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Women's Fashion

Everlane’s Black Friday Sale—Everything You Need to Know

Everlane is about to kick off its massive Black Friday sale. From November 27 through November 30, the brand is taking 20 to 40 percent off select merchandise. Though the retailer has remained tight-lipped about what exactly will be on sale, you can expect great deals on cashmere sweaters, leather boots, and outerwear.

That’s only a piece of this shopping party. Everlane is donating up to $200,000 to Feeding America, giving $1 (or 10 meals) for every order placed from the 27th to the 29th and a $10 match to every direct donation made here on November 24. (The brand will automatically give a $100,000 flat donation to the hunger-relief organization.) Everlane launched its Black Friday Fund in 2013, and has raised over $8 million in donations for various organizations to date.

While Everlane’s Black Friday sale is filled with cold-weather essentials you need now, its Cyber Monday deals are all about what you’ll need in the near future. Everlane is expected to slash the price off of Uniform, a collection of men’s essentials, that have a great selection of holiday gift options for the men in your life from office-friendly chinos to a versatile button-down. Or, if you want to treat yourself, Everlane is expected to have great deals on its cheeky denim.

Make sure to bookmark this page ahead of the sale, and shop some of our favorite Everlane picks in the meantime, below.

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Women's Fashion

Hilary MacMillan Just Launched a Capsule of Biodegradable Loungewear

Photography courtesy of Hilary MacMillan.

“We wanted to make something that was wholly made in Canada from sustainable fabrics.”

Toronto-based designer Hilary MacMillan, who in the past has used sustainability-focused materials including vegan leather and faux fur, just dropped a new capsule of biodegradable loungewear crafted from Tencel™.

“We wanted to make something that was wholly made in Canada from sustainable fabrics,” MacMillan says about how the idea for designing the six-piece collection started. Comprised of elevated separates and sets (which come with a matching face mask, which you can also purchase separately), the loungewear pieces were designed, cut and fitted in MacMillan’s studio with sewing done at the homes of local contractors and manufacturers.

MacMillan says it was also important to “find something that wasn’t your typical sweatpant material, like fleece” to use in the offering, which includes a high-waisted skirt, cropped hoodie and leggings that come in three colours. She landed on Tencel™, a fabric derived from beechwood that’s known for its moisture absorption; it also has the ability to break down when composted properly after approximately a six-month period.

Since launching a biodegradable blouse line last year, MacMillan says her knowledge of eco-minded materials has grown significantly – and now she must impart this education to her customers. “It’s a very cool science and it’s getting better and better,” she says of the expanding innovations in textile creation, adding that “hopefully it’s all not too little, too late.”

This hits on a key factor when it comes to sustainability measures being taken in the fashion space–one that’s compounded when you consider that it’s indie brands like MacMillan’s who are leading the way when it comes to reconsidering everything from material use to how a product is brought to market. For example, to minimize waste, MacMillan is selling this capsule, which runs in sizes XS to 4X, as pre-order items which will begin shipping next week.

She highlights how consumption habits have increasingly shifted this year, pointing to the fact that brands are “moving away from the regular fashion cycle” more and more, and focusing on “drops” and other ways of selling that make sense for the designers and the planet.

But she rightly notes that it’s also the job of the government and mass market brands to take up the mantle of moving the dial, mentioning how “heavily reliant” on international trade Canadian brands are in terms of fabric availability with so few mills left in the country. “[We should be] investing in local manufacturing and technology,” she says, adding that “unless the whole community” embraces new, better ways of operating that “it’s harder for small businesses to do it.

In the meantime, MacMillan chooses to focus on positive change and looks to promising consumer habits as a source of optimism. “I walked into 2020 kind of terrified,” MacMillan says about the initial first months when the COVID crisis took a hold that is still largely in full force given recent lockdown measures in Toronto and the Peel region. “It’s been a very tough year for a lot of small businesses, but it’s also been a time where people are engaging with their community and supporting local stores,” she says. “People want to buy from Canadian brands.”

Categories
Life & Love

The Danger in Alex Minassian’s Autism Defence

As an autistic person, I’ve seen first-hand how the willful misunderstanding and manipulation of an autism diagnosis negatively impacts our community

I was diagnosed with autism at 27. There are a number of complex and intersecting reasons why it took so long, but the short version is that I didn’t fit any of the stereotypes of an autistic kid when I was growing up in the 1980s and ’90s. I certainly exhibited a number of textbook symptoms—overwhelming sensory sensitivities, narrowly focused interests in subjects like the Titanic, painful struggles with socialization—but I was also a girl (boys are diagnosed with autism at four times the rate) and empathetic to the point where I once felt so deeply for a fictional character that I cried until I vomited. 

Like most aspects of autism, our relationship with empathy is oversimplified and misunderstood. The common stereotype that no autistic person can experience empathy is regressive and hurtful, but efforts by some people in our community to combat it by claiming that all autistic people feel too much empathy haven’t been entirely helpful either. The reality is that our empathy is as individual as we are: Some autistic people, like me, experience what is called hyper-empathy; others can experience empathy similar to what non-autistic people do; and some do not experience empathy at all—but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t care or that they’re “bad” people. (In fact, I often find that less-empathetic autistic people are better at acting on their logical interest in doing what is right for their fellow humans than I am when I get overwhelmed by feelings and shut down.)

One of the reasons that I started writing about autism is because I wanted to expand people’s concept of what autism is and do my part to prevent the next generations of kids like me from falling through the cracks. As a result of my work, I started to develop a following of autistic people from around the world on Twitter. And through that community, I myself became the beneficiary of autistic empathy when tragedy struck my city. On April April 23, 2018, as news of a van attack in Toronto that left 10 people dead and 16 injured spread around the country and then the globe, people started to check in on me. My autistic friends and followers on Twitter knew that I was in Toronto, and wanted to make sure that I was OK. When I confirmed that my loved ones and I were safe, our conversations turned to horror about the events, grief for the victims and their families and concern over reports that the suspect, Alex Minassian, was likely influenced by the incel community online.  

Read this next: Marc Lépine Didn’t Want to Kill Women, He Wanted to Kill Feminists

In the days that followed, our concerns multiplied, as the media began to report that Minassian might have an autism spectrum disorder. A familiar fear crept into our conversations: the fear that, once again, the diverse and complex existences of autistic people—already woefully underrepresented and misunderstood—would be flattened into a debate about whether or not we’re unfeeling monsters. You see, this wasn’t the first time we’d heard this story: There is a developing pattern in which (usually relatively privileged) men attempt to blame their violent and criminal actions on an autism diagnosis, and the rest of us get painted with the same brush thanks to their craven exploitation of antiquated autistic stereotypes. In 2017 an autistic man on trial for rape claimed he misinterpreted the situation; Australian TV presenter Don Burke has attempted to blame accusations of harassment against him on autism; in his 2011 memoir, Julian Assange tried to hand-wave away his rape allegations by quipping that he is “a little bit autistic”; and just last month an English judge took a teenager’s autism spectrum disorder diagnosis into account when sentencing him for posting bomb-making instructions on neo-Nazi forums and downloading indecent images of children.

There is a popular saying in autism communities that if you know one autistic person, you know one autistic person. I would never presume to speak for every autistic person on the planet, but I think it’s more than fair to say that these men do not represent the majority. In fact, the conversations I had with my autistic friends and followers after the van attack were emblematic of most autistic people I know: Many can’t bear the thought of hurting others. Many of us can feel empathy for others, sometimes overwhelmingly so. Many of us care very deeply for other humans and for fairness and justice, regardless of whether we experience or demonstrate empathy in the same ways as our non-autistic counterparts.

And yet, two and a half years after that horrific day, we are faced with the same fears about stereotyping as autism has become a major point of discussion in Minassian’s trial, which began on November 10. Minassian has asked to be found not criminally responsible for 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder. Part of his defence includes a report from forensic psychiatrist Dr. John Bradford, who found that he has “an autistic way of thinking” that is “severely distorted.” 

Of course, it’s a defence attorney’s job to find any means they can to reduce their client’s sentence, but I believe that Minassian’s lawyers and Dr. Bradford, who does not appear to be an expert in autism, are acting shameless and irresponsibly. There is no evidence that indicates that autism makes a person uniquely violent, or that it renders someone incapable of understanding their actions. (There is research that suggests that autistic people might be more likely to be radicalized by online hate groups, but that’s an entirely different and far more nuanced conversation.)

Read this next: How Post-Secondary Students of Colour Can Feel Safe At School

Organizations like Autism Canada and Autism Ontario have released statements on the trial to that effect, denouncing the misrepresentation and manipulation of an autism diagnosis, and calling for a broader and more informed perspective. “Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social impairments and difficulty inferring the thoughts, feelings, and emotions of others. It is not characterized by violence or lack of a moral compass,” Autism Ontario stated. 

The organization went on to point out that ascribing complex issues to autism alone leads to further stereotyping: “Much too often when a person is diagnosed as autistic, their actions are examined exclusively through that lens without considering the broader picture of other influencing factors on the whole person. This is demeaning to everyone.”

Some of Minassian’s former special-education classmates have also strongly condemned the attempts to tie his crimes to his autism. It’s heartening to see, but I still worry that, regardless of the eventual verdict—and regardless of the number of well-meaning albeit imperfectly informed reports on the backlash to the autism defence—the damage has already been done. Minassian’s defence is being presented by lawyers and experts who have, at best, demonstrated a complete misunderstanding of autism. That defence is then being reported in the media (that I know, both as a writer and as someone who has been interviewed about autism for various publications and programs, has a very limited understanding of autism) and these stories are then being consumed by a public whose knowledge is, from my perspective, often even more superficial and suspect. (Among many other examples, I have had people try to explain to me that I can’t possibly be autistic, because I don’t look like the one other autistic person they’ve met. I’ve also had strangers on the internet message me to tell me that I’m ruining my husband’s life and should never have children, because it’s impossible for me to love another human.) Long after our collective attention has been diverted from this trial, the inaccurate and insidious ideas that have been passed through these layers of ignorance will continue to have an impact on the lives of an already vulnerable population.

The lingering idea that autism alone can make a person violent and dangerous, and the idea that autistic people can’t experience empathy—and that those who don’t experience empathy are dangerous and incapable of caring about others in alternative ways—affects everything from the way that people treat us socially, to our employment prospects, to whether we are able to access autism testing and services at all. In my own experience prior to my diagnosis, there was no one in my life—not even educational and medical experts—who knew enough about autism to see it in me. Which meant that no one recommended me for testing, and I spent almost three decades unable to understand a major aspect of my life—or access any properly informed therapy that might help me deal with my issues and make my life a little more manageable. 

Read this next: I Spoke Out About Feeling Unsafe At Work During COVID—And Got Fired

Minassian’s defence, and other cases like his, are also a drain on the already limited resources of autistic communities. All of the time and energy that autistic people and our allies must put into once again refuting harmful stereotypes is time and energy that we can’t dedicate to improving the quality of autistic lives. Every time we are forced to explain that autism isn’t inherently dangerous is time we cannot dedicate to trying to expand people’s concepts of what autism actually is and the diverse identities and experiences of the people who have it. And every time autism is used as a singular reason for a crime that clearly has more complicated and insidious motives and explanations is time that we cannot spend talking about the ways in which some autistic people can be more vulnerable to online hate groups—and what can be done to break this pattern and prevent tragedies like Minassian’s van attack from happening again. 

Categories
Fitness

These Sustainable HOKA ONE ONE Hiking Boots Are My Go-To For Slippery Winter Walks

Thanks to 2020, I’ve maxed out the miles on my hiking shoes — which made me realize how fortunate I am to live near mountains that (safely!) offer plenty of fresh air and new scenery. So, as I shop for new boots, I want to do so sustainably as a small token of thanks to Mother Nature for all the peace she’s provided me.

My first stop while shoe shopping (virtually!) is always HOKA ONE ONE — when it comes to athletic footwear, I’ve been loyal to the brand for years. As I scrolled through the site, my eyes were immediately drawn to their TenNine Hike Gore-Tex ($250) boot’s blue, pink, and yellow colorways. But, once I read that the kicks were made from recycled textiles and polyester, I was pretty much sold.

The product’s description raved of efficient heel-to-toe transitions, high-traction outsoles, and an overall lightweight build, too — and after putting the boots to the test, I can attest to these claims. I’m as clumsy as they come, so when I say these kicks are easy to maneuver and have great grip, you can bet they had to pass a few trip tests.

I love how the TenNine Hike Gore-Tex shoe is built like a high-performance sneaker (padded, airy, flexible!) but with all the offerings of great hiking boots: ankle support, ample grip, and plenty of cushion. Even better, they’re made of water-repellent materials, too, which means snow and rain won’t stop me from exploring new paths all winter long.

Click here for more health and wellness stories, tips, and news.


HOKE ONE ONE TenNine Hike Gore-Tex Boots Review

Categories
Culture

How to Cook Kamala Harris’s Cornbread Dressing This Thanksgiving

kamala harris in her kitchen

KAMALA HARRIS / INSTAGRAM

Throughout her storied career, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has managed to do something so many of us struggle with our entire lives: Get a hobby. Harris has made no secret of the fact that she’s a passionate—and skilled—home cook, showing off her prowess in videos with Mindy Kaling (they made masala dosa) and even fellow Senator Mark Warner (tuna melts).

And like any seasoned home cook, Harris always has her favorite Thanksgiving recipes ready to go. Back in 2019, she utilized a 90-second commercial break during an appearance on MSNBC to rattle off her best tips for cooking a turkey—she recommends you baste with cheap white wine, by the way—and this year, she’s sharing her family favorite way to make cornbread dressing:

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In a seven-slide Instagram gallery, Harris laid out all the ingredients you need and the five basic steps it takes to complete the side dish: 1. Bake your cornbread according to the instructions on the package and then crumble once it’s cooled. 2. Remove your sausage from its casing, crumble it up, brown it in a pan with a bit of oil, and then set aside. 3. Sauté your vegetables and apples in the remaining oil. 4. Mix together the veggies, apples, sausage, cornbread crumbs, melted butter, herbs, and chicken broth, and put in a baking dish. 5. Bake at 375 F for about 40 minutes.

“During difficult times I have always turned to cooking,” she wrote in her Instagram caption. “This year, I wanted to share one of my family’s favorite Thanksgiving recipes with you. I hope whenever you’re able to make it in life, it brings you as much warmth as it has brought me—even when separated from those I love.”

Cooking is a meditative tool for Harris, one she started when she was just a little girl watching her mom in the kitchen. “One of the things that I do to relax at the end of the day is I read recipes,” she told The Cut back in 2018. “I have a whole collection of cookbooks, so if I’m at home, I read them. It could be Marcella Hazan or Alice Waters. Sometimes I just do the New York Times cooking app if I’m on the road, or I try to get past the paywall on Bon Appétit.” (Relatable.) But sharing those treasured recipes is a nod to how she first learned to cook. “It’s a gift that you can give people,” she Glamour in May. “That’s how I was introduced to it.”

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Women's Fashion

Indigenous Fashion Week Is the Custom-Made Platform First Nation Talent Needs

Jewelry designer and metalsmith Margaret Jacobs has a hard time finding the perfect venue for her work. “When I’m presenting at markets or craft shows, I find it challenging to find the right space for my jewelry,” explains the New Hampshire-based Akwesasne Mohawk artist. “A lot of people and institutions have very specific and stereotypical ideas of what they consider to be Indigenous design, which is mainly beadwork and silversmithing.”

Jacobs’ jewelry, on the other hand, centers on powder-coating brass—an industrial finish more commonly associated with bicycle frames and automobile parts. “My work is also nuanced and interconnected in a way that cannot necessarily be interpreted through a Western lens,” she says. “So I feel that it isn’t understood and appreciated the way that it could be.”

model maija erickson wearing the sage protection pin by margaret jacobs

Model Maija Erickson wearing the Sage Protection Pin by Margaret Jacobs.

Taylor Robinson

erickson wearing margaret jacob's elk antler earring and ring set

Erickson wearing Margaret Jacob’s Elk Antler Earring and Ring Set

Taylor Robinson

Indigenous Fashion Week Toronto (IFWTO), which kicks off on Thursday, is tailored to designers like Jacobs. The four-day virtual event showcases Indigenous-made designs from emerging, established, and under-represented artists, giving audiences a wide and authentic view of First Nations fashion and design. It was created by Founder and Artistic Director Sage Paul to challenge outdated perceptions, explore innovative ways to present and consume fashion, and amplify the visibility of Indigenous designers.

Paul founded the biennial event with a team of collaborators in 2018 after years of feeling like she didn’t fit in. “When I finished fashion school in 2006, I found it extremely difficult to break into the industry,” relates the Toronto-based designer, who is a member of the Denesuliné English River First Nation. “I found the mainstream fashion system to be elitist and misunderstanding of fashion outside of the Euro-Western construct. I didn’t understand at the time that the structure was built to maintain a class system that didn’t include me.”

“I have been overlooked…because when people learn that I’m an Indigenous jewelry maker, they assume I must only make beaded earrings.”

Paul’s inspiration for the event came in 2011 when she released her first collection, a line that was publicized only among the local Indigenous community at a small gallery in Toronto. “I don’t know if I would call that breaking into fashion,” she laughs, “but it wasn’t until I worked professionally with other Indigenous artists that I began to see an ability to create a space for myself and others.” Since its launch IFWTO has quickly become an important forum for Indigenous designers, connecting them to Canadian, U.S., and global consumers, buyers, retailers, curators, and institutes.

When Paul put out the call for designers for this year’s show in April 2019, Jacobs says she felt a little nervous about applying. “I had been creating sculpture for some time but the jewelry process was still fairly new to me,” she says. “Creating a body of work in order to be selected was a big goal. I thought that even if I wasn’t chosen, it still gave me something attainable to work toward.”

Jacobs’ Blood, Bone, Beast brass jewelry collection for IFWTO explores the fragility of growth and decay in nature with natural materials frequently associated with Indigenous work such as antler, shell, and horn. “It’s sculptural but wearable,” she says. “As someone who has a modern aesthetic and uses an unconventional and industrial process, it makes it difficult to communicate the cultural context of my brand. There tends to be this expectation of pan-Indianism and for things to look homogenized even though there are nearly 600 different and federally recognized tribes in the U.S. alone.”

louise solomon photographed in her own creations 24k gold plated miigis shells, cedar sprays, and turtle clan  

Louise Solomon photographed in her own creations: 24k gold-plated Miigis Shells, cedar sprays, and Turtle Clan.  

Waukomaun Pawis

a two finger ring featuring 24k gold plated wolf claws by louise solomon 

A two-finger ring featuring 24k gold plated wolf claws by Louise Solomon.  

Waukomaun Pawis

The expectation comes from being tokenized for so long, says Toronto jewelry designer Louise Solomon, who has also felt boxed in. “I have been overlooked in the past by people in positions of power because when they learn that I’m an Indigenous jewelry maker, they assume I must only make beaded earrings and the like,” says Solomon, who is of Ojibwe Tribe heritage. “I do bead, but it’s a small part of what I do, and like many beaders, I have my own style and my own look.” But the brush-off is often quick and resolute. “The mindset is that if they’ve seen one Indigenous piece of jewelry, they’ve seen them all,” Solomon adds. “They don’t understand my work as a trained goldsmith and artist.”

“It pains me to see my people selling beadwork, moccasins, or art at such a low monetary value when so much hard work and cultural expertise goes into the creations.”

This “one-size-fits-all” outlook ends up having a mirror-effect because trivialization can turn inward. “Indigenous artists have a tendency to undervalue their own work,” Solomon explains. “It pains me to see my people selling beadwork, moccasins, or art at such a low monetary value when so much hard work and cultural expertise goes into the creations. The amount most people expect to usually pay just about covers the cost of materials.” She adds that the mainstream perspective that Indigenous art is “trinkety” or that it can be haggled and undermined needs to change. “Counterfeiting our culture by selling artificial items at dollar stores and gift shops should be unlawful,” Solomon says. “We have to stop the cheapening of our authentic and quality arts.”

No wonder then that, for her brand, Hand of Solomon, which focuses on high-end, avant-garde and statement pieces, Solomon says she “likes to push the boundaries of what is traditionally Indigenous in both fashion and ceremonial wear.” Her latest collection of “wearable art for the modern spiritual warrior,” tells the story of seven fictional, futuristic Ojibwe clan Mothers who represent the seven clans of the Ojibwe Tribe. “Each Mother draws on her ancestors for guidance and contemplates her own advice for the next seven generations to follow,” Solomon says.

model jesse lorne wears jason baerg's patent leather short suit with fox trim

Model Jesse Lorne wears Jason Baerg’s patent leather short suit with fox trim. 

Kristy Boyce

model rheanne chartrand wears a ayimach blue and gold silk suit by jason baerg

Model Rheanne Chartrand wears a Ayimach blue and gold silk suit by Jason Baerg.

Kristy Boyce

Toronto fashion designer Jason Baerg, who is showing at IFWTO for the first time, believes in the power of fashion to change the narrative. His Ayimach collection, which in the Algonquian language of Cree means, “a fortunate change of events leading toward success,” is inspired by the energy of his Northern Saskatchewan Cree land and the resilience of his heritage. His bold separates feature “vibrant hues of red, yellow, blue, and green to remind us that all of the elements are interconnected,” Baerg says.

For Métis fashion designer Andréanne Dandeneau, IFWTO is a first, vital step toward inclusivity in the industry, but there’s much more work ahead. “Canada, for one, must train more Indigenous designers,” says the Winnipeg artist who will be showing “bits and pieces” of her clothing at IFWTO from her Heritage, Professional Comfort and Zero-Waste collections under her brand Anne Mulaire. “Design schools should be challenged to recruit more Indigenous youth. Indigenous students need more opportunities so that they can learn how to nurture their innate creativity, cultural histories, and stories of significance.”

andréanne dandeneau wears her own bamboo top with the heritage design called northern owl

Andréanne Dandeneau wears her own bamboo top with the heritage design called Northern owl.

Julie Fulsher

dandeneau wears her bamboo cardigan in black with a heritage design called catherine’s vine

Dandeneau wears her bamboo Cardigan in black with a heritage design called Catherine’s Vine. 

Julie Fulsher

It is only through such work that mass audiences will come to understand “Indigenous people aren’t just a part of history, they are a part of our present day culture,” says jewelry designer Margaret Jacobs. “We are very much alive, well, and creating innovative work.” For proof, look no further than the IFWTO runway.

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Women's Fashion

17 Pairs of Stylish Slippers to Keep You Cozy All Winter

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Categories
Fitness

When Can We Expect a COVID Vaccine? The CDC Estimates as Soon as Mid-December

LAKEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 14: A nurse administers a flu vaccination shot to a woman at a free clinic held at a local library on October 14, 2020 in Lakewood, California. Medical experts are hoping the flu shot this year will help prevent a 'twindemic'- an epidemic of influenza paired with a second wave of COVID-19 which could lead to overwhelmed hospitals amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)Image Source: Getty / Mario Tama

Just days after Pfizer reported that its COVID-19 vaccine has proven to be 95 percent effective, Centers For Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield announced that the vaccine will likely be available “by the end of the second week in December.” According to an interview Redfield did with Fox News, he projects that 40 million doses of the vaccine will be produced before the end of the year. “That’s enough to vaccinate 20 million people,” he said. “But then it will continue through January and February and hopefully by March we’ll start to see vaccine available for the general public.”

Redfield added that, once the medication has been approved, it will be rolled out in a hierarchical manner, prioritizing nursing home residents and healthcare providers. The news may be a relief to millions of households across the country, but Redfield urges the public to continue abiding by the CDC’s recommended COVID-19 safety precautions as we wait for the new vaccine to become widely available. “I want people to be vigilant because we’re turning the corner now,” he said. “You don’t want to be the last group to end up getting COVID.”

Categories
Culture

The Crown: Who Was Prince Charles’s Friend, Major Hugh Lindsay?

The penultimate episode of The Crown season 4 is one of the season’s most dramatic, detailing an accident that took place during a royal skiing trip in 1988. Major Hugh Lindsay, a former equerry to the queen and friend of Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, was killed in an avalanche on a slope in the Swiss Alps. His widow, Sarah Lindsay, was seven months pregnant at the time of the tragedy. Here’s a guide to who Major Hugh Lindsay was, and how he knew the royal family.

Major Hugh Lindsay had longstanding ties to the royal family.

queen and hugh lindsay

Tim GrahamGetty Images

Lindsay was a career soldier who trained at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst and served for many years in the British Army. In 1983, he was appointed as equerry (aka a senior aide) to Queen Elizabeth, per the AP.

Two years into his royal duties, Lindsay met Sarah Brennan, who worked in the Buckingham Palace press office. The two married in July of 1987, shortly after Lindsay returned to full-time army duties.

Lindsay was just 34 years old when he died in 1988. “He was enormous fun—one of those people who brightened a room,” Sarah recalled of her late husband in a 2008 interview with the Telegraph. “He was very kind—he would speak to the old and the young alike—and hugely enthusiastic about life. He loved sport and music and was in a [pop] band. He loved his job and had enormous respect for the royal family.”

Lindsay died in a tragic accident during a skiing holiday with Prince Charles.

In March of 1988, Lindsay was part of a group of friends who accompanied Prince Charles and Princess Diana on a skiing trip–something they did at least once a year. The group stayed in the Swiss Alps at the renowned and exclusive Klosters resort.

On March 10, Charles, Lindsay and Patti Palmer-Tomkinson set out for the slopes, accompanied by a mountain guide, Bruno Sprecher, and a Swiss police officer. That day, they were tackling a notoriously challenging part of Gotschnagrat Mountain, whose slopes are among the most steep in Switzerland. According to The Guardian, these slopes “are rarely open to the general public…they are regarded as suitable only for experienced skiers like Prince Charles.” While the group was “off-piste”—i.e., away from the ski runs—an avalanche started.

Per The Guardian, most of the group was able to take cover before the avalanche hit, but Lindsay and Palmer-Tomkinson were caught in a snow slide and buried. Lindsay was also thrown some 400 meters down the mountainside by the force of the slide.

According to the BBC, Charles and the others ran over to their friends “as soon as the danger had passed” and dug them out with their bare hands. Sprecher gave mouth-to-mouth CPR to Palmer-Tomkinson while they waited for paramedics to arrive, and the two victims were soon helicoptered to a hospital in Davos, the nearest town. Palmer-Tomkinson survived, although she had severe leg injuries, but Lindsay was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

Princess Diana, who stayed behind at the chalet that day rather than skiing, recalled the incident in detail to Andrew Morton for his 1992 biography Diana: Her True Story—In Her Own Words. “What a nice person he was,” she told Morton. “Out of all the people who went, it should never have been him.”

Princess Diana consoled Lindsay’s widow Sarah after his death.

During the same interview with Morton, Diana revealed that she took charge in the wake of the accident, because Charles was in shock and “was not immediately convinced that [the group] should abandon their holiday.” Diana knew that Charles “could not, at that awful time, comprehend the enormity of the tragedy” and so gently but firmly told him that it was their responsibility to bring Lindsay’s body back to the U.K. as soon as possible. “Diana prevailed,” per Morton, and on March 12, the group flew back to a Royal Air Force base in London with Lindsay’s body. Per The Telegraph, a guard of honor from Major Lindsay’s regiment, the 9th/12th Lancers, met his coffin there.

major lindsay coffin

Georges De KeerleGetty Images

Diana’s immediate concern was for Sarah, who was six months pregnant with Hugh’s baby at the time. “Sarah came to stay with me at Highgrove when I was on my own, and she cried from dawn to dusk,” Diana recalled to Morton. “Every time we mentioned the name of Hugh, there were tears, tears, but I thought it was good to mention his name because she had to cleanse herself of it.”

Major Lindsay’s funeral took place on March 17, 1988, at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst where he trained. The queen, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York all attended.

Sarah gave birth to a daughter, Alice Rose Lyttelton Lindsay, on May 14, 1988. Prince Charles is her godfather, and in that 2008 Telegraph interview, Sarah—who remarried in 1996—recalled Diana’s support in the months and years following Lindsay’s death: “The Princess was fantastic. She used to ring me every Sunday evening. She was a dear friend—someone I could ring at midnight and say: ‘Life is pretty grim.’ The Princess of Wales instinctively knew when I might be feeling down—the school holidays and so on. She always had nice ideas about how to cheer me up.”

For Alice’s first birthday, Diana, five-year-old Prince William, and three-year-old Prince Harry surprised Sarah and the baby with a cake at Kensington Palace.

According to The Telegraph, Prince Charles wrote after the accident, “I still find it hard to understand why I survived and he didn’t.”

Sarah asked The Crown not to dramatize her late husband’s death.

Sarah told The Telegraph on Sunday, November 22 that she was “horrified” when she learned Lindsay’s death would be depicted in the series.

“I’m very upset by it and I’m dreading people seeing it,” she said. “I wrote to them asking them not to do it, not to use the accident. I suppose members of the royal family have to grin and bear it, but for me it’s a very private tragedy.”

Sarah said the producers responded with a letter stating, “that they understood my concerns, but they hope I will feel that they deal with difficult subject matters with integrity and great sensitivity.”

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Categories
Beauty

Emotional Rapper Starts Side Hustle

2020 will be known for many things, but among the more innocuous happenings is the rise of celebrity candles. In the past year, Kacey Musgraves and Boy Smells collaborated on a song-inspired scent, Jackie Aina launched her own candle company Forvr Mood, and Gwyneth Paltrow created her own wick that smells like her vagina. Our little pet fires have quickly developed into the next beauty frontier.

It only makes sense that Drake—rapper, businessman, and softboy-extraordinaire—has entered the candle game. This past June, Drake posted a cryptic Instagram story of four blue candles with the caption “@betterworldfragrances Available soon cc:@ovoniko.” Better World Fragrance House currently has no Instagram posts and only follows two people: Drake and an account called @drakerelated, which serves as a landing page for the rapper’s various businesses.

Better World Fragrance House is seemingly Drake’s fragrance company that is responsible for these elusive candles. In the post, Drake tagged @ovoniko, who is a member of his inner circle. According to Niko’s Instagram bio, he works for Drake’s record label October’s Very Own, which also sells merchandise. Better World Fragrance House also has a website, though there’s nothing much to report.

better world fragrance house

The very blue and very blank homepage of Better World Fragrance House.

better world fragrance house

In July, blue candles started to appear in celeb Instagram stories, from Kehlani, to Steph and Ayesha Curry, and of course in the NBA bubble, with Champagne Papi’s favorite basketball team the Toronto Raptors.

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So what do these mysterious candles smell like? Can I get one even though I don’t play for the Raptors? Ahead, all your burning candle questions answered.

Where can I buy a Drake candle?

Simply put, you can’t. As mentioned earlier, the website is completely blank. The company is registered on Revolve, though there aren’t any products on display. A further Google search will render individual product pages that are unfortunately sold out.

revolve

I got my eyes on you / You’re everything that I see / I want your hot love and emotion endlessly

Revolve

So, these candles are pretty rare, right?

Yes. So rare, that a sighting even ended up on DeuxMoi.

deuxmoi

DeuxMoi

Do the candles smell like Drake?

On these aforementioned product pages is a summary of each candle and its scent. There are at least five soy wax candles. Made in Canada, (where else, honestly?) each jar comes with a gold marker to write your own personalized message. And yes, one candle “actually does smell like Drake.”

Carby Musk: “Smooth musk fragrance is introspective as in an interpretation of your beautiful self, yet extrovertive as how you would want others to see your bold and brilliant self. Features notes of Musk, Ambers, Cashmere, Suede, and Velvet. Actually smells like Drake — it’s the personal fragrance he wears, which inspired BWFH.”

Williamsburg Sleepover: “A genderless and luminous floral-woody musk fragrance that captures the essence of an urban garden under shaded lights. Features notes of Rose, Lily of the Valley, Vetiver, Amber, Musk, Patchouli, and Cedarwood.”

Muskoka: “Oriental Woody fragrance that emulates the smoldering warmth of burning woods, golden embers, and the feeling of being cozy by the fire. Features notes of Birch Tar, Fresh Clove Buds, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, and Smoked Leather Accord.”

Sweeter Tings: “An addictive and nostalgic Oriental Gourmand fragrance with the subtleties of comfort and goodness. Features notes of Bergamot, Lemon Peel, Dark Voodoo Rose, Warm Cedarwood, and Soft Musks. Soy wax blend.”

Good Thoughts: “A bouquet of rich florals surrounded by a vibrant bright light of freshness for a captivating positive energy. Features notes of Fresh Aldehydes, Bergamot Oil, Fir Balsam Oil, Ylang Ylang, Clove Buds, Pimento Berries, Sandalwood Oil Album, Patchouli Oil, and Sensual Musks.

So…when are Drake’s candles launching then?

Unclear. Who knows what Champagne Papi meant when he wrote “soon” in his Instagram story? We can’t blame him though. As far as we are concerned, time is a flat circle. We’ve picked up and abandoned quarantine projects. We get it.

As Aubrey Graham himself once said, “Just hold on, we’re going home.” So just hold on and patiently wait for the day Drake’s sweet scent can fill your home.

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Women's Fashion

My Story: Get to Know Danielle Williams-Eke, Design Director at Size-Inclusive E-Tailer 11 Honoré

Welcome to My Story, our weekly series championing creatives of colour and their paths to success.

Meet Danielle Williams-Eke, the Los Angeles-based design director of luxury e-tailer 11 Honoré’s private label line. Since its launch in 2017, 11 Honoré has become a go-to destination for elevated, size-inclusive offerings that cater to those who are a size 12 and upwards, and carries an impressive roster of high-end designer labels like Brandon Maxwell and Altuzurra. Danielle joined the shopping platform a year ago to lead and launch the company’s very own in-house label, and for the past decade, the designer has specialized in designing extended sizes and pioneering patterns, fits and silhouettes for the plus consumer. Here, Danielle talks about design principles, career lessons and working in light of the current health pandemic and racial unrest.

On her design philosophy:

“I always like things to be wearable and functional, but I do like to add that fashion element and some sex appeal. It’s about showing the beauty of a woman.”

On her idea of power dressing:

“Anything with a blazer gives me that power feeling.”

On the hardest lesson she’s come to learn as a designer:

“There comes a point where you have to be flexible. As a fashion designer, you’re an artist: You’re an emotional being and you get connected and tied to your work. But then there’s the business side where you have merchants and CEOs to report to and financial plans you have to meet. There has to be a willingness to move or use data. There has to be room to receive feedback and apply it in a way that your vision is still reflected but it’s also good for business.”

On what still still needs to change in the fashion industry for it to become even more inclusive and diverse: 

“When thinking about inclusivity, I think it’s easy for brands to just focus on one thing: Like a brand going up to a size 24. But I think you can’t just be inclusive in size and shape and not be inclusive in race. There’s more to be done in terms of making everyone feel included. Your collection, your marketing – whatever it might be – should reflect your consumer base, and your consumer should really be everyone.”

On the best customer feedback she can receive:

“When people compliment the fit because fit has always been such a struggle for me personally. I’ve been plus-size for a long time and have tried on different plus-size brands from the US to Europe, and the one thing that always disappoints me – and I know it disappoints others, too – is the fit. Something that’s sized as an 18 could fit like a 14, or pieces are big and oversized for no reason because there’s this mentality that that’s the only way plus-size women want to dress.

Fit was really important to us as we built the 11 Honoré collection. We had a plus-size fit model – which a lot of brands still don’t do – and we make sure to try things on a range of women with different body types, shapes and heights because, again, there’s this common mindset that with plus-size, every women is an hourglass shape and that’s not the case. So we tried things on different women to really nail down and drill in on what the best fit for this brand could be. From our first collection right down to our last, I want to be consistent. I want customers to be able to rely on our fit and keep coming back.”

On designing and charging forward during a global health pandemic:

“It’s been difficult. Part of designing is gaining inspiration and one of the ways I go about gaining that is through travel, but obviously that’s not something we’re really able to do right now. So I’ve been pushed to look for inspiration in other places. What I had to do is go back and realize that your focus should always been on the customer. Travel is nice – all those other inspirational things are nice – but, at the end of the day, you need to know who you’re designing for and meet them where they are. What became important was understanding that the world has changed – that lifestyles have changed – and if you want to be a ‘lifestyle’ brand, you have to understand what women are going through at this very moment: They’re at home, they’re working from home, they’re both working and mothering from home. There’s this whole other complexity in terms of the roles of women right now. Fashion may seem small in that perspective but, for us, it’s about how can we serve her. It’s about how can we make her day at home a little easier. I believe looking and feeling good can make your day a little easier. I’ve been drilling in on that inspiration more. Like with our fall/holiday collection, we took a casual approach to it with a focus on more cozy and warm-handed things: casual utilitarian pants, jumpsuits, sweater dresses.”

On the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement and what she’s learned about herself:

“We debuted 11 Honoré’s first private-label collection in June right on the heels of the uprising of the protests, and I remember during that time feeling very excited to launch but also feeling like this is so small compared to what we were going through as a nation. It took some time and reflection, but I learned that the timing was right. It became a moment for me, as a Black woman, to say, ‘I’m here’ – knowing that this type  of opportunity to run and lead a design team at a brand like 11 Honoré doesn’t come often. That there aren’t a lot of people who look like you who get this type of opportunity. Prior to my role here, I never described myself as a ‘Black designer’. It wasn’t something I was focused on. I was just a designer doing what I love. But now, I understand the importance of acknowledging that identity because you’re an example and a reflection of what can happen. Like, I personally didn’t know of many Black American fashion designers when I was coming up. There was basically Tracy Reese and that was it. So I think it’s important for me to be an example to help move other women of colour – other creatives of colour – along. The movement has definitely created a space for me to acknowledge all of that.”

On her long-term vision for 11 Honoré’s private line: 

“I think it’s important for women to have a place where they feel seen and heard for all of the different clothing pieces in their lives, whether we’re dressing someone for the red carpet or making comfortable loungewear for her to sit and work from home. To me, really becoming that brand where we have everything she’ll need is the ultimate goal. I want to be the go-to brand for the plus-size woman who’s looking for more.”

Missed our last My Story column? Click here.

Categories
Fitness

This 4-Ingredient, Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce Recipe Only Takes 10 Minutes to Cook

In addition to being delicious, colorful, and festive, cranberries have tons of health benefits. They are powerful antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation and promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut. Plus, their lip-puckering tartness means they are lower in sugar than a lot of fruits.

However, lots of cranberry sauce recipes and store-bought sauces are packed with added sugar. To make the most of the healthy perks of this holiday superfood, you might consider following a sugar-free homemade recipe, like this one from Sugar Free 3 author Michele Promaulayko.

Promaulayko shared her super easy recipe for no-sugar cranberry sauce on Instagram. It only requires four ingredients and takes about 10 minutes to whip up.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of fresh cranberries
  • ¼ cup of water
  • Orange zest
  • Stevia to taste

All you have to do is mix the ingredients in a pot and simmer for approximately 10 minutes on the stove. Promaulayko warns to go easy on the Stevia, since it is a lot sweeter than sugar.

Once the berries have burst (and your kitchen is filled with the fragrant scent of citrusy goodness!), the sauce is ready to be dolloped on your Thanksgiving plate or bottled in a Mason jar for a cute, personal gift.

Click here for more health and wellness stories, tips, and news.

Categories
Culture

Watch the Cast of The Crown Sing ‘Mr. Sandman’ In Their ‘Ibble Dibble’ Makeup

If you’ve already binged The Crown season 4 and are feeling withdrawals from watching this stellar cast, head to Gillian Anderson’s Instagram page (never a dull place). There, on the last slide of her most recent post, you’ll find a video of her co-stars singing “Mr. Sandman,” the 1954 song by The Chordettes. It’s joyous enough to watch them bop along to the popular tune, but it’s all even more fun because they’re wearing their makeup from “Ibble Dibble,” the parlor game in episode 2, “The Balmoral Test.”

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Marion Bailey, who plays Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, seems to lead the group in the song, and Olivia Colman, Erin Doherty, and Helena Bonham Carter are her backup singers.

“Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream, make him the delicious, like peaches and cream,” Bailey sings. The song typically goes, “make him the cutest that I’ve ever seen,” but her cast members seem to get a kick out of this change.

“I like it!” one of the chorus members (it sounds like Colman or Bonham Carter) chimes in about the lyric switch.

This delightful moment is exactly the kind of boost we need during a season when many of us are opting out of gathering with our families for the holidays. Remember when we could all gather together and sing while playing old-school English parlor games? Okay, maybe not all of that. But I’d definitely sing “Mr. Sandman” with Helena Bonham Carter any day.

The royal version of the song is not dissimilar from this Golden Girls performance, featuring Rue McClanahan, Betty White, and Bea Arthur.

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Anyway, that just gave me my serotonin boost for the entire week.

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Categories
Beauty

Camila Cabello is Having the Exact Same Quarantine As You

You’d assume global pop stars are having a very different quarantine experience than the rest of the world, but that isn’t the case for Camila Cabello and her quarantine partner and boyfriend, Shawn Mendes. The duo is currently sheltering in place in Cabello’s hometown of Miami and has ticked about every box on Quarantine Couples Bingo™. For starters, like the rest of us, they are living at home. “I am a confirmed homebody, and I adore Miami!” explains Cabello when asked what she learned about herself during this time.

Cabello also recently got a COVID-cut and chopped off signature waist-long hair. “I felt like I was hiding behind my long hair and felt like I needed to challenge myself to feel confident and beautiful without it,” she adds.

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And the list goes on: Mendes and Cabello wanted to get a puppy for the longest time—”and we finally did it!” Tarzan, a super-soft looking golden puppy, gets his name from one of their favorite films.

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Cabello has also taken the last months to use her voice on social media and speak supporting voting, the Black Lives Matter movement, and Syrian refugees. “There are so many issues on the ballot close to my heart,” she explains. “Health care, climate change, and all my values of honesty, integrity, empathy, decency, character. It was a historic election, and I felt like I needed to speak up and do what was right more than ever.”

But before you can say, “celebrities, they’re just like us!” Cabello does have a few things in the works that us regulars probably aren’t working on right now. The singer is set to make her acting debut in the new Cinderella after the New Year alongside Billy Porter as the her fairy Godparent and Idina Menzel.

“It was unforgettable, she says. “One of the most fun, creative experiences of my life, it’s such an empowering message, and I can’t wait for my fans to see it. I thought of them the whole time I was filming!”

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While we wait for the Cinderella release, you can catch Cabello at the 2020 L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth show on NBC on Wednesday, November 25 at 8 p.m. EST. Cabello will be there alongside Viola Davis, Elle Fanning, Eva Longoria, and more, highlighting the stories of ten amazing nonprofits across the nation. Cabello is most touched by the work the women are doing in their communities. “The women are so selfless and so deserving,” she says. “L’Oreal Paris gives them a national platform to continue their philanthropic work, and while we won’t be together physically this year, I am excited to bring the women’s stories to even more people this year.”

You can visit www.WomenofWorth.com to read the 2020 Honorees’ stories and vote for the organization that resonates with you the most. Register with an email address to vote once a day, now through November 27, 2020.

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Categories
Women's Fashion

Tiffany & Co. Celebrates Elsa Peretti’s Iconic Bone Cuff With Dover Street Market

tiffany  co

Courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

Just in time for the holiday season, there’s a new drop of fine jewelry made for the uptown girl living for a downtown world. Tiffany & Co. is typically associated with the Holly Golightly’s of the world, but today marks a new partnership with Dover Street Market, the retailer known for its curation of conceptual brands like Junya Watanabe, Rei Kawakubo, and now, Elsa Peretti.

The jewelry designer has been working with Tiffany & Co. since 1974. Peretti is best known for her undular silhouettes like the iconic bean necklace and open heart pendant that have graced the collarbones of celebrities for decades. In celebration of the Bone Cuff’s 50th anniversary this year, Tiffany & Co. and Dover Street Market are presenting a new collection of “The DSM Edit,” reimagining the cuff for the wearer who prefers a darker palette. The collection of five bracelets launch today, exclusive to DSM.

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Most notably are the three, all-black styles that speak to the monochomatic DSM shopper (you know, the kind who exclusively wears Comme des Garcons). They come in a range of sizes, including a larger version that features a sensual curve that wears comfortably on the wrist and reflects Peretti’s love of nature and fine craftsmanship. Of the two silver styles, the Snowflake Obsidian Cuff is the standout. The sterling silver bracelet is inlaid with hand-carved sooty volcanic glass that sparkles with white inclusions. The teardrop is a favorite shape for Peretti, intended to be “a symbol of pure emotion.”

This isn’t the first time the two emblematic brands have joined forces. In 2019, they dropped a joint collection of engraved jewelry as an ode to Los Angeles and New York City.

The five Bone Cuffs are available for purchase starting today exclusively at select DSM stores worldwide and doverstreetmarket.com until Jan. 15, 2021. All styles are offered for both left and right wrists and range in price from $450–$2,700.

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Women's Fashion

Meet Pantene’s new Canadian ambassador, Vivek Shraya

The Edmonton-born artist stars in a new film as part of the #HairHasNoGender project

Vivek Shraya has the kind of long, lustrous hair that looks like it belongs in a shampoo commercial. It’s fitting then, that the Edmonton-born creative force (and former FASHION cover star) can now add Pantene ambassador to her already enviable bio that includes author, professor, musician and visual artist. “I see my hair as an extension of my art,” says Shraya. “It’s always been an essential part of how I express myself.”

Today, Pantene Canada has released a new film featuring Shraya’s hair story as part of the global Hair Has No Gender Project, with the goal of bringing attention to the power of hair—especially in a trans or gender non-binary person’s transition and identity—and the importance of support from loved ones.

As Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s monologue in Fleabag astutely points out, hair is everything. (There’s even a Yale University study to prove it.) But for trans and non-binary people, hair can be life changing. “Something as simple as growing out your hair, or getting the right hair cut can be such an empowering moment,” says Toronto-based hairstylist and owner of Fox & Jane salon, Kristin Rankin. “This is especially true for transgender people as they make the transition to finally look the way they have felt most of their life.”

One of the first hairstylists in Canada to eliminate gendered pricing and offer cuts based on hair length in their salon, Rankin is the founder of the Dresscode Project (DCP), a global alliance of salons and barbershops championing inclusivity and positive, gender-affirming services for LGBTQ2S+ clients. In 2019, Pantene U.K. partnered with Rankin to raise awareness and expand the DCP’s reach.

As the new face of the brand, Shraya joins four transgender and non-binary activists including Travis Alabanza and Ángela Ponce, the first transgender woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. Both shared their stories as part of Pantene’s Hair Has No Gender project that kicked off in Europe. This year, the global initiative brings its message of inclusivity to Canada.

The project’s new film features a conversation between Shraya and her father, Mohan Bilgi. “It explores the power of hair to express identity, and the power of support from those around you to gain self-confidence [and] enable self-expression,” says Lisa Reid, Senior Brand Director, Pantene Canada.

As they look through old family photographs, the father and daughter talk candidly about how her relationship with both her father and her hair has changed as she’s forged her own identity. And they go back to one of Shraya’s earliest childhood hair memories: When she was three, during a trip to India, her parents had her head shaved, a tradition among Hindus. “Before then, she had a big ponytail, which she liked, and everyone thought she was a baby girl,” says Bilgi, adding that his daughter loved having her hair combed, and having oil put in it.

“Because of cultural differences, I have had to broaden my ideas of acceptance,” says Shraya. Her parents don’t use her pronouns, but they often bring her back bindis and bangles from India. “This is how they show me love.” While Bilgi says he wishes he’d been around more when Vivek was growing up to help her through the tough times she had in school, “I’m so glad she can be confident in who she is, and that I can be there for her now.”

In addition to the film debut, Pantene will also donate funds to facilitate inclusivity training for hairstylists across the country in partnership with Dresscode Project.

“Hair is such a big part of my story and art, so I’m so excited to be working with Pantene on this,” says Shraya. “I love that this project tells diverse stories from five trans and non-binary people, showing that there’s more than one way to be trans or non-binary, but that all trans and non-binary people are equally deserving of love and support.”

Categories
Beauty

These Things Will Instantly Elevate Your Next Staycation

10/10 would recommend booking a night in hotel a few minutes from home just to feel something!

2020, amiright?! *Sob-laughs maniacally* In March, the thought of a tropical vacation in winter 2020 was something to look forward to (LOL). Now, with the pandemic raging on, we have to look for rest and relaxation a little closer to home. Does that mean I don’t long to wait in a three-hour customs line like the good old days? Would I WEEP at the sight of the Porter flight attendants in their little pillbox hats? Do I want to pay $22 for a mediocre glass of tepid airport wine just to feel something? Most definitely! But you know what? It’s fine. We’re good. We stay the heck home. We wear masks. We wash our hands. We support local businesses. And until we can hop on a plane without worrying, I’m sticking to short, safe weekend trips (with my stash of non-medical face masks and hand sani, of course) and staycations in my own city instead. And TBH, playing tourist in and around your home base is actually pretty fun.

Read this next: 24 Self-Care Gift Ideas For Everyone on Your List

Here, we round up items that will make your next road trip or staycation feel elevated, including the best weekend bag, silk eye mask, luxe beauty minis and, duh, loungewear. Room service, anyone?

Categories
Fitness

Need a New Toothbrush? These Dentists’ Tips Will Help You Choose the Right One

My toothbrushes almost always come from that goodie bag of dental health products your dentist gives you after a cleaning. It’s about time to replace my current toothbrush, though, and since I’m fresh out of stock and my cleaning isn’t for another few weeks, I need to get shopping.

To better navigate the sea of electric and manual options out there, I tapped two dentists for their best tips on choosing the right toothbrush — check ’em out below.

Replace Your Toothbrush Every 3 Months

First, you should be familiar with the signs that indicate you need to replace your toothbrush — and why it’s important.

“It is recommended to replace toothbrushes every three months, not because of worn-out efficiency but mainly due to microscopic bacterial buildup in between bristles,” said Dr. Lewis Chen, DDS, FICOI, FIADFE, cofounder and managing partner of Beam Street.

Probably not something you’d want to clean your teeth with, right? Dr. Chen said when the bristles start to flare out, it’s likely time to replace the toothbrush.

Look For a Small Brush Head and Soft Bristles

Dr. Michaela Tozzi, DMD, recommends using a toothbrush with a small brush head, “so it can fit into tight spots, like the back corners of your mouth.”

Instead of superhard, tough bristles, Dr. Tozzi said to opt for brushes with soft bristles “because they’re not harsh on the gums.”

Consider an Electric Option

I’ve used a manual toothbrush my entire life, but Dr. Chen’s words of wisdom have me reconsidering for my next purchase.

“Electric toothbrushes are certainly more efficacious than manual toothbrushes in providing an effective clean due to its motor and how fast bristles can oscillate and vibrate,” Dr. Chen explained. “With manual toothbrushes, patients typically brush ‘harder’ thinking they’ll get a more effective clean.”

Dr. Tozzi agreed that electric toothbrushes are the better option: “As good as we think we are at brushing manually, we can’t compete with the amounts of brush strokes per second an automatic toothbrush provides.”

If you do decide to go for an electric toothbrush, Dr. Tozzi recommends buying one with different settings. “Sometimes people have sensitive gums and the ‘regular’ setting is too aggressive, so they should be using the lowest power setting.”

Choose a Toothbrush That Upgrades Your Routine

Take the time to read the description on your toothbrush and read up on reviews — basically, what you use to brush your teeth should be a priority.

For example, Dr. Chen recommends looking at the toothbrush’s technology. Rather than just looking at brushing your teeth as a chore, Dr. Chen said your toothbrush should “add value to your overall health.”

But that doesn’t mean your toothbrush needs to look super techy or futuristic. “One of the best tips for picking out the right toothbrush is to choose the one that looks pleasantly simple and ergonomically functional, because it is important to focus on compliance,” Dr. Chen said.

Ask Your Dentist’s Advice

There’s arguably no one better to ask for toothbrush advice than your dentist, who will also be aware of your personal dental concerns. As for Dr. Chen and Dr. Tozzi’s favorite toothbrushes?

Colgate’s Hum gets Dr. Chen’s stamp of approval. “It is one of the only ‘smart’ toothbrushes that has Bluetooth connectivity with an application that serves as your coach and guide towards oral health. Because of its smart sensors built within the toothbrush, the application can map out areas of the mouth that require a little bit more love. It helps remove the guesswork from patients and their oral hygiene routine,” Dr. Chen said.

Dr. Tozzi’s favorite is an electric option from Oral-B. “It has different brush head options, multiple settings, and a small rotating brush head. Plus, it has an app that tracks your brushing habits!”

Click here for more health and wellness stories, tips, and news.

Categories
Culture

Taylor Swift Is Dropping a Surprise ‘Folklore’ Concert Film on Disney+

Back in July, Taylor Swift surprised us all when she dropped her 8th studio album, folklore, the same day she announced its arrival on Instagram. At the time, she shared that she “wrote and recorded this music in isolation,” and so far, fans have only seen Swift perform one of the album’s tracks, “betty,” which she sang at the Academy of Country Music Awards in September.

But, of course, Swift had another surprise coming. On Tuesday, Good Morning America announced that Swift is releasing a new concert film titled folklore: the long pond studio sessions on Disney+ on Wednesday Nov. 25, at 12:01 a.m. PST.

While Swift originally made the album without being in the same room as her co-producers—Jack Antonoff and The National’s Aaron Dessner—this film brought them together for the very first time. Good Morning America reports that the film will feature Swift performing each song from folklore in order, with a guest appearance from Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon, while also revealing the meaning behind each track; the whole concert was shot at Dessner’s recording studio in upstate New York using a robotic camera in order to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocols. Swift will then be back on Good Morning America Wednesday morning for an interview about the film.

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In the film’s trailer, fans can get a glimpse of Swift singing her fan-favorite song “august,” while also discussing the process of creating the album. “There’s something about the complete and total uncertainty of life,” she said. “If we’re going to have to recalibrate everything, we should start with what we love the most first.”

“It’s an album that allows you to feel your feelings, and it’s a product of isolation,” she continued, talking to Dessner. “This could’ve been a time where I absolutely lost my mind, and instead I think, you know, this album was like a real flotation device for both of us.”

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Women's Fashion

BTS Sets the Bar for Menswear In Their New ‘Esquire’ Cover

Following BTS’s dazzling American Music Awards performance last night, the boy band is on the cover of Esquire’s winter issue. Jungkook, V, Jin, Jimin, J-Hope, RM, and Suga gave a real lesson in menswear, wearing long coats, colorful sweaters, and impeccably tailored suits for the shoot.

The group’s latest studio album Be debuted on Friday and was created in response to life and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I don’t think this album will have any songs that criticize social issues,” RM told Esquire. “Everybody is going through very trying times right now. So I don’t think there will be any songs that will be that aggressive.”

bts

HONG JANG HYUN

Although the boys had to cancel their tour and promotion for Be, we have quarantine to thank for their lead single and Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper ‘Dynamite.’ “‘Dynamite’ wouldn’t be here if there was no COVID-19,” RM explained. “For this song, we wanted to go easy and simple and positive. Not some, like, deep vibes or shadows. We just wanted to go easy.”

bts

HONG JANG HYUN

Right now, the group is happy spending time together rehearsing and patiently awaiting the day they can perform again for fans. Their tight friendship has only grown stronger during the pandemic. “Jimin has a particular passion for the stage and really thinks about performance, and in that sense, there are many things to learn from him,” J-Hope said. “Despite all the things he has accomplished, he still tries his best and brings something new to the table, and I really want to applaud him for that.”

But they do have their moments. When asked who fights the most among the band members, Suga, Jimin, and V point to Jungkook and Jin. “It all starts as a joke, but then it gets serious,” Jimin explained.

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Women's Fashion

22 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Fashion Sales to Peruse This Week

Photo by Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images

From local brands to international favourites.

With Thanksgiving done and the holidays right around the corner, it’s time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Officially happening on Friday November 27 and Monday November 30 respectively, many brands have kicked off their sales earlier this week. There’s also a handful of brands who are opting out of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to instead encourage mindful shopping and meaningful purchases. Whether you’re looking for a deal, or want to support a brand who is offering something different for Cyber Weekend, below you’ll find our round-up of fashion sales to check out from Black Friday:

Nordstrom Canada

Nordstrom is offering 50 per cent off over 100 items online across men’s, women’s, kid’s and home for 12 days, with new deals hitting the site today, Wednesday November 25th and Friday November 27th.

Varsity Headwear

For every cap sold between 3am EST Friday November 27 to 6pm EST Sunday November 29, royal-loved Norwegian headwear brand Varsity Headwear will donate 10 per cent of sales to Unicef Norway.

Club Monaco

The Canadian fashion brand is offering 30 per cent off on orders placed between now and November 28, and 40 per cent off purchases made from Sunday November 29 to Monday November 30.

Fable

Vancouver-based homewares brand Fable is offering a buy more, save more deal from November 25-30. You can get 10 per cent off on orders of $200, 15 per cent off on orders of $300 and 20 per cent off on orders of $500.

Garage

Clothing brand Garage is offering a ‘buy one, get one 50 per cent off’ promotion on selected styles from Monday November 23 to Sunday November 29.

Reformation

California brand Reformation is offering 30 per cent off online from November 26-30, with many of its celeb-loved pieces included in the sale.

Allbirds

Footwear brand Allbirds – which recently branched into clothing – will drop an exclusive colourway of its Tree Dashers on Black Friday and an exclusive colour in its Wool Runner and Wool Piper styles on Cyber Monday. Plus, the brand will donate $1 from every purchase made on November 27 to Fridays For Future, Greta Thunberg’s youth-led international climate movement.

Aritzia

Beginning November 26, Aritzia will hold a five day sale sitewide, offering up to 50 per cent off online until Monday, November 30.

Mejuri

Toronto-based jewellery brand Mejuri is known for its once-a-year sale and this year, it will begin with a private sale for email subscribers on November 23, followed by a public sale on November 25 which will run until Tuesday December 1. The sale will see the brand offer a ‘buy more, save more’ structure: Buy 1, get 10 per cent off; buy 2, get 15 per cent off; buy 3, get 20 per cent off.

ALDO

ALDO is offering 25 to 50 per cent off select styles from now until December 23.

Hunter

Bag yourself a pair of stylish wellies with Hunter’s Black Friday sale. Beginning November 24 and running until November 30, the brand will offer different deals every day ranging from 25 to 30 per cent off its classic and seasonal styles.

Moose Knuckles

Looking for an excuse to buy a new winter coat? Canadian outerwear brand Moose Knuckles is offering up to 30 per cent off its current winter collection from now until November 25 for VIPS. From November 26, the brand will launch its sale sitewide.

SophieGrace

The Calgary-based womenswear brand is offering a bundle promotion of 25 per cent off four items plus free shipping for Black Friday, as well as deals on gift cards on Cyber Monday. Plus, on December 1, the brand will donate 10 per cent of all sales to women’s shelters across Canada.

Encircled

The Toronto-based athleisure brand will go on sale from 12am Friday November 27 through to 11:59pm on Monday November 30. It will also offer daily door crasher sales on select pieces across this time from 15 to 35 per cent off.

Frank & Oak

Stock up your brand favourites from Canadian clothing company Frank & Oak in its Black Friday sale which will see everything on site discounted by 30 per cent.

Altitude Sports

Montreal-based outwear specialist Altitude Sports is offering up to 30 per cent off its most popular brands from now until November 30.

Mrkt Gallery

Art is a great gift for yourself, or for your loved ones, and Canadian company Mrkt Gallery is offering 25 per cent off sitewide on orders over $400 for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Kombi

Canadian winter accessory brand Kombi is offering free shipping plus a free hand warmer with all online orders from November 27 to December 1.

Brunette The Label 

The Vancouver-based clothing brand is offering 30 to 50 per cent off select items for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Arc’teryx

The Canadian outdoor equipment company is rewarding people who trade in their used gear with a gift card worth 30 per cent of the item’s original value, which is 10 per cent more than its usual trade-in rate. Plus, on December 1 (Giving Tuesday), the brand will donate $10 for every item traded in to Protect Our Winters, a climate-focused non-profit.

Art of Marina

‘Tis the year for luxurious loungewear and designer Marina Billinghurt’s sustainably and ethically sourced lounge and resort wear makes a great gift. On Black Friday, the Canadian brand will offer 50 per cent off sitewide, on Saturday November 28, it will offer 40 per cent off sitewide and on Sunday November 29 and Monday November 30, it will offer 30 per cent off sitewide.

Jenny Bird

Canadian jewellery brand Jenny Bird is offering a range of its most-loved styles with discounts of up to 50 per cent throughout the week, with new styles added daily.

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Video

Suki Waterhouse’s Guide to It Brit Eyeliner | Beauty Secrets | Vogue

Suki Waterhouse is the It Brit model and actress with an entirely loose, on-the-fly approach to makeup. Here, she breaks down her morning beauty routine, including the secret to her perfectly smudged cat-eye.

Filmed at the Plaza, New York

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Fitness

5 Ways to Still Enjoy Your Family 5K This Season

family-running

The holidays are most definitely times to celebrate family and friends and enjoy tradition. Although, many of us will be enjoying our holidays a lot differently, whether that means skipping the usual travels altogether or opting for smaller festivities. One tradition that will undoubtedly take on a new form is a Turkey Trot or other holiday-centric 5K. For many families, a morning run on Thanksgiving jump-starts the day. And although this won’t (and shouldn’t!) look the same as races past, this year’s 5K tradition can still be a fun one to embrace.

Here are five ways to keep with tradition and still get in your workout.

Set Up a Meaningful Route

Because in-person races are a total no-go this year, if you and your immediate pod are still keen to race, why not make the route a special one? Sure, a few laps around the neighborhood would work, but if there’s a friend or family member you’re not able to celebrate with that day, consider running by their house or apartment for a “drive-by” wave. Or perhaps there’s a park or trail that has meaning to your pod. It might be just the time to pay that old route a visit.

Make It a Relay

It can be hard enough to keep motivated and excited about fitness around the holidays, but especially when you’re not able to be with family or friends in the same way. But I’ve found a great way to keep on track with my goals is to partner up or involve friends and family in my workouts. In this case, turning your virtual race into an opportunity for a relay could be a unique route. Take on a few miles yourself, then pass off either in real time or virtually to a friend or family member. This way the whole workout is dependent upon everyone keeping each other accountable and motivated.

Dress the Part

Now listen, I’m not advocating for turkey costumes or matching tees (but by all means, if that’s your speed, I won’t stop you!), but rather try motivating yourself and your running crew with some new apparel to keep you toasty and ready come virtual race day. Consider all scooping up the same hat or, better yet, scoring the same masks. My current favorite outdoor fall running mask is the UA Sportsmask ($30), which boasts serious performance-ready Iso Chill fabric that’s built to move and sweat.

Offer Prizes

OK, these don’t have to be anything fancy, but a little friendly competition doesn’t hurt. For those who are spending a lot of family time together from now until 2021, bringing a little fun back into the mix may ease some of the stressful times. Agree that the winner of this race gets an extra slice of pie or is exempt from chores for the day. Competing with friends and family from afar? Perhaps the “losers” all Venmo the winner $5 for a cup of coffee! A little incentive keeps things creative and makes your workout more than a chore.

Go Totally Remote

There are some of us who aren’t spending any holiday time with family this year. And that’s totally OK! Involve your entire group. Set up a Strava challenge or event, and ask your running crew across the country to join you for your miles. Even if you’re running alone this holiday season, you won’t really ever be alone if you take it all totally remote.

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Culture

That’s Ascertainment! Fate of Nation Rests on One Person Sending a Letter

emily murphy testifies before us senate subcommittee

Consolidated News PicturesGetty Images

Today, Emily Murphy, administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) and a person of who you probably had never heard before she became the central figure in the slow-motion destruction of our democracy, part number 759, is scheduled to appear at a congressional hearing to answer for the grave crime of not hitting send on an email. Murphy’s office, an independent, supposedly apolitical agency, is in charge of greenlighting the process of presidential transition, which provides funds and access to the staff of the president-elect. The GSA begins the process with a letter sent after the agency has ascertained who won the election. Unfortunately for my nerves, when it comes to clarifying how the GSA is supposed to ascertain the results of the election, the Presidential Transition Act of 1963 is as vague as a repressed parent trying to give their teenager The Talk. The Presidential Transition Act is says “When a country and a candidate love each other very much… or if they sort of just find themselves together at the end of a very long night… they… will… hug.”

At present, Emily Murphy claims that she hasn’t made the ascertainment and has not sent a letter. Apparently our nation rests on a general feeling of election instead of, you know, votes. It’s like when people debate when is an appropriate time to put up holiday decorations and some people are hollying and jollying on November 1st and others can’t get into the spirit until mid-December. Emily Murphy, apparently, is just not in the mood for a new president this year. Ah well. What can be done? She won’t send the letter of ascertainment so I guess we have to wait for three ghosts to visit her on Christmas Eve. It’s what the founders intended.

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The American people expressed their will that Joe Biden become the next president but unfortunately someone you’ve never heard of replied “No ❤️.” So… I guess, no president? Unclear. The haziness is really what’s making this situation dangerous. It’s like in An Affair to Remember when Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant expressed their desires to get out of their toxic relationships and unite at the top of the Empire State Building but then they didn’t because Deborah’s character got hit by a kerr and she refused to send word to Cary Grant about why. But here the American people are Deborah Kerr and Joe Biden is Cary Grant and the Empire State Building is the White House and the GSA is the car and I’m Rita Wilson in Sleepless in Seattle sobbing while I take too long to explain the plot of An Affair to Remember and how it relates to the subject at hand. And that’s civics!

It is perfectly within an individual’s right to not be in a mood for a new president. Change is hard! But, I have to say, it does seem like a small-to-medium flaw in the general construction of our society that one person’s flagging commitment to Sparkle Motion could effectively dismantle the entire operation. Never fear, however! She’s been asked to testify before a congressional committee today at which Rep. Katie Porter will surely pull out her whiteboard and write “WHAT GIVES?” and all of this will be solved.

That is, if Murphy shows up, which she probably won’t, which—again—feels like something shouldn’t be able to happen. But what do I know? I’m not a constitutional scholar; I’m just a regular American who briefly interrupted my daily googling of “Is The Queen’s Gambit real” so that I could google “The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 spark notes” and “coup question mark”. It’s been a full day, but I’m willing to do it for democracy. Unlike some people. (Have we tried being passive-aggressive to the GSA yet? Maybe that will work.)

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I’m just going to say it: the process of ascertaining is not entertaining. Zero stars. Would not recommend. The entire country is like “please, could you maybe acknowledge reality?” and Emily the Scrivener is like “I would prefer not to.” And because of the way the government is set up, our only response is “Oh. Okay. Well… let us know!” This doesn’t feel manageable! We’ve got elected leaders tweeting at GSA Emily about a piece of correspondence and, folks, I don’t think she’s checking her mentions. So what now?!

Charles Ascertainment Cheese is over here insisting that she doesn’t know who won the election, which is distressing because it means she’s stuck in a time warp somewhere around 11:30 pm on November 3rd and someone really should work on freeing her. The election was 20 days ago, and also 19 days ago, and 16 days, and four days ago when Joe Biden won Georgia for the fourth time. What does she think she’s doing? Choosing a new pope? Emily Murphy is over here talking about how she hasn’t seen the white smoke yet and meanwhile the room is filling with fire. This is fine question mark.

The one good part about all of this is that Joe Biden seems totally unfazed by the fact that one person with too much power just doesn’t believe in the concept of “Pennsylvania.” The Biden-Harris administration has so far shrugged off all of the Trump administration’s failing attempts to stall the transition, calling them an embarrassment, which is putting it nicely.

biden

The Washington PostGetty Images

Meanwhile Joe and Kamala are spending every day sitting on that huge stage in their transitional transition White House that they’ve set up in a Wilmington bar and music venue called The Queen. I am truly obsessed with the energy of assuming control of the country one performance venue at a time. Maybe that’s what GSA Emily is waiting for: the election isn’t over until Biden takes over Philly’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and the Hard Rock Café in Savannah with a popular open mic night. It’s as plausible as anything else.

There’s a part of me that thinks “I cannot believe that in order for us to live in a functioning democracy I, personally, have to know the name of the person General Services administrator.” But then there’s another part of me that screams “This is why we’re in the mess we’re in! Americans aren’t engaged enough! You need to be able to recite the name, office number, fax number of every staff member at every government agency.” I guess it’s better to be engaged. But let this be a warning, once this mess with Emily Murphy gets sorted out, I’m going to have very strong words with Chip, the office manager at the EPA, about the number of paperclips he’s ordering. I’m an American with an opinion! And apparently that’s all it takes to bring this country to a full standstill. Democracy!

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