They say trends come and go... and eventually, they come back again. This fall, we're seeing that notion play out firsthand — literally, on our fingernails. When it comes to nail-art trends for the upcoming season, retro is all the rage, with the best manicures of the '90s — like French tips and bright-blue butterfly prints — having a major moment.
According to Rita de Alencar Pinto, Founder of NYC's Vanity Projects salon, the throwback nail-art trend echoes a larger cultural revival. "This '90s throwback trend that we've been seeing both in music and pop culture has sparked nail-art inspiration," Pinto explains. "All of this season's biggest nail trends are resurgent: deep-white French, rainbows, and butterflies."
Ahead, find the six breakout nail-art looks for fall 2019. Scroll through to find your new favorite look — which might just be a fresh take on your middle-school mani.
Animal Accents
Think Scary Spice's leopard jumpsuit, but a subtler take. The animal-print trending for fall is a soft, speckled tortoiseshell, more specifically, in this minimalist halfsie design.
Deep French
Pinto tells us that this French manicure style, classified by its heavy tip, has seen a major comeback. "We started seeing it a little bit last year, but after Bella Hadid wore a deep-French manicure, it really re-energized the trend, and it's been a huge request at the salon ever since," Pinto says.
Painting every nail a different color was big in middle school, and it's back in a big way. According to nail pro Taryn Multack, fall will be all about the rainbow French hybrid. "It's a simple design with an unexpected twist," she explains. "The color combinations are endless."
'90s Butterflies
Apparently, bellybutton rings, low-rise jeans, and nude lip liner are all on the rise, bringing classic butterfly decals with them, too. Kylie Jenner recently gave the trend a major endorsement.
Pearl Appliqués
Not-your-grandma's pearl accessories are trending, and nail art is following suit. "Pearl jewelry has been a huge trend moment for 2019, and nails will mirror that for fall," explains nail pro and Essie educator, Rita Remark. "Instead of pearlescent polish, try the more unexpected 3D, press-on appliqués."
Like this post? There's more. Get tons of beauty tips, tutorials, and inspiration on the Refinery29 Pinterest page — we'll see you there!
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It's been just over a year since Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in a ceremony at Windsor Castle, making her the Duchess of Sussex. Although the royal wedding is old news, the one thing that hasn't stopped being a topic of conversation from that day is Markle's bridal hair and makeup.
Her naturally flushed cheeks and nape-grazing chignon became a go-to reference for brides. In fact, one year later, you'll still find images of Markle on many bridal inspiration boards on Pinterest. Now, we're learning that Markle — like many other brides — used the platform to plan her wedding-day makeup look.
Her longtime makeup artist, Daniel Martin, reveals that the two turned to Pinterest for the big day. "We exchanged Pinterest pictures over text," Martin, who did the Duchess' makeup for her wedding, told beauty podcast Gloss Angeles. "Pinterest is an incredible tool to use as a reference."
Their Pinterest exchange worked so well that the two didn't even have a makeup trial beforehand — which can also be attributed to the fact that they both have busy schedules and live in different parts of the world. The final look was barely-there foundation that showed off her freckles, fluffy lashes, dark liner, and a neutral smoky eye with a pale pink lip.
In the podcast episode, Martin also reveals that the custom Givenchy dress played a role in their decision to go for minimal makeup. "The dress [was] so architectural that if she had any more makeup on, you wouldn’t have even looked at the dress and that’s not what that moment is about," he told hosts Kirbie Johnson and Sara Tan.
Since the May 2018 royal wedding, Markle's makeup look has served as inspiration for many, including Karlie Kloss who told Refinery29 that she looked to Markle when planning her special day. While Markle can be a good reference point, Martin urges brides to keep it to their own personal style, whether that's natural or bold. "You can’t stray too far from who you want to be and who you are," he says. "The last thing you want to do is look at pictures and be like, 'I wasn’t comfortable in looking like that.'" And that's where Pinterest comes in handy: "It’s finding those elements that you admire and you want to aspire to achieve, but at the same time, you have to have a sense of who you are in there," he says.
Now, if only we can get a glimpse into Markle's other Pinterest boards. Possibly, recipes? Or, house decor for Frogmore Cottage?
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Lena Dunham is this month's Domino cover girl, and in addition to a gorgeous piece of writing discussing her aesthetic identity and relationship to the concept of home, the Girls creator (who is currently working on another project with HBO) has gifted us a look at her never-before-seen current residence in downtown Manhattan.
Dunham, whose parents are both visual artists, recalls growing up with a mother who loved home design and moving around ("it’s a miracle that they survived the Williamsburg rental with the black lacquered kitchen and faux Warhol wallpaper," she writes of her parents). She also speaks frankly about buying a home with an ex (Jack Antonoff) and decorating the place by herself while he was away, only for him to come home and hate it. After they broke up, she writes, she panicked and bought another place in what she calls a "massive real estate mistake." "I never even moved in, and magazines wrote about it when I sold it at a loss. I was real-estate shamed," she writes.
But this sad story has a happy ending! Dunham's current West Village home, which boasts pastel colors, printed chairs, and the requisite quirky touches one might expect of the woman who created Hannah Horvath and the gang, is a sight to behold. Scroll on for five things we learned about the place, then read the rest of Dunham's essay and see more images on Domino.
Ariel Okin Designed It
Ariel Okin, one of our favorite interior designers who also helped design signature look of The Wing (which was founded by Dunham's BFF Audrey Gelman), is responsible for, as Dunham puts it, "arrang[ing] the things I’ve accumulated in an inventive and loving way."
On Instagram, Okin wrote: "eternally grateful for @lenadunham, who let me be the jewish mom that i (almost) am, and gave me full reign to make her a home in the city, monogrammed towels and all."
Furniture by 20th century Italian architect and designer Ettore Sottsass is having a serious moment. Dunham, who owns one of his signature Ultrafragola mirrors, joins a list of famous fans that include La Ligne founder Meredith Melling, musician Frank Ocean, art collector Raquel Cayre, interior designer Sasha Bikoff, Girlboss fouder Sophia Amoruso, and fashion editor Laurel Pantin.
"The Ultrafragola is having a moment because it’s functional AND cool (it’s the ultimate selfie mirror. It’s a light! It glows!)," explains Domino editor-in-chief Jessica Romm Perez. "Sottsass was the cool dad of the Memphis Movement and inspired so many designers, as well as current creative visionaries I admire like Anna Karlin, Camille Walala, and Sabine Marcelis."
But Dunham doesn't stop there; her place also boasts a shelf and table (seen here) by Sottsass. "This Ettore Sottsass mirror is everything to me. The neon pink light creates the best mood," she writes.
As the child of artists and a product of the downtown art scene, it comes as no surprise that Dunham has an enviable art collecting featuring the likes of Lisa Yuskavage and Rob Pruitt (pictured here). Of course, paintings by her father Carroll Dunham are also in the mix. And she has a framed copy of her Vogue cover, which, you know what? We would too.
In fashion and home design alike, feminine pastel colors are trending. But there's a fine line between a room that's girly-cool and a place that looks like your fourth grade bedroom. Okin and Dunham nailed this balance by piling on pastel patterns — which are edgier and more interesting than just having one or two solid colors — and integrating brighter accents like a printed table lamp sourced from 1stdibs and the blue birds on the table.
The painting is by Kristen Reichert, who told Talking With The Pros, "In general, it’s always my goal to pick colors that play off one another in an interesting way and create a certain captivation. I find colors to be so intriguing and complex and I try to capture those complex relationships in my paintings."
From cat-embroidered pillows by Hill House Home to sheets and monogrammed bath towels by Matouk, Dunham clearly respects the importance of comfy-yet-chic linens and towels. She also writes that she enjoy eating in bed — a woman after our own heart.
“Someone said, I’ve got 99 problems, and CBD fixes 86 of them,” recalls Bethany Gomez, managing director of Brightfield Group, a market research firm that specializes in cannabis and CBD. She’s referencing an often-Instagrammed meme, but if you talk to anyone who swears by CBD, they’ll probably say something along the lines of that quote. Jay-Z would likely turn his nose up at this lyrical adjustment of his iconic 2003 song, “99 Problems.” But, then again, even Jay-Z is involved in the CBD industry. CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is the non-psychoactive compound found in marijuana and hemp, and it’s 2019’s go-to wellness panacea.
Technically, CBD can only definitively “fix” one problem: epilepsy. In 2018, Epidiolex, a drug containing a purified marijuana-derived form of CBD, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for preventing seizures caused by two rare forms of pediatric epilepsy. All the other uses for CBD are up in the air as far as their effectiveness. That fact hasn’t stopped people — 22 million consumers in 2019 — from experimenting with variations of this drug to self-treat symptoms ranging from endometriosis to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, migraines, insomnia, generalized anxiety disorder, and more.
Some promising research on humans has demonstrated CBD’s ability to reduce social anxiety, psychotic symptoms in people with schizophrenia, and cravings for heroin — but the results of these studies haven’t been conclusive, explains Jeff Chen, MD, MBA, and the executive director of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative. This lack of data, however, hasn’t stopped this new industry from flourishing.
Cannabis’ standing in the cultural zeitgeist shifted from a stigmatized drug to a powerful plant containing one of the most beneficial molecules of all time to those who swear by it.
To understand why CBD is everywhere right now, you have to go back and look at the Farm Bill of 2018. Every five years, our government passes a new Farm Bill or Act, which covers everything from farming, food, forestry, and rural communities. Last year, however, this Bill was particularly contentious due to President Trump’s tariff fight with China, which resulted in farm workers seeing huge declines in the profits from their products. (The Asian nation is one of the largest importers of U.S. agriculture.) While this Bill mainly covered things such as insurance protections for farmers and funding for farmers markets, it also differentiated hemp, a variety of cannabis, from the illegal drug marijuana, and reclassified it as an agricultural commodity, subsidizing some of the money farmers were losing due to tariffs.
At the same time, the Goopy world of wellness exploded into a $4.2 trillion dollar industry. Women — who historically have been disbelieved by doctors and have had their chronic pain conditions dismissed — started to seek out alternative ways to treat their ailments. Enter crystals, Whole30, celery juice, elaborate self-care routines, sleep coaches, infrared saunas, and of course, CBD. Cannabis’ standing in the cultural zeitgeist shifted from a stigmatized drug to a powerful plant containing one of the most beneficial molecules of all time to those who swear by it. But when it comes to self-experimentation in wellness, it doesn’t really matter that nobody knows how or if CBD actually works. This willingness to believe the unknown and the 2018 Farm Bill created the perfect storm for enterprising individuals to sell us anything and everything embossed with the three-letter acronym. Before the Bill, CBD was promoted exclusively through word-of-mouth advertising, and sold through independent channels. Now, it’s on track to becoming a $23 billion dollar industry by 2023.
I first heard about CBD last year from a friend who, like me, gets chronic migraines. She suggested I try a high-potency, full-spectrum CBD tincture from a company called Lazarus Naturals, which provides discounted CBD products for veterans, individuals on long-term disability, and low-income households. It helped her significantly reduce the frequency of her headaches, so I was hopeful it would work for me, too. Surprisingly, it kinda did. No, it hasn’t quelled my pain completely, but it does help reduce some of the physical discomfort and accompanying anxiety I get whenever a migraine strike. I enjoyed it so much, I started trying other CBD brands even when I didn’t have a migraine — such as Lord Jones Royal Oil Tincture and Sunday Scaries Vegan Gummies — and found that, with regular use, I’m calmer and have an easier time focusing.
April Ann, a 31-year-old from Los Angeles, started taking CBD at the end of the day to wind down after work and high-intensity workouts. As a “naturally high-energy” person who drinks a lot of caffeine, but isn’t into drinking alcohol, she liked that CBD made her feel relaxed, but not sluggish or intoxicated. “I can tell the CBD is working,” she says. “I'm not looking at email or thinking about work, but just sitting down and watching my favorite TV shows, and not worrying about the stress of the day or what I have to do tomorrow.”
Elizabeth Andreassen, a 26-year-old in New York City, started using a CBD tincture during a period of time when she was experiencing anxiety, and feeling a constant sinking feeling in her stomach. “That went away within minutes after taking the tincture drops under the tongue,” she shares. Megan Tatem, a 27-year-old also in New York, says she can tell when CBD is working because she’s “no longer moody.” There have also been reports of people ditching their prescription psychiatric and pain medications for CBD without the blessing of their physicians.
But others find that CBD doesn’t affect them at all. Jay K.*, a 34-year-old real estate broker in New York says he purchased CBD oil and capsules at a trendy coffee shop, and felt nothing, even after taking seemingly high doses. “After several attempts at feeling something and seeing how it was marketed, I realized it was snake oil,” he says. I fed a few Lord Jones CBD Gumdrops to my mom, who suffers from chronic insomnia, and not only did it not help her sleep issues, but she also felt nothing.
If someone really believes that CBD is “working” — whatever that means for them — then they’re more likely to experience the effects.
Researchers haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact physiological mechanism that makes CBD “work” so well for so many issues, explains Flávio Kapczinski, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton McMaster University. In simplest terms, it’s thought that CBD acts by modulating the endocannabinoid system, which is a complex network that’s responsible for maintaining bodily homeostasis and modulating pain and inflammation. Cannabinoids, such as CBD, can bind to specific endocannabinoid receptors and make you feel different ways. “There are a lot of expectations about the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids,” Dr. Kapczinski says. “These expectations are probably inflated right now.”
Exaggerated expectations and the placebo effect can go a long way, though. The different ways that people use CBD are all over the place, and there are no codified dosage recommendations, so all people can really rely on to show that CBD is effective are their own experiences. If someone really believes that CBD is “working” — whatever that means for them — then they’re more likely to experience the effects. And if people really believe that they’re feeling the results that they want to, then they’re more likely to trust the product and tell their friends.
There are very few side effects associated with taking CBD, even in large doses. And, in the short term, Dr. Chen from UCLA says it’s relatively safe. But there are still a lot of question marks, including how CBD affects pregnant people, whether CBD interferes with other drugs, and especially the potential long-term effects. (CBD has been shown to boost the effects, good and bad, of other drugs.) Some people argue that humans have been safely using cannabis for decades, so in theory CBD should be fine, too. But that’s not an easy comparison to make.
“CBD sold online or in stores isn’t regulated by any state or federal agency,” Dr. Chen says. “So, it really could have a very different amount of CBD in it that’s labeled, or it could contain contaminants.” (The Food & Drug Administration, which evaluates and approves all prescription drug products, hasn’t approved any other CBD products besides Epidiolex. However, the organization “recognizes the significant public interest in cannabis and cannabis-derived compounds, particularly CBD.”)
As a CBD-user, you have to be careful about the products you’re choosing to ensure that you’re getting the safest, most effective form. Dr. Chen recommends buying CBD from larger retailers that you already trust — such as Whole Foods, CVS, Walgreens, or Kroger — so you have some level of certainty that these stores have done their due diligence to make sure the products they're selling are as safe as can be and properly dosed. Or, if you have the option in your state, go to a legal cannabis dispensary to get CBD, because those products are regulated tightly. “If you want to buy outside those parameters you have to do your own research,” he says. (Obviously, letting your doctor know that you’re using CBD can be beneficial as well.)
There’s no telling what the future of CBD will look like. Hemp farmers and CBD manufacturers are still waiting for official rules and regulations around hemp growing and cultivation to be finalized and released from the USDA. There are also different rules for different strengths of CBD in different states, and while it’s technically legal to travel across state lines with hemp-derived CBD products containing less than 0.3% THC, the TSA only recently said it’s cool to travel with it.
CBD brands meanwhile are waiting eagerly to see how states harmonize with the upcoming USDA regulations, and how that change affects the way they do business, explains Dylan Summers, Director of Government Affairs for Lazarus Naturals. “The ideal scenario is that we'd like to keep the trend alive for as long as possible,” he adds. “We’re certainly in a good spot; sales are climbing.”
These sales are climbing mainly due to millennials and Gen Z, who are buying and using CBD with great fervor and reporting even greater success. In the end, in today’s hectic and manic world, it simply makes them feel better. That there’s little scientific proof to back up their own experiences is irrelevant. These demos will only get older and develop more ailments that’ll need some sort of treatment. For now, CBD seems to fit that bill.
* Name has been changed to protect identity.
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Think back to when you watched Bodyguard last year: heart racing, lump in your throat, a profound mistrust of every single character. It was torturous and we all loved it, which is why you’ll be thrilled to tune into the BBC’s latest crime thriller offering. Buckle up for The Capture.
An eerie, acoustic cover of “Somebody's Watching Me” is the soundtrack to the show’s trailer, which should give you a fairly big clue about where this series is going to go. But allow us to talk you through the backstory. Ex-soldier Shaun Emery (Callum Turner) has just had his conviction for a murder in Afghanistan overturned. At the trial back home in London, the court finds the video footage that had originally implicated him is actually flawed when a videography expert explains that the lag between video and audio on soldiers' helmet cameras makes the footage pretty unreliable.
With his name cleared, Shaun heads to the pub with his legal team, friends and family to celebrate. (It’s worth noting here that he’s not drinking, though. He stopped a little while ago.) Though he’s excited to have the weight of the conviction off his shoulders, Shaun’s still on edge. An old friend makes a misguided joke about what happened in Afghanistan and Shaun’s overcome by anger. He’s hurt, defensive and clearly worried about his reputation. But his priority now is to rebuild a relationship with his primary school-age daughter and forge a life for himself back on home soil.
Of course, we’ve been set up to know that it’s never going to be that simple. Cut to Shaun just getting into bed in the room he’s staying in at his granddad’s house. A storm of armed police wake them both up and take Shaun into custody under the instruction of newly promoted DI Rachel Carey (Holliday Grainger). She’s received a call alerting her to an abduction that has taken place in the time between Shaun leaving the pub and getting home. He and his car were spotted in CCTV footage and, given his very recent conviction (despite being found not guilty in the end), Rachel goes in heavy-handed to take him down. She’s desperate to prove herself in her new department, you see. Once she’s proved she can run a case such as this one, she’ll be able to progress even higher in the police force and move into a counter-terrorism unit.
“You’re under suspicion for assault and kidnapping,” Rachel tells Shaun when they eventually sit down for questioning. He’s adamant that he didn’t do it so they show him the capture – the CCTV footage they have suggesting otherwise. It shows a completely different scenario from the one we watched earlier in the episode. Shaun tells the officers that it’s not him on camera and what they’re watching didn’t actually happen. The police suggest Shaun might've been under the influence and he reminds them that he doesn't drink. Rachel wonders if PTSD from his army service might've played a role but Shaun's not been diagnosed. Can we argue with a video that seems to show what happened pretty damn clearly, though? If your answer is no, you’re about to have everything you thought you knew (and trusted) about national security and surveillance challenged and, spoiler alert, it’s not very pleasant.
All sorts are thrown into question over the following five episodes. There's fake news and the impact it has on cases like this one. If intelligence services can monitor us all the time, can they interfere with what they're recording and to what end? How can we tell and who can we trust if a seemingly watertight narrative is put in front of us? Maybe Big Brother isn't just watching, maybe he’s meddling, too.
The Capture starts on BBC One on Tuesday 3rd September at 9pm
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I have a love-hate relationship with afro hair shops. If I pass one on my travels, there’s a high probability I’ll venture in, even when I don’t need anything. Nothing pleases me more than floor-to-ceiling aisles of brightly coloured packaging, the contents of which I know will make my hair smell like a tropical fruit cocktail.
Afro hair is a multimillion pound industry, with black women estimated to spend six times more on haircare than other women – but there's a problem. While afro hair shops are an Aladdin's cave of pre-poos, butters, leave-in products and wigs, they are often staffed by so-called 'professionals' who, despite not having a single strand of afro hair knowledge, regularly serve hundreds of consumers a week.
Afro hair shops up and down the country are often owned and run by all-male teams of south Asian descent. In many instances, they offer advice and recommend products to women who are predominantly black or have curly hair, despite not having any qualifications, insight or personal experience of these hair types and their complexities. It's no wonder, then, that women feel let down.
“Before it was my job to immerse myself in the haircare world I felt so out of my depth in afro hair shops,” Akesha Reid, digital editor at Hairdresser's Journal, told R29. “As much as it's great to have so much choice, I was baffled by the differences in products that looked the same. The people that work in these shops seemed more interested in pushing their own agenda on what they needed to sell than actually knowing what's good for my hair type.” Akesha suggests this could be why peer-to-peer natural haircare blogs and YouTube reviews have become so popular in recent years. She also points out the risks of potentially unregulated products, which are often imported and stocked in afro hair shops. “In many cases, you can buy imported products that don't have any other presence in the UK, such as distributors or UK representation. This can be dangerous, especially considering the chemicals that live in products like relaxers and dyes.”
When I put this question to my Instagram followers, most were on the same page. “I never ask the staff, even when they tend to advise you on what to buy,” commented one. “I go in and pick up what I know and what I'm used to.” Another wrote: “I have to educate myself through recommendations from people I know personally, YouTube reviews, online forums, as well as researching product ingredients at length. It’s mad annoying that we can’t access the advice and information we need from in-store professionals but the service just doesn’t exist right now.”
The general customer service is often under scrutiny, too, as women have reported prejudice or discrimination. The issue of afro hair shops turns more sour when you acknowledge the array of skin 'bleaching' and lightening products on sale alongside hair items, which often contain potent ingredients at illegal concentrations, such as hydroquinone, which are either banned in the EU or have to be prescribed by a medical professional. It is remarkable to see brands that want you to invest in and embrace your natural hair texture stocked alongside skin bleaching products that destroy natural skin colour. It seems that afro hair shops, which have become synonymous with the black cosmetics industry in the UK, are failing the very same consumer they aim to serve.
Up until recently, there was no representation when shopping for afro hair products in high street beauty chains.
When it comes to hair and hair products, a flood of online hair businesses have emerged in response to bad reviews of bricks-and-mortar afro hair shops. Many of them use Instagram to draw in consumers who have had enough of being fed misinformation in store and bombarded with unnecessary (and sometimes unsafe) products and bad quality hair. Yet despite filling a gap in the market, many of these online brands just aren't cutting it for consumers, especially when it comes to purchasing hair.
Jazmin Kopotsha, R29's entertainment editor, has had many a bad experience while shopping online. “Like many of us, I've turned to online deliveries when I've not been able to (or wanted to avoid) going to a physical hair shop,” said Jazmin. “The trouble is, as well as the barrier of not being able to physically touch things like hair to check its quality (I've ordered Remy human hair and received a synthetic hot mess that rivals my 18-year-old Cindy dolls), lots of online retailers are getting a reputation for awful service. They might look sleek and glossy on Instagram, but looking through the comments you'll see lots of complaints from customers about not having received their orders, or not having emails responded to or queries answered. It's really frustrating. Demand is so high, especially since extensions have become much more mainstream.” Sadly, Jazmin mentions that consumer defeat never has much of an effect on the people selling, because there are only so many alternative retailers to turn to.
Buying safe and regulated products is slowly becoming simpler thanks to the emergence of trustworthy black British female-owned businesses, which have entered the market to cater for the specific needs of afro and curly hair. Using social media platforms to showcase products and build their communities, brand founders can empathise with their consumers and offer unprecedented access to quality ingredients, targeted solutions and a premium experience. Antidote Street is one such platform, amalgamating a beautiful e-commerce store with expert content on understanding hair textures, product reviews and personalised hair advice. Akesha, herself an afro hair expert, agrees: “Antidote Street is great for a highly curated edit of premium products.”
Speaking to R29, Antidote Street's CEO Winnie Awa, who recently made the transition to natural hair, said that she was compelled to change the status quo in the black hair industry as a result of her own frustrations with the alternatives available at the time. With a clear focus on education, Antidote Street works with professional trichologists and hair experts. “That way, we can provide digestible content on how to care for hair,” said Winnie. “Knowledge is power and we believe in arming our customers with the best so that they can make the right choice.”
Its tightly curated edit includes Dizziak, dreamed up by beauty journalist Loretta De Feo, who, like Winnie, launched her brand out of necessity. “It blew my mind that the big companies ignored the market for so long,” she told R29. “First and foremost, I am the consumer, and if I wanted healthy, effective products that looked and smelled great for my beauty routine, I knew others would too.” With Dizziak now stocked in Liberty and Selfridges, Loretta has created a brand that transcends demographics and specific hair types by focusing on hydration and proven ingredients.
However, premium products demand premium prices, and while black women reportedly spend more on hair than the national average, there have to be accessible options at all price points. Up until recently, there was no representation when shopping for afro hair products in high street beauty chains, despite the UK's large black and ethnically diverse population. Ronke Adeyemi, founder of brownbeautytalk believes this has had a negative impact on many women's self-esteem. “Every black woman I know talks about having had difficulty finding products for her hair when growing up,” she told R29. “Not only are we passionate about our readers having access to correct information but we also want them to be aware of the many purchasing options out there.” As well as Antidote Street, brownbeautytalk recommends Hair Popp, Xsandy's and Detangled Hair, to name a few retailers.
Thankfully, the wider situation has improved, too, and major retailers are finally creating shelf space for the affordable products that so many consumers rely on. After launching its 2016 Shades of Beauty campaign, which highlighted beauty products for people of colour, Superdrug's sales of afro hair products rose by 80% in 2018-2019. It has now become the UK’s number one retailer for the category.
A spokesperson for Superdrug commented: “[The campaign] signified change in the UK hair industry, and highlighted the importance of consumers with textured hair being able to access products aimed specifically at their hair types – that’s a huge step forward for inclusion.” This newfound ease of shopping for hair products is echoed by many, including Ronke: “It makes me feel great as I can pick up products when I am in my local town centre doing the weekly shop. I don't have to make a special trip to a specialist shop, which is both time-consuming and costly. It's good to have choices, which is fundamentally all we want.” Among the brands that have benefited hugely from Superdrug's new strategy are Shea Moisture and other popular afro and curly hair brands such as Creme of Nature, As I Am, Twisted Sista and Pantene Gold Series. Meanwhile, high street rival Boots now stocks brands like Camille Rose Naturals, Cantu and ORS.
The afro hair shop monopoly may not be over, but whether you are a wig wearer, hair relaxer devotee or full-blown naturalista, it is brilliant to see that the beauty industry is responding more than ever to ensure representation, accessibility to products and education. Of course, you don’t have to turn your back on your local hair shop altogether, but as Winnie said, knowledge is power, and it really does pay to do your research before you buy.
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She visibly cringed. “I’m…not looking for a relationship,” she responded.
This is a direct quote from my (at the time) soon-to-be girlfriend and now (thankfully) wife. Back then, I viewed her rejection like a hurdle I needed to run at and within weeks I was driving the six hours from Manchester to southwest Wales to meet – and hopefully charm – her parents.
Before I met her parents she warned me that they were different. We even looked at her dad’s Twitter profile together so I could get an idea what he was like. An eco-activist, he had 8,000 (now 10k) followers, which made my 3,000 look a bit pitiable. His bio included the words #Sustainable #Mindful #Impact, mine included a link to my latest celeb interview and One Direction lyrics. See, I’m a radio DJ, which is a job I love. But the pop world, with its plasticky merch and carbon travel footprint, isn’t exactly known for its eco-friendly credentials. I'm no dolphin-punching maniac but I knew it was going to be a culture clash.
As I pulled up to their Pembrokeshire house in my maroon Ford Fiesta, I guiltily hid my McDonald's Monopoly tokens in the glovebox. I was nervous but once I opened my car door, I found a slightly drizzly paradise. Overlooking the sea, their house was designed for Earth worship. It had kayaks, an allotment growing fresh veg, solar panels on the roof, a whole shed dedicated to wetsuits, a healing room for my girlfriend’s mum to practise therapy, Buddha statues, plants everywhere and a shit-ton of Jesus sandals.
As I walked into the kitchen, I was greeted with big hugs, even bigger grins and the most delicious cup of coffee. Within hours I was in a wetsuit, wading against the waves and participating in something called 'coasteering'. Coasteering is when you scramble over cliff rocks by the water’s edge or, as I like to call it, slowly drowning while pretending you’re not. After a few hours it was clear to me that they adored the sea for the energy and life that it brings. At the time, I remember I found this weird because the sea is where jellyfish and sharks come from. Now, however, I’m totally on board.
Ever since that death-defying dive into the deep end with my in-laws, I have slowly woken up to the climate crisis. Through thoughtful conversation, healthy debate and role-model behaviour from them, I have learned what sustainability really means – and it sucks. Turns out, and I’m sure this is something you’re already painfully aware of, loads of fun things are really bad for the planet. You know balloons, those magical plastic things that we send off into the sky in memory of loved ones? Well, they burst and land in the sea and kill animals, which is actually a pretty shitty thing to do in someone’s memory. It’s all fun and games blowing bubbles in your milkshake until a turtle is having a plastic straw surgically removed from its nostril on your Facebook feed. And glitter! Well, I actually always hated glitter anyway so whatever, but the other stuff still stands.
What I have found most difficult among all this rage and confusion about how we ended up here is balancing guilt with realistic expectations. I’m not the next Greta Thunberg and I don’t want to stop showering or become a Grade 5 Vegan (fans of The Simpsons will know this is not eating anything which casts a shadow). I do, however, want to try my best and so my challenge changes regularly. It used to mean buying less meat, now it means buying less dairy. I don’t shop fast fashion and I check the air miles on my produce. More than that, it’s about picking battles. I used to collect recycling from one of the places I worked, sacks of drinks cans over my shoulder like an eco-warrior Santa. Now I want to focus on conversations with friends, family, colleagues and a wider circle to encourage them to do the right thing. This should mean I don’t have to go through the bins anymore and so, to compensate, I bought the office a recycling bin so they could sort it out themselves.
Living sustainably may require material sacrifice but largely it has brought me enormous personal growth. My father-in-law said that he knew I was feisty and value-driven from the moment he met me but now I think we can both agree I’m using it for something better. I have improved my relationship with my body by believing that it deserves healthy food and that my mind is better when I immerse it in nature, rather than staring at Netflix rewatching Friends (a moment of silence for my wife, who grew up without a TV). It’s made me better at my job too because human connection drives everything I do. I’m kinder, and more creative on air because I don’t want to rely on regurgitating last night's TV gossip.
I’ve still got more work to do but honestly, I’m very grateful for the privileged upbringing I had, which ultimately brought me to where I am today. Now just feels like the right time to do some good for the planet too.
Olivia Jones is a radio and digital presenter living in Manchester with her wife and imaginary dog. She is also a columnist for DIVA magazine.
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& Other Stories' latest collaboration will go perfectly with your autumn playlist. Today, the brand announced it will be adding yet another innovative collection to its repertoire by pairing up with Swedish actress and musician, Sandra Andreis. Fusing her love of music and fashion, Andreis and the Scandi stalwart have created a 14-piece capsule collection to be released alongside five revamped interpretations of iconic songs including “The Lady Is A Champ”, a modern take on the classic 1937 show tune.
The genre-crossing artist said her inspiration for the musically charged collaboration was wanting women to be themselves unapologetically. “For me, a champ is someone who dares to be herself, who supports other women and stands up for what she loves,” she explained. “This project is not about throwing classic songs away, it’s about questioning the norm and not being afraid to claim your space. I hope to encourage women to embrace all their dimensions, be who they are and look however they want.”
& Other Stories is known for releasing collabs that regularly send us into a shopping frenzy. Last year we were treated to playful floral prints splashed across deep-V dresses and matching co-ords courtesy of its House of Hackney partnership, while back in 2016 its Wool and The Gang offering made a lasting impression, stuffed with thick knits, plush accessories and personalised knitting kits.
Our favourite pieces from the latest collection include work-appropriate statement suits, romantic dresses in a plethora of vintage-inspired prints and loafers that'll work as well in the boardroom as they will at Sunday lunch. We'll be taking our styling cues from the lookbook and updating oversized blazers with cinched waist belts, coupling tiered hem dresses with tailored trousers and pairing gothic florals with knee-length go-go-style boots. Race you to the checkout.
Shop & Other Stories and Sandra Andreis capsule collection from 5th September.
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The number of books on our reading list is multiplying by the minute and it seems we’re going to be thoroughly occupied with even more this September.
Summer alone was filled with books we couldn't put down or stop telling our friends to read. We couldn't get enough of Everything You Ever Wanted, Luiza Sauma's honest and moving examination of social media, depression and daily life thoughts that plague us all. Our poolside lounging wasn't complete without a copy of music PR legend Vivien Goldman's tales of rebellious music icons in Revenge of the She-Punks. And Jia Tolentino's Trick Mirror, a witty series of essays touching on self-deception, was exactly the enlightening read we hoped to stumble upon in 2019.
But it's now time to say goodbye to Hot Girl Summer. We're preparing to ride through this turbulent mid-season weather and embrace September's back to school vibes, and we need a reading list to match, so allow us to introduce you to our latest literary haul. Whether you're a sucker for an emotionally gripping tale of injustice, breathtakingly visceral personal essays or a 19th century classic, we've got a recommendation for you. Have a gander at the books R29 staffers are pledging to plough through in September.
Georgia Murray, Junior Fashion Editor
Book:Sex Power Money, Sara Pascoe
Why is it your September read? I bought this after I listened to Pascoe discuss her new book on Scroobius Pip’s podcast Distraction Pieces. She dives into the three things that drive all human behaviour: sex, power and money, touching on everything from the stigma of sex work to racism in porn. She’s also turned the book into an eight-episode podcast, interviewing people with lived experience about the ramifications of our current legal systems, the prejudice they face, and the misinformation we’re fed about both industries. Pascoe always explores topics with humour, sweetness and lack of judgement, so I’m excited to jump in to this one.Illustrated by Natalia BagniewskaJess Commons, Lifestyle Director
Book:Fleishman Is In Trouble, Taffy Brodesser-Akner
Why is it your September read? Taffy Brodesser-Akner has written some of my favourite profiles ever, like the New York TimesGwyneth Paltrow interview from last year that took Goop to task. And the hard-to-read Tonya Harding interview from when the film I, Tonya came out. Her first novel has been on my list since it came out in June. Halfway through and I am not disappointed. Poor divorced Toby Fleishman is stuck when his ex-wife disappears after a yoga retreat, leaving him with the kids – which is really inconvenient for his new love of shagging most of NYC via the power of dating apps. But just how sorry should we feel for poor Toby? A timely reminder that the sympathetic narratives people (men) spin for themselves can allow them to excuse even the most callous behaviour.Illustrated by Natalia BagniewskaJazmin Kopotsha, Entertainment Editor
Book: After The Flood, Kassandra Montag
Why is it your September read? This really isn’t my usual bag but I’m curious. After The Flood is a whirlwind of a novel set in a dystopian (obviously) future not far from now. The world is mostly water and we follow one mother’s mission to track down her eldest daughter who was stolen by her father while she was pregnant with her second. Even beyond the wealth of family drama to work though, I’ve heard this is a desperately emotional, heart-in-your-chest type of novel. With the world collapsing under the weight of climate change IRL right now, I’m not sure whether I’ll come out the other side feeling better or worse. That said, After The Flood also sounds reminiscent of Julie Bertagna's Exodus – a YA series I adored in my teens and had hoped to revisit recently.Illustrated by Natalia BagniewskaCharlie Elliott, Strategy Associate Director
Book:Weapons of Math Destruction, Cathy O’Neil
Why is it your September read? I’ve been in a bit of a fiction slump recently, so I’ve turned to my stack of half-read nonfiction books for this month. I went to a talk at the Barbican last month on the power of AI and Weapons of Math Destruction was referenced so I bought it in the gift shop afterwards. It is an easy-to-understand look at how Big Data is making racial and economic disparity even worse, and that the algorithms we all presume will make things fair actually create a host of problems. From facial recognition technology having inbuilt racial prejudice to skewed university rankings, it’s fascinating and terrifying all at once.Illustrated by Natalia BagniewskaSass Webber, Senior Project Manager
Book:Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
Why is it your September read? A while back I realised I was reading one hot-off-the-press piece of fiction after the next, which meant I was potentially missing out on some really amazing reads. Since then I have tried to rotate my reading to a recent publication, 20th century read and pre-20th century classic and am currently on Jane Eyre, which I’m slightly ashamed to admit I’ve not read before. With pre-20th century fiction you somehow always expect the books to be hard work, use complex language and feel completely irrelevant to life today, but I’ve found this is rarely the case. Jane Eyre is so fluid to read, the language is vivid and beautiful and the relationship between Jane and Mr Rochester, which is always shown in adaptations to be dark and serious, is just so quick-witted and incredibly funny. Written in first person, Jane often breaks the fourth wall (can you have a fourth wall in a book?) and talks directly to the reader, which makes the book feel so utterly on trend (read: Fleabag-esque) – it’s hard to believe it was written 170+ years ago.Illustrated by Natalia BagniewskaKaty Thompsett, Sub Editor
Book:Against Memoir, Michelle Tea
Why is it your September read? I’ve gotten into nonfiction in a big way this year and since zipping through Lisa Taddeo’s Three Women (yes, it is as good as everyone says), I’ve been casting around for something equally meaty to sink my teeth into. So it was to my delight that I discovered Michelle Tea, one of my new favourite writers, would be publishing her collection of essays this month. Often humorous but never sentimental, Against Memoir promises a candid, close-to-the-bone exploration of queer life in America, taking in everyone from teenage goths and lesbian motorcycle gang HAGS to Andy Warhol’s would-be assassin, Valerie Solanas. I have it on good authority that there is also an excellent essay about a pigeon. Coo.Illustrated by Natalia BagniewskaVicky Spratt, Features Editor
Book:Notes To Self, Emilie Pine
Why is it your September read? I absolutely devoured these short essays from Irish academic Emilie Pine. I love life writing and I’ve run out of Deborah Levy memoirs to read so this was the perfect thing to fill the void left by the fact that I now know parts of The Cost of Living and Things I Don’t Want To Know off by heart. Pine’s writing is moving and visceral and the first essay – about her father’s alcoholism – is perhaps the best thing I’ve read this year. It’s honest without being confessional and thoughtful without being hackneyed.Illustrated by Natalia BagniewskaEni Subair, Editorial Assistant
Book: Queenie, Candice Carty-Williams
Why is it your September read? Admittedly I'm a little late to the game. There was no escaping the buzz surrounding this book this summer hence why I'm making it a priority this month. After doing some research the plot spoke to my soul: the witty one-liners and goings-on of main character 25-year-old Queenie Jenkins ensured that I wouldn't be putting this novel down any time soon. Without giving away too many spoilers, Queenie's journey as a millennial is relatable on so many levels. In fact, I'm so besotted with the book (much like Euphoria) that I'm heavily delaying finding out how this enchanting tale ends. It'll be a bittersweet day when it finally arrives.Illustrated by Natalia BagniewskaChemmie Squier, Creative
Book:Fangirls: Scenes From Modern Music Culture, Hannah Ewens
Why is it your September read? When I was 14, me and my friends were obsessed with McFly. We’d write fanfic, visit Virgin Megastore the day a new single was released, go to all their gigs and buy every and any magazine they were in. I even had a VHS that I recorded all of their television appearances on. See? Obsessed. So it’s no wonder this book speaks to me on another level. Hannah Ewens, journalist and self-confessed music lover, delves into the previously unexplored world of fangirls to celebrate the women who have dedicated part of – if not all – their lives to following their beloved musicians. I can’t wait to read it as I reminisce about my own teenage boyband loves.Illustrated by Natalia BagniewskaRabeel Ijaz, Editorial Intern
Book: Moth Smoke, Mohsin Hamid
Why is it your September read? This month, nothing on my bookshelf looked appealing enough for me to read during my commute. Then, as I was deep-cleaning my bedroom a couple of days ago, I found a stack of books I brought back from my trip to Pakistan last year. I felt this sudden urge to support authors from the motherland. Moth Smoke follows Daru, whose life quickly unravels after he becomes unemployed. I always gravitate towards books with an element of true crime in them, as I find it super fascinating. The book is set in the '90s in Lahore, the city my parents call home, which makes it all the more relatable for me.Refinery 29
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Twenty-two years after Ross first shouted, “We were on a break!” in an episode of Friends, people are still debating what, exactly, taking a breakmeans. Is “a break” just a gentler word for a total, if possibly temporary, breakup, which is how Ross took it? Or is “a break” a period of time in which you don’t see each other, but you don’t sleep with other people, which is what Rachel thought? Ross and Rachel make it clear: If you don’t define what “taking a break” actually means, that break can very quickly turn into a breakup. Not to mention the seven seasons of drama that followed.
So, Ross and Rachel are clearly an example of what not to do. But does taking a relationship break ever work? Ross and Rachel did end up getting back together, after all. But perhaps because no one can agree on what “taking a break” means, there hasn’t been a lot of research into the pros and cons of doing so. But one 2009 study of on-again, off-again relationships among college students found that on-off couples were more likely to report negative experiences, including communication problems and uncertainty, and less likely to report positive feelings, including love and understanding from partners, than other types of couples. And a 2004 study of young adults found that only one-third of couples who broke up and got back together again actually stayed together in the long term.
That said, relationship experts say that there’s a right and a wrong way to take a break — and that taking a break can even be beneficial for a relationship, depending on the situation. And if taking a break does lead to a breakup, who’s to say that that’s a bad outcome? Ending a relationship that’s not working for you is a good thing.
So if you want to take a relationship break that’s actually helpful, here’s how to do it.
Agree on what “a break” means
Learn from Ross and Rachel and define “a break.” Talk with your partner and agree on ground rules: Can you have sex with other people? Can you date other people? How often will you communicate or see each other, if at all? Will you unfollow each other on social media? Can you discuss the break with mutual friends? How about your families? This will be a hard conversation, but setting boundaries before you begin will make the actual break so much easier.
Focus on yourself
Liz Goldwyn, founder of The Sex Ed, a multimedia platform for sex, health and consciousness education, tells Refinery29 that taking a break can be an opportunity to evaluate your own needs. “I’ve found with relationships that timing can be everything. People aren’t always in the same place with their needs and desires (commitment level, ambition, etc.),” she says.
As for the break? “It is not the end of the world to come apart to focus on yourself, your needs, and your evolution while letting your partner do the same. You may find yourselves closer than before, or come to a clarity you wouldn’t have been able to if you didn’t have space to breathe — remember that what keeps a flame burning is oxygen.” Now is the time to think about your needs and what you want out of your future, maybe with the help of a therapist. And this is a good time to order your favorite take-out and binge-watch that TV show your partner hates, too.
Evaluate the relationship
Getting some distance can help give you perspective on your relationship, Lisa Brateman, LCSW, a psychotherapist and relationship specialist in New York City, previously told Refinery29. “Taking a break can promote self-awareness when you’re removed from the situation of toxicity, and what’s not going right,” she said. “A break means some part of the relationship has to change, or it won’t survive.” Getting some space might help you evaluate your relationship with new eyes: How do you feel when you’re not seeing your partner regularly?
Make a plan
Sometimes, you need to do some work individually to be able to work better as partners, Anita Chlipala, LMFT, a relationship expert in Chicago, previously told Refinery29. For some couples that break up and then get back together, “it wasn’t that they weren’t a good fit, they just needed some information and skills to make their relationship work,” she said. “There should be a purpose to the break, and there should be things both partners should work on.”
For example, maybe you decide to attend therapy separately to figure out what you need in a relationship, or learn how to effectively communicate what you want. Chlipala says that after the break, you should be able to answer one big question: “What will be different?”
Reassess the relationship
When you begin the break, agree that after a certain amount of time — say, a month — the break will end. At that point, you and your partner will reassess your relationship. Whether you decide to stay together, break up, or even to extend the break for another month because you need more time to figure things out, it will be better than being in relationship limbo.
Take action
Maybe, during the break, you realize that the relationship isn’t working for you and you decide to end it. Tell your partner, and then begin focusing on reflecting and recovering.
But maybe you decide that you want to continue the relationship. For the break to be beneficial, you need to take action. Whether that’s beginning couples therapy, working on your communication skills, or something else, you don’t want the relationship to look exactly the way it did before. Something has to change, and now’s the time to make that happen.
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When you strike gold on the first try — like Summer Fridays co-founders Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Gores Ireland did when they released the Jet Lag Mask — diversification is risky. Since the 2018 launch of the brand's hero hydrator, there have been a couple follow-up iterations: the R+R and Overtime, both exfoliating formulas. However, the brand has stuck with the signature aluminum tube that made it a flat-lay favorite.
All three masks have earned top-shelf status in the vanities of IG influencers everywhere, but still, fans begged Hewitt and Gores Ireland for something beyond aluminum. Specifically, they wanted a serum that would really sink in and work against concerns like hyperpigmentation. Now, it's here.
Today, Summer Fridays released the new CC Me Serum, the brand's entrée into more penetrative actives. CC Me comes in an airless pump — not sky-blue metal, but still cute — and the formulation highlights two hero ingredients: vitamin C for brightness and squalane for hydration.
Unlike the thick balm of the Jet Lag Mask or the gel of the R+R treatment, CC Me has a more fluid consistency. One pump in my palm was enough to cover my whole face and neck with the translucent serum. The glow it leaves behind is almost immediate, and there's a faint smell of orange slices — fresh, but not at all overpowering.
According to Hewitt and Gores Ireland, CC Me was specifically designed for anyone, with any skin type, in need of a daily serum that reduces dark spots and hyperpigmentation.”This serum was crowdsourced,” the two co-founders told R29 in an email interview. “Time after time, our community asked us to address hyperpigmentation and dark spots in a product. It was that direct feedback that inspired this launch.”
Like other vitamin C serums, this one should be applied to clean, dry skin in the morning as a base layer to your skin-care routine. “I give it a minute to sink in before applying a thin layer of Jet Lag as my daily moisturizer, then I follow up with an SPF. Supergoop! is my go-to,” Hewitt tells us.
Whether you're one of the stans behind the mass request for a Summer Fridays brightening serum or you're currently rehabbing residual summer sun damage and dryness, CC Me makes a solid addition to your fall routine. Plus, if the brand's first face mask was any indication, you'll want to pick up your own shiny white pump with a pale orange label to post all over your Instagram feed.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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Hustlers. Honey Boy. How To Build A Girl. Harriet.
They’re not just alliterative titles, or highly anticipated movies based on true stories, or films starring Shia LaBeouf as his dad. (Okay, that’s just Honey Boy.) Like many of the most interesting offerings at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, they’re also all directed by women.
That’s true, of course. But as the TIFF 2019 roster proves, there’s still more than enough valuable and interesting work to be found — if you care enough to look for it. Half of the movies on the festival’s Gala lineup have female directors, a record number for the festival, with more still featured in the Special Presentations and Documentary categories. And while those numbers would be encouraging on their own, the breadth of storytelling reflected in these films is what makes this year especially exciting.
Movies by women don’t fit into a single genre, or theme. On this list, you’ll find animated comedies (Abominable), celebrations of real-life heroes (Harriet), LGBTQ-focused dramas (Portrait of A Lady On Fire), coming of age stories (How To Build A Girl) supernatural romances (Atlantics), explorations of identity (Hala), and family sagas (Blow The Man Down). Marielle Heller’s biopic about Fred Rogers and his friendship with journalist Tom Junod (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood) sits right alongside Marjane Satrapi’s adaptation of a graphic novel about Nobel Prize-winner Marie Curie (Radioactive).
Some of these films are in English, others in French, Arabic, or Hindi. They follow men and women of different nationalities, religions and ethnic backgrounds. But all of them tell stories you won’t want to miss out on. Click through for some of the movies by women we can’t wait to catch at TIFF, and beyond, this year.
The Friend
Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite Cast: Jason Segel, Dakota Johnson, Casey Affleck
The first of three festival movies based on magazine articles (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood and Hustlers round out the count), The Friend was originally an award-winning story by Matthew Teague, published in Esquire in 2015. Segel plays Dane, a single father of two little girls who puts his own life on the backburner when he moves in with best friends Nicole (Dakota Johnson) and Matthew (Casey Affleck), and helps them battle a terminal cancer diagnosis.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
How To Build A Girl
Director: Coky Giedroyc Cast: Beanie Feldstein, Chris O’Dowd, Emma Thompson, and Paddy Considine
Based on Caitlin Moran’s semi-autobiographical novel by the same name, this film stars Feldstein as a British teen who moves to London to live her best life as a music critics and rockstar muse — with a couple of messy hiccups along the way.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Honey Boy
Director: Alma Har’el Cast: Shia LaBeouf, FKA Twigs, Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe
You’ve probably already heard that Shia LaBeouf plays his dad in this wild ride of a biopic. But did you know that Noah Jupe and Lucas Hedges play younger and older versions of Shia himself, as he grows from child actor to troubled adult? Cathartic and personal, Honey Boy takes a look at the actor’s fraught career and his relationship with father, both his best friend and worst enemy.Photo: Courtesy of Amazon Studios.
I Am Woman
Director: Unjoo Moon Cast: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Danielle Macdonald, Even Peters,
No one’s ever gonna keep her down again! This biopic stars Cobham-Hervey as Australian singer Helen Reddy, and tracks the story behind the 1971 hit that became the rallying cry of the women’s liberation movement.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Written by Claire Wilson and Theresa Ikoko, Rocks is named after its 15-year-old protagonist (Bakray), who finds herself suddenly responsible for the care of her little brother Emmanuel (Osei Kissiedu) when their mother leaves. Striving at all costs to remain out of the foster care system and risk being separated, Rock and Emmanuel launch into a game of hide and seek across London, surviving with the help of friends. With a handful of promising debut performances, this is one you’ll want to keep an eye on.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Blow The Man Down
Director: Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy Cast: Morgan Saylor, Sophie Lowe, Margo Martindale, June Squibb, Annette O'Toole and Marceline Hugo
This was hands down my favorite movie to come out of the Tribeca Film Festival, so I’m thrilled that it will be getting an Amazon release next year. Mary Beth (Saylor) and Priscilla Connoly (Lowe) run their late mother’s fish shop in a small Maine coastal town. Her death has left them with nothing but bills, and dashed hopes of finally getting out of Easter Cove. To top it all off, they now have a crime to cover up. But as they soon find out, the women in their town have a long history of secrets — and sisters help each other out.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Hala
Director: Minhal Baig Cast: Geraldine Viswanathan, Jack Kilmer, Gabriel Luna, Purbi Joshi
This semi-autobiographical film stars Blockers breakout Viswanathan as a Pakistani- American Muslim teen exploring her identity and sexuality, as she navigates the space between her two worlds.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood
Director: Marielle Heller Cast: Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Susan Kelechi Watson, Chris Cooper
Tom Hanks’ status as a national treasure is rivaled only by Fred Rogers, so it’s fitting that he should be the one playing him in this biopic, which tracks the beloved TV host’s friendship with Esquire journalist Tom Junod, who profiled him for the magazine in 1998.Photo: Courtesy of Sony Pictures.
Abominable
Director: Jill Culton Cast: Chloe Bennett, Sarah Paulson, Eddie Izzard, Tenzing Norgay Trainor
This animated collaboration between Dreamworks Animation and China’s Pearl Studio follows the adventures of teenage girl Yi (Chloe Bennet), determined to reunite her new friend Yeti with his family in the Himalayas. Culton co-wrote the script for Monsters, Inc., so you can definitely expect a Boo/Sullly vibe.Photo: Courtesy of Dreamworks Animation.
American Woman
Director: Semi Chellas Cast: Hong Chau, Sarah Gadon, Lola Kirke, John Gallagher Jr., Ellen Burstyn, David Cubitt
In 1974, American heiress Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army, and held for 19 months. During that time, she embraced their ideals and become a wanted fugitive, eventually arrested and convicted, though President Jimmy Carter commuted her sentence. American Woman tells that story, and it doesn’t. The film centers around Vietnamese-American peace activist Jenny (Chao), who ends up living with Hearst (Gaddon) and some of her captors, helping them elude law enforcement. In that sense, American Woman tells a well-known story from an entirely new perspective.Photo: Courtesy of Killer Films.
This Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winner stars Woodard as a death row prison warden whose growing more and more distant from her husband (Wendell Pierce), family and friends as the job takes its toll.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Harriet
Director: Kasi Lemmons Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monae, Joe Alwyn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jennifer Nettles
It’s kind of shocking that Harriet Tubman’s life hasn’t been made into a biopic until now. She’s a real-life superhero, with a story filled with high stakes and thrills. Erivo plays the American icon as she escapes slavery, joins the burgeoning abolitionist movement, and returns to help others on the same journey to freedom.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Hustlers
Director: Lorene Scafaria Cast: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Julia Stiles, Lizzo, Cardi B
Based on Jessica Pressler’s New York Magazine article, “The Hustlers at Scores,” this movie is the event of the season. Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez star as the ringleaders of a group of New York City strippers who come up with a plan to scam Wall Street executives after the 2008 financial crisis leaves them with few other options.Photo: Courtesy of STX Films.
Instinct
Director: Halina Reijn Cast: Carice Van Houten, Marwan Kenzari
This directorial debut from Dutch director Reijn isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a complex and intense deep dive into the darkest corners of the human psyche through the eyes of a female psychologist (Van Houten) obsessed with one of her patients (Kenzari), who has a history of violent assault.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Manville and Neeson play the very ordinary Joan and Tom, a long-married couple expecting to spend the rest of their lives in cozy familiarity. But Joan’s sudden breast cancer diagnosis, and the difficult treatment process that follows, puts a strain on their relationship. As time passes, the cracks that were always dormant under the surface of placid marital bliss start to show themselves — and deepen.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Radioactive
Director: Marjane Satrapi Cast: Rosamund Pike, Sam Riley, Anya Taylor Joy, Aneurin Bernard
Adapted from an award-winning graphic novel by MacArthur "Genius Grant"–winner Lauren Redniss, Radioactive stars Pike as Marie Curie, the only person ever to win the Nobel Prize in two different fields, physics and chemistry.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Talk about unusual storytelling! The Sky Is Pink is a story told from the perspective of a couple’s recently deceased teen daughter (Zaira Wasim), who recounts her mother (Chopra Jonas) and father’s (Farhan Akhtar) 25-year relationship, spanning India and the United Kingdom, with humor and affection.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Pelican Blood
Director: Katrin Gebbe Cast: Nina Hoss, Katerina Lipovska, Adelia-Constance Giovanni Ocleppo, Murathan Muslu
A mother must make the difficult decision of whether or not to keep her newly adopted child when she realizes that she suffers from an attachment disorder that prevents her from feeling any empathy. As Raya (Katerina Lipovska) gets increasingly violent, and her behavior more shocking, she starts to claim that her actions are being controlled by a dark spirit.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Already one of the buzziest movies to come out of the Cannes Film Festival in May, Celine Sciamma’s queer French-language love story promises to be just as popular at TIFF. When 18th century eligible bachelorette Héloïse’s (Haenel) parents commission a portrait of her to be used to attract a husband, she refuses. So, the painter, Marianne (Merlant), must pose as a lady’s maid-in-order to get close to her.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Born into a reclusive and insular cult led by Shepherd (Huisman), Selah has never known any other life. But as she hits puberty, and Shepherd’s sexual expectations become increasingly clear, she begins to doubt her community and its leader.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Tammy’s Always Dying
Director: Amy Jo Johnson Cast: Felicity Huffman, Anastasia Phillips, Clark Johnson, Lauren Holly, Kristian Bruun, Jessica Greco, Aaron Ashmore
Tammy (Huffman) and her daughter Catherine (Phillips) have a complicated relationship, made even more so by the former’s terminal cancer diagnosis. In an effort to reconcile, Catherine invites a TV producer into their home to document her caring for her mother in the late stages of her life, But there’s a problem: Tammy just won’t die.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
My Zoe
Director: Julie Delpy Cast: Julie Delpy, Daniel Brühl, Gemma Arterton, Richard Armitage, Sophia Ally
Delpy’s seventh feature film is described as “a psychological drama with hints of science fiction.” The actress and director plays Isabelle, a high-profile scientist and mother living in Berlin in the aftermath of a toxic marriage, and struggling to co-parent her daughter, Zoe (Ally).Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
The Body Remembers When The World Broke Open
Director: Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Kathleen Hepburn Cast: Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Violet Nelson, Charlie Hannah, Barbara Eve Harris, Jay Cardinal Villeneuve
It’s only fitting that a film about the importance of women looking out for one another should be a collaboration between two, talented women directors. This fictional retelling of a real moment in Tailfeathers’ life stars the director as Áila, who takes in a stranger, Rosie (Violet Nelson) after finding her distraught on a Vancouver street.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Diop made history at the Cannes Film Festival this year when she became the first Black woman to be accepted into the competition lineup in its 72-year run. She took home the Grand Prix, the second most prestigious prize after the Palme D’Or, for Atlantics, a supernatural romance set in Senegal’s capital of Dakar. The director will also be receiving TIFF’s inaugural Mary Pickford Award, which celebrates outstanding female talent.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
There’s Something in the Water
Director: Ellen Page, Ian Daniel
Page and Daniel, who previously collaborated on the docu-series Gaycation, take a trip to the former’s Nova Scotia hometown, plagued by social strife as the community deals with the consequences of decades of the irresponsible and racially-targeted environmental pollution of a former Indigenous sanctuary.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
The Perfect Candidate
Director: Haifaa Al-Mansour Cast: Mila Alzahrani, Dhay, Nourah Al Awad, Khalid Abdulrhim
In 2012, Mansour became the first Saudi woman ever to direct a film with Wadjda, also the first ever film shot entirely in Saudi Arabia. Her latest feature marks another important first. The Perfect Candidate follows Maryam (Mila Alzahrani, in her debut performance), a doctor who decides to run for local city council when she’s barred from attending a medical conference abroad because she doesn’t have a male partner to accompany her.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
Jordan River Anderson, The Messenger
Director: Alanis Obomsawin
Obomsawin’s 53rd film tracks the true story of Jordan River Anderson, a member of the Canada’s First Nations, who died at the age of 5 in 2005 after spending his entire life in a hospital, while provincial and federal governments argued over who was responsible for him. Featuring interviews with his relatives and activists in the community, the documentary highlights urgent issues facing Canada’s indigenous population as they continue to fight for equal treatment.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
The Sleepwalkers
Director: Paula Hernández Cast: Érica Rivas, Luis Ziembrowsky, Daniel Hendler, Marilu Marini, Valeria Lois, Ornella D’Elia, Rafael Federman
The latest from this talented Argentinian director is a mother-daughter story about sleepwalking through your life, both literally and not. Luisa feels stifled in her marriage, and is trying to deal with yet another summer surrounded by her husband’s extended family. Meanwhile, her teenage daughter Ana has been sleepwalking naked, and is starting to attract unwanted male attention — from her cousin. Something’s got to give.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
You may already know Pettersen from the cult Norwegian series SKAM. If not, remember her name. The TIFF 2019 International Rising Star plays Mirjam, a member of a radical Christian cult who defends the honor of her tribe in dance competitions put on by various rivals. But when she starts to lose, her family blames it on a lack of faith, causing her to seek more and more extreme ways to cope.Photo: Courtesy of TIFF.
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We all love Netflix. It’s always there for us after a stressful day at work or a bored weekend at home. But, we can all agree settling on one specific television show to watch can be stressful. The infinite number of ultra-specific categories are enough to make your head spin. And, things get even more difficult once you add in the plethora of foreign-language shows as is becoming increasingly en vogue.
To help make the decision process easier, we picked out the absolute best Netflix Original Series ever, because you know those are never leaving the fan-favourite platform. You'll find new shows and old, comedies and dramas, and everything in between. Keep reading to learn what your next great Netflix marathon will be. Happy streaming!
The End Of The F***ing World
This wonderful, weird surprise stood as the best new show of 2018. The crime-filled comedy starts one terrifying way — with self-described possible “psychopath” James (Alex Lawther) plotting to kill new girlfriend Alyssa (Jessica Barden) — before turning into a poignant, perfect, and still crime-filled love story, complete with a fantastic soundtrack.
If you haven’t watched The End Of The F***ing World, what are you waiting for? The second series really isn't that far away.Refinery 29Queer Eye
This reality show revival is the salve you didn’t know you need for the bonkers year known as 2018. Queer Eye, now without the “For The Straight Guy” modifier of the original, is unapologetically sincere, sweet, and well-meaning. Even with the critiques that come naturally to a makeover show like this, there’s not a mean bone in Queer Eye's metaphorical body. And don’t let anyone tell you food and wine expert Antoni Porowski can’t cook. Here's all the proof you need to the contrary.Refinery 29One Day At A Time
There’s a lot of darkness on Netflix, but One Day At A Time breaks up all the brooding with lots of uplifting, incisive, and heartfelt family humour. All reboots should aim to be as necessary as this Latinx, LGBTQ+ take on the 1970s Norman Lear classic.Refinery 29Stranger Things
Stranger Things is one of the few blockbuster behemoths that manages to live up to the original iteration with its sequels. Stranger 2 built on the thrills of its predecessor by giving Will Byers (the wildly, secretly talented Noah Schnapp) a big dramatic arc, creating a new beloved, doomed Barb-like figure in Bob Newby (Sean Astin), and leaning on the natural chemistry of cast members like Gaten Matarazzo and Joe Keery. Stranger Things 3 took things in an even darker, twistier direction leaving us on edge for next year's arrival of Stranger Things 4 already. Hopper, we still love you, though.Refinery 29Jessica Jones
While most of those aforementioned Marvel-Netflix collabs might sag towards the end, Jessica Jones only gets more powerful. So much of that strength is owed to Krysten Ritter, who flawlessly portrays the super-powered private investigator, who grapples with her history of sexual assault throughout season 1 of her titular series. No wonder fans were so devastated when the show was cancelled.Refinery 29Black Mirror
While the lows of Black Mirror might be so very low — the “Crocodile” of the world, say – the highs more than make up for it. The TV landscape is the better for having and “San Junipero” in them, as is the Black Mirror viewer. Just look at that eerily resonant Miley Cyrus/Ashley O episode from last season,Refinery 29Dear White People
To be honest, I’m still upset Dear White People, with its award-winning creator pedigree and striking, often-haunting storylines, didn’t get any Emmy love. But, at least we got one of the best illustrations of what it means to be a young person of colour today with Justin Simien’s DWP.Refinery 29American Vandal
This true crime parody is simply the greatest show in history to ask, “Who drew the dicks?” That question might sound ridiculous, but American Vandal will, no questions asked, suck you into its central mystery.Refinery 29Maniac
Emma Stone and Jonah Hill star in this brilliantly complex drama as two strangers who meet during a pharmaceutical trial. It's the sort of thing that'll probably take you a minute or two to get your head around, but it's wildly interesting. Plus, it's Emma Stone and Jonah Hill.Refinery 29Orange Is The New Black
Long live the world's fascination with the inner workings of the British royal family! Season 3 is on the horizon, Olivia Coleman is set to take the helm as Queen Elizabeth II and it looks like there'll be a huge focus on the rise of Prince Charles, if that's your vibe.Refinery 29House Of Cards
We ushered in a new era for one of Netflix's biggest series with Claire Underwood running the White House (and the world) for real this time. Our first female president was up front and centre and though the fan fair wasn't as wild as in previous series, Robin Wright's reign is definitely worth investing in.Refinery 29Atypical
Allow us to introduce you to Sam, the 18-year-old high school student and star of Netflix's coming of age series. Sam is on the autistic spectrum and the narrative follows his journey into adulthood - on the search for love, independence and society's definition of "normality". His mum is fiercely protective, his sister is cool, sarcastic and super focused on athletics, and his dad just doesn't know how to handle any of it. It's funny, emotional, and great.Refinery 29You
Spotted Gossip Girl's Penn Badgley's face floating around a lot of late? That's because he stars in the new series You. This time he plays our female lead's stalker and narrates his obsessive tracking of her every move throughout the series. A lot of it is very stressful, will make you want to delete all of you social media and perhaps question why it is we continue to romanticise the creepy pursuit of women by not-so-innocent men. But at the very least it's a conversation starter.Refinery 29Sex Education
Imagine the teenage despair at having a sex therapist for a mum. Then imagine people finding out about it, and then being asked to become the unofficial sex therapist to your pals at school. Stressful? Awkward? Hilarious? All of the above? This is what happens to Otis Milbrun, the wonderfully endearing if not misguided protagonist in Netflix's new British comedy-drama.Refinery 29
Chambers
Netflix gives us horror through a lens we rarely see: the indigenous experience. Chambers tells the story of Sasha Yazzie (Sivan Alyra Rose), a teen girl who is haunted by her brand new heart transplant. It's a trippy teenage tale of body horror, the dangers of cribbing Native spirituality, and so many crystals. And don't even get us started on that shocking, series-changing, finale.Refinery 29
Russian Doll
Natasha Lyonne tests the bounds of Netflix comedy with her sci-fi-tinged series Russian Doll. Technically, the Lyonne-led-and-starring series is about a woman who can't stop reliving her 36th birthday party. But, Russian Doll really uses that premise to explore grief, regret, love, and mental health with so many perfect jokes along the way. It deserves your heart.Refinery 29
Mindhunter
Some Netflix Originals suffer from storylines that drag on for far too long thanks to season orders that are much bigger than their storylines necessarily demand (looking at you, 90% of Marvel properties). The David Fincher-produced Mindhunter is not one of those series thanks to its lean 10-episode structure.The taut psychothriller, inspired by the first FBI agents to seriously investigate and study serial killers, is the twisty binge that will have you begging for an extra season.Refinery 29
Dead To Me
Jen (Christina Applegate) is a luxury real-estate agent whose husband was suddenly murdered in a hit-and-run accident. At a support group she meets and befriends her opposite, an optimistic fellow mourner, Jude (Linda Cardellini). What follows is a mix of Tuca And Bertie-style mismatched buddy comedy, white wine-fuelled revenge, and a character study of adult women at the very end of their emotional rope.Refinery 29
The Society
A group of wealthy, symmetrical teens who find themselves in an exact facsimile of their Connecticut town — only everyone else has vanished, and there is no way to escape. The teens, anchored by Kathryn Newton as Type B personality Allie, must figure out a way to survive, and maybe even thrive, in their terrifying new order. Of course, secrets about everyone’s pasts bubble up along the way.Refinery 29
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You might not be familiar with the name Harper Watters, but you've probably seen one of his viral videos. Maybe the one where the professional ballet dancer struts, pops, and does splits on the treadmill to the sounds of “Fergalicious” — all while wearing a pair of sky-high pink heels? Two years ago, that exact Instagram video became an internet sensation, garnering over 1.4 million views and tons of reposts.
Watters has gone on to post more treadmill routines, in addition to clips in which he pirouettes sans exercise equipment. The star soloist at the Houston Ballet has built an online reputation centered on self-expression and fearlessness. That's what landed him a gig as the face for MAC's Love Me Lipstick collection.
Along with five other individuals who MAC has deemed “powerfully expressive” — a list that includes Halima Aden and Roma Sawayama — Watters appears in the lipstick campaign wearing a shade of candy apple-red lipstick, called Shamelessly Vain. He also takes a stroll on a treadmill to none other than “Lovefool” by The Cardigans.
Watters admits that he came about his signature move spontaneously. It all began when he and his friends randomly put on heels after a workout in the gym. “We were like, 'Could you imagine if we put on these heels and just got on a treadmill,'” he tells Refinery29. They did exactly that, creating the first of many videos. Watters makes it seem easy to pose on a moving stage, but he admits it's a tough task. “It's a lot of prayer, good health insurance, and music that really helps to do it,” he says with a chuckle, revealing that there definitely has been some falling. “The power of editing gives me a lot of grace.”
Although dancing in heels can be tricky — you should probably leave it to the professionals — Watters finds power in wearing stilettos on and off the treadmill. “When I wear the heels, a lot of people see the shoe but there's a certain swagger, a certain attitude that you have to have when you put on heels. The same comes when you put on red lip or you use a gorgeous highlight,” he says. “I really feel like Naomi Campbell when I wear makeup. When you know that you have a stunning lip on, it's indescribable but you just carry yourself a little different. It's like a superhero cape.”
Watters first learned to put on makeup for his dance recitals and studio performances. Over time, he perfected his stage makeup skills by watching YouTube tutorials and copying the techniques of drag queens. “RuPaul's Drag Race was really inspirational for me to start accepting my feminine side and exploring my identity, other sides of who I am, and who I can be,” he says. “It really made me feel like, 'It's cool to put on a heel, makeup, or any type of outfit.”
Don't be mistaken by Watters' undeniable confidence, his journey to self-love has been a work in progress — especially with the pressures within the dance community. “I'm actually in my tenth season with the Houston Ballet, and it's my job to stare at myself in the mirror every day and perfect things,” he reflects. “I doubted myself a lot, and I thought I had to be like other successful dancers. I compared myself to them.”
Eventually, he harnessed the confidence we all see today on his Instagram feed and in the MAC campaign. “It was when I truly accepted who I was, what I had to offer, and what I had to say that my dancing became better.” Watters feeds that self-love by taking his ballet classes every day — which he finds meditative — wearing heels whenever he pleases, and making time for guilty pleasures, like the Real Housewives.
He urges everyone to find the thing that gives them power. In his words, “Whether it's makeup, heels, or doing what you really truly love, celebrate that and own it because once you do that, the sky's the limit for what you can achieve.”
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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Ah, pilates. It’s not just for women from the ‘80s wearing neon spandex. It’s a versatile workout that’s good for posture, conditioning, and strengthening. It’s low impact, and ignites your muscles in a gentle way, making it pretty accessible for most bodies. Pilates tends to work the core, first and foremost, but you can target your bum and other areas, too. It can be done with or without equipment, so don’t worry if you don’t have a reformer in your living room!
We worked with Amy Jordan, the creator and CEO of WundaBar Pilates, to come up with some peak pilates moves for you to incorporate into your life for this month's 30-day challenge. Getting them done will only take about 10 minutes, so don’t worry about this taking over your life.
Jordan calls the moves “fun, challenging, core-shredding, full-body exercises – created for you to feel stronger, longer, and 100% empowered!”
Here's the scoop on this challenge: For the next 30 days, you can do the moves Jordan prescribes in this calendar. It's built for two rounds of what's known by her followers as the "2 Weeks 2 Wunda" Program. The last two weeks will be tougher than the first two — but don't worry, you should get stronger in the first 14 days if you follow the routine.
If you’ve never done pilates or anything remotely similar, Jordan says you should expect to be surprised by this workout. "I often hear people say: 'Oh, you teach Pilates? That's stretching, right?' But we do our work eccentrically," she says, "which is a fancy way of saying in length. So you will elongate your muscles as you sculpt them." Jordan encourages taking breaks as needed, and reaching out via DM to the WundaBar Instagram with any questions that come up.
We asked Jordan if she had tips for embarking on the challenge, and her answer was encouraging: "Find gratitude and grace for yourself as you work," she said. "It's so easy to get down on ourselves for missing a planned workout. Missed one? Get back at it tomorrow!"
This workout consists of six basic moves, with an occasional challenge thrown in. You can use light dumbbells or just use your body weight to complete it. It'll also be helpful to have a yoga mat or soft carpeting for your knees. We also recommend a killer playlist: "Señorita," anyone? Download this calendar as a PDF, or save it somewhere on your phone, and read on to learn the moves with helpful GIFs.
If you can't get enough of this workout after 30 days, you can try streaming WundaBar's 30-min pilates workout.Refinery 29
Four-Point Kneeling Xs
Start by kneeling on all fours, like you're about to do cat/cow in yoga. Keep your ab muscles contracting, allowing for a natural curve in your lower back, to keep your pelvis in a neutral position. Reach your right arm straight forward with a dumbbell, and simultaneously lift your left leg off of the floor. Your arm and leg should be level with your torso. Take a deep breath in as you move your floating arm and leg in a parallel movement. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Do this eight times on each side.
Pro tip from WundaBar: Check your pelvis — is it where it started? Or have you leaned to one side? If it's the latter, correct that using your transverse abdominis muscles to stabilise the pelvis. Refinery 29
Tree Hugger Clock Sweeps
Stand up straight holding two dumbbells straight up and down, with your arms slightly bent. You should look like you're awkwardly hugging a basketball. Your heels should be touching, and your toes should be open (this is called first position). Now, point your right leg forward with one toe barely touching the floor. Sweep this leg around behind you like a clock-hand moving from noon to six. Then bring it back around to noon again. Do this eight times and repeat on the other side.Refinery 29
Touchdown Lunges
Stand with dumbbells in your hands with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold them straight out in front of your chest. Take one big step forward with your right foot. It will land flat on the floor, as your left foot lifts a bit. Your knees will bend as you lower into a lunge. At the bottom of the move, push down your shoulder blades and bring the dumbbells up to the ceiling. Bring them back into the starting position as you lift out of the lunge. Do eight reps on each side.Refinery 29
Side Plank Scoops
Start lying on your side. Move one foot in front of the other on the floor. Use the arm closest to the ground to push up so that only your palm and your feet are touching the mat. You should be in a side plank now. Take the arm closet to the ceiling and reach around your torso, bringing your hand or a dumbbell under the oblique closest to the floor. Do this eight times and repeat.
Pro tip from WundaBar: Share the effort all the way around your waistline, like a corset, rather than working through one side only.Refinery 29
Roll Ups
Start lying down on a mat with dumbbells in hands and your arms thrust above your head. Sit up slowly. Exhale, and try to isolate using only your ab muscles (as opposed to using momentum) as you come into a seated position, without letting your legs lift. Once you're seated, lie back down again and repeat this eight times.Refinery 29
One-Legged Bridge
For this move, you'll want to start lying on your back with your knees bent and your bum, hips, and spine raised off the floor. This a basic bridge. Your thighs should be activated and together, as if you're trying to hold a block between them. Now, point your right foot, hoisting your leg up into a 45-degree angle. Keep it there.
As all this is happening, you should be holding light dumbbells and reaching your arms to the ceiling. Now open both arms wide to the sides with a slight bend in your elbows. As you exhale, bring the dumbbells back toward the ceiling. After doing eight arm reps, slowly gravitate your hips back to the floor. Repeat with the other leg.
Pro tip from Wundabar: Think about the ribs lacing together around your heart to activate deep core work, Jordan recommends. Flared ribs will take away from the transverse abdominis connection, leaving all the work to your hamstrings.Refinery 29
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Picture this: The year is 2016; the boy band One Direction officially broke up months ago; and former member and standout singer Harry Styles has made plans to go solo, cutting his shoulder-grazing heartthrob hair in the process. Why? Well, he just ditched the group that skyrocketed him to fame, and he's going to be in a period action-drama about WWII called Dunkirk. In other words, he's moving on. Fans are, naturally, heartbroken over his sudden transformation.
Fast-forward three years, Styles is about to drop his second album (which, he says, is very sad) and just made yet another dramatic haircut decision that is sending fans into a frenzy.
The drama started on Saturday morning when a fan tweeted a selfie of her father and Styles together in Italy. “Soooo my dad just met harry in Italy…., cannot fucking believe my eyes,” she wrote. Soon enough, the photo was retweeted all over the Twitterverse, with fans noticing that Styles looked… different.
As seen in the photo, Styles' not only cut his hair shorter, but he is now brushing it forward into a look that some are comparing to Timothée Chalamet's bowl cut in The King. This is particularly unusual because Styles' hair is always slicked back. Now, he looks like a healthy mix of Stranger Things' Jonathan Byers and former 1D bandmate Louis Tomlinson.
We may not know why Styles got the haircut, when it happened, or if it's for a role, but we do know exactly how some fans feel about it: not good.
me forcing myself to like Harry’s new hair style bc I want to support him in any way possible pic.twitter.com/3JEcNCZNSp
people unstanning harry because of his style and hair 1. what 2. he looks perfect 3. yall only care about looks 4. this beautiful legend stays unbothered
Despite how you feel about the new look, a new era of Styles is officially upon us — and as far as we can tell, Styles is unbothered by the reactions. As one fan tweeted, “He really is THAT bitch.”
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Here on the Shopping team, we’ve been using eBay to source secondhand and vintage clothing since the early years of online shopping. There’s very little that can’t be had on the massive marketplace, and we’ve indulged many throwback whims with the help of eBay’s super-granular search tools — just ask our EIC Christene Barberich how she hacks the site with cleverly specific search terms. However, a lot has changed since our days of vintage-hunting infancy: eBay is now in the business of selling absolutely everything, and secondhand merchandise is only a small fraction of offerings that include Apple products, premium household appliances, and brand-new designer finds.
Despite its foray into omni-retail-dom, we still use the site anytime we have an itch for vintage sterling silver jewelry, a pair of perfectly broken-in Levi’s, or a Batsheva-style prairie dress of the OG variety. And while we’re often hot on the trail of specific search terms, it’s always helpful to have a rolodex of the eagle-eyed secondhand pickers that truly have the goods. So, in an effort to streamline your browse, we’ve rounded up those bookmark-worthy shops reliable for their on-point assortments. Click through to find the vintage purveyors that have us hitting the “save seller” button.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
A spot-on selection of ’80s, ’90s, and “Y2K”-era vintage with some covetable contemporary and designer labels thrown in (MM6, Dries Van Noten, Lacausa) from a seller that boasts 100% positive feedback in the last 12 months.
United Colors Of Benetton Baby Blue Knit Sundress, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
The moment we spotted a mint Pendleton blanket in this Arizona seller’s product images, we knew we were hot on the trail of a like-minded vendor. Sure enough, turns out we’d hit the workwear jackpot — Carhartt, L.L. Bean, and military surplus pieces abound in this collection, in addition to a wide selection of that highly coveted year-round wardrobe staple: vintage Levi’s.
Levi's 501 Button Fly Jeans, $Array, available at eBay
Levi's 501 High Waisted Button Fly Jeans, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
Designer totes of every shape and size proliferate in this collection: Gucci, Chanel, Prada, Dior, Celine, Fendi, Balenciaga, and Louis Vuitton are just a handful of the megawatt labels we spotted from this Boca Raton-based seller that specializes in both vintage and contemporary designer handbags. Look for the eBay-backed “authenticity verified” stamp on products here — it means that experts at eBays have inspected the piece to ensure its authenticity.
Gucci Vintage Monogram Duffel Bag, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
This jewelry collection caught our eye for its very affordable assortment of sterling silver and fine jewelry. We spotted minimal, geometric drops and studs in simple shapes, Art Deco-era costume jewelry, and semi-precious stones like citrine and topaz; mostly clocking in at under $50. The assortment is vintage but feels very modern, with a piece or two that could easily be mistaken for a contemporary Sophie Buhai design.
Unbranded Vintage Sterling Silver Etched Puffy Heart Earrings, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
Those embracing the minimal '90s aesthetic will appreciate the pared-down, throwback vibes of this consignment seller. While most of the Y2K-era and contemporary finds are not technically vintage, we found streamlined designer duds from Oscar de la Renta, Prada, Piazza Sempione, and Missoni. The greatest score, however, would probably have to be these square-toed Nine West boots.
Nine West Suede Ankle Boots, $Array, available at Nine WestRefinery 29
Hear ye, hear ye, all hypebeasts and baes — your ’90s-streetwear prayers have been answered. All of the vintage Polo, Nike, Champion, and throwback sports attire your discerning hearts desire are contained within this eBay store. Sure, the assortment seems to be geared towards the fellas, but we all know you’d be stealing this super-preppy Ralph Lauren button-down from the man in your life anyway, so why not just buy it for yourself?
Ralph Lauren Chaps Colorblock Vintage Shirt, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
This Texas-based seller has a variety of Western-adjacent vintage clothing, but what drew us in was their seemingly endless selection of cowboy boots. Yes, it’s very specific, but with footwear of this ilk trickling into stores like Net-a-Porter and Moda Operandi for fall, you’d be wise to snag an authentic pair — especially when they clock in for well under $100.
Dingo Cowgirl Boots, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
This well-edited accessories shop contains a pitch-perfect mix of eye-catching vintage sterling silver and affordable antique jewelry. Natural stones like turquoise, opal, jade, and coral adorn necklaces, earrings, and rings that date from the turn of the century to the present day. We love the range of prices, too — we’re ready to spend a reasonable $65 on this unusual sterling silver cocktail ring, and save our pennies for an Edwardian-era amethyst drop necklace when it’s time to treat ourselves.
Unbranded Signed Natural Turquoise Ring, $Array, available at eBay
Unbranded Edwardian Amethyst Negligee Drop Necklace, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
Full disclosure: the selection at this LA-based consignment store skews decidedly more modern than vintage. But, with a brand selection that includes basically every label we’d ever want to buy, we felt it our duty to spread the word about their on-point, on-trend selection. With everything from designer marques like Balenciaga, Celine and Prada; contemporary stalwarts like A.P.C., Ulla Johnson, and Ganni, and indie imprints like Mr. Larkin, LOQ, and Jesse Kamm — which can be reeeally hard to find on eBay — you will definitely find us browsing this seller’s page for hours.
Jesse Kamm Sailor Pants, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
Enter a very distant and bucolic past with a Burlington, VT-based seller specializing in antique European fabrics and clothing. Broken-in linen smocks, chore coats in the signature French blue, and a handful of 19th-century garments are the standout items in this collection — along with our personal favorite: a linen-cotton day dress from the 1950s.
The Textile Trunk 1940-50's French Short Sleeve Dress, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
A seller with a little bit of everything, Nine N Nine has a massive selection of vintage for men and women their collection numbers over 2,000 items. Look for classic throwback pieces that span nearly half a century — like this simple, totally modern transitional shift dress.
Unbranded Stripe Shift Dress, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
A solid selection of vintage and contemporary sneakers drew us to this men’s and women’s seller — we spotted brands like Nike, Converse, and Adidas in the mix.
Nike 1991 Cross Trainers, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
It’s as if a fine and elegant mid-century woman emptied the contents of her ladylike closet into this eBay store. Cotton, lace, and chiffon rule the day for this seller — we spotted antique nightgowns, needleworked Edwardian collars, printed dirndl skirts, and curve-friendly tea dresses among throwback accessories like beaded evening bags, crocheted gloves, and cat-eye sunglasses.
Unbranded Late '50s/Early '60s Cocktail Dress, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
New and vintage sneakers abound in the collection of this Long Beach, CA-based men’s and women’s shoe shop. Heavy use of the “RARE” and the flame emoji got our attention, but we stayed for the vintage Vans, Nike Air Force 1s, New Balances, and even a few designer imprints like Gucci and Acne.
Nike 1980s Pastel Blue Recognition Sneaker, $Array, available at eBayRefinery 29
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may have dedicated their summer to environmental awareness, but they've spent most of it on the receiving end of criticism after using multiple private jets.
Air travel is responsible for more than 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the European Commission, and some felt it was hypocritical for the royal couple to advocate for change while actively participating in greenhouse gas emissions. Many celebrities came to the family's defense during the media storm, but it wasn't until Prince Harry's speech announcing the first Sussex Royal Foundation project, Travalyst, this morning that the new father addressed the criticism head-on.
“I came here by commercial,” he said in a Q&A according to a short video posted on Twitter. “I spend 99% of my life traveling the world by commercial. Occasionally there needs to be an opportunity based on a unique circumstance to ensure my family are safe, and it’s genuinely as simple as that. But as I said in my speech, for me it's about balance.”
WATCH: “I spend 99% of my life travelling the world by commercial [aircraft]” Prince Harry says at the end of the ecotourism launch when asked about his own travel behaviour. He adds he always offsets all his travel ✈️ pic.twitter.com/1xXvBiXsC4
He also said he always offsets his CO2, which is something Elton John similarly promised when defending the royals' use of his own private jet when they visited his Nice residence back in August, saying he gave a donation to Carbon Footprint™.
“After a hectic year continuing their hard work and dedication to charity, David and I wanted the young family to have a private holiday inside the safety and tranquility of our home,” he wrote on Twitter. “To maintain a high level of much-needed protection, we provided them with a private jet flight.”
Travalyst seeks to find solutions to many of the gripes the public has had with private jets, and will do its own work to offset any of the Duke and Duchess's private travel needs in the future.
“#Travalyst aims to make travel more sustainable, to help protect destinations and benefit communities long into the future, and to enable consumers to make more environmental friendly choices whilst traveling,” the @sussexroyal Instagram post explains, adding that the charity is partnering with Booking.com, Skyscanner, Trip Advisor, and more to help enact this change.
If we could avoid ever paying full-price for another purchase, you bet your ass we would — which is exactly why we created a roundup solely devoted to the best decor and furniture sales happening as we type. Welcome to The Score, it's our new home for the best marked-down goods from all of our most-browsed shopping destinations.
With a plethora of freshly-discounted finds from our favorite home stores popping up on a weekly (if not daily) basis, there's no reason to go out of budget on your next purchase. Especially since we've already done all the overwhelming site-weeding for you, pulling out the most worthy products with the sweetest sale prices. If you've been searching for a vintage rug for a fraction of the price or a vintage-style apartment-warming steal, you can rest easy...Because we've hunted those deals down for you right here. From dream furniture to unique decor pieces and more, the goods ahead come accented with red-slashed $$$ signs proving that stylish spaces can be affordably (and easily) achieved.
Anytime we hear about a special promotion or one-off deal, we’ll add it to this page — the good stuff only. So if you’re a deal-hunter like us, bookmark this post and check back often, because as all savvy shoppers know, the best sales don’t last long.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
The chic lifestyle site maintains a dreamy collection of freshly cut sale finds — and as a bonus through the end of September teachers can nab their full-price orders for an extra 20%-off steal. Additionally, all shoppers can enjoy an extra 20% off home sale items. So if you've been considering accenting your space with a luxe new find (like this marble-top coffee table), now may be the time to pull the trigger on that wish-listed buy.
Anthropologie Natural World Coffee Table, $Array, available at AnthropologieRefinery 29
Macy's, one of the GOAT brick-and-mortar department stores, is offering some of its lowest prices of the season on everything from TV stands to coffee tables. With continued sales on a stock of affordable finds including stylish bedding, kitchen gadgets, and luggage, it's virtual shopping gold.
Macy's Jollene 39" Fabric Armchair, $Array, available at Macy'sRefinery 29
Its namesake's deal-slinging sister site, Nordstrom Rack offers daily and weekly additional sales on its already discounted merchandise. This week we're eyeing the flash sales on everything from premium home brands like SMEG at 25% to chic assortments of decor for up to 50% off, and a portable juicer at 48% off.
Continental Juicer, $Array, available at Nordstrom RackRefinery 29
The multi-department store boasts an impressive Savings Center stacked with big deals on premium goods and gadgets, from essential kitchen sets to bedding basics and more. This week our carts are set on this under-$50, elegant-minimalist storage solution.
Better Homes & Gardens 4-Cube Storage Organizer With Metal Base, $Array, available at WalmartRefinery 29
The eclectic and budget-friendly site has an extensive clearance section with discounts on everything from accent tables to sofas and loveseats to rugs. Nab the bigger buys you've been waiting to cart until they weren't as $$$.
Cost Plus World Market Medallion Print Loveseat, $Array, available at Cost Plus World MarketRefinery 29
This Scandinavian-inspired woodencutting board for 46% off is one hot steal from Dear Keaton'sshimmering end of season sale section — the boho goods at up to 60% off are what our chic lifestyle dreams are made of.
Dear Keaton Geo Wooden Cutting Board, $Array, available at Dear KeatonRefinery 29
Chic home-site L&G's dreamy sale section is home to discounts on luxe area rugs, staple furniture finds, unique decor essentials, and more — plus, first-time customers get 10% off of their entire orders. This week our hunt through the slashed-price spoils led us to this vibrant, floral wallpaper mural.
Lulu & Georgia Lemon Wallpaper, $Array, available at Lulu & GeorgiaRefinery 29
The elevated cookware company's Warehouse Sale means you can get a range of premium kitchen essentials at a discount. Hurry up and shop the limited time steals on luxe brands while they last.
Wusthof Classic 6" Chef’s Knife with Paring Knife, $Array, available at Sur La TableRefinery 29
Our favorite red-bullseye, one-stop-shopping destination offers a slew of home sales worth clicking into weekly. And for the next few days our sale-sights are set on its cross-category events with up to 25% off discounts on select furniture items to premium vacuums and more.
Opalhouse Zebra Woven Rug , $Array, available at Target.comRefinery 29
The brand known for affordably on-trend fashion scores pulls the same weight with its homeware line. The already sweet-priced collection maintains a sale landing page stocked full of further-slashed home goods, from sharp storage solutions to stylish dining essentials to cozy bed linens — like this minimalist-chic, jacquard weave duvet cover.
H&M Home Jacquard-Weave Duvet Cover, $Array, available at H&MRefinery 29
If you're searching for freshly stylish decor to kitchen and outdoor entertaining essentials that pack a retro-snappy punch, look no further than ban.do's sale section of slash-priced home finds.
Three Potato Four Square Pink Felt Letter Board, $Array, available at ban.doRefinery 29
J&M slings a chicly curated lineup of special daily home sales — and right now its about top-rated bedding sets for up to 60% off, and newly added pet furniture for under $50. Plus, the site is offering enticing discounts on mattress pads (like this premium gel-foam mattress topper for 64% off).
Joss & Main 2.5" Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper, $Array, available at Joss & MainRefinery 29
This week the popular, mega-stocked home site is offering up to$100 off select Dyson vacuums as well as up to 75% off hundreds of products for your home, meaning it's time to stock up on those premium buys on your shopping list.
Dyson V7 Motorhead Cord-free Stick Vacuum, $Array, available at Bed Bath & BeyondRefinery 29
Pro tip: The luxe home brand offers a 20% off discount to first-time shoppers who sign up for its premium bedding to bath and pet accessories newsletter.
Riley Home Spa Towel, $Array, available at Riley HomeRefinery 29
We stumbled upon this nifty kitchen tool made from durable stoneware for $47 off among the unique site's selective but beauteous lineup of on-sale home goods — and now we can't wait to scrape garlic, juice some fruits, and set out a place for soap, all with a single tool!
RachaelPots Kitchen Ceramic Kitchen Trio, $Array, available at Of A KindRefinery 29
The trendy bedding site offers a 10% offdiscount for first time customers looking to upgrade their sleep space with everything from silky sateen sheet sets to stone-washed linen duvet covers, the plushest lightweight comforters, Turkish-cotton robes, and more.
Brooklinen Super-Plush Robe, $Array, available at BrooklinenRefinery 29
The luxe home goods site maintains a regularly stocked sale section worth cruising when in search of a premium discounted score — but act fast if you want to take advantage of its limited time 20% off sitewideoffer plus the extra 10% off available with code "OKL10MORE".
One King's Lane Tote Baskets, $Array, available at One King's LaneRefinery 29
The sleek French cookware company hosts weekly sales on its elevated cookware classics that that can be found and shopped up at the site's, "Specials," landing page — filled with discounts on bestselling Dutch ovens, signature saucepans, flower cocottes, cast iron sets, and more. And this week, you can build your own complete cookware set while saving up to 30% off on orders included five or more pieces (with code "BUILDASET").
Le Creuset 5-Piece Signature Set, $Array, available at Le CreusetRefinery 29
The bedding company's Labor Day Sale is still ongoing, with discounts on premium sleep stock ranging from $100 off mattress purchases (using code, "LD100"), $150 off orders of $1,250 or more ("LD150"), and $200 off orders of $1,750 or more ("LD200") — plus, two free dream pillows with any order placed.
Helix Sunset Mattress, $Array, available at HelixRefinery 29
The mega online shopping destination still slings "lightning" sales post Prime Day — so if you aren't suffering from complete Amazon-fatigue, check out the site's daily deals page with everything from everyday essentials to electronics worth carting for a limited-time steal.
Cosori Digital Air Fryer, $Array, available at AmazonRefinery 29
The weekly deals at CB2 keep going with its recent event offering up to 20% off select rugs and up to 45% off over 400 new markdowns including outdoor furniture and accessories.
CB2 Coastline Planter, $Array, available at CB2Refinery 29
Even if you don't currently live in an actual dorm room, Dormify's small-space to shared-room essentials are still, well, essential — and the site's 25% off extended summer sale is not-to-miss deal-shopping material (use code "BYESUMMER"). Case-in-point: this hypoallergenic, down-alternative body pillow.
Dormify Hypoallergenic Down Alternative Body Pillow, $Array, available at DormifyRefinery 29
The curated selection of artful MCM-home finds on this sale-frequent site is nothing short of bookmark-worthy — and this week it's hosting a range of promotions including up to 50% off minimalist beds, sofas, rugs, and accent chairs, in addition to up to 50% off fully assembled dressers.
All Modern Chelsea Sofa, $Array, available at All ModernRefinery 29
This week, the mega-home site is offering flash sales including 75% off bedding basics as well as nightstands and dressers starting at $79. The legendary discounts touch a cart-worthy range of bestselling goods — and we're currently looking to snag this alternative down comforter that is 90% off (!!!).
Wayfair Down Alternative Comforter, $Array, available at WayfairRefinery 29
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Earlier this summer, Anna Wintour said that she “loves” flip flops. If we’re to believe her, it says a lot about style in 2019. The zeitgeist dictates that the uglier the trend is, the better. Everything from dad shoes and mom jeans to upside-down skirts is de rigueur, as long as you feature it in a well-lit Instagram photo. This summer, that short list has included flip flops.
Living in New York City makes wearing flip flops a challenge. Walking around barefoot leads to unfortunate encounters with murky puddles on the street. Ask anyone who has braved the city sidewalks in flip flops, they’ve likely ended the day with their toes covered in soot.
As a fashion editor living in NYC, I ruled out the idea of ever wearing those casual, extremely open-toe flats. So, imagine my surprise this summer to see them creep up all around me. In Soho, I spotted stylish girls pairing them with colourful A-line skirts, t-shirts, and chunky jewellery. Instagram influencers like Emili Sindlev are topping off their brunch looks with colourful plastic sandals. Jennifer Lopez is styling her Givenchy sweatsuit with glitter thong flats. Street style stars at Copenhagen Fashion Week are teaming prairie dresses with bright flip flops. And Saint Laurent even released a limited edition flip flop in collaboration with Havaianas.
Despite the proliferation of the flip flop, I was still skeptical about whether I should embrace the once-shunned sandal. For starters, I never felt that my feet were my greatest asset. I played soccer throughout high school, and I have the callouses to show for it. For that reason, I’m a year-round boots wearer, and it takes a really special sandal to encourage me to let my feet loose. On top of that, as a fashion editor, I feel pressure to pile into vertiginous heels to “look the part.” In the circles I run in for work, the dress code calls for high-fashion clothing items paired with sky-high stilettos. A casual flip-flop — and the comfort it provides — never fit into the arbitrary wardrobe standards I set for myself.
A post shared by Alyssa Hardy (@stopalyssatime) on Jun 13, 2019 at 4:01pm PDT
And then I went to Hawaii for the first time, and everything changed. There, on the island of Oahu, I learned that flip-flops are literally a way of life. Everywhere you turn, you’ll find someone wearing a worn-in pair that locals lovingly call their “slippers.” They don’t limit the sandals to low-key, low-stakes affairs; they pair them with everything from a string bikini to a festive, going-out ensemble. There’s an ease and simplicity to Hawaii dressing that I found inspiring. For a few days, my anxiety over what to wear dissipated and comfort took precedence. And dare I say it: my flip flops were actually cute. My gold platform $20 Havaianas looked, in fact, quite stylish paired with my Alexa Chung maxi dress. And heading out for a coffee, I didn’t have to think too much about my outfit. I could just throw it on and go. I could focus on living.
This experience, coupled with a healthy dose of clear blue water and natural vitamin D, reminded me that summer dressing should be easy. While you won’t catch me on the subway in a pair of flip flops anytime soon because my fear of getting stepped on still persists, I’ve overcome my insecurity about my feet and will now show them as I see fit. Maybe that means wearing them with a t-shirt and shorts at the Rockaway Beach boardwalk with my friends. Or even showing up to a fancy brunch downtown in flip flops paired with my favourite Ganni dress. Either way, my pedicure is finally getting some shine.
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