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molecloth26-blog · 5 years

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This Cotswolds Country House and Spa Is the Perfect Weekend Escape

Whilst I didn’t get a chance to take a proper vacation this summer, I was lucky enough to enjoy a handful of nights away in the English countryside. And, most recently, I stayed at Thyme country house hotel in the Cotswolds.

It had been years since I last visited the Cotswolds, so it felt like a real treat to spend 24 hours in the beautiful Southrop village. If you’re currently dreaming of a relaxing country escape, Thyme definitely offers everything you could want – from picturesque country walks and indulgent spa treatments to incredible food and on-site cookery classes.

Here are some visual highlights from my stay at Thyme hotel. Plus all of the need-to-know details…

THE LOOK

Thyme has evolved over a number of years, opening originally as a cookery school before growing into a sprawling countryside escape and hotel in 2015. They’re constantly adding new additions – most recently a spa, with a swimming pool coming soon – but the rustic, welcoming and quintessentially British design is consistent throughout the estate…

Every room has a unique look, and I lucked out by scoring one of the most beautiful bathrooms in the country house. That freestanding bath was the dream! And the beds are all unbelievably comfortable, too…

The guest lounge and bar is adorably named The Baa, as it’s housed in the estate’s old lambing sheds. It’s a really cosy and stylish space, complete with sheep seats that are incredibly Instagrammable!

THE FOOD

The ethos at Thyme and their neighbouring village pub, The Swan, is “homemade, homegrown, produce driven.” So you can expect to eat fresh, seasonal ingredients which are harvested daily from their farm and garden.

We ate SO well on our visit!

Because they have so many delicious, fresh veggies on site there were plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans, and they’re happy to accommodate gluten intolerances too. One small thing to note, however: currently the only dairy-free milk served at Thyme is soya. I know a lot of those who are dairy-free also avoid soya, so if you’re staying for a number of days you might want to request oat/almond milk, or take your own with you.

THE SPA

The Meadow Spa is a new addition to Thyme, and it has been so thoughtfully designed. Ahead of your treatment you’re greeted in the spa’s greenhouse, which is possibly the most aesthetically-pleasing space on the planet. Seriously, how dreamy is the decor?!

I enjoyed the Thyme Signature Body Ritual and opted to focus on “vitality”. So the 90-minute treatment combined dry-brushing with massage and a facial.

All of the Meadow Spa treatments were created in partnership with British beauty brand, Aurelia Probiotic Skincare. And their focus on natural ingredients and essential oils fits seamlessly into the spirit of Thyme.

THE NEED-TO-KNOWS

Rooms start from £260 per night. Breakfast is included in all bookings, and there are coffee machines in the rooms. There’s free WiFi across the estate (which was fast and reliable). Children under 12 are not permitted. To learn more about the Cookery School at Thyme click here.

Are you hoping to do a weekend away in the Cotswolds, later this year? And is Thyme now on your travel bucket list?

~ Disclaimer: I was a guest at Thyme country house hotel. However, I was not obliged to cover the experience beyond Instagram, and all opinions expressed are my own. ~

Source: http://cocosteaparty.com/thyme-hotel-the-cotswolds.html

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molecloth26-blog · 5 years

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Week of requests, guest post: Clean beauty, by Jean Godfrey June

Our guest editor today is the peerless Ms. Godfrey June, who was one of the first people I hired at Lucky, and the individual responsible for the beauty coverage in that magazine being so addictive and having such a strong voice. She’s over at goop now, working as their executive beauty editor, and is free to indulge her passion for nontoxic beauty to her heart’s content. When this request came in, I knew she was the only person who I wanted to have cover it here. I’ll let her take it from here.

People tend to think nontoxic is such a luxury (!) that it’s only available in high-end beauty products—and they are wrong. Long before goop and Tata Harper and Vintner’s Daughter came along, there was Weleda and Dr. Bronner. All are good; just as with conventional beauty products, something being more expensive isn’t always an indicator of quality. I think it’s wrong that finding a product free of, say, hormone disruptors takes any work at all. Labels should be transparent, and conventional beauty companies should stop using known toxins in their products. The common argument is that these harmful chemicals are used in such small amounts that it’s ok. But even the least-beauty-involved person uses multiple products ( don’t forget all the household products too, and the perfume blast you get just walking past a store at the mall) every day, for years on end. All beauty products are luxuries. Where’s the luxury in paying for something that could potentially harm your health? I’ll get off my soapbox now! Here are my favorites:

Weleda makes the product that I think is the best in its class, world-wide, across all categories. If you want a rich, super-nourishing moisturizer, get a green tube of Skin Food and call it a day. I prize it most for its ability to completely wake up my skin—put it on, wait five minutes, and without any makeup at all you will just—look better. (This is not for super-oily complexions, I should note). But it also fixes any dry skin problem anywhere on your body, smells incredible, travels well, and absolutely moisturizes better than any other product on earth. It is almost 100 years old. And it looks like you stole a memento from your gorgeous 70s boyfriend’s gorgeous 70s redwood A-frame on the cliffs in Big Sur (when you time-traveled back there to enjoy it before Silicon Valley existed to invade and destroy).

Schmidt’s deodorant cracked the code on clean deodorant. It works. It comes in a thousand gorgeous scents (the rose vanilla is amazing if you’re not sensitive to baking soda; if you are, the green tea smells like Bulgari), but the best thing is it just works and you never have to think about it again (even my 16-year-old-boy agrees).

Bare Republic Mineral sunscreen SPF 30 is fantastic; for a daily face SPF, Kiss My Face Face Factor SPF 30 and Yes To Blueberries SPF 30 both sink right in invisibly. (It’s critical to go clean on SPF, meaning ONLY titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide in the “active ingredients” box. Yes it takes a second longer to rub in, but chemical sunscreen ingredients are some of the most irritating in the beauty industry.)

Dr. Bronner’s body wash in the giant size. I love the OG minty one, but I return most reliably to the almond. The giant size just makes me feel like I’m set. And the Kiehls-ian packaging (of course, Dr. Bronner’s is actually the king in the lots-of-wonky-type packaging dept) looks fantastic in a shower.

Burt’s Bees Complete Nourishment Face Oil has evening primrose, rosehip and jojoba oils, all of which are amazing for your skin. Smooth it in morning, noon, and night, or pat over your makeup for 4pm-slump revivification.

SW Basics lip balm is the perfect balance of soft and slick yet not melty. It smells great and comes in a cool 5-pack.

Captain Blankenship (best name ever) has a new line for Target called Sailor and their salt spray for beach hair is just so good.

W3LL People mascara and eyeliner are makeup-artist-level great (and super-intense black) and they don’t smudge.

Finally: Is toothpaste a beauty product? This debate has been going on since the early days of Lucky. I still say yes. #1 must be ordered online but COCOFLOSS floss will change your life. No one who has tried it disagrees with me. Invented by two Bay Area dentist-sisters, it is thicker yet dramatically easier to use and more effective than other floss, sustainably made of plants, and adorably packaged. You will be ruined for all other floss, forever.

#2 if you must have fluoride, Jason Sea Fresh gel is fantastic. Who doesn’t want to be sea fresh??

#s 3 and 4 are great if you’re anti-fluoride/willing to accept a lack a fluoride in exchange for insane chicness. Dr. Bronner’s toothpaste so belongs in an Ian Schrager hotel, it’s sleek and minty. Weleda’s Salt toothpaste looks like their Skin Food but blue—so pretty, and the salt freakin works.

—

Source: https://www.girlsofacertainage.com/beauty/week-of-requests-guest-post-clean-beauty-by-jean-godfrey-june/

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My Manifesting Experiment: How I Got What I Didn’t Know I Needed

Photo courtesy of alexnoiret.com

Kelly Martin is an assistant editor at goop. She’s the most skeptical yet most open-minded person on our team, and that’s why we love her.

Afternoon light is streaming through a westward-facing window—a floor-to-ceiling window in fact. The walls are exposed brick; the bookshelves are packed with Michael Pollan, Stephen King, and stacks of authors that make me feel smarter. And outside my West Village apartment, just across the street, there’s a café serving the best pain aux raisins this side of the Seine. This afternoon, I’ll grab one—plus a mocha—on my way to class, where we’re studying urban food policy. And later, I’ll have my hands in dirt, teaching kids about carrots in a local school gardening program. By 8, I’ll meet up with my boyfriend (who’s perpetually awash in a golden light) back at the café. We’ll have something French and delicious. And then I’ll go to bed with a book and Taz, my Dutch shepherd.

None of this is my real, of course, save the dog and the bedtime reading. But I’m manifesting it. I am imagining my dream life as if I’m living it now. As if I can smell the pain aux raisins in front of me.

This is the last leg of a three-part sequence called the Ziva technique. The three parts—mindfulness, mantra-based meditation, and manifesting—are more than spiritual alliteration. The technique was developed by Emily Fletcher, who promised me this trifecta would be the answer to all of my dreams.

If you mixed zest and charm you’d get Fletcher. Considering her large, devoted following, one might be inclined to think Ziva is a personality cult. Fletcher, though, attributes its success to the effectiveness of the technique. She would know. After a decade working as an understudy on Broadway, Fletcher was run-down, anxious, and unable to sleep. Learning meditation turned around her mental health and, according to her, solved her insomnia in a day. Just one. So she left Broadway, moved to India for three years of teacher training, and founded Ziva Meditation—her studio in SoHo. The goal—and it’s a lofty one—is to use mindfulness, meditation, and manifesting to rid the world of unnecessary suffering.

It may seem Sisyphean—but to Fletcher and her students, it’s totally reasonable. So far, Fletcher’s guided several thousand budding meditators, including a client list of Oscar winners, professional athletes, Fortune 500 CEOs, and people who you’d otherwise assume are too busy to meditate. And Fletcher’s new book, Stress Less, Accomplish More, makes her technique easily accessible for the first time. The book is a discounted point of entry; you can become a self-sufficient meditator for the price of a hardcover. This is a good deal, considering what the courses cost. Ziva charges $399 for its online course, and the in-person price is kept secret until you’ve sat through a two-hour intro talk. If you need a hint: It’s more than $399.)

I took Ziva’s fifteen-day online course, which promised, repeatedly, to make me “good at life.” The first day, I learned to breathe (in a deeper, more meaningful way than I’d been doing for twenty-three years). The next, I learned to feel my feelings. I live in Los Angeles, where I’ve been drinking mindfulness through the (much-maligned) tap for the last five years, so this part was as easy as it was blissful.

Then, over the course of a few more days, I chose a mantra (sorry—it’s private) and bounced it around in my head, marinating in Fletcher’s recitations of all the ways stress was ruining my life and how meditation can fix it—if I practice twice a day, every day, for the rest of my life. (No, she assures me through my screen, this is not a cult.) And it works. I feel good. Really good. Don’t-need-that-second-cup-of-coffee good.

And finally, Fletcher brought the Ziva trifecta to a close with manifesting—what Ziva thinks of as its dessert course and what I came to think of as serious magical thinking. If mindfulness and meditation build calm and focus, manifesting asks: What are you going to do with it?

We see our future as a shiny object. We turn it over again and again. We hold it up to the light to see what it reflects. And the imagination we apply—okay, I apply—to the future is highly imprecise. Happiness! Success! Cash! More cash! And while these might work as general targets, Fletcher says, they’re vague, and how are we supposed to get there if “there” isn’t an explicit destination?

Fletcher wants to change that. Take your shiny object, she advises, and look for the light it casts around it. The nicks in its surface. The measured angles at which it’s cut. In other words, your dream life, if it is to be universe-sanctioned, requires scrutiny. What you want and why you want it, defined with precision, inspected daily.

Meticulously plotting a dream life, for me, is like trying to define the cosmos in a single adjective. It’s not that I don’t know what I want to do; it’s that I want to do everything. Like, after I’ve solved world hunger and my debut novel wins a Pulitzer, maybe I’ll cure diabetes, hike the Pacific Crest Trail, and open a bookstore-slash-café that lands itself in goop’s essential guide to Paris. But for the sake of practice—and fingers crossed, it could punt me in the right direction—I homed in on an immediate goal: graduate school.

This focus was not arbitrary; I had applied to Columbia University’s master of public health program only weeks before. For months, I had made GRE prep books my nearest, dearest friends—geometry problems were my morning routine, vocab flashcards my gym buddy, and practice tests my big nights out—and fallen asleep at night with a personal statement in one hand and a red pen in the other. This was a future, if there were any truth to Ziva’s most enigmatic step, that I could bring into being.

Months later—and deep, deep into my mindfulness/meditation/manifestation practice—my selected dream life came knocking, via email. One breathless call to Mom later, I was New York–bound.

Or so I thought.

What I expected from that afternoon’s meditation was bliss. A manifestation that I could reach out and touch, now unburdened from make-believe. The dream apartment in full color, Columbia’s campus dressed in crisp autumn colors, and visions of my best friends—budding New Yorkers themselves, in real life—towed along for wide, gooey slices of pizza out a shop window at 11 on a Tuesday night.

But in all this internal dialogue, reality rang its gong. When I sat down to meditate and manifest, none of this dream came to me. Instead: a great big nothing. After four weeks of consistent daydreams of my triumphant return to school, I couldn’t conjure it up. I ran through Fletcher’s incantations: “Consciously create a life you love.” “Imagine your dreams as if they are happening now.” And on and on. I don’t know what it is in your head that’s in charge of manifesting, but every time I tried to nudge its great big nothing in the direction of any teeny anything, it simply refused. No, it maintained. I’ll stay right here, thanks.

I started to question whether I was going about this wrong. What does it take to make the shoe fit? A magic spell? Should I chop off my toes? I couldn’t find the answer in Ziva’s online modules, so I called Fletcher herself.

I was not doing this wrong, Fletcher reassured me. Manifestation, she clarified, is never about the goal itself, but the feeling that you imagine achieving it will bring. And when you manifest, you can revel in the experience of that success even if it’s not really happening. In other words: It’s future happiness you can enjoy now. It allows you to let go of the idea that happiness lies on the other side of goals that—as she expects, and as I experienced—are likely to change.

Change of mind validated, I did what would have been unthinkable a few months earlier: I turned down my dream grad program. And the future, having been shaved to a point over the past few months, ballooned back up into the thousand things I hope it could be.

My manifestations, now, are less elaborate. Fletcher advised me not to try so hard (letting go: my toughest nut) and instead to go with whatever would bring a smile to my face in that moment. The books are still there. The dog is still there. But the rest changes daily, and sometimes I don’t picture anything at all. But I feel, as Fletcher swore I would, better at life. Whether it’s the one I’m living—or the one I’m dreaming about.

Source: https://goop.com/wellness/mindfulness/my-manifesting-experiment-how-i-got-what-i-didnt-know-i-needed/

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The Best Luxury Advent Calendars 2018

Written by Menswear Style in Essentials on the 6th November 2018 / The Best Luxury Advent Calendars 2018

It’s such a shame that the magic and excitement of opening each door of an advent calendar, to consume a small piece of poor-quality chocolate as a child, soon wears off with age. However, this is fast changing thanks to a new trend in luxury advent calendars aimed at adults which feature fashion, beauty and alcohol goodies. Here we bring you the very best that money can buy. Roll on December 1st 2018!

Happy Socks Sock Advent Calendar

Designed exclusively for John Lewis & Partners, this Happy Socks advent calendar is sure to get you into the Christmas spirit. Featuring one of the brand's distinctive pairs of socks for every day of advent, each is crafted from a comfortable cotton-rich blend and finished with signature branding.

Happy Socks

24 Days Of Fizz Luxury Advent Calendar

This 24 Day of Fizz advent calendar contains the following 1 x Lanson Champagne 1 x Bottega Gold Prosecco Brut 20cl 2 x Bottega Rose Gold 2 x Cane 20cl 2 x Casa Bottega 20cl 2 x Fiorino Prosecco 20cl 2 x Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut, Cava 2 x Freixenet Cordon Rosado Seco, Cava 2 x Galanti Prosecco Extra Dry 2 x Gancia Pinot di Pinot Rose 2 x Gancia Prosecco Dry DOC 2 x Petalo Moscato, Bottega 2 x Pronol.

24 Days Of Fizz

Clarins 12 Days of Christmas Calendar

Cleanse, moisturise and scrub, the ClarinsMen 12 Day Advent Calendar provides all. This collection is worth over £110. The set Contains: Full Size Anti-Fatigue Eye Cream, 20ml Full Size Active Hand Care, 75ml Tonic Bath & Shower Concentrate, 100ml Blue Orchid Oil, 5ml Super Moisture Balm, 12ml Shampoo & Shower, 30ml Active Face Wash, 30ml SOS Hydra Mask, 15ml Line Control Balm, 5ml Relax Bath and Shower Concentrate, 100ml 7 Day Double Serum, 4.9ml Hydra-Essentiel Lip Tube, 3ml.

Clarins

John Lewis & Partners Beauty Advent Calendar

Discover a selection of new and iconic beauty treats in the countdown to Christmas with this indulgent Beauty Advent Calendar. A delightful gift for beauty enthusiasts or to treat yourself, the collection of 25 full and luxury trial size products is brimming with radiant skincare heroes, makeup must-haves and beautifully scented fragrance favourites.

John Lewis & Partners

ASOS Beauty Extras The Grooming Advent Calendar

The ASOS Grooming Calendar contains 12 windows, Includes a mix of skincare and hair care, Features products from Lab Series, Clinique and Uppercut, plus many more. Discover a new product behind each date window presented in an easy-open calendar gift box.

ASOS

The White Company Beauty Advent Calendar

Back by popular demand, this highly covetable White Company Beauty advent calendar will make your Christmas countdown especially joyous. To give you a little daily indulgence, they’ve hidden gorgeous presents behind all 24 doors. With a total of £258 worth of treats nestled inside.

The White Company

Molton Brown Opulent Infusions Advent Calendar

As featured on ITV's This Morning Count down to Christmas, cheer with this Molton Brown luxury advent calendar; from intoxicating home aromas to pre-soiree pampering rituals. Includes 2 x Full Size 50ml Eau de Toilettes 2 x Full Size 75ml Festive Baubles 2 x Full Size 40ml Hand Creams 8 x 50ml Bath & Shower Gels 2 x 50ml Hand Washes 1 x 45ml Bathing Oil 5 x Mini Scented Candles 2 x 50ml Body Lotions.

Molton Brown

Cowshed 24 Day Beauty Advent Calendar

Forget chocolate reindeer - advent calendars don't get any more indulgent than the Cowshed 24 ultimate Christmas countdown. Packed with 24 of their most-loved Cowshed products, this deluxe advent calendar is full of surprises. With a wide selection of natural skincare, hand care and bath and body treats for seriously indulgent pampering throughout the holiday season, it's guaranteed to delight Cowshed devotees as well as making the perfect introduction to the range.

Cowshed

Source: https://www.menswearstyle.co.uk/2018/11/06/the-best-luxury-advent-calendars-2018/8366

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Six Things to Know About Selling Clothes in a Tough Market

NEW YORK, United States — Something a little weird has been happening at the Soho offices of Alex Mill, the men’s shirting label revamped and relaunched earlier this year as a men’s and women’s essentials business by entrepreneur Alex Drexler and designer Somsack Sikhounmuong.

“Once a week, we’ll get a knock on the door, and it’s random customers thinking the office is a shop,” explained Sikhounmuong, a 16-year veteran of the once-hot, now-troubled J.Crew Group, where he last held the role of chief design officer.

While there’s nothing for sale at the Alex Mill showroom, the spontaneous visits allow customers to touch the clothes and also talk, sometimes, one-to-one with the label’s founders. Their parting gift? A free tote.

“It’s a way of meeting people and hearing feedback,” Sikhounmuong continued. “And it’s been interesting to see that people want an Alex Mill retail space.”

So, four months after relaunching the label online, Drexler and Sikhounmuong decided to follow the feedback. On June 13, with the backing of their investor, Drexler Ventures — the fund founded by retail guru and former J.Crew Chief Executive Millard “Mickey” Drexler, Sikhounmuong’s former boss and Alex’s father — the team will open a physical store at 63 Greene Street, just a few blocks away from their office.

When BoF first revealed the relaunch of Alex Mill, plans for brick-and-mortar stores were far from cemented. Instead, Drexler and Sikhounmuong aimed to focus on e-commerce and building out their wholesale business, which includes partnerships with Nordstrom, Mr. Porter and Barneys New York. And while these channels remain essential to their growth plan, like more and more early-stage ventures, Alex Mill are betting on the importance of owning the in-real-life experience, too.

When an opportunity for a short-term lease in Soho — something that wouldn’t lock them in for a decade — presented itself, they decided to take the risk. (The store is slated to remain open through the fall.) It also helped that sales have outpaced projections, surpassing revenue goals each month across both the men’s and women’s categories, according to the company.

“We saw good early traction in the business, and there was a good opportunity for the right sort of lease,” Alex Drexler said. “It made sense.”

But despite having Mickey Drexler as both financial backer and advisor, not to mention significant know-how of their own, the team discovered pretty fast that building a startup brand without the support of a big corporation comes with a degree of freedom — and plenty of limitations.

Here's what they’ve learned so far:

There’s a lot more to do. Both Mickey Drexler and Sikhounmuong spent their careers to date in the corporate world, and the lack of resources associated with growing a start-up has been a major adjustment.

“I’ve always had enormous assets of people to do stuff. In a startup, you all do stuff, then you do 10 other things at the same time,” Mickey Drexler said. “You don’t have the big bank with you to pay...everything is spent as if you’re writing your own check. That’s different.”

For Sikhounmuong, a tiny team has meant changing the way he manages his time. “If you need something done, it’s you who has to do it,” he said. “You’re the layers.”

You can execute more quickly. When Alex Mill released its collaboration with Brooklyn vintage shop Front Street General store, it was able to sell the resulting products (reworked vintage army pieces) on Instagram via direct message, something independent retailers often do but would be harder for a big company to pull off.

“The items launched at noon on Wednesday and everything was sold out within a few hours — like a trunk show, but via the Instagram account,” Sikhounmuong said. “The scale of what we’re doing allows us to do that sort of smaller, scrappier stuff, which has been awesome for me.”

The future is (mostly) direct. While Alex Mill plans to maintain its partnerships with multi-brand retailers for the long term, the focus is on driving direct sales in order to maintain healthy profit margins. While multi-brand retail is useful as a marketing tool for smaller labels, it isn’t necessarily the most advantageous way build a lasting relationship with the customer. “Ultimately, this is a direct business,” Alex Drexler said.

Physical retail can be powerful. While data from e-commerce and retail partners has helped to steer the label, it’s not enough. The Drexlers and Sikhounmuong believe that opening a store — where customers will be able to try on the clothes and experience the physical manifestation of what the brand stands for — will allow the team to cull deeper insights.

“Because it’s so early, we don’t have tons of data to go off of,” Alex Drexler said. “We’re still learning.” He and Sikhounmuong are both eager to fit the clothes on more people, and to use the space as an additional marketing tool, showcasing the entire line alongside collaborations with brands like Marais and Bata Heritage.

“The risk was worth the potential reward,” Mickey Drexler said. “Whether it works or doesn’t work, we’re willing to deal with that so that people can see what Alex Mill is as an alive business.”

Algorithms only get you so far. Many young startups are fixated by the notion that data will improve everything, from sell-through rates to forecasting consumer demand. But while artificial intelligence and predictive analytics can give merchants and designers an edge, the team at Alex Mill says they still rely on instinct to create hit products.

The label’s flight suit, which is utilitarian in style but more tailored than the traditional version, was a runaway success, far exceeding sales projections. Months before it was available to purchase, editorial publications were already featuring it — including US print edition of Harper's Bazaar. By the time it hit stores and e-commerce, it sold out immediately, generating a near-instant waitlist. For summer, Sikhounmuong designed a short version, and the brand has bought heavily into the style for fall.

“No computer will tell you what the future life is of a good style,” Mickey Drexler said. “You’re always guessing at the quantities you’ll sell.”

The popularity of the piece, a version of which has already been done by virtually every one of Alex Mill’s competitors — including Madewell and Everlane — helps to prove out the reason for the brand’s existence, which is to make the best version of the items most people already own. Along with the jumpsuit, the men’s work jacket and pleated chinos also nearly sold out within two weeks.

“Despite all the clothes out there, we felt there weren’t the right clothes at the right prices, with the right fabric and the right fit,” Alex Drexler said.

Emotional design still matters. When Alex Mill pivoted from a men’s shirting label to a men’s and women’s lifestyle line, it wasn’t really offering anything that was already available in the market. But unlike some so-called “Instagram brands” that have popped up in recent years that aim to fill a white space with box-ticking items, its focus on quality and specificity around details and fit has differentiated it. (Even the consumer who lives in basics is looking for the next better thing.)

While it’s too early to tell whether Alex Mill will succeed in today’s increasingly challenging retail environment, damaged by discounting, the flood of product and the mounting weight of all the “stuff” we own, it’s interesting to see that intentional design can still be a hook.

“Emotional design will always get me as a consumer,” Sikhounmuong said. "The brands that have emotion and the level of integrity make me stop and double-click.”

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Source: https://www.lisaleonard.com/blog/be-brave/hi-friends-i-have-a-big-favor-to-ask

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Bear Lake Adventures

Well hi again! Right now I'm sitting in a blue canvas chair on the shore of Bear Lake in Utah for the very first time. My toes are buried in the warm sand, there's a bottle of ice water to my right, and after spending a really long day playing here with our good friends, to be calmly typing now today in this serene spot brings a whole lot of much-needed peace.

Evie is happily digging away in the sand under the shade of a pop-up tent, seagulls are flying overhead (and trying their best to snatch Sophie's chips), and their caws easily remind me of so many different and fun memories from since I was a little girl. I might be lucky to only have really great memories associated with seagulls and waves, sand underfoot and the smell of sunscreen haha, but I think many of you are probably the same.

Last May, once we realized the kids only had a week or so left before Summer break, we all sat down and started forming the ultimate activity list of things that we'd love to do at least once before school started again. We laid down on our stomachs in a circle, a pad in front of me, adding to the bullet list whatever anyone could come up with that seemed possible from simply making a wish on a dandelion to flying on a plane together. We reach nearly 400 items I think? haha With their eyes and their smiles getting bigger with each suggestion, and with some cheers and even jumping up and down at the best or them:) Our biggest goal was to reach the end of our Summer knowing that we had put our family in that circle first before all else, and to feel satisfied with the experiences and adventures we'd had whether they were on the list or not.

Today, I felt that satisfaction for the first time, like if school started tomorrow I'd be semi-okay with it.haha It hit me before right before we left after I bought our first sand toys that this would be the first proper sandy beach visit most of the kids had had or would remember, and I couldn't wait to see them see it. Our Oregon coast trip in February was the first time most of the kids had ever seen waves and walked on sand, but here at Bear Lake they didn't have to wear coats and they could play in the warm water and dig for little shells, and it's been even better than I hoped for!

Visiting here was something that Richard had done often when he went to school in Logan and bought his house, so we added it to the list and hoped for the best. We've accomplished so many little and big things on our list (maybe I should share it here sometime and mark off what we've done?), but it took some great new friends inviting us to join them on their family trip for us to jump in the car and head for the hills.haha We ate a yummy dinner with Amber and Drew and their sweet family the night we arrived, and have spent the last couple of days on the beach watching our kids all play together, enjoying some treats and some frisbee, and just lots of good conversation in the calmest and quietest atmosphere. Also, you can see in the photos that the water closest to the shore is cloudy from being stirred up, but even still I'll never get over how beautifully turquoise the water is on a clear day. Really though! Amber and I laughed about how I should put a disclaimer in here to say no, the color in the pictures isn't an exaggeration or an over-edit, but that it's actually that dreamy much of the time.haha

So I guess I could wrap up by saying we're officially hooked! Growing up on the east coast, Bear Lake was never really an option as a family vacation spot, but I'm really happy about making this a new favorite spot for our family to visit. It's only a few hours to drive here, but it feels like something we'd have to travel far to get to, so I know we'll be counting down the days till we can come back again! Life has been pretty up and down lately, but it's been all up after we added fresh mountain air, a campfire, sandy shores, and a bunch of peace and quiet.

Well today I'm so grateful for good friends who let us share in their fun even on their birthdays, who encourage and uplift, who treat our kiddos like their own, and who show us where the yummiest fries and shakes come from!

Have you ever been to Bear Lake? If so, do you have any recommendations of places to visit or foods to try or things to do? Does your family or friend group have a special spot they visit annually? I really love hearing details like that from you guys so please pass it on!

xoxoxo

P.S. to those of you that have stopped us to say hi, I just need/want to say thank you once again! It means so much to put beautiful faces and personalities and voices behind some of the numbers and handles and tiny profile photos here on the blog and my social media. Some of the things you've said have been incredibly encouraging and will stay with me. That goes for the rest of you friends out there too, even if we never run into eachother. ♡♡♡

Source: http://www.freckled-fox.com/2018/07/bear-lake-adventures.html

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molecloth26-blog · 5 years

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Gift Ideas for the Feminists in Your Life

If this year has proven anything, it’s that the feminist movement is stronger and more necessary than ever. From the #MeToo social media campaign highlighting the troublesome normalization of sexual abuse and harassment in American culture to the push for equal pay in the workforce, women and femmes are using their collective voices and political power in increasing numbers to make the world more equitable for all genders. And they are achieving amazing strides and hard-fought battles in the process. With the holidays well underway, celebrate the feminists in your life who have been tirelessly advocating for gender equality with empowering gifts such a classic tote with a motivational Michelle Obama quote or the irreverent Feminist AF denim jacket from indie fashion brand Premme. Scroll for 8 powerful gifts that are decidedly feminist AF. Source: https://www.teenvogue.com/gallery/feminist-gift-guide-premme-mad-free

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molecloth26-blog · 5 years

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5 Iconic Moments I’ll Always Remember

Let's kick off with the most recent. We were in Vancouver, riding bikes along Stanley Park bicycle lanes, taking in the mild breeze, the dull light seeping through the cloud of smoke covering the city from the nearby forrest fires, and gently peddling in the most casual way we could have. We rode around the Park until we came to a spot where the city opened up in front of us. Vancouver, where we had just cycled from, was right across the water - the skyline from left to right and only the sea between us. It was beautiful. I asked to stop and sit on a bench that was free, so we could just take in that moment. And as we came to a stop, and parked up our bikes, Alex thought it would be a perfect moment for us to take a jump shot, with the view. If you don't follow Alex @harrison on Instagram, he has this 'thing' he does now, where he jumps into the air in front of a view or backdrop, and I capture the moment for him. And so he set up his camera on the floor and got us ready to jump in front of the Vancouver skyline. We jumped and landed, and on our second jump, as I rose into the air, I looked to my left to find him down on one knee. It was so him, it was perfect.

Source: https://www.inthefrow.com/2018/09/5-iconic-moments.html

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molecloth26-blog · 5 years

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My Favorite Pieces from MM. LaFleur

The pre-fall styles have arrived at MM. LaFleur. Textures, patterns, transitional colors, it’s great. Here are my favorites, in case you need a little something extra to brighten your day and spruce up your closet.

The Jane Dress ($240)

I thought we’d start with my favorite piece in all the new releases. How fantastic is this dress? Flowy, sophisticated, versatile — fabulous. The small print, of jacks, is lovely. Had to have it, no excuses.

Walters Top ($165)

This top is one of my favorites. The knotted neckline looks great under a blazer. The slate color is great with black, grey, navy, or ivory. Too busty for this style? They Fey top comes in a gorgeous eggplant and it’s extraordinarily slimming.

Ellis Dress ($265)

This textured ponte dress is a great Friday dress or not-so-busy Monday dress. It’s comfortable, easy, comes in great colors, and wears well desk-to-dinner. It also comes in plus-sizes.

Morandi Sweater ($265)

This sweater, a must. There might be five items in my home that I feel as strongly about as this sweater. Cold office? This sweater. Not feeling well? This sweater. Traveling, lounging, walking the dogs on a chilly fall day? This sweater. Don’t take my word for it, buy it, you’ll wear it so often that you’ll need other colors. Also in plus-sizes.

Shirley Dress ($240)

An empire waist is a nice change of pace. The print is a black-and-white pebble. I’d wear it over a black tie-neck blouse or under a long black jacket.

Every time a new run of MM. LaFleur pieces comes out, I try to tell myself that I won’t buy anything. And then, I see the one thing that is fabulous beyond words and I have to race the other women to get it. It’s exhausting, but necessary.

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Source: http://theworkedit.com/capitol/2018/08/23/my-favorite-pieces-from-mm-lafleur.html

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molecloth26-blog · 5 years

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Penn Badgley Writes Why He Fought for Immigrant Mom Vilma Carrillo's Reunion With Her Daughter, Yeisvi

Shana Tabak is driving me through the rain. Shana is a lawyer from the Midwest and serves as the executive director of the Tahirih Justice Center’s Atlanta office. It’s December 14, 2018, and I’m in the passenger seat trying to take a selfie with her (typical actor), hoping to generate a little buzz about our trip.

I’ve teamed up with Shana and Tahirih in an effort to free Vilma Carrillo. Vilma sadly could not be pictured with us at the time because she was in immigration detention in Ocilla, Georgia, being silenced and hidden while she endured separation from her daughter, Yeisvi, for more than seven months. Her treatment reflects the explicit use of fear as a tactic in certain U.S. policies. Vilma was being made into an example.

When we arrived at the detention center to visit Vilma, I was not allowed in; we were told that we had misunderstood the hours for visitors who are not attorneys. Shana, who had already triple-checked, knew this was not true. This was yet another degree of obstruction of justice for Vilma, and it could have concluded our visit right here, so Shana whispered to me, “Work your magic."

I felt pathetic and ashamed that there might be magic for a marginally famous white man to work his way into a detention facility where others are powerless to escape, so I smiled desperately and, before I opened my mouth, I tried to hold Vilma in my mind. She and I had not yet met. She was, at this point, only an idea that I had real trouble connecting with because our experiences and lives have been so different.

Vilma is an indigenous Guatemalan woman and a victim of prolonged domestic violence; she says her abuser punched her face so hard that she lost her four front teeth. In her hometown, she saw the bodies of women in the street, shot in the head. Eventually, she and her 12-year-old daughter, Yeisvi, fled this horrific gender-based violence to seek protection as asylum seekers here in the United States.

Hoping for a chance to make their case for safety and relief, mother and daughter arrived at our border and were separated — thousands of miles apart — under this presidential administration’s “zero tolerance” policy this past spring. In June, a federal judge ordered that most separated families be reunited by July 26, 2018 — though not all of them were. After the deadline, Vilma was transferred to a detention center in Texas and was told that she would be reunited with Yeisvi there. But their reunion didn’t happen then.

There was a legal hang-up stopping the mother and daughter from being reunited: Yeisvi was born in the U.S. during a brief visit by her parents during a stint as undocumented farm workers, so authorities refused to reunite her with Vilma because the federal ruling did not expressly include U.S.-citizen children. Consequently, Yeisvi was placed in foster care in Arizona. Vilma was transferred back to Georgia to face her asylum hearing without a fair trial

Vilma says that when she appeared in court, her asylum application and evidence remained in a backpack in the possession of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which she could not communicate because her court-appointed interpreter spoke the wrong indigenous dialect of the Mam language. She was subsequently denied asylum and ordered deported. The Tahirih Justice Center is currently handling her appeal.

Vilma's daughter, Yeisvi.

Courtesy of Tahirih Justice Center

When I met Vilma on December 14, she wept openly during our visit as she wondered what she had done wrong. She passed me colorful handmade bracelets through the plexiglass barrier and asked if Shana and I thought her daughter would like them. One read, "Feliz Navidad" — just in time for Christmas.

Source: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/penn-badgley-immigrant-mom-vilma-carrillo-daughter-yeisvi-reunion-op-ed

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molecloth26-blog · 5 years

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Game On: Colorful + Modern Sports-Themed Wedding Inspiration

Feeling sporty? Today we’re heading to Belgium for something a little different, and something so, so cool, designed by Immer. It’s both full of color and minimal, at the same time!

Elke Van den Ende, the photographer behind this editorial, shares: The theme and colors of the shoot were inspired by the location, an incredibly cool gym that opened a couple of years ago. The colors of the gym floor and the building inspired the flowers and the overall styling. We also put some thought in the ceremony and used the theme there as well: the couple is married by a referee, and for their exit…we didn’t throw rice or flower petals —rather ping pong balls!

Let’s get this ball rolling and head to the gym (aka Sportingenk in Genk, Belgium).

The Details

Game. Set. Match. Now that’s how you create a minimal yet sporty invitation suite! Well done, Studio Posen!

If you look real closely, you can see adorable little sneakers peeking out from the Charlie Brear gown!

Playing off the pink pops of the building, Annelies Vansant crafted this brilliant bouquet.

The Ceremony

A referee to officiate the ceremony? So genius!

Minn, the ceremony + concept designer, added the perfect touch: ping pong balls to celebrate the moment—so fun!!

We adore how they brought in the vibrant pops and utilized the backdrop of the gym. This truly is sporty + chic, right?

This “Ballin'” Tablescape

The tablescape was lined with tennis balls, of course.

Bags of popcorn as the favors—just like you would get at a sporting game…so clever.

The Team Players

Sneakers of champions!

A team of soccer players encouraged the couple to kiss. Cool detail: the couple actually met because they were volleyball players, and the bride used to play volleyball in the gym.

And of course, there was an epic cake by Mieke Bakt!

How’s that for a winning shot? This just proves that you can turn anything + everything into a chic theme.

So, if there’s something you and your love want to incorporate into your big day, we say do it!

photography: Elke Van den Ende // venue name: Sportingenk, Genk, Limburg, Belgium // event design: Immer // planning: Immer // florals: Annelies Vansant // wedding dress: Charlie Brear // wedding dress boutique: Love Sweet Etc // bride's ring: Woche // hair stylist: You by Yente // makeup artist: You by Yente // groom attire: Lost in Pablos // groom's ring: Woche // paper goods: Studio Posen // cake: Mieke Bakt // ceremony + concept designer: Minn

Source: https://greenweddingshoes.com/colorful-modern-sports-themed-wedding-inspiration/

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Hannah Marks to Direct Film Adaptation of John Green's "Turtles All the Way Down"

Calling all people who have watched The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns over and over to the point where you can recite each movie by heart. (OK, maybe that’s just me, but you’ll still want to hear this.) John Green’s 2017 novel, Turtles All the Way Down is officially headed to the big screen — and it already has a director attached.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Hannah Marks will take the directorial reigns on the upcoming Fox 2000 film, which will be produced by Green, Rosianna Halse Rojas, Isaac Klausner and Marty Bowen. As noted by Variety, Hannah — who appeared on MTV’s Awkard and BBC America’s Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency — is one of the youngest women to direct a studio film in Hollywood history. The movie will be adapted for the screen by Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker; the team also worked on Love, Simon and This Is Us.

For the uninitiated, Turtles All the Way Down tells the story of 16-year-old Aza, who struggles with OCD. The novel touches upon themes of friendship, growth, and mental health, all while following Aza as she and a friend search for a missing billionaire involved in a fraud scandal.

According to Variety, Green noted that although the novel was fictional, the story was “quite personal” to him. “This is my first attempt to write directly about the kind of mental illness that has affected my life since childhood,” the author further explained.

Green himself has OCD, and has been open with his fans and readers about living with mental illness. In a 2017 interview with NPR, the author and YouTuber revealed that he didn’t set out to write a character with OCD, but ultimately, Aza’s creation felt inevitable. “I couldn't write about anything else,” Green added. “I have OCD and it is a really important part of my life, and at times it is a disabling part of my life. But I also have a really wonderful, fulfilling life.”

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Source: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/hannah-marks-direct-film-adaptation-john-green-turtles-all-the-way-down

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molecloth26-blog · 5 years

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3 REASONS YOU NEED A SOCIAL MEDIA BLACKOUT

Earlier this year I realized that I was experiencing kind of a burnout. & this isn’t a complaining blog post- I’m just acknowledging that I felt burnt out. It’s ok. It’s part of the job. It’s part of life. In all areas of life whether it be your job, relationship, being a mother, WHATEVER, it’s normal to experience burnout.

Creating content 7 days a week for 9.5 years gave me burnout.

I’ll never forget when I was a bartender, there was always this guy who used to sit at the bar. He was a really major, successful real estate agent, & he would always tell me that I was crazy for working 7 days a week. He would always say how you need at least 1 day off to recharge & rejuvenate. Here I was, in my early 20s, laughing at him in my head- thinking that I was this badass who could take on working 7 days a week. In reality, I needed to check my ego.

Sure, that works for a while. It works until it doesn’t anymore. It works until you’re getting headaches from looking at a screen, or carpal tunnel from typing on a phone or computer, or fatigue, or lack of creativity.

Anyway, it did work for me for a very long time. I was creating content 7 days a week & then, like I said, a couple months ago, I felt totally drained. Instead of taking a huge break & going back to it, I thought it would be strategic to take 2-3 days off a month where I had a complete social media break. I go dark. Let the phone die. Spend time with what’s in front of me. Read a real book. Spend time with my husband & Chihuahuas. We cook, catch up on our shoes, walk our dogs, meet friends at the beach. Its’ really rejuvenating. Sometimes I even sleep. Ha!

It’s nice to give yourself that break from the pressure of feeling like you constantly have to create, whether it be a blog post, or Instagram Stories, or scrolling through DMs, or letting yourself be a slave to your email inbox.

Anyways, that’s my story. I know I can be intense at time, & I’m certainly not telling anyone to emulate exactly what I do- it’s just what works for me. It’s important to have those days that are free of social media. 2 days in a row on a Saturday & Sunday works really well. I’ve been finding it makes me a better creator.

Here are the top 3 reasons you should try a social media blackout:

♡ RECHARGES YOUR BATTERIES

At times, I feel like I AM A CELL PHONE. When I’m at 1% I’m not helping anyone. Not my audience, my husband, my family or my friends. When I feel that I’m on 1%, that means it’s time to check myself before I wreck myself. It means it’s time to recharge. How I do that is by letting my phone die, turning off the TV, grabbing a REAL BOOK, & hopping into bed with my Kardashian blanket ( btw, you need one of these blankets, they’re insanely soft >> more here ). I conserve my energy very carefully & that means being of aware of the people I surround myself with & the content I consume. It’s so important that you take the time to recharge that battery so you can function as your best self.

As Tim Ferriss says: “Take at least one day off of digital leashes per week. Turn them off or, better still, leave them in the garage or in the car. I do this on at least Saturday, and I recommend you leave the phone at home if you go out for dinner. So what if you return a phone call an hour later or the next morning? As one reader put it to a miffed co-worker who worked 24/7 and expected the same: “I’m not the president of the US. No one should need me at 8pm at night. OK, you didn’t get a hold of me. But what bad happened?” The answer? Nothing.”

♡ ALLOWS YOU TO CONNECT WITH WHAT’S IN FRONT OF YOU

My dogs, my husband, my books, my family, my friends- these are all things I want to make sure I connect with & don’t neglect. When It comes to being present & being in the moment the phone is such a distraction. When it’s in your face all day, you aren’t connecting in a meaningful way. When I go out with my friends, I make it a point to put my phone away & not look at it. It would be SO PREDICTABLE for me to pull it out & be on it all the time in front of my friends & I don’t want to be like that. Sometimes I read on my phone, but it’s just not the same as reading a real book. The smell & feel of a real book really gets me off. Also, when I read on my phone I end up scrolling, & I’ve found that when I scroll I end up a little bit depressed. That’s why I keep the content I consume very minimal- I have a wellness person, a beauty person, a fitness person & about 2 others I follow on Instagram. Besides these 5 people, I don’t watch anyone’s Stories or scroll profiles. On Facebook, I’m part of my group & that’s it, because I want to stay in my own lane & I don’t want to be served SO MUCH CONTENT all the time. Mark Manson in his book Everything is Fucked, talks about why we’re all so unhappy despite having more than ever before & what’s contributing to this paradox.

♡ IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR SOUL ( & YOUR EYES )

It’s just good for your soul to get the fuck off your phone. There’s not a lot to say here except it’s therapeutic, & cathartic. It’s just good for you. It’s good for your eyes, wrists & neck. ( If you’re having issues with your neck & back from staring at your phone, you need to try cupping & acupuncture– life-changing ). & if you have carpal tunnel in your wrists like me, then try doing some stretches a few times a day. If your wrists are really bad try out this wrist exerciser.

Would love to know if social media breaks are your guys’ thing. Give me the scoop, give me the gossip, give me the tips, give me the tricks, give me the latest- I need all the help I can get.

Since it’s Friday I’ll probably be doing a blackout tomorrow, possibly Sunday too so I can hang out at the farmer’s market, baking dark chocolate chip cookies, reading my latest book ( Unbreakable by Sharon Osbourne ), & French kissing my dogs.

Until next time…

x, lauryn

+ Other tips on protecting your energy here.

++ More details on the blue light glass here.

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Source: https://www.theskinnyconfidential.com/3-reasons-need-social-media-blackout/

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Kylie Jenner and Stormi Look Like Actual Twins in These Side-by-Side Baby Pics

As anyone who's been keeping up with Keeping Up with the Kardashians since the dawn of civilization knows, Kylie Jenner was a super cute kid. So it stands to reason that her kid is also a super cute kid. What no one realized until recently, however, is that Kylie looked exactly like her daughter Stormi when she herself was a baby—and their twinning status is truly mind-blowing.

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In fact, Kylie just hopped on Instagram Stories to share some side-by-side photos of her and Stormi, and they look so insanely alike.

Like, this one is wild enough:

But look at this one! Even their expressions are the same:

Of course Stormi also looks a ton like her dad Travis Scott, so now all we need is for him to share some TBT baby photos. But for the time being, this adorable moment will more than suffice:

Source: https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/a24393206/kylie-jenner-stormi-twinning-photos/

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