Fashion

Fashion Diaries: Talking Shop With Olympic Swimmer Amanda Beard

May 14, 2012 at 9:22 am
By Marla Horenbein

With the 2012 Olympics headed our way, we thought that Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard would be a great girl to catch up with. On top of being a star in the pool (did you know that she won her first Olympic medal when she was only 14?!), she’s a mom, a model and a philanthropist. Talk about someone who does it all!

Here’s what Amanda had to say:

What is one food that you absolutely can’t live without?

I love Mexican food. It’s my guilty pleasure!

What food do you eat right before a big meet, that you feel gives you the most energy?

Since Mexican food is not ideal before getting in the pool so before a meet or workout, I like to snack on PB&H (honey) sandwiches or smoothies. They’re both delicious, easy to make and help keep me energized.

Swimming requires a lot of body strength. What is your go-to workout move to help keep you strong?

The 18 x 100 breaststroke is one of my favorite strength-building workouts. I always walk away feeling energized, despite the fact that the minimal intervals between each repetition makes it a tough workout! [Editor's note: Sure sounds tough to us!]

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World Lupus Day: One Woman’s Story

May 10, 2012 at 1:18 pm
By Christie Griffin

Aspiring to work at a major fashion magazine since she was a child, Lauren Finney saw her dreams almost crumble when she was devastated by the diagnosis of lupus about five years ago.

Within weeks of her moving to New York and pursuing a career in the fashion industry, Lauren developed a hard, painful, red and growing rash all over her neck and face—a horror for someone trying to excel in a field so focused on appearances! This first warning sign was followed by extreme fatigue, hair loss and a multitude of doctor’s visits.  But, after multiple opinions and doctors, two hospitalizations, a strict medicine plan, and—thankfully—the enduring support of her fashion colleagues, Lauren was finally diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that impacts the skin, joints, kidneys and other organs.

Lauren may have broken into the competitive fashion world, but not without simultaneously enduring a diagnosis that felt confusing, frightening and dream-destroying. But she is hardly alone; 1.5 million Americans suffer from lupus, 90 percent of whom are young women. Lauren’s work with the SLE Lupus Foundation  has allowed her to help others cope and find hope through research that’s taking place. Here, she answers a few questions about her experience:

Q: Why do you think more people don’t know about lupus?

LF: Lupus is such a weird topic. Every time I told someone I have it, they say,” Oh, I know someone who has it…what is that?” People know it’s out there, but what manifests as symptoms and issues in one person is not necessarily the same for someone else. This makes lupus hard to spot, hard to diagnose, hard to treat and hard to understand.

Q: Is the difficulty you had in getting diagnosed with lupus typical?

LF: Yes, it’s entirely common for someone to have trouble getting diagnosed. The symptoms one sees with lupus are often symptoms of other disorders and diseases. It takes on average three years for someone to get fully diagnosed. I feel lucky it only took a year for me.

Q: In your experience, what did you find to be the most common misconception about the disease and how did you overcome it?

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Fashion Diaries: Talking Shop With Roxy Surfer Kelia Moniz

May 8, 2012 at 9:48 am
By Marla Horenbein

We were super excited to get 18-year-old Roxy surfer girl, Kelia Moniz, in on our interview series. She’s fun-spirited, carefree and one of the most talented young surfer chicks out on the water. Of course, growing up in Hawaii could do that to you! Oh yeah, and did we mention how her love for fashion makes her that much cooler in our books?

Here’s what Kelia filled us in on:

What is one food that you absolutely can’t live without?  

Sushi! I’m obsessed. [Editor's note: We agree Kelia!]

What food do you eat right before you surf that you feel gives you the most energy? 

Something sweet and filling, like a smoothie or acai bowl!

Surfing requires a lot of strength, what is your go-to workout move to help keep you strong? 

I just stick to the basics: running, push-ups, sit-ups and other core exercise. Surfing keeps you strong and in shape, so I just try to surf as often as I can because it’s the most fun way to exercise.

Most athletes have a mantra that pumps them up, what’s yours? 

I don’t really have a mantra. I just try keep positive and not think too much when the pressure is on because that usually throws me off.

How would you describe your fashion sense out of the water?

I wouldn’t know how to describe my style, but If I were to pick a couple celebrities whose street style I like, it would be Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez.

What’s your favorite article of clothing in your closet? 

Cut off jean shorts. [In true Roxy spirit!]

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Fashion Diaries: Talking Shop With LPGA Star Suzann Petersen

May 4, 2012 at 9:21 am
By Marla Horenbein

Since we are always so busy gathering up the latest active and fashion trends, we rarely get a chance to chat with our favorite athletes over here in fashion land. So when we were given the opportunity to talk with some ladies who we think rock, we jumped at the chance to ask them questions about food, fashion and being fit.

First up is LPGA star, Suzann Petersen, who is not only a fan favorite, but who is also currently ranked number three in the Rolex Rankings!

What is one food that you absolutely can’t live without?  

I love eggs. Most of my breakfast contains some sort of eggs. They are a great source of protein!

What do you eat right before you hit the course that you feel gives you the most energy? 

Before a round of golf, oatmeal with raisins and berries are my favorite.

Golf requires a lot of upper body strength, what is your go-to workout move to help keep you strong? 

I like using my own body weight during workouts. To maintain good upper body strength—old fashioned push-ups, hang-ups and dips work well for me.

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Fashion Diaries: Hot Pants

April 27, 2012 at 10:17 am
By Marla Horenbein

We got you hooked on colored denim last season, and while it is still a hot trend (we can’t get enough hot pink and yellow!), we’re totally swooning over printed jeans for the spring. Floral, ikat and tie-dye prints are all over the place, and they are a great way to jazz up a casual look. Keep the look simple by pairing a solid colored top (this denim shirt is a great option!) with cute flats or sandals, or if you feel like being super daring, you can try mixing and matching prints, like these jeans with this top. Make sure that one print is less understated than the other—two overwhelming prints paired together can create quite the fashion disaster!

Here are some of our favorite prints, in prices that are both budge-friendly and splurge-worthy!

From top left:

• Paige Denim, $250
• Madewell, $135
• Citizens of Humanity, $339
• Current/Elliott, $170
• J Brand Jeans, $205
• TopShop, $80
• Dorothy Perkins, $55
• See by Chloe, $335

 

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Fashion Diaries: Cover Girl

April 20, 2012 at 2:06 pm
By Marla Horenbein

Now that our May 2012 issue is out on newsstands (happy 20th anniversary to us!), you’ve all gotten to see how awesome our cover girl, Elle MacPherson, looks. I hope I’m lucky enough to look as hot as she is when I’m 48! Wishful thinking? I think so.

The fashion team absolutely loved working with Elle. She was super-easy going, looked AH-MAZ-ING in everything we put her in (which always makes our job that much more fun!), and her laid back, surfer girl vibe made the set a fun place to be.

Since we want you to look as hot as Elle this summer, we’ve decided to share with you all of the buying information for the pieces that Elle sported on our duel covers. We hope you love it, as much as we do!

Tank: BCBG MaxAzria (similar style), Bikini Bottoms: Inca, Bracelets: Ariel Gordon, JADEtribe, JADEtribe, Robindira Unsworth (similar style), Melinda Maria, Melinda Maria

Top: Graham and Spencer, Bikini Bottoms: Melissa Odabash

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Ashlan Gorse Uncovers the Hidden Side of Hollywood

April 13, 2012 at 10:04 am
By Karla Walsh

Last time we caught up with E! News anchor Ashlan Gorse, she revealed her diet and exercise secrets. Next month, Gorse will candidly spill about what it takes to look like a celebrity on her new website Hollywood Smoke and Mirrors.

“When I was growing up, I looked up to women like Molly Sims and Cindy Crawford. I wish I knew at the time that stars like them and the Victoria’s Secret angels have mostly fake hair! I’ll admit it, I have extensions in right now,” Gorse says.

Since many celebrities are coy about what it really takes to appear red carpet-ready (“all I did to lose the baby weight was breast feed,” Gorse says, giggling while mocking the average new Hollywood mom), she will offer insider tips on healthy ways to get the looks you see on TV. The first post will show Gorse walking in to the E! studios before 6 a.m. sans-makeup, in contrast to her TV-time face.

“So often, outfits are taped, pinned or clamped on—things you can’t tell from the front! Through my site, with the help of my hair and makeup team, you’ll learn positive ways to do it yourself. And I can’t wait to share how my stylists and I deal with chubby days,” Gorse says. (Hint: Seek out empire waists and belts and play up your legs!)

Hollywood Smoke and Mirrors is a welcome change for Gorse, who told us during a visit to the FITNESS offices yesterday that she occasionally tires of the topics in celebrity news. “It drives me crazy when the industry talks about how fabulous these women look in their bikinis when you just want to feed them a sandwich,” Gorse says. “Luckily, I think ‘skinny’ is celebrated less than ‘healthy’ now that women like Sofia Vergara and Christina Hendricks are on the scene.”

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Music Monday: Soffe’s Spring Tone-It-Up Playlist

April 9, 2012 at 1:34 pm
By Marla Horenbein

With spring in full swing, its time to get serious about toning up for summer—only 11 weeks to go! Our friends over at Soffe have created an awesome playlist to get you in the mood to hit the weights, ride your bike, or even take an afternoon jog around the block. So throw on your brightest workout clothes (we like these shorts paired with this top), your funkiest sneakers, and get your workout on!

• “We Are Young,” Fun. featuring Janelle Monae
• “Here It Goes Again,” OK Go
• “Kids in America,” The Muffs
• “Comeback Kid,” Sleigh Bells
• “Ritual Union,” Little Dragon
• “Do it Again,” Holy Ghost
• “Helena Beat,” Foster the People
• “Party Rock Anthem,” LMFAO
• “Turn Me On,” David Guetta, featuring Nicki Minaj
• “Young, Wild & Free,” Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa featuring Bruno Mars

More from FITNESS:

• The Best Summer Running Gear
• Workout Jams for Summer
• Love Your Warm-Weather Workout: 10 Motivation Tricks

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Fit Blogger We Love: Blogilates

March 29, 2012 at 3:08 pm
By Samantha Shelton

Talk about taking the bull by the horns: Cassey Ho, a Pilates and fitness instructor, founder of oGorgeous yoga bags (featured in our 2011 holiday gift guide!) and creator of Blogilates hasn’t just turned her passion for healthy living into a career, she’s made it a critical part of her life. We caught up with this chic blogger to find out more about the Olympic sport she wants to try and what you’ll often catch her munching on.

My favorite way to work out: With passion! But if you’re looking for a literal answer, then strength training and Pilates!

5 things I can’t live without: My glasses, my drive, YouTube, peanut butter and the Blogilates community!

My fave fit snack: I’d say nuts, but I’m pretty sure I eat way too many for them to be considered a “fit snack” anymore.

Olympic sport I’d love to try: Figure skating! What girl doesn’t want to glide around in a Swarovski-encrusted mini dress?!

My “I Did It” moment: When I was able to turn my passion for healthy living, fitness and fashion design into a real career. I am so thankful to my students across the globe who do my YouTube workouts, to the enthusiastic readers of  my blog and to the fitness fashionistas who believe in and use my oGorgeous gym and yoga bags. You guys are all helping me live my dream! Thank you so much.

Do you have a favorite fit blogger you want us to highlight? Leave a comment below or email blog@fitnessmagazine.com

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Models Making a Difference

March 21, 2012 at 9:35 am
By Christie Griffin

In 10 days, the 2012 Ludus Athletics Model Beach Volleyball Tournament will hit South Beach—and give us a motivational kick in the butt to get ready for bikini season. But the two-day event will also give us a little boost of hope, too, thanks to its charity partnership, Models 4 Water.

Co-founder models Georgie Badiel (runway stunner) and Heide Lindgren (face of Guess by Marciano) started M4W last year, with the goal of raising money to bring sustainable, clean water to the people in Burkina Faso, Georgie’s homeland. The country is one of the poorest in the world and about 85 percent of the population doesn’t have clean drinking water. And as you may suspect, most of the burden of finding usable water falls on the local women.

“We want to use our level of exposure to give back and work (as an industry) together to make a difference,” Heide says. “But this isn’t about being a ‘rewarding experience.’ It’s about fulfilling your duty as a human being to use your blessings to help bless others.”

M4W works with The Water Project, which also hosts the donations. (They’ll accept as little as $1, so go for it!) But the Model Beach Volleyball Tournament will also have an area dedicated to M4W, and additional Global Ambassadors will lend their image and connections to the cause in the future.

Until then, Heide says the dream is simple: “Water is one of the few things the body requires to live, and we don’t want access to clean water to be an issue or concern for anyone.”

Stay tuned for more updates about the exciting 2012 Ludus Athletics Model Beach Volleyball Tournament, an event FITNESS is proud to partner with!

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