Tag: women

Two weeks ago Apple launched the iPhone Xs and two weeks ago I walked into my annual iPhone meeting with Apple. Having been doing this for a while, I knew I’d be walking out with a new iPhone Xs that would replace the iPhone X I’ve relied on for the past year. 

Now, two weeks later to the day, having put the Xs through the daily rigors of two jobs, several hellish NYC commutes, nights out drinking and everything in between, I couldn’t be happier with what Apple has accomplished…for an S update.

Before digging in, it’s important to keep in mind that the Xs is an S update like so many S updates before it. Since the iPhone 4 became the 4S, it’s been clear that an S update is not an overhaul but a high polish. 

If you want innovation that makes the new phone feel different from its predecessor, wait for the next one. If you want the better of the two phones that share a number, go for the S. In those terms, the Xs is, without a doubt, the best S update any iPhone has ever received.

Durability

My iPhone X got its first scratch within my first week of owning it. For reference here, I raw dog my phones; no case, no cover. The scratch that scarred my iPhone X’s face like a Bond villain happened in my pocket. This was a new experience, no other iPhone screen had ever felt that soft. Family and friends with the X model were riddled with scratches in the glass too. 

Fully expecting to cave and cover the my new phone, the first thing Apple explained about the Xs was that it was crafted with better scratch resistant glass on both the front and the back. Emboldened by this claim, I’ve used the Xs caseless and coverless and I’m happy to report that it has remained 100% scratch free. Time will tell if that remains true but so far, so good.

Waterproof

That same screen with the boosted scratch resistance is also more effective in water. Meaning the touchscreen is actually more responsive when wet than previous iPhones. It’s a logical step for a phone with boosted waterproofing but it translates to surprising accuracy in the rain, something past iPhones have struggled to do. Full disclosure: That accuracy remains consistent in the shower too. I know because answering emails in the shower is something I actually do. 

FaceID

The iPhone Xs uses roughly the same software to unlock itself by scanning your face as the iPhone X did but there are new sensors built in to make that detection unerring and faster. This may actually be the biggest upgrade of the iPhone X over the Xs.

Impressive as FaceID was when it debuted, daily use of it in the iPhone X inevitably led to frustrations with its limited distance and speed. Those shortcomings are gone in the Xs. Now, when the phone is sitting in its wireless charging cradle on my desk and a notification pops up, a simple glance unlocks the phone. Gone is the inconvenience of awkward neck craning and squinting only to have FaceID fail anyway and make you stab in your six-digit pin instead.

Photos

The dual-lensed iPhone Xs camera is an absolute marvel. I love shooting photos on a DSLR but it’s increasingly tough to justify carrying an extra bag full of camera equipment when the phone in your pocket gives admirably comparable results. Shooting is noticeably faster. Portrait mode is better than ever. Even with the aggressive noise reduction, taking just the slightest bit of care when shooting gives crisp results. Low light shooting gives surprisingly clear images. Live Photos are still magical. 

The biggest downside of the entire camera ecosystem in the iPhone Xs is that you can’t easily share the live aspects of your Live Photos on Instagram without an awful, quality-downgrading conversion. That’s mostly Instagram’s fault for not allowing normal gifs but it does feel like Apple’s responsibility to make those fun Bounce and Loop features that are built into the camera app more compatible out of the box.

MeMoji

Simply put, animojis are a novelty and I have had no idea what to do with them since they debuted on the iPhone X. The Xs does handle them better. They’re more accurate and faster this time around and the introduction of MeMojis in iOS12 has renewed my interest but it’s doubtful that they’ll ever become a primary form of communication for me.

For now, the most fun I’ve had using MeMojis is making a slew of them that look like my friends and making them say awful things, then sending it out to the group. This is surprisingly effective for fantasy football shit-talking. Again, it’s a novelty but it’s fun and it’s better on the Xs than it was on the X.

Battery/Wireless Charging

I have put a lot of stock into wireless charging, partly out of convenience, partly because I’m pissed that Apple still uses lightning cables for their iPhone when the far superior USB-C (that Apple themselves pioneered) has been implemented fully into other mobiles devices by the likes of Samsung or Nintendo.

The Xs actually gets a revamped charging coil implanted in its back that wirelessly charges faster and requires less picky contact with the charging pad. I have a small metal plate on the back of my Xs for my car’s magnetic mount and, even with that plate, the Xs is unfazed. Battery life itself feels slightly better from Xs to X but the difference ultimately feels negligible. Anyone moving from an older iPhone will undoubtedly see a huge improvement though.

Final Thoughts

After two rigorous weeks of testing, Apple has made it easy to proclaim the iPhone Xs their best phone ever. The wall to wall screen, buttonless operation, excellent camera and overall form factor pioneered last year in the iPhone X legitimately feels upgraded in the Xs. Moderate as the upgrade from X to Xs is, the many people who will inevitably upgrade from an iPhone 6 or 7 to the Xs will feel like they’re stepping into the future. 

While the world waits for an entirely revamped (and possibly foldable) iPhone 11 to come out, the Xs sits on top of the competition as the best iPhone Apple has made, and the best phone you can buy right now. 

I know I’m not alone here… You know when you find something you truly love, it comes in several colors, and you stock up on as many colors as your bank account allows? That’s the case with the Réalisation Christy dress for me. I started with the cherry print, wearing it so much and feeling so confident in it I ultimately added a couple more prints to my collection: the all-black style as a classic LBD and then also the tiger-print mini for a playful on-trend option.

To achieve the perfect fit, I actually got my dresses tailored because I was in between sizes and really wanted it to hug my frame just right. It definitely made a difference, and I recommend it if you’re like me and have a particular fit in mind.

If Réalisation isn’t already at the top of your shopping list, now’s the time to hop on the bandwagon because I can vouch for the fact that it’s worth all the hype. Below, you’ll see how I styled the Christy minidress plus how some of my favorite “dream” girls, as the brand calls its Instagram girls, wearing more Réalisation pieces.

Most of you who have worked in an office setting know about the annual gift-swap tradition. There’s the anonymous gift game where you have to draw a colleague’s name from a hat, buy them a present that they’ll hopefully love, and then see if they can guess who the gift came from. Though some might roll their eyes at the holiday tradition, here at Who What Wear, we embrace it (we actually call our version Secret Gnome). That’s why we decided it was an appropriate time to round up some key tips to make sure your present isn’t a dud.

Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to be a top-notch secret gifter, which we’ve proved with six simple suggestions, like peeping on your giftee’s IG feed and simply asking yourself if you’d want the gift. We also suggest avoiding the obvious stores and instead opt for a specialty store for a more unique gift option and wrap it in a creative way to add an Instagramable moment (to name a few tips), the rest are listed below. Plus a selection of non-lame Santa santa gift ideas at the end. Keep reading to make sure you check all the boxes this holiday season and shop some of our selections if you’re still feeling stumped.

If you haven’t yet found the ideal winter coat or jacket for the season to come, we highly suggest starting (and ending) your search here. Sure, we love a statement coat, but there’s nothing worse (relatively speaking) than spending a chunk of your clothing budget on an amazing coat that you end up wearing just a handful of times and that might not remain in style next year. That’s why we encourage you to invest in coats for winter that have more versatility going for them.

Not to worry—this isn’t a roundup of black wool coats (although there are a couple of those, if that’s what you’re looking for). It’s fully possible for outerwear to be cool and interesting while still being just, well, boring enough to go with every color and trend and to be suitable for every occasion, which is no small feat. Choosing an outfit based on what coat or jacket you plan on wearing can be more than a little tedious. So, without further ado, scroll on to shop all the best winter coats and jackets when versatility is your main objective.

Next up: 47 fall pieces to shop if your style is classic.

Welcome to #WhoWhatWearing, a series where we highlight you, our stylish community of readers. Each of the following looks came straight from the photos you tagged us in on Instagram. Want to be featured next time? You guessed it: Use #WhoWhatWearing on the outfit posts you want us to see.

Our readers are a stylish bunch, so we love seeing which trends they are and are not partaking in. It’s one thing to see a trend happening all over Instagram, and it’s another thing entirely to try it out for yourself—that’s when you know the love is real. Lately, we’ve noticed our readers getting on board with a ton of fall’s prettiest jewelry trends. We took a look at their best jewelry ‘grams to date and found that while there are a handful of styles that are universally popular, there are also a few trends everyone’s decided to put to rest.

The one jewelry trend you won’t spot Who What Wear readers wearing? The colorful tassel earrings that seemed to have died down considerably this year. In their place, our community has started to adorn themselves with dainty gold pieces like stacked necklaces, hoop earrings, and pretty pearls. Curious to see which jewelry styles our readers are embracing at full force right now? Continue on to discover the five trends they (and we) are obsessed with.

For more of the latest from our stylish readers, see the trends they’re wearing with a classic fall staple: ankle boots.

Self-expression’s never looked so good.

In case you haven’t heard, fall has finally arrived (yes, even here on the West Coast), and fashion girls around the globe are ready to layer the heck up. As for me, I’m especially excited about the prospect of stowing away the strappy sandals I’ve worn to death the last few months and dusting off my favorite Chelsea boots.

New York City–based fashion girl Tania Cascilla of Darling Tee is in total agreement on that latter point: It’s time to let that fall fashion flag fly, she says. Which is exactly why I charged her with creating three easy fall looks centering around Sorel’s Chelsea Wedge Boots (the type of shoe you can literally walk around in for hours without wincing in pain, she notes).

Best of all, the three looks you’re about to see below are all super easy to re-create—pretty essential for those super-cold days that make getting out of bed on time a bit of a challenge.

Ballet flats are certainly classic and refined, but they might not necessarily be described as “cool”—that is, until Sia became involved. The singer teamed up with cult French brand Repetto on a collection of three shoes that are a thoroughly fresh update on the style. Given Repetto’s dance legacy (ballet dancers have worn the brand for over 70 years) and Sia’s knack for amazing performances, it seems like a match made in heaven.

Now available to preorder and officially launching on February 25, 2019, the flats will no doubt become the It shoes to wear next year. “Repetto and Sia came together to creatively build a collaboration which captures the spirit of everyone who lives to their own beat,” the press release reads. “Movement, dance, style and freedom are values shared by both, uniting this partnership.” Scroll down to preorder the shoes before they launch and shop other styles from the brand.