A time capsule from decades of isolation, it is no surprise that Cuba has become the ultimate inspiration of designers. 

Dubbed a “trend” for Resort 2016, Cuba was the theme of two very different collections: Proenza Schouler and Stella McCartney.

Proenza Schouler’s Lazaro Hernandez, who is Cuban-American, and Jack McCollough recently traveled to the island nation to visit Hernandez’ family. The collection was reminiscent of the personal experience, with subtle references to the native costumes with ruffles and floral prints and to the current conditions of the island with the unfinished edges and the continued use of industrial grommets from their fall collection.

“There was no way not to get inspired by that experience really,” Hernandez told WWD. Of the ultimate takeaway from his collection he continued, “those native costumes and ruffles, and that sense of deterioration. Things that felt like they were falling apart.”

Proenza Schouler was able to capture Cuba perfectly: a vibrant and tropical oasis with a crumbling facade. It was an ode to Hernandez’ heritage, and honestly, it was so subtle had he not brought it up, the inspiration would have been completely lost.

On the other hand, Stella McCartney turned Cuba from an inspiration to a gimmick at her resort presentation.

While Hernandez and McCollugh used a personal and direct connection to create their collection, judging from McCartney’s garden party, her collection was from the viewpoint of a foreigner looking in.

Complete with chocolate cigars, Alicia Keys on maracas, Cuban dancers on stilts, rum drinks and dominoes, her garden party was an exaggerated version of a typical Cuban soiree. Her designs reflected her Western approach to Cuba, or as Vogue put, her “sugarcane-coated version of Cuba,” with shirt dresses tied in the front like a traditional head wrap, bright floral patterns and even a modern take on a Bata Cubana, commonly known as rumba dresses.

“I’m just too global for my own good,” McCartney said at the party.

However, McCartney was not “global” enough to understand the complex and sensitive nature of the Cuban story, especially given that she had men dressed up as Che Guevara and Fidel Castro mingling and playing dominoes with the guests and models.

As a Cuban-American, I find it hard to process how a designer I have long admired, and one who prides herself on being ethical when it comes to her cruelty-free designs, could feature a garden party with walking caricatures of Castro and Che Guevara, two figures that many, if not all, in the Cuban-American community would consider to be the epitome of cruelty.

Not only that but it is comical to see two men, who completely abhorred materialism and capitalism, playing games at a fashion designer’s showcase, one that could never take place in Cuba today.

While her approach might have been in “fun,” it was distasteful and insensitive, and surprisingly naïve for the designer. Cuba might be the newest vacation hot spot, but the Cuban people are still without basic human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and private enterprise, rights which made McCartney’s Cuban fiesta possible.

“It’s all fun and games to use the ‘Cubanese’ lifestyle to sell more clothes,” Natalie Linares, a Cuban artist advocate told Refinery29. “But we must ask, at the expense of who? Will the daily life of Cubans on the island changes as a result? Or is it just about commodifying something that’s been untouchable to everyone until now?”

McCartney’s approach to Cuba was a reminder that many don’t understand the intricacies behind the palm trees and Cuba Libres. There is my Cuban grandmother who had to cut sugarcane for two years to be able to leave the country with her daughter because of McCartney’s two garden party guests. There is my Cuban grandfather who went from being an engineer and academic to working for minimum wage in a new country. There are the long distance phone calls between my mother and her uncle, with a connection that is barely audible.

It is important to look at Cuba as Hernandez did at Proenza Schouler, admiring the beauty but also emphasizing, and not masking, the flaws.

But hey Stella, chocolate cigars are sweet too.

[via StyleBlazer] 

Latin superstar J Balvin is taking his McDonald's collaboration to the next level.

After the launch of his popular meal — Big Mac (sans pickles), fries (with ketchup), and an Oreo McFlurry — the "Un Dia" artist is releasing a song, or as he calls it, a "musical act," with the fast-food giant to celebrate the Latino gang.

Released on Nov. 19, "Dorado" is inspired by J Balvin's last album "Colores" and the golden arches themselves. In an exclusive interview with Distractify, J Balvin opened up about his long-standing love of McDonald's, the inspiration behind the song, and his plans for 2021.

J Balvin's song "Dorado" celebrates Latinos from every walk of life.

Growing up in Colombia, J Balvin vividly remembers seeing McDonald's in movies and on TV, so when he got the offer to collaborate with McDonald's, it was a dream come true.

"I'm still like, 'Woah,'" Balvin said of the partnership. "I'm really honored to be the first Latino to make this collab with McDonald's. It's really special. I grew up with McDonald's and every time I'm on tour, we're huge fans and we always stop by and get McDonald's."

Read more on Distractify.

Kim Kardashian knows there is a delicate balance when it comes to pregnancy style.

The media scrutinized her every wardrobe choice her first time dressing the bump, trying to maintain her ultra glam persona while dealing with the swollen feet and discomfort associated with pregnancy. And while she has learned her lesson when it comes to maternity wear, when we spoke to the reality star in Nashville at the launch of Hype Energy USA, she was in full Kardashian mode. Showing off the slightest of baby bumps, the reality star was wearing a tight, pink latex dress, which she has worn different variations of before, slicked back hair and sky-high heels. And of course, her makeup was flawless.

Speaking of heels, while we won’t be seeing Mrs. West in flats anytime soon, you won’t see one specific type of shoe on her feet.

Despite the morning sickness and her dress catching on fire the night before, Kardashian, who is due in December, opened up to us exclusively about her biggest maternity style regret, her maternity style inspiration and what she is going to do differently this time around.

Read more for our exclusive interview on Kim Kardashian’s maternity style:

On balancing work and pregnancy: “I’m very tired, but I just take the time to nap when I need to. I don’t over do it. After this week, I am really going to slow it down, and you have to listen to your body.”

Her biggest maternity style regret: “I love looking at maternity style. Miro Duma dresses so cute when she’s pregnant. I am going to dress really simple. I am not going to wear a clear heel. I wore a clear heel the last time. It looked great when I was walking out of the house, but 30 minutes after my foot blew up so I won’t do that again. I’m just going to wear stuff I feel comfortable in.”

On how she is approaching her second pregnancy differently: “Well, this time around I have a nutritionist. My last pregnancy I ate a doughnut every single day, I’m not trying to do that this time, but I am also going to take it easy and enjoy myself. Pregnancy is not the most comfortable thing for me.”

On North’s reaction to being a big sister: “She knows that mommy has a baby in her belly, but she thinks everyone has a baby in their belly. I don’t think she really understands. Maybe when my belly gets bigger.”

Father’s Day plans: “It’s hard because it’s [Kanye’s] birthday, North’s birthday and Father’s Day, so Father’s Day is usually really low key for us. I got to step it up this year. I have something planned but I’m going to keep it a secret.”

On her hashtag #JustpregnantKeeks: “My sister says I am a lot feistier when I am pregnant. I can’t wait for my website to launch because I am going to do video streaming for every time I hear some stupid rumor.”

[via StyleBlazer]

It's been over one year since Sophia Bush hung her badge on Chicago P.D. — but fans are still in denial about Det. Erin Lindsay's exit.

And we can't blame viewers for missing the One Tree Hill actress. "Chicago P.D. is not the same since Sophia Bush left and it makes me so sad," one viewer recently tweeted.

Another added, "Thank you @SophiaBush for giving us Erin Lindsay. For bringing her to life. For giving us such a badass character who can fight her own battles and handle her own."

So, is there a chance Sophia will ever return to Chicago P.D.?

"No," Sophia told Distractify exclusively without hesitation. However, that does not mean she doesn't have a few new projects in the works. Since she left the NBC police procedural, Sophia has started a production company and she has been busy developing great TV content.

"It's the most fulfilled I've ever felt at work," Sophia said. She also made it clear her upcoming projects would be centered on strong and smart female characters, much like Det. Erin Lindsay. "I'm not interested in spending time around a one-dimensional person so I certainly don't want to play one."

Read more on Distractify.

Since the release of her breakout hit "Con Altura," Spanish singer Rosalía has become a household name thanks to her flamenco-inspired sound and her Instagram-worthy manicures.

So, it's no surprise that the Barcelona-born beauty has been racking up the award nominations, particularly at the Latin Grammy Awards.

In 2019, Rosalía went home with three Latin Grammy awards, including Album of the Year, and in 2020 she was nominated for four more.

However, there were some very vocal critics who believe that Rosalía, who is not "Latina," was favored while other reggaeton artists were snubbed.

Coming to her defense is Rosalia's "Con Altura" collaborator, J Balvin.

J Balvin definitely thinks that Rosalía is part of the "Latino gang."

Rosalía is not the first Spanish artist to be recognized at the Latin Grammy Awards — just look at Enrique Iglesias, Alejandro Sanz, and David Bisbal — and she definitely won't be the last.

According to J Balvin, Rosalía's music deserves to be recognized, no matter where she was born.

"It's Spanish you know. It's like, reggaeton started in Puerto Rico and Panama and I'm from Colombia ... it doesn't matter where you are from," Balvin told Distractify exclusively while promoting his new single with McDonald's. "This is about good vibes and music. Definitely, Rosalía is doing a great job."

Read more on Distractify.

The Netflix series Narcos: Mexico made history in its third and final season by introducing the show's first female narrator since its predecessor's premiere in 2015.

Taking on the role of narrator and fearless journalist Andrea Nuñez, who is determined to expose the connection between Mexico's elite and the drug kingpins taking over the country, is Luisa Rubino.

In an exclusive interview with Distractify, the up-and-coming actress detailed her experience on set, who inspired her character, and what fans can expect from Narcos: Mexico Season 3.

'Narcos: Mexico' narrator Luisa Rubino was inspired by real-life Mexican journalists.

Luisa is a Mexican actress who was raised between Mexico and Argentina, and to prepare for the role, she listened to TedTalks and studied well-known Latina journalists.

"It all happened so fast, so I really didn't have the time to prepare. ... I did it all between shootings," Luisa told Distractify. "I focused on all the remarkable women journalists here in Mexico, which are Anabel Hernandez and Adela Navarro [director of the Tijuana weekly magazine Zeta]. So, yeah TedTalks and interviews ... a lot of research."

Read more on Distractify.

Zendaya is not your typical 18-year old.

Wearing a black crop top, black culottes and strappy black heels, the Disney star has the maturity and the elegance of someone twice her age.

At the sneak peek for her first shoe collection, Zendaya could fool anyone into thinking she had been designing shoes for years,  and she could talk incessantly about everything from finding the perfect shade of nude to the extra padding in the heel for added comfort.

“If you don’t stop me, I can talk about this forever,” Zendaya toldStyleBlazer exclusively when we spoke to the actress about her new shoe line.

From the tassels on the lace-up heels to the fringe on the slides, we can tell that Zendaya’s shoe line is all about the little things as we walked around the shelves full of shoes.

“I’m obsessive, and I know I’m that girl that is like ‘Yeah, but you see that little thing right there, I’m not going to wear it,'” Zendaya said.

In a range of footwear that spans gladiator sandals to stilettos, Daya by Zendaya is a very personal experience for the 18-year-old actress and singer, who teamed up with her longtime stylist Law Roach for the collection.

“Daya is her nickname, that only her closest friends and family call her. It took me awhile to start calling her that,” Roach said. “Her fans have earned it. They’ve been with her for so long, and they are loyal, and now they are a part of the family. Now you can have a piece of her heart, her hard work and you can take it home with you.”

Zendaya’s shoes range in style from ’70s vintage, with tribal designs perfect for festival season and colorful fringe on the wedges. There are also shoes for the more modern girl, with pops of metallic and geometric shapes. And for the sporty girl there are high tops sneakers and heels with an ankle strap and mesh detailing that is reminiscent of a sports jersey.

The most important key for Zendaya when it came to creating this collection was that it remained chic but affordable, and her fans and even just regular shoe lovers will see that she did just that when her collection is released in the fall.

For more from our exclusive interview with Zendaya, check out the interview below. 

On her design process: “It was lots and lots of back and forth. I am a perfectionist. I am obsessive, so there were a lot of conversations about things like the nude. I talked to the lead designer for like three hours to find the perfect nude. ‘It can’t be too pale, it can’t be too tan, it has to look good on every woman’s skin.’

Law: “It started with figuring out what the aethestic of the brand should be and once we narrowed that down, it became a little bit easier. Everything else falls into place.”

On her attention to detail:

Law: “This one, her attention to the smallest detail is beyond me.”

Zendaya: “I would refuse to wear anything I didn’t like. With anything I do, with branding, with my Instagram. You know how many people come to me with things and they want me to put my name on it or tweet about it? If it’s not real, if it doesn’t make sense and I don’t think my girls should hear it, then I’m not going to do it.”

On her new love of sandals: “That was the big thing with these shoes. If I don’t wear them on the red carpet, if I don’t feel comfortable in them… I’ve never liked flats and I never liked sandals. So I was like how am I going to make something that I like, and now I’m like, ‘I think I like sandals now.'”

Law: “She’s created a middle ground. Before she was like sneakers or heels. With these collection she’s literally created a middle ground and hopefully that will translate to other girls. We’re in an age where people can sniff out the fake shit, that she is just wearing it because her name is on it.”

On naming the shoe line “Daya”: “I didn’t want it to say Zendaya, I wanted them to stand by themselves as a shoe. I didn’t want people to like them just because I wear them or because they’re from me.”

On her favorite shoe: “These are my babies. I am in love with every different piece. Even if I didn’t like that type of shoe, when I created my own version of it, I am obsessed. I am very excited about it. Again, being edgy and being different but with classic shapes. I love the slides because they are tomboy chic with the fringe. There are some really dope sandals. I am not going to be able to pick.”

[via StyleBlazer]

Adam Rodriguez had one of the most noticeable transformations in Magic Mike XXL, thanks to his much longer hair.

For Rodriguez, it was all about making the sequel bigger and better than the first, and the hair was a huge part of that.

“I definitely made the hair bigger and better,” Rodriguez said in an exclusive interview withStyleBlazer. “I was like, ‘Let me dye it blonde and see what the hell happens here.’ You know what, I didn’t know when I am going to be able to do this again. I feel like Tito started getting a bit more in touch with his artistic side, and found this new persona by living in Miami, and the hair was part of that whole thing.”

While his character Tito got more in touch with his artistic side, Rodriguez stayed focused on making sure everything from the workouts to the dance routines were “pumped up” to fit the name of the movie.

“The title was XXL so we had to be bigger and better than the first time around. I think we tried to do that with everything from getting in shape, being in better shape than the first time, pushing the limits with the dance routines, making those bigger and better than the first time,” he said.

And even though it is “a male stripper movie,” Rodriguez made it very clear, it is a movie that even guys can enjoy.

“Everyone says “male stripper movie,” and it is that, but honestly it is more of a comedy than anything else,” Rodriguez said. “It is right in the vein of ‘The Hangover’ and ‘Animal House.’ I don’t think guys will be disappointed.”

“Magic Mike XXL” hits theaters July 1st, but before you run to theaters, read on as Rodriguez opened up about his role in the movie, his upcoming role in “Empire” and upcoming therapy sessions for his daughter in the interview below: 

On how he prepared for ‘Magic Mike XXL’: “The title was XXL so we had to be bigger and better than the first time around. I think we tried to do that with everything from getting in shape, being in better shape than the first time, pushing the limits with the dance routines, making those bigger and better than the first time, which I think we definitely accomplished by having a 23-minute dance segment as the final of the movie. I think people are really going to enjoy that and then we really tried to pump up the laughs and make those bigger and better. The wardrobe was different, I think that Tito is just totally different in XXL than the first part. These guys have all grown in some way… I just felt that he was doing a lot of exploration and the hair just seemed like a fun thing that he was playing around with and I felt like it worked.”

On shooting that 23-minute final dance scene: “You worked the whole time to have that moment. That is the big climax of the movie. I’d have to put that up there as my favorite scene to shoot. It was everybody’s big moment to shine. We all worked so hard on our dance routines.”

On the hardest part about being a male stripper: “The hardest part about being a male stripper is knowing when to move on. I don’t think it’s a long term career for anyone. It seems like something to do on the way to doing something else. I think there are a lot of things like that in life, you got to know when it is time to move on to the next dream.”

On his go-to stripper song: “Pony” is a classic. Anything with a hard, sexy beat.”

On his family watching him strip: “My family’s got to come out and support, and I know they will be watching, even my grandmother. I think she will be a little bit more prepared this time. I’m totally fine with them watching.”

On his daughter one day watching ‘Magic Mike XXL’: “I will contribute to [Channing Tatum’s] therapy fund, and Channing’s daughter and my daughter will have therapy together (laughs)… they will turn out just fine.”

Keep on reading to find out about his upcoming role in “Empire”: 

[via StyleBlazer]

When it comes to stylish shows on television, only one has it in the title.

“Suits” is all about power players, and power dressing. From Harvey Specter’s perfectly tailored three-piece suits to Jessica Pearson’s girl boss wardrobe, there is no denying that “Suits” is one, if not the, most stylish show on television. Even off camera, the stars have embraced their sartorially inclined characters, and taken some style notes from their television personas.

Already in its fifth season, the USA hit returns to television tonight, and we spoke with some of the stars, who dished on everything from what to expect this season and how to dress like your favorite character.

On the red carpet for the NBCUniversal upfronts, we caught up with “Suits” stars Gabriel Machet (Harvey Specter), Gina Torres (Jessica Pearson), Meghan Markle (Rachel Zane) and Rick Hoffman (Louis Litt), and they revealed all when it came to fashion and that infamous can opener.

Before tuning in tonight, check out our exclusive interview below (Warning: spoilers):

What style tricks have you learned from working on “Suits”?  

Gabriel Macht: “The trick is you got to find the right tailor because the right tailor can make any guy look great. That’s what it is.”

Gina Torres: “She’s such an amazing style icon. The way Jessica Pearson, her footprint as a character and her style is so specific, just so fashion forward that really it’s about the silhoulettes, but it has raised my game as Gina Torres. It has my raised my game.”

Meghan Markle: “The value of tailoring. Oh my god, it will change an entire outfit. Just to tailor something perfectly to your body and also not to wear something you are not comfortable in.”

What is Harvey’s next move when it comes to Donna?

GM: “He’s is going to try to win her back. I don’t know how he is going to do it. He’s going to manipulate, he is going to threaten, he is going to do these terrible things. As of now, we are four or five episodes in and he hasn’t gotten her back yet. I think she has to come back on her owns.”

Will Jessica Pearson get back the love of her life?

GT: “I have no idea. I’m back to running the firm, that’s my baby. I’m back to protecting that.”

Will we ever find out about the can opener? 

Rick Hoffman: “As far as I know, based on what our boss tweets to fans, he doesn’t care. There will be more references to it, but it may or may not be revealed. He’s open to suggestions.”

You might not know her name (yet) but you do know Bebe Rexha’s voice.

You hear it on the hit single “Take Me Home” by Cash Cash,  you hear it on the radio right now thanks to David Guetta’s summer jam “Hey Mama” and you even hear it in the background of “Monster,” the Billboard topping song with Eminem and Rihanna.

The 25-year-old musician wrote the international smash “Monster,” and despite the doors the song opened for the singer, she is still fighting for the recognition she deserves.

“Monster” was originally intended to be her song with Lupe Fiasco, but when Eminem and Rihanna stepped into the picture, things changed very quickly, and not necessarily with Rexha’s full blessing. More recently, she was not officially featured on David Guetta’s hit “Hey Mama,” but that has since been fixed. Now, she is set to prove once and for all that she is a force to be reckoned with.

Her debut solo album is set for release this September, and while Rexha has proven she knows how to make a radio hit, that is not her goal.

"I am here to create something new and fresh and something that has not been heard before," Rexha told StyleBlazer exclusively. "I strive to be a Madonna, a Michael Jackson, a Prince, a Lauryn Hill. These are people that are saying something."

From her single “I Can’t Stop Drinking About You,” to “Monster,” it is very clear that Rexha writes from the heart, using music and song writing as therapy. Her style is also reflective of her “dark undertones,” usually clad in all black with a bold red lip but “always Bebe. It never changes.”

Rexha is slowly paving her way through the music industry one hit song at a time, even if it’s just her voice, and not her name, you hear.

Before catching Bebe Rexha on the iHeartRadio Summer Pool Party tonight, or on the Warped Tour this summer, read our exclusive interview below:

On writing “Monster”: “A lot of people don’t know this, but that song was supposed to me and Lupe Fiasco. I actually did not want to shop the record, and I think someone played it for Em, and he wanted it. I never met Rihanna, I never met Eminem. I don’t sit there in the room with eminem and rihanna, its not how it works. It kind of upsets people, but it’s not what you think it is. I think that in the beginning, you’re young and super excited about it, and it’s kind of like ‘you can’t have that song’. But when Eminem gets in the picture, everyone listens. But it was good for me, and it opened a lot of doors for me and I am very grateful for it.”

On her solo album: “Two, three years ago I was in a real shitty place and I wanted to always be real with my music, and never lie about where I am at. Everything I have ever put out, it puts a stamp on where I am at. My music right now, and that time in my life, it’s is darker because that is where I was. Will I be there forever? Probably not because I am human. We are happy one year, sad another. For this album I would totally say it does have a dark undertone but a lot of the songs on the album have hope.”

On her hit single “Cant Stop Drinking About You” : “I had fallen in love for the first time in my life, and it was constant game with this guy. He was hiding a lot of secrets from me, but he was best friend. And one day he told he was still in love with his ex, and he was very confused and he kind of really messed me up. So I went out one night drinking with my friends and he had called me to say he was sorry, and I picked up the phone and said ‘I’m drinking about you, leave me alone.’ I hung up the phone and I kept on thinking about that concept and I wrote the song.”

On collaborating with other artists: “I have songs with David Guetta, Pitbull, Tinashe,Usher and Eminem and Rihanna. I am working with some of the biggest producers. The labels expect you to do it that way. I am not against that if the song is right. But a lot of times, people write the song and just throw an artist on there to get more hits. I don’t agree with that. I only write music that works for me. If it happens organically, that’s great.”

[via StyleBlazer]

Kelly Rowland is ready to take on the world since becoming a mother.

The new mom to son Titan Jewell is embracing motherhood with open arms, and has been feeling like a “goddess” ever since she came home from the hospital. Rowland has partnered with Claritin to ensure that her allergies don’t get in the way of that ‘goddess’ feeling, or being the best mom for baby Titan.

“I was actually a late bloomer when it came to suffering from allergies,” she said in an exclusive interview with StyleBlazer. “My allergies kicked in when I was 30, and a close friend of mine swore by Claritin. I started using it as soon as the symptoms came about and  I’m just not feeling like myself. One of the reasons I love it so much is because once I take it, I feel like I have my life, and I can see clear. I also don’t want to be drowsy, which is another reason I love Claritin. I want to be alert and ready for [Titan].”

The “Motivation” singer also opened up about motherhood, her post-baby workout routine and agreeing with Eva Mendes when it comes to that no sweatpants rule at home.

Keep reading for our latest exclusive:

SB: Was motherhood everything you expected? Any surprises? 

KR:  “And then some. It’s the best feeling in the world. I love being my son’s mother. He’s a pretty awesome kid. Since he’s a boy, I remember first changing his diapers and I didn’t know I would get showered. I didn’t know I would get showered at least every other time I change his diapers. That was a surprise. ”

SB: You recently revealed you’ve lost 70 pounds post-baby. Has your workout routine changed? Are you still working out with Jeanette Jenkins? 

KR: “I’m still working out with Jeanette. It is still a process. I still haven’t gotten all the weight off, but I’m doing it in moderation. Just making sure I am pacing myself and not rushing myself. I want to feel good. It’s not so much about looking good, as long as I know how my body should feel. It’s definitely more cardio because I have to start burning everything off so it’s definitely more cardio. But more than anything it’s my eating. A lot of people get so into the workout, but it’s just as much your nutrition as it is the workout.”

SB: Has your style changed since becoming a mom?

KR: “I just heard someone say a woman should never wear sweatpants around the house, so I went to get me a cute pair of these really cool pants that I can wear. I still want to be cute around the house. I remember coming home from the hospital wanting the cutest pair of pajamas. I bought three pairs because I wanted to feel like I was floating around the house because I felt like a goddess after having my baby.”

SB: What is your go-to outfit? 

KR: “Tank tops and jeans. I can put on a really cute shirt, a really great pair of jeans and a really high pair of heels and still feel like a million bucks.”

Keep reading to find out what Kelly had to say about that Destiny’s Child reunion and her plans for her first Mother’s Day:

[via StyleBlazer]

When it comes to Taylor Swift’s “girl gang” there is one girl that is not like the other, and her name is Jaime King.

I don’t even feel comfortable using the word “girl” to describe King. She is a woman. She is also a successful actress, a wife and a mother. Yet, she is mingling on the weekends with Swift and her cadre of Hollywood ‘It’ girls, looking more like a groupie than a woman who has spent more than 20 years in the business.

Now, instead of being known for her acting credits, she is known more for her friendship with the “Bad Blood” singer. And this friendship runs deep. When you type Jaime King’s name in Google, the third result that comes up, after ‘Twitter’ and ‘baby’ is ‘Jaime King Taylor Swift.’ King just named Swift the godmother of her second child. They bake cookies together and exchange air kisses at Hollywood parties. They even completed the Ice Bucket Challenge together.

And yet, it seems so unnatural.

How did a 35-year-old actress become best friends with a 25-year-old pop singer, and her group of friends ranging in age from 18 through mid-20s?

In a new bi-monthly column with ELLE magazine, XO Jaime, King opened up about her high school years and it all makes sense. In a post titled “How Jaime King Went From A Poser To A Member of Taylor Swift’s Girl Gang,” King revealed her insecurities growing up and how girls tend to put each other down.

“I don’t know if you remember your first experience, like in school where you were bullied or talked about, but, for me, I was 12 or 13. I was pretty, and I looked a certain way, but I didn’t have the money and I didn’t have the address. I was very creative—and in Omaha, where I grew up, that wasn’t something that was really acceptable. You had to be a cheerleader or a jock at the school that I went to, and I remember the feeling at that point, like, Oh, okay. What do I do? Maybe if I change the way that I am, if I try to be more like my sister… My sister was very popular and she was accepted. I knew if I emulated her then finally people would love me. I started doing my hair and makeup like her. I started stealing her clothes so that I could try and look like her—whatever I could do to get out of feeling like I would never, ever possibly belong. And then, the interesting thing is, it got worse. People said I was a poser, that I was trying to be something I wasn’t. I didn’t understand. If I’m not acceptable how I am and I’m not acceptable when I fit into what you look like, then how am I ever going to be acceptable to you? It wasn’t the boys who were bullying me; it was the girls.”

Immediately my thought was: Is King reliving her high school years through Swift’s group of “popular” girls? Did she finally find the clique she has been looking for? Is King the Cady Heron to Swift’s Regina George?

Instead of ‘Mean Girls’ Swift has curated a group of “Nice Girls,” extremely talented and beautiful girls, each with a distinct quirk who prefer nights in to nights out on the town.

Swift is not the only friend who seems not age-appropriate for the actress. Her date to the Met Gala was Nicola Petz, 20, while she always name drops other young it girls on her Instagram, from Cara Delevingne, 22 to Sarah Hyland, 24. I would understand if King saw herself as their mentor, or an older sister even, but she sees herself as a core member of the girl gang.

In her column, King goes on to explain her group of ‘girlfriends’ and what role they play in her life.

“To me, there is nothing more profound than a deep conversation with one of my girlfriends. It’s so reinvigorating and refreshing because we get to be each other’s sounding boards. It’s my experience that men need to be acknowledged, they need to be told that they’re doing well, but women need to be heard.”

Can King or any woman in their 30s really relate to a group of teens and 20-somethings?

That decade in age difference is more than years. It is life experiences, it is maturity and it is a whole different perspective on life. Swift can write a great breakup ballad, but she is not a girlfriend you can talk to over wine about marital issues. She is not a girlfriend who has lived through the sleepless night and self-doubt that most new parents experience. King has not found a group of friends that “hear” her, she has found a group of friends that make her feel as if she finally belongs. She is finally a “cool” girl, and frankly, it is kind of sad.

Now, I have nothing against King. My guilty pleasure before its cancellation was “Hart of Dixie” (RIP Bluebell). King made Lemon Breeland likeable despite her serious character flaws, and brought depth to a character that on the surface was a caricature of a shallow Southern belle. She is good at what she does, but it doesn’t change my opinion that King’s friendship with Swift seems to stem from her high school insecurities. This has nothing to do with putting down a fellow female, or “bullying” someone, I just can’t wrap my mind around this May-December friendship.

Maybe I just can’t see myself giggling with 20 year olds when I am in my 30s, or maybe it’s because 10 years down the line I don’ want to be surrounded by the same drama I am experiencing as a 20-something. I won’t want to hear about your horrible Tinder date, I won’t want to sing “Happy Birthday” at an 18-year-old’s birthday party (yes, she did that) and I definitely won’t care about that girl at work that you don’t like. And neither should King.

So while right now I wouldn’t mind a girls night with T-Swizzle and her girl group, 10 years from now I won’t be hoping the latest Disney star invites me over for a sleepover and filling up my Instagram with selfies with girls almost half my age… at least I hope I won’t.

[via StyleBlazer]

Figure skaters are known for their costumes, and Kristi Yamaguchi is tapping into her years on the ice to create an activewear line for the woman who wants to look good.

While there won’t be any rhinestones or excessive glitter, the Olympic gold medal winner is definitely keeping other elements of her costumes that made her the best in the world.

“I think having had that experience on having to perform at the top level in something that moves and is comfortable but also is very feminine, all those characteristics were brought in,” Yamaguchi told StyleBlazer. “We might not have rhinestones or anything, but I really tried to keep Tsu-ya as feminine and functional as possible.”

Named after her grandmother, and her own middle name, Tsu.ya is an activewear line created for the woman who is on the go, and wants to look fashion-forward whether she is grabbing a cup of coffee, taking the kids to soccer practice or out on the town.

In a collection that features pieces such as tennis skirts, tank tops with  fun open backs and jackets with mesh detailing and ruching, Yamaguchi has tapped into the growing athleisure market with a line that brings you gym clothes you can wear all day long.

Yamaguchi also looked to her daughters for inspiration for the collection, and the best part is a portion of proceeds from the line goes to support early childhood literacy through her Always Dream Foundation.

The Tsu-ya activewear line is now available at HSN, and at boutiques nationwide.

For more on her collection, read our exclusive interview below: 

On her inspiration to design an activewear line: ““I was seeing a void in my wardrobe, and being a busy, active mom, I wanted clothes that are functional and have a comfort level, and fit well without spending a fortune on it. You know activewear is something I’ve worn my whole life, so I bring my experience and being an athlete to the line.”

On the inspiration behind the name: “Tsu-ya is a family name. It was my grandmother’s name and it is my middle name so I was kind of named after her. The literal translation in Japanese is ‘shiny’ or ‘sparkle’ and we like to say Tsu. ya helps women find a spark of brilliance to make them shine in all they do.”

On her Always Dream Foundation: “I created the Always Dream Foundation almost 20 years ago now, so it’s always been a passion of mine to inspire the hopes and dreams of underserved kids out there. We wanted to create a product with purpose to grow what we’ve been doing with child literacy. Seeing some of the statistics out there like 60% of families in poverty do not have books at home are things we are trying to change. We’re really proud that we support early childhood literacy by donating a portion of our proceeds.”

On the booming athleisure trend: “I think it’s just people are more conscious of being active, and taking care of themselves. Women are smart and savvy enough that they want to look good all day long, whether their being active or out on the town. What we’ve tried to do is really create versatile styles that can take you throughout the day and are fashion forward.”

On her go-to summer outfit: “What I’ve been enjoying are the skirts. They’re really easy and comfortable to throw on, and I like to wear it with our hoodie tank. It’s just a mesh, flowing top. Paired together it’s one of my go-to summer outfits.”

On her go-to beauty products: “Maybe I’ve just been lucky (laughs). My EOS lip balm, I always have to have that with me. I’ll use the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer, and I like that it also has SPF.”

[via StyleBlazer]

When Beyoncé went backstage after a recent performance of “Hamilton,” Philippa Soo’s Broadway career came full circle.

From driving to school listening and singing along to Destiny’s Child to Beyonce’s “Countdown” influencing Soo’s rendition of “Helpless” in the Broadway musical, Soo is a proud member of the Beyhive.

“Meeting her was so incredible because it makes you realize we’re all drawing from each other,” Soo told StyleBlazer exclusively. “We were inspired by her and it’s really cool to feel that maybe she was inspired by us.”

Soo plays Alexander Hamilton’s wife Eliza Schuyler in the nearly-three hour retelling of Hamilton’s life based on an 800-page biography, but don’t expect a boring history class. Instead, the musical, written by “In The Heights” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, is mostly rapped and set to a hip-hop beat, complete with beatboxing, bringing the story of the founding father to life. However, it is Soo’s character Eliza that steals the spotlight in “Hamilton,” and reveals just how much women in U.S. history are overlooked.

“I actually really didn’t know a lot about Eliza,” the 25-year old Julliard graduate said. “I looked her up on Wikipedia… I was so taken by her story, and my surprise at that was a quite powerful moment. I nearly, we nearly, forgot her. It’s so beautiful that she’s held in that light at the end.”

The Hamilton musical, with one of the most diverse casts on Broadway, also shines a light on major issues making headlines today, such as immigration, and has even caught the attention of President Barack Obama.

“I think this show is a great example of how theater is a great reflection of who we are as an audience, and I think it’s very much a reflection of who we are as a nation,” Soo said. “The words in ‘My Shot,’ ‘I’m young, scrappy and hungry,’ that we’re all coming from different places and experiences, and we are coming together to create something that is bigger than all of us.”

From mastering beatboxing to her style outside those corsets, Soo has a bright future on and off the stage: 

On her love of musical theater: “It wasn’t until high school that I discovered musical theater. Something happened one day, and I realized that I love telling stories through song, it was the perfect combination of this love I have for theater and music.”

On her namaste approach to Broadway: “At the beginning of a yoga class you set an intention, and that is what I try to do before my shows.  There’s always something new because it’s a new day, it’s a new show, you are not the same person you were yesterday. As long as I have a small intention I can set for myself for the show, it will influence what I choose to pursue that day, and keep it fresh every day.”

On beatboxing: “I was so excited about it, and when Lin was like ‘I think you should beatbox in this moment’ in the back of my mind I had been thinking that all along, but I didn’t want to impose. So I went home and went on Youtube and looked up all these amazing beatboxers. Of course, I am really far away from that kind of beatboxing, but I feel like I’ve gotten pretty good at it. I am thoroughly glad that beatboxing is now part of my daily routine.”

On her personal style:  “It’s pretty eclectic. I love really interesting pieces, but also I’m really into just simplicity and functionality these days. I also like a lot of vintage pieces that were my mom’s, thrift store finds. Right now I have this yellow leather skirt and it’s fun because I can dress it up or down. That has been my main fall piece.”

On her beauty staples: “I love a red lip. I’m all about the red lip and a nice peach blush, and I love this Bare Minerals mascara that I have. It looks super natural, and it doesn’t get all clumpy.”

On acting beyond the stage: “I feel like I’m haven’t done a lot of film and television, but I would love to explore that medium. I kind of just go with my gut feeling on the work and the people I am working with. Whatever comes we’ll see, but for now I’m super satisfied where I’m at and for an actor its an amazing place to be.”

On the goal of the musical: “I just hope that you’re inspired to tell stories. If you’re a performer, that you feel that you are truly telling stories from your heart, or if  you’re not a performer, to tell your story in a different way. Whatever that means to you. I’ve found that to be a such an important part of my life, to try and tell the best stories that I can and I feel that’s it’s only brought really amazing things to me, and continues to be self-rewarding.”

[via StyleBlazer]

As told to StyleBlazer by Wilhelmina model Emilie Evander: 

This was my second show as I walked for Rick Owens Fall 2015. What I love about the Rick Owens show is that it is unpredictable and very creative. I wasn’t exactly sure what was going to happen, only bits and pieces of the idea when I was at the casting because of the pictures on the image board. I really got to see and understand the concept at my fitting.

My true thought was I sure hope I am not carrying anyone as I would hate to drop them! They were trained professionals who rehearsed prior to us arriving for hair and makeup. Also, we were able to rehearse all together prior to the show. I didn’t get to talk to them as we were all focused on preparing and getting ready for the show. [Before the show] the atmosphere was very calm, focused, helpful and relaxed.

The audience seemed very impressed and moved by the show. I know some models, including myself, felt empowered by the show.

The way I saw it was it displayed the strength of women and what we are able to handle.

I truly try not to pay attention to the reaction of social media unless it brings positivity.  All I know is how I felt while in the show and after the show. It was such an amazing experience that will forever stay with me. It’s always great to work with the amazing designer Rick Owens and his team. 

[via StyleBlazer] 

San Francisco is the hub of everything digital from Instagram to Yelp, which makes the Golden Gate city the perfect place for fashion bloggers.

Thanks to the start-up community, San Francisco has transformed into a bustling metropolitan full of young millennials, and if we know anything about that group it’s that they love to brunch. Combining our two biggest passions (fashion and food), we reached out to our favorite San Francisco-based bloggers for their picks for a mimosa-filled weekend brunch.

From Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam to Bryn Newman of Stone Fox Style, these fashion bloggers have given us over 15 options when it comes to eating in the city whether you are a vegetarian or a chicken and waffles kind of girl.

So for your next brunch adventure in San Francisco, put down Yelp, and trust these stylish ladies when it comes to the best brunch spots in San Francisco.

Check out the gallery below for best brunch San Francisco: fashion bloggers’ edition:

Read more at StyleBlazer

As Annalise Keating on “How To Get Away With Murder,” Viola Davis is as passionate about clothes as she is about her court cases.

Whether it is her impeccably tailored pencil skirts or her bejeweled statement necklaces, “HTGAWM” costume designer Linda Bass makes sure Davis is impeccable from head to toe, whether she is in the classroom or the courtroom, and season two will be no different.

“It is her armor, it’s what she uses to protect herself against the world,” Bass toldStyleBlazer exclusively of Keating’s wardrobe. “This season, we’re just adding a little bit more color. It’s sort of a dark story, but she wears it so beautifully, so unless it gets in the way of the story, I just started putting her in more colors, and she looks good in almost everything.”

Clothing plays a pivotal role in “HTGAWM” and it is the details that reveal the nuances of a character, like Bonnie Winterbottom’s pearls or Wes Gibbins’ bygone plaid shirts. Remember THE scene from season one? There was a reason Keating wore a silk robe.

Confident, powerful and sexual is how Bass describes Keating’s wardrobe and with one season under her belt, Davis is taking a more pivotal role in telling Keating’s story one article of clothing at a time.

“When we first started, I don’t think she was as aware of her wardrobe and fashion,” Bass said.  “She just sort of was my mannequin and I dressed her, but she has learned a lot. She’s much more knowledgeable this season about fashion than she was last season. I am a tutor to the perfect student.”

However, there is one item we will never see in Keating’s closet.

Keep reading for more from our exclusive interview with “HTGAWM” costume designer Linda Bass:

On Annalise Keating’s go-to designers: “I started realizing that Jason Wu is really good on her, and I started doing as much Jason Wu as I can get my hands on. She’s great in Alexander McQueen, she’s great in Victoria Beckham, MaxMara is always a staple and now Jason Wu has entered into the closet.”

On Keating’s statement outerwear: “Coats are a huge part of wardrobe, but in all wardrobe I love detail. I love coats with a lot of detail because she can be wearing the most fabulous dress in the world, but if she wears a coat three scenes out of four the dress becomes less important. I usually look for coats that are styled with a noticeable details.”

On what women can learn from Davis’ wardrobe: “For someone with Viola’s really wonderfully curvy figure, I think the mistake most women make is to wear their clothes too big. I think that it’s really beautiful when you do it really fitted; a feminine, sexy silhouette.”

On THAT scene: “I always say, my whole approach to her wardrobe is her clothes are her armor. Underneath that tough exterior is a really sensitive, broken woman. So that scene sort of said it all as she took off her makeup, as she took off her wig. I didn’t want to put her in just the typical terry robe. I wanted her to start off perfectly armored and perfectly manicured and with each step more of her was revealed. That is why I went with the silk robe.”

Keep reading to find out what Keating will never wear, and whose wardrobe is inspired by Princess Kate:

[via StyleBlazer]

There is the fashion week version of New York City, and then there is the real New York City, and Rio Uribe perfectly captured it on the Gyspy Sport runway.

For his spring 2016 collection, the CFDA nominated designer embraced the multiculturalism and individuality that you see every day on the streets of the city, and brought them to life on his catwalk. The models, who Uribe was still casting the night before the show, came in all shapes and sizes, from the pregnant model whose baby bump opened the show to the freckled male model wearing bold red lipstick.

And the models weren’t the only things that embraced the diversity aspect of the show. Uribe used Spanish lace, Chinese brocade, menswear fabrics, shells and raffia in a mash up of cultures and references taken to the limit. Even the messy red lipstick added a layer to the “don’t give a f**k attitude” that Uribe went for.

“I think when I claim I am inspired by New York City, I have to really show New York City,” Uribe told StyleBlazer exclusively backstage after the show. “What it  looks like to me, which is lots of colors, lots of sizes… I want people to see someone out there and say ‘I can be that or I can do that.”

If you want to put a celebrity face on the collection, it is Jaden Smith, who rushed to his seat in the front row just as the lights dimmed. If you want an Instagram star, it is CardiB, who made her way down the runway, just one of Uribe’s many friends who were down to walk to show support.

After nine years in the Big Apple, the self-proclaimed “American ’80s baby born to teenage immigrants,” Uribe put together a love it or hate it collection capturing the essence of the city, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I feel like being part of this competition, they want me to be very commercial, be able to sell as much of the collection as possible,” Uribe said of the CFDA. “But I don’t want to stop being myself and doing what I feel people should be seeing.”

[via StyleBlazer]

Everyone knows that fashion week, or should we say fashion month, is the busiest time for those in the fashion industry. Whether its coordinating events, making a deadline or just writing runway recap after runway recap, you find yourself at the desk for way longer than you anticipated.

So despite the cardio bursts you might have getting from show to show, it seems to never be enough. Sitting at your desk for hours has shown to have negative impacts on your health and life expectancy. We know you’re busy, so this Workout Wednesday, we are showing you simple exercises you can perform in the comfort of your cubicle.

You don’t need any weights, no yoga mats or even tennis shoes. Just find a moment when the office is relatively empty (because you will look slightly weird) and get in fifteen minutes of exercise while still keeping an eye on any incoming emails.

Personal trainer and fitness instructor at Uplift Studios in New York City Alyssa Exposito showed us a simple tri-set to getting your body moving in the workplace. She started off with a simple dip, using the desk chair as support to work out her triceps. You straighten your arms fully to lift your body up off the chair, and then bending your elbows at a 90 degree angle so that your body dips straight down. Hold, then press down with the palms of your hands to straighten your arms back to starting position. If that is too easy for you, modify by keeping one leg elevated as you perform the dip.

Your desk also allows for more exercises such as push-ups and pull-ins, that will work up a swear in the workplace. Do three sets of 8-10 reps each for a quick, effective workout. 

Read more at StyleBlazer

Lauren Conrad made her New York Fashion Week debut, with a runway collection that screamed ‘Pin me.’

From the moment you stepped into the space, it was like you were looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. From the pink champagne in your glass to the blush-toned roses hidden among the bustling crowd to the mood lighting, it was everything you expected from the self-proclaimed “basic.”

However, is Pinterest bait really such a bad thing.

If there is one thing you can not say about Conrad’s first runway collection is that it wasn’t pretty. It was a modern fairytale come to life, but instead of matching their tulle skirts with glass slippers, the models rocked leather jackets. Models were also styled with pinnable crown braids and loose ponytails, and delicate floral prints dominated. There was even a ‘Jolene’ remix playing in the background as the models hit the runway.

That doesn’t mean Conrad didn’t break any style rules. The ‘no white after Labor Day’ memo clearly didn’t get to a white-clad Conrad, whose best pieces were head-to-toe white, including a sheer white cover-up with peplum waist.

There were some missteps, but overall Conrad delivered what was expected (including a tulle ball gown to close the show). But hey, for a collection you can shop at Kohl’s we can’t complain.

[via StyleBlazer]

Louise Roe‘s trajectory from intern to the front row is a fashion fairytale.

The British fashionista has turned love of fashion into a bonafide career, with everything from hosting red carpets, a successful blog and a lifestyle book, “Front Roe: How To Be The Leading Lady In Your Own Life.”

We caught up with Roe at the launch of Snap + Style, an app and soon to be website that brings stylists to your fingertips when it is time to put together the perfect outfit, or just revamp your current wardrobe. Created by Anna Jensen, who was inspired by a personal experience involving risky “booties” and not knowing what to wear with them, the app strives to making shopping and styling a snap.

Selecting Roe as the brand ambassador was easy for Jensen, who loves that she not only knows how to rock designer threads, but also can work with what she has, which is the unofficial motto of the app.

“There’s something really special about this app,” Roe told StyleBlazer exclusively. “There’s a ton of them launching every day now … I think that having access in real time to a real stylist who is answering your questions and giving tips, that’s what really attracts me to it. It’s far more personal and immediate.”

Having just landed in New York City for the start of fashion week, Roe was brimming with excitement for everything from the red leather Rebecca Minkoff skirt waiting in her hotel room to her favorite NYC bistro on the edge of Soho when she needs a break from the fashion pack.

Keep reading below for more from our exclusive interview with Louise Roe: 

On the pressure of dressing up for NYFW: “A little bit, but it’s fun. I get sent loads of pieces to wear, I feel extremely lucky. I go to the runway shows, and I get to wear that designer’s clothes. It’s dress up for me, but it’s more serious than that too. I am working with different brands, and writing up my blog, and my book just came out. It’s all part of my career and I enjoy it so much. I love it.”

On fall trends to shop: “I am really obsessed with the whole ’70s thing going on. I’ve always been a fan of that decade, and I think women like Ali McGraw, think Love Story, it’s all like paisleys and suede tassels and cute little mini skirts, and coal under the eye all smudged. It’s quite sexy.”

On beauty crazes such as contouring: “I think strobing is a little softer than contouring, and I definitely love a bit of highlighter cream on my brow bone and my cheekbone. MAC has a strobe cream that is amazing. I think that’s a little bit more wearable. Contouring, if you do it too aggressively, and you are not on camera or under studio light, t’s looks like you just striped your face. It’s good to try it, but in moderation.”

On drugstore beauty brands: “Some of the best products are some of the oldest ones, like Pssst, the dry shampoo. It’s always sold out.”

Advice for starting out in the fashion world: “Just stick to your own aesthetic or ideas or writing style, whatever that it is your doing. Have your own imprint. Don’t just copy someone else’s because being an individual is what’s going to make you stand out.

On a Louise Roe clothing line: “Definitely, it’s starting to get in the plans. I think I’ll start with apparel.”

Every week, another celebrity model surfaces becoming the face of another coveted fashion campaign.

Last week it was Jane Birkin’s granddaughter Alice, who was featured in the Comptor des Cotonniers campaign. Before that it was Lily Rose Depp, Gabriel-Kane Day-Lewis, Kaia Gerber, Karrueche Tran, and the usual suspects Cara, Kendall, Gigi, Bella, Georgia. The list goes on and on. All these celebrity models are signed to modeling agencies and landing major campaigns, without it seems, one casting call to their name. For models hustling from one audition to another, it seems unfair or even impossible to land a gig without a famous last name, a reality show or famous ex-boyfriend.

When it comes to scouting, agencies like Wilhelmina Models work directly with the celebrity’s management, and look for a certain type of individual. Just like every model can’t be a celebrity, every celebrity can’t be a model, no matter how many social media followers they have.

“I personally think they are two separate entities,” Taylor Hendrich, the Wilhelmina Models Men’s Director, who represents celebrity models such as Nick Jonas and RJ Mitte told StyleBlazer in an exclusive interview. “An amazing model is an amazing model. An amazing model who comes from a celebrity background, is coming from a totally different place. There is still a clear differentiation.”

Wilhelmina Models recently signed Shaniece Hairston, known as the daughter of “Livin’ Lozada” star Evelyn Lozada. The announcement of her modeling deal was timed perfectly with the start of her new reality show, and after failed attempts at being signed earlier in her career it proved to be the jolt she needed. However, there is no denying that there are misconceptions surrounding celebrity models.

“I see myself as a working model,” Hairston told us. “I just went to a casting last week, just like every other model that was there. I don’t see myself as being bigger or better than anyone. I’m still learning.”

With over 700,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram combined, Hairston comes with a built-in audience, something it takes years for working models to build. However, just like models, celebrity models have to work hard to maintain their brand, and ensure longevity in a very fickle and ever-changing fashion industry.

[Wilhelmina] is trying to be a little more openminded with who they sign,” Hairston said. “It’s not like back in the day models anymore. Times have changed, social media is important, your presence is important. I think that is what they’re leaning more towards: changing with the times.”

Wilhelmina Models recently signed Shaniece Hairston, known as the daughter of “Livin’ Lozada” star Evelyn Lozada. The announcement of her modeling deal was timed perfectly with the start of her new reality show, and after failed attempts at being signed earlier in her career it proved to be the jolt she needed. However, there is no denying that there are misconceptions surrounding celebrity models.

“I see myself as a working model,” Hairston told us. “I just went to a casting last week, just like every other model that was there. I don’t see myself as being bigger or better than anyone. I’m still learning.”

With over 700,000 followers on Twitter and Instagram combined, Hairston comes with a built-in audience, something it takes years for working models to build. However, just like models, celebrity models have to work hard to maintain their brand, and ensure longevity in a very fickle and ever-changing fashion industry.

[Wilhelmina] is trying to be a little more openminded with who they sign,” Hairston said. “It’s not like back in the day models anymore. Times have changed, social media is important, your presence is important. I think that is what they’re leaning more towards: changing with the times.”

“I think it’s an inclusive moment, and it’s the brand being your friend, and not trying to sell you something,” said Pattern To Plan founder and fashion social media consultant Gretchen Harnick. “In the modeling world, and we’re in a time of individuality, with everything from the feminist moment, to the transgender models, I like that they are scouting models through social media. It’s inclusive, everyone has a chance in this day and age to create their own future.”

Currently, agencies are striving to find the balance of working with celebrity models and getting their “normal” models on social media, all for brand recognition.

“When a model comes into the industry it’s because they photograph well, they move well and they are who we believe we can build into being the next big thing,” Hendrich said. “Along the way we start working on their social media platforms. There are some models that don’t want to have their social media and their day-to-day life put out into the world. You have to really want it. It takes a lot of work to build that social media presence by posting every day, and taking selfies and really building your social media following.”

At the end of the day, it is a reminder that celebrity models will soon not be the only ones with a built in audience as an advantage, and just like any other trend it has an expiration date. So this fashion week, instead of focusing on the Kendalls and Gigis, look for the girl walking right behind them who could be the next big thing.

“Celebrity models have been a part of the industry for a very long time, this isn’t anything new,” Hendrich said. “I think currently there’s been a lot trending with kids with celebrity parents, and having those attachments, but trends do change. I also believe that’s there’s always a chance for a model to come up the ranks and become the next superstar.”

[via StyleBlazer]

Fashion has many sub-cultures when it comes to street wear.

One of those sub-genres is called Steampunk. Described as a retro-futuristic design movement, Steampunk is making a resurgence with a new reality competition show and popular trends such as corsets and body trainers.

Jeannie Mai, who has been a fan of the movement since her teenage years, is now hosting the GSN show “STEAMPUNK’D” and very excited about the trend going more mainstream.

“Steampunk is a retro-futuristic aesthetic and lifestyle that is inspired by the Victorian era and science fiction,” Mai told StyleBlazer exclusively. “It’s one of the most sexy and alluring sub-genres, and is brought to fruition by designers called “makers” who handcraft the world that you see as Steampunk.”

Mai, who is also a co-host on “The Real,” also shared her excitement about fall trends, which have a vaguely Steampunk edge, and what to expect in season two of the talk show.

From teaching us how to incorporate Steampunk into our every day wardrobe to trends she can’t wait to shop for fall, Mai gets “real” in the interview below:

On incorporating Steampunk into everyday style: “The Steampunk “look” is defined differently to each individual, but some signature details would be corsets, bustles, grommets or rivets. Incorporating these little touches can immediately give any outfit some edge.”

Favorite Fall fashion tips: “Coincidentally, the Victorian era is coming back in in a big way for fall. McQueen is unveiling a beautiful array of long sleeved, ruffled high neck blouses, while Brunello Cucinelli is sending romantic peasant skirts down the runway. I recommend finding something Victorian that appeals to you as mixing it up with more modern pieces. You don’t want to look like you left your horse and buggy out front. Although that’s hot, too.”

On trends she can’t wait to try: “Our fashionable Steampunk couturier Kato is going to make me a really cool thigh pack. I can’t wait to wear this everywhere!”

On what to expect on the next season of ‘The Real’: “I think all women are smart, opinionated, and multi-talented. Therefore, we want to see the same on TV. The ladies are also coming back with so much awesome news. Tamar and her hot new single, Adrienne and her Paris travels, Loni and her successful acting career, and Tamera with her beautiful baby girl ! There’s certainly a lot!”

On being a “wearapist”: “Wearapy is my belief that we can control our emotions from the outside in. As a Wearapist, I teach women to let our STYLE, not our mood, control us. For me, it means I have a superhero like power to achieve anything I put “mai” style to.”

On her go-to beauty products: “I just discovered you can eat your way to beauty. Beaming juices in LA and DLrevamp Detox + OnJuice Cleanse packaged meals from NY believe just that. Beaming is delicious, colorful cold pressed juices filled with specific anti-aging ingredients that work wonders. DLrevamp Detox + OnJuice Cleanse foods are unbelievably inventive and tasty meals and snacks that make you smile with incredible energy. You’ve gotta try them!”

Tune in Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. on GSN to see Jeannie Mai host ‘STEAMPUNK’D’.

[via StyleBlazer] 

Diane Guerrero can be described in one word: passionate.

Better known as the eyelined Maritza Ramos on “Orange Is The New Black,” Guerrero uses her platform to spread awareness about the immigration reform desperately needed in this country. Her passion poured through when she spoke of her own family’s deportation, and is fueling the writing process behind her upcoming memoir. Guerrero’s passion is also evident in #LoveTravels, a campaign launched by Marriott International, featuring Guerrero and other Latino stars sharing their cultural experiences, and what travel means to them.

“Some people travel on vacation to get away from it all, but I travel to get to it all,” said Guerrero. “I’m passionate about issues such as human rights and immigration reform and when I travel, I get to support this work, discovering new things and meeting new people.”

Guerrero travels not only to spread her message, but also for work (she currently stars in “OITNB” and “Jane The Virgin), and to visit her family in Colombia.

Now as immigration takes the spotlight for the upcoming election, and a small snafu on live television courtesy of Kelly Osbourne, which a GIF of Guerrero’s perfectly captured, the 29-year-old is ready to continue spreading her message, while simultaneously dishing on her go-to eyeliner tricks.

Keep reading for our exclusive interview with Diane Guerrero below! 

On the misconceptions surrounding immigration:  “I think it’s lack of education on immigration. The Kelly Osbourne comment, I don’t have anything to say on that, but I feel like so many of us are not educated on the subject and that’s why I’m here doing the work that I’m doing so that I can bring as much knowledge and education, so we’re not so confused and scared of it. It’s such a hot button issue that we tend to go away from it, and we don’t understand and we don’t have smart things to say about it. Part of my work is educating others.”

On the 2016 campaigns: “I think people are starting to pay attention a little more. The air that we have around us now, we are coming up on elections, people are trying to get as much information on the candidates, and what’s going on. People are getting involved, people are using their voices, and people are starting to say ‘I don’t have all the information and I need to know more about this.’ I think it’s a good thing and it’s a great time to have discussion so we can all become more aware and understanding of each other.”

On diversity on television: “I don’t think it’s as much as trend, but it’s the way things are evolving. Diversity in the media and on TV should have happened whenever media started. It never should have been one-sided. It’s just a natural evolution, and I think that people are starting to open up more. There was such a demand in the real world. No one wants to watch something where they don’t see themselves in, and something that doesn’t reflect their environment or their community. We’re living in a diverse world, there’s no way we can continue to accept images and stories that don’t involve everyone. ‘Orange Is The New Black’ has definitely pushed the envelope by showing so many different stories and representing so many different people.”

On her upcoming memoir: “It’s a memoir about me growing up in this time of great adversity in my family. You’re going to learn more about me. I think so far what has been seen is been very much headlines, or one or two sentence answers of what I am about. That’s never the whole story. People are going to get a chance to see the full picture, and either appreciate or at least understand what I went through.  Its going to be helpful to a lot of people going through the same thing, or even immigration in this country.” 

Keep reading here. 

“Social media meltdown,” “sad times,” and “end of an era” were all words used to describe the collective resignations of DKNY and Oscar PR girls Aliza Licht and Erika Bearman.

Both women catapulted fashion into the social media sphere with their witty and personal approach to the often exclusive world of high fashion. With the erasure of DKNY PR Girl, and the search for Bearman’s replacement, it is no surprise people are sadden by the “death” of fashion’s reigning social media queens.

However, is a social media cleanse really such a bad thing?

“We mature, we improve,” said Gretchen Harnick, digital marketing consultant and president of Pattern to Plan, a global online fashion incubator. “Change always opens new doors, and when you remove the dead weight, which is what [DKNY] did by removing old posts, it leaves room for new things to be born.”

While DKNY took a more severe approach to their social media restart, deleting all their previous posts on Instagram and Twitter, it will have a more difficult time replacing a figure as dominating as Licht. It was Licht’s overwhelming presence that led to DKNY’s new creative directors, Public School’s Dao Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, to start from the ground up.

“[Licht] started creating her own brand, and she started writing books and creating more social platforms under her own name. I do think it was more about her than the brand, it was very personal,” said Harnick, who used to manage the social media presence of Parsons School of Fashion. “Maybe it just ran its course. Sometimes it needs a reset.”

What can an individual learn about this decision to clean up your online presence?

In today’s day and age, where social media is such as huge part of your daily ritual (28 percent of online activity is spent on social media), people are experiencing social fatigue and going through digital detoxes and diets to get away from the noise. Along with the noise, there is also clutter on social media. Just look back at your first Instagram post, the first photo album you uploaded to Facebook, and even your first tweet. Is it still representative of the person you are today?

People should take a lesson from DKNY, and actively clean up their social media presence, and take control of their image. “It is obvious when you go back through someone’s account where they started paying attention to it,” Harnick said. “You can really see a line.”

And as for people panicking about Licht and Bearman’s palpable absence, remember it’s just change– inevitable and often for the best.

[via StyleBlazer]

Part I: The Setup

When I was asked to fly to Nashville on a private plane sponsored by HypeEnergy drinks to interview Kim Kardashian, three thoughts went through my head: Why is she still doing appearances for energy drinks? Doesn’t a Vogue cover preclude you from ever having to stand in front of a crowd holding up a can of over-caffeinated syrup that you clearly do not drink? And lastly, what was I going to wear?

But as a journalist, especially one who is a self-proclaimed pop culture junkie, it was a no brainer. I mean, it is Kim Kardashian, arguably one of the most famous women in the world.

As I was standing in front of my closet the morning of my impending meeting with arguably one of the most photographed women in the world, I kept thinking W.W.K.K.W (what would Kim Kardashian wear)? Or better yet, what would Kanye West want Kim to wear. Obviously, I went with all black because lately the star has been sticking to monochrome ensembles that are a far cry from her bright Vegas-appearance bodycon dresses of the Kim B.Y. (Before Yeezus).

Wearing black Express jeans, a black top from the Kate Young x Target collaboration and a black leather jacket, I was ready. After a bus ride, waiting at a small airport in New Jersey, and loading onto the chartered plane with about 30 other journalists, we were on our way to Tennessee.

However, nothing can prepare you for the cult of Kim Kardashian.

When we landed in Nashville, we were loaded onto another bus and put in another room to wait ( waiting would become a theme of the trip). Then we were told we could go to the stage.

As we walked down the block, the music got louder and louder, and I could not believe my eyes. A main road in downtown Nashville, right across from the Johnny Cash Museum, was blocked off completely, and a stage with DJ booth and Formula 1 racecar was front and center. But it was the masses and masses of people waiting for Kim that really took my breath away. Wait. Wasn’t it a Tuesday at 3 p.m.? Do people not work? Is school out for the summer?

Soon chants of “We want Kim” filled the air.

We stood on the stage and waited some more.

Part II: The Encounter

Kim Kardashian West does not walk, she floats. When she alighted from her SUV with black out windows and three burly bodyguards in tow, she was instantly surrounded by chaos.

Photographers pushed and shoved to get the best picture, people began screaming and crying in the crowd, and an emcee urged the fans to make even more noise for Kim Kardashian West.

And yet she just floated. She took selfies with crying babies as if she was a presidential candidate, she signed copies of her book “Selfish” and she shook hands with sobbing pre-teens who will probably not wash their hands for a very long time. She was completely unfazed by the chaos that surrounded her. It was just another day for Kardashian West, the rock star.

Now, when it came to us, the media minions who are used to chaos in the newsroom, this event was a mess. There was no organized press line, there was no clear order for interviews, and it seemed no one really knew what was going on. All we were told was that she was to be addressed as Mrs. West, which I assume was an order from her “people” and not Kim herself.

It was the “Hunger Games,” as a fellow reporter put it, and we were all volunteering as tribute at the altar of Kim Kardashian… or Mrs. West.

Now, a lot of people have differing opinions when it comes to Kardashian West and whether she really deserves all the fame and fortune. Vines replay that moment when Barbara Walters tells the Kardashians they have no talent on an endless loop. There has not been such a divisive figure in pop culture since Tom Cruise jumped on that yellow couch.

I admit that I have on occasion felt guilty about my marathon sessions of “Keeping Up With The Kardashians,” or my endless knowledge about the Kardashian Klan, like Scott Disick’s actual birth date or the fact that Kylie Jenner just changed her Instagram handle to match her over-aged rapper boyfriend’s IG name. It is a national obsession, and one of the reasons why this week the Kardashians are the center of attention, from Kim’s pregnancy announcement to the introduction of Caitlyn Jenner, instead of ISIS or the drought that has killed over 2,000 people in India. People care about the Kardashians, whether we like it or not.

Due to this overexposure, many think they know Kardashian West. However, up close and personal she is nothing like the persona we see on television or in magazines. She may look exactly the same as she does in media because her makeup is so flawless she looks like she is airbrushed. She is an anime character come to life with oversized eyes, a small, perfect nose and plump lips. Her eyelashes go for miles, and despite being larger than life, and wearing five-inch heels, she was actually really tiny. She was not afraid to show off her already changing pregnancy body, with her small baby bump in display in a skin-tight latex dress that seemed painted on.

She is also soft spoken. When you speak to her, she looks you directly in the eye. Despite the noise that surrounded us, when I got my time to speak with the reality star, it was as if we were the only two people in the room. She was open, answered all my questions, and being the media pro that she is, while her answers were short, they were to the point and provided the sound bites reporters need to write an alluring headline.

My story is here if you want to read it.

Part III: The Departure

After speaking with her, I felt relieved. Not only because my editor was not going to kill me for coming back with nothing, which 15 minutes earlier I thought was for sure going to happen, but because she wasn’t the talentless diva every one makes her out to be.

She wasn’t demanding. She wasn’t mean, and she definitely wasn’t dumb.

She was nice, and if I had doubts before, I definitely did not after meeting her. She is worthy of the fame. She can’t sing, she can’t act and she definitely can’t dance, but there is no denying her star power.

As she stepped back into her black SUV, ‘90s pop star turned DJ Craig David took the stage and serenaded a crowd that slowly began to dissipate since their idol had left the building (in the words of another famous Nashville icon).

Hurricane Kim had come and gone.

As I boarded the plane back to New York City, I had less than two minutes of audio on my iPhone and Craig David stuck in my head, but I had just spoken with one of the most famous people in the world and was flying home in a private plane.

That’s something right?

[via StyleBlazer]

When I got the opportunity to interview Cara Santana, I will admit that I did not know much about the Hollywood beauty.

I knew she had impeccable style, even when she was just running errands in gym clothes, and I knew she was dating Jesse Metcalfe, but there were a lot of empty spaces. Even her publicist described her as solely  a “fashionista.” However, I knew there had to be more to the famous face who commanded the attention of the paparazzi every time she stepped out her house.

And I was not disappointed.

The 31-year-old is not your typical fashionista. She is a “proverbial slash,” as she put it, with a television show, beauty app and fashion blog all on her resume. When I asked Santana how she would describe what she does, fashionista was no where on her list.

“I say first and foremost that I am an actress because that’s my career and what I’ve been driven to do since I was a young, young girl,” she said. “Obviously, now I have this company, so I guess categorically I’m an entrepreneur but I don’t really see myself as that. I just had an idea, and I thought I had a solution to a problem so I created the app. And then I have the blog, so I guess I am also a blogger. I’m a proverbial slash, slash, slash.”

From her burgeoning beauty app, Glam App, which is expanding to two cities a month over the next six months, to her blog Cara Disclothed, Santana has turned her passion for fashion into a business, and her empire is only just getting started. The Glam App is designed to bring hairstylists, makeup artists and nail artists to your home for a complete beauty experience. Modeled after Uber, the on demand beauty app divides up the stylists by years of experience, and allows artists to build their brands and clienteles while simultaneously providing luxury beauty to every day women at an affordable cost.

Speaking with the “Salem” star, she opened up about wanting all women to experience the red carpet treatment, her personal style and today’s ever evolving beauty standards.

Keep on reading for more on our exclusive chat with Cara Santana: 

On her role in “Salem”: “I am having so much fun. It has just been such a dream job. As an actress, roles aren’t really made for women like they are for men. We are usually auxiliary characters and on Salem, there are just so may components that make it such a juicy role for me. One being the fact that she is 16th century Native American shaman. I don’t been speak English on the show, so I had to learn Algonquian. It’s hard, it’s daunting but I love it. You never want to stereotype or play into the idea of a culture. You get into trouble that way. I think its super important to honor the history of the Native American Indian and have a genuine respect for it. I had a sense, conscience concept of really portraying this character in the most honest and genuine way.”

On her Glam App: “As an actress, when you are promoting a project or promoting yourself for lack of better word, you go onto these red carpets, and the event or studio sends you a glam team, and it costs a thousand dollars. And I think luxury beauty in general is reserved for the elite, and I just remember having a moment where I was like, ‘God, beauty is intrinsic for a woman because when we look good, we feel good and when we feel good, we are empowered. And why shouldn’t every woman have the ability to have an affordable luxury beauty experience?’ And then I started thinking about the concept of Uber and OnDemand and OnDemand beauty, and what that looks like. And I was like, ‘There’s got to be freelance hair and makeup and nail artists out there that are trying to build their brand and surely there are women who want to have this beauty experience that is affordable and convenient. I started playing with the idea and then I called my now partner, who is a good friend of mine Joey Maalouf, who is a hair and makeup artist to the stars, and I was like ‘How do we create this concept and make it equally advantageous for the consumer and the stylist?’ and through that conversation the Glam App was really born.”

On her blog Cara Disclothed: “As an actress the first point of transformation and getting invested into a character is your physical appearance. I have always really been drawn creatively to fashion, and that vein of self expression. It’s the first way you can communicate to the world around you how you are feeling is by what you are wearing and how you look. I wanted to have a conversation about fashion, and I wasn’t trying to compete with Chiara Ferragnis and the Aimee Songs of the world, I just wanted to talk about clothes, I wanted to shoot my own content and I wanted people to know who I was wearing because they were always asking and it was a way to have a manageable conversation about fashion. Again, there is somewhat of an elitist, maybe superficial connotation about clothing, about the way we look. The fact of the matter is we all get dressed, so I really wanted to be able to break that elitist wall down and be able to talk about what I am wearing, whether it’s Keds with a [7 For All Mankind] jean or Steve Madden shoes with a Prada dress. It doesn’t really matter what you’re wearing, but how you’re wearing it and what you are trying to communicate in what you are wearing.”

Keep reading here.

The scope of Taylor Swift as an artist and as a woman has culminated in “Bad Blood,” a music video that marks Swift’s transition from damsel in distress to full-on action hero.

Our first recollections of Swift were her music videos filled with Romeo and Juliet references, knights on white horses and girls waiting around for a boy to finally “notice” them. While this is what Swift was writing songs about, it was in total juxtaposition to what she was actually doing in the music industry as a female. At 19, she became the youngest singer to win Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards, she has been writing all her own songs since the age of 14 and selling out arenas with just a guitar. In “Bad Blood,” Swift and her many famous friends, become the kick-ass women they are in the real world. The much-hyped music video, which featured over 20 posters on her Instagram page leading up to the big reveal at the Billboard Music Awards, is the female action movie we have been waiting for. As Spencer Kornhaber said in The Atlantic:

“This is a fun imagining of an action-movie universe where women rule, a corrective to the Smurfette syndrome that, for example, forces Black Widow into being defined almost entirely by her entire gender while the men of ‘The Avengers’ enjoy a diverse set of storylines. All the ‘Bad Blood’ women have their own signature powers, gear, and personas—imagine that!”

Zendaya, Gigi Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Lily Aldridge, Martha Hunt, Lena Dunham, Jessica Alba (and the list goes on and on) aren’t just pretty faces waiting for a man to come save them. They are independent, bazooka-holding forces of nature that are walking through fire, explosions and other crazy visual effects to complete their goals.

Sure the video has its share of clichés, like Hadid’s compact-turned-throwing star or the notion that girls are catty and just can’t get along, but the bigger picture is so much more important. Swift is the anti-damsel in distress. She got kicked out of a glass window, picked herself back up and fought back. No more waiting on her balcony for the prince to slay the dragon. Would we have preferred that the dragon was something other than another woman? Sure, but again, the bigger picture is all about girl power, and hey just like male superheros have enemies, females can too.

Swift’s public persona has been infamously defined by her “boy-crazy” reputation, and she has made no qualms about the sexist questions and jokes she has endured about her dating life and her tendency to turn break ups into record-breaking albums. Just look at the list of song titles from her earlier albums, “Fearless” and “Speak Now,” like ‘Love Story,’ White Horse’ or ‘The Story of Us.’ It’s easy to see why pigeon-holing Swift into the “hopeless romantic” category was natural. But her most recent album “1989” says goodbye to that curly-haired country singer and ‘Bad Blood’ is the icing on the cake.

So how did Taylor Swift finally become the feminist we always knew she was?

This is the same Swift who was one asked if she was a feminist and responded by saying, “I don’t really think about things as guys versus girls,” she told The Daily Beast. “I never have. I was raised by parents who brought me up to think if you work as hard as guys, you can go far in life.”

One of the stars of this music video opened Swift’s eye, and is responsible for Swift’s transition. In an interview with The Guardian Swift said:

“As a teenager, I didn’t understand that saying you’re a feminist is just saying that you hope women and men will have equal rights and equal opportunities. What it seemed to me, the way it was phrased in culture, society, was that you hate men. And now, I think a lot of girls have had a feminist awakening because they understand what the word means. For so long it’s been made to seem like something where you’d picket against the opposite sex, whereas it’s not about that at all. Becoming friends with Lena – without her preaching to me, but just seeing why she believes what she believes, why she says what she says, why she stands for what she stands for – has made me realize that I’ve been taking a feminist stance without actually saying so.”

Whatever the social epithet, it is nice to see Swift not only taking that feminist stance but lighting it on fire and removing all doubt.

[via StyleBlazer]

If you follow Tamera Mowry-Housley on Instagram, you know she loves a good #OOTD pic.

So we thought it would be a good idea to take her down fashion memory lane, and look back at her “best” ’90s fashion choices.

From her Princess Leia gone wrong” hairstyle to a “Renaissance Fair” red carpet moment, Mowry does not hold back when it comes to breaking down what she was thinking when it came to those “cute at the time” ’90s outfits. And of course, those adorable twin outfits from ‘Sister Sister’.

While they did dress alike for a majority of their childhood, Mowry revealed it was when she was around 14 that she started dreading dressing exactly the same as her sister. “We didn’t have a problem wearing the same thing until we were 14,” Mowry said. “Once we hit 14 it was like this is getting kind of weird. So that is when we would match, but yeah.”

Watch the video above for a hilarious look at ’90s fashion with Tamera Mowry!

[via StyleBlazer]

Dr. Paul Nassif and Dr. Terry Dubrow went from being the husbands of Beverly Hills housewives to landing their own reality show.

Both plastic surgeons, they now star on “Botched,” a show dedicated to helping women and men whose lives have been ruined by plastic surgery mishaps. Right now, there is no bigger plastic surgery story then that of 17-year-old Kylie Jenner, and her extra pouty lips. She finally came clean on the family’s reality show, joining the story lines of Bruce Jenner’s transition and Khloe Kardashian’s never-ending divorce.

enner, who for months, circled around questions about her instantly plump lips, and spawned the Kylie Jenner Challenge craze, admitted to lip injections due to insecurities around her small pout.

Seeing as she comes from the family of selfie queen Kim Kardashian, we can’t really blame her. But is 17 years old too young for plastic surgery?

We spoke to Dr. Nassif and Dr. Dubrow about what they think about teens going under the knife, and what we can expect from the current season of “Botched.”

On what they think about Kylie Jenner and other teens getting plastic surgery: TD: “Apart from ears pinning and noses, we’re not into it. We don’t think it’s a good idea.

On discouraging young girls who come into your office from getting lip fillers: PN: “We just say no.” TD: “I will say our societies are mixed on it, and a lot of plastic surgeons who are board certified like we are, are ok with it. We are in the group that isn’t really ok with it.”

On the craziest botched plastic surgeries that you saw this season: PN: “They are coming up. really, you have to see the show. There is some incredible nasal traumas that I’ve never seen before in my life.” TD: “I had a woman who tried to get bigger and bigger breast implants to the point where it destroyed her breasts. And one of them even ruptured. But there was so much scar tissue and so much damage that they were basically impossible to fix, I didn’t know what to do. We went through this journey, it’s incredible.

On if they were able to do anything for Jordan James, the guy who wanted to look like Kim Kardashian: PN: “We wanted him to stop.” TD: “For his own good.” 

[via StyleBlazer]

It should not come as a surprise that Dylan Lauren found a way to merge her passion for candy and fashion.

She is the daughter of American fashion designer Ralph Lauren, and an entrepreneur in her own right, as the face of her eponymous candy bar.

Dylan has always partnered with brands and companies that appeal to people of all ages and aren’t afraid of bright colors. Through her candy store, she has collaborated with LeSportsac, Juicy Couture and Harajuku Lovers, as well as pop culture favorites like Hello Kitty and “The Wizard of Oz.”

Her most recent collaboration is with Havaianas flip flops, creating a line of rainbow-bright sandals that are perfect for summer, and reflect the whirly pop that Dylan’s Candy Bar is known for. While promoting her newest fusion of sugary sweets and style, we talked to Dylan Lauren about her love of candy, her ‘brother’ Kanye West and the best fashion advice she has ever gotten from her mom, because everyone always asks about dad.

Keep on reading for our latest exclusive:

On opening Dylan’s Candy Bar: “I love candy, and I really love candy for the colors, for the shapes and the textures. I went shopping a lot for candies, but I never saw all the designs and candies I’ve seen from my travels so I felt it was needed in this world.”

On her Havaianas x Dylan’s Candy Bar collaboration: “I love the idea of merging fashion and pop culture with candy, and Havaianas was interesting to us because they like that as well. And they take color really well with the shoes they make and we are all about color and fun. The other thing is we’re both companies that a lot of age groups like, so shoes can range old and young, and so can candy. It’s sort of an international thing the lollipops that we chose to put on the shoes, so it is recognized by their Brazilian customers and people all over.”

On her Memorial Day weekend plans: “I’ve been wearing these already, any warm weather I love putting on these shoes. I will be going down to the beach and I will be wearing my newly embellished sandals.”

On the best style advice she’s gotten from her mom: “She gives my dad style advice, (laughs). I think she is sort of a muse for him. She is really about good posture so it’s not about what you wear, but how you wear it and how you carry yourself that gives off beauty and confidence.”

Keep on reading for Dylan Lauren’s thoughts on the Ralph Lauren and Kanye West's bromance: 

[via StyleBlazer]

You might not know her by name, but you know her work.

Micaela Erlanger better known as Lupita Nyong’o’s stylist, and the mastermind behind her red carpet style was on hand for the 2015 Met Gala, and while Nyong’o was not there, the stylist had a handful of celebs to dress for fashion’s biggest night.

“This is my 3rd year and it is also the most clients I have had attending the event! I couldn’t be more excited, Erlanger told StyleBlazer.  “Each person has an individual take on the theme and it is going to be beautiful.”

On Erlanger’s styling list: “Hart of Dixie” star Jaime King, Olivia Munn, Ivanka Trump, Common & NFL player Aaron Rodgers.

King, who is expecting her second child, dressed up her bump for the night. She looked stunning in a red strapless Jason Wu for Hugo Boss gown, which was complimented by Forevermark Diamonds including 12.08 ctw drop earrings with pear and round-shaped diamonds and a 23.14 ctw line bracelet with cushion cut Forevermark Diamonds set in Platinum.

We talked to Erlanger about dressing for the “China: Through The Looking Glass” theme, how the Met Gala compares to other red carpets, and when it comes to Jaime King, how to dress a bump on the red carpet.

How does styling for the Met Gala compare to other red carpets?

“This is a carpet, which you can really have fun with. It’s all about embracing the art of fashion and design”

How does styling for the Met Gala compare to other red carpets? 

“I think it’s about understanding how to  interpret aspects of a theme. Touching on the aesthetic captures it in an understated way.”

How long have you been working with Jaime King? What were some concepts you had for her in terms of evening wear?

“Jaime and I just began working together so this was an exciting project. We knew we wanted to look to be elegant and modern. The Forevermark diamonds that we chose for Jaime’s dress couldn’t have been a more beautiful compliment to her overall look. Absolutely modern, sleek and elegant.”

How did she go about picking out the jewelry to compliment her look? 

“It’s always about simplicity and finding the right pieces to compliment the overall look.”

Dos and Donts’ for dressing the bump for an occasion like this? 

“Show it off and embrace that baby bump! ”

Favorite Met Gala red carpet moment? 

“I think this year might be my favorite one yet!”

[via StyleBlazer]

Before the May flowers, you have to experience the April showers, but doesn’t mean your fashion has to be gloomy and dreary.

Rain should never get in the way of style, and a little water never hurt anyone. From rainboots that can go from the street to the office, to weekend outfits that can go from day to night, we have your rainy day outfits to battle the sky gods with sass. The accessories are also key to a rainy day outfit, from bright umbrellas to bold and colorful handbags. Just because the sun isn’t shining doesn’t mean you can’t rock a bright yellow daisy purse. You’ll see what we are talking about.

And if you are not a fan of rainboots. Don’t worry we have options from a classic pair of Chuck Taylors to leather boots that can battle the elements just as good. Casual, chic or workwear, we have the rainy day outfits that will have you out the door and jumping over puddles in a snap.

Check out the gallery below for some rainy day inspiration:

While the word tomboy and style are seldom used in the same sentence, Cassidy is putting a fresh spin on the term. She launched a style blog called Tomboy KC with her best friend Lynsey Eaton, and together they are proving sneakers can just as fashion-forward as stilletos, and to never underestimate the power of a blazer.

“Today’s modern woman can get away with wearing a lot more,” Cassidy said. “Being sexy doesn’t necessarily mean wearing less clothing. I think it comes from a confidence you have within.”

So when it comes to the “Arrow” star’s personal style, don’t expect her to be following trends.

“I’m not necessarily following what’s trending or what’s not. I think personal style is what is important to me,” Cassidy said. “I love blazers, I love sneakers. I love looking like it was effortless.”

We spoke with Cassidy about her effortless style, her fashion tips for festival season, and what it is like to play a superhero. Keep reading for our latest exclusive:

On starting a style blog: “I’ve always had a passion for fashion. Ever since I was a little girl I remember I would play dress up with my mom’s stuff. I wasn’t necessarily always going with trends, it was just always another creative outlet for me. It was just me expressing myself. And then I met my friend five years ago and she was a lawyer in Los Angeles and we both bonded over fashion. The two of us would just get together, we would hang out, we would shop and we would talk about fashion.  I was more of a tomboy and she was more girly, so we balanced each other out in a really cool way. That was the creation of Tomboy KC.”

On her personal style: “I like more masculine things. I shouldn’t even say masculine, I think the right word is more non-gender. I love blazers, I love sneakers. I love looking like it was effortless. If I go into my closet and I think too much, that is when I end up like a disaster. A lot of my personal style, I’ll get inspiration from men. Blazers, jackets, or whatever it may be, I’ll look at their stuff and see how I can incorporate it into my wardrobe. You just have to be able to be comfortable in your own skin. Don’t over think it.”

On style tips she learned from her BFF and partner: “She taught me a lot with accessories. I would stay away from chunky necklaces and chunky earrings. She has given me insight on how to put it together. You can have a white t-shirt and be wearing a pair of leather pants and black pumps and by throwing on a big chunky necklace you give it that night feel. It was like the door was open half way and she opened the door the whole entire way, and I love it.”

Go-to street style outfit: “I love ripped up jeans and a pair of sandals with a button down. Throw on a leather jacket and a chunky necklace with that. You have to be able to play. I look at my closet and think where am I going and my shoes. If I am going to wear Stuart Weitzman boots that come over your knee, I try to balance it out with what I am wearing on top. It’s about balancing it out.”

If anyone deserves the title of “supermodel” it is Coco Rocha.

However, she does not see it that way.

“I don’t consider myself a supermodel,” she said when we spoke to her at the press preview of her Cinderella for HSN collection. “I consider myself maybe a top model. If other people give me that title I am honored, but it was a generation.”

Citing flapper dancers as an example, she went on to explain that we might remember the era and  can still dance like flappers but it was a generation that can’t be repeated. The same is true of the supermodel generation that included Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Stephanie Seymour and Claudia Schiffer.

When asked about Crawford’s recent remarks about the “heyday” of supermodels being over, Rocha agreed 100 percent.

“Supermodels was an era, it was a moment,” she said. “It will never return. There will always be famous models and celebrity models, but if you were born in the ’80s or ’90s, you are not. For the girls that are doing well now, they’re doing amazing, but I consider them just celebrity models.”

Rocha, who is expecting her first child this year, also spoke to us about her NYFW experience with a baby bump, her advice for young models and what she thinks about babies at the front row.

On babies in the front row: “I was wondering that. I don’t know, yeah, probably. I have some really great designers friends that would be like ‘I’m going to design a little outfit for your little baby.’ To every show probably not, but there will be one, I’m sure there will be.”

On front row vs. runway:  “It’s always a mix. Sometimes I love sitting down and just watching. It definitely is an honor because they could just not invite you. I like to also support the designers that have always supported me, so I try to do that and watch the shows I love. Then there are moments, that I’m like that such a great lineup, love the music this is getting me pumped and I’m ready get on the runway but you can’t.”

On her advice to young models: “Have your identity. Figure out what you want to say because there are thousands of models out there, that’s what makes you different. They’re all beautiful so you have to have something that people go ‘aha! She’s beautiful like the rest of them, but there is something about her that makes me want to use her.’ So whatever that is, whether you speak out or you have a talent that no one else has keep that in mind. Just know that you can say no and people will respect you, but you have to make the first step. It’s up to the girl to take the first step.”

[via StyleBlazer]

Brunch is a way of life in New York City.

However, with a brunch spot on every corner, it can be hard to narrow down your search. From the Lower East Side to Brooklyn, the unlimited mimosas and avocado toasts being served are endless.

To help you pick the best brunch spots in the city, we reached out to our favorite fashion insiders for their go-to brunch spots. From fashion bloggers to editors to stylists, these ladies know where to go to see, be seen and eat some really great food.

Bloggers like Nadia Aboulhosn, Kat Tanita and Natalie Suarez shared their favorite brunch spots, along with By Way of Brooklyn Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kim, and the creator of one of our favorite Instagrams, @hotgirlseatingpizza Marta Freedman.

Whether you want a traditional breakfast or want to try something new, (ramen noodles anyone?), with over 20 restaurants listed, we have something for everyone.

Check out the gallery below for the best brunch spots in NYC, according to our favorite fashion insiders:

[via StyleBlazer]

This New York Fashion Week, we went behind the scenes with 15-year-old fashion blogger Callie Reiff, of Callie's Street Chic, for a week filled with runway shows, front row selfies and wardrobe changes.

Reiff, who is also a model and DJ, has been attending NYFW since the age of 13, and she gave us a sneak peek at what a typical day at NYFW is like. Along with filling us in on what she can't leave her home without and and what exactly goes behind putting together the perfect NYFW outfit, Reiff proved fashion does not have to be expensive. She put together several outfits for us with pieces from H&M and Forever 21, and also shared some of her fashion must-haves which included white hoodies, beanies (for those bad hair days) and Dr. Martens boots.

Check out the video above to go behind the scenes with Callie Reiff at NYFW Fall 2015!

There is no doubt that the Congo was Christian Siriano’s inspiration for his Fall 2015 collection.

Even before the models took to the runway, the stage was set against a backdrop of leafy green plants and shrubbery and zebra print lit up the floor.

When speaking about the inspiration behind his Congo-inspired collection, Siriano said, “I was drawn to the home of the silverback gorilla along with other exotic and exquisite creatures. These animals echoed through sleek burnout wool textured dresses, bold animal printed jacquard coats and liquid panther-like velvet evening looks. I wanted the collection to feel luxe and sophisticated but still playful through the ease and fluidity of the silhouettes.”

And he did just that. Using the flora and fauna of the Central African Republic, Siriano showcased a collection that is equal parts fierce and feminine. From the tiger print cashmere coat to the floral sheath dress with bell sleeves, Siriano was able to bring the dark clothes to life using petal and palm tree appliques in bold, rich colors.

[via StyleBlazer]

Kat Dahlia might not be a household name right now, but that might all change in 2015.

It’s been a bumpy ride for the Cuban-American singer/rapper, who just released her debut album, “My Garden.” Last year, the 24-year-old discovered she had a cyst on her vocal cords, and underwent 8 months of therapy before getting back in the studio and finishing her album.

“It was an emotional roller coaster ride,” Dahlia told us in an exclusive interview of completing the album, which she described as the best songs she wrote in the past three years.

Now, she is finally enjoying the ride and talking about her new album, her musical influence and her style rules (or lack thereof).

When you ask Dahlia who her musical influences are, it sounds more like a record store’s inventory than the inspiration of a Latina artist. However, when you listen to her album, it all makes sense.

“It’s a mixture of genres,” Dahlia said when asked to describe her music. “It’s a little bit of pop, hip-hop, reggae and R&B. Lyrically, it’s a lot of story telling. I’m influenced by everybody from Boyz II Men to Bob Marley to Mariah Carey. A little bit of everything.”

So why did Dahlia decide to name her album “My Garden”?

Keep reading here.

A dance party broke out at the finale of Libertine’s Fall 2015 show, and it was the perfect way to show off such as bright and lively collection.

The collection, which focused heavily on outwear, got inspiration from surrealism, youthfulness and India. Our favorite piece was the light blue fur collar coat with a Dali-esque landscape with a punk twist, that was also featured on a leather bomber jacket, and a men’s leather jacket and hoodie.

The coats were the highlight of the collection, with designs ranging from cobalt blue coat embellished with silver birds  to a black cape with French words embroidered in metallic thread. The brightly colored embroidered dresses inspired by India added finese to the runway, but it was the accessories such as the crystal ball clutches and gold thread manicures that grabbed out attention.

One sweater featured a telephone and the words “Hello Lovely” patch while a panda made its way onto a men’s sweatshirt. To accompany the models down the runway,  the playlist was a mix of Marky Mark, Jingle Bells and classical music, as if someone’s iPod was just left on shuffle, but in a good way.

It was slightly cartoonish, but that is what we love about Libertine. Fashion should be fun, and Libertine did a great job of reminding us of that.

[via StyleBlazer]

Known for her role in “The Vampire Diaries,” the singer/actress/dancer is ready to add another title to her resume.

Kate Graham is now a producer, and her short film “Muse,” which was inspired by the French noir films of Bogart and Hepburn, will premiere online February 10.

“People look at me and their like, ‘Are you a singer, or are you an actress or what do you do?’ and I’m like I do both, and I really like producing and people don’t know that about me. I wanted to push myself hard and wanted to produce my first film. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would do a short film, I never thought that I would have enough of a pull to do a short fulm, but I had to make it. It’s a very inspired time for me.”

It’s no surprise that Graham has teamed up with Degree Women for the Grammys red carpet to recognize women who push boundaries to stay at the top of the game.

“A Degree is woman, is an empowered, fierce, fearless, gamechanger woman. It’s fun, and it’s a sexy brand and it’still s all about being active and going for your goals and pushing yourself harder, and longer and stronger. What woman wouldn’t want to be a degree woman?”

And fierce, fearless and gamechanger are words we would use to describe Graham’s personal philosophy, on and off the red carpet.

Here is what Graham had to stay about the inspiration behind her acting, producing and scoring a short film, getting ready for the Grammys and keeping her eyebrows on fleek:

What do you do to get ready for the Grammys?  “Just stare at myself in the mirror for hours, and make sure my eyebrows are perfect,” she said jokingly.  “I try to keep it super calm. I’m going to do my own makeup, because I really trust myself at this point.  I drink a lot of water… It’s really just preparing for the night, so you can do your hair and everything. You have to make sure you have bobby pins, make sure you are covered, all that stuff.”

How would you describe your style, and who are your style inspirations? “I try to keep it 90s couture, or menswear, so Grace Jones, Pharrell, vintage ’90s Madonna and Janet Jackson, and Prince is my heart, so him. I like things that feel a little different, that push the boundary. I dress for myself, everything I do is because I believe in it, I really believe in it. And at that moment, that fashion decision, even if I get crap for it later, at that moment I really believed that was the right thing to wear and I was feeling it. Fashion is also part of my art.”

What was the inspiration behind producing a short film:  “I’m from Geneva, Switzerland. I’m all about being an American girl, but I really love Europe. I love France, and I love going to Cannes and being in Paris. I love the romance and the mystery, and I love French film makers, and French narratives, and actors and directors. So I wanted to take something that I had been inspired by and turn it into a film that I scored. It is so different from my single, ‘1989’ because it’s a score for a film, so I purposefully sonically made them very different.”

What is your best beauty advice? “I am a big eyebrow girl. My family is Israeli so we are all about eyebrows.  I draw the same face on myself for every carpet.  A little contour, a little highlight, a little glow and some eyelashes. I use a lot of makeup remover wipes before bed, and I drink a lot of water. Using primer is also really important because it really makes your makeup last a lot longer.”

What are your Valentine’s Day plans? “I had a Valentine’s for like six years so I’m good. Maybe I’ll just be with my girls, clink some glasses and just be silly and have each other. I’ll make it about self-love and self-happiness and have my girls and we’ll make it about each other.”

Are you a “Fifty Shades of Grey” fan? “I am a big Spongebob Squarepants fans, and I saw they did a little spoof. “Mr. Squarepants will see you now.”

[via StyleBlazer]