If we were a gift-giving expert, our holiday shopping would probably already be done. But who has the time to make sourcing presents for friends and family a continuous, year-round activity? We're much more on the same page with model and actress Molly Sims, who has teamed up with Mark & Graham on an exclusive gift guide, and her comparatively laidback (and brilliant) approach: Make every recipient feel extra special by emblazoning their initials on, say, a bamboo-handle suede tote or a silver ice bucket.
"I’ve always loved a good monogram," Sims says. "It’s truly my favorite way to put a personal touch on a gift. What I love about Mark & Graham is that everything is designed to be personalized, so it’s really great when you need to find the perfect gift for someone (or yourself)."
Goodness knows we needed this advice — and the brand's wrapping and shipping services — so ahead, see eight standout items to which we're applying this valuable festive-season knowledge.
Mark & Graham Dual Travel Organizer, $, available at Mark & Graham
Mark & Graham Terminal 1 Carry-On Luggage, $, available at Mark & Graham
Mark & Graham Leather Tassel Zipper Pouch, $, available at Mark & Graham
Mark & Graham Bamboo Lacquer Tray, $, available at Mark & Graham
Mark & Graham Bamboo Elisabetta Suede Handbag, $, available at Mark & Graham
Mark & Graham Celebration Ice Bucket, $, available at Mark & Graham
Mark & Graham Medium Travel Jewelry Case, $, available at Mark & Graham
Mark & Graham Oak Shot Paddle Set Of 6, $, available at Mark & Graham
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It might be slightly too early for an end-of-the-year recap (soon!), but we already know someone who's earned a place on the 2021 social-media highlights reel: the chill girl, who ruled the fiber-optic network by staying in, prioritizing her rest and well-being, and being largely unproblematic because, you know, she wasn't even out enough to cause any trouble.
We all know and love one IRL, so this holiday season, we're celebrating her dedication to R&R with some gifts from Victoria's Secret PINK, whose cozy sleep sets, couch-to-bed-soft joggers, and more would all make ready additions to her built-to-lounge wardrobe. Ahead, see the ultra-comfy picks we'd give her — maybe even bundled up in a sherpa blanket, so she can just unwrap, lie down, and get right back to relaxing.
VS PINK Sherpa Crew Sweatshirt, $, available at PINK.com
In life and in fashion, my policy is “I’ll try anything once for the story.” This ideology has led me to pull stunts like traipsing around the city in a ballgown for a week and wearing latex to the office (all for work, I swear), but one thing I’ve (surprisingly) never given a go? Using a clothing rental service.
But when I got the chance to try Nuuly — a subscription clothing rental service brought to you by the Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Anthropologie family — I was game to test it out, especially with the holidays approaching. My calendar might still be on the sparse-out-of-caution side, but even a chill dinner or low-key friend hang at a tinsel-bedecked bar deserves a massive new ‘fit — and renting allows you to do so for any occasion in a less wasteful way.
For this first-time clothing rental-service user, Nuuly’s greatest draws are clearly novelty and convenience — you pick out fun stuff that excites you, it arrives swiftly in a tote, you pack it back up when you’re done, and the cycle restarts. The premise is just like it says on the box: You choose six styles for $88 a month. After entering your shipping and billing info, the user-friendly interface prompts you to enter your height and sizes (including petite, plus, and maternity), a helpful tool for those who might need a bit more guidance.
I skipped straight to the good stuff, though: skimming through the more than 300 brands, a solid lineup of more established designers like Anna Sui and Peter Som, and relative newcomers like cupcake-dressmaker Selkie (as I’m seen swanning around in below) and West Coast sensation Lisa Says Gah. And surprise — they carry vintage(!).
During the selection process, my advice is to take advantage of the filters for a more advanced search to make sure you’re seeing the full range of items available in your size. Another feature: You can glean crucial intel from customer photos and notes on fit, material, and the condition in which the item arrived. Reading these reviews tacked on only a few minutes to my decision-making — about 20 minutes total — while delivering a similar sort of low-grade thrill you get pre-planning a meal by looking up the menu online.
Pro tip: If you have your heart set on a particular item, you might want to use another of your six slots to try out another size. Based on the crowd’s consensus that a Kim Shui velvet minidress ran true to size, I took my usual small, but I found that I should’ve sized down to account for the ample stretch (but no matter — it allowed for a creative styling solution, like belts and strategic tucking).
My edit — heavy on holiday-ready prints, texture, and volume (and Asian American designers) — landed on my doorstep in such a manner that would’ve done the Pony Express proud, neatly folded and smelling of…detergent. (Everything undergoes a professional cleaning in the brand’s state-of-the-art laundering facility.)
I can see Nuuly working really well for both everyday outfits and special events, like a grand vacation or a wedding that was finally back on after a two-year delay. Though who needs an occasion to dress up? There’s already an extremely fête-friendly Sister Jane confection sitting in my cart for next month’s Nuuly.
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In the canon of surprisingly sound advice from teens, none seems to have a stronger grip on social media than “romanticize your life” — a concept that often involves owning a milk frother; going for walks set to a lo-fi, Gallic-leaning soundtrack; and the time-honored tradition of staring wistfully into the middle distance when a sad song comes on (rain preferable).
This, in turn, feeds into TikTok’s larger agenda of “being the main character” — conducting yourself as though you’re the lead in the movie of your life — an idea that can be translated to the Chunky B sneakers from Gucci’s talk-of-the-town Aria collection. With a lofty sole and details like the house’s logo and signature stripe, these new trainers could each carry blockbuster action flicks on their own. So we decided to give them the star treatment and build entire (to-scale) sets around them.
The late afternoon sunlight pierces through the slats in the dusty blinds. Under a glass dome, a pie weeps filling (local cherries). Around you, the good citizens of this sleepy Northeastern hamlet huddle in twos and threes to process the unspeakable tragedy that’s just struck. It’s not the finest establishment, this diner, but the coffee’s fair-trade Sumatran, and they’ll griddle your einkorn-buckwheat muffin if you’re not too surly about it.
“Can I get you anything, honey?” The server fumbles the pen — a scaly protrusion snakes out from under her starched apron to catch it before it hits the floor, but you’re too distracted by the double Gs on her spotless old-school basketball sneakers to notice. Where have you seen them before? (“You’re slipping,” chides the specter of Detective Branson from the opposite booth.)
“Some meaning in this haunted simulation we’re trapped in — oh, and a refill, please.”
Supporting actors: A suit so boxy you could fit your old partner (RIP) in there with you, spit-shined oxfords, and a foreboding sense that’s there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to this town.
Once Upon A Different Time In Hollywood
INT. DEN – NIGHT
In a low-slung manse perched on a hillside, Harvey Wallbangers are being stirred up, and the carousing in the shag-carpeted conversation pit is rising to a fever pitch. Your hosts: A wunderkind director who’s got more than enough swagger to pull off a double-decker Gucci platform sneaker, and his expectant wife, an actress with cut-crease eyeshadow and a firm place in the hearts of the American public.
The partying continues heartily, but as indicated by the music transitioning to spooky half tones, we’re staring at the precipice of…something that will serve as an allegory for the decade or the industry or basically whatever a critic wants to assign to it to separate himself from his cohorts.
But wait — was that a shadow moving along the topiary?
CUT TO BLACK.
Supporting actors: A printed disco shirt, barely unbuttoned; trousers that are tight through the hips but billow at the ankle; a mustache, if you can swing it; and obliviousness to the fact that the rollicking good times are about to come to an abrupt end.
Sending It On Saturn
[Chaotic guitar music.] There goes young B® Æ ∂ øN (pronounced Braydon), always doing something ironic and subversive, like rocking up to the skate park in non-canvas Gucci creps. He commits soft crime. He doesn’t separate his recyclables. He has a Ganymede-size chip on his shoulder because he’s from Earth — and because he never knew his dad.
After one (1) training montage, he’s entering the all-galaxy skate competition, where he’ll attempt a death-defying trick that’s only been landed once before by, guess who, B® Æ ∂ øN’s father. Sure, there’s a bully to vanquish and a vague love interest to impress, but it’s all really so that he can meet the sponsor, who is, coincidentally, also his estranged father. Only then will he hear the words he’s been longing for since he first learned how to ollie: “That was sick, son.”
Supporting actors: Infuriatingly good cropped pants, a shoestring belt, and a tiny beanie perched rakishly on top of an astronaut helmet.
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In a time when our FYPs are inundated with the same ramen hacks and tortilla origami, it’s hard for creators to carve out a space in food social media. But if you’ve ever watched Connie Jackson, better known as Chef Lovely,seasoning sushi rice or grilling jerk chicken, usually set to a throwback bop, you’ll instantly recognize that this is someone who’s completely at ease in the kitchen and, more importantly, with herself. (You don’t make eye contact with the camera like that if you’re insecure.) In partnership with Torrid — whose clothes are designed to fit your curves so you feel empoweredand sexy at any size — we had Chef Lovely tell us, in her own words, how she has achieved that feel-it-through-the-phone confidence.
I fell in love with cooking at a very early age, just being in the kitchen with my mother. So, immediately my connection to food was about family, friends, fun, and communicating with one another. And it gave me confidence because I saw her be a businesswoman while taking care of her family, putting wholesome and nutritious meals on the table every night and packing our lunches. I was able to see a real-life superwoman in action. My mother would repeat affirmations to me, “You’re smart, you’re a good person,” which laid a character-building foundation in me.
One of my other close mentors is Gordette Brent, a dance instructor I met when I was 3 years old. She would say, “Lift up your chin! Is there money on the ground? If there isn’t money on the ground, don’t look down.” She encouraged us to show our best selves at all times, to always be prepared, to love yourself no matter what.
I remember the exact moment when I recognized the impact of her teachings. I was 16, and at the end of every year we had a dance recital, and we’d have to get fitted for costumes. I was usually the curviest girl in my class; I could see that my classmates looked different from me. But I was always in the front of all my dances, and that’s when I realized it wasn’t about how I look or the size and shape of my body — it was about my attitude and the hard work I put in. I was the first one in class and the last to leave. I’m so happy I was able to come to that realization at such a young age, and I’ve carried it with me my entire life. I’ve also been able to share it with so many students I’ve taught dance and cooking to.
My confidence continued to grow over the years from working with culturally diverse chef-mentors, earning three degrees in culinary arts, and making a lot of mistakes in the kitchen. When I was earning my first degree, one of my teachers said, “Walk four blocks outside, and you’re going to bump into at least 10 or 15 restaurants — what’s going to set you apart?” It was important for me to learn as much as I could about this industry so I could not only put my best foot forward, but I could also open the door for other young Black women coming behind me. Female chefs in general still don’t have the full respect male chefs have, so by accumulating knowledge, I felt that would set me apart from the competition. People will say to you: “I didn’t know you knew that.” “Yes I did. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
But don’t be afraid to make mistakes. It’s a humbling experience, and that’s how you can reposition yourself to continue to learn. One memorable mistake was when I was preparing shrimp and grits at a fundraising event. I grabbed the wrong container and ended up simmering vegetables in white wine instead of chicken stock, but with no extra food and the clock running out, I had to make it work — and it was delicious. That night, I accidentally created a new cooking technique that actually made my signature dish even better. Being able to share mistakes like these is also very important. On my TV show Lovely Bitesor when people ask me questions online, I like to recount my mistakes so they don’t make the same ones. There’s no such thing as a loss — there’s only a lesson. Learn from your mistakes, and share that knowledge to help others around you.
That’s why I started making videos — because I wanted to give my fans and followers a little bit more of myself. As a chef, I’m focusing on people’s health, making sure things are perfect, and managing a staff, but people don’t get to see that I’m enjoying myself behind the scenes. I turned to social media, so I could give everyone a peek at what I’m doing. I just turned on the camera. I didn’t think about it, I didn’t rehearse — I just started cooking. Every time I filmed a new video, I got increasingly more comfortable. People told me I was relatable, and I’m happy they picked up on my vibe. I love that I get to connect with people all across the globe (Australia, Germany, Nigeria, Barbados), who tell me they’ve tried my recipe. I’m like, “Girl, you’re all the way in Barbados and you’re cooking my food?” It’s really cool knowing that even if I’m not in Barbados, my recipes are, so my essence is there, too.
If you can stay true to yourself, everything is going to be okay. No one can deny authenticity, no one can deny confidence, no one can deny boldness. My sauce is going to be different from your sauce, but that’s what makes me beautiful. That’s what makes me sexy. So anyone’s who’s feeling low or at a crossroads or having a down day, just remember that whatever you love to do, nobody’s going to be able to do it like you. So move forward with that at the top of your mind, and slowly, it’ll help you build up the confidence to say, “If no one’s going to do it like me, let me give it 150,000% and really show everybody what I got.” Never forget that: Your sauce is boss. And no one can touch it.
You may know the brand for its warmest-on-the-market turtlenecks and leggings, but this fall/winter, Cuddl Duds is expanding into a new category: outerwear. [The chronically chilly crowd goes wild.]
As with its celebrated base layers, the key words associated with the launch are “coziness” and “comfort,” which come to life through a range of puffers, vests, and coats featuring details like plush double-sided sherpa and ultra-soft fleece-lined pockets (just reading that raised our core body temperature by a factor of five). A cheery color palette of ivory, sage, mocha, and dusty pink further supports the wearable-hygge theme, though select styles are available in black for the art directors among us.
Below, see the quilted jackets, cozy anoraks, and cushy toppers that, combined with our trusty base layers, will have us set for this season.
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If we were to conduct an informal poll asking, “What’s the fabric of your life?” we might receive answers such as jersey or camo fleece (relevant) or silk faille (wow, can we be you?). But news flash: It might actually be a different material altogether — one that’s sustainably made, gentle on your skin, and probably already present in some of your favorite clothes.
Meet TENCEL™ branded fibers, which are produced by environmentally responsible processes from sustainably sourced raw-material wood. Not only do these fibers provide long-lasting softness and support the body’s natural thermal-regulating mechanism, but they’ve also got range, appearing in everything from jeans to underwear to party dresses. So it makes sense that the brand is sharing these benefits and its eco-friendly mission far and wide with a campaign titled Dress for Your Environment. The initiative includes a short film that follows three on-the-go Berliners living comfortably and actively in TENCEL™, as well as partnerships with environmentally minded influencers like Jasmine Hemsley, Roos van Dorsten, Rosanna Falconer, and Lukas Hoffman.
The final piece of the activation? Teaming up with major fashion labels like Vero Moda and Ninety Percent, which have made items containing TENCEL™ fibers easy to ID on their websites and with branded hangtags in-store. Below, see our edit of items that make it easy (and chic) to dress for your environment.
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Unless you’re allergic or have some sort of vendetta against desiccated grapes, you’ve probably enjoyed a handful of “good ‘ol raisins and peanuts,” aka trail mix, in your time. In 2017, that wholesome snack lent its name to “gorpcore,” an aesthetic defined by performance and utility, so that you could step straight off the L train onto some upstate hike without skipping a beat.
Why are we dropping this soupçon of fashion history? To introduce H&M‘s Fall/Winter 2021 collection, which combines athleisure, function, and tech for a fresh take on a now-ubiquitous way of dressing. “I love the duality of this collection; we wanted to bring the practical elements of outdoor gear to our trend-focused customers,” says Maria Östblom, head of design for womenswear. And with the majority of the lineup made from more sustainably sourced materials, as well as organic and recycled fabrics, the brand is doing its part to ensure there’s even a planet left to wear nifty convertible anoraks on. Ahead, see the drop’s best jumpsuits, stirrup leggings, and — get this — quarter-zip dickeys, before shopping the full range in-store and online on September 30.
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This Mother's Day, show your mom (or a mother figure in your life) how much you care with a luxe fashion or beauty gift from Macy's that says, "Have a self-care day on me" or "Thanks for responding quickly to my annual panic text about where my Social Security card is." Another plus? The 10 ideas ahead start at $15, so even if your budget is decidedly not in the home ownership/off-the-cuff international vacation range, you can still treat Mom to a bit of affordable indulgence. Thoughtful and fiscally responsible? She'll be so proud.
For the mom whose WFH style is OTT.
