Sofia Wylie’s first four months of 2021 are going pretty well. Example A: For this interview, she calls me from a former castle in Northern Ireland, which has been refurbished into a luxury hotel. Example B: She’s on location for her upcoming role in Netflix’s The School for Good and Evil, which also stars Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington and Michelle Yeoh and is directed by Paul Feig. Example C: She’s about to reprise her role as Gina in season two of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (May 14, Disney+). And finally, she’s partnering with iconic hair brand Bumble and bumble for its new and enhanced Bb. Curl collection.
It’s that last part that has the 17-year-old actor/singer/dancer particularly excited, given that she’s letting her gorgeous curls go natural and free while abroad. “I’ve run into my hot tools not working with the plugs here, so just having the luxury of air drying my hair is wonderful,” she says. She attributes that to Bb. Curl’s moisture shampoo, 3-in-1 conditioner, and more, which she says provides major hydration for her very dry hair.
“I have used many different products throughout my natural hair journey, but this collection is definitely my favorite,” she says. “It doesn’t weigh my hair down and still gives me that feather-like feeling, especially since I need it to last through a few days of filming without getting frizzy. I love it.”
Bb. Curl Moisturizing Shampoo
$31
Bumble & bumble
Bb. Curl 3 in 1 Conditioner
$34
Bumble & bumble
Bb Curl Defining Cream
$31
Bumble & bumble
So what else does Wylie swear by? Time for another round of Glamour‘s Big Beauty Questions, where she reveals all that and more.
What beauty trend are you obsessed with right now?
I’ve been loving the curtain bang trend. During quarantine, a lot of people were cutting their own curtain bangs, and I might have fallen subject to cutting my hair a few times. I probably shouldn’t have done it, but it’s so fun watching people cutting their own hair and then trying yourself. I learned to just go slow and don’t do an emotional big chop. And then I’m also obsessed with a nice graphic eyeliner. It’s so much fun to try different designs on your eyes, so I’ve been using Dior’s pencil eyeliner, which I really, really love. I used it every day on set of High School Musical.
Dior Crayon Eyeliner
What’s one beauty rule you think is BS?
I think having to use a makeup sponge or a brush in order to blend things well. I know using your fingers and your hands isn’t always the most hygienic thing to do, but it really does get the job done. So long as you wash your hands and make sure they’re clean, they really are the best blending appliance you can get.
What’s the best beauty advice your mom’s given you?
My mom never really wore makeup growing up, or even to this day, but she always allowed me to play with makeup growing up, which is something I really appreciate from her. It’s such a wonderful way to express yourself and be creative, and she never stopped me from doing that even though she didn’t do that growing up.
Fill in the blank: I love my hair…
When it’s cold outside! Whenever it’s cold, [my hair offers] natural protection from any cold, harsh winds. It’s my little head warmer, and my dad—who is bald—looks at me enviously because he’s shivering and I’m just chilling in the cold with my protective hair!
What city or country gives you the greatest beauty inspiration?
Ask any plus-size person who’s obsessed with fashion, and they’ll tell you how seriously bleak shopping used to be. Finding the best plus-size clothing stores that didn’t exclusively carry frumpy or boring clothing was pretty much a nonexistent notion. We needed representation out there!
The fashion industry didn’t seem to pay attention to the fact that the average women’s clothing size was 14 (though now, the average size is around 16) and only focused on sizes below 10. It also dismissed the fact that 68% of shoppers are made up of plus-size women. While there’s still a long way to go, thankfully, much about the industry has changed. Clothing brands, retailers, and even subscription services finally got a reality check, and now there are a plethora of stylish options for plus-sized folks. Yes, even from upscale designers.
Ahead, you’ll find the best plus-size stores, whether you’re looking for investment pieces, closet essentials, or anything that’ll help you re-emerge from quarantine equal parts chic, confident, and comfortable.
ASOS Curve
Considered a longtime player in the plus-size arena, ASOS took things to the next level when it launched its plus-size range, Curve, back in 2010. Offering a wonderful Cheesecake Factory menu-like assortment of styles, plus shoppers can find practically everything on its virtual shelves, including denim, basics, accessories, and swimwear.
ASOS Design Curve Ruched Sleeve Peg Leg Jumpsuit
$50$37.50
ASOS
ASOS Design Curve Ultimate Faux Leather Biker Jacket
Eloquii
Started in 2011 as a plus-size offshoot to The Limited, Eloquii was shut down less than two years later only to be given a second chance by passionate customers. Since its relaunch in 2014, the brand has proved itself to be a key player in the plus-size market through fashion-forward collections and collaborations with Jason Wu and Reese Witherspoon’s Draper James. In fall 2020, the brand partnered with Walmart to launch Eloquii Elements, to help make its size-inclusive clothing even more accessible to shoppers.
Eloquii Off The Shoulder Smocked Bodice Dress
$130
Eloquii
Eloquii Tie Bodice Romper
$130
Eloquii
Universal Standard
From the get-go, Universal Standard was centered around inclusivity—and not just for plus-size shoppers, with a clothing range that spans 00 to 40. The brand specializes in denim, but offers workwear, athleisure, and a host of versatile pieces. There’s also the Fit Liberty collection, which allows a free replacement if your size happens to go up or down within a year.
Universal Standard Myrtle Denim Jumpsuit
$198
Universal Standard
Universal Standard Carmen Satin Bomber Jacket
$168
Universal Standard
11 Honoré
Launched in 2017, 11 Honoré aimed to connect plus-size shoppers with luxury designers and vice versa, as historically, anything over a size 10 was often overlooked in runway couture. The online retailer features designers such as Badgley Mischka, Mary Katrantzou, and Christian Siriano, (who championed inclusivity in fashion before many others). In 2020, 11 Honoré launched its own private label, and most recently, collaborated with Lena Dunham on a five-piece collection.
11 Honoré Deluca Skirt
$138
11 Honoré
Mara Hoffman Agnella Dress
$450
11 Honoré
Wray NYC
The traditional plus-size fashion fare was limited to billowy blouses, shapeless dresses, and dark colors—then Wray Serna launched her ethically made, namesake brand in 2015. It centers on bright colors and funky prints—exactly the kinds of things plus-size women were taught to stay far and away from—and soon won the attention of Aidy Bryant, who became a fan.
Wray Gwen Dress
Wray Birdie Dress
Nordstrom
One of the most game-changing moves in the industry was when Nordstrom expanded its plus-size offerings in 2017. The mega-retailer tapped 100 brands to participate in all of its categories including denim, intimates, and activewear. Cut to 2021, and similar to ASOS, Nordstrom has become a go-to for all plus-size clothing needs.
Wayf Gillian Ribbed Tank Dress
$68$41
Nordstrom
Skims Cozy Knit Tank
$52
Nordstrom
Fabletics
In the past, activewear for plus-size folks was pretty much unheard of, unless you count a baggy t-shirt and black leggings as premium workout wear. Now, brands like Fabletics have provided incredibly stylish two-piece options, up to a 4X.
Fabletics Enlighten 2-Piece Outfit
$140$60
Fabletics
Fabletics Peak 2-Piece Outfit
$130$70
Fabletics
Fashion to Figure
Whether you’re in need of a going-out top or jeans with fur trim (hello, Clueless vibes!), Fashion to Figure is an incredible plus-size source. The retailer celebrates curves while offering a wide range of clothing, accessories, and shoe options, including thigh-high boots, which used to be unheard of for plus-size shoppers.
Fashion to Figure Callie Tie Waist Sweater Dress
$80
Fashion to Figure
Fashion to Figure High Rise Flare Jeans with Feather Trim
$75
Fashion to Figure
Torrid
Torrid actually began as a sister store to Hot Topic when it launched back in 2001. It’s since become a popular source for trendy plus-size clothing, accessories, and footwear, though it still features novelty clothing, like Minnie Mouse and Avengers through its fan-focused category. Over the years, the retailer has partnered with Rebel Wilson, model Tara Lynn, and most recently, fashion designer Betsey Johnnson.
Betsey Johnson Black Cherry Print Ponte Peplum Dress
Torrid High Neck Foxy Tank
$22.50$16
Torrid
Selkie
Fairytales and daydreams are in Selkie’s DNA, and the brand makes dreamy pieces for anyone who wears sizes up to 5X. Its most popular style, The Puff dress, comes in an array of pastel colors and floral prints for shoppers who feel like dressing like a princess.
Selkie The Stepmom Princess Dress
$249
Selkie
Selkie The Lilac Puff Dress
$280
Selkie
Fashion Brand Company
If you’re of the belief that fashion should have a sense of humor, you’ll definitely fall in love with Fashion Brand Company. The highly imaginative, LA-based brand by Penelope Gazin features designs that are so whimsical, they sometimes don’t make sense (in a good, Pee Wee’s Playhouse-type of way). Think mesh jumpsuits that conceal the face, irreverent sweaters covered with nipples or eggs, and moth-inspired dresses. Most of the pieces go up to 6XL or 7XL.
Fashion Brand Company Primary Check Linen Flds Maxi Dress
$185
Fashion Brand Company
Fashion Brand Company The Director Jumpsuit
$165
Fashion Brand Company
Bacaal by Cynthia Vincent
Designer Cynthia Vincent started Bacaal (the name inspired by iconic actor Lauren Bacall) in order to give “high-quality investment pieces” to women who are beyond a size 12. There’s something for everyone as the line features stunning floral maxi, crochet, and slip dresses, alongside kaftans, utility jumpsuits, and loungewear.
Baacal Joni Maxi Dress
$369
Bacaal by Cynthia Vincent
Baacal Short Beckett Plaid Double Breasted Car Coat No*64
$220
Bacaal by Cynthia Vincent
Loud Bodies
Designer Patricia Luiza Blaj started Loud Bodies after she realized the only clothing available to her was plain, baggy, and boring. The line is not only inclusive with a size range of XXS to 10XL, but sustainable as well. Every step of the production process has the environment mind — even leftover fabric is turned into pillows or donated to animal shelters.
Loud Bodies “Empress Wu” Culottes Pants
$125
Loud Bodies
Loud Bodies “Gabrielle” Dress Soft Pink Cupro
$350
Loud Bodies
Girlfriend Collective
Transforming recycled water bottles into clothing isn’t a magic trick, it’s a real part of the Girlfriend Collective’s process, as the brand’s goal is to be as sustainable as possible. Though it mainly focuses on activewear, the Instagram-famous brand has expanded to include loungewear and outerwear, all up to a size 6XL.
Girlfriend Collective Pond Scoop Unitard
$88
Girlfriend Collective
Girlfriend Collective Midnight Undress
$78
Girlfriend Collective
Dia & Co.
Unlike other brands, Dia & Co. was started by an actual plus-size woman, Nadia Boujarwah, who struggled with finding anything stylish in her size. The brand offers an assortment of sophisticated pieces, including loungewear, swim, denim, and more.
Meri Skye Jenna Maxi Dress
$45
Dia & Co.
Molly&Isadora Annette Short-Sleeved Knit Dress
$59
Dia & Co.
Coyan
If you’re looking for a gorgeous silk dress to keep in your closet for a long, long time that you can also wear on a variety of occasions, invest in something from Coyan. The US-made brand features solid-colored, luxury dresses and caftans that go up to a size 26.
Coyan Seta Gown in Black & Ivory
$1,150
Coyan
Coyan Seta Gown in Blush
$1,150
Coyan
Good American
When Good American, which was co-founded by Khloe Kardashian and Emma Grede, launched in 2016, it made waves as one of the first-ever inclusively sized denim brands. Now, Good American offers everything from activewear to dresses for any occasion.
Here at Glamour, our vaccine FOMO goes something like this: if you’re feeling hopeless, buy a book. If you’re feeling ecstatic, buy a book. If you are bored and have started hearing the word “AstraZeneca” in your dreams, buy six or seven books. What’s the worst that can happen—you support a writer? You give your future self a gift? God forbid, you enter a hidden dimension of emotion and experience that quietly rewrites the script of your existence.
This is how we rationalize filling our homes with every new candy-colored hardback, every jewel-like debut novel, and certainly every single book Reese Witherspoon has ever recommended. These stories beckon our weary, screen-strained brains to venture into the seedy nightlife of London and Manhattan, the small-town love of a young schoolteacher and an older man, and the comforting glow of an Asian supermarket. It’s almost a cliché that stories help us travel while in the comfort of our own homes. These books help us forget that so-close-but-so-far vaccine FOMO feeling and access a sense of joy and wonder.
These are Glamour’s picks for the best books in April—each one is so good that for the first time since spring 2020, you’ll want to slow down time.
All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Kim Kardashian, who’s in the process of divorcing from Kanye West, is lucky to have mom Kris Jenner in her corner—because Jenner has been there. Literally.
In a video conversation for the Wall Street Journal Magazine, Jenner confirmed that her ex-spouse, Caitlyn Jenner, will be in the upcoming final season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians and called their current relationship “respectful.” She says she learned from her childhood it was possible for divorced families to stay amicable—and while she never imagined herself being in that position, she knew if she did find herself a divorced co-parent, she could make it work.
Kris Jenner was around the same age Kim Kardashian is now when she became a divorced mother of four, the same situation Kardashian is in. Naturally, she has motherly advice to share on how to navigate this particular challenge. “I think the most important thing I learned through my experience, both of my experiences, is kids come first,” she said. “And I think if you keep that in the front of your mind and know they are gonna get you through, love is gonna get you through, no matter how much you’re hurting.”
During her divorce from Robert Kardashian, Kris recalls, “I used to put everybody to bed and then I would be upset, go to my room, and cry myself to sleep. But I didn’t want to have a pity party in front of the kids.”
It sounds like her “focus on what’s important” strategy worked. Jenner shared that Robert Kardashian would come over twice a week for dinner and spend every holiday with her following their divorce. They even talked on the phone multiple times per day.
Is that the kind of relationship Kim and Kanye will have in the future? With Kris’s help, we’re sure they’ll work something out.
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade have been together for over a decade—and married for six years. They have one daughter together, Kaavia James, and Union is stepmother to Wade’s three children from previous relationships: 13-year-old Zaya, 18-year-old Zaire, and 6-year-old Xavier. In addition, Wade has custody of his 18-year-old nephew, Dahveon Morris. Union and Wade are constantly posting the sweetest family moments on Instagram, plus photos of them as a couple that remind me, painfully, that I’m tragically single. But in these uncertain times, I’ll take joy wherever I can—and sometimes that joy is fantasizing about what it’d be like to be part of the Wade-Union family.
These Instagram posts, below, give me the most family-slash-relationship envy. I just want to be in a lineage of basketball and/or Hollywood royalty!
When Kaavia dressed up as her mom
The stylish Kaavia borrowed her mom’s Prada pins to wear as earrings, while Union stuck them in her hair. Creative!
This priceless mother-daughter moment
Actually, they’ve had several of those.
And also the funniest:
This photo of Union and Zaya is maybe the happiest thing I’ve ever seen?
The most stylish trio on earth
This iconic chapter in #QuarantineNaturalHairChronicles
When Union had Kaavia blow a kiss to the camera
These four need to start a band.
Because, like, Kaavia is already a pop star!
Seriously, quarantine with this family would actually be a blast?
Zaya’s red-carpet debut was everything.
Okay, a family cannot be this cute and also this successful. It’s not fair!
As Union put it in this caption, family over everything.
Kaavia taking a very important business call.
Obsessed with Kaavia side-eyeing her mom’s glass of wine.
These matching plant Halloween costumes? Come on!
Not to mention when Union and Kaavia went as the East Compton Clovers. Bring It On forever!
A father-daughter pool moment
When Union introduced Zaya to the world
After Zaya Wade came out as transgender to her family, Union shared her support on social. “Meet Zaya,” Union tweeted. “She’s compassionate, loving, whip smart and we are so proud of her. It’s Ok to listen to, love & respect your children exactly as they are. Love and light good people.”
In a post from Wednesday, April 14, the royal family’s Instagram account writes, “The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh surrounded by seven of their great-grandchildren at Balmoral Castle in 2018.” Alongside this caption is a sweet and intimate portrait of the monarch, her husband, and their sprawling descendants, taken by Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton.
People reports two great-grandchildren not in the picture (because they hadn’t been born yet) have Philip as their middle name: Princess Eugenie’s son, August, and Zara Tindall’s son, Lucas.
On her Instagram, Princess Eugenie (Prince Philip’s granddaughter) shared not only photos but a heartfelt letter about the Duke of Edinburgh. She wrote, “Dearest Grandpa, We all miss you. You would be so touched by all the tributes that have been shared with me the past few days. People remember sitting next to you at a dinner, or shaking your hand once, who remember you saying hello in passing, or remember how much their DofE award meant to them.”
She continued, “I remember learning how to cook, how to paint, what to read. I remember laughing at your jokes and asking about your spectacular life and service in the navy…I remember incinerating the sausages and you swooping in to save the day. I remember your hands and your laugh and your favourite beer. I will remember you in your children, your grandchildren and great grandchildren. Thank you for your dedication and love for us all and especially Granny, who we will look after for you.”
Prince William and Prince Harry have posted tributes, as well. “My grandfather was a man of service, honour and great humour,” the latter wrote. “He was authentically himself, with a seriously sharp wit, and could hold the attention of any room due to his charm—and also because you never knew what he might say next…master of the barbecue, legend of banter, and cheeky right ’til the end.” Meanwhile, Prince William posted, ”My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation. Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support The Queen in the years ahead. I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job.”
Black women in the United States arethree to five times more likelyto die from pregnancy or postpartum issues than white women—a maternal mortality crisis that cannot be ignored. In Glamour’sBlack Maternal Health series, we’re sharing these stories—and solutions.
One week after my 32nd birthday the hot flashes began. In 2.5 seconds my body went from New York City in fall to a Thailand summer, whether it was in the middle of the night, middle of the morning, mid-day, mid-work break. The sweats were relentless.
Two weeks, one doctor’s appointment, and more than a hundred Google searches later, my doctor put a name to this sudden inferno: early perimenopause. A short time after that, the financial coordinator at NYU’s Fertility Clinic let me in on something. If I wanted to retrieve the good eggs I had left to increase my chances of having a baby down the line, it would cost me — cash up front — much more than I had to give.
My reproductive rights story doesn’t involve limited access to birth control or an abortion. It involves being told just two years after turning 30 that my path to motherhood could be forever thwarted, and I, a journalist with employer-sponsored insurance making just enough money at the time to cover my monthly expenses, could not afford to do anything about it.
The tears I cried over this realization are just a few in a sea of fallen tears from women. And Black women, like myself, understand that the current framework for reproductive justice must address the various ways in which systemic structures prevent women of color from achieving reproductive freedom.
“The harms that were created through white supremacy, the harms that were created through patriarchy — they came from The White House,” says Dr. Joia Crear-Perry, president of the National Birth Equity Collaborative (NBEC). “So we’re saying if you created those harms from The White House, you need to undo them from The White House.”
Crear-Perry is one of several Black women pushing for the creation of a White House Office of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Wellbeing (OSRHW) to be considered under the Domestic Policy Council.
As she said to me on a video call last week, the federal government has for hundreds of years, “operationalized eugenics, has operationalized believing that one race was more valuable than another.” And so her goal for this office is to ensure that women like myself have a path to motherhood and sexual wellbeing by disrupting the barriers that now exist due to race and class.
She’s not alone. More than 150 organizations have signed on to push for OSRHW. They include institutions whose core work centers on a range of issues from Black breastfeeding to abortion. Collaboratively, they are urging the Biden administration to guarantee that women, in short, have access.
“The matter of reproductive justice is so important because what we’re talking about is wanting to create some parity where everyone gets what they need, not based on their capacity to pay, or if they’re lucky enough to work at an insurer,” says Monica R. McLemore, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco. “This is a bigger discussion that takes out the polarization and elevates it to a larger discussion about what people need and deserve across their reproductive life course that will allow them to optimize who they are.”
McLemore has been working side by side with Crear-Perry to highlight the importance of equity in the larger conversation of gender policy and reproductive rights. For these Black women, it is about centering the margins, being unafraid to speak about racial injustice, and saying full-throated that ending racism includes addressing the ways in which BIPOC women are restricted in their maternal pursuits.
Simone Biles won’t only be representing America at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics. She’ll also be representing survivors of sexual abuse, especially the many victims of disgraced Team USA gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar—a group that includes Biles.
With 100 days to go before the 2021 games begin, Biles spoke to Hoda Kotb of Today about what her return to the Olympic stage means. “I knew I had more to give to the sport for myself and I felt like I had a purpose…God called me,” the history-making, four-time gold medalist revealed. “I just feel like [with] everything that happened, I just had to come back to the sport, to be a voice, to have change happen.”
Biles said representing the gymnasts of the Nassar period is one of the factors motivating her to continue. “I feel like, if there weren’t a remaining survivor in the sport, they would have just brushed it to the side. But since I’m still here and I have quite a social media presence and platform, they have to do something,” she said. “So I feel like coming back, gymnastics just wasn’t the only purpose I was supposed to do.”
Kotb later added Biles had mentioned she was concerned that with Nassar in jail, people could think the scandal is “over.” But Biles relayed to her that she feels there are still many changes needed to be made in the sport.
As for the pressures of being the female gymnast to watch, Simone Biles says it’s “stressful” having no peers at her level because she’s always “trying to beat [herself].” When asked whether she was beatable by anyone other than herself, Biles only smiled and replied, “You just never know.”
The Tokyo Olympic games kick off Friday, July 23, 2021 and will run through August 8, 2021.
Honestly, we need a reality show (or sitcom?) based on this family. Miranda Kerr and Katy Perry, the respective ex-wife and current fiancée of Orlando Bloom, hopped on Instagram Live together on Tuesday, April 12, to discuss Kerr’s skin care line and how they each approach motherhood.
Kerr and Bloom share a son, Flynn, from their relationship, and the model is now married to Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel, with whom she has two young children. Perry, meanwhile, just welcomed her and Bloom’s daughter, Daisy less than a year ago. And the best part of having this big, interconnected brood? The swag, obviously.
“One of the great things about being close to Miranda is I get to try out all her products, especially when her son comes home with them in his backpack,” shared Perry. She said of Kerr, “In our modern family, she’s probably the most health conscious of everyone” and claims the model got her into drinking celery juice and using more natural products, especially after the birth of Daisy.
“I went into a huge transformation after having Daisy,…I started looking at all my products, my shampoo, conditioner, I went through a huge cleanout,” the American Idol judge said.
Perry and Kerr agreed that motherhood was a huge blessing in their lives. “The kids are my number one love. It’s just the best thing in the world, being a mom,” said Kerr, to which Perry added, “It’s the best job. It’s the most fulfilling…There was no feeling like the feeling when I had my daughter.”
This isn’t the first time Katy Perry and Miranda Kerr have bonded over motherhood or praised each other publicly. Last November, Kerr said that she “adored” Perry and was “so happy” for her and Bloom. Then in February of this year, Perry spoke out about how much it helps her to hear motherhood stories from Kerr. Sounds like these two moms have a great support system in each other!
With warmer temps officially here, we’re prepping our wardrobes for a shot girl summer—and cute hiking boots are at the top of our list for nature-filled getaways. Comfort is key if you plan on spending most of your free time outdoors the next few months—and few shoes offer the durability and hours-long support quite like a sturdy boot.
Hiking shoes and boots are built with function in mind, and the right pair needs to check off a lot of boxes. Some things to consider: Can it withstand all the elements (a.k.a the rain, snow, or mud) you may run into on a multi-day camping trip? Does it offer foot and ankle support on rocky terrain? How much grip does the tread actually offer? Answering all these questions will no doubt help you find the most appropriate pair for your next outdoorsy escapade, but don’t be fooled into thinking these babies just belong in the mountains. Celebs like Zoë Kravitz, Katie Holmes, and Emily Ratajkowski have all incorporated lug sole shoes into their everyday wardrobe, proving their stylish versatility on and off the trails.
Whether you’re hiking sections of the Pacific Crest Trail á la Wild or “trekking” across town on the weekend, we rounded up practical pairs actually worth your money. Shop 14 cute hiking boots, below.
All products featured on Glamour are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
