Amrita Marino.
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Selena Gomez was all set to headline the Global Citizen Festival in New York later this month, but the singer announced last week that she's taking some time off. In addition to dealing with lupus, Gomez has been experiencing anxiety, a common side effect of the chronic inflammatory disease.
But fans shouldn't expect a gap in the festival's lineup. Demi Lovato confirmed to People that she's going to fill in for Gomez. Lovato told the magazine that she's totally on board with the Global Citizen Festival's mission to end world poverty.
Fans of the singers are noticing a pattern here. (You may recall that Gomez was initially offered Lovato's role in Camp Rock.) Some even saw this coming back when Gomez announced she was taking time off.
It's time for Global Citizen Festival replace Selena Gomez with Ariana Grande or Demi Lovato.
Gomez is getting the care she needs, Lovato has a new opportunity, and the festival's guests will still get to see a great performance, so it's looking like a win-win for everyone.
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In an era where social media is king and FOMO is in the dictionary, it's a given that what you do on-screen also has a very real impact on other parts of your life. Logging on to Facebook and snapping your brunch are as embedded in your day as drinking coffee when you wake up.
But how do your interactions on a site such as Facebook compare to those that happen in real life? Can earning a certain number of comments on a post really matter as much as major life events like getting married and having kids?
The researchers determined these results by asking 1,910 Facebook users questions about their well-being and comparing their answers to logs of their activity on the site. The number of likes on a post didn't matter, but personal comments from friends did. The magic number of comments — i.e. the one that produced the most joy — was 60.
However, while it's reasonable that comments could make you feel content on a temporary basis, it's difficult to believe that they could sustain those feelings for longer periods of time. At least not to the extent that a strong, in-person relationship or meaningful job might. Still, that's not to say you shouldn't help a friend out and leave a comment where you can.
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This story was originally published on Apr. 18, 2016.
It's no secret that many people have opinions, solicited or not, about female body hair. Many of these people insist, in fairly vehement tones, that it has no place in polite society. That attitude has recently prompted more and more women to come out on social media and embrace their natural body hair, redefining what it is, and, more importantly, what it's not — i.e. something to be ashamed of.
Plenty of women eschew the razor for practical reasons (shaving is a time suck, it irritates skin, it's expensive over time). Others, however, grow their body hair and display it proudly (even colorfully) as a form of self-expression. Still others choose to remove however much hair they want, whenever they want to — which is empowering, too. Either way, all of these ladies are sending a message, announcing that "typical" grooming standards don't dictate their lives. And to us, that's awesome. Challenging the status quo is beautiful.
That's why we've decided to celebrate women who embrace their natural body hair. We collaborated with two models — Ivy Stewart and Lee Armoogam — who are doing just that. Together, we're shining the spotlight on body hair by highlighting it in fanciful, frivolous ways, using materials both whimsical (confetti) and natural (moss). A fair warning here: Some of these photos are NSFW, depending on where you work, of course. But this isn't just about bells, whistles, and follicles. Both women have well thought-out reasons for ditching the razor (or the laser, or the epilator, or waxing strips...) that have taught us a lesson or two.
Our goal at Refinery29 is to empower and inspire the women who empower and inspire us. Because, to us, the most badass women are those who define beauty on their own terms.
29Rooms — Refinery29’s magical art and fashion funhouse – is back for its second year, kicking off during NYFW, from September 9 to 11. We’re bringing our commitment to women claiming their power to life, through the event’s theme, “Powered by People.” To celebrate this sense of possibility, we’ve curated content that embodies our theme and pushes you to do more — start the conversations you want to hear, make change. We built our dream world and want to inspire you to power your own. For more information on the 29Rooms event and our initiative, click here.
"There are certain things I do for my personal appearance and upkeep," Ivy says (like this glitter 'stache!). "Shaving just isn't one of them."
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
"Pits" is sort of a sad word — but nothing a dose of pink, purple, and glitter can't cheer up.
MM6 Maison Margiela Stone Washed Cotton Denim Overalls, $645, available at Luisa Via Roma; Baserange Mississippi Bra in Grey, $62, available at Need Supply Co.; Baserange Rib Tank Camisole, $82, available at Rennes.
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
"Keeping my natural body hair made me feel more comfortable," Lee says.
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
Kicking back in a moss merkin.
Thakoon leotard; Nike sneakers; model's own jewelry.
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
Lee says her Instagram followers sometimes comment on her decision not to shave, even if the photo in question doesn't show her body hair. "People say it's 'fucking disgusting,' and I'm like, 'We're human, and we grow hair. How is that disgusting? How are you going to tell another young lady that her natural body is gross and wrong?'"
Alexander Wang top.
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
Double the stubble: Sprinkles on the left, glitter on the right.
Adam Selman shoes.
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
"I stopped shaving fully when I was 15," Ivy says. "I went to camp and it was a pain in the ass to shave my legs. I was at camp, where I was supposed to feel free, and here I was shaving!"
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
Just because Ivy is embracing her body hair now doesn't mean she never shaves — and that's okay, too. (Your body, your choice.) "I shave my pubes every few months if it starts to feel uncomfortable," she says. "I just go by what my body is telling me."
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
"Free the nipple" takes on an entirely new meaning with wildflowers in place of nipple hair.
MM6 Maison Margiela bikini top.
Wouters & Hendrix Palm Tree Pendant Necklace, $199.92, available at Wouters & Hendrix.
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
"Being a young woman, you grow body hair naturally as you're growing up — yet we're told to get rid of it," Lee says. "It's actually weird if you think about it."
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
Talk about a happy trail.
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
"One of my really good friends has body hair, and she put up a photo [on Instagram] of her hairy stomach and people actually thanked her," Lee says. "They said, 'My stomach looks like that, too. Don't shave anything.'"
Left: Alexander Wang bra; Alexander Wang shorts; Karen Walker sunglasses.
Right: Adam Selman Blue Nudist Logo Baby T-Shirt, $150, available at Browns; Alexander Wang Bite High-Rise Frayed Shorts in Black Fade, $185, available at Neiman Marcus.
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
"For me, it's more for comfort. I wasn't trying to make a statement," Ivy says. "Although I think the statement it does make is a positive one." Bottom line? Embrace what makes you feel good, and ignore the rest.
Photographed by Olivia Locher.
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Photographed by Olivia Locher.
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Sometimes, it feels like everyone in New York City is wearing the same off-the-shoulder top from Zara (you know the one), or all our friends are lusting after the same Mansur Graviel bag. These fandoms, obviously, aren't the same around the world — but while some labels are only big in their own hoods, others have become international status symbols (or at least, brands so familiar even your dad's second-cousin who hasn't bought a new pair of jeans in 20 years knows them).
To figure out exactly which brands are universally loved, we tapped Social Context Labs for a study, calculating the most popular brands in the most active fashion centers, all around the world. The researchers scraped Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and forums, to pull together 10 of the most talked-about brands according to 30 of the most digitally active fashion nations. Those included the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, China, Japan, Spain, Italy, Australia, Brazil, India, Canada, South Korea, Russia, Mexico, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Taiwan, Sweden, Nigeria, Poland, Belgium, Thailand, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa.
Not surprisingly, the brands that popped up are totally recognizable. Ahead, 10 of the most popular brands, and our fave picks from them — from the fast fashion newbies to the high end staples. Surprise: The No. 1 brand is king of athleisure.
10. Victoria's Secret
Who knew that a little store in Palo Alto, CA, would become a worldwide phenomenon? According to the numbers, the lingerie behemoth and parent brand behind Pink is the 10th most popular brand worldwide, with a major following in the United States, Australia, Brazil, India, Canada, and Argentina.
A classic, lacey demi bra, pretty much the standard for VS.
Victoria's Secret Lace Unlined Demi Bra, $39.50, available at Victoria's Secret.
Let's not forget Victoria's Secret Pink, the brand behind the cute, affordable yoga pants and sports bra spotted on college campuses everywhere.
Victoria's Secret Pink Ultimate Reversible High-Neck Sports Bra, $24.95, available at Victoria's Secret.
9. Coach
Coach has gone through a recent rebranding that's gotten it a lot of love in fashion communities, but the iconic heritage brand has major appeal worldwide. The brand's fans mostly reside in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, Canada, Taiwan, Belgium, Thailand, and South Africa.
The Disney x Coach collab that took the internet by storm released some adorable purses and handbags. This version is, unfortunately, sold out.
Coach Mickey Kisslock Bag in Glovetanned Leather, $395, at Coach.
This classic leather biker jacket, from the Coach 1941 collection, gets a stamp of approval from cool girl brand Opening Ceremony.
Coach Icon Leather Biker Jacket, $1495, available at Coach.
8. Hermès
Of course the brand behind the famous Birkin bag (a better investment than solid gold, apparently) ranks within the top 10 brands around the world. At number eight overall, it's No. 1 in Nigeria, but it was also talked about in the United States, Germany, China, Spain, Australia, Russia, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, Thailand, Norway, and the United Arab Emirates.
The classic Birkin bag is known for both its incredible quality and its incredibly high price.
Hermès Beton Matte Alligator Birkin 30xm Palladium Hardware, $72,225, available at Portero.
The second most iconic item from Hermès? Its vibrant silk scarves.
Hermès Bonnes Vibrations Silk Twill Scarf, $395, available at Hermes.
7. H&M
Even the Birkin Bag, however, can't compete with the ubiquity of fast-fashion brand H&M. Ranking No. 7 worldwide, H&M had the most active following in Australia followed by the United States, U.K., France, Germany, Spain, India, Canada, South Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Sweden, Poland, Belgium, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and more. Perhaps we can thank its incredible collabs (like the Balmain collection, shown here) for the brand's popularity?
Of course, H&M is known for great basics and on-trend items, like this V-neck layering dress for fall.
The fast fashion brand has also been investing in eco-friendly and "premium quality" pickings, like this on-trend blush pink sweater for cozy fall mornings.
The House of Dior started in Paris, but some 70 years later it's developed an international following. So while it may not have ranked No. 1 in a specific country, it was within the top 10 most popular brands for all the countries we surveyed, save for two: Germany and Sweden.
The classic Lady Dior bag has become a staple in the Dior lineup, with "Cannage" stitching for gorgeous texture.
Dior Lady Dior Bag in Black Lambskin, price upon request, available at Dior boutiques.
But, of course, you could get a taste of the Dior brand with its line of sunnies.
Dior Sculpt Mirrored Cat Eye Sunglasses, $580, available at Bloomingdales.
5. Topshop
H&M's older sister might not be able to compete in terms of sheer number of stores, but the brand makes up for it thanks to the amount of buzz it generates. Topshop was the third most talked-about brand in the United Kingdom, and ranked within the top 10 in Spain, Poland, Thailand, and South Africa.
This basic, gray, heeled sandal is perfect for summer-to-fall transitioning.
VERA Square Toe Sandals, $100, available at Topshop.
Topshop's Ivy Park collaboration with Bey probably helped boost its rankings, too.
Topshop Sleeveless Logo Body by Ivy Park, $50, available at Topshop.
4. Gucci
Much like Dior, Gucci had major reach and had active fanbases in almost every country we surveyed — only missing a top-10 spot in Germany and Japan. Naturally, the Italian brand was ranked No. 1 in its home country.
The brand's hobo purse is a classic everyday bag, with versatile straps for both crossbody and shoulder carrying.
An equally utilitarian but completely different bag? This starred shoulder bag, from the GG Marmont collection.
Gucci GucciGhost Shoulder Bag, $1,890, available at Gucci.
3. Chanel
The brand behind the classic quilted bag was actually the most popular label in Russia and Thailand. Of course, it was also talked about in every country we surveyed and ranked within the top 10 for all 30.
This bag style is as iconic as the brand name at this point, from the double-C logo down to the braided leather chain.
Chanel Full Flap Bag, $3,500, available at Shopbop.
Of course, who could forget Chanel eyewear, especially with muse Willow Smith as the face of the line?
Chanel Round Runway Sunglasses, $500, available at Chanel.
2. Adidas
Here's proof that athleisure is a worldwide phenomenon: Adidas happens to be the second most popular brand in the world right now, and ranked as the most talked-about brand in Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
At this point, fashion girls everywhere are pairing these non-flashy sneakers with every outfit, making twisted ankles a thing of the past.
Adidas Superstar Sneaker, $79.95, available at Nordstrom.
2015's shoe of the year just might have been the Yeezy Boost 350, a collaboration between Kanye West and Adidas. This year? They released a kids version of the cult shoes — which, predictably, has sold out. Best of luck on eBay, Kanye fans.
Finally, the most talked-about brand in the world is none other than the other king of sneakers, Nike. In fact, Nike won more than half of the countries Social Context Labs looked into. The brand was the most talked-about label in the United States, South Africa, France, United Arab Emirates, China, Japan, Poland, India, Canada, South Korea, the Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Taiwan, and Sweden. Blame Frank Ocean's new album.
This black and gold pairing reads flashy to some, but classic to others.
Nike SB50 Nike Air Max 1 Ultra, $89.97, available at Nike.
These throwbacks are so popular, Nike has limited sales to one pair per customer — so get yours, but don't be greedy.
Nike Air Jordan 12 Retro, $190, available at Nike.
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One thing that binds together all Angelenos, celebrities, and mortals alike, is the city's horrendous traffic. And Katy Perry has to deal with it every time she wants to visit her boyfriend, Orlando Bloom, who lives in Malibu.
Perry complained about her commute to Women's Wear Daily. "I get the whole coming to L.A. and living by the beach thing," she said. "But it's really...it's so far, nobody [who lives in town] is going to come see you."
One advantage to coming to Malibu, though, is that it's on the way to Perry's hometown of Santa Barbara. She said she's driven Bloom past her childhood house, which is in a neighborhood people don't usually imagine when they think of the city. "I lived on food stamps and a food bank in Santa Barbara, which is like a crazy juxtaposition to live in beauty and still have a bit of a struggle," she said.
She also still makes music in Santa Barbara, though it's also a considerable drive from her — an hour and fifteen minutes if she hits it "at the right times."
If L.A. won't improve its public transportation for the rest of us, maybe it'll do it to keep Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom 's romance alive.
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You know how therapists try to create a safe space for their patients, telling them they can say anything in a session? Most people understand that means it's okay to reveal anything about themselves or their experiences. Well, Gretchen is not most people ( remember: she doesn't wash her legs). When her new therapist (Samira Wiley, Orange Is the New Black) tells her to say anything, she unleashes a string of creatively hurtful profanities. This is her retaliation for being told to open the mail.
But lets go back: The show is dealing with Gretchen's depression this season not by sweeping it under the rug but by sending her to therapy, and putting her on the drugs she could have been taking all along but chose not to. Now, she'll have to learn to work through her problems. One of the methods her therapist recommends is working through the big pile of mail she's been procrastinating on opening. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful love/hate relationship whose boundaries will be pushed far beyond what's appropriate. It's only a matter of time until some serious therapy-driven word vomit happens here.
Meanwhile, Lindsay, queen of costumes, is in her nurse's outfit to make taking care of Paul after stabbing him more bearable. By taking care of him, I mean medicating him into unconsciousness. She comes out to the gang over pancakes at their diner (that's the real life hipster joint, Brite Spot, in Echo Park if you're jealous of their always delicious-looking breakfast foods), admitting that she stabbed him...but not even that hard. Insert gif of Edgar dunking his fries in a milkshake without saying a word here.
Dorothy moves into her new apartment with a little help from Edgar. The show is paying little heed to how well she's taking Edgar's decision not to move in with her (still haven't explained what happened there, guys) and emphasizing how she keeps unknowingly "digging the knife" into their sex life. Edgar kind of checks out of that whole scene to explore the tent city next door. He uses his improv skills to help them write better panhandling signs, all the while worrying about how he used to be one of them and if he's giving back enough now that he's not.
Jimmy can't stop taking advice on his book proposal. Strangely no one advises him to burn that terrible sounding book of erotic fiction masquerading as historical fiction. The seamen/stockings joke makes him The Worst this week. Well, right up until Gretchen opens that letter telling him his dad died. Oh, therapist...!
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If ordering a Pumpkin Spice Latte is a little too #basic for you, then you can disguise your love for the seasonal treat by cracking open Breckenridge Brewery’s newest creation: Nitro Pumpkin Spice Latte. Yes, a Pumpkin Spice Latte beer.
While there are already countless pumpkin beers out there, this might just be the first to harness the coffee aspect of the fad. It should allegedly taste just like your Starbucks order, but with the craft beer kick. Specifically, Thrillist reports that the stout is made with coffee from a local Breckenridge roaster, infused with nitrogen to make it extra creamy. The Breckenridge Brewery website says the drink consists of “dark roasted malts and carefully roasted, cold pressed coffee beans” and includes flavors of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and, of course, pumpkin. Plus, there’s 5.5% alcohol by volume.
Much like the PSL, the Pumpkin Spice Latte beer is only available for a limited time. While you can currently purchase a four-pack of the stuff nationwide, it will only be available through October. That’s okay, because by then, everyone will have moved on to winter. Do I smell a Peppermint Mocha beer in the works?
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Harry Potter is a book, movie, and now even a play, but its true calling might just be TV. At least, that’s how it seems after Comedy Central UK created this mashup of the first few Harry Potter movies in the style of ‘90s sitcom opening credits. Goofy music, character introductions, and a whole lot of magic prove that there’s literally no way Harry Potter can go wrong.
Seriously, in 54 seconds this clip manages to tick all the boxes. The footage is edited to include the nostalgic TV static and lines that are a staple of childhoods spent in front of the screen after school, and is made only better by the chirpy font that introduces all the characters. There’s Harry, the bright-eyed hero, Hermione, the loyal companion, Ron, the hapless best friend who probably enters rooms like Kramer a la Seinfeld, and guest appearances from Hagrid, Dumbledore, and Minerva to keep things fresh.
There’s also Dobby as, of course, himself, because it wouldn’t be a true ‘90s sitcom without a cameo or two. All in all, the edit makes three years of psychological and emotional torture at the hands of an evil wizard seem like just another day in the kooky world of wizards. At least for the first season, after which it will inevitably jump the shark and have an entire episode of flashbacks.
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The race to the finish no longer seems to be in the hands of Mr. Robot. fsociety is quickly becoming a thing in between the FBI and the Dark Army -- with Evil Corp somehow pulling the strings.
We open with a strange scene, in which Evil Corp's CEO asks "The Last Honest Man," former Evil Corp executive Winston Campbell to help get the US Ambassador to abstain from a vote that would allow China to take control of the Congo. What the end game is there is still a mystery, as the episode dives into the minutia of the FBI chase for the rest of the episode -- talk about an agency missing the big picture.
Last week, it seemed like we were going to get closer to the Wellicks, as Joanna waited for Elliot to ask him some questions about Tyrell's whereabouts. We did, but not in the way we expected. The show opening jumped us back in time, to watch her get ready for her ambush. The juxtaposition of her cool exterior and the chaotic music was like taking a step into the mind of a woman on the edge of sanity. She ropes Elliot into helping her track the phone she's convinced Tyrell gave her. The exercise, in which Elliot impersonates a police officer as his hack, makes him wonder what about this situation is scaring Mr. Robot off. It seems likely that Mr. Robot lied about killing Tyrell. The fisheye lens shot where Elliot asks us to look around his apartment, or "home," to see what Mr. Robot wanted them to go back for is certainly going to come back in the finale next week.
Darlene is losing her moral compass when the episode begins, while her (ex?) boyfriend Cisco is working on being the hero/downfall of them both. Once Dom starts putting the pieces together that put him at the scene of two crimes of interest, she's locked in on finding him and figuring out what his part in the hack was. As has become typical for Dom, she gets there just in time to be on the wrong end of the Dark Army's guns. When the episode is over, it's unclear if Darlene and Cisco are alive.
Let's talk about Angela, also known as Claudia Kincaid, the girl who ran away in to the museum in From The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, a callback to the story of how she and Elliot ran away to the museum together as children. That's the pseudonym Elliot has for her in his phone, we learn when she texts him to meet. They do, on the F train, and she tells him she knows he is fsociety. Angela drops a bomb on all of us when she asks about the time they ran away to the museum and Elliot was angry at everyone because they couldn't see him -- has he been seeing Mr. Robot for longer than we know?
And then, there's the kiss. That was quite a goodbye.
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Fashion week has barely started, but we already have an MVP from the rap world. (No, not Kanye. Though his show was memorable for a variety of reasons.)
Young Thug, rapper and dress enthusiast, has stolen the show with a series of unforgettable moments while sitting in the front row of the VFiles runway presentation. Remember when A$AP Rocky said, "Fuck fly, I am fashion?" Well, Young Thug now took that title.
A video posted by Micah Donovick (@micahdonovick) on
Naturally, he wanted to document the proceedings. What better way to do that than via iPad? Pulling out an iPad like you're a tourist in the middle of Union Square...on the front row? That's legendary. Come on, man.
So to recap, Thugger took out an iPad, fixed a dude's collar, and was wearing like a velvet duster and as many gold rings as he has fingers. Someone give this dude his trophy.
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The Vons grocery store chain has issued an apology to Zendaya after the actress claimed she was treated rudely by a store clerk because of her "skin tone."
"At Vons, we strive to treat each and every customer with the utmost respect," the retailer said in a statement released to E! News. "There is a policy that limits gift card purchases using a credit card. Zendaya was able to purchase gift cards up to our limit, and we apologize for any inconvenience or misunderstanding. We respect Zendaya's voice in the community and similarly are committed to diversity and inclusion. Moreover, we understand that race is a sensitive issue in America and view this experience as a reminder that every interaction is an opportunity to treat each customer as we ourselves would like to be treated."
This article was originally published on September 7, 2016.
Repeat after me: "Big mistake. Big. Huge. I have to go shopping now."
Zendaya recently had her own Pretty Woman moment. According to the actress' latest Snapchat videos, a Vons store clerk refused to serve her, told her she couldn't afford her purchase, and tossed her wallet back on the counter. Yikes.
Zendaya and a male friend recounted the experience in a series of videos. The 20-year-old said she was trying to buy gift cards from the grocery store.
"So we just got out of this Vons," she shared. "Now, I am trying to buy a lot of gift cards. There are some certain limits and some things, which is understandable... so I'll take the less amount, whatever. But the lady that was helping us... I don't think she was a huge fan of our skin tone."
"She then threw my wallet," she continued. "I can't make this up! This is what we deal with! She literally [threw my wallet] and she was like, 'You can't afford this'... It was $400! Long story short, there is so much progress to be done in our world."
The Spider-Man: Homecoming star later clarified her remarks.
"My cards were loose, so like my card fell on the scanner," she explained in a follow-up post. "She was about to keep scanning the next person. I was like, 'That's my card! What are you doing?' You know what, it's all love!"
Thanks to help from the manager, the star was eventually able to purchase the gift cards.
Watch Zendaya and her friend take the clerk to task.
Threesomes aren't for everyone. Despite her rising "sexpert" status, Amber Rose has admitted that she didn't love her recent two-on-one experience.
In a sneak peek for her podcast relaunch of the popular Loveline with Amber Rose radio show, the Dancing with the Stars contestant has revealed that she recently paired up with another woman and a man for her very first ménage à trois.
"We kinda just got together, and it was cool, but..." she told her co-host, Dr. Donaghue. "It was a guy and a girl, and it was fucking horrible.
"It was the worst," she added. "I am literally having sleepless nights."
Rose explained that her role as a sex-positive speaker inspired her to try new bedroom activities.
"I felt the pressure, getting older, to experience new things. And I did it against my better judgment because I talk about sex a lot," she said. "I promote that and I was like, I need to have more experiences, and so I did it. And I hated it. Because I feel like I am a very passionate lover and I like that one-on-one passion.
"With the threesome I felt like there was no passion. There was no kissing and rolling around and all those moments that I enjoy. It just wasn't there."
Rose is not, however, ruling out the possibility of a future threesome, provided two other men are involved. Whatever floats your boat, babe.
1. Major News: President Obama nominated Abid Riaz Qureshi, who could become the first Muslim-American federal judge.
According to the New York Times, "Mr. Qureshi is a partner at Latham & Watkins L.L.P. in Washington, where he is the global chairman of its pro bono committee and specializes in the False Claims Act, healthcare fraud, and securities violations." (New York Times)
2. World News: Police in Paris arrested two people after discovering a car packed with seven gas canisters outside Notre Dame Cathedral.
The car was found with seven gas canisters inside and its license plate removed. It also had its hazard lights on. No one was inside. According to officials, an employee from a nearby bar flagged the car. (Time)
3. Here At Home: Two former Detroit principals will go to prison for a scheme that cheated the city's public schools out of $2.7 million.
Nina Graves-Hicks and Norman Shy are among 12 principals charged in the scheme. Sims was sentenced to one year and three months in prison, while Graves-Hicks received one year. Sims took more than $58,000 and Graves-Hicks took more than $27,000. (CBS News)
4. In-The-Know: Petra Laszlo, the Hungarian camerawoman who was videotaped kicking a group of asylum seekers, was indicted.
Hungarian prosecutors said she would be facing charges for breaching the peace in the September 2015 incident that occurred at the Hungarian-Serbian border, according to the AP. Laszlo was fired last fall after footage of her kicking two children and trying to trip a man carrying a boy went viral. (Read More)
PHOTO: MARKO DJURICA/ REUTERS.
5. This Is Not A Drill: A senator wants Donald Trump's modeling agency to be investigated after claims that models worked illegally in the U.S.
Sen. Barbara Boxer wrote a letter addressed to León Rodríguez, the director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — an agency that’s part of the Department of Homeland Security — and copied to Labor Secretary Tom Perez. (Read More)
6. Talking Points: Green Party candidate Jill Stein could face charges for vandalism or trespassing.
According to authorities, the Green Party presidential candidate allegedly spray-painted construction equipment on a private site while protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota. (Read More)
7. Geek Out: Apple finally unveiled the iPhone 7 — and a new Apple Watch.
For the first time, the iPhone is waterproof (or at least water-resistant). It also has a better camera, whether you're looking to take gorgeous landscapes or close-up selfies. And the home button is decidedly different from what you're used to in previous iPhones. (Read More)
8. Music Tracker: Drake's tour bus was robbed of millions in cash and jewelry.
Drake's bus was robbed of a suitcase that reportedly contained millions of dollars worth of jewelry and property while he performed in Phoenix, Arizona. Police have a suspect in custody. (Read More)
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Ryan Reynolds becoming a father isn't just the best thing that's ever happened to Ryan Reynolds. It's also the best thing that's ever happened to Twitter.
The actor has been killing it with the jokes since welcoming daughter James with wife Blake Lively in 2014. Things can only get better once Baby No. 2 arrives.
The Deadpool actor couldn't resist responding his Change-Up co-star Olivia Wilde's tweet about parenting fails. Apparently, he's immune from the occasional crisis of confidence. Or, he's just very good at pretending to be immune.
"Anyone else suck at parenting today?" Wilde, who is pregnant with her second child, tweeted.
"Nah," Reynolds fired back. "Nailed it."
Somewhere Blake is rolling her eyes to the heavens.
29Rooms — Refinery29’s magical art and fashion funhouse – is back for its second year, kicking off during NYFW, from September 9 to 11. We’re bringing our commitment to women claiming their power to life, through the event’s theme, “Powered by People.” To celebrate this sense of possibility, we’ve curated content that embodies our theme and pushes you to do more — start the conversations you want to hear, make change. We built our dream world and want to inspire you to power your own. For more information on the 29Rooms event and our initiative, click here.
Adrian Grenier is an actor, producer, director, and founder of the Lonely Whale Foundation. The views expressed here are his own. This story was originally published on May 18, 2016.
I’ll never forget my first breath underwater.
I was 27 and living in Bushwick, the middle of industrial Brooklyn, when I decided to escape the city and head to Mexico with my friend and producing partner, Lucy, to shoot a documentary. She was an Australian water baby and I was a New York City kid, so she suggested I get PADI certified so we could dive together.
Our instructor used the scuba gear as tools to help us understand the cycles of the ocean, connecting our breath to the tides and natural rhythms of the sea. He also explained that monitoring the levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in our blood was just as critical as understanding the ocean’s own careful chemistry.
In those 48 hours, we learned to become guests of the ocean, to observe and wonder at our underwater environment, not to dominate or master it.
Fast forward five years — I was living in L.A. working on HBO’s Entourage, and playing a character who highlighted the glamorous life of Hollywood. The ocean felt far away, even though it was in our backyard. It was on the set of Entourage that I began to realize our level of conspicuous consumption was out of control. We were shooting scenes less than a mile away from shore, and yet no one ever thought about the damage that our trash was wreaking on the ocean.
I’ll admit, sometimes I forgot, too. It’s difficult when plastic is the norm.
While my character, Vincent Chase, indulged in the extravagant Hollywood lifestyle, offscreen, I’d always preferred more intimate dinner parties surrounded by close friends. Not too long ago, I invited a few people over for a casual evening. Our conversations are usually intellectual, creative, and invariably, devolve into humorous stories.
In those 48 hours, we learned to become guests of the ocean, to observe and wonder at our underwater environment, not to dominate or master it.
But not that night. Instead, someone brought up a photo I had posted on Instagram of beached whales, their stomachs found filled with plastic. As we discussed how our choices as consumers can lead to horrible stories, someone plucked a plastic straw from their glass, identifying it as a culprit. So we investigated.
Adrian holding some of the trash he found while diving. Plastic has filled our oceans, endangering wildlife. Photo: Courtesy of Adrian Grenier.
Since that night, I’ve stopped buying straws and have started asking servers, baristas, and bartenders not to serve them to me. It's a simple request that is in my control, and it helps me start a conversation around ocean health. And that matters.
Because if we don’t change our habits, there will be nearly more plastic than fish in our seas by the time my generation’s grandchildren are able to take their first swim lessons.
So, what do you see when you look in the mirror each morning? I’m willing to bet that for most of you, “environmentalist” isn’t the first, or even the fifth, word you’d use to describe yourself. I want to change that.
As World Oceans Day approaches, I've been reflecting on how I can use my voice to impact individuals through my work with the Lonely Whale Foundation, and as Dell’s Social Good Advocate.
This year, there was an exciting increase in attention to our environment thanks to a successful gathering of politicians and thought leaders, like my idols, Jane Goodall and Sylvia Earle, at the COP21 climate talks in Paris. But even though there is more news coverage today, I still feel like there's a lack of power for individuals to make changes on a more personal level.
This is where you, the environmentalist, come in. Tackling plastic pollution alone, even as a celebrity, isn't effective. We need to do this together.
With your voice, you have the power to start a conversation about plastic pollution at every meal, on every date, and at every happy hour.
Two years ago, my diving and producing partner, Lucy, resurfaced in my life, calling to tell me about this whale, this lonely whale. She told me the story of a solitary creature that has called out to no response for more than 30 years, and asked me to join her in answering it. So I did.
When I first joined the Lonely Whale team, I spent hours poring over books, studies, articles, art, learning everything I could about the ocean and its connection to climate change.
While I was feeling increasingly excited about my newfound knowledge, not everyone enjoyed hearing about it.
Adrian exploring the sea during a dive with Nicolás Ibargüen. Photo: Courtesy of Adrian Grenier/Fusion.
That’s when I started to feel the disconnect. I felt the solitude the Lonely Whale must feel when it calls out year after year in the hopes that someone will answer its call for companionship.
Technology has done such an efficient job at letting us hide from one another and hide from our environment. I see it every day on the streets of New York: eyes glued to our phones, stepping over bags of trash on the streets. But where is the trash on Instagram?
Our lonely moments and our trash-covered coastlines just aren’t fit to post. This silencing of a very real aspect of our daily experience is dangerous. It not only erodes our relationships with one another, but it also quite literally erodes our environment.
We have the tools in our hands to create and share the changes we make.
But we have the tools in our hands to create and share the changes we make. We’ve seen it in practice. All it takes is a camera and an internet connection to shift culture. I truly believe that if we share our struggles, we can overcome them together. That was one of the driving factors in my establishment of the Lonely Whale Foundation.
The ocean is often cast as female in stories, with tales of sirens and goddesses controlling the tides. In my personal experience, that narrative has rung true.
Fish caught in a piece of plastic trash off the coast of Cocos Island. Photo: Courtesy of Adrian Grenier.
From my first breath underwater with Lucy, to diving the deep with Sylvia Earle, one of the leading ocean thought leaders, women continue to lead me to the sea. I am so grateful to the female explorers in my life who’ve led me to where I am today, namely the strong, independent woman who raised me.
I want to continue to support female activists, and hope that by starting with a small, singular task like refusing straws, I can encourage each one of you to embrace your inner environmentalist.
In the U.S. alone, we throw out 500 million plastic straws every single day.
Yes, there are plenty of other critical ocean health concerns, from noise pollution to the warming of the waters — but whether we use plastic straws or not is one thing we can control. To be clear, I’m not saying that we have to give up straws altogether, simply plastic straws. There are so many sustainable alternatives today, from glass to bamboo to paper to metal, for both individuals and businesses.
So, while it is a small change, refusing plastic straws is also a crucial step in supporting an individual-led culture of conscious sustainability. If every twenty- and thirtysomething declined plastic or opted for a sustainable straw each weekend, we could eliminate 500 million plastic straws every month.
Share your story of the straw. Share it with a friend, share it with the Lonely Whale, share it with the world online and let’s push forward with an impactful, plastic-free wave of change. You have the power to post and flood the internet with a wave of content that will challenge and enrich the world, not just indulge our desire for distractions.
With your voice, you have the power to start a conversation about plastic pollution at every meal, on every date, and at every happy hour. Use your strong female voice to call out like the sirens you are and refuse straws.
COCOS_EXPEDITION (1).mov
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29Rooms — Refinery29’s magical art and fashion funhouse – is back for its second year, kicking off during NYFW, from September 9 to 11. We’re bringing our commitment to women claiming their power to life, through the event’s theme, “Powered by People.” To celebrate this sense of possibility, we’ve curated content that embodies our theme and pushes you to do more — start the conversations you want to hear, make change. We built our dream world and want to inspire you to power your own. For more information on the 29Rooms event and our initiative, click here.
This story was originally published on March 2, 2016.
On Wednesday, the United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case that could determine whether legions of women have access to safe and legal abortions.
Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt is a challenge to HB2, a law passed in Texas in 2013 that creates additional operating requirements for abortion providers.
According to the Center for Reproductive Rights — the pro-abortion rights advocacy group fighting the law on behalf of clinics — only 10 facilities that provide abortions would remain open in the entire state if the law is upheld. Before the measure passed, there were 40. An estimated 5.4 million women in Texas are of reproductive age, CRR says.
The outcome of the case, which hinges on whether placing restrictions on how clinics operate violates a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy, could also have major effects on abortion access across the country, impacting other states with similar restrictions.
Photojournalist Allison Joyce has been chronicling women's experiences with abortion in her own series, Life After the Decision. Ahead, she shares their moving portraits and stories.
Editor's note: All captions were provided by Joyce and have been edited for length and clarity.
Jennifer, 23
Jennifer, a nurse, posed for a portrait in her home in New York. Jennifer says she was 17 when she became pregnant and had an abortion.
"I don't really think about it as much. It's not hard to talk about…I don't regret anything. I'm still against abortion. If it's the one time [and] you made a mistake, you'll-never-do-it-again thing, it's okay. But if you keep on doing it [without] birth control, it's so not cool. Because I don't think that I would be where I am today. Like, 23, a nurse — I wouldn't have made it here, because I would be a little bit behind or I would have to make ends meet by grabbing this.
"I was able to go straight into school without having to think about anything, and finish. So it was definitely the best decision I ever made. I was against abortion. I really was — I was against it. My mom has gone through so many troubles with pregnancies that I wouldn't want to do that…But at the same time, at the time, I only had one parent there.
"My father was incarcerated, so I knew he'd be super-duper disappointed in me. And then my mom was just like, 'You know, if you get pregnant, you're out of here because you're grown.' After that, I made my decision in about two months. After the procedure, I was crying. As soon as I woke up from the bed, I was crying. Crying, crying.
"And a woman next to me asked me how old I was, and I said 17. She said, 'You did the right thing, girl. You did the right thing because you're too young. You have your whole life ahead of you.' And I still think I did the right thing because he's still a terrible person. He's not father material…When I went to the clinic and I told him, he wasn't surprised…He knew he made an accident, but he didn't tell me he made an accident so I could go get a Plan B…We didn't wear a condom…He pissed me off and he was trying to convince me to keep it, not keep it, keep it — and I was just confused.
"He's still a terrible person, and I would have had a terrible life with him. I wouldn't want to be one of those women that have different baby fathers. I would just try to work it out with him. And he's a terrible person. I'd much rather have a baby with someone I love and am going to marry."
Photo: Allison Joyce/Reuters.
Aiyana, 22
Aiyana, an artist, posed for a portrait in her home in New York. Aiyana says she was 20 years old when she became pregnant and had an abortion.
"He ended up not being as supportive as I thought he would be [at the immediate time]. He did everything he could, aside from paying for it. I initially paid for everything out-of-pocket, although I was reimbursed for it. But to cover the initial costs, I took care of all of that. After it happened, when I did feel like I needed a lot of emotional support, he didn't really provide that. So that was a contributing factor to us breaking up.
"The clinic I got it done at, they allow men to be in the room, which most clinics don't allow. So I set the date for when my boyfriend would be back from tour, because I wanted him to have to experience it with me, I guess…because as a male, I felt that even though he was undoubtedly affected by it, I sort of wanted him to in some part experience the physicality of everything that was happening. I think he was kind of freaked out, but he was very supportive of me. I'm glad he was there.
"It definitely has been really rewarding in some ways…At least I know I can give friends or acquaintances of mine somebody to talk to, who can give them advice or give them resources that they might not otherwise be aware of…Obviously, it's something private. But if it's something that you feel okay talking about, I think that vocalization is important. I think it can help remove the stigma that's attached to having an abortion."
Photo: Allison Joyce.
Leigh, 26
Leigh, a bartender, posed for a portrait in her home in Pennsylvania. Leigh says she was 21 years old when she became pregnant and had an abortion.
"Honestly, I don't think I'm ever going to really forget any detail about any of it, down to the one decision that made it actually end up becoming that…It happens. All of a sudden, it's a month and a half and getting nauseous with beer and, you know, [the] test came back positive and everything. We sat out and we talked about it, and he was a sweetheart about everything, for the most part. He made it very clear that it was my choice. But at the same time, he was also very honest about what would happen, going this way or that way, with the decision.
"…If we were to have the kid, we would get married and be together for the rest of our lives. If we didn't work out and we broke up for some reason, he would fight for full custody of the kid and make sure I never saw them again. I was still in college. I was a year away from graduating, and I was having a hard enough time making ends meet, between a part-time job, work, study, a full class load…trying to keep him happy being home all the time.
"I knew [that] as much as I cared about him (and I thought I was in love with him), I knew we weren't destined to be together forever. It was a really hard decision. I really did consider going through with everything. But it just was one of those, you just have to do what's right at the time. He was a sweetheart and totally understood and, you know, was completely supportive. He paid for it. He went with me and held my hand…
"It actually really hit my body hard. It took me a good three days before I could actually get out of bed. It was not an easy experience. It was very painful. The relationship took a natural course south. We ended up breaking up eventually…For the important part of the story, I couldn't have asked for a better experience. The support and the care and tenderness that he showed made a really difficult experience as painless, I guess, as possible.
"I didn't take it lightly…It took every inch of strength inside of me to be able to do it, but I knew it was the right decision to make…I know it was the right decision to make. I've never doubted that…I don't regret it, but I don't think I could ever stomach being able to do it again. I think I was just about to turn 22, [so] I would have had a 4½ -year-old right now.
"It's still something that I think about every day. It changes you. Before that, I swore I never wanted to get married, I never wanted to have kids. All of a sudden, this thing woke up inside of me. Now it's like, I want 2.5 kids and to eventually get married and I want the white picket fence. I don't know what happened, but in that experience, this thing woke up inside of me. And it hasn't gone away.
"Obviously, I'm not rushing into anything or whatever but…it changes you. And honestly, if I were to be faced with the decision now, I don't know if I could go through it again. It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make."
Photo: Allison Joyce.
Lisa, 27
Lisa, a restaurant manager, posed for a portrait in her home in Massachusetts. Lisa was 24 when she became pregnant and had an abortion.
"I told my husband at the time — we weren't divorced yet but… I was leaving him — and he was really supportive. [It was] surprising because it was not a great relationship anyway…I didn't have to think about it. It wasn't like, Will I or won't I? It was like, This is happening. I think I was kind of fortunate in a really sad way that it wasn't a difficult decision…I was alone. I didn't have any family, and I didn't have any friends, really. I had one friend, but she was not a very good friend. So I kind of went through it all alone.
"You can always look back in retrospect and say, 'This is what it would have been like,' but you never know…I'm happy. I'm very happy. I was leaving. I was trying to cope with moving out, having no money, no support. I had two jobs. I was working like a maniac just trying to cope…So it was like, all these things are happening at the same time. I was like, Okay, now I'm pregnant. Okay, I have no money. And when I left my husband and divorced him, I didn't take a cent or a dime from him. I didn't want anything…I just felt completely alone.
"They have doctors at the clinic, and they ask you what your life situation is like right now...I think they are trying to see if you're psychologically fit to do that, because it's a really painful thing emotionally to go through. And some people maybe need extra psychological care if they're going to do it...She was asking me a list of questions, and she's like, 'So, you're getting divorced.' And then I had to move a few times, because I didn't like where I was living and I didn't have money and…she's like, 'Oh, the most stressful things in this country are divorce and moving.' And I was like, 'I just got divorced and I've moved twice. And now I'm doing this.'
"I had a boyfriend after I got married, and I wrote down what that decision would be if I found myself pregnant again. Ultimately, I think I would go through with the pregnancy, even if it didn't work out, just because, I don't know…I would know I was in a better place and the person that I was with…they would support me and a child and whatever I wanted to do.
"After I had it, I got an IUD right away. I was like, 'I'm not ever getting pregnant again unless I'm sure.' So I'm taking extreme measures — not extreme, but as much as I possibly can to never have that happen again.
"No regrets. You never think about how you're going to feel when you do it. And when I did it, it was pretty straightforward…The decision to do it wasn't hard, and afterward it hasn't been hard in that area. I mean, I've had struggles, but — no. And I thought I would maybe think about what it would be like if I went through with the pregnancy and having a child and…I don't think about it. I don't try to think about it. I don't try not to, I just — I don't."
Photo: Allison Joyce.
Lisa, 45
Lisa, a writer, posed for a portrait in her home in Massachusetts. Lisa said she became pregnant and had two abortions when she was in her 30s.
"His immediate response was, 'Well, you can't have it!' It was such a fast and such a visceral response that he had. I asked him why, and he said, 'Well, you just have to get an abortion…You can't have this baby, and there's no way around it.'
"All I kept hearing was, 'I will never love you, and I will never love this baby.' When I looked down the road five years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years, I didn't see any happiness in this child's life. I wanted the baby. I knew that I could love it and I could give it certain things, but hate is a powerful emotion to overcome in a child's life. Not being wanted is a very powerful emotion in a child's life. You can do a lot of damage to a child with that feeling. I couldn't inflict that kind of pain on a child — knowing what that felt like…So I agreed to terminate the pregnancy.
"After some while…I said, 'Look, if you didn't want children, you should have controlled — fully controlled — your reproduction.' And that's what upsets me so much about when I hear the abortion debate now, is that I don't hear any part of that at all. There's nothing about men needing to control their reproduction. Because it's almost like women enjoy having abortions. It's like it's a cavalier decision.
"We've been conditioned that there's a certain kind of woman that has an abortion. You know, that it's poor women who have abortions, who just don't want to control their reproductive rights…It's not the more common thing where it's women who do control their reproductive rights, but things happen. Nothing is 100%. And when nothing is 100%, you will have an unplanned pregnancy.
"I've been in there with married couples, who had too many children and were deciding to terminate because they had four kids or something. And they thought the fifth was too many. It's not what you think it is…We're conditioned that it's bad, and we're conditioned that, 'How could you let yourself be so stupid to get in that position? What is wrong with you? And how could you do that?'…There was another person there who shares 50% of it, and somehow they walk away scot-free.
"I will always regret not having children…I think when I was pregnant, that was probably the right time to have kids. Because children bring a certain clarity to your life. There's a sense of humor and there's a wisdom to kids that most adults lack…I regret the choices that I made with regard to the men I was with… that's time that I can't get back. But I do not regret the decision to terminate those pregnancies. That was the right decision for each one of those pregnancies that was tied to each one of those men."
Lisa said the second time she became pregnant, it was with a man who had two daughters and was in the process of getting a divorce from his wife. Lisa said she was off birth control for medical reasons.
"I said, 'You can't support what you have financially.' He couldn't support what he had. I ended up finding out I was pregnant, and I said it to him. And he looked at me and he goes, 'Well, you know, I don't know what to tell you, but I can't have another child. I don't want another child.' He said, 'It's going to be really damaging to the girls.' We had a fight in this house that I think they can still hear.
"I was mad at myself for allowing it to happen. I just remember feeling disgusted and used and just hating him so much…In that case, I decided to have an abortion. He wasn't somebody that I wanted to be tied to. I felt like it was one of the stupidest things that I ever could have done…I had put my reproductive future in his hands. And I trusted him with that. And he violated that trust.
"It was almost unforgivable to me that I would get pregnant — that I would be so stupid to put myself in that same situation that I had just two years previously with someone else who couldn't commit, with someone else who was pathetic. And I was right back in that same situation. But I didn't want to be tied to him. And it was terrible and I hated myself for it, I hated myself for it. I hated how quickly I made the decision."
Photo: Allison Joyce.
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Ice cream is good for you. It lights up the pleasure centers in your brain. If you’re not feeling 100%, treating yourself to your favorite flavor can be the best self care imaginable, generally speaking. For some, a delicious creamy scoop is what makes life worth living.
Ice cream is also bad for you. It’s not particularly nutritious. If you stuff your face until you’re bloated every time you’re depressed, ice cream can become a crutch. Without balance and self control, too much dependence on ice cream can hinder your ability to self-soothe.
Like many people out there, I fucking love ice cream. I like to treat myself.
I think of my love of porn in much the same way.
I like to watch porn as a reward after a hard day at work. Porn is perfect for the lazy afternoons when I’m horny and feeling like thinking about nothing but sexuality. I pop in an old DVD or login to a membership site and just enjoy other humans having sex.
That’s all porn is, after all. People associate porn with all kinds of negative things — sexism, racism, transphobia, to name a few — some of which can be accurate, depending on the particular porn in question. But in order to really put it in perspective, you have to break it down to the simple, secular truth: Overall, porn is a type of media that provides a consensual, entertaining way to satisfy sexual curiosity.
This is why I was so disappointed to read the anti-pornography op-ed written by former Playboy model Pamela Anderson and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach for the Wall Street Journal last week. In the piece, the co-authors argue that porn is “a public hazard of unprecedented seriousness given how freely available, anonymously accessible and easily disseminated pornography is nowadays” — and they use Anthony Weiner as proof. As a lover of porn, an avid sexter, and a retired sex worker, I scoffed my way through the piece, which calls readers to “take the pledge” to avoid porn. I’ve heard all of this baseless fear-mongering before, of course, but it never ceases to amaze me when mainstream publications print moralizing sermons where critical journalism is supposed to be. (And for whatever it’s worth, I certainly wasn’t the only person who felt outraged by the narrow-minded, shaming assertions made in the piece.)
Anderson and Rabbi Boteach’s op-ed inexplicably conflates all commercially produced porn with Weiner’s specific sexting boundaries, which is kind of like calling for a ban on the ballet because some people puke when they go out dancing.
“We are a guinea-pig generation for an experiment in mass debasement that few of us would have ever consented to, and whose full nefarious impact may not be known for years,” they write. “How many families will suffer? How many marriages will implode? How many talented men will scrap their most important relationships and careers for a brief onanistic thrill? How many children will propel, warp-speed, into the dark side of adult sexuality by forced exposure to their fathers’ profanations?”
Anderson and Rabbi Boteach’s op-ed inexplicably conflates all commercially produced porn with Anthony Weiner’s specific bad sexting boundaries.
They call names in a racist and childish manner. The children of people who enjoy porn are "crack babies." Porn consumers are "losers." Maybe worst of all, they not-so-subtly frame their argument as if gay people, female lovers of porn, and people who have sex for reasons other than procreation do not exist. (I bet most of you fall into at least one of those categories.)
“With porn, it's of very limited usefulness to think of it as a drug,” Dr. David Ley, a clinical psychologist and author of The Myth of Sex Addiction and the upcoming Ethical Porn for Dicks, told me in light of Anderson and Rabbi Boteach’s op-ed. “People who have problematic porn or sex behaviors always have other problems — lack of other coping skills, social isolation, lack of sex education, sexual desires which are socially suppressed, or other personality/psychological issues”
He added: “Blaming these complex issues on porn is just like during the Prohibition era, when crime, divorce, mental illness, and other social ills were blamed on alcohol. Porn is the modern scapegoat. Instead of addressing the complicated issues of mature, modern sexual behaviors, it's easier to blame such problems on porn.”
I don’t know why Anderson has chosen to bite the hand that has fed her for decades — according to Playboy, she’s posed for 15 pictorials and 14 covers, including the cover for the very last nude issue, which came out just last year. I do know that anti-porn pundits love a story of regret. The perfect weapon against people who are pro-porn and pro-decriminalization of sex work is a “reformed” sex worker who has been there and wants to tell people from the inside how horrible it is. (For the record, I’m certainly not counting Anderson’s leaked sex tape as part of her work in the industry. That tape was stolen from her and its distribution continues to be a complete violation of her privacy.)
The perfect weapon against people who are pro-porn and pro-decriminalization of sex work is a 'reformed' sex worker who has been there and wants to tell people from the inside how horrible it is.
Here’s my suggestion: Instead of listening to the preaching of someone who is working out her complicated feelings about her career by calling her fans “losers,” why not read the extensive works of people who currently work in the industry? They are beautiful, complicated people with beautiful, complicated thoughts about the work they are doing right now. I recommend the anthologies Prose & Lore from the Red Umbrella Project and Coming Out Like A Porn Star, which was edited by Jiz Lee, for original writing by folks working in the sex industry.
If I squint, I suppose I can see what concerns the likes of Rabbi Boteach and Anderson. Like I said, some porn is unquestionably sexist, racist, transphobic, and just plain artless. And some people areusing smartphones and online dating as excuses for alienation, rather than tools for connection. I’m concerned about those tendencies, too. I don’t think that porn is for everybody any more than I think other crass forms of entertainment, like reality TV or WWE, are for everybody. (Those two things are totally not for me, but I would never begrudge someone else their brain candy.) I was also pretty damn disturbed by Weiner’s choice to include his child in the erotic pictures he sent. But censorship and shaming is never the answer to the misbehavior of one.
Which is one of the reasons why the so-called “sensual revolution” Anderson and Rabbi Boteach propose (in light of “gender rights and freedoms now having been established”) feels so misinformed. They write, “The sensual revolution would replace pornography with eroticism — the alloying of sex with love, of physicality with personality, of the body’s mechanics with imagination, of orgasmic release with binding relationships.”
As I’ve written before, the idea that “porn,” as a whole, represents degradation, while “erotica” describes something pure and healthy, is a totally bunk proposition. It’s based on a subjective and classist idea of taste — how can Anderson (or anyone) tell us what distinguishes “porn” from “erotica”? We should always be suspicious of such assertions, because who ultimately gets to dictate what is “good” sex and what is “bad” sex? The powerful people, the people with social capital.
The idea that 'porn,' as a whole, represents degradation, while 'erotica' describes something pure and healthy, is a totally bunk proposition. It’s based on a subjective and classist idea of taste.
Look no further than this op-ed’s outdated bias towards sex within heterosexual marriages and the preposterously untrue assertion that the gender rights of the sexual revolution have been “established.” Women aren’t stupid enough to think the sexual revolution is a done deal. Get back to me when white rapists caught in the act aren’t released after three months. Get back to me when trans women aren’t being murdered in disproportionately high numbers. Get back to me when Planned Parenthood isn’t under attack. Get back to me when people stop telling our first female major party presidential candidate to talk less and smile more. Please. “Established,” my ass.
As Dr. Ley told me, “Instead of shaming certain behaviors, it would be nice if we idealized and prioritized attention to consent, honesty, self-awareness, negotiation, integrity, and mutuality in sexuality. Then, we could look at [people like] Weiner and say, ‘This was unhealthy because it wasn't honest and didn't have integrity,’ as opposed to saying, ‘Don't do that!’”
Perhaps the saddest thing about Anderson and Rabbi Boteach’s call for a “sensual revolution” is that it already exists. There are countless places online and in stores to find pornography that depicts love, personality, and imagination (warning: link NSFW). If you have never found a commercial porn video you enjoyed, then you now have an even better option: making customized, personalized porn with your personal communication device. Contrary to the lurid stories most often reported about sexting, most naked selfies and screenshots of dirty talk conversations are shared joyfully between consenting adults.
So I urge you to push back against this creepy conservative doublespeak in three concrete ways:
1. Learn how to be an ethical consumer of pornography. When you’re concerned about exploitation in the garment industry, you buy ethically produced clothes. When you’re sickened by the state of the food industry, you buy ethically produced food. So if you’re concerned that porn is not ethically made (meaning: it’s produced in safe, consensual working environments, and it avoids the aforementioned problematic messaging), it’s up to you, the consumer, to create demand for porn that reflects your tastes and values. There are numerous online resources for pornographers who are transparent about business practices and who identify as feminists. Read what pornographers have to say about working in the industry today. Pay for memberships. Buy DVDs. Buy clips. Hell, commission custom clips from industrious porn performers!
2. Experiment and have fun with sexting. I might be biased, since I wrote an entire book about the ethics and etiquette of sexting, but I happen to think of erotic digital communication as fun, creative, and healthy. Some conservatives would have you believe that taking a naked selfie when you’re feelin’ yourself and sharing it with someone who wants to see it is morally degrading. Luckily, those people don’t get to tell you what to do with your sex life. If you have a partner, text them the deliciously filthy thoughts you’re having about them in real time. If you’re single, use your phone and computer as a tool for getting to know people, deepening your connections, and getting off. (Just make sure to exercise caution when dealing with strangers, depending on your particular preferences, like you would in any other situation.)
3. Consider the specifics of what monogamy means to you. People in relationships (or traditional monogamists in general) often assume that what monogamy means to one person will mean the same to another. Maybe you feel totally comfortable with your partner watching porn, but you would feel betrayed if you knew he or she occasionally swiped his way through Tinder for entertainment. Maybe you think it’s adorable that your girlfriend or boyfriend loves supporting enterprising dancers by making it rain at the local strip club, but your blood would run cold if they platonically shared a bed with an ex. Take the time to think deep thoughts and talk specifics with your partner. Remember, Weiner’s ethical transgression was not in sexting with strangers, but in (presumably) lying to his wife. He reportedly knew that extramarital sexting would be hurtful to her and he did it anyway.
But lest you get caught up in the nuances of the arguments for and against porn (and all of the strings attached to them), let’s return to the subject of ice cream. Porn and sexting are treats, just like ice cream. So treat yourself in moderation, if you’re so inclined. And don’t let anyone shame you — you deserve it.
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