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Blake Lively's Two Favorite Things Are Girl Power & Ryan Reynolds, Obviously

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In today's world, we can always use a good dose of girl power! Blake Lively did not disappoint during her refreshing acceptance speech at the People's Choice Awards for her performance in The Shallows. The actress scooped up the award for "Favorite Dramatic Movie Actress," a category which featured fellow lady-boss nominees Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Kicking off the speech with a shout-out to her mama, Blake sent us all into a whirlwind of girl power.

Blake explains how she was an ambitious kid who set a goal for herself, "and I knew if I could accomplish this that I would be successful and I would be happy and that was to meet the Spice Girls." Us too, Blake. Us too.

Blake then goes on to say that the Spice Girls are "all so distinctly different and they were women and they owned who they were and that was my first introduction into girl power and I'm watching this movie and the women nominated in this category and when you guys voted for this, you didn't just vote for this movie or me but you voted for girl power." She also takes a moment to point out the fact that "men voted for girl power too and you guys are awesome for that!"

Excuse me while I go take a few deep breaths for Blake Lively and cry a little bit over how amazing her speech is.

Blake ends her speech with some inspiring words about allowing our stories to be heard and that no one can limit us—and of course, one last shout-out to Ryan Reynolds. "Thank you to my husband who's everything to me," she says with a smile, aggressively sneaking in at the end, "You can't have him, he's mine!" Note taken!

I'm pretty sure if you searched "perfection" in the dictionary, you'd find a picture of Blake Lively in the beautiful fringe dress she wore last night. Congrats on your award, and thank you for your wise words on girl power!


'American Crime Story' Plans to Feature the Monica Lewinsky Scandal in a Future Season

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Calling all American Crime Story fans! With two more seasons of Ryan Murphy's highly-successful series already in the works after The People vs. O.J. Simpson, it has been confirmed that the series is taking on another shocking scandal—the one surrounding Monica Lewinsky. 

It has been reported that the FX series will tackle President Bill Clinton's affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, which took place in the mid-'90s. Jeffrey Toobin's book, The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson, provided the foundation for the first season of the award-winning series, and another book written by the author, titled A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President, has been obtained by Murphy. The book details the affair and Clinton's impeachment on the charges of lying under oath and obstruction of justice. 

Toobin was "deeply involved" and was a consultant to the writing staff during The People vs. O.J. Simpson season, according to The Hollywood Reporter, so we're sure that this Lewinsky scandal-themed season will be just as compelling as the first. 

Trump's Education Secretary Pick Isn't Sure if She'll Keep Obama-Era Campus Rape Rules

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President-Elect Donald Trump nominated Betsy DeVos to serve as the Secretary of Education in his Cabinet late last year. On Tuesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pension Committee held a confirmation hearing to determine whether or not they felt that DeVos was qualified to hold the position. And her answers on campus sexual assault were not encouraging, according to BuzzFeed News.

DeVos said “it would be premature” for her to commit to maintaining campus rape policies implemented during the Obama administration, which originated with a Dear Colleague letter in 2011 that outlined how colleges should address sexual assault on campus. For example, the letter included advice on what evidence should be collected, what information should be shared with alleged victims and alleged assailants, and how long investigations should take.

Basically, DeVos's answers were as vague as possible when faced with any question about sexual assault policy. When Sen. Bob Casey asked DeVos about these policies and whether or not she would continue them, DeVos said, “I know that there’s a lot of conflicting ideas and opinions around that and, if confirmed, I would look forward to working with you and your colleagues and understand the range of opinions, and understand the views of the higher ed institutions that are charged with resolving these and addressing them, and I would look forward to finding some resolutions.”

DeVos isn’t a politician, but that sure sounds like a politician’s answer.

When asked about the evidence standard currently used at universities, which says that students should be found guilty if there's more than a 50 percent chance they committed the assault, she simply said: “If confirmed, I look forward to understanding the past actions and the current situation better, and to ensuring that the intent of the law is actually carried out in a way that recognizes both the victim, the rights of the victims as well as those who are accused as well.”

And when Sen. Patty Murray, the ranking Democratic member of the committee (and the same woman who took Trump's health secretary pick to task over birth control), asked DeVos if she would continue to support the Office of Civil Rights, which investigates schools' mishandling of sexual assualt, DeVos said only this: “Senator, if confirmed, I commit that I will be looking very closely at how this has been regulated and handled with great sensitivity to those who are victims and also considering perpetrators as well."

At least she had one straightforward answer. Sen. Murray asked DeVos if the behavior Trump describes in the infamous Access Hollywood tape—grabbing and kissing women without their consent—would be considered sexual assault in a school setting. DeVos said yes.

Sen. Casey immediately expressed his feelings toward DeVos’s responses on Twitter, telling his followers, “It’s not premature to commit to maintaining protections against campus sexual assault.”

While we're still far from where we'd like to be, a lot of progress has been made toward improving the way universities respond to sexual assault. Let's hope all that isn't immediately destroyed because Trump wanted another billionaire for his Cabinet.

Donald Trump Was Reportedly Advised to Dance with Caitlyn Jenner at the Inauguration

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Donald Trump's inauguration will take place this Friday, and planning has been in full swing for the event. Many celebs have been vocal about their refusal to attend, but Caitlyn Jenner has made headlines for agreeing to come. 

Now reports are suggesting that Trump's inauguration planning committee has proposed that the President-elect dance with Jenner at Friday night's festivities. A source told Page Six, "The image of Trump dancing with Caitlyn would send a strong message that he supports gay rights and trans rights. A picture is worth a thousand tweets."

Caitlyn's rep has since reached out to People and denied the claim, calling it "ridiculous." The rep continued, "I can’t deal in hypotheticals and have no idea what any Trump aids hope happens."

Regardless of whether the dance occurs, we can guarantee this event will be one to remember.

5 TV Shows to Cuddle Up With This Winter

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This article has been syndicated to Her Campus from Blush and Fairy Dust, an InfluenceHer Collective member. Read the full post here.

When the weather forecast reads a number lower than the age you got your driver's license, there is absolutely nothing better than throwing on cozy pajamas and socks, grabbing a bag of popcorn or chips, and unapologetically bingeing on your favorite TV series.

Prior to this year, I'd been a pretty dedicated film fanatic. Thanks to a class I took this past semester (and a newly acquired Netflix subscription), I have now become a TV nut. There is something very rewarding about finishing a series, and I can proudly say I have finished quite a few over the past couple years. While I am by no means an expert, here are five TV shows that I strongly recommend bingeing on this winter.

1. 30 Rock (available on Netflix)

Considering Tina Fey is quite an idol of mine, I figured it was about time I got this show under my belt. The humor is completely weird and awkward and odd, but that is what makes the show so wonderful. It was very easy to fly through the first season, and I am quickly making my way through more (but have been slightly stalled by recommendation #2).

2. Orphan Black (available on BBC America's website)

WOW, this show has completely captured me. If you are interested in conspiracy, geeky science, badass female leads, and action oriented stories, do yourself a favor and watch this show. I have somehow managed to breeze through 2 and a half seasons in a few days...enough said.

3. New Girl (available on Netflix)

I strongly believe that I would not have survived fall semester without the help of this show. The characters are goofy, fun, and stupid, yet lovable and relatable at the same time. While it bears many similarities to other sitcoms I've watched, I still find it enjoyable and easy to binge-watch. It's currently on the sixth season, so you could totally catch up in no time.

Read the full post here.

15 Heart-Shaped Beauty Products You Need for Valentine's Day

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and we have the perf valentines for you to lavish on your beautiful self!  Check out this season’s best heart-shaped beauty goods to complement your collection.

Too Faced

Better Together Palette ($65 at Sephora)

The perfect colors to jumpstart your V-day dress up fun!  

Love Flush Blush ($26 at Sephora)

 

Fall into a long-lasting love with our Love Flush Blush. #toofaced

A photo posted by Too Faced Cosmetics (@toofaced) on

Rosy cheeks and a beautiful outlook.

Better Together Cheek & Lip Set ($38 at Sephora)

A sweet way to pull it all together.  And how can you resist this face??

One Love Organics

Bamboo Charcoal Heart ($10)

This love you can hold in your hands.  Whoa, gettin' poetic with it—only apropos for V-Day.

The Cleansing Sponge ($10)

One way to love on yourself.  Spa it up, girl.

Lush Cosmetics

Massage Bars ($8.95)

 

Heat things up: massage bars melt in your hands, and use cocoa and shea butters to moisturize all over! #lushmassagebars #softcoeur

A photo posted by Lush Cosmetics North America (@lushcosmetics) on

Let's face it, you will be a pampered princess this month.

Lush's Valentine's Collection

Time to get the bath water ready for your own personal spa day.

Holika Holika

Moisture Lipstick ($9.11 at Amazon)

Heart-shaped lipstick for your heart-shaped pout.

Lip Smackers

Coca Cola Heart-Shaped Tin ($4)

 

A vanilla-flavored treat.

Other Fun Gift Ideas 

Heart Shaped Brush Tree ($3.54)

Organize your brushes with love.

Heart-Shaped Blush Brush ($2 at Wish)

So amazingly over-the-top.

Blending Sponge 4-Pack ($1.24 at Amazon)

S'cute.

Makeup Brush Cleaning Glove ($1.67)

Clean up those brushes with care!

 

Create Your Own Compact Heart Mirror ($15.95)

A super fun gift for anyone!

Heart-Shaped Exfoliating Sponge ($5.75 at Amazon)

Scrub to your heart's content.

Happy shopping and may your Valentine's Day be a reminder of the beauty and love that you carry.

This Video Exposes the Disturbing Way Dogs Were Treated While Filming 'A Dog's Purpose'

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A clip leaked by TMZ from the set of the upcoming film A Dog's Purpose is not what we expected from a supposedly family-friendly film about animals. The footage shows a German Shepherd being forced into water, despite the fact that he is clearly fighting to stay out of it.

Forcing any animal or actor to undergo experiences they did not agree to and are clearly uncomfortable with is something that should not be happening. Yet more and more stories of mistreatment continue to surface. Warning: The footage below is disturbing.

As you can hear in the video, at least some of the cast and crew were uncomfortable with these methods and spoke up as the scene was being shot—though that didn't stop production. Actor Josh Gad, who voices the dog in the film, was unnerved and tweeted this:

Apparently, director Lasse Hallström supports any and all investigation into the situation, though he was present while the scene was being filmed.

Let's hope we uncover what really happened and prevent any further mistreatment of animals on set.

7 Popping Clothes & Accessories to Celebrate National Popcorn Day

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An open love letter to that one food that is easy to make, and will fill you up without leaving a mess in the kitchen. It’s a vegetable and it pops into a delicious cotton ball. Popcorn is probably one of the best snacks in the world. It’s light, tasty and loyal. Most importantly, it’s good with chocolate. It’s one of the snacks that will match whatever mood you’re in. Are you going through a breakup? Have some popcorn. Are you tired? Have some popcorn. Did you get straight As last semester? Pop that corn. Whatever gossip there is at the neighbors', popcorn will enjoy it with you. Popcorn loves us and we love it back. Which is why we need to celebrate National Popcorn day in style.

1. Popcorn Dress ($27)

What better way to celebrate popcorn day than to look like it?

2. Popcorn Heels ($159.99)

Wait, is this a real thing?

3. Popcorn Shirt ($7.90)

So cute!

4. Popcorn Earrings ($6.95)

You can also accessorize the hell out of that popcorn. Plus it’s smiling. You need this!

5. Popcorn Necklace ($24)

Want. Need. Must. Have.

6. Popcorn Enamel Pin ($7.61)

Gimme gimme.

7. Popcorn Knit Hat ($55)

LOLOLOLOL

Happy National Popcorn day loves! 

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Beyoncé Songs Reigned at the Queer Dance Party Held Outside Mike Pence's House

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At a LGBTQ dance protest, Beyoncé is obviously at the top of the playlist. Yes, a dance protest. Protesters marched to incoming Vice President Mike Pence's house in D.C. last night to make a statement.

Pence has openly and deliberately opposed LGBTQ rights throughout his career. After the inauguration, Pence will move into his official Vice Presidential housing at the Naval Observatory, but these folks were excited to give Pence a proper send-off, to say the least.

According to Refinery29, Beyoncé was the most-played artist of the night. Among the other artists the group danced to were Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Whitney Houston, Pharrell and DJ Snake.

This may be the most inspiring kind of protest. Not only does dancing your heart out make oppressors like Pence squirm, but it also unites us, avoids violence, celebrates our shared experiences and gives us all the endorphins. Dancing alone can't change our political environment, but we the people can. When in doubt, just keep moving.

Manny Gutierrez's Dad Claps Back at Conservative Blogger Who Shamed His Son on Twitter

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Even though the world of beauty and makeup is growing in its inclusitivity efforts (shoutout to the major beauty campaigns featuring minorities and men for the first time ever!), it seems as if some people just can't keep up. Despite amassing an impressive following of 3.1 million on Instagram and 2.2 million on YouTube, the newly appointed first male Maybelline ambassador, Manny Gutierrez, still faces harsh social media critics—which is something his father is not staying quiet about.

Conservative blogger Matt Walsh took to Twitter on January 6 to share a full-glam selfie of Gutierrez with the caption: "Dads, this is why you need to be there to raise your sons." This tweet was filled with an undeniable amount of judgment towards Gutierrez himself, his father and any other father with a son with an interest in makeup. People were not very having it.

The Twitter thread on Walsh's tweet blew up and was met with responses from the makeup star himself, his fans and even a member of Pentatonix. The most important reply came from Manny's dad, and you can literally feel the love behind his words. Since his dad, Manny Sr., couldn't reach the conservative blogger behind the disrespectful message personally, he took another route for getting his message across: texting his son an open letter for him to share on social media.

He wrote, "Mr Walsh, this is Manny Sr. Let me first begin by telling you that I’ve always been there for my son and will ALWAYS be there for him. Not only am I proud of what he has accomplished but I’m more proud of the person he has become. I know the words you speak are from lack of knowing anybody from the LGBT community. If you did, you would soon realise they are some of the most real and kindhearted individuals that walk this planet of ours. Going forward, I would choose your actions and words wisely. Just like you would do anything for your family, I would DO for mine. Good day Sir."

Despite the negative comments made by trolls often found lurking on the Internet, it's refreshing to see Gutierrez and his dad successfully shut down a man who should start working on his manners and knowledge of the LGBT community, instead of propagating hate-filled messages on his social media.

Trump Will Be Entering Office With Some of the Lowest Approval Ratings in History

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According to a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll published on Jan. 15, President-Elect Donald Trump will start off his position with 52 percent of Americans disapproving of his transition and only 44 percent approving. This sums up the mixed feelings across the country upon his inauguration. It's no wonder that protests will soon be breaking out across America, and that Washington D.C. will be in a frenzy come inauguration day.

In a typical fashion, Trump turned to his best friend, Twitter, to declare his belief that that the poll results were “rigged.”

In comparison with past incoming presidents, the approval ratings were 71 percent for Barack Obama's transition, 77 percent for Bill Clinton's transition, and 57 percent for George W. Bush's first couple of months in office, according to NBC News.

Another poll by ABC/The Washington Post found a large disparity between Republicans and Democrats in their views about Trump. According to the poll, over eight out of 10 Republicans believe Trump to be qualified for the presidency, while about two out of 10 Democrats believe that he is not qualified. This goes to show the polarization between parties. Independents are almost evenly divided, according to The Washington Post.

If there is any optimism in these numbers, it's that the 52-percent disapproval rating is the lower than it was during the campaign. Good for Trump—he's improving! But the fact remains that the majority of Americans think Trump is taking us down the wrong path.

There's no question that the political climate is quite heated at the moment. Hopefully we'll make it through this weekend with our country intact. Stay safe, and encourage others to do the same.

5 Fitness Apps You Need to Keep Your Health Goals

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This article has been syndicated to Her Campus from Repressing the Crazy, an InfluenceHer Collective member. Read the full post here.

I am guilty of being a serial New Year’s resolution failure. The only resolution I have ever kept was to start a blog. This year, I am using five fitness apps to keep my resolution to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. One of my worries is I will never commit to a healthy lifestyle and will have health issues in the future. Diabetes and dementia run in my family. Therefore, I know I have to begin to make healthier choices now to create habits for the future. In the new year, I want to stick to a healthier food plan. I am fortunate enough to try out Jenny Craig for the first couple of weeks of the new year to kickstart my resolution. In terms of being healthier, I want to shed a few pounds, get some more sleep and fuel my body with better nutrients. With the following five fitness apps, I feel confident that I will have a chance to fulfill my goals. These are the apps you should be downloading NOW:

Lifesum

This is a free calorie counter app, but if you purchase the upgrade it is much more than that. I made the decision to upgrade this past month, and I am loving it. With the basic plan, you get to count calories, track water and steps, and log workouts. However, with the upgraded plan, you get to take the diet plan test. The test will then show you the best diet to fit your needs. The tracker will then become a counter for your specific diet. For example, I was put on the keto diet. My tracker is now focused on my fat intake, and for every meal that matches my macronutrient needs, I get a smiley icon. You also get access to recipes that fit your diet. I also love this app because it has the best water tracker that I have used.

Runkeeper

This is my all time favorite run/walk tracking app! My first favorite thing is that it works with Spotify to play music when you move! I love Spotify’s custom running playlist because it keeps the tempo going. Second, I love how it tell you the miles and time of your activity aloud. I have gone on walks with friends, and I keep it on loud to make sure we aren’t talking to much to slow us down. Plus, when I have headphones in on my own, I never have a reason to check my phone. Also, it tells you an overview of your workout and keeps track of your goals. I am trying to walk more in 2017. I am moving house at the end of the month, and I will live near a park, so hopefully my Runkeeper will be full of activity.

Read the full post here.

This Voiceover Challenge With a 5-Year-Old Might Be The Cutest Tutorial Ever

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Beauty YouTubers are known for participating in different challenges to mix things up every once in a while, including the high school vs. now looks, no brushes challenge and full faces done with just one product. The newest craze, however, is a voiceover tutorial challenge and the videos produced have been nothing short of hilarious (check out this dad narrating his daughter's makeup look). This time, YouTuber Ellerie posted a video featuring the voice of her adorable five-year-old daughter for an electric blue smokey eye look.

While listening to the tutorial, you'll get a chance to learn how Ellerie completes the look, while hearing Yoshidall try to explain her mother's routine—which ends up being insanely cute. 

Can all makeup tutorials feature little girls trying to explain complicated beauty tricks? It makes watching hours of videos even more enjoyable.

Here's What Contestants in the Bachelor Mansion Really Eat

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If there’s one thing we don’t usually see in the Bachelor mansion, it’s people eating. We see all the drama, gossip, workouts and free-flowing alcohol, but where in this world is the food at? Even during all those romantic, candlelit dinners, the contestants pretty much never touch their plates.

Finally the answer to all of our questions is here. Several former Bachelor contestants gave Elle the inside scoop about the food situation at the mansion. 

The fridge is pretty much what dreams are made of—jam-packed with TONS of food. Lauren Bushnell, who's engaged to former Bachelor Ben Higgins, told Elle that it is “so stocked full that sometimes it's even hard to see what's in the fridge, so you really have to do some digging." According to Refinery29, there was even a grocery wish list for contestants to request anything they wanted, even makeup. Sounds pretty sweet, right?

Although Lauren and Olivia Caridi claimed Oreos were the go-to snack, there definitely were some cravings left unsatisfied (in other words, no In-N-Out). "You had to give up those cravings…I know there were a couple times when I was craving an In-N-Out burger," Lauren admitted. "It was so tempting cause we're in California, so In-N-Out's maybe like 10 minutes away, and you just kind of had to bite the bullet and go raid the snack pantry [instead]."

And for those wondering why no one ever eats on dates, we’ve got an answer for that, too. According to Elle, there isn’t a rule that you can’t eat, but it’s just advised not to because of the chewing sounds and the apparently unflattering way it looks. "You're nervous, you're talking — it's like a first date, and you have all these cameras around you, so the last thing you want to do is be stuffing your face with food," said Lauren. 

"I think I may be the only girl in Bachelor history to eat on a date, but it's proof that you can if you want," said Ashley Iaconetti, who was on both The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise

But as far as alcohol goes, it was definitely prioritized over food. "I'd say over food, the alcohol was the priority, as far as making sure it was always available to anyone who needed it," said Olivia, also a contestant on Ben’s season. NOT that they were ever forced to drink, but it was definitely made available. 

Well there you have it, another Bachelor mystery solved. 

U.S. Abortion Rates Are The Lowest Ever Since Roe V. Wade, Thanks to Birth Control

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The U.S. abortion rate is the lowest ever since the legalization of the procedure from the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973, according to a new study from The Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit research organization that supports legalized abortion.

NPR reported that the abortion rate has actually been dropping for decades; it peaked in 1980 to 1981 and has been declining ever since.

So what is the biggest reason behind this steady decline? It appears to be improved access and use of birth control. Although the study didn’t directly examine the reasons behind the declining rate, the authors suggested that improved contraceptive use is likely the biggest factor, which is also supported by other experts.

“We don’t think it’s because people are having less sex,” Dr. Diane Horvath-Cosper, an obstetrician not involved in the study, told The Los Angeles Times. “It’s because people are protecting from pregnancy better than they used to.” “Fewer women had abortions in 2011 than in 2008 because fewer women became pregnant when they did not want to,” the study's researchers wrote, as reported by Vox

Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards highlighted to NPR the recent improved rates of unintended pregnancies and teen pregnancy — which is also at an all time historic low. "It shows that we're finally doing a better job of helping women get access to birth control that's affordable and that's high-quality," she said.

The authors mentioned that abortion restrictions could also play some role in the decline in some states, but it is unclear to what extent. Kristi Hamrick, a spokesperson for the anti-abortion lobbying group Americans United for Life, emphasized new regulations to NPR, saying "these [laws] have been game-changers, and we see the abortion rate dropping in response." However, Rachel Jerman, lead author of the report, noted that since the decline was consistent across all states, "having fewer clinics didn't always translate into having fewer abortions."

Trump and the Republican leadership in Congress have vowed to get rid of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, which required insurers to cover a variety of contraceptive methods. With President-elect Trump getting ready to take office, it is unclear the future of accessibility to birth control in the U.S. "We shouldn't go backwards on access to birth control," said Cecile Richards. 


What to Wear When You Study Abroad, by Country

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So many people study abroad every year, but not everyone truly takes in the culture of the place they go.  All too often, Americans are branded when they choose not to take in the local preference for what to wear.  Well, along with a little humility and a let’s-try-new-things spirit, we have just the guide to what to wear in some of the most-traveled-to study abroad locations, as suggested by those who have been there.  The key is to learn from the locals.  Generally, doing as locals do will keep you from becoming targeted as a tourist.

1. Western Europe

Since much of Western Europe has been the determiner of style for centuries (ahem, Renaissance, Rome, etc.), we don’t have to tell you that to travel here, you need to on your A-game, but you might be surprised at what that looks like compared to America.  Here are some keys to keep in mind.

 

Western Europe

 

 

Keep it Simple

Although you want to always look your most stylish while in a fashionable country, you shouldn’t break your bank doing so. The use of neutrals allows one you to wear the same pants, top or dress on several different kinds of occasions. Bring lots of basics.  Emme Raus, a writing student at SCAD, summed up the style in southern France in five items: “[t]rench coats, muted colors (black earth tones) smart blazers, thick combat boots, loafers. All very simple and slimming.”

Stylish, yet comfortable

As Coco Chanel once said, “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.”  To travel in style, embrace the proper attire that fits the attitude. In this area of Europe, the mode du jour is generally to throw on some comfy flats or boots (typically, designer ones you buy locally at a good price-follow the locals), skinny jeans or tights for sleek legs, and a long sweater and/or fitted jackets with a sweet scarf and some other cute outerwear.  Anything tailored or fitted is a plus.  “Everybody wears scarves, even guys, because lots of people drive mopeds and it gets very windy and cold when you are riding; when you are walking, you can put the scarf away.  And people like to be very trendy with their coats because [if] it’s not that cold, they can buy more affordable coats: an elegant one, a sporty one, a casual one, a night club one, a cute one for a date,” Gema Alcodori, a SCAD Advertising alumna from Spain, says of her country.

Layers

Laura Miller, a UK-local from Chestershire, says layers are the biggest thing to keep in mind:  "It is good to wear layers of clothing; cardigans and sweaters are good. Accessories like scarves and hats are important.  London and some of the bigger cities are quite stylish. Leggings and tunic tops are very popular. The thing with wearing layers of clothing is important for peeling off if too warm and piling on clothes when too cold. In the more rural towns clothing are laid back but I was told if going to town, try to dress smartly so as not to draw attention to yourself.  The UK is a multi-cultural country so there are many crossover clothing styles." 

Whatever you do, don’t…

Apparently, many Americans are easily spotted when they do a couple of things:  

a. Wear sweats when out and about or wear all American-made, like North Face clothing.

b.  Don flip flops (please don’t) — instead, get some gladiator sandals if the weather is warmer.

c.  Bring lots of heels (lots of cobblestone walking will make you hate your life), or even more than five pairs of shoes. 

d. Don’t overload yourself with more than one checked bag.  

 

2. Scandinavia

Just remember that it gets quite cold here; so, you will want to keep these three main things in mind:  practical, solid and loose. Illustrator and Norwegian-American Courtney Hetland describes the local style in terms for the forward fashionista.  

Scandanavian

 

 

Practicality is paramount

In this region of the globe, it’s important to remember that it gets very cold and often rainy in various places as well. According to Hetland, Scandinavians are “very practical in their clothing choices; gray is hugely important along with black. A thick gray scarf is another big fashion and practical trend."

Casual

Keep it casual when it comes style: “[T]eens to early 20s many of the girls tend to wear some type of urban shoes or sneakers such as Nike or New Balance," Hetland says.  "[And] every girl aged 12-32 has at least one pair of high-waist black skinny jeans which may or may not have holes in the knees. Also, lounge/ athletic type wear is trendy such as jogger sweat pants.”

Staples: simple style

“Sweater dresses are always a staple, great if in gray charcoal or some other muted tone," Hetland says. "One other wardrobe staple would be the long cardigan with pockets, nearly every girl has one."

Solid outer/footwear:  

Always ensure you have durable footwear for both the cold, wet climate and the intense amount of walking you will be doing.  Boots are great — and of course fresh socks.  “A proper rain coat is a necessity for most Norwegians, as well as light wool to go underneath," Hetland says. "Right now, what is trending is bomber jackets, classic black leather jackets and button downs with the top button of the collar buttoned.”

 

3. South Africa: Cape Town

The Mother City of Africa is a beach city in the southern hemisphere that can have varying temperatures with degrees ranging from the 40s to the 60s Fahrenheit. The key is to be stylish and comfortable

South Africa

 

The name of the game is layers 

No matter the temp, you can always shed your layers throughout the day. So, bring a sweater, a jacket and some easily layered button ups, like Chambray tops—these are super important to have as basics. Scarves are great as well.  

Fitted & comfortable is important

When it comes to shoes and pants especially, you want good stability. You’ll want to invest in some good walking boots and some casual street shoes. 

Must-haves

Along with the already mentioned basics, Gloria Rapalalani, SCAD fashion marketing student from South Africa says you will def want flip-flops and skater skirts as well.

Sun Protectors

Since the sun in Africa is HOT no matter the season, you will want some sunglasses and hair ties to keep your hair up when you are having adventure time. This is another great reason to wear layers.

 

4. China: Hong Kong

For Jeanie Lo, writing major at Savannah College of Art and Design and Hong Kong native, there are two main fashion styles among Hong Kong locals:  the ABC style (American Born Chinese) and the Japanese casual style.  

American-born Chinese style

Hong Kong

 

 

“This is basically the California girl: Abercrombie and Fitch or Hollister. [The] top 5 pieces [would be] a red, black checker button up, shirt with shoulder cut outs—it’s so popular in Hong Kong for the past few years, floral dress for summer, ripped jeans (denim blue or black or white will do); and for winter a checker scarf, it seems the green, blue, red ones are popular.”

Japanese casual style

 

Hong Kong: Japanese Casual

 

The key here is to be fashion-forward, yet super comfy. The epitome of this style is long, open sweaters, baggie pants, light-weight shoes and a neutral tone overall. 

Malia Obama Took a Secret Trip to South America Without Anyone Noticing

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Malia Obama hasn't exactly been sitting around and doing nothing during her gap year. The first daughter used part of the year off she decided to take between high school and starting her freshman year at Harvard University in order to take an 83-day trip to Bolivia and Peru - and her travels remained a secret until now.

According to the New York Times, Malia took the trip alongside 11 other students through the company Where There Be Dragons, which organizes educational trips abroad for young people. She lived with a host family in the Bolivian town of Tiquipaya, and according to the program's website, "Examined social movements and environmental conservation efforts in the mountains and jungles of Bolivia and Peru."

For very obvious reasons, the trip was kept pretty under-the-radar until recently when Bolivian news media broke the story. According to the three guides Malia traveled with while on a hike through Peru, they were only warned that they would be hosting an important American dignitary - and it turns out that Malia was so humble they couldn't even tell which one of the 12 students required the extra security measures.

"She was very humble, chatty, spoke Spanish very well,” Gregorio Mamani, one of the guides, told the New York Times. According to Mamani, Malia was also given no special treatment and took part in all of the exact same chores the other students did.

But seriously, can we talk about the fact that she managed to make it out of the country for three months and no one even noticed? That's some seriously stealthy stuff on the Obama administration's part. Not to mention the fact that we can't imagine what it's like to arrive at your study abroad program and find Malia Obama there. It's casual. NBD or anything.

15 Reasons Why You Wish the Obamas Would Adopt You

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Politics have been a heated topic recently, but let's not forget that we're about to lose Barack Obama and his beautiful family! Whether or not you voted for him or approved of all of his policies, you cannot deny that the Obama family was one of the classiest, most gracious and overall coolest families to reside in the White House. Here are just 15 of the reasons you'd love it if they adopted you.

1. You would get two sisters in Malia and Sasha.

2. Maybe the Obama smart gene would rub off on you.

Harvard, anyone?

3. You’d get to refer to yourself as part of the First Family.

First Adopted Daughter? ADOTUS?

4. You’d have complete and total access to Michelle’s wardrobe…

5. …and her shoe collection.

6. The President and First Lady would make sure that all of your assignments were completed on time.

If Sasha had to miss her dad’s farewell address to study, you would have no excuse.

7. Barack would serenade you on your birthday.

And it would actually sound really good.

8. You would of course get to pet the Obama family dogs, Bo and Sunny.

9. You would be in tip-top shape with Michelle’s call for healthy eating and exercise.

10. You would probably be dancing half the time.

11. You would meet stars on the regular, like Beyoncé or Oprah.

12. You would get to meet and continually fall in love with VP Joe Biden.

13. You would constantly be reminded that:

14. And Obama would help you come up with the best and classiest comebacks of all time.

15. You could change your signature in emails to this:

And no one would have a problem with it.

The Artist Who Designed Obama's 'Hope' Campaign Created New Posters for the Inauguration

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The red, white and blue 'Hope' poster of President Obama from his 2008 campaign has pretty much reached iconic status at this point - so it's no surprise that Shepard Fairey, the artist who created the original image has returned with new posters designed to protest President-Elect Trump on inauguration day tomorrow.

The posters feature three different images printed in the same tri-color style as Obama's 2008 poster - except these posters will feature a Muslim woman, a Latino woman and an African-American woman. Below their portraits are captions that read, "We the people are greater than fear,""We the people defend dignity," and "We the people protect each other."

 

A photo posted by Shepard Fairey (@obeygiant) on

 

A photo posted by Shepard Fairey (@obeygiant) on

 

A photo posted by Shepard Fairey (@obeygiant) on

 

In an interview with CNN, Fairey explained the need for the images in response to the Trump presidency. "We thought (they) were the three groups that had been maybe criticized by Trump and maybe were going to be most, if not necessarily vulnerable in a literal sense, most feeling that their needs would be neglected in a Trump administration," he said.

Fairey is also working with non-profit the Amplifier Foundation in order to put the posters up all over Washington D.C. on inauguration day tomorrow via a Kickstarter campaign that will fund the printing and distribution of the posters. The campaign has received over $1 million in donations - and when one dollar buys six posters according to the Kickstarter website, well, that's basically a TON of posters. And just so they don't have to stop at the D.C. area only, the posters became available as free downloads starting today - meaning you can even help out with their efforts if you feel so inclined.

"It's really about making sure that people remember that 'we the people' means everyone, it means all the people," Fairey told CNN.

A Paparazzo Made a Racist Comment About John Legend & Chrissy Teigen is NOT Having It

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File under things we can't believe are still happening: a paparazzo made a racist comment about John Legend to Chrissy Teigen while the duo was at the airport Thursday, morning and she's NOT here for it.

As usual, Chrissy wasn't afraid to clap back, and told the whole story via Twitter. Apparently, the couple was greeted by the usual sea of paparazzi when their flight from Los Angeles landed at JFK Airport in New York City. However, one photographer in particular took things from zero to 100 real quick by going from asking Teigen cooking questions, to making a racist comment about her husband.

To make matters worse (if that's even possible?), John was apparently standing right next to her as the photographer asked her the disgusting question.

One fan even suggested, "you should've dragged 'em sis," to which Teigen responded, "Nah, they live for that photo and lawsuit." Fair enough.

Fortunately, we trust Chrissy handled the situation in a way that only her kickass self could when she realized her kindness was being taken advantage of. (Even though she was clearly tempted to "lose it," as she tweeted.) Unfortunately (for the photographer anyways), we're guessing he might be out of a job pretty quickly.

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