Meghan Markle is pretty good at under-the-radar vacations—take, for example, her and Harry’s success at keeping their honeymoon location under wraps or even her recent baby shower in New York City, which no one knew was happening until the star-studded festivities were already underway. But apparently, that’s not all the secret travel the Duchess of Sussex has been doing. According to British tabloid The Sun, Markle and Prince Harry have been making trips back to L.A. for the sweetest reason: to hang out with Markle’s mom, Doria Ragland.
Last we heard, Ragland is reportedly planning to move to the U.K. but while she’s still in the States, the Sussexes have apparently been her houseguests. According to an unnamed source, who reportedly lives a few doors down from Ragland’s bungalow, “Meghan is a mommy’s girl—their special mother-daughter bond hasn’t disappeared just because she’s moved to England. Meghan will always come back to Doria, this will always be her home,” she told The Sun. “They are forever in touch, and Meghan has been here to stay on more than one occasion since going public with Harry,” she said, adding she’d even spotted the Prince on one occasion.
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Of course, there’s no official comment from the palace on rumored trips—they’re quite busy at the moment making a rare statement, that Meghan and Harry will not raise their baby gender-neutrally—so take it with a grain of salt. Still, the idea that Markle’s been getting some quality time with her mom before she has her own royal baby is a lovely one.
Sound the alarms and fire up a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” because Meghan Markle is reportedly back on American soil. Reports have emerged that the Duchess of Sussex is currently in New York City for a girls’ trip ahead of the birth of her and Prince Harry’s first child this spring. Royal reporter Omid Scobie, who often travels with the royal couple to their official engagements, has confirmed that Markle is spending the five-night trip with her closest friends, perhaps some of those who recently spoke out in her defense.
“The trip is a lovely chance to catch up with friends and spend time in a city she loves,” a source told Harper’s Bazaar of the getaway. “This will be the last time a lot of them will see Meg until after the baby is born, so it’s nice to share precious moments.” Given some of the tough headlines and endless speculation about every aspect of her life, it seems like the perfect time for a well-deserved break for Markle.
So what does a royal do on a girls’ trip? Sources say much of the hang time is being done in private at her five-star hotel (understandable) but Markle was spotted eating at a restaurant in Soho with her BFF, stylist Jessica Mulroney.
“It’s been a relaxing visit. Nothing beats face time with your friends,” says a source. “Meg will be flying home refreshed and relaxed—and with a lot of new baby clothes.”
One big reason for all those new clothes? A baby shower! Scobie reports that Markle’s friends are throwing her and Baby Sussex a celebration on Tuesday for about 20 people. Showers are much more of an American tradition, so it makes sense that she’s having hers on this side of the pond.
But that’s not all Markle has on her plate before the next royal baby arrives: Next up for Markle is an official trip with Prince Harry to Morocco on February 23-25.
Glamour asked me to talk about “going big” when it comes to romance. I’ve done a few things that you may have seen on social media—things that have gotten me plenty of teasing from my friends, as well as other husbands on the Internet who’ve said I’m making them look bad. It started when I put up some billboards for my wife, aka the “GMOAT” (greatest mom of all time), to celebrate her first tournament after having our daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. I made a video showcasing her journey returning to tennis around the U.S. Open. And then there was that trip to Italy—she had a craving, so I delivered her to Venezia.
I get it; these are pretty extravagant gestures. But I think if you were to ask my wife, or many other people in relationships, it’s often the simpler things that are the most important. You have to show up. You have to be supportive. These are the things that matter.
I credit my parents with a lot of what I’ve learned about partnership and relationships. My father, who’s Armenian, and my mother, who came from what was then West Germany, met in Ireland and spent a whirlwind two weeks together. Even though my dad didn’t speak any German and my mom only spoke basic English, they fell in love. She followed my father to America and worked as an au pair, ultimately overstaying her visa, and actually living in the U.S. undocumented for a while until they got married. My mom had to hit reset on her whole life. In Germany, she was almost credentialed to be a pharmacist. Here in the U.S., she had to start over and get her GED while working a ton of service and restaurant jobs. Then she opted to work nights as a pharmacy technician—not a pharmacist—just so she’d be able to be around when I came home from school. Meanwhile, my father logged long hours to put food on the table and give us the best life he possibly could.
It wasn’t always easy, but my parents were partners in the truest sense. By watching them up close, I learned what it means to be supportive, how to make compromises without sacrificing yourself, and how to show up in the ways that matter. Whether it was being proud parents at my football games, or organizing family road-trips for weekend getaways to Civil War battlefields or antiquing (the former was my dad’s favorite, the latter my mom’s; at the time I found them boring, but appreciate those memories now). In short, I got the cheat code for partnership early on.
When Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams took a selfie during a trip to Italy, Ohanian posted the picture to Instagram with the caption, “she wanted Italian for dinner, so…” The photo went viral, and helped earn him his reputation for “going big” when it comes to romance.
Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian
When you’re married to the GOAT, the logistics alone can make the act of physically “showing up” a challenge. Serena’s tennis schedule takes her all over the world, and my career also requires being on the road, whether it’s traveling to meet with founders, speaking at industry events, or spending time at my venture capital firm, Initialized’s home office in San Francisco. Comparing calendars isn’t romantic, but at the start of every year, Serena and I map out our schedules so ideally there isn’t more than a week that we go without seeing each other. I brought Google Calendar into her world so we could see each other’s schedules at any time, which would also make it easier to plan an impromptu call if we’re away from each other—a day without FaceTime is rough when you’ve been away from each other for two weeks.
My understanding of showing up and being present for my wife was taken to a whole new level when Olympia was born. I was able to take 16 weeks of paid leave from Reddit, and it was one of the most important decisions I’ve made. It helped that I was a founder and didn’t have to worry about what people might say about my “commitment” to the company, but it was incredible to be able to spend quality time with Olympia. And it was perhaps even more meaningful to be there for my wife and to adjust to this new life we created together—especially after all the complications she had during and after the birth. There is a lot of research about the benefits of taking leave, not only for the cognitive and emotional development of the child, but for the couple. However, many fathers in this country are not afforded the privilege of parental leave. And even when they are, there is often a stigma that prevents them from doing so. I see taking leave as one of the most fundamental ways to “show up” for your partner and your family, and I cherished all 16 weeks I was able to take.
Since I came back from leave, I’m less “full-time dad” and more what I like to call “business dad.” When Serena has an intense day of training or a photo shoot, I’ll spend the day with Olympia. I’m fortunate to be my own boss, which comes with the freedoms of doing things like bringing my daughter into the office, or working remotely from virtually anywhere Serena competes. My partners at Initialized are used to seeing Olympia jump on camera—along with Qai Qai—or hearing her babbling on a call. I tell them with pride, “Olympia’s at work today!” And I’ll post some photos on Instagram or Twitter so my followers can see it, too.
The more we normalize this—on social media and in real life—the better, because I know this kind of dynamic makes a lot of men uncomfortable (and selfishly I want Olympia to hear me talking about startups!). Research shows that men are happy to have successful wives—until it interferes with their own work. A full 50 percent of men expect their careers to take precedence over their wives’. I know this is real, because I’ve seen the tweets and comments about how being less successful (or doing what is traditionally considered “women’s work” and caring for your kids) can be “emasculating.” To me, that says more about the guy than anything else. If you need to make more money than your partner to have confidence, then I think there’s something more going on under the hood. If that’s where your swagger’s gotta come from, then it’s probably not real.
I know I’ve been successful in my career, but I’m not the one racking up the trophies. It helps that my wife and I both know what it takes to be successful and bring that mutual understanding, drive and relentlessness to the table. But at the end of the day sometimes her career really does have to come first. I try to be the most supportive partner I can be and to have conversations with her about her career goals and what she can do to reach them. Most of my talks with Serena about her career have come from a place of, “What do you want to be doing?” or “Where do you want to be?” and that’s not only in sport, but in life. She does the same with me. I’m far from perfect, but I try to get behind her and let her know I’m there for her and our daughter, no matter what.
“We’re raising what I hope will be an overachieving and strong daughter,” Ohanian says. “I’m excited to teach Olympia so many things, to have uncomfortable conversations with future boyfriends (I can’t wait for those). But most of all I hope she learns from what she sees between us—how I treat her mother, how we support each other. I hope that will be her blueprint.”
Courtesy of Alexis Ohanian
While I don’t have anything extravagant planned at the moment (or if I did, I wouldn’t tell you!), I will always try to show my wife how much I appreciate and support her. As an entrepreneur, one of my big mantras is to surprise and delight. I guess I’ve applied that in some way to romance, and if I can think of a way to top myself, I’ll keep pulling out the stops.
But the real scoop on “going big” for my wife would never go viral—it’s our simple Sunday tradition. Growing up, my dad would make pancakes every Sunday. They were delicious, but it wasn’t just about the food. It was about being together. So on Sunday mornings, I make breakfast for the family and it doesn’t cost me a thing, except for gluten-free flour (I had to modify Dad’s recipe a bit), some eggs, almond milk, a secret ingredient, and berries (Olympia loves raspberries). There are no phones, just conversation. And we’ll spend the day together lounging around the house, or playing hide-and-seek, or going for a swim in the pool. Just being a family on those days means so much to both of us—more than a billboard, a video montage, or a whirlwind trip to Italy. And before you ask: No, I won’t tell you my pancake recipe.
Alexis Ohanian is the co-founder and managing partner of Initialized Capital, an early stage venture firm based in San Francisco with over 100 companies in its portfolio, with over $22B in market value, and $508 million in committed capital under management. He’s also the co-founder of Reddit.
When Alicia Keys announced two years ago she was swearing off makeup, we cheered her on. Someone was finally pushing back at the absurd expectation that women in Hollywood need to spend hours in hair and makeup before leaving the house. We were also jealous. Not only does she have the voice of a goddess (and the ability to play two freaking pianos at once), she’s got skin like one too.
But Keys is human, and it soon came out (thanks to some intrepid reporting by W) that—like all that rehearsal time she spends in the studio—she puts the same amount of energy into her skin care routine. According to her makeup artist, Dotti, that regimen goes to the tune of $455.
So last night, when a little birdie alerted us to the fact Keys actually was wearing makeup to host the 2019 Grammys, we rang up Dotti immediately to find out how to do your makeup so convincing that it tricks hundreds of journalists to report you’re not wearing any.
Unsurprisingly, it’s all about skin care prep. “We do quite a bit prep before we even get to makeup—we moisturizer, jade roller, and massage,” Dotti tells Glamour. “Prepping for the most important thing. You can put any makeup on top, but it’s about the quality of the skin you put it on that’ll really make it look great.” To get to that place, she says Keys does a lot of the things you can’t get at a bathroom sink, like lasers and facials (sorry), but she does a few solid tricks for making the most of your skin care products. It’s all about layering. “I start with a light serum and moisturizer, just to keep the skin quality lush but not weighed down, and for each one, I roll it in with the jade roller, then do another layer,” she says.
Then, just the way she layers skin care, she does the same with base makeup. She first presses foundation in with a big buffing brush (Rae Morris brushes are her favorite) or Beautyblender, then she rolls it with a jade roller. Next comes another layer of makeup, followed again by jade rolling. “It helps makeup sink into your skin for a more natural glow,” she says. “I think makeup looks best after an hour or two after it’s settled onto your face—this does that instantly. You’ll get makeup on your roller, sure, but that’s fine. It actually helps remove any excess.” As for type of roller she recommends? Dotti got hers 10 years ago and doesn’t remember the brand, but she says investing in real jade (like one from Ling Skincare) is worth it.
And because we’re sure your group chat probably read something like ours, you’re right: Nobody’s chest looks that radiant naturally. Dottie used a self-tanning mitt to rub on Sol de Janeiro Copacabana Bronze Glow Oil (which is basically a shimmery body lotion) in all the places that naturally catch light. “I always use a mitten to put on body makeup,” she says. “It’s easy, there’s no finger marks, and it goes on super even.”
The swearing-in ceremony of the 116th U.S. Congress was an emotional one, as an historic number of women and a slew of “firsts” joined the House of Representatives. And even before members of the new class took their oaths, several shared their excitement about this moment on social media—clips and photos from the Washington, D.C. airport, snaps of the name plates outside of their offices, images of their families, who’d tagged along for the ride… and, in at least one case, an #OOTD.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, the first Palestinian-American woman and one of the two first Muslim women to serve in Congress, announced she’d be borrowing a traditional thobe from her mother to be sworn in. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who joins her as the other first Muslim woman and is also the first Somali-American person elected to Congress, became the first to wear a hijab and declared she’d challenge a 181-year ban on headwear on the House floor when she arrived in D.C. And given that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York was fielding criticism from conservatives about her wardrobe weeks before her official start date, many anticipated what she’s wear to take her oath.
Fashion choices can speak volumes when a woman is in the public eye—and especially when she’s in public service. It can communicate power (see: Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s viral Max Mara coat), identity (like how members of the Congressional Black Caucus wore kente cloths to President Donald Trump’s 2018 State of the Union address, following his disparaging comments about African nations) and even an agenda (when she was First Lady, Michelle Obama had a whole strategy for championing American designers and for tailoring her fashion choices to wherever she was going.) The incoming congresswomen understood that. And their swearing-in outfits reflected it.
Ahead, see how six U.S. Representatives used fashion on their first day on Capitol Hill to send a message to their constituents—and Americans at large—about who they are and what they stand for.
Victoria’s Secret model Kelly Gale is catching some heat online for an Instagram video she posted of herself at In-N-Out Burger.
Gale, her Victoria’s Secret–worthy abs, and her friends were recently at an In-N-Out Burger, where they were very definitely not eating the fast food. “We’re at…In-N-Out? So I guess I’m having my pear,” Gale says, in her Instagram Story obtained by E! News.
If not indulging in an order of fries, what was the model doing there, you ask? Apparently, working out. In a later slide, Gale showed off her workout equipment—yes, while still at In-N-Out—and then fully begins exercising as restaurant patrons eat inside. “Who else works out at an In-N-Out?” she wrote in one caption. “Not gonna pretend that I eat here guys ’cause I don’t.”
Watch the full, baffling, video for yourself, below:
Naturally, this is causing quite a stir online, with many people accusing Gale of fat shaming people who eat at In-N-Out Burger.
Others, however, are coming to her defense.
But, honestly, I’m just confused more than anything. Why was Gale at this In-N-Out Burger to begin with? Is she doing an exercise tour of fast-food restaurants? Is Pilates at Pizza Hut next on her list? The concept of going to a restaurant, not eating the food, and then exercising at said restaurant is just baffling. You wouldn’t show up to an Applebee’s and play hide-and-go-seek! You’d eat their iconic quesadilla burger and revel in a decision well made.
The fat-shaming implications here do have some merit. It’s not unreasonable to think people would feel bad eating at a fast-food restaurant as a literal Victoria’s Secret model does lunges in the parking lot. Contrary to what some people may think, it’s entirely possible to live a healthy lifestyle and eat fast food every now and then. In fact, I encourage it! Life without french fries is no life worth living.
I do commend Gale for one thing: being up front about her diet as opposed to saying she eats pizza and cheeseburgers all the time. So many models do that in attempt to be “relatable,” and it just ends up making us feel crappy about ourselves. Achieving the body of a Victoria’s Secret Angel is damn near impossible. It requires very sad lifestyle choices—like, as Gale proves here, eating pears at In-N-Out Burger.
