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Women Inspired by Princess Eugenie Are Sharing Stories of Their Surgery Scars


On Friday, the world marveled over Princess Eugenie‘s royal wedding dress as she married Jack Brooksbank at Windsor Castle. The white gown was designed by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos, and featured a folded v-shaped neckline, long sleeves, and what might as well have be a mile-long train. But one of the most important details of her wedding dress was the back, which was cut into a deep v-shape in order to highlight the spinal surgery scar that spans from her neck to her shoulder blades.

Prior to the event, Eugenie shared that she specifically selected a neckline that wouldn’t hide her scar. “I’m patron of [the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Appeal], and I had an operation when I was 12 on my back,” she told ITV. “It’s a lovely way to honor the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people who also go through this.” She added: “I think you can change the way beauty is, and you can show people your scars and I think it’s really special to stand up for that.”

It’s safe to say women around the world more than appreciated the gesture—they identified with it. Twitter users immediately began sharing their own experiences with spinal surgery, along with how much the validation of feeling seen meant to them.

PHOTO: WPA Pool

Ashley Tait, a 26-year-old hairdresser from Kelso, Scotland, tweeted that Eugenie’s scar makes her feel “ok” about her own. And she tells Glamour that it’s giving her the power to show hers off as well. “I was very surprised—it’s not very often you see someone else who has gone through the same procedure such as scoliosis surgery,” says Tait. “I only really show off my scar if I’m telling the story about my surgery. But now that Princess Eugenie has shown her scar to the world, I feel like I should have the confidence to show mine also.”

Izzy Anstee, a 19-year-old student from London, feels similarly. According to Anstee, she’s struggled with self esteem issues after having surgery for scoliosis when she was 15. Eugenie’s gown, however, is changing her mindset. “Seeing her scar made me feel really empowered,” Anstee tells Glamour. “I’ve felt very self conscious about my scar for quite a few years and would never dream of wearing anything backless. But seeing Eugenie’s dress and how beautiful she looked in it made me realize that maybe I shouldn’t feel the need to hide it.”

While Jennifer Scarpinito, a 38-year-old accountant from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hasn’t had to receive surgery for scoliosis, she says she feels comfort in knowing that others can relate to what she’s gone through. Plus, she hopes this movement will help women everywhere feel confident in their own skin. “I think [Eugenie] showing her scar will continue to inspire women to feel beautiful and confident no matter what shape or size or pain they may be in. This was the biggest day of her life and she showed who is is both inside and out.”

For Melanie Pollard, 44, administrator in Warrington, Cheshire, UK, it’s a sign of hope for her 5-year-old daughter, who had spinal surgery at 14 months old. “My daughter Connie saw the picture of the scar and was absolutely thrilled that a ‘real life princess’ had a scar on her back just like she did,” she shares. “She thought that was amazing.”

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Blake Lively's Engagement Ring in *A Simple Favor* Was Inspired by Princess Diana's


If you’ve seen the trailer for Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick’s new film, A Simple Favor, you know that there’s a lot to take in—from power suits to figuring out what happened to Lively’s character, Emily. So you might have missed a surprising detail of Emily’s wardrobe: her engagement ring, which happens to look quite similar to a certain iconic royal’s.

In a new interview with People, Renée Ehrlich Kalfus, A Simple Favor‘s costume designer, revealed that Emily’s engagement ring is purposefully made to resemble royal jewels. “It’s a take on Princess Diana’s ring,” she said, referring to the vintage sapphire-and-diamond ring that was once worn by the Princess of Wales, and that Prince William later used to propose to Kate Middleton.

PHOTO: Max Mumby/Indigo

According to People, the ring serves as an “important plot point” in the film, and was once worn by Lively’s character’s mother-in-law—but we’ll just have to wait until the movie comes out on September 14 to find out more.

“I wanted to do something vintage, but the director [Paul Feig] thought it should be more on the nose,” Ehlrich added.

Blake Lively’s Engagement Ring in A Simple Favor Was Inspired By Princess Diana lead

PHOTO: Peter Iovino/Lionsgate

While you may be familiar with the recent history of Princess Diana’s ring, you may not realize that its story actually stretches far beyond the era of the “People’s Princess.” The inspiration for the piece actually goes all the way back to the 1840s, when Prince Albert had a sapphire-and-diamond broach designed for his soon-to-be wife, Queen Victoria. She loved it so much, she wore it as her “something blue” on her wedding day, and continued to wear it until her husband’s death in 1861. It was later passed along to Queen Elizabeth II, and it’s said that Prince Charles used the broach as inspiration when he was picking out the ring for Princess Diana.

While Lively’s real-life ring from husband Ryan Reynolds doesn’t have quite the same royal history as the inspiration for her onscreen one, it actually does have some surprising similarities: Like Princess Diana’s ring, the actress’s includes an oval central stone surrounded by diamonds, but instead of a 12-karat sapphire, it’s a seven-karat light pink diamond (and unlike Diana’s/Kate’s/Emily Nelson’s platinum band, Lively’s ring features a rose gold one.)

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The Case for Clip-On Earrings, Inspired By My Mom’s Gaudy Jewelry Collection


I have two style icons: Stevie Nicks and my mom.

Stevie for her shawls, chiffon, fringe, and gold crescent chains; my mom for her bright bold pantsuits and overbearing clip-on earrings of yore.

Her aesthetic is more yogi-chic in 2018 (she loves a good mandala and flowy pant now, which I’m also into) but growing up, I’d marvel at her outfits in old photographs. She still has most of her clothing and accessories from the ‘80s and ‘90s—bags, shoes, jewelry, even stockings. The woman could open a damn vintage store, I swear.

I used to rummage through bins of costume jewelry, and model her accoutrements around the house. Because I didn’t get my ears pierced until I was eight, I always gravitated to her clip-ons: Wearing them made me feel grown-up and sophisticated, like her.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Jessica Militare

As a teen, I stopped playing around with her big baubles, mostly because they didn’t go with my emo bangs, band tees, and skinny jeans. I wanted gauges, which I got a big “hell no” to from mom and dad. (I thank them for that now.) I settled on rhinestone heart earrings from Forever 21 and Hot Topic, or even my mom’s small, geometric posts or circles from the ‘90s. She would try to get me to wear her flashier pieces to school dances or to go out with friends, but I was uninterested. They seemed kitschy, and at that point in my teenage angst, I was prone to disliking anything she put in front of me. But I came around by my senior prom, picking out a pair of her pearl and rhinestone drop earrings that matched my sky-blue, cupcake-shaped Betsey Johnson dress.

In college, I dabbled in wearing some larger earrings, but my love for statement jewels truly took off when I moved to New York and started working in media. I saw coworkers experiment with over-the-top earrings, and even bought a few from H&M. I loved the ease of having a single accessory that could dress up a boring outfit.

I thought of my mom’s showy clip-on collection, but hadn’t gone through it in years.

PHOTO: Photographed by Michelle Sulcov

Recently, when I visited my parents in Miami, I decided to flip through her hanging jewelry organizer, which was collecting dust in her closet. It was like I struck gold: Those same earrings that I’d previously rejected as not hip enough looked damn cute now. In fact, they look eerily similar to current offerings I’ve seen at fast-fashion stores like Zara—I often find myself wanting all of them, but when I look at the price tags I also think, Aren’t these just a souped up version of my mom’s that I can wear for free?

“Have them all,” my mom told me, as I was pulling out pair after pair from the plastic sleeves. “I saved them for you.”

Holding up a pair of gold and pearl drops, I remembered her wearing them in a photo of us, when I was a baby. She looked regal and effortlessly glam.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Jessica Militare/Photographed by Michelle Sulcov

I wore them to work paired with another find from her closet: a New York City tourist T-shirt from the ‘90s. I felt like that experimental kid who used to play dress up all over again, and was proud to say “they’re my mom’s” when a coworker asked where I bought them. (Pro-tip: Because clip-ons can feel a little pinchy after wearing them for a few hours, these cushions help.) One week, I wore a different pair every day, and thought about what my mom was doing when she wore them way back when.

As a young hair stylist in Miami in the early ‘80s, my mom’s M.O. was to wear big hair and big jewelry. Her work ethic and talent—and the fact that she took her outward appearance seriously—attracted a roster of devoted clients that she still has today. Thirty-something years later, when I wear these shiny things, I like to think I’m channeling her go-getter-ness (even if I’m just wearing them for fashion’s sake). Sure, they’re just earrings. But for someone who goes through bouts of crippling homesickness, they make her feel close when I need a bit of her spirit in my step.

PHOTO: Photographed by Michelle Sulcov/Courtesy of Jessica Militare

From that first haul of my mother’s hand-me-downs, I could probably wear a different pair of earrings every week for the next year. I know I’m lucky to have a hoarder relative who so graciously passed along her killer clip-on collection (Oscar de la Renta, you’re killing me), but if you’re looking for a solid offering, Etsy’s like my mom’s closet to the nth degree. (I’m currently eyeing these colorful geometric beauties and these rhinestone teardrops.) After doing a little research, I found that Net-a-Porter offers a nice range of styles (I love these gold-tone circles and, on the higher end, this bird-tasseled pair of my dreams.)

Every time I put on one of my mom’s classic pairs, though, I know I’ll turn heads. I’ll channel her regalness, and take a little part of her with me wherever I go.

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Ariana Grande Tearfully Opens Up About 'get well soon,' Her New Song Inspired by the Manchester Concert Attack


Ariana Grande has been sharing all the stories behind her new album, Sweetener, which dropped on Friday—and there’s one song in particular that strikes an emotional chord with her. “get well soon”, the album’s final track, is in part an ode to the 22 victims of the 2017 terrorist attack that took place after one of her concerts in Manchester, England. On Friday, Grande listened to the song on Beats 1 radio with Ebro Darden and tearfully recounted the inspiration behind it.

“It’s just about just being there for each and helping each other through scary times and anxiety,” Grande said as she became more and more emotional. “There’s some dark shit out there, man, and we just have to be there for each other as much as we can because you never fucking know. I just wanted to do something to make people feel good and less alone.”

“Obviously [if you see it] on the news it affects you but not in the same way. You feel bad, you tweet it, you post a picture, you send your condolences, you say something and move on,” Grande said on the show, then continued: “It’s like people are permanently affected by this shit and it’s just like, perspective. It changes everything, changes your life quite a bit. You want to be more present and follow happy impulses and figure it out later and stay in the moment.”

Grande, who organized a benefit concert for the victims after the attack, has opened up about the experience in the past, explaining what a toll it took on her mental health. “I don’t think I’ve been through anything as traumatic as [what] we’ve been through,” she said in an interview with Coveteur.

But “get well soon” isn’t strictly about Manchester. It also tackles dealing with mental health and anxiety, Grande said on Beats 1. “It’s not just about that. It’s also about personal demons and anxiety, and more intimate tragedies, as well. Mental health is so important. People don’t pay enough mind to it.” she said, adding that people are often moving so fast in their lives they don’t pay attention to “what’s happening inside.”

“That’s why I felt like it was important,” Grande said through tears. “I just wanted to give people a hug, musically and I feel like the lyrics can be kind of corny when I talk about wanting to hug you, but I do. People gotta be nicer.”

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Victoria Beckham's First Collection for Reebok Collection Is Here—and It's Inspired by Shaquille O'Neal


In November, Victoria Beckham announced she would be Reebok‘s latest long-term design partner. (Past collaborators include Vetements and Pyer Moss.) And on Friday, she revealed her first-ever collection for the sportswear brand, which was inspired by the decade that launched her career. Though, instead of taking cues from her own ’90s persona, Posh Spice, Beckham drew inspiration from another icon of the era: Shaquille O’Neal.

The first installment for Victoria Beckham x Reebok includes streetwear-esque T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, and socks, all of which keep to a basic black-and-white color scheme, with the occasional red accent. (Though, the press release for the collection teases a limited-edition “sunset orange colorway” which will debut exclusively on Beckham’s e-commerce site.) In keeping with the designer’s penchant for minimalism, all of the tees and hoodies feature almost the exact same graphic—a tribute to Shaq—in different color combinations: his signature “dunkman” logo on the front, his last name and jersey number (34) on the back, and list of his impressive career achievements printed below.

PHOTO: Reebok x Victoria Beckham

Victoria Beckham x Reebok will be available for presale on both Beckham and Reebok‘s websites beginning July 26.

Victoria Beckham’s Reebok Merch Collection is a Stylish Slam Dunk Inspired by Shaq 3

PHOTO: Reebok x Victoria Beckham

In a statement, Beckham explained that the idea for the capsule was planted during a visit to the Reebok archives in Boston, back when their partnership was first announced. “When I think of Reebok, I think of the ’90s and basketball—and therefore, of course, I think of Shaq,” she said. “For me, this capsule really represents a celebration of that era, Reebok and Shaq’s shared history in basketball, and the great heritage pieces I discovered in those archives.”

Victoria Beckham’s Reebok Merch Collection is a Stylish Slam Dunk Inspired by Shaq 4

PHOTO: Reebok x Victoria Beckham

“The unisex approach and the nods to streetwear that are present in this capsule are important elements that I will take through to the full collection I am currently working on,” Beckham added in the statement.

Victoria Beckham’s Reebok Merch Collection is a Stylish Slam Dunk Inspired by Shaq 5

PHOTO: Reebok x Victoria Beckham

To promote the collection, Beckham modeled some of the pieces, and even stepped into Shaq’s shoes on the basketball court. Check it out in the clip, below.

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It Sure Looks Like the Queen Inspired Meghan Markle's Latest Outfit Choice


Meghan Markle has wasted no time getting to work on her style legacy as the newly minted Duchess of Sussex. Her streak of classic, chic dresses continued with an appearance alongside Prince Harry at the Your Commonwealth Youth Challenge Reception held at Marlborough House on Thursday (July 5).

The Duchess of Sussex immediately turned heads when she arrived at Marlborough House in a bright yellow sheath dress paired with nude heels. Eagle-eyed onlookers were quick to note that the dress is a creation of American designer Brandon Maxwell.

Markle looks great in just about everything she wears—this much we know. But the striking yellow shade of Markle’s dress caught our attention. For her past five engagements, Markle has stuck with muted colors: Neutral beige, pale pink, and sky blue. Bold hues able to be spotted in a crowd are more her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth II’s vibe—case in point, her lime-green ensemble for Markle’s royal wedding.

PHOTO: Pool/Max Mumby/Getty Images

Some have speculated that Markle can’t wear colors that clash with the Queen’s bold palette to the same event. With this dress, Markle may have looked to the royal for inspo—sans fashion faux pas. As royal fashion commentator Lucas Armitage told the Daily Mail ahead of Markle’s neutrally dressed joint outing with the Queen in June, “I feel this is a clever styling tactic as it will always work with the Queen’s look; she is known and applauded for her use of bright fun [colors].”

Markle’s Brandon Maxwell #lewk was briefly available for purchase on Bergdorf Goodman’s website, but has since sold out. Given that the regal sheath retailed for $523, we’re pretty content sticking with her Amazon purchases—even if they weren’t an homage to the Queen.

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