News alert: It’s come to our attention that our favorite kinda-random-but-also-completely-perfect-though-unconfirmed couple Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, having just gone to India together, are seemingly kicking it up another notch. And this one…is a lot.
Priyanka posted an Instagram story of a red Cartier box on Thursday, though the rings seem to have been purchased before that: The thick gold bands have made a few appearances over the last few weeks.
We can’t forget that the couple has a history of matching: One of the first times we started realizing something might be up between them, after all, was when they showed up at the 2017 Met Gala together to show off their Ralph Lauren outfits. So we’ll try to keep breathing because this could mean nothing—especially because they seem to be wearing the rings consistently on their right hands. Should any new developments break, however, we will obviously update this story immediately.
I’d never felt more seen—or rather, personally targeted—than the moment in Saturday Night Live’s “Pro-Chiller Leggings” skit when Kate McKinnon looks straight into the camera (and into my soul) and says of her leggings: “Women can do anything they want—and I want to do nothing.” Leggings are my clothes of choice for a streaming marathon, and pretty much never for actual physical activity; same goes for my sports bras and tank tops. (Just ask the 170 Instagram users who correctly guessed that my first workout selfie of 2018 would also be my last.)
Despite my track record of stockpiling activewear for non-fitness, I was intrigued by the concept of Outdoor Voices’ Exercise Dress, which debuted in May. It promised to withstand intense workouts while still looking super-cute, as evidenced by all the influencer #OOTDs timed to its launch.
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I was draw to the Instagram-friendly design and its comfortable appearance—the Exercise Dress looked like a put-together alternative to the workout gear I was already wearing every weekend. Never mind that I had no intention of rollerblading, speed-walking, or dancercising in it: That baby-pink dress was cute as hell.
Even with my unathletic routine, the Exercise Dress made for an incredible addition to my routine. On lazy Saturdays when leaving the apartment just wasn’t in the cards, I’d slip it on, resume my current binge-watch, and give myself a gold star for changing out of my pajamas; when I eventually ventured out, I’d layer it over a white T-shirt to run errands and feel slightly less messy than I did in my leggings and college T-shirts. It made me feel like I put together an Outfit, rather than just any other athleisure-adjacent clothes. Plus, every time I wore the Exercise Dress, I got compliments on it.
I knew I couldn’t own a self-described Exercise Dress without doing some sort of exercise in it, though. So, during a recent trip to California, I scheduled some (light) hiking, to be able to test the style in the way it’s meant to be worn. And let me tell you: It more than lived up to its online hype.
No matter how I moved, I never felt limited by wearing the Exercise Dress. The sweat-wicking fabric rivals a sturdy tank top without the heavy material—it was lightweight and stretchy, breathable without sagging. My favorite feature, as I could only discover through actually working out in it, is the covert leotard liner inside the dress: Climbing a trail and running around outside, it held the dress in place without causing a Marilyn Monroe moment at the first sign of a breeze. Unless your cardio routine involves Rockette-high kicks, you can work out in a dress.
Some people say that good activewear can convince them to work out more. I’m all about the Sporty Spice vibes I get from wearing my exercise dress at home—but I won’t be donning it for real sports anytime soon.
On Thursday, First Lady Melania Trump flew to Texas, making an unannounced visit to the Upbring New Hope Children’s Shelter, which is housing several children who were separated from their parents at the U.S. border. Though meant as a gesture of good will, the purpose of the trip would soon become eclipsed after people got a look at the jacket she wore to board her plane in Maryland.
At the Andrews Air Force Base, Trump was photographed getting out of her car and onto the jet wearing a green military-style jacket with lettering scrawled across the back in white. Daily Mail was the first outlet to decipher the slogan as reading, “I really don’t care, do u?,” and attributing the style to a jacket that was once sold at fast-fashion retailer Zara.
PHOTO: Andrew Harnik
PHOTO: Andrew Harnik
PHOTO: Andrew Harnik
This would later be reported by journalists following FLOTUS’ visit.
Though the jacket is no longer available on Zara’s website, it reportedly retailed for $39.
FLOTUS changed her outerwear on the flight—she was wearing a light pink cargo jacket when she landed in Texas—but the damage had already been done: Once images of Mrs. Trump hit the internet, people took to social media to share their outrage at the optics of what most likely is a glaringly tone-deaf fashion decision.
In response to the backlash, Stephanie Grisham, the First Lady’s communications director, shared with the White House pool reporters via email: “It’s a jacket. There was no hidden message.” She also added that she hoped the media would instead focus on Trump’s visit, rather than her outfits, “Much like her high heels last year.”
The heels Grisham is referring to were the sky-high stilettos Trump wore when she accompanied her husband to see the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Texas—then, too, people believed her decision to wear high-end designer shoes with an impractical heel was rather insensitive (not to mention, inappropriate for a disaster zone).
Still, even with this statement, many were not convinced of the fact that there was no message to be gleaned from the First Lady’s wardrobing choice.
As to what she hoped to accomplish on her visit to Texas, Girsham shared with pool reporters that Trump “…wants to see what’s happening for herself and she wants to lend her support, executive order or not. The executive order certainly is helping pave the way a little bit, but there’s still a lot to be done.”
Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by sandal season, and the accompanying pressure of needing a pedicure to partake. Listen, we love a good summer polish—but sometimes, you just can’t get to it. But there’s hope for a summer lewk that comes free of that burden… Introducing woven shoes, your new favorite low-stress shoe trend.
Whether made with leather or raffia, these braided flats, espadrilles, and mules deliver on the same beachy, breezy vibes you desire from a summertime shoe, sans toe-exposure. You still get a hint of skin, thanks to the lattice material—just without even having to think about whether that coat of polish you applied however-many-weeks-ago has chipped. Plus, could there be a better companion for your straw bag?
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Usually, wedding dresses for brides getting married in Western-style ceremonies tend to be white, ivory, or off-white—and that’s great! They’re very, verypretty. But brides looking for something a little different can take inspiration from Kat Von D, who held a wedding celebration on Sunday with the Cholo-goth Prayers musician Rafael Reyes (a.k.a. Leafar Seyer). (The two actually got hitched in February.) The theme of the day, according to what’s embossed on her (incredible) wedding invites, seems to be “en vida y en muerte,” or “in life and in death.” And the color of the day? Bold blood red—right down to her dress.
The gown, which seems to have been custom-designed by Adolfo Sanchez, couldn’t be more her: After all, the tattoo artist and makeup mogul is known for a goth-y vibe that meets retro burlesque and pin-up for a truly fierce lewk. And red symbolizes luck and auspiciousness in some cultures, which couldn’t be better for kicking off a marriage (it also seems to be one of her favorite colors to wear). While we’re pretty sure no one was expecting a traditional wedding, this whole lewk is proof that brides shouldn’t be afraid to do something a little—or, hey, a lot—different on their own big days, whether it’s a red dress or something else entirely.
On Saturday, Von D—who’s also expecting a son with Reyes—posted a sweet Instagram with some thoughts about her impending wedding. Looking back, the bright red carnation was definitely a hint.
“Such a beautifully emotional day today. Tomorrow, @prayers and I will have our wedding ceremony for our close friends + family. This has been the sweetest, most stress-free experience where we continuosly [sic] fell in love with each other all over again with each day counting down. This is a photo of 3 carnations that our dear friends @majestyblack brought us tonight after our rehearsal and soundcheck. Red carnations are @prayers favourite flower, and the 3 represent him, me, and our sweet baby boy we are adding to our family. All I can say right now is that i am so grateful for my dear friends, and for my sweet husband. ❤️” she wrote.
Ready for the outfit? Here’s a first peek from her hubby.
And a peek from the man behind the gown, Sanchez himself:
We have ruffles; we have tulle; we have a romantic cathedral train. We also have a mind-blowing veil situation, as captured by her hairstylist.
Check out the full look on the mannequin:
Are you feeling the Maleficent vibes?
And what’s this? Vows on a heart-shaped platform under a dramatic canopy of gorgeous blooms? Amazing.
I mean, look at how the Beverly Hills Hotel was transformed. Apparently she sat down at the piano and serenaded the guests, too.
And, holy Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, these flowers.
Plus, peep her incredible invites.
And at the end of the day, each guest went home with custom Kat Von D lipstick in perfectly goth black—with large gold flecks (because, you know, it’s a party!).
Franchesca Ramsey is an actress and comedian, best known for her YouTube channel, chescaleigh, and for hosting MTV’s Decoded. In this exclusive excerpt from her upcoming book, Well, that Escalated Quickly: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist, she shares her best comebacks observations too offensive to ignore .
We are gathered here today to say goodbye to seven unbearably irksome comments that just won’t accept that their time has come. If you’ve been on the receiving end of oppression, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and plain old ignorance, you’ll recognize these lines. Let’s bury them, shall we?
1. Comment: “Sorry if you’re offended.” This is a non-apology masquerading as a real apology. The word “if” corrupts the entire thing. Much like the “RE: URGENT DEAR SIR OR MADAM” email that manages to slip past your spam folder, “sorry if” is highly suspicious. We’re proud creatures by nature—we hate to admit wrongdoing—so some of us try to have our cake and eat it too by adding that pesky “if.”
Comeback: “There’s no need for ‘if’—I am offended. So are you sorry?”
2. Comment: “Why are you so angry?” See also: “You’re making a scene,” “You’re being hysterical,” and “You need to calm down. ” These responses are all part of a broader phenomenon known as tone policing, whereby someone provides unsolicited advice on how to express your feelings. They may claim expertise on topics they observed on The Wire, and they are likely to question the intensity of others’ reactions to these topics. The Tone Police tend to move the conversation away from the systemic wrong you were discussing and toward the validity of your particular response to that wrong. They don’t understand that anger is a valid emotion, or that emotional distance isn’t an option for many marginalized people.
Comeback: “I think people should be treated fairly. When they’re not, it makes me angry. Why aren’t you angry at all?”
3. Comment: “Stop playing the victim.” Unless you’ve been cast in a community theater production of Law & Order: SVU, I’m not sure why anyone would choose to play victim. The word “play” implies fun; and what’s fun about being mistreated? This command is yet another example of someone feeling threatened by feelings. Just as you’re allowed to be angry about injustice, it’s natural to express feelings of sadness or fear, especially if you’re exhausted by the prospect of trying to keep a brave face.
Comeback: “Victimhood is not a game. I don’t get a prize for talking about my experience.”
4. Comment: “It’s just a joke.” People feel like using the word “joke” removes responsibility for the hurt their words may cause. It doesn’t; in fact, it may make things worse. A Western Carolina University study found that when prejudiced attitudes around a marginalized group are shifting, negative jokes about that group can suggest discrimination is justified to people who may be on the fence. “Ironic” stereotyping—where the joker says something designed, allegedly, to mock sexists or racists or transphobes or homophobes—counts, too, so if anyone ever serves you with, “Political correctness is ruining comedy,” the same stuff applies. It’s just not funny to disrespect other people’s beliefs, backgrounds, cultures, or identities when those are deeply rooted in longstanding oppression. Jokes that punch down on marginalized people require no creativity because they’ve existed since the beginning of time. It’s like telling a knock-knock joke and believing you’re Richard Pryor.
Comeback: [crickets] “Then why wasn’t it funny? Maybe you can explain the joke.”
5. Comment: “I don’t see color.” People who say this usually mean well—they want you to know they’re sooo not racist that they can’t even conceive of a reality in which racism exists! But what they’re actually saying is that racial identity is bad—not that racial oppression is bad. If someone is talking about their experiences as a person of color, “I don’t see color” suggests their experiences aren’t valid—or flat-out aren’t real. If you wear glasses and I say, “I don’t even see your glasses,” that doesn’t mean you suddenly have twenty-twenty vision—it just means I’m in denial. Or maybe that I need glasses myself.
Comeback: “Well, even in black and white, I’m still a person of color.”
6. Comment: “Why don’t they just come here legally?” If this question is being asked in earnest, the person you’re talking to clearly has no idea how immigration works. It’s expensive, confusing, and prohibitive even for people who speak English as their native language, and who aren’t dealing with the trauma of repressive governments and persecution. Besides, do you remember how this country was founded? Did Christopher Columbus come here legally? Did the Pilgrims have to make sure they had their passports open to the photo page so the line would move quickly at Plymouth Rock? Yes, there are immigration laws in place, but laws aren’t perfect. Part of our work is to determine what laws need to be refined and what new laws need to be created, and then to pressure our elected officials to act.
Comeback: “Why don’t we just fix our broken immigration system so the people who want to come here legally can do so?”
7. Comment: “All lives matter.” I’ve saved the best (by which I mean worst) for last. “All lives matter” is the racist version of “I know you are but what am I.”The Black Lives Matter movement was created in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman. The movement is about creating a world where all lives—including black lives—matter equally. That’s not the world we live in now, especially when we look at police violence and how it disproportionately affects black people. “All lives matter” is an empty retort designed to shut down conversations about black people and the issues they face. I think the “all lives matter” folks know that—they just refuse to admit it.
Comeback: “It’s okay for a movement to be focused on a specific group or cause. ‘Save the rainforest’ doesn’t mean ‘Fuck all the other trees.”
