Apple Music is truly a dark god. The streaming service has in the past featured Taylor Swift eating it on a treadmill while singing a Drake song and, humiliatingly, enjoying Jimmy Eat World on television. Now, the streaming service will afford Swift a measure of restitution.
That's in the form of Drake lip-synching to "Bad Blood" before dropping a barbell on his chest.
First, let us say that Drake is indeed the type of dude who would wait for someone to leave the room before putting on Taylor Swift. Second, let us continue that Drake is also the type of dude that would put on Taylor Swift before he knew a young woman was coming over, then feigning embarrassment that she had "caught" him listening to Taylor Swift.
"Oh," he would sheepishly say, "I guess I'm just really into her sensitivity. I'm a male feminist."
For anyone who watched the American Music Awards and wondered at the absence of Kylie Jenner, she's got an explanation. And it's actually a pretty adorable one.
Turns out, the reality star was planning on coming to the ceremony, but then her Italian greyhound Bambi decided to go into labor. So, you know, Jenner had her hands full.
"For those asking," she tweeted. "I was planning on going to AMA this year but Bambi went into labor so I'm here taking care of puppies."
For those asking.. I was planning on going to AMA this year but Bambi went into labor 😩 so I'm here taking care of puppies
That tweet soon led to an impromptu Twitter Q&A that found Jenner talking about her dog's pregnancy, which came as a bit of a surprise.
"Yes I knew," she said of the pregnancy, "but I just wasn't planning on breeding my dogs. It only takes one time people lol."
Jenner says she will be keeping the two puppies, whose father is her other Italian greyhound Norman, which she got for Christmas in 2014.
At first she tweeted that she hadn't come up with any names, explaining, "I'm trying to learn their personalities." But when the puppies made their Snapchat debut a little later, she had landed on two names that she said fit perfectly.
"Blue & Fawn," she wrote. "Just like Norman & Bambi."
Yes I knew but I just wasn't planning on breeding my dogs. It only takes one time people lol https://t.co/HE9JNLHJOH
It had been several months since Selena Gomez made a public appearance. The "Revival" singer took a step back from the spotlight a few months ago for self-care. But on Sunday night, at the American Music Awards, Gomez used her spotlight to give an emotional thanks to her fans for their support — and to remind them that "if you're broken, you don't have to stay broken."
While accepting the AMA for best pop rock female performance, Gomez took to the stage and said, "In 2014, this stage was actually the first time that I was authentically, 100% honest with all of you."
She told her fans, "I think it's safe to say most of you know a lot of my life, whether I liked it or not," which made a few in the audience chuckle. But her speech turned sobering with a powerful message.
"I had to stop," Gomez said. "Because I had everything. And I was absolutely broken inside. I kept it all together enough where I would never let you down. But I kept it too much together to where I let myself down."
With a trembling voice, Gomez said, "I'm not trying to get validation, nor do I need it anymore." Gomez also told fans, who might be battling their own demons, that "if you are broken, you do not have to stay broken."
Before walking away, Gomez thanked her fans from the bottom of her heart. She said, "I have to say thank you so much to my fans because you guys are so damn loyal and I don't know what I did to deserve you."
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
That’s a wrap on Season 12 of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Sunday’s finale was about moms, momagers, and a mom-to-be. Khloé, Kim, and Kourtney want to do something special for Chyna before the baby comes. Kim wants a new gig. Kris wrecks her car down the street from her house, and Rob is, well, Rob.
Kourtney gets Chyna on the phone. Khloé tells Chyna that they want to do something special for her since they are all going to be out of town on the day of the baby shower that Chyna is having. “We want to spoil you and lavish you,” Khloé says. Chyna loves the idea but suggests just keeping it small and intimate.
Running the Kardashian empire is Kris Jenner’s full-time job, but sometimes one of the crew falls through the cracks. Khloé is struggling to get the attention she needs from her momager. She complains to Kim about Kris not helping facilitate a business deal that Khloé wants to do with fitness merchandise. This gets Kim to thinking. “She’s a good manager,” Kim says about her mom. “But she’s just dropping the ball a lot lately.”
Speaking of Kris, Khloé’s assistant breaks the news that Kris has been in a car accident. A contingent of Kardashians (and one Kanye West) rush to the scene. Kris is okay, but her new Bentley is totaled. The accident shakes everyone up. “It’s just a car. We’ll buy a new one. Can’t buy a new mommy,” Khloé says giving her mom a hug.
The accident gives Kim an opportunity to take the momager role for a spin. Kris is taking some time to recover. Kim steps in to help out with her sister’s schedules and business. “Just chill. I’ll help,” she says to Kris. Kim says that she has joked that she should be Kylie’s manager, so this is her chance. She gets Kylie on the phone and has some suggestions about the youngest’s “glam” team for an upcoming trip to Australia. Kylie doesn’t sound so sure about her change in management.
Season 12, including the short time-out for Rob & Chyna, has had a lot of Rob drama even without a lot of Rob. He manages to stir up trouble without doing much of anything. He, Khloé, Scott, and Kim have a chat about Rob’s relationship. Rob tells them that he and Chyna don’t live together and that neither of them is comfortable at the other’s house. Kim straight-up asks if they are still engaged, and Rob doesn’t give her much of an answer. Khloé is concerned. She thought they were in a good place. “A baby doesn’t fix anything,” Khloé says.
When Kim and Scott are alone, Kim expresses some of her concerns about Rob and Chyna’s relationship. “What do you think about them not living together?” Kim asks. “I’m not the best person to ask,” Scott says, stating the obvious. But Scott is hopeful because, to him, being a parent is the best job in the world. For all of his challenges and ups and downs in prior seasons, Scott really is the heart of Season 12.
Kim sets up a meeting for Khloé with some of Kim’s merchandise people (the ones who help bring Kimoji ashtrays into the world) as part of her new manager duties. Khloé is excited for the attention and her sister’s expertise. Kim has built her own empire, Khloé reasons, so why not let her be Kris’s mini-me for a minute? Kim checks in on Kylie at a photo shoot and makes the time to review all of the looks. She asks Khloé to stop by to prep for the merchandise meeting. Kim is multi-tasking, and she thinks she’s killing it. Hold that thought, Kim.
The plan to give Chyna something “small and intimate” and to spoil her gets derailed by the latest Rob and Chyna fight. Kourtney suggests throwing Rob a shower. “We want to do something fun and positive,” she says. She and Khloé call Rob, and he is appreciative of the idea of doing something for him and Chyna. Scott does his part by coordinating a parenting class for Rob. Rob can change a diaper! Being a dad is hard!
Quick cut to Kim, talking on two phones with another one ringing. She’s booking travel. She’s coordinating schedules. “I am like super overwhelmed,” she says. Being a momager is hard!
Little did she realize her job was just about to get harder. She misses the meeting that she set up for Khloé. When Khloé calls her on it, Kim is defensive. “I can’t be in two places at once,” she says. Khloé is irritated because she is always the last one on the list and the one that gets forgotten or bumped for Kylie. She questions why Kim took over for Kris if she was just going to do the same things Kris had been doing. Kim apologizes and owns up to her mistake. “I don’t want her to feel like there’s no one there to support her,” Kim says about Khloé.
Part two of Scott’s Parenting Boot Camp involves taking Rob to the fanciest home daycare ever to appear on television. It proves that there is at least one house in Calabasas not owned by a Kardashian, and this one is overrun with children of all ages, too. Rob and Scott have a Home Alone moment, but Rob pulls it together. Scott’s not as concerned about Rob becoming a dad any longer. “You’re a good-hearted person, and you’re going to be a good-hearted dad,” Scott says.
Kris is out of bed and on a mission. She and Scott hit up the baby store, and Kris throws her energy and her credit card into the baby shower. Little does she know that the drama around the shower has leveled up. Rob and Chyna are fighting again. According to Kim, they text each other crazy things all night long. Rob tells Kim that he doesn’t want to come to the shower because the pregnancy has been bad for him. Zero tears are shed for Rob on that one.
“I don’t like being in the middle of these two,” Kim says. Seriously, who would? But Kim picks up the phone and calls Chyna. “You should just have it for Rob,” Chyna suggests, sounding like the voice of reason. She understands the dilemma, and she appreciates the call.
The shower gets reworked to focus just on Rob. Kris orders hats for everyone that say “DILF” because that’s totally appropriate from your mom. Scott asks why he never got a shower with any of his three kids. It turns out he could have this one because Rob doesn’t show up. He calls in a snit and says he’s not coming if Chyna’s not coming. Kylie’s over it. Kim has had it. Shower over. DILF hats for nothing and nobody.
A couple of days later, Rob realizes his mistake and apologizes for ruining the shower. A set of balloons that say “I Love You Mom” and all is forgiven. The family scrambles to get together for one last big set piece for the season. Rob and Chyna arrive at Kourtney’s to open the presents. Kris gives them the baby bunting that Rob wore home from the hospital when he was born.
Season 12 of Keeping Up With The Kardashians might be over, but the Rob and Chyna baby special is on its way, because, of course, it is. No worries. Dream Kardashian is well prepared for her TV debut with an Hermès robe and two mini Range Rovers. Unless Kris wrecks them before then.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Far from slowing things down after last week’s big reveal, this episode, “Trace Decay,” only sped things up.
With only two more episodes to go until the end of the season, this installment started to ferry us into the endgame. We open with Bernard and Ford in the same basement lab where he killed Theresa. Bernard is struggling with what he’s done, and so Ford makes a bargain with him: He’ll wipe his memory once all evidence of their involvement in Theresa’s death is gone.
Fans of the Bernie-is-Arnold theory should take note of Ford’s warning: “You’re not the first man to threaten me. Arnold came to feel the way you do. He couldn’t stop me either.” It’s almost as if he can’t help but compare them.
In Sweetwater, Maeve is continuing to have flashbacks to her former life as a homesteader. “What the hell is happening to me?” she asks Felix. He explains that while humans remember things in the fuzzy details, hosts recall memories perfectly. “You relive them,” he says.
Either way, it doesn’t matter. Maeve has a purpose now: Getting out of the park. Interestingly, we learn that hosts are equipped with an explosive device that is set to detonate if they leave. Does this mean it has happened before? Or were Ford and Arnold afraid that they might?
Maeve needs a full rebuild to get rid of the ticking time bomb inside her before she can make her exit. She also need allies, and to get those, she needs administrative privileges, which turn out to be the Westworld equivalent of Jedi mind tricks.
Basically, Maeve’s path is getting increasingly clear. Dolores’, on the other hand, is getting murkier. She and Will make their way to a riverbank where they find the victims of what Will calls a Ghost Nation ambush, but looks suspiciously like the aftermath of an attack by Wyatt. Like Maeve, Dolores is having flashbacks — except it’s not clear which way they’re flashing. When she goes to the river to get water for a dying man, she sees herself lying face-down, dead. “Come find me,” a voice says. She’s losing her grasp on reality.
Meanwhile, Stubbs finds Theresa’s body at the bottom of the same ravine they found the dysfunctional woodcutter. Conveniently, a satellite link was also found, leading everyone to believe that Theresa was trying to smuggle information out of the park, slipped, and fell to her death. Everyone except Charlotte Hale, that is. She doesn’t look convinced. On the bright side, Theresa’s death means Bernie is reinstated as Head of Behavior, which is good news because they’re incredibly short-handed. (We still don’t know what happened to Elsie, but more on that later.)
The discovery of Theresa’s so-called deception puts pressure on Sylvester and Felix to do something about Maeve. Sylvester suggests that they pretend to do what she wants and then just wipe her memory and break her (WHY DIDN’T THEY DO THAT BEFORE GIVING HER UNLIMITED BRAIN POWER?)
For her part, Maeve has been getting acquainted with her core code. And guess what? She’s old. There’s something within her, “like two minds, arguing with each other. There are things in me, things I was designed to do that are just out of my reach.They almost seem to be dormant.” Sound familiar? Like Arnold's bicameral mind system perhaps? The suspicion gets confirmed when she suddenly asks “Who is Arnold?”
In the end, Sylvester’s plan goes horribly awry when Maeve wakes up and slits his throat. Her core code has been altered. She can do whatever she wants, which she shows us when she wakes up refreshed back in the Mariposa, ready to test out her new powers. She gives orders to the new version of Clementine (the old host was retired), and the bartender. Works like a charm. When Hector and his band of outlaws ride into town, she helps them out by calling off the sheriff. This new Maeve is terrifying. I love it.
We check in with Teddy and MIB, who have ventured into Wyatt territory. This just in: Teddy is starting to remember things. They also come across corpses, murdered in a very similar way to those Dolores and Will encountered just moments before. MIB recognizes one of the survivors, a female host. As they’re chatting, one of Wyatt’s henchman jumps out from the woods and attacks. Teddy finally brings him down — along with MIB. He knows he’s the one who attacked Dolores at the ranch.
Speaking of violence, now that Bernie has done what he needs to, Ford is ready to help him forget it. But before he does, Bernie has one question: “Have you ever made me hurt anyone like this before?”
Ford answers no, just as Bernie flashes back to himself strangling someone who looks suspiciously like Elsie. Did Ford send him to kill her? (This seems even more plausible given his response when Stubbs asks about Elsie later. As with Theresa, he doesn’t even feign concern, meaning his memories of her may have also been wiped.)
Ford is anxious that everything return to normal. Bernie shouldn’t dwell on these memories.
"You might lose yourself to them as some of your fellow hosts have, every now and then."
In an almost too perfect transition, we return to Dolores and Will, who have arrived at what she calls “home.” And this is where things get confusing (what else is new?), both for us and Dolores. At first, it seems as if they’ve come to the town with the white church, the very one that Ford has been rebuilding for his new narrative. But then, Dolores encounters Lawrence’s little girl, the wise child who keeps warning her about the Maze, and hears gunfire. When she turns, she’s the one holding the gun, first to others, and then to her own head. Suddenly, we are pulled back into another reality, where Will grabs the gun from Dolores. So which one is real?
If we assume that the multiple timeline theory is true, then both could be. When Dolores sees behavior technicians teaching the hosts to dance, it could be taking place at the very beginning of the park, in the time of Arnold. In the scene with William, which, according to the theory, takes place a couple of years after Arnold’s death, only the metal spire stands where the church once did.
Dolores is understandably flustered, and Will suggests they go back towards Sweetwater, because being out on the fringe of the park is making her glitchy. They don’t get far before encountering Logan, newly recruited by the Confederados. Uh oh.
Also in “uh oh” territory: Whatever is going between Sizemore and Hale cannot be good. After recruiting him to help her with a little secret project, Hale drags him down to the basement storage unit where the hosts are kept. Seemingly at random, she points to a host, who happens to be the original Abernathy dad who glitched in episode one (Dolores’ father). She wants to upload data into him, and tasks Sizemore with giving him some kind of a personality. Given this host’s past history, this seems like a recipe for disaster.
But perhaps the biggest reveal of this episode is about the Man in Black. We finally get to understand a little more about him. In the outside world, he’s the equivalent of Bill Gates, a “titan of industry, a philanthropist.” He was married to a beautiful woman and raised a beautiful daughter. All was hunky dory, until his wife killed herself and his daughter turned against him. “They never saw anything like the man I am in here — but she knew anyway,” he tells Teddy. And so, he decided to test his humanity. Maeve’s daughter was the test — and he failed. For Maeve, on the other hand, that test actually brought out her humanity — until Ford took it away.
At the same time that MIB is recounting his tale to Teddy, Maeve is flashing back to her own experience. She didn’t die when MIB stabbed her. She watched her daughter get shot, and then fought back. As she slashes at MIB in her flashback, she kills current Clementine in present day, in front of a very large crowd. The game is up — there’s no way Mission Control can ignore this one.
It’s interesting that the narrative of this moment is interwoven because it’s a defining moment for both of them. For the MIB, it’s the moment he discovered the Maze. (“She was alive. Truly alive if only for a moment. And that was when the Maze revealed itself to me.”) For Maeve, it’s the moment she broke down the first barrier to consciousness.
MIB only sees half her story. She didn’t die in the middle of the Maze — she was taken back to HQ, where she continued to wail about her child. Voice commands were no longer effective, so Ford and Bernie were brought in. When Ford promises to make it all go away, she pleads with him. “No, no please. This pain, it’s all I have left of her.” The words echo what Dolores once told Bernie about her own family. Pain is the one true feeling these hosts know is real. (MIB said something similar before killing Lawrence’s wife.)
According to MIB, Wyatt is the last step to unlocking the Maze, which increasingly seems to be a state of mind, rather than a physical place. Has Maeve finally reached the center? Is Teddy close on her heels?
The episode ends with Teddy getting stabbed (again) by his damsel not-so-in-distress, who’s been working for Wyatt this whole time. Next week can’t come fast enough!
Additional thoughts & predictions, debunked.
The Man in Black’s words about the purpose of Westworld sound exactly like Will’s in episode 7: “I had to prove her wrong. So I came back here. Because that’s what this place does, right? Reveals your true self.”
1. We'll find out what happened to Elsie.
We kind of did. 0.5 points.
2. Ford will reveal he has secretly been building a host-version of Theresa.
Nope. 0 points.
3. Dolores will get a third outfit.(Please.)
She changed back into her dress — does that count? 0.5 points.
4. We'll get to see Teddy shirtless again. (Double please.)
Nope. 0 points. (Big mistake. Huge.)
5. We'll finally get to see Ford's new narrative.
We saw the white church, but potentially in the wrong timeline. 0.5 points.
Total: 1.5/5 (I am the Lee Sizemore of theories, i.e. terrible.)
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Everyone knows that Drake only truly belongs with one woman: Rihanna, obviously. In the meantime, he's happy to screw with fans by teasing a showmance with Taylor Swift.
The rapper's new Apple Music ad is a little love letter to Swift, who wasted no time in broadcasting her approval on Instagram. But it's Drake's own Instagram that has really riled up the masses.
Drake posted his new commercial on Instagram late last night, adding the hashtag #Draylor. As in, Drake and Taylor. As in, NO NO NO NO NO.
A video posted by champagnepapi (@champagnepapi) on
One conclusion is that the Canadian star is poking fun at those relationship rumors. Another theory is that he has the dating maturity of a middle-schooler, has taken it upon himself to coin a couple nickname, and has been up all night practicing his "Drake Swift" signature because he and Taylor truly are in love. We're going with the first assumption, but that hasn't stopped fans from collectively freaking out that Draylor might actually be real.
Emma Stone does a mean stanky leg. Her "Single Ladies" moves would get a nod of approval from Beyoncé herself. Her tap dancing is superb. But her Running Man? Oh, honey.
Stone, who spins and twirls through much of La La Land, got to showcase her skills during a round of "Last Dance" on The Ellen Show this week. While she had no trouble busting out a belly dance or a waltz, the actress came up short when asked to do the Running Man.
Did she pump her knees and call on the power of MC Hammer? No. She literally jogged in place.
"is it this?" she asked Ellen DeGeneres mid-jog.
"No," the unimpressed host shot back. "That's not it."
In true Stone fashion, it's all very endearing. But seriously... what was she doing in the '80s and early '90s?
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Frankly, nobody would blame The Walking Dead 's Maggie for hiding under the duvet and taking the rest of the year off. The woman's just seen her husband brained by a baseball bat and is experiencing some pretty gnarly pregnancy complications. Life has not been kind.
Anyone else would crumble, but that's not Maggie's style. Instead, last night's episode saw Lauren Cohan's character have a breakthrough, I-am-woman-hear-me-roar moment — and that's not even including the part where she drove a tractor right over an enemy's car. The grieving widow cut Hilltop leader Gregory's mansplaining short with a punch to the face and a speech that would make Arya Stark proud. This girl has a name, too.
"This is our home now," she told Gregory after serving him a knuckle sandwich. "So you'll learn to start to call me by name. Not Marsha, not dear, not honey. Maggie. Maggie Rhee."
As Vanity Fair notes, the scene occurs in the TWD comic books, but with a variation. Comic book Maggie identifies herself as "Maggie Greene." TV Maggie, however, chooses to honor her late husband's name.
So, yes. It's perfectly acceptable to punch the air and ugly-cry at the same time. Everyone else is.
Update: This month's election results have revealed, among other things, that we are a nation divided on many points. Some of us are reeling, others cheering, and many are simply afraid and uncertain. One fact of which I'm fairly certain? It's gonna be a rough Thanksgiving. But the truth is, we are in dire need of a chance to sit down and talk to each other as humans. It might be a mess, but things are going to get messy. To help you navigate the dinner table, we're sharing this basic, three-step guide to talking politics with your people without losing your shit. This piece was originally published on October 19, before the final presidential debate. Back then, many of us would never have predicted the results to come. But no matter who won, it still would have been a tough time to talk politics with those closest to us. We are in dire need of dialogue, so let's give it a shot.
Welcome to this special Election 2016 edition ofUnprofessional Advice: a column to help you handle problems of all kinds. With zero professional experience and a complete lack of credentials, I will take on your issues with compassion and humor (and I'll keep it anonymous, obvs). Got a question? Email me atunprofessionaladvice@refinery29.com.
There’s an old adage that says one should never discuss religion or politics in certain circles. It’s not a bad rule, I guess, but for one fatal flaw: The taboo topics remain fixed, but no one seems clear on what those “certain circles” are. Some say don’t talk about them with friends, some say colleagues, and others say not to bring them up at the dinner table. True, it’s just an old saying, but listen closely and you’ll hear the real underlying message: Don’t talk about religion or politics with anyone, anywhere, ever. Amen.
But no matter what side you’re on, we’re in this together. I’m going to take the radical stance that it’s time to start talking, openly, about politics — with anyone. It may seem easier to just shut up when your grandma brings up Clinton, or pretend your best friend isn’t saying what you think he’s saying about Trump. But do you actually leave those non-conversations feeling good? If so, congratulations. You get an A for Awkwardness. But the rest of us need to talk about this, because even though the election is over, now is when the conversation really begins. We have a new president-elect, and we still have to face the same friends, colleagues, and family members sitting around the dinner table (at Thanksgiving, no less).
Bridges may burn. It happens. But before you get the matches, try talking politics using these three simple steps. As for religion? I got nothing.
I’m going to take the radical stance that it’s time to start talking, openly, about politics — with anyone.
1. Ask questions. Then listen to the answer until they’re done talking.
I have a close relative who loved Bernie and was not so into Hillary. He wanted her to win, but like a lot of people, he was “concerned” in a way that drove me up the wall. I used to ask him questions like, “Why are you so worried about her age? Bernie’s no spring chicken.” In other words, not really questions but provocations. Inevitably, we’d wind up in a dead-silent stalemate, then try to shift gears into talking about movies.
At a certain point, I must have run out of movies — and energy for this routine. Because one day when he was worrying aloud about the way she “handled” her bout with pneumonia, I found myself asking, “Okay. What’s concerning you about this?” And then I let him talk. It was as if he were a balloon, dying to be popped. He talked and talked for a couple minutes straight, and I didn’t interrupt. Eventually, he finished, “I guess it’s just a scary time.” On that, we agreed. “Yeah, I hear you,” I said.
Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.
We all just want to be heard. It’s not easy to listen to someone when you don’t quite agree — or when you deeply, fervently disagree. But when you can extend that courtesy, the balloon does pop and the tension decreases by half. If I may mix my metaphors, it’s as if you’re playing tug-of-war and one side just lets go. You can’t really sustain a fight after that.
Now, not everyone deserves your attention. You don’t need to hear out every Tom, Dick, and Asshole on Twitter. But when it comes to your loved ones, give it a shot. Ask a neutral question, then listen to the whole damn answer — and be an active listener. Don’t interrupt, but let them know you’re hearing them (throw in some mmhmms, it’s as simple as that!). It will be hard, and your blood might boil, but I promise you that any discussion that comes after will be at least twice as easy because the magic works both ways. When someone feels heard, they are much more willing to listen.
Wrench yourself into their shoes for a moment and see where they’re coming from: What do they fear? What do they want — not on the surface but on a fundamental level?
2. Empathize your ass off.
Last year, I spent a day shadowing an anti-abortion activist named Emily, for a story. We’d drive to a school, I’d watch her deliver a presentation to a room of impressionable young women on the "holocaust" Planned Parenthood had inflicted upon their generation, and then we’d get back in the car and have to make chitchat. Going in, I imagined it would be near impossible to get through the day without screaming. But — and I’m slightly horrified to say this — it was incredibly easy. Emily had a secret weapon: hardcore empathy.
“Always look for common ground — because there is. And it’s not something to be afraid of,” she told me. This was her tactic when dealing with everyone, whether a curious young person on the fence about abortion, or a furious protester screaming in her face. I don’t think it was simply her nature. I think she understood that empathy was the most necessary tool in conflict resolution, and the harder it was to be empathetic, the more she needed to try. That is how you win hearts and minds.
It’s not easy to listen to someone when you don’t quite agree — or when you deeply, fervently disagree.
Next time you find yourself in an argument (or politely sidestepping the argument you sense coming), first, try listening, and then try this: “I see what you mean.” Find something, anything, in what that person’s saying that you can get on board with. Wrench yourself into their shoes for a moment and see where they’re coming from: What do they fear? What do they want — not on the surface but on a fundamental level? I guarantee you’ll find something you can agree with, and if you can’t, try harder. Think of this as an experiment, and just see what happens. If you can find even a single detail to agree on, the entire dynamic will shift.
In addition to saving your relationships, there’s a bonus prize here. Radical empathizing might feel like giving up, but it’s the opposite. I didn’t come around to Emily’s cause, but I left understanding it better than ever. And that understanding is far more powerful than blind anger.
Photographed by Davide Luciano.
3. Pick your battle, and fight with honor.
Even if you practice steps one and two perfectly, there are no guarantees that political difference won’t end a relationship. Some people are too enmeshed in their own fear and stress to engage like they normally would otherwise (but that’s usually temporary). With others, you might realize through all this listening and empathizing, that you just don’t want them in your life. That might be temporary, too, but maybe not. It's sad, yes, but sometimes inevitable.
In these cases, you’re faced with a choice. What matters more: this relationship or this issue? It’s a big question, I know. So, once you make it, be ready to fight the good fight.
When you know exactly what you’re fighting for, and why, then it becomes much easier to fight fair. (Easier, but not a cakewalk.) Be honest, no name-calling, and own when you are wrong. Make yourself heard loud and clear, and above all, know when it’s time to call it quits.
Know this, too: When you’re fighting for a relationship, there are no winners and losers. The fight is only over when you both decide to stop fighting. So, if you’ve made your point and you still find yourself going in circles, there’s a simple way to end it: Be the first to give up.
But perhaps the best part of the AMAs were all the behind-the-scenes photos and videos that celebrities posted on Instagram.
From Taylor Swift to Nicki Minaj, stars of all kinds were busy posting pictures to help celebrate one of music's big nights. Some were throwbacks, while others gave us a glimpse of what everyone was up to off-camera. They were all equal parts adorable and funny.
Ahead, we've rounded up the best celebrity Instagram posts from last night that prove just how much fun the AMAs really are.
Taylor Swift posted this throwback of Gigi Hadid to celebrate her BFF's hosting gig.
Like this post? There's more. Get tons of celebrity news, fun takes on pop culture, and trending stories on the Refinery29 Entertainment Facebook page. Like us on Facebook — we'll see you there!
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
You're a famous actor who has just split from your movie star wife. Where do you turn? Airbnb. (And then look up your old friend Mila Kunis, because you're obviously meant for each other.)
Ashton Kutcher shared a rare detail about his life after divorcing first wife Demi Moore while speaking at Airbnb Open 2016 on Saturday. The former couple separated in 2011, but their divorce wasn't finalized until 2013. During that time Kutcher made Airbnb properties his home.
People reports that Kutcher, who is an Airbnb investor, admitted to living in Airbnbs for a year after his split from Moore. The experience, he said, was just what he "needed."
"I went to Europe and I flew in and got in in the middle of the night,” he told the audience. “I arrived at the Airbnb at 2 a.m. The person had left me dinner and a glass of wine."
The gesture had a big impact on Kutcher.
“It was … the magic and the love that I needed in that moment,” he said. “I was shocked that someone would care that much about a total stranger.”
Indeed! When's the last time a host made us dinner?
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
The idea of dressing for the pleasure and praise of men has existed since long before fashion magazines — and we’ve had just as long to get real tired of all that nonsense. Therefore, we can think of no better champion for radically original personal style (that takes men totally out of the equation) than Leandra Medine, founder of Man Repeller. Listen below as Medine gives us the exclusive on how she conquered the fashion and digital worlds based on a simple desire to stand out.
Launched in 2010 when Medine was 22, Man Repeller has grown from an indie blog to a global media business, one which extends far beyond the fashion community thanks to its indefatigably modern mission: Style is a form of self expression, so why waste your energy on pleasing others? Through the years, Medine has not only seen her business change, but herself along with it: “I feel like becoming recognized and ‘internet famous,’ makes me feel much more comfortable with my place in the world. I used to act out in ridiculous ways because I wanted to be heard, but nobody would listen," she says. "[Now,] I feel really, really at ease and comfortable with my voice.”
I feel like becoming recognized and ‘internet famous,’ makes me feel much more comfortable with my place in the world.
This week on UnStyled, Medine gets frank with host, Christene Barberich, Refinery29's Global EIC and Co-Founder, about the evolution of her media empire and why getting dressed can be symbolic. Be sure to subscribe to UnStyledhere (we thank you for it!), and check out some of the highlights from Medine's chat with us below.
Man Repeller is a business. How do you describe it as a business?
“At the crux of Man Repeller, it's this community of fiercely intelligent people who are just interested in talking to each other. No topic is off limits for intellectual dissection.”
When you started your first blog, you were 22 and living at home. What about that time in your life felt like a rich opportunity for you to start talking about what was happening?
“I was starting to feel more and more comfortable with my place in the world. I think that's really it. I had just gotten back from a semester abroad in Paris. And, when I was in Paris, I was keeping a blog called Four Months in Paris. And I developed a readership, beyond just my parents. And that was really interesting. I'd been at school for writing, and it was so satisfying to self-edit — a.k.a. not edit at all.”
I think there's a level of spontaneity that's just really refreshing and hilarious withMan Repeller...
“When I launched Man Repeller, I was a junior in college, and I just started writing it because I was looking around one of my non-fiction classes one day, and I was thinking to myself that we were all going to be graduating together, and we were probably all going to be fighting for the same two reporting jobs in media. I just wanted to work in a place where I could defy the odds of looking like a fashion girl who worked in fashion.”
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
The women in my office employ a certain phrase when describing a thing that another one of us would enjoy. We say that the thing is "on brand" for a particular person — their personality and habits, their affinities for other series or films or fashion choices. The phrasing itself is very "on brand" for our publication. I suspect that if you're reading this, you already understand what I mean.
The Affair is an on-brand series for me. I was told this by multiple colleagues, from non-work friends out in the world (who used slightly different language but meant the same thing), and from my partner who, having not seen the show himself, mentioned that The Affair sounded like "something I would like." Okay then.
As it turns out: They were all right. I have spent the past week immersed in seasons 1 and 2, watching some episodes twice to make sure I understood the smallest plot twists and perspective shifts. I have marveled at the brilliance of a show that takes "he said/she said" to a new level (a very sexy one at that), and emerged from hours of binge-watching in what I can only describe as a contemplative stupor.
The Showtime series — a relationship drama told from a tennis match of perspectives, first his, then hers, back and forth until someone hits the net — feeds the part of my brain that loves dark and cerebral plots that every so often perform the TV equivalent of a pop quiz, just to make sure you've been paying attention. Noah Solloway (Dominic West) and Allison Lockhart (Ruth Wilson) are captivatingly twisted characters whom you hate and relate to in the same thought; their cuckolded spouses, Cole (Joshua Jackson) and Helen (Maura Tierney) have their own demons to fight, and watching all these egos, desires, manipulations, and self-deceptions battle it out is nothing short of fascinating.
What does it say about me that I take such great satisfaction in watching it all fall apart?
But I must admit there's some schadenfreude involved with loving this series. You have to enjoy watching "perfect" lives implode on themselves, like a renovated three-story Brooklyn brownstone that begins to collapse, floor-by-floor, on all the inhabitants within. You have to take pleasure in watching people who have it all fuck it all up, as well as be comfortable with a nefarious omniscience: You know much more than they do about what's really going on, through the flash-forwards and the entry granted to different characters' consciousnesses. It's a dark rabbit hole to fall into, and, at least from my own experience, it has the power to land a viewer in a grim headspace. And — to top it off — all that is kind of the point of watching.
In the end — which is to say, the beginning of season 3, which premieres on November 20 — I wound up despising everyone involved, really hating them for so severely messing up what should have been an idyllic life. At the story unfolds, it's hard to find the key players anything short of despicable. And yet, I also pitied them. Maybe because they remind me a little of myself.
So what does it say about me that I take such great satisfaction in watching it all fall apart, and find my own reflection in a series about the way people fail and fuck each other? What is going on in my brain that this is "on brand" for my viewing pleasure?
Because it is, and while of course I'm far from the only person who loves The Affair, I am someone who has to kick it around in my own mind late at night, when lately I'm wondering if monogamy is really a sustainable promise to make to someone you love. Part of the magnetism of the show — on top of the riveting twists and turns, the stellar performances, and the gorgeous cinematography — is that it's an opportunity to think about what might happen if you scrapped everything you've built and started over again, just because it seems like less work than laboring at something imperfect.
So before you dive in, as a new viewer or an old one returning: Have you ever thought about blowing your life up? Disappearing and starting over? Cutting your losses and leaving town? All the time? If the answer is yes, then you should probably watch The Affair. Then again, depending on where your head is at these days, maybe you shouldn't. In real life, unlike on television, there are consequences to our rash decisions.
The Affair returns to Showtime on November 20.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Taylor Swift wasn't at the American Music Awards on Sunday, but that doesn't mean she wasn't watching and rooting on a certain BFF.
Swift posted a video to her Instagram story that has her absolutely freaking out over Selena Gomez's win for Favorite Female Artist - Pop/Rock.
The minute Gomez's name was called by fellow Swift squad member Hailee Steinfeld, Swift immediately started screaming. And basically, she couldn't stop.
While the video focuses on the TV showing Gomez making her way to the stage and doesn't actually feature Swift, it's clear she was as proud as ever of Gomez.
Gomez would continue to make her bestie proud with an inspiring speech that had her letting fans know she may have looked like she had everything, but "I was absolutely broken inside. I kept it all together enough where I would never let you down. But I kept it too much together to where I let myself down."
"If you are broken, you don't have to stay broken," Gomez told the crowd.
Gomez's AMAs appearance was her first major public appearance after announcing in August that she was taking time off to focus on her health. Since being diagnosed with lupus, the chronic inflammatory disease, Gomez has spoken out about maintaining her mental health and encouraging her fans to do the same.
Swift wasn't the only person showing support for Gomez. Lady Gaga posted an image of her embracing Gomez after her emotional speech.
"So dope I got to hang with with the biggest rockstar of the night. (Ya,know besides Sting and Green Day)," Gaga wrote. "The girl with the biggest prize of all a BIG Heart that she shares with the world."
It’s a lesson for the Instagram age: just because something appears lust-worthy in photos doesn’t necessarily mean it will look that way in real life. Trust us, that green super-juice tastes much worse off the screen. And those power brows? They may lose a bit of their status once stripped of studio lighting. The truth is, the very beauty looks that spike the most likes on Instagram don't always translate to real life.
And it's not just about filters. “When we do makeup for a photo, we’re doing it for aspirational purposes. We make everything a little more exaggerated so people feel inspired,” says Hung Vanngo, a makeup artist who works with Lily Aldridge, Selena Gomez, and Kate Bosworth. “In real life you always need to take it down a notch.” As one hair colorist pointed out on her IG account, other looks require salon-level styling that most of us simply don’t have the time or money to maintain. So how can we get our glam on in a way that works in selfies and on the street? We talked to a few beauty pros for tips.
Look: All-Over-Dew
Insta Trap: “Something that looks dewy and fresh on camera can look oily in real life," says Lilit Caradanian, makeup artist and creator of Elcie Cosmetics.
Offline Fix: To get a dewy look that doesn’t turn into an oily sheen, steer clear of all-over luminizers. “Use a mattifying primer and moisturizer, then set your skin with a translucent powder and lock it in before adding [powder] shimmer. Then, be selective about where you create the illuminizing effect,” Caradanian says. Let makeup artist Hung Vanngo's work here be your guide.
Insta Trap: Big, overdrawn lips might look convincing in photos, but in real life, the effect can turn clownish quickly. “With strong lighting and a filter, you can [cheat] where you put the lines because a filter blows everything out,” says makeup artist Nick Barose. “But in real life, you can see where the lip shape is and where you cheat.”
Offline Fix: To create bigger-looking lips without the Mr. Potato Head effect, Vanngo (who created the look here) offers this method: Use concealer to slightly hide the natural lip shape, then line the lips in a shade closest to the lipstick you plan on using. You can overdraw the lip a teensy bit, but anything further will be obvious. Barose also suggests going with lighter lip shades, as dark shades tend to make lips appear smaller.
Insta Trap: The truth? Nearly all hair looks great blown out, waved, and photographed with studio lighting. But in real life, [it] can be difficult to maintain, even harder to grow out, and potentially damaging. “Dramatic color usually requires a lot of styling and maintenance to look good," says celebrity hairstylist George Papanikolas.
Offline Fix: If you want to go Rainbow-Brite or even just get high-contrast highlights, seek professional help and do it gradually. And be prepared for the commitment. This isn't always a wash-and-go look.
Insta Trap: A contoured face is now the foundation for most Insta-looks, but it can be taken too far off camera. “The contour [on Instagram] has gotten out of control,” Vanngo says. “A heavy contour on the street doesn’t work and I get really offended when I see that makeup. It’s packed on and masking the face so the skin can’t breathe."
Offline Fix: The first rule of creating a flattering contour? Ease up on the layering. Lightly dust a simple bronzer or contour cream on to the skin, then blend out like crazy. “That’s all you need because it’s about enhancing the features and shape of your face,” Vanngo says. “The key is to not create harsh lines or new shapes that are not really there,” Barose adds. “Just follow your own shape and sculpt it so your face still looks like your face — just more defined.”
Insta Trap: Over color-correcting and highlighting under the eyes makes for a wide-awake look on the 'gram, but it can look unnatural in real life.
Offline Fix: “A good concealer should be enough these days. No one needs to be perfectly smooth,” Barose says. He suggests using a richly pigmented liquid concealer that reflects light, like NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. “Use a concealer brush to layer it on the dark spots only. This will freshen up the face without making you look pasty,” he says.
Insta Trap: Drawing in full, over-perfected arches can disguise eyebrow hairs, making them look less like brows and more like tattoos. “Even on Instagram, my thick brow is never about covering everything. With the brows I do, it fades out and we still see the hair,” says Vanngo.
Offline Fix: Our best advice? Treat the brows the same way you do the rest of your makeup. If you're doing a full eye and lip, then keep the brow to a minimum. Or go for a full brow and dramatic eyes, but keep the lip simple. “Some people will do full blush, brow, lip, and eye makeup,” Vanngo says. He avoids this.
Vanngo notes that he likes to balance a strong brow and strong eyes with light skin and a nude lip, as he did here. “You have to give up a certain part to balance the face so it doesn’t look too heavy,” he says.
Insta Trap: Who doesn’t want that J.Lo look? But here’s the rub: a beautiful highlight shouldn’t be seen at every angle. “You have to understand that with this look, the highlight hits when light hits the face. When J.Lo looks straight on, for example, you don’t see her highlight. The problem is when people think, ‘I don’t see it in this light — I have to put more on, and they tend to overdo it,” notes Vanngo.
Offline Fix: “Think candle-lit glow instead of Tin Man metallic,” instructs Barose, who notes that the highlighter shade should compliment the foundation. “For example, if you have darker skin, then something too light and pearlized is not going to work. Try a golden champagne instead. If skin is even darker, go for a coppery shade,” he says.
Once you have the right color, technique comes into play. “It’s important to blend the highlight. Instead of applying a stripe across the cheekbone, dot or dust on a little bit, then blend it out,” says Vanngo.
Insta Trap: “Dramatic white ends look beautiful when a stylist blows out and waves the hair,” warns Papanikolas. “But you may not be able to get a comb through it once you wet it and try to style it yourself because the condition of the hair can get really compromised when you bleach it to those very pale tones.”
Offline Fix: Rather than frying the hair with ultra-white bleach jobs, the color pro suggests asking for slight golden tones like the ones created by Nine Zero One salon here. “They are less harsh on the hair but still photograph light,” he says. To keep your tips in top condition, Papanikolas suggests using a color-specific hair mask once a week (he likes Matrix Biolage ColorLast Mask) to add moisture and keep color from fading.
Like this post? There's more. Get tons of beauty tips, tutorials, and news on the Refinery29 Beauty Facebook page. Like us on Facebook — we'll see you there!
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
We'll always have JLaw and ASchu. But can we talk about Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone for a second?
Lawrence's new cover story for the December issue of Vanity Fair includes some heartwarming and hilarious details about her friendship with Stone. We can all thank mutual friend Woody Harrelson for hooking them up, by the way.
“She texted me that she got my number from Woody,” Lawrence told the magazine. “I replied, 'Fuck off!’ And we’ve been really good friends ever since.”
It gets better.
“I feel like it was our version of The Notebook — 365 texts," the Oscar winner joked about the year they spent sending daily texts to each other.
What could possibly make this friendship even cooler? The fact that they don't see one another as professional threats.
“She may not even know this,” Stone shared, “but there was definitely a time early on when I was like 'OH HEY MY EGO IS GOING NUTS SHE’S SO GREAT AND VIBRANT AND TALENTED I’M SCREWED I’LL NEVER WORK AGAIN GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.’ Then I chilled the fuck out — and remembered we’re completely different and there is room for everyone, even if it’s an industry that doesn’t really seem to support that idea up front.
"We both really do love each other and care about each other as people, beyond being actors," she added. "I support her completely when it comes to work and I feel the same from her, but I know we’d be friends even if we didn’t do the same job.”
Lawrence has a similar take.
“I love my job,” the Passengers star noted. “I don’t know what I would be without acting. So if there is someone who loves the same thing, it should bring us closer. But it depends on how that person is, and Emma is so normal and lovely.”
That, friends, is pure #SquadGoals.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Instagram is very quickly becoming the place to go for everything. Its newest major release: live streaming.
The app is following Facebook's lead and launching live video within Instagram Stories. You'll be able to easily record live footage and see who's watching and commenting. The process is similar to Facebook Live, which isn't a total surprise, since Facebook is Instagram's parent company. Will Instagram be the new place to discover viral videos like Chewbacca Mom? It's possible. However, unlike on Facebook, live videos on Instagram Stories will disappear when you finish recording, so this seems slightly less likely.
Instagram is also upgrading its direct messaging platform. Instead of just sending text, you'll be able to send individual friends and friend groups photos and videos that will disappear after a matter of seconds. Yes, this is almost identical to Snapchat. However, one major benefit of disappearing photos and videos on Instagram, is that when you share with a group, you can see everyone's responses in one thread. This way, your photos can initiate a larger group chat, rather than just a one-on-one conversation.
Live video will roll out to select users today and become available to everyone in coming weeks, but the new features for direct messaging are available now. Click through to check out how both will look in-app.
To send a photo to a friend via direct message, snap your shot and draw or decorate it like you might for a story.
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
Then, just like in Snapchat, you'll have the option to send your story to individual friends, rather than posting it to your feed.
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
You can also tap the "create" button in the upper right-hand corner to put together a group thread within Instagram Direct.
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
So, yes, you can make crazy faces...
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
...and subject your whole crew to looking at them. You'll also see when friends view your photos and screenshot them, just like you can in Snapchat.
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
To start a live video, just toggle over from the "normal" photo tab in Instagram Stories to "Live".
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
As you record, you'll see who is tuning in and be able to read any comments, just like you can in Facebook Live. Your live feed can run for up to an hour.
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
In the same upper bar where you see friends' stories, you'll see who is currently live.
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
In your explore tab, stories that are live will have a special pink tag and you'll be able to select "Top Live" for a look at what's trending.
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
Within "Top Live Videos" you'll see a grid with images of the videos and their number of viewers. And, of course, you can click on any that look interesting to you for a closer look.
Photo: Courtesy Instagram.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
This year, the lingerie giant is flying its angels to Paris to film a catwalk spectacular at the end of the month, which will air during primetime on December 5. However, the whole thing has become way more than just a televised runway show. And considering that ratings were way down last year, the event has evolved to encompass a months-long journey where social-media savvy models share every single event (and photo opportunity) that leads up to the actual show — from casting to fitting to run-through and every workout in between.
It's certainly no small operation: So far, there are more than 50 models confirmed to board a pink jet to France. There are the Angels, of course (sans Candice Swanepoel and Behati Prinsloo, both of whom seem to be on maternity leave), and other high-profile gets, such as Gigi Hadid, Joan Smalls, and Liu Wen. There are also a bunch of very exciting newcomers, from Gigi's sister, Bella, to industry-favorite Dilone, who'll be joining the gang on the glittery catwalk this year.
These models have more in common than just being part of the Victoria's Secret model lineup. They've all mastered the art of social media, as evidenced by their tear-inducing posts announcing they'd been picked for the pink plane to Paris — and of course several lifetimes' worth of very professional selfies.
There are still a few uncertainties leading up to the show — will Cara Delevingne accept Ed Razek's invitation to come back to the catwalk? And we may not know until the show airs next month. Until then, we rounded up all the models we can expect to see light up our television screens with their megawatt smiles (and bedazzled lingerie) come December 5.
Dilone
During Fashion Month, it felt as if there wasn't a catwalk Dilone didn't strut down. So, unsurprisingly, she charmed the folks at Victoria's Secret, too. If you haven't yet fallen hard for Dilone, just read her heartfelt note about the casting: "This ones for the outcasts that get told they can't do something, be someone, go somewhere [because] they're just a little different. I'm so so happy to announce that I will be a part of the 2016 [Victoria's Secret Fashion Show]! Never in a million years did I think this would be happening! So unbelievable, fun and something I've never done before!" (Bonus: She already has her mini-wings.)
When you go from opening the fall '16 Altuzarra show to walking the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in the same year: Yeah, 2016 has treated Alanna Arrington pretty well, we'd say.
From Saint Laurent exclusive to Victoria's Secret Fashion Show newbie, Jourdana Phillips has had quite the season. Clearly, Paris is her city to shine in.
She may be a newcomer to the Victoria's Secret catwalk, but she's far from a newbie. Bella Hadid continues her fashion-world domination by joining sister Gigi in Paris for what will probably be the most watched runway she'll ever strut down. "There is no better feeling than being confirmed for the [Victoria's Secret Fashion Show]," she wrote on Instagram. Just wait until showtime, Bella.
Victoria's Secret has a rep for making models' dreams come true when it announces its newest faces. (It's sort of like the Disney World of fashion in that way.) Georgia Fowler couldn't dim that smile when she confirmed that she will indeed be walking for the lingerie giant, thanking the Victoria's Secret crew for checking off one of her longtime goals.
This model's agency surprised her with the news of her casting (and got her balloons!). The Washington, D.C., native actually got her start on Instagram, according to Vogue, so it's only fitting she'd take to the platform to share this very exciting development. "I can't believe it," she wrote. "I've been dreaming about this since I was a little girl. This is such an incredible feeling. I'm on cloud nine right now."
Watch out, Izabel Goulart — looks like Luma Grothe is already coming after one of your signature moves. The fellow Brazilian gave her best hair-flip to the camera when she announced she'd be flying to Paris with the Angels.
This'll be Brazilian model Lais Oliveira's first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, although she's modeled for the brand for some time now. Nonetheless, she's understandably psyched about the casting, thanking everyone from her management to the show's producers to the flurry of fan pages that have already lent their support.
"Can't take the smile off my face," Megan Williams wrote on Instagram two weeks ago, when she got the call. "Is this real?!" Her first casting for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show may have been hard to believe at first — but it'll be very real come November 30.
If you enjoy watching Victoria's Secret's emotional casting videos, we definitely recommend Xiao Wen's: The model was understandably overwhelmed by the news, so she walked to the nearest corner and just buried her face in the wall — later asking her management, "Really?" Wen once called the glittery catwalk one of her professional dreams — and now she's checking it off her bucket list.
Grace Elizabeth couldn't even get through the sentence "I'm walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" without tearing up. "When I first went in to my agency before I even signed, they asked me my goal, and I told them... I want to walk for Victoria Secret," she wrote on Instagram. "At the time, I laughed about it; I never knew I would go this far." Fast-forward to 2016. Cue the aww s.
Zuri Tibby made history earlier this year when she became the first Black spokesperson for Victoria's Secret Pink in the diffusion line's 14-year history. Now, she's riding that momentum all the way to the City of Lights. Tibby's definitely come a long way from that mall she was discovered in.
From Hawaii to Paris, Lindgard is certainly going places. She jumped for joy when she got the news that she booked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show — and seemingly hasn't stopped jumping since. (Hey, we wouldn't, either.)
She has New York Fashion Week under her belt. Next, Maggie Laine will walk the most glittery runway on the planet. This'll be the Georgia native's first-ever show for Victoria's Secret.
Swedish-Australian model Kelly Gale might have the best idea of the bunch for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show: She tagged her official social announcement with #croissants — because she has her priorities in order.
Herieth Paul will join fellow Maybelline spokesperson Gigi Hadid on the Paris catwalk this year. The Tanzanian-born, Ottowa-based model has a flurry of high-fashion credits to her name, including Brandon Maxwell, 3.1 Phillip Lim, and Jonathan Simkhai this past season — and all before her 21st birthday.
Guess who's back, back again: Gigi Hadid is taking her sophomore strut down the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show catwalk — and alongside her younger sister, no less.
We couldn't get enough of Liu Wen's shimmy during her cameo in Vogue's rendition of "Freedom" — so, let's see what dance moves she brings out on the Victoria's Secret runway when she struts to the tunes of Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, and Bruno Mars.
She may be an industry veteran compared to many in this year's crop, but even Irina Shayk has room for firsts on her résumé. This marks the first trip down the Victoria's Secret catwalk for the Russian model — and it's probably not the last.
Design student turned model Ming Xi began working with Victoria's Secret back in 2013. Now, she's going on year four of walking the show — one of the many catwalks she's trotted down in Paris this year alone.
Joan Smalls may have kept a relatively low profile this Fashion Month, but the model will be bringing her smolder back to the Victoria's Secret extravaganza.
Barbara Fialho walked her first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show with a sparkling Eiffel Tower on her head as part of the 2013 "Parisian Nights" segment — so, what could be more full circle than traveling with the brand to France's capital this year?
Sanne Vloet is doing what we always say we're going to do, which is go from the airport straight from the gym to stretch our legs a bit. Maybe all we're missing is a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show booking to really motivate us...
She just walked a Victoria's Secret runway in her native China — but that was just a warm-up for Sui He. The model returns to the lingerie brand's highly anticipated event this year.
She may be a Victoria's Secret regular, but even Devon Windsor still gets emotional when it comes to this particular catwalk. "So four years ago I was walking around Zara in Soho trying to find some scarves for the brutal NYC winter when @imgmodels called me," she recalled on Instagram of the first time she booked the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. "I literally screamed out loud in disbelief and had to leave the store to call my mom and tell her the news." This'll be her fourth time walking in the show, and she notes that "the feeling of getting confirmed is exactly the same, if not better."
Last year, Maria Borges made a gorgeous statement (and a first for the brand) when she walked the Victoria's Secret Fashion show with an afro. Frankly, we can't wait to see how she wows us in 2016.
This will be Izabel Goulart's 12th — 12th! — time walking the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Such an achievement merited a signature of the brand's Angels Walk of Fame.
She samba'd when she was first confirmed to walk two years ago, and now Daniela Braga's coming back for her third Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. This time, there are more crunches.
The first time she got a callback for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Cindy Bruna thought she blew it for one very specific reason. "I had my eyebrows bleached from the Prada Campaign I had just shot," she wrote on Instagram a few weeks ago. "You can just imagine how I look without eyebrows." As the story goes, Bruna did in fact book the show that year. ("When my agency told me I confirmed the show, I kept on asking 'Are you sure they want me? Are you sure I am the one they confirmed?,'" she added.) Well, now she's going back to her hometown to walk the glittery runway once again.
You may have last spotted Brazilian model Flavia Lucini walking around New York covered in paint in Pete Yorn's music video for "She Was Weird," as Vogue reported. Now, you'll see her joining the Victoria's Secret gang once again at the annual fashion show.
She's done the glittery lap many a time, but this marks Skriver's first Victoria's Secret Fashion Show as a bona fide Angel. Not only that, but she'll be doing it in bedazzled glory, wearing this year's Swarovski-designed get-up. How festive!
When she's not taking the industry by storm, Taylor Hill comes home to her Victoria's Secret family. This'll be the Denver native's second year walking as an Angel.
Behati Prinsloo may not be there for more twinning opportunities, but Lily Aldridge will be back on the Victoria's Secret runway, reprising her title as Angel.
As an Angel, Sara Sampaio gets dibs on some of the most show-stopping garments that make their way down the Victoria's Secret runway. Off-duty, the Portuguese model takes her costuming just as seriously — just check out her Halloweenlook. Let's see how the 2016 Parisian duds compete.
All eyes will be on Jasmine Tookes this year: The Angel will have the distinct honor of wearing this year's Fantasy Bra — which, in Victoria's Secret World, is the biggest of deals. The 2016 garment is called the Bright Night Fantasy Bra, and it's valued at $3 million. Toto, we're not in Beautiful by Victoria's Secret territory anymore.
Martha Hunt will also be reporting for duty on the Victoria's Secret catwalk. With so many members of The Squad decamping to Paris for the event, will Taylor Swift make an appearance?
If your sweater-centric outfits don't extend past skinny jeans and boots, you’re really not using that cozy topper to its fullest potential. To help you see the light, we partnered with Old Navy to style its ultra-soft (and affordable!) Nordic sweater in three winter-weather looks that work for just about any occasion. So whether you’re gift-shopping, party-hopping, or escaping to the woods for a little getaway, this sweater has you covered — literally.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Love it or hate it, Snapchat isn't going anywhere any time soon. And whether you're a late adopter that just downloaded it or a veteran at sending unflattering selfies to your best friends, the key to making the app a super-fun and informative resource is simple: follow the right people.
Unsurprisingly, Snapchat stories have become an unconventional (and immediate) way to stay up-to-date on fashion trends, industry happenings, major events and launches, and more. (I mean, have you checked out our Snapchat Discover channel?). With one little swipe, you're immediately exposed to the front row at Fashion Week, the headquarters of your favorite brands, and the very enviable closets (and lives) of stylists, editors, models, and celebrities.
And yet, Snapchat's undeniably clunky user experience makes it difficult to find people to follow outside of who's already in your phone's contacts. Because of the weird, hard-to-figure-out interface, even your most fashion-obsessed, social media-savvy friends still might not who to follow or how to follow them.
With that in mind, we've rounded up 15 fashion people who are doing Snapchat right. Open up your app, hold your camera to the users' unique codes ahead, and click! — your friend list just got a lot more stylish. Click on, follow away, and who knows, the next great Snap-portunity might just be at your fingertips.
Who: Taste The Style
Username: tastethestyle
For something a bit more off the beaten path, follow Taste The Style, a New York-based editorial website that seamlessly combines food and fashion. It won the Bloglovin' award this year for Best Lifestyle Blog, and it's always giving you a glimpse into the best style and eats, mixed in with regular interviews with every cool girl in town.
Who: Eva Chen
Username: theevachen212
We already know the former Lucky magazine EIC is the queen of Instagram, but she's vying for the crown on Snapchat, too. Her shoe game, close-up shots at fashion shows, beauty product reviews, adorable baby girl, and endless #EEEEATS make her story a must-follow.
Who: Leandra Medine
Username: man_repeller
Geniuinely funny people are the best kind to follow on Snapchat. Not only do the Man Repeller's snaps give a glimpse inside the life of an OG blogger, but Medine's freaking hilarious — wildly crazy outfits, awkward dance moves, and all.
Who: Tibi
Username: T.ibi
From fabric design to production, Tibi's Snapchat truly offers a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making a street-style favorite brand. And the line even has styling tips to offer — just the other day, it showed users how to wear a sweater as a scarf.
Who: Bella Hadid
Username: babybels777
Bella's sister Gigi is definitely having her moment in the spotlight, but on Snapchat, the younger Hadid is the pro. Between hilarious photos of her famous friends (Hi, Jenner sisters!) and a behind-the-scenes look at photo shoots, her snaps are sure to make you giggle — and provide a lesser-seen side of big-name models and celebs.
Who: Everlane
Username: everlane
It's only expected that a brand so built on transparency has an awesome social media platform. Everlane uses its stories to announce launches and exclusives, give customers a look at awesome parties and events, and even shows them how to make a T-shirt. Oh, and the brand does interactive talks with its followers. We're into that.
Who: Shiona Turini
Username: Shionat
Former market director of Cosmopolitan, Shiona Turini still has her hands in the fashion industry. Follow along with her snaps to get a peek inside high-end brand showrooms and exclusive parties. Oh, and a good dose of food porn, too, in what she's calling #fatfall.
Who: Irene Kim
Username: Ireneisgood
If you want access to all the best fashion shows and events around the world, model and blogger Irene Kim is your girl. The Chanel show in Paris? Check. The Balmain x H&M party in Seoul? It's like we were there. Plus, we can't get enough of her rainbow-colored locks and adorable outfits — talk about inspiration for days.
Who: Laurel Pantin
Username: lapantin
One fashionable funny girl to add to your friends on Snapchat is Laurel Pantin — because you'll want to be friends with her IRL after watching her stories. Her travels around the world, shenanigans with friends, and often hilariously self-deprecating humor will keep you coming back for more.
Who: Pixie Market
Username: pixiemarket
We love getting a sneak peek at Pixie Market's photo shoots on its Snap stories, complete with killer clothes and adorable models. If you see something you like, simply send a chat on the app. Pixie Market is more than happy to respond and let you know when it will be available online. Talk about a win-win.
Who: Jamie Beck
Username: annstreetstudio
Photographer Jamie Beck is always working on beautiful and exciting projects, whether exploring Coco Chanel's apartment or shooting brands like Marchesa and Triumph Lingerie. You'll get glimpses into all that and more on her story, plus gorgeous, scenic shots of New York City.
Who: Rihanna
Username: rihanna
Dancing to Bieber's "Where R U Now" in the backseat of the car. Getting dressed for the Dior Spring 2016 show. Wine tasting in Chile. These are just a few of the things you'll see on Rihanna's Snapchat, which is mostly run by the friends that hang out with her. You won't be able to get enough of seeing the star uncensored and unfiltered — and yes, her outfits are always next-level.
Who: Taylor Marie Hill
Username: taylor_hill
Taylor Marie Hill is a young Victoria's Secret model you should be watching if you're not already — on Snapchat, that is. And unsurprisingly, the life of this model doesn't look too bad. Watch her stories to see her off-duty shenanigans and plenty of cute selfies.
Who: Chiara Ferragni
Username: chiaraferragni
It's pretty impressive how many times blogger Chiara Ferragni can change her entire outfit in one day. Expect plenty of shoe and sunglasses porn, international travel, and appearances by her adorable pup. You'll get sucked in quick, we promise.
Who: BryanBoy
Username: bryanboy
On Snapchat, BryanBoy's life is pretty much as glamorous as it looks on Instagram — but with even more of a sense of humor. Think: selfies of Bryan wearing SK-II face masks on his first-class flights and front-row access to fashion shows and parties.
Who: Soo Joo Park
Username: soojoomoojoo
It's our guilty pleasure to have a look into the real life of a top fashion model. The world travels, castings, and backstage moments make her stories feel like the real, modern-day version of ANTM.
Who: The Reformation
Username: reformation
If you think The Reformation's site photography is as dreamy as we do, follow the brand on Snapchat for all the behind-the-scenes eye candy. Not only does the line bring users into the factory where its perfectly sexy dresses and vintage-inspired duds are made, but tons of French bulldogs make appearances.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
