If you have even the vaguest sense of what was cool in the 90s and 2000s, and thanks to social media you 10/10 do, then you know one of the hottest hairstyles of the time was “The Rachel.”
Every girl wanted to look just like Jennifer Aniston’s iconic character and honestly, good on them because Rachel Greene was a babe. Although she probs would have been even hotter if she was like 50% less whiny.
And since history always has a way of repeating itself, it looks like “The Rachel” is making a comeback.
In an interview with Refinery29, Jennifer Aniston’s longtime hairstylist, Chris McMillan, and colorist, Michael Canalé, revealed they’re p sure that iconic, fame-framing hairstyle is coming back.
Canalé said:
“Due to some aggressive coloring techniques over these last couple of years, I’ve noticed stylists are now going back to collarbone length styles to cut off damaged ends. [The hair industry is] moving away from more stylized looks, such as a harsh center-parts, and embracing a more natural look like ‘the Rachel.’ It enhances your natural texture, and softens the face.”
And while he’s probably not the most unbiased source to get this hot piece of hair gossip from, I don’t think he’s wrong. Just last week, Bella Hadid wore her hair in a Rachel-like way and looked pretty phenom.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is the kind of professional pretty person who seems to have it all together 24/7.
She looks impossibly radiant and toned in every picture you’ll ever see of her. She follows a strict no dairy, no alcohol, no gluten and no sugar diet and she’s got a 10-step in-flight beauty regimen she follows whenever she steps on a plane.
But once upon a time, even this walking example of perfection was human enough to let a horrible tanning accident happen to her.
“When I was 19, I remember going to the [tanning] salon in New York before a big shoot, and laying down on the bed and thinking, ‘This is so warm and lovely.’ Then I got home and started to move around and felt that my bum was really sore. My butt had never seen daylight before, so it was that milky, English, white skin, and now it was red and raw. It was sore for at least three days — I couldn’t sit down — and it took weeks for the swelling to go down.”
While it’s mean to ever wish misfortune on any living soul, it is kind of heart-warming to know that even the prettiest people get burnt by the heat of a tanning bed sometimes.
Ever hear that saying about being in the right place at the right time? For most of us, it just sounds like another BS phrase that obnoxious couples use to caption their Instagram posts or that your great aunt says to try and cheer you up after a bad week. However, it’s 100% the way to describe makeup-artist-turned-actress Kimberly Patterson’s discovery.
Once responsible for glamming up the stars before they go on-screen, Kimberly soon found herself playing the love interest of Nick Cannon in a major film after being discovered by his production team on the set of a commercial she was working.
“I was on the set of a commercial shoot for Usain Bolt when I had to leave to attend to a few clients I had booked,” she told Galore. “In the parking lot I was approached by two members of the production team and invited to the auditions to be held the following morning. With no acting experience whatsoever, I had no idea what to expect. To sum up the Jamaican Cinderella story, I was the first person to the audition and immediately landed the role as Maya. I’m not sure what made them think I’d be good for the role.”
Kimberly’s story is def not something you hear happening often and one that most girls could only dream about. I sat down with the debut actress to ask her about how much her life has changed since her discovery, how being a makeup artist has helped her acting career and her beauty predictions for the upcoming year. Plus, she was even cool enough to share a few sneak preview snapshots from her upcoming film, “King of the Dancehall.”
What was one skill you learned as a makeup artist that helped you transition into acting?
As a makeup artist, I have to be very observant to the needs of my clients and ensure I’m giving them what they want as they put their trust in my creative skills. I’m also always observing what’s happening around me so I can recognize new trends in the industry, be inspired, and continue to evolve as a makeup artist holistically. This aided my transition into acting because I had to pay close attention to other actors filming, thus ultimately teaching me a few tricks of the trade which really helped me to bring my character “Maya” to life!
What was your dream job as a kid? Did you want to be a makeup artist or did you always secretly want to be onscreen?
Growing up I didn’t have a dream job. I just knew that I wanted to be successful at whatever I eventually chose to do. It wasn’t until in my early twenties that I found my passion for makeup and decided to develop my skills in that area. I never thought I would ever be onscreen but now that I’ve had this opportunity… let’s just say I’ve definitely been bitten by the acting bug. I love it!
Do you hope to do more acting in the future? What are some of your goals?
Absolutely! This is a new passion of mine and I’m really enjoying learning about the industry. I’m constantly setting new goals for myself because I never want to become stagnant, I want to keep growing. In terms of acting, my dream is to do many more feature length films, play different types of roles in different genres and really hone my talent as a serious actress. Hopefully this will also open more doors of opportunity for myself as well as some other great Jamaican actresses.
There were a lot of big names on set like Nick and Whoopi Goldberg. Did anyone give you any words of wisdom?
Louis Gossett Jr played my father in this film. He told me to stay focused because I truly had the potential to be a success. He also encouraged me not to limit myself and that if I enjoyed acting I should go for it as he saw something in me that even more seasoned actors still struggle with. He also mentioned that he had played the father to Halle Berry- whom I admire a lot- in the series “Extant” and so technically she and I are sisters! So Halle, if you’ve been looking for your long lost sister, I’m over here!
What are your beauty tips for looking good on camera? What’s one product every girl should have to take the perfect selfie?
First, let your inner beauty shine through the lens. Keep your makeup looking as natural as possible, enhancing your natural features and rock those angles. A must have for the perfect selfie is indeed great lighting. A good product then is the selfie ring light that can be attached to your mobile phone creating endless possibilities of getting great pictures.
Looking back over the last year, what’s a beauty trend that you may not have liked at first but grew to love?
Highlighting! I never liked it at first and I thought it was being overused and looked unnatural but when I saw how great it looked when used correctly, I fell in love with it and now it’s something I do to myself and my clients all the time.
What product do you think you used most this year?
As a makeup artist I use a lot of different products but the one I am obsessed with and have used the most this year is the Ultra High Definition foundation by Make Up For Ever. It has such great coverage yet super lightweight and this works amazingly in a tropical country like Jamaica. To think of it, I would LOVE to be one of their Caribbean brand ambassadors!
Winged eyeliner and matte lips have been the signature look for some time now. What do you predict will be the next big makeup trend?
You can’t go wrong with a clean, natural look with soft colors and a simple lip gloss. I also think the 60s-style single-lined cut-crease look and the exaggeratedly drawn lower lashes inspired by the fashion icon Twiggy are about to make a huge comeback. I would definitely rock that style of makeup.
If you could do makeup on any celebrity, who would it be and why?
Zendaya! I love what she embodies as an individual. She’s so positive and bold and not afraid to be herself in any situation. She is also a natural beauty and has the type of face that any makeup artist would love to enhance. Her face is an amazing canvas.
What is one beauty product you think no one really needs?
Skin primer, because with good skin care and good skin prepping, your skin can stay flawless all day, so skin primer wouldn’t be necessary.
Both for sure. It depends on how I feel when I get up that morning. There are days when I just want to be simple and relaxed but there are also many times when I feel like being a showstopper and really standing out. But if I had to choose, I think it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.
Is there a trend from the past that you secretly hope will come back?
With the jumpers coming back in style which I am excited about, I’d love to see the cropped tops with super baggy jeans, belly chains and nice kicks inspired by the late Aaliyah… Comfortable and sexy all in one outfit.
Lastly, what’s your go to Instagram filter?
I don’t really use filters but when I do, I use Valencia.
Trump’s administration is preparing to make the Justice Department’s civil rights division start investigating and suing universities over affirmative action admissions policies that are deemed discriminatory against white people, according to a document obtained by the New York Times.
But here’s the thing, affirmative action doesn’t discriminateagainst white people. The sole purpose of affirmative action is to fight to make sure minority groups don’t get discriminated against.
Because white people don’t need the government to step in and make sure they’re being treated fairly. White people made the government and they’ve been taking advantage of it literally since the day the United States of America became a thing.
Not only does this new policy represent a backwards way at looking at how affirmative action works, but if Trump succeeds at pulling this move off, it’ll probably gut affirmative action programs across the country.
And that’s not gonna do great things for the already staggering race gap.
So yeah, it’s f*cked up. Call your local representative about it.
If you haven’t watched “To the Bone” yet, I don’t blame you.
The Netflix movie is about a 20-year-old girl named Ellen who can’t stop starving herself. Shortly after the film begins, Ellen decides to give treatment another try. You know, fifth time’s the charm.
It’s not a very fun movie to watch. But then again, “To the Bone” isn’t trying to be a “fun” movie, it’s trying to be a real movie. And the reality of having an eating disorder is that it fucking sucks.
Written and directed by Marti Noxon, “To the Bone,” is based on her own struggles with anorexia. As a teen she didn’t just starve herself to the bone, she starved herself to the point where her heart stopped beating.
As somebody who was anorexic in high school, college, and again after college, I wasn’t impressed with “To the Bone.” It was kinda Lifetime-y to me and didn’t feel like it was that much realer than any Hollywood depiction of an eating disorder I’d ever seen.
But in the effort of fairness, I asked three other women who’ve all struggled with eating disorders what they thought about the movie.
We talked about what they thought it did well, what they thought it didn’t do so well, and what they’d like to see from movies about eating disorders in the future.
“I was nervous to watch ‘To the Bone,’ but I also knew I wasn’t going to take it super seriously because it looked like a very stereotypical film,” explained Mollie, who was anorexic for about three years before going through treatment. “But I was mainly nervous because I knew it was going to bring a lot of feelings back that I didn’t want to come back.”
Although Mollie’s pretty much recovered now, she still has body dysmorphia. After years of your mind telling you that your body doesn’t look right, it can be hard to grow out of seeing yourself that way.
“I thought the movie was very surface level,” Mollie continued. “I wish it went more in depth about each character’s life. And I wish the main character had a story that was more intriguing. I didn’t even want to know more about her because there wasn’t much depth to her to begin with.
“I know it’s not supposed to be a documentary,” she continued, “but most of the time eating disorders stem from a loss of control. People turn to food because it’s the one thing they can control, but that wasn’t exactly the case in the movie. Instead it’s kind of a generic look into a pretty girl who develops an eating disorder.”
And Mollie wishes that instead of choosing a “beautiful white actress who was skinny to begin with” that the movie had chosen an actress who had more of an average body type as the protagonist.
“A lot of the time, girls who are anorexic aren’t extremely skinny and are really struggling, but you don’t have a clue because they don’t have this insanely frail frame,” Mollie pointed out.
“I think it would be really interesting if the movie went more in depth about how Eli functioned in the real world,” Mollie concluded. “The way she looks at the world, the way she looks at others and their bodies and about the anxiety about going to a setting where she might see people or might be around food. Eating disorders can also completely ruin your social life.”
I can attest. When I was anorexic in high school, I spent 0.0 hours hanging out with my friends during the school day, unless they came to the library where I was always “doing homework.” Most of the time I literally was doing homework, but the real reason I was always in the library was that you couldn’t eat in the library, so it gave me a plausible excuse to be skipping lunch and snacks.
None of my friends ever suspected a thing, and if they did, they never said anything to me about it. Even after I started eating again.
But not everybody I talked to had as many critical things to say about “To The Bone” as Mollie did.
“I thought the movie was a very raw and real depiction of what it’s like to struggle with an eating disorder,” says Heather, who struggled with anorexia between the ages of 19 and 20. “I didn’t think the movie glorified anorexia whatsoever, and it didn’t trigger me at all. Rather, it made me realize just how lucky I am to be in recovering and living life again.”
Even though she says her anorexia never got as bad as Ellen’s, at Heather’s lowest point she weighed 90 pounds, was depressed, was constantly freezing, and stopped having her period. Although she considers herself in active recovery right now, she still struggles with disordered thoughts and restrictive behavior.
Like Mollie said, once your mind has gotten used to seeing your body in a certain way, it’s not something you can just stop doing overnight.
Heather thought one of the biggest strengths of TTB was in “depicting the gross physical consequences of starvation [like] extra body hair growth to keep your body warm, constant bruises and bed sores, loss of [your] period, miscarriages, balding, and digestive distress.”
And Heather also thinks the movie “makes the all important point that eating disorders ARE NOT about food, they’re about control and trying to numb emotions. Once people realize this, I feel that eating disorders can be better understand and people will stop wondering why anorexics can’t ‘just eat.’”
Or for that matter, why overeaters can’t stop eating and why bulimics can’t stop binging and purging. Eating disorders might manifest themselves in different ways, but the underlying reason why people have them are always the same.
But still, Heather didn’t think the film was perfect.
She wishes it “had continued to focus on Eli once she resolves to recover,” she said. “For me, recovery was 100 times harder than being actively anorexic was. When I was starving I felt euphoric and beautiful, but once I decided to recover I felt fat, ugly, and battled myself every day over forcing myself to eat.
And Sarah, a 23-year-old who’s been symptom-free for four years now, went so far as to say TTB broke new ground for a movie about eating disorders.
“I loved that the treatment house in the movie incorporated people with all types of eating disorders, showing that there’s more than just one diagnosis,” she pointed out.
Sarah has a long history with eating disorders. She first developed an eating disorder when she was 8 after losing her father father, and kept binge eating until she was 17. But then prom season rolled around and she was “sick of being the fat girl and unknowingly switched my overeating to undereating.” For the next six months, Sarah counted calories, over-exercised, and even set alarms throughout the day to remind herself not to eat at school. But then her body got so deprived she started binging again.
And after she started college, things got so bad she had to go to rehab. She stayed for two weeks, thought she was cured, went back to college, and quickly spiraled out of control. “ It was so bad that I was failing out of college,” Sarah explained. “The laxatives [I was taking] took hours to kick in and caused me to miss class, I was exhausted all the time, I couldn’t retain any of my classwork, and I was partying far too much.”
So when her college told her she was going to fail out, Sarah went back to rehab. Luckily this time she was able to really recover from her eating disorder.
“I think that this disease is such a taboo and society does not realize that it truly is a mental disorder in its rawest form,” Sarah said, pointing out that the idea that an eating disorder is just about “fitting into a size 0” or “just a phase that girls go through in their teens” couldn’t be farther from the truth.
“EDs have no race, age, or sex,” Sarah continued. “The treatment facility, group and family therapy sessions, and the behaviors and dialogues of all the characters [in TTB] were spot on for many people I’ve encountered in treatment. Even the points system with levels was somewhat accurate to the one I experienced.”
And Sarah says that the moment in the movie when Ellen asks, “How do you do it, how do you eat?” is so authentic.
“A treatment friend of mine said it the best way I’ve ever heard,” she said. “Telling someone with an eating disorder to ‘just eat’ is like telling an alcoholic that they have to have one beer in the morning, one again at noon, and a final one at night, with the occasional shot for a ‘snack’ around 3 p.m. without losing control. It seems almost impossible.”
But she agrees with Heather. She’d love to see a movie about eating disorders that show more than just the initial treatment.
“I’d love to see a movie show the transition of someone in treatment returning to the real world and all the daily triggers that can cause someone to slip back into their eating disorder,” Sarah said. “I don’t think the media ever shows how much these diseases can disrupt a person’s daily life, from their friendships, love lives, grades in school, being a parent, and even holding down a job.”
The more I think about it, even though “To The Bone” wasn’t a perfect movie, I was sort of wrong to judge it so harshly.
For all its faults, even if all TTB does is encourage people to talk about their own experiences or realize that not all women with eating disorders look the same, then maybe it wasn’t such a bad movie after all.
The mid to late 2000s were magical years, especially for those of us who were in the prime of our emo phase.
Spending our days obsessing over AP magazine, the Warped tour lineup and Buzznet’s fashion babes was the standard. And we looked to MySpace emo scene queens when crafting our own colorful hairstyles and outfit choices.
They were the original crop of internet-famous babes to obsess over, and when I think back on that time, the ladies that instantly pop into my mind are Audrey Kitching, Hanna Beth and of course, Jac Vanek.
But since 2007, these women have moved on from the emo phase and dispersed into different areas of fashion.
Audrey went towards a Crystal bohemian goddess style, while Hanna Beth made the natural progression to rocker chic, and Jac Vanek’s style went full tilt towards Venice ethereal blonde.
Jac’s new style first caught people’s attention when her rubber bracelets that said things like “trainwreck” and “infinite” started appearing on all the wrists of the most popular punk pop singers. And before you know it, fangirls had jumped on the trend quicker than you can yell “MOSH!”
And since then her brand has grown into a sassy clothing and accessories empire — and now she even has her own line of home goods.
Cuz just face it, why would you buy just any old mug when you could get one with something snarky written on it so the world could know just how few fucks you had to give?
Here are some of the best items you are going to want to get your hands on.
When life comes at you fast and you’re too tired to comprehend where you are or what you’re doing, this handy mug will hold any liquid you need to keep you alive. And it’ll let everybody else know to approach you with caution.
The mug for all the babies who’d rather be scrolling through Tumblr or posting candids on Instagram in their bed than dealing with humans face to face.
Holla if you’ve accumulated student loans up the wazoo and live on dollar menu items from Mickey D’s and 100 calorie snack packs. Oh just me? Well, if you’ve ever opted for staycation over a vacation because of your nagging bank account, then this candle is for you bb!
Dear ladies, if you’ve been tempted to use the Insta caption “may all your pain be champagne,” this is for you. This candle probably smells like all your casual therapy brunches you’ve had with your friends. Champagne and venting equals a simpatico relationship. Just ask Champagne Papi.
“Witches, Sluts, Feminists” — oh my! Might as well be lions, tigers and bears because this trio is a force that is just as fierce.
If you didn’t know (I didn’t), witchcraft and Wiccan culture are strongly rooted in feminism. Kristen J. Sollee wrote a book on the subject, with the kind of history you are actually going to want to read because it highlights witchy feminism throughout the years in literature, art and even fashion. Yeah, that UNIF pentagram sweater you have in the back of your closet might just be feminist AF.
We talked with Kristen and she shared her thoughts on badass witches both real and imagined, the fourth wave of feminism and how some famous suffragettes were actually super witchy.
What famous fictional witch do you feel has the strongest feminist undertones?
It’s so hard to choose just one, but maybe whip smart teen witch Hermione Granger? Or as far as a character arc goes, the three witches in “The Witches of Eastwick.” They really go through an awakening process where their friendship is challenged by patriarchal thinking when a handsome devil enters the picture, but in the end discover their greatest powers lie within and with each other — and what’s more feminist than that?
Do you believe in magic and witchcraft?
Absolutely.
What’s something surprising you found while researching your book?
How witchy the suffragettes were. I had no idea Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments on a table used for séances, or that Matilda Joslyn Gage was reclaiming the word “witch” as a feminist rallying cry back in the 1890s, or that Sojourner Truth’s spiritual practice has a lot of elements we’d likely label as witchcraft today.
Which feminist icon do you call on when you’re needing some strong inspo?
Elvira all the way. She may not generally be considered a feminist icon, but she inspires the hell out of me with her spooky, witty AF double entendres, her sex positive skewering of sexism, and her hypnotic décolletage.
Witchcraft is full of ritual, what’s one of your own personal rituals?
I enjoy working with the moon cycles. A little candle magic and self-pleasure with a chakrub and a heavy metal soundtrack goes a long way to meet my needs.
What popular current trends are taken from witch culture?
Herbalism has always been a part of witch culture, and working with herbs, oils, balms, and salves is more and more an avenue folks are exploring to cure what ails them or to conjure a little something.
Describe how you made the initial connection between witches and feminism.
Of course the connection was being written about long before I was born, but for me, it all came alive when I started to draw comparisons between the way the word slut functions in society today and how the word witch did centuries ago.
What are the most laughable misunderstanding regarding witches, the occult or anything groups you reference in your book?
That anything and everything witch-related is devil worship. Like, hello, witches don’t need some all-powerful male figure to draw their power from.
How would you describe the fourth wave of feminism to those who are completely clueless, but want to get woke?
Some folks are still debating if the fourth wave exists at all, but Jessica Valenti proposed the fourth wave was online even back in 2009. To me, it’s defined by internet discourse. Digital connections are the engine of today’s activism, and today’s feminism, and that’s what’s at the core of the fourth wave.
The baddest, coolest feminist witch from history?
Definitely Marie Laveau, the 19th century voodoo queen of New Orleans. She ruled the city both in life and death, and brought people of all races and classes together with her syncretic magical practices.
Meet Olivia O’Brien, she’s not only the songwriter behind some of your favorite tracks, but now she’s releasing music of her own and it will have you wanting to bury exes, old friends, or anyone who has let you down.
It seems like talent attracts talent, because Olivia is a part of LA’s coolest/realest girl groups. Her best friends include Wildflower Cases co-founder Sydney Carlson, YouTuber Maddi Bragg, and model sisters Delilah and Amelia Hamlin. The young crew is not only super supportive of one another, but they’re the influencers our generation needs. Girls who aren’t afraid to take risks, tell it like it is, and not stand in a man’s shadow.
Even better, Olivia is helping to break down the facade that so many influential girls work so hard to create.
“I’m here to show everyone that it’s possible to be out here doing what I do and still be a real person, because hardly anyone is doing that anymore,” she said. And she’s doing her job incredibly well.
What is your favorite thing about being surrounded by such dynamic and influential girls?
Having such amazing girls in my life is the greatest thing. They always inspire me to try new things and encourage me to be the best version of myself. We all support each other and uplift each other constantly.
I don’t know how I got so lucky to be able to find such incredible girls who are not only strong, independent, and driven but are also smart, funny, kind and genuine. Without them, I definitely would not be as confident and happy as I am today, and I for sure would not be having so much fun in life.
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Do you draw a lot of support and inspiration from your friends?
Absolutely. It seems like all we do is inspire and support each other. We all have our own things going on, whether it’s music, modeling, fashion, designing iPhone cases, or just about anything else, and we constantly help each other grow and succeed in whatever it is we choose to do.
On top of all of that, because we all are finding success in our own ways, we never get jealous of each other and have no ulterior motives in our friendships which is rare in the entertainment industry, especially in Los Angeles. I love my friends more than anything.
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You’re very open about your life on the internet, you don’t shy away from letting people know that despite what it looks like on the surface, you’re not perfect or without your struggles. Why, in an age when it’s so easy just to fool everyone with an image, do you think it’s more important than ever to be real?
I have been through much more than people know, and it has caused me to learn things about myself and about life in general that many people my age have not yet realized. One of the most important things that I have learned is that people will constantly compare every aspect of themselves to others and it does nothing but lead them to self destruction and loss of self esteem.
This is why it is important to show people that nobody is perfect and you should never want to be anyone else! Everyone has flaws, everyone has been through hardships. Yes, there will always be someone who you feel is prettier than you or smarter than you or richer than you, but they will never be you. Every person is unique in their own way and there is no way to be “normal” or “perfect.”
Embracing your flaws and being the best version of your unique self is the only way to be happy, and I want everyone to know that. Nowadays, everyone is just pretending their life is perfect for social media, and it’s almost like they’re all starting to look, dress and even act exactly the same.
I know what happens behind the scenes because I am here and I am watching it happen, and it sickens me how much people lie and pretend and lead everyone into thinking they are perfect just so they can satisfy their own need to be envied. I’m here to show everyone that it’s possible to be out here doing what I do and still be a real person, because hardly anyone is doing that anymore.
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Who are some of your favorite female artists right now?
SZA and Kehlani will forever be two of my favorite female artists. They both have some of the most amazing voices I have ever heard and are incredibly talented performers. But even more importantly, they are good people with great hearts who constantly support other women and other people in general, which is reflected in their meaningful music. As a songwriter, lyrics and the message behind the music are so important to me.
Both SZA and Kehlani ACTUALLY write music and it’s good music that helps and inspires people and serves a purpose other than just to get plays on the radio. Real artistry is rare these days, but both of these women have shown me that it still exists.
In “RIP” you’re telling a story with both your lyrics and your visuals, was this cathartic for you?
I always feel better about a situation after I write a song about it. It’s my way of putting my emotions somewhere and getting out of my own head. It’s something I have been doing since I was seven years old. However, this was my first time co-directing a video, and it was interesting to come up with a visual to reflect my words.
It was definitely a cool experience but because I wrote the song in January, I no longer felt the way that I felt back then by the time I shot the video or even came up with the concept. When filming, I had to kind of bring myself back to that time and try to feel the anger I felt when all of this happened, but it was hard because I was already by far over the guy the song is about. At that point, it was more just a matter of how to make the video interesting and put a cool spin on the meaning of the song.
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As someone who recently started releasing her own music, what advice could you give to me in regards to allowing yourself to be emotional and vulnerable?
I used to be so afraid to write music about how I truly felt because I always thought that I was just a dramatic and overly emotional person. After gnash encouraged me to release “i hate u i love u”, which is about as vulnerable and emotional as a song can get, it got such amazing feedback and caused me to change my whole point of view.
I realized that everyone experiences the same emotions and everyone wants to know that their feelings are valid and they are not alone. When I put my feelings into words, I am helping people and saying the things that they want to say but don’t know how to. I realize now that it’s a beautiful gift and I shouldn’t be embarrassed of how open I am with my feelings.
What is the recording process like for you?
It’s a very personal thing because I do write all of my songs. I have to have the right people in the room with me, i.e. a producer I feel comfortable with and sometimes another writer, usually one of my friends like my best friend Drew Macdonald or my other amazingly talented friend Josh Levi.
I also get very nervous to record sometimes because I am pretty new to singing. Although I love it, I still have a lot of confidence issues when it comes to my voice because I feel like there is still so much more for me to learn about it.
You started out as a songwriter, what made you want to release your own music?
I always wrote songs but it was just a hobby. I didn’t think I would ever do anything with them. One day I saw this girl from Napa named Alexah post a cover on Soundcloud. It was the first time I had ever even heard of the app.
I was intrigued because it seemed so easy to just post whatever I wanted and gave me a chance to put myself out there. Although some people from my hometown gave me a hard time for posting covers, I started getting positive feedback from strangers and my close friends and that’s what kept me going. When I sent gnash “i hate u i love u” and he assured me that it was actually good, I got the confidence to think about making music as a real career and now long story short, here I am.
After what I can only assume was a long night scrolling through her Instagram feed, Kim Kardashian came to an important realization: her Instagram feed wasn’t as good as it could be.
“I need more consistency on my insta feed,” Kim wrote. “Should I go back to all one filter? Please help. I really need to step my insta page up.”
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And as much as this is a very LOL, and very 2017 sentiment, who among us hasn’t said the words “I really need to step my Insta page up” to themselves?
As Instagram becomes less of a fun thing we do on our phones because we’re all so vain we’d think any song written by our ex was about us, and more of a professional thing we do to show off how strong our brands are, this way of thinking becomes only natural.
Because let’s face it, as much as it might kill you to admit it, Instagram is really important now.
Maybe you still don’t think you give a shit, but the rest of the world does. Instagram is the place where brands figure out who they want to hire for campaigns. Where celebrities try and convince you they’re more than just a perfect face you only see through a screen.
And it’s where you make a lot of decisions too, like whether or not you buy that celebrity as a genuine person and if you think the latest shirt trend is poppin’.
So we may laugh at Kim, but it’s OK to be serious about Instagram. Because most of us secretly are, even if we pretend we’re only on it for 10 minutes a day.
Please, if you have any advice for her about how to make her Instagram better, let that girl know.
For Miami Swim Week, Frankies Bikinis struck utter gold with their vintage 90’s slumber party themed runway show thanks to their genius designer Francesca Aiello.
It goes without saying there’s plenty of Clueless glam to be seen here, and it’s no surprise why. Like Cher said herself, “Sometimes you have to show a little skin. This reminds boys of being naked, and then they think of sex.”
But if you need a little more convincing, just keep scrolling down to see some of our favorite suits from the show.
Shoutout to the teddy bear bikini. I see you and I love you.
This bikini is simple but tasteful and has a great shape. Plus it’ll make your boobs look great!
Did Cher or this model wear the skirt better? Seriously torn up about it.
Hoops, braids, this plush bikini, and a teddy bear backpack is all I need in this life! Side note: I wonder if they’re the stuffed animals that say something when you squeeze em…
And this is jewel of the show. It’s really tough to figure out if you’d wear this to bed or while you’re scoping out some surfers. Either way it’ll get you noticed!
The colors on this bikini are fire & the incorporation of the mini gingham squares is escalating this to a wicked high.
In case you haven’t heard, Kim Kardashian’s is in the midst of an Instagram crisis right now.
She thinks her feed isn’t consistent enough and she’s asked her millions of fans WTF she should do about it.
Surprisingly enough, a lot of them responded with incredibly helpful, heartfelt advice for the seventh most followed person on Instagram.
So Kim, if you’re reading this, first of all, hi. Second of all, don’t worry about wading through your comment section because here are the best pieces of advice you’d find.
plannthat: KIM I AM HERE TO SAVE THE DAY! Use my app to curate and filter (and schedule!) your feed all at once.
rhiananderson: I feel like sometimes you gotta take a break from the filters. Lately I feel like they come across rude and aggressive and it’s not really your kinda vibe? Hope this helps.
diannemarin: That’s a tough one. I liked the consistency of the one filter, but at the same time not every pic will be best flattered with that same filter depending on colors, etc. Maybe that’s something to take into consideration? Hope this helped.
swixyy: Kim, random is in. Post whatever you want or what you like. You’re welcome.
raynangillespie: Pick a color theme for every picture! like white and pink for example. It’ll make your feed flow together.
garivaldyubiera: Go for high quality images with the most natural colors, which are always much more captivating. Filters can make your feed look boring.
rosa_olivia143: Please post pics of you most often, and not the type of pics paparazzi take of you…but your selfies. Like mirror selfies and all that good stuff. Sincerely, your fan.
avitamaria: Balancing selfies with filter and landscapes works well. Also try to make sure the photo you place matches with the third photo on your fed and the first one. This worked for me in the past. Just I don’t use my own advice, because usually I’m a hot mess.
casharroyo: Nothing. Just post 3x a week, it keeps everyone engaged and you on everyone’s timeline more.
tudiolarry: Define what your brand is at this moment (it’s changed over the years or at least the focus). This will then define what to use, not to use. Light, color, text. The more genuine to your brand and the stronger the delivery, the stronger your insta will be. Nothing is superfluous. Everything needs a meaning and has purpose.
coconutcris: No filter is what all the cool kids are doing, Kim.
squeenz, aka me: Kim u are legit so funny & people don’t even know! Step up your caption game! Also I do a lot of celeb insta analysis and I swear well-lit photos of you where people either say to themselves “that’s a goal” or “wow, what a candid moment” get the most likes/stand out the most when you’re scrolling through a feed.
thegodbodymelo: Or you can just have me in them cause I glow
Elisa Johnson is making waves in the fashion industry, modeling for big brands like Good American and Boohoo — and it all started because of her dope, original style on Instagram. She dishes about social media, haters, and how confidence comes from within.
Your Instagram definitely shows your followers you’re obsessed with fashion. Where did that stem from?
My love for fashion stems from my high school years, when wearing a uniform was my only option. I wanted to find a way to stand out! I didn’t like that we all had to look alike, so I would include statement pieces like shoes, scarves, and jackets, and then from there my love for clothes took off.
What does it feel like to be involved with a brand like Good American that has such a body positive vision?
The reason why I started working with Good American is because I love what they stand for and how they embrace every body type. Although many people may believe being petite is “goals,” it’s still a struggle to find jeans that fit you and the little curve that you do have! I love that about Good American, and I’m so happy to be apart of it and stand with women who have shining confidence!
You always wear LaQuan Smith — what is your favorite piece that you’ve ever worn by the designer?
LaQuan is my all-time favorite designer! My favorite thing I have worn from him was my 21st birthday dress, which was an intricate, nude, lace look. It was so beautiful, and I felt so amazing in it — and I love him!
If you had to choose one word to describe your fashion sense, what would it be?
My fashion is so hard to put into one word because it always changes, but the first word that pops into my mind is juxtaposition! I like to mix high and low fashion & also men’s and women’s wear.
The number one rule of fashion is…
OWN IT.
You’re a style icon to so many people, who are some of your style icons?
I love Zendaya’s style, and Bella Hadid gives good looks! Also Rihanna, because she is always taking risks the right way.
What are some things that help you stay confident in your individuality?
Honestly I feel Instagram and social media in general have turned the world into a place where your confidence depends on how many likes or followers you have. However, it’s important to not get caught up in those things, and stay true to who you are! I even have a self-motivating app that texts me positive things every now and then! [Laughs] It’s amazing!
What does confidence mean to you?
Confidence means knowing yourself and your gifts, or whatever you’re doing in your life. A single belief in yourself and proudly walking in it.
How do you deal with the haters?
I don’t. I think it’s best to ignore them. People who spend their time tearing others down need soul searching and prayer.
Is there someone in your life that you go to for everything, and why?
MY MOM! She is the most beautiful woman inside and out, and I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t call her on my lowest and highest days! She’s just that positive light that I couldn’t live without.
What’s your favorite place to eat in LA? New York?
I love Thai food! There’s a restaurant in Century City called RockSugar! And in New York, I love Cafeteria— it has everything!
You can only have one — choose lashes or lipstick?
Absolutely LASHES.
What’s your most prized pair of sneakers?
My plain, all-white Air Force 1s.
Who is on your MySpace top 3?
My man, my best friend/sister Maya McHenry, and my best friend Samaria Smith.
Crazy hair color you’d like to try?
I’ve tried almost every hair color! Purple, blue, grey, rainbow, and pink. The only color I’ve really yet to try is red! Maybe in the fall? We will see!
When it comes to texting a new potential boo, even the chillest among us can start to feel a bit hectic.
Should you be real af and text him as soon as you get his messages? Or will that come off thirsty? Should you calculate how long it takes him to respond to you, triple that, divide by 2, and wait that amount of time to text back? AND WTF IS THE DEAL WITH EMOJI USE?!
It’s enough to drive a gal mad. And honestly, we all have way more important shit to think about than this. So we consulted Lindsey Summers, author of the ridiculously popular YA novel “Textrovert,” for her intel.
“When you get that text from your crush, don’t wait too long to reply – but don’t text back right away either! It’s ok to give yourself ten minutes to let the anticipation build and keep your crush on their toes. You don’t want to look too eager right? On that note…”
2. Don’t let texting get in the way of YOU time.
“Finish that book chapter, let your nails dry, wrap up whatever you currently have going on before you even think about responding.”
3. Keep convos short and sweet.
“We’ve all been guilty of drawing out that texting convo with that cute new guy we met on an app – only to be let down when we actually meet them in person. The longer you rely on texting, the more you build the person up in your head. Bottom line: meet with them sooner rather than later so you don’t have false expectations.”
“Don’t rely on your friends to help you come up with a text response. Yes, their input is valued, but ultimately it’s up to you to send what you’re comfortable with!”
5. Reference things you know about them.
“For example, if their favorite food is pizza, you might ask them to weigh in on the pineapple pizza debate (it can tell you a lot about a person).”
6. Don’t overthink it.
“At the end of the day, they’re just messages. If you’re going to click IRL, texts won’t make or break your relationship.”
Summer is def the season to try out the hairstyles you’ve been dreaming about all winter. Finally having enough courage to go color crazy or try out the latest hair tools is exciting! Nonetheless, overdosing on heat and products chock full of chemicals can be detrimental to the health of your hair. NEWS FLASH: YOUR HAIR AGES JUST LIKE YOUR SKIN WOULD!
Many aren’t hip to the damage UVA and UVB rays can really cause. Hell, I wasn’t! But after some research and input from celebrity stylists, we can offer you some style tips and tricks to protect those tresses. And yes, you’re welcome.
Drying, discoloring, and breaking are just a few harsh results that could come from poor hair care. UV rays from the sun during the hottest months of the year can wreak hella havoc on your locs. Not to mention the salt water beaches and chlorine filled public pools you’ll be thotting around. Ryan Richman, stylist to Massie Williams, Sara Hyland and Kate Mara, suggest you use L’Oréal Professional’s Solar Sublime products and
“Before you go for a swim try soaking your hair in fresh water and even apply a light mask. This will help keep salt and chlorine from damaging the hair. It’s also important that after being in the ocean or a pool to immediately tend to your hair by washing out the salt or chlorine.”
I hope you didn’t think your scalp was off-limits either. It’s just as important as the strands that emerge from it, if not more. Keeping it clean, moisturized and stimulated will maximize hair growth while building strength along the way. Jet Rhys, Stylist and Cricket Co. Ambassador says you can protect your scalp by simply the way you part it.
“Protect your scalp by styling your hair without a visible part. For short hair, comb your hair back and securing it with a super cute headband or scarf; for long hair, pull it into a ponytail or bun (but don’t expose the fragile ends of your hair by piling it on top of your head) or invest in a cute floppy hat.”
Now, the important part: you need to style with UV Ray protection products. Here are some recos based on hair type by PROFESSIONALS (aka not your favorite YouTube guru):
Kinks, Coils, and Curls:
“On damp hair, add the MOP Lemongrass Whip to the roots for lift and added volume, then apply the curl defining cream to midshaft through the ends. Next, diffuse the hair section by section.” – Castillo (Stylist to Priyanka Chopra, Ruby Rose and Halle Berry)
“On damp hair apply a generous amount of MOP Lemongrass Volume Whip to add volume throughout the style and to protect against heat. Using a medium boar bristle round brush, blow dry one inch sections, lifting at the root for maximum volume.” – Ryan Richman
Color-Treated Locks:
“Every great style starts with a good shampoo and conditioner. I used ABBA Color Protect Shampoo and Conditioner after coloring Emma’s hair. Since it’s a color protectant, it helps to really lock in color.” – Nikki Lee (Owner of Nine Zero One Salon and stylist to Selena Gomez, Emma Roberts and Lea Michelle)
So bb’s try investing some of the time you spend on your skin care routine into your hair regime. Like, who really wants hair that looks like it’s been chewed on by a possum?! I’ll wait…
I generally have a positive outlook towards all of the guys my friends decide to spend time with, but I do have one rule and that is to make sure you aren’t dating broke.
People think this sort of thinking is materialistic, wrong and shallow. But I am adamant about women weeding the weak and broke guys from their dating pool and not feeling ashamed about doing so.
The consistent need to stroke your broke boyfriend’s ego is actually toxic as hell. Refusing to date men who aren’t financially stable doesn’t make you materialistic or high maintenance. Down the road, being nice isn’t going to be able to pay your bills and take care of your family.
Research has shown that married women earn less and those with children, even lower. They are looked at to be less focused on work, and more on the family and as a result don’t get paid fairly. With that being said, doesn’t it make sense that women aiming to get married should date men who can balance this out by being more financially adept?
Not to mention, we all know how weird guys are about feeling masculine. A guy who doesn’t make a lot of money is at a risk of feeling emasculated by this, and guess who’s gonna have to pick up the emotional pieces? You. But in my experience, dating someone who is successful takes this issue of toxic masculinity out of the equation. Whether he is flying you to your favorite destination for your birthday, or paying for everyone’s bill when you go out to eat with friends, it doesn’t really matter, this type of stuff will make him feel “manly” so you don’t have to.
The inability to perform basic boyfriend duties can put a bitter taste on your relationship. Unless he’s super well-adjusted, he will always need you to stroke his ego, and in the name of love you will. You may even feel like you’re emasculating your man and that is not the goal in a relationship, period! It’ll soon become the norm for you to take care of everything whilst you’re pining away for your dream guy, who won’t ever come if you continue at this rate, honey.
Your friends will get tired of hearing about you complaining about your cheap ass boyfriend and the weird things he does that they can’t relate to. Sex and Netflix will be the norm of your relationship, and the gag? He doesn’t even tell people you’re dating. You’ve settled and there’s no reason to do so.
My advice is if you’re looking for a long-term relationship that will lead to something solid like marriage, leave the always-broke guys on Tinder. At a certain age, you shouldn’t be messing with guys who are unable to support themselves. What would your dad think of your couch to couch hipster boyfriend? Society likes to shame women into settling when it comes to men, but remember: you don’t need to stay in a relationship that isn’t improving your life. When it comes to things like marriage and raising a family, sometimes love just ain’t enough.
Ushered in by Kendall Jenner, the newest mini skirt trend is to wear asymmetrical skirts that are so short you will 100% have to wear underwear or else everybody will see your business.
Of course she looked absolutely fabulous, but she’s a model and looking absolutely fabulous in clothing is literally what she gets paid thousands of dollars for every day.
Granted, it’s nowhere near as daring as these loincloth skirts, but you can already tell that if you went out and bought Kendall’s skirt tomorrow, you’d look back at pictures of yourself in 10 years and think, what was I doing?
Still, if you’d rather live in the now, we do have one asymmetrical mini we think you might enjoy.
Sure, it’s not an exact replica of Kendall’s skirt, but it’s in the same asymmetrical, oh look, one of my body parts is threatening to pop out and say howdy all night family. Just with your butt instead of your crotch. Plus side note: chainmail is really in right now, so this is just like killing two trend birds with one stone.
Good news! You don’t have to worry about where to find American Apparel-like clothing now that American Apparel got cancelled, because American Apparel is officially coming back!
Or at least it’s getting a new website for you to buy stuff on.
And here’s some even better news: Gildan Activewear, the company that bought American Apparel, told Business of Fashion the new site would be launching in the next two weeks!
Just in time for back to school shopping!
While they didn’t say exactly what styles of clothing American Apparel 2.0 would be selling, Gildan’s CEO said they were going to be selling jeans and a “wide range” of American Apparel’s “historic offering.”
Hopefully the thotty leotards, bodycon dresses and disco pants we all grew up on make the cut, but hey, American Apparel beggars can’t be choosers.
Andrew Warren and some of his closest gal pals went to Mykonos two weeks ago. This is their story, as told through the lens of one of the greatest movies of our time: “Mean Girls.” Be dazzled by their exploits, thrilled by their surprise celebrity encounter, and educated by their expert travel tips (not to mention Andrew accidentally breaking his social media arm). Here are the deets in Andrew’s own words.
So the trip starts off…
But wait, before I start telling you about how to survive and thrive in Mykonos, you’re probably wondering: who are the Plastics? I mean, the Just Drew girls?
Danielle is the daughter of Miki Naftali, a real estate and hotel developer whose projects include the redevopment of the iconic Plaza Hotel, you know where a fictional little girl named Eloise lived. Now his company, The Naftali Group, where Danielle works and plays a major role in the company, is focused largely on high-end residential projects in Manhattan.
A post shared by Danielle Naftali (@daniellenaftali) on
Instagram: @daniellenaftali Wearing: The white beach wrap by Just Drew Photo Location: Mykonos Grand Hotel Favorite Mykonos Spot: “Scorpios — putting any other recommendations in the shade.” Travel Tip: “Avoid airplane food!!! (yuck…)” Mykonos Tip: “If you are flying during the peak season, make sure to have enough time in between your connecting flight! Otherwise, to get to Mykonos it’ll end up taking you 28 hours traveling, 3 airports, 4 delayed flights, a drive through Bologna, Italy and joining a teen tour to just barely make it.”
Charlotte is the daughter of Ian Bickley, the president of the global business development & strategic alliances at Coach. You know, like the bag. And now Charlotte is one of the bloggers behind Yin 2my Yang, a blog about Charlotte and her sister’s journey to expand their horizons together.
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Instagram: @chbickley and @yin_2my_yang Wearing: White beach wrap by Just Drew Photos Location: Mykonos Grand Favorite Mykonos Spot: “Solymar for lunch — they had an amazing DJ and vibes but wasn’t as wild as Nammos. Also it has a beautiful beach for you to tan on post lunch and drink rosé : )” Travel Tip: “TRAVEL through Athens only! Unless you plan on stopping for a few days in another part of Europe to avoid delays and being stranded.” Mykonos Tip: “For all us ladies, only bring flats or wedges. The nightlife is a lot of walking on cobble stone and dancing on tables, so stilettos are a safety hazard.”
Well, I’ll let you take it from here on describing me, Galore!
Hey there, guys. It’s Galore again.
Andrew Warren is best known for being the leader of the Snap Pack, a group of well-to-do New Yorkers who aren’t afraid to show off their life and the various shenanigans they get up to on social media. But there’s more! He was just honored at a charity gala fundraiser (so classy), and he’s the designer behind Just Drew, although you probably put that together by now because you’re all smart little gluten free, dairy free, low sugar cookies, aren’t you?
Then of course it was time for the quick Just Drew makeover:
Meet, but you already know, Lindsay Lohan.
Instagram: @lindsaylohan Wearing: The black beach wrap by Just Drew Photos Location: Mykonos Grand Hotel Favorite Mykonos Spot: Alemagu and The Private Villas at Nammos Mykonos Tip: “Look at that girl wearing heels in the sand, that is literally so embarrassing.”
So yeah, don’t wear heels. You’ll stand out in the worst way possible and everybody will notice.
Lindsay doesn’t go anywhere without her car (Herbie Fully Loaded). No matter who you are, you’ll be waiting for a cab or private driver for a while, so if you have a car, it’s the ultimate travel tip.
Now that we’ve made our introductions and gotten a few basic tips out of the way, you’re probably waiting for a more comprehensive guide.
Well wait no longer!
For lunch we recommend going to:
Spilia: A restaurant perched right above the beautiful clear green waters — and the food is delicious and fresh! Though it does become a party spot in the late afternoon, you can request a table in their section higher up the mountain where it’s simply serene. After lunch, ask the maître-d’ to call down to the beach for you so that by the time you pay your bill and walk over the adorable footbridge, your day beds are ready and waiting for you.
Scorpios: One of the newer hotspots, Scorpios has become famous for their perfect sunset views and “ritual” parties on Sundays. The venue is gorgeous, the food is delicious, and the events are a blast. Yes, they’re capitalizing on selling tables and bottles for New York City prices, but regardless, it’s worth going to and you’ll still have fun blending into the Burning Man vibes with face painting and dust.
Alemagou: On the beach with a bunch of beach beds, Alemagou is in an enclave with picturesque rocks that get lit up when a performer comes on around sunset. It’s a safe bet for its consistently good food, cocktails and ambiance.
Moni : If you can get in to the most popular club in town, walk upstairs to find a space of familiar faces and your favorite music. Feels more like a club in a city than a Mediterranean island until you see all the shisha
Nammos: The most well-known party lunch on the island, Nammos is the place you need to be! Everybody who’s been knows that you need to choose the 3 p.m. seating over the earlier one. If you do manage to get the reservation, know that they’re usually overbooked by 2,000 people so if you don’t have a hook up there, your wait time will probably be around 2 hours. If you’re willing to spend the money, the Nammos private villas have private pools on the beach with unlimited alcohol and the same menu as the restaurant.
For dinner, you have to check out:
Ling Ling: Mykonos’ newest hot-spot is definitely the place to go (or try to get into) because everything is Insta-worthy. Opened by the Hakkasan group, Ling Ling is the best of the best for food, drinks, and atmosphere. The place is gorgeous. Everything is perfectly crafted to make your friends at home jealous, and thankfully it’s actually really good too.
Sea Satin: If you’re looking for the true Mykonos experience, this is the place you wanna go to. After amazing pasta and fish is served, the music gets louder, and every chair or table top is danced on. Traditional Greek music gets blended with the best popular songs and the party keeeps going all night. If you’re lucky, they may even let you throw a plate or two
Okay, back to us now.
Of course it wouldn’t be a trip to Mykonos if we didn’t pick up a few more friends along the way.
Karen is a Manhattan socialite whose parents are lawyers.
Victoria is a British socialite and star of the reality show “Made in Chelsea.”
pictured left to right: Karen Shiboleth.and Victoria Baker-Harper.
Instagram: @karenshiboleth Wearing: The butterly mini slip dress Photo Location: Solymar
Favorite Mykonos Spot: “Alemagou was definitely my favorite this year. I saw one of my fav DJs (Tale of Us) play there last week and it was an amazing party. Plus the beach is beautiful and different than the other places. Also they have unreal food. There’s pretty much nothing not to like.” Travel Tip: “ALWAYS back up your phone. Losing or breaking a phone in Mykonos is highly likely as there are always a lot of people around and the terrain is pretty unforgiving. I’ve definitely learned this the hard way.” Mykonos Tip: “Personally, and maybe this is just me, when traveling to Mykonos (especially from another island) you should be prepared to miss your connecting flight. I’ve gotten used to this happening and now I make sure that on the day I’m traveling, there are other flights out to JMK that won’t be extremely brutal to take.”
Instagram: @victoriabh Wearing: The Bando and white beach wrap Photo Location: Solymar
Next we have Annabel Schwartz.
Annabel is fluent in French and English and works for luxury real estate firm Douglas Elliman.
Instagram: @annabelschwartz Wearing: The ice blue mini slip Photo Location: Scorpios Favorite Mykonos Spot: “My favorite place in Mykonos would have to be the Santa Marina Hotel. My family bought a house directly next to it over 30 years ago and when I was younger we would move out there for the summer months. I grew up playing hide and seek around the hotel, doing handstands in their salt-water pool, and collecting sea glass from their beach. It’s changed immensely over the years, but it remains one of the most beautiful properties in Greece. It’s also the most perfect place to escape to for a relaxing afternoon when you need a break from the party lunch spots.” Travel Tip: “If you are connecting through Athens and are checking a bag, make sure to also bring a carry on with 2 days’ worth of clothing. For reasons I cannot fathom, bags get lost along this route excessively often. It usually takes them a day or two to get it back for you. Though the shopping in Mykonos is great, it’s not worth you spending your first day hunting down wearable outfits until your suitcase is relocated.” Mykonos Tip: “Forget your normal schedules! Dinner at 7 p.m. in Mykonos is called lunch. Plan to push everything back by several hours so you’re not totally off beat. Breakfast doesn’t exist – grab a Souvlaki on your way home from a night out at 8 a.m. and tell yourself you’re eating a croissant. Yep, you heard me. You’ll be heading home around 8 a.m. That means lunch isn’t until 3:45 p.m. and dinners usually start around 11:45 p.m. to Midnight. Why do we completely distort our regular eating habits all day? Because the clubs pick up around 2 a.m. and you don’t want to be finished with dinner too early with nowhere to go. If you’re visiting the island with an itinerary that doesn’t include club hopping, I’d still suggest reserving your tables at these times so that you experience the proper ambiance these restaurants have to offer.”
And last but certainly not least, meet Alexa Greenfield.
Alexa is an entrepreneur who founded her own chocolate and toys company, Greenfield’s Goodyz.
Instagram: @alexajee Wearing: The hot Pink Mini Slip Photos Location: Scorpios Favorite Mykonos Spot: “Nammos private villa because you can have privacy with your group or enjoy the crazy energy of the restaurant.” Travel Tip: “Pack less and buy more there. You’ll likely want to wear your new stuff and leave what you brought untouched.” Mykonos Tip: “Don’t be lame and avoid the Mediterranean so you don’t mess up your hair. Swim in the beautiful water, put your hair in a bun with sunglasses on top and call it a day.”
And as if this trip couldn’t have gotten any more like Mean Girls, I ended up breaking my arm while I was there!
Obviously, you’ve prob heard everyone say “I fuck with that” when they really mean “I like that” — you know, because it sounds edgy and on-trend or whatever. Why can’t we just say that we like something? Because the English language is weird and slang is tricky af. It can also make or break your coolness factor — so be careful out there kids. (and RIP “Fleek”)
However, “I only fuck with you” can also have literal meaning… like if someone says, “I think you are cheating on me,” to which your response would (hopefully) be, “No, boo — I only fuck with you.”
In the spirit of being a mostly monogamous, synth-pop duo Cardiknox has made a sick af song about stayin’ true. With vibey bass and melodic
chill chorus, it’s one to consider for the playlist. Not to mention the video is basically eye candy with crazy light effects, stop motion and things that will make you say “oooh,” in more ways than one…
Cardiknox’s Lonnie Angle and Thomas Dutton have also been cool enough to give us their lyrical guide on how to keep your ride or die from thinking you’re cheating on them, along with even more possible meanings for “FWU”. Check the video below, add to dat playlist, and read the lyrical guide below.
Where did the idea for “FWU” come from?
Lonnie: In this case, the lyrics came after the melody. They just kind of came out and felt really natural. We tried to beat them for a while since it’s a less traditional pop song title, but eventually we had to stop fighting what was already good and embrace it. We wanted the song to encapsulate the feeling of ‘I only wanna be with you.’ That could be a person, or a relationship, obviously, or it could also just be a choice you’ve made in life.
This single has a different sound sonically than what we’ve heard from “Portrait” which came out last year — why did you decide to go in this direction?
Lonnie: The producers of FWU are two awesome guys, Teal and Omega. We hadn’t worked with them on Portrait. They have this amazing dark pop style that we fell in love with and really vibed with in the studio. In conjunction with a handful of other songs we have (that we’ll be releasing slowly but surely!), it felt like a really cool step for us to take sonically.
Thomas — you previously never sang lead vocals on any Cardiknox stuff, why did you decide to change that for this song?
Thomas: When Cardiknox was conceived we wanted it to be more of a 50/50 vocal. Our really early songs display some of that. And in all honesty, we were encouraged by people in the industry to have one of us be the lead so as not to confuse people. So we tried that for Portrait, but we’re really ready to push our sound forward and get back to the original vision of sharing vocals with a duet feel. We both won’t sing in every song but when it helps tell the lyrical story, we’re all about it. Now, hopefully people won’t think I’m just the hired guitar player…
Now let’s go through our fave lines of this song! “I Only Fuck With You” — Have either of you ever had to actually tell someone that you only fuck with them?
Lonnie: We have not (thankfully?). The place we use the phrase most is in songwriting sessions when you like an idea. Like, “I fuck with that.”
“So let ’em talk” — rumors are an ugly thing, have you ever had to deal with them IRL? Do you actually think you should just “let ‘em talk” or do you think you should squash the rumors?
Lonnie: It’s definitely easier said than done. Wondering what other people think of you can be utterly consuming and social media certainly hasn’t made it any easier to tune out. I think everyone has had something untrue or hurtful said about them and it can be tough to be confident in your choices when people around you are doubtful. But that’s what this song is about. Digging deep into a sense of self, trusting your gut and walking your own path — regardless of what others are saying. The journey can be hard but it’s always worth it when you get where you are going.
“I can’t be without you” — the song is basically a love song slash dance song at its core, what’s the most important thing to let your boo know if they think you have a wandering eye?
I ONLY WANNA BE WITH YOU!
“Your love gets me highest” — What do you think is the “ultimate” gesture to show someone that you love them? Or has anyone ever done anything like this for you?
Lonnie: Sticking with someone through their highs and lows is the ultimate love gesture. It’s easy to love someone when they’re on top of the world, but when they’re low it can make you want to run. Staying by their side through thick and thin is a million times more powerful than diamonds and roses.
Tell us a weird story about the making of this song.
Thomas: One thing that actually took a really long time was figuring out what to do for the clean version. We tried dubbing in a different word (like “I only mess with you”) but the song immediately lost all its bite. So we went the hip hop route of just cutting out part of the word, so you can still tell what is being said, but without it actually there. There’s quite a science to it actually. You have to get just a little of the “f” sound and just a little of the “ck” sound on the end, and the ear and brain just fill in the rest. It was pretty ridiculous A/B-ing a bunch of slightly varied versions of censored “fucks”!
Describe a surreal moment for Cardiknox so far.
Lonnie: We played at this Apple event late last year, up in wine country. It was a small thing, us and a few other acts playing a few songs each for the Apple Music peeps. My absolute idol Cyndi Lauper was there and played three songs (including a twangy version of “Time After Time” that definitely made me cry). She played early on so we figured she’d be gone when we played. But halfway through our first song she walks into the room and starts dancing along! Keep in mind everyone else is seated and basically completely still. I could barely keep a straight face! After our set she pulled me aside and told me how much she enjoyed it. I basically blacked out at that point, but one thing I’ll never forget: she told me to never quit … that anyone who has made it in this business did it because they kept going, they didn’t quit. I had been feeling super low about the band and the music industry at that moment, so it felt like a message straight from God/Moses/Allah/CYNDI!
What’s one question you’ll never answer?
Thomas: Who I only fuck with.
Do you guys ever go shopping together to decide on outfits for performances? Who is the most stylish out of the two of you?
Lonnie: Definitely! One of our favorite activities, though it’s usually done in a frantic rush the day before tour. I love getting Thomas’ input on my outfits. He has a great eye. I like to think we’re both pretty stylish! We both definitely have our own aesthetic, but it works really well together.
What is next for Cardiknox?
We’ll be releasing some really cool remixes, then more new music! The plan is to release a handful of singles over the next few months and go from there.
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