All about Men and the women who love them!
A new book by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn is an agonizing account of how apathy and cruelty have turned America into a nightmare for many less fortunate citizens. But it is not without hope.
(Image credit: Knopf)
LSU quarterback Joe Burrow #9 in the first half.
Joe Burrow and LSU overcame a first half double-digit deficit to claim the school’s fourth national championship.
In May of 2018, a four-star star prospect who spent three years as a backup at Ohio State announced he was transferring to LSU. Despite his limited work in Columbus, Tigers head coach Ed Orgeron said he was “smart and tough, got accuracy,” and called him a “game-changer and difference maker.”
Joe Burrow proved to be that and then some. In the 2019–20 College Football Playoff national championship Monday night, the QB who received nearly 94% of the possible points in his historic Heisman Trophy–winning senior season, capped off No. 1 LSU’s undefeated 15–0 season with a 42-25 win over No. 3 Clemson. You can label its season as magical, a story book, or a fairy tale, but the Tigers’ star QB had said leading up to the Monday’s win that he “expected” to be in the title game. Burrow thew for 463 yards and five touchdowns and ran for another score, as LSU over overcame its first double-digit deficit of the season. In the process, the school claimed its first national title since 2007.
The Bayou Bengals’ offense got off to a slow start and punted on its first two possessions, a rarity during their dominant regular season. On the game’s fifth possession, Clemson’s offense opened the scoring as its star QB Trevor Lawrence capped off a five-play, 67-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. However, LSU would answer just over four minutes later, when Burrow found the 2019 Biletnikoff Award winner Ja’Marr Chase for a 52-yard TD strike. Chase would finish the victory with a game-high 221 receiving yards on nine catches.
Early in the second quarter Clemson nailed a 52-yard field goal which broke the game’s 7–7 tie. And just three-plus minutes later, Clemson WR Tee Higgins took a 36-yard reverse to the end zone, scoring on his first-career rushing attempt to stretch his team’s lead to 17–7
After trailing for the first time since its late-October win over Auburn, LSU’s quick-strike spread offense would respond. Burrow ran for a touchdown just over five minutes into the second quarter. Then, with 5:19 to go in the half, he hit Chase for the WR’s second touchdown of the half. The Bayou Bengals’ would extend their lead with 10 seconds left in the period when Burrow found TE Thaddeus Moss wide open in the end zone for a 6-yard score, the QB’s fourth total touchdown of the half. He had thrown for only 25 yards through his first nine passing attempts, but threw for 245 yards and three scores in his final 20 attempts.
Much like at the start of the game, LSU punted on its first possession coming out of the halftime locker. And Lawrence, the QB who many project will hear his name called first in the NFL draft one year after Burrow, orchestrated a six-play, 50-yard drive which ended in Travis Etienne muscling through the LSU defense for his first TD run of the game. But the Clemson Tigers would fail to get any closer.
Leading by just three points midway through the third quarter, Burrow hit Moss for the TE’s second score of the night, breaking the single-season TD record in doing so. He would find WR Terrace Marshall Jr. for a 24-yard score less than three minutes into the fourth quarter, stretching LSU’s lead to 17. The QB held his pointer finger up to the sky after the pall, pounding his chest in excitement. They would go on to ice the game away.
Lawrence finished the game 234 yards and one rushing touchdown, but he completed just 18 of his 37 passes. Monday night’s loss was the first of Lawrence’s college career and it snapped a 29-game Clemson winning streak.
Entering Monday night’s win, Burrow was held under 300 yards passing only once—in the team’s season opening 55–3 win over Georgia Southern. He complete less than 70% of his pass attempts for the first time this season, but it proved not make a difference. He ends his senior season throwing for almost twice as many yards as he did last year and 65 total touchdowns compared to only 23 in his rather average 2018–19 campaign.
For 15 games this season, the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL draft showed the accuracy, smarts and toughness that Orgeron commented on when he first added the now national championship-winning QB. He proved to be the game-charger Orgeron, a bayou native himself, needed to help the school claim it’s fourth title in school history.
Heading into Monday night, Burrow said that he didn’t care about what his stat-lines have looked like: “Doesn’t matter to me as long as we win,” he said. The 2019–20 LSU Tigers and their star QB did just that. Their 15-0 season forever historic. Their difference-maker now also a national champion.
While there is a range of 2019 trends that appear to be trickling into 2020 (hello, ’90s denim), puff-sleeved pieces could definitely be considered one of the most popular. TBH, if you were to look at some of the most forward-feeling sweaters, trench coats, and blouses that hit the market over the last few months, there’s a high likelihood that each featured this pretty and whimsical shape featuring exaggerated shoulder details.
While I personally adore the trend (so does my mother, FYI), celebrities are also on board. That’s right—A-listers like Jennifer Lopez, Kendall Jenner, and Katie Holmes have been routinely stepping out over the last year in puff-sleeved numbers to bring that directional and modern feel to their ensembles.
And believe it or not, if you head over to Nordstrom, you’ll notice a range of power-shoulder pieces trending as well. These are so popular, in fact, that a slew of shoppers is currently viewing them right now. (You can tell by clicking on a product and spotting a line highlighted in red that showcases the exact number of people viewing that product.) And, yep, it’s those celeb-favorite puffy pieces that seem to have especially high viewership.
To dive into this all a bit further, I rounded up some of my favorite celebrity outfits featuring puff-sleeved staples and shopped out an inspired iteration available at Nordstrom. Keep scrolling to amp up your 2020 wardrobe even more.
Next, check out the best celebrity blazer outfits featuring inspired styles available at Nordstrom.
There’s a reason we often turn to women over 50 for grade-A style inspiration. Yes, age is literally just a number (and you should wear whatever you love regardless of the year you were born), but it’s this set that tends to just get it. After all, many fashion people in the age bracket have spent the time over the years truly developing a well-rounded wardrobe through style trial and error. So naturally, when it comes to building the ideal capsule wardrobe, we thought turning to a chic 50-something woman would be of interest.
Enter 54-year-old fashion influencer and model Renata Jazdzyk, the mastermind behind the engaging instagram account @venswifestyle. We tapped the style setter to provide a list of the 23 pieces she “couldn’t live without,” as they can easily be mixed and matched to create a range of solid outfits to work for a range of her occasions—from fashion meetings to dinner with friends.
Without further ado, check out Jazdzyk’s ultimate capsule wardrobe, complete with nine outfit ideas (although more could be created) and shopping inspiration.
Oversize Blazer + White T-Shirt + Jeans + Belt + Shoulder Bag + Flats
While straight-leg jeans and a white tee make a great outfit on their own, the addition of the blazer and smart pumps keeps the overall vibe quite sophisticated.
Puffer + Chunky Sweater + Scarf + Jeans + Ankle Boots
Headed to a nice brunch? An interesting chunky knit with jeans and cold weather–appropriate extras will get the job done.
Leather Trench + Cashmere Turtleneck + Pleated Skirt + Flats
This polished ensemble could actually work for the office or in your off-duty life if you need an easy yet elegant fit.
White T-Shirt + Party Top + Leather Skirt + Bucket Bag + Sandals
Layer a party top over a casual white T-shirt for a high-end look when you’re off to dinner on the weekend.
Wool Coat + White Shirt + Leather Skirt + Earrings + Pumps + Shoulder Bag
An architectural white shirt brings dimension to a forward 9-to-5 ensemble featuring a leather skirt (or the pleated option), a wool coat if it’s chilly, and pumps.
Chunky Sweater + Trousers + Ankle Boots
You can’t beat a chunky knit–and-trouser combo for a simple and effective work look. Just toss on a leather trench if you need to layer up.
Cashmere Turtleneck + Silk Dress + Oversize Blazer + Belt + Flats
While a silk dress might seem more appropriate for a night out, it could work for a casual office setting with a turtleneck underneath and a blazer on top. The addition of a belt over the blazer will also make the look appear quite elegant. Also note that a pair of flats (rather than heels) will also tone down the look.
Party Top + Jeans + Earrings + Bucket Bag + Sandals
Make a statement in a printed party top mixed with jeans and playful accessories. The addition of a wool coat makes sense if it’s cold where you live.
Slip Dress + Trousers + Scarf + Pumps
A dress over pants is an incredibly modern going-out look. The addition of a scarf could work well as an impromptu shawl if you get a bit chilly. Note that you could also toss on a puffer or a wool coat here.
I’m not sure how, why, or when 5’4″ became the average height of American women, but I’m choosing to embrace it. Sure, I wouldn’t mind having a few extra inches to work with sometimes, but it is what it is. I used to think that I was resigned to a lifetime of visiting the tailor every time I purchased a pair of pants or jeans, but I think that most brands have caught onto the fact that a lot of us aren’t 5’9″ and therefore 32-inch inseams probably aren’t gonna work.
Speaking of inseams, I always check them before ordering an item. I typically stick with cropped or ankle-length pants and jeans because they usually end up full-length on me. (I’ve been avoiding very cropped pants as of late, though, as trends are shifting to longer styles.) My sweet-spot inseam is about 27 to 29 inches. I find that this length can accommodate both flats and heels for someone of my height, without baring too much ankle.
Through some trial and error, I’ve come to find 14 pairs of pants and jeans that are truly perfect for someone of my height. Keep scrolling to shop them all (and see my 5’4″ self wearing lots of them).
Is it just me, or can winter outfits start to feel dull and repetitive? For most of us, once temperatures drop to a certain level, the focus shifts from looking chic to avoiding hypothermia. You end up in the same outfit formula day after day—some combination of a sweater, heavy coat, thick boots, and fuzzy hat. It can get dull fast.
Well, I’m here today to help in the winter outfit formula department by bringing you five different ways to wear three of the most common winter basics: A puffer jacket, a beanie, and a chunky knit sweater. If you live somewhere other than L.A. (it just doesn’t get that cold here, truthfully), there’s an extremely high probability that you have all three of those items in your closet and that they’re staples in your winter wardrobe. From interesting layering ideas to utilizing bold color, below I’ve highlighted some cool (and hopefully new!) ways to style everyday winter basics, plus shopped out a few in case you don’t already own one.
Next up: The outfit secret sauce that makes our editors’ looks stand out.
January sales are in full swing, presenting us with the perfect opportunity to snap up all those items we were eyeing last month that have now dropped significantly in price (hurrah!). Let’s be honest, there’s nothing that perks us up in cold, dark January quite like a glorious sartorial fashion deal.
We’ve already shared some of the best coats and boots to snap up this month, as well as some incredible finds from our favorite brands, but now we’re honing in on the most important designer items you don’t want to miss out on from Net-a-Porter’s epic clearance sale, which starts today.
From January 14 to 20, our favorite luxury retailer is offering up to 80% off select designer fashion and beauty items, including timeless basics, must-have jeans, and chic designer bags. To save you the time and effort of scrolling the hundreds of pages, we’ve rounded up the most important items worth spending your money on below; think luxurious basics that you can wear year-round, the chicest pieces that are trending in 2020, and work perfect pieces to look boss at the office. Get your hands on these designer goodies before they sell out.
Up next, I’m a loyal Nordstrom shopper—here’s what I’m buying now.