Contour Overload: Why Are We Slimming Everywhere?

Photo: Getty Images

For better or worse, we’re a society obsessed with keeping up with the Kardashians—literally. We obsess over the family’s photos on Instagram, we watch them on TV, and we shell out hard-earned cash to witness their antics on brand-new apps. And this obsession has led to a strange phenomenon in the beauty world: the quest for fantastically chiseled faces. The Kardashian’s famous love of contouring has led to a cosmetics boom, not only with dedicated products but also with a rise in plastic surgery to copy that slimmed, defined face that Kim and Co. are so well-known for.

The recent contour conversation, however, hasn’t just centered around sharper cheekbones or a slimmer nose—in fact, we’ve noticed beauty brands are using the concept to hawk full skincare lines, such as Estee Lauder’s New Dimension Shape + Fill Expert Serum ($89), which improves the look of skin’s angles, and Clarins’s “Anti Eau” Body Treatment Oil ($58), which is created around broom, an ingredient that helps to eliminate water retention to aid in slimming.

And it doesn’t stop there: Eye-contouring palettes are on the rise, with brands like Kat Von D ($46) and Benefit Cosmetics ($32) offering their own takes on kits to blend neutral and dark shades for a defined look.

Dr. Matthew Schulman, a celebrity plastic surgeon who specializes in body contouring, agrees the craze is largely due to Instagram and Snapchat. “All celebrities who have a large presence on social media have contributed to the demand for contouring. This includes the Kardashians, as well as those who make Internet makeup tutorials. Kim and Khloé have fueled the demand for buttock and hip contouring, and Kylie can be considered to be responsible for lip fillers in young girls.”

When asked if there’s been a rise in patients looking to contour all parts of the body, Dr. Schulman said yes. “This [can include] placement of breast implants to help improve the appearance of the breast and to also create more defined cleavage. Also, meticulous liposuction is used to help create the appearance of abdominal muscles and thigh gaps. Buttock and hip contouring is performed using a combination of liposuction and fat grating.”

Perhaps the most shocking version of contouring—even more so than tontouring and clown contouring—is vontouring, which centers around the vagina (yes, really.) In-office treatments like FemiLift promise to “tighten the vaginal walls, increase lubrication, and strengthen orgasms—all in a painless, 15-minute procedure.” The process mimics how dermatologists stimulate collagen on your face, but well, it stimulates your nether-regions.

So is there any area that’s off-limits? “Virtually any body part can be contoured,” said Dr. Schulman, therefore confirming our suspicions that we have officially gone contour crazy.

MORE: 10 Best YouTube Tutorials for Contouring

Stunning Street Style From Paris Fashion Week

Paris is the final stop on the international Fashion Week lineup—and in our opinion, it also happens to be the best city on the schedule.

We don’t want to play favorites or anything, but not only is the City of Light home to runway spectacles from Chanel and Louis Vuitton, it a;so attracts the type of elegant street style a girl just can’t find in London, Milan, or even New York. And hey, it’s impossible to take a bad snap in front of la tour Eiffel.

In addition to editors, celebrities, and bloggers from New York, London, Sydney, and beyond, Paris is also the place to spot Europe’s fashion elite, including the Russian street style set like Miroslava Duma and Elena Perminova.

Just one day into the Fashion Week schedule, we’ve already been treated to incredible outfits from Vogue Australia editor Christine Centenera, Brazilian blogger Helena Bordon, and more inspirational international fashion stars.

Like what you see? Check back daily to scroll through brand-new images, including exclusive snaps shot by our gal on the street, Asia Typek of Edited By.

WATCH: Lorde Is Not Your Usual Jilted Mistress in Her New Vengeful Music Video

Bow down to your Lorde, because she has just highlighted a very important issue in her new music video “Magnets” with Disclosure.

The New Zealand-born songstress steps outside of her comfort zone for the clip, getting steamy as all hell with an already-taken man, Iddo Goldberg (who you might remember as BFF Ben from Secret Diary of a Call Girl), before setting him on fire in a pool of gasoline.

After watching the clip for the first time, questions were raised about why Lorde’s character felt the need to kill a man she was “getting along” with so well in the living room, the walk-in wardrobe and essentially any wall they could find to do the deed against.

But Lorde has made it very clear that this is not your typical mistress scenario, and that she’s actually playing a “hitgirl who pretends to seduce then burns alive douchey boyfriends.”

one of my life goals has always been “to one day play a hitgirl who pretends to seduce then burns alive douchey boyfriends”

— Lorde (@lordemusic) September 29, 2015

According to the singer,  the very crucial blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment of the entire video is a shot of the girlfriend’s black eye when she’s by the window, with Lorde asking us to “watch with that moment in mind.” 

stepped outside myself and played an interesting character for the MAGNETS video! **the most important detail is the…

Posted by Lorde on Tuesday, 29 September 2015

She explained on Facebook, “That’s the point the whole video hinges on / takes it from being ‘an affair narrative’ to being ‘shitty domestic abuser dude’s girlfriend hired miss ella the hit girl to ‘seduce’ him then take him the FUCK out’.[sic]”

Watch “miss ella the hit girl” in action, above. 

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21 Reasons Why Olivia Palermo Is a Style Icon for the Ages

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It seems like only yesterday that we were watching Olivia Palermo getting down to business in the PR department at Diane von Furstenberg or roaming the halls of ELLE on The City, MTV’s 2008 spin-off of The Hills. Now, the Connecticut-born socialite is a full-fledged style icon, complete with brand collaborations that range from Aquazzura to Ciaté London. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see why.

If you’re inspired by Olivia Palermo’s style, click on the gallery above for her top 21 looks so far.

21 Reasons why Olivia Palermo Is a Style Icon for the AgesImages: Getty

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12 Faux-Fur Stoles That Look Better Than the Real Thing

Wool scarves will always play a leading role in any solid fall wardrobe, but when it comes to elegant, statement-making accessories, we’re all about the stole. Sure, the original stole had its moment several decades ago (ahem, Marilyn Monroe), but the revived trend looks nothing like what your grandma used to wear. Instead, this season the the furry piece comes chunky and oversize and in vibrant, multicolor prints.

Designer brands like Marc Jacobs and Lanvin are bringing back the piece for Fall 2015, but if you don’t want to cash out on a real-fur stole (or if you’re ethically opposed), there are plenty of faux options that look every bit as bold as the real thing.

Whether you want to wear one cape-style on a night out or sling one over your shoulder with jeans and a sweater, shop these 12 faux-fur stoles we’ve been eyeing this season.

Hillary Clinton Talks Fashion and Feminism in Lena Dunham’s ‘Lenny Letter’

Photo: Wenn

Since Lena Dunham and her production partner Jenni Konner announced they’d be launching weekly feminist newsletter Lenny Letter—and that interviewing Hillary Clinton was the first order of business—we’ve been pretty eager to check out the debut edition. As promised, the Q&A arrived in inboxes early this morning, and it’s every bit as sharp, witty, and funny as you’d expect from the “Girls” creator.

The newsletter is an edited transcript of Dunham and Clinton’s chat, which covered everything from the presidential candidate’s college life to racism and feminism.

When questioned about whether she’s a feminist, Hillary responded: “I’m always a little bit puzzled when any woman, of whatever age but particularly a young woman, says something like, ‘Well, I believe in equal rights, but I’m not a feminist.’ Well, a feminist is by definition someone who believes in equal rights! I’m hoping that people will not be afraid to say—that doesn’t mean you hate men.”

Dunham asked Clinton about that infamous Donna Karan cold shoulder dress that drew so much criticism in the early ’90s, to which she responded: “This is what’s called a cold-shoulder dress. And I wore it for one of our first big events at the White House, in 1993. It was a design of my friend Donna Karan. And like everything I do, it turned out to be controversial… A lot of the political pundits [said]: ‘What is the meaning of this?’ and everything. I thought it would be fun! You’ve got to still have fun in all of these different roles that you’re in or I’m in or anybody is in their life.”

Missed the newsletter? Head this way to read the full interview with Hillary, and check out other topics from the debut edition, including whether your period is weird, an in-depth look at this season’s denim explosion, and one writer’s account of saying yes to a queer wedding.

The 11 Best DIY Coconut Oil Hair Masks on Pinterest

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The most effective hair masks lining beauty aisles tend to be expensive, but one thing manufacturers don’t want you to know is that they’re easy to whip up at home. Save cash while keeping chemicals out of your hair by turning to your kitchen the next time your hair needs some TLC. Coconut oil hair masks, in particular, have risen in popularity given their ability to penetrate the hair shaft to moisturize and repair from within. They’ll also leave your strands shiny while repairing damage from all those summertime aggressors like salt and chlorine.

Here’s a look at 11 of the best DIY coconut oil hair masks to give your hair a much-needed seasonal refreshing.

[ Next: 7 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Coconut Oil for Your Hair ]

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Victoria Beckham Spoke at the UN Social Good Summit

Image: Getty

Victoria Beckham continued her duties as UN International Goodwill Ambassador this weekend at the UN HQ, speaking for the Social Good Summit about the importance of continuing the fight against HIV/AIDS. 

Beckham has been very active in trying to raise funds for women and children affected by the disease. Last year, she put her old clothes up for auction at The Outnet with some of the proceeds going to mothers2mothers, a charity dedicated to keeping HIV-infected mothers from spreading the disease to their children. 

 

A photo posted by Victoria Beckham (@victoriabeckham) on Sep 27, 2015 at 1:03pm PDT

Beckham spoke on a panel that included politician, humanitarian and widow of Nelson Mandela, Graca Machel, as well as Queen Rania of Jordan, whom the designer called a “beautiful, inspiring mother” in a tweet she posted that day. Beckham actually filled her timeline with photos from the event, including some of the other speakers like Elijah from Kenya who made a speech about living with HIV as a child. 

[via Hello, Grazia]

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15 Looks Worth Remembering From Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Sydney 2015

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Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Sydney kicked off its eighth year on Thursday, September 24, at Sydney’s historic Town Hall building, and included three nights of carefully curated runways for everyday fashionistas.

It all started on opening night after an eclectic group of Australian celebrities walked the red carpet before taking their seats front row at the festival’s staple Ready-to-Wear Runway show.

Among the star-studded guest list was international model and official event ambassador, Coco Rocha, plus local faves like Lindy and Michael Klim, Amanda Shadforth of Oracle Fox, Camilla and Marc’s Marc Freeman, Nikki Phillips, and Heather Maltman of The Bachelor.

The Ready-to-Wear Runway show premiered the season’s hottest trends and top looks, with over 30 of Australia’s leading designers showcasing their Spring 2015 collections and giving us the ultimate edit of their hottest collections.

The 70s feels emerged with bell-bottoms, free-flowing maxi dresses and fringe all strong throughout the runway, accompanied by a sprinkle of novel graphics, floral prints, monochrome and casual-cool sneakers.

The following two evenings saw the Australian Luxe show run with a smaller edit of top designers, feeling much more luxurious with stunning cocktail dresses and after-five silhouettes.

Noteworthy pieces included Bianca Spender’s metallic tailored suit, eye-catching statement jewellery from Romance was Born, and Christopher Esber’s silky halter dress with a plunging back.

Finishing off the three-day festival was the grandest, most elegant, and mesmerising show of MBFFSYD: the Red Carpet Runway show.

A small selection of Australia’s most talented couture designers graced fashion enthusiasts with a bit of fantasy apparel to dream about (or perhaps spot on The Bachlorette?), with beautiful luxe fabrics, glitzy embellishments, and the sort of tailoring that holds up well to the intense scrutiny of the red carpet all flaunted down the catwalk.

Check out our selection of the best MBFFSYD fashions this year in the gallery above.

Photos: Getty

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