When it comes to giving breakup advice, there is no one better than Taylor Swift. She’s been through it all and isn’t afraid to talk about heartbreak, whether through an empowering song or in the media. Now she’s using her past experience to help her loyal fans mend their own broken hearts.

One of her fans posted on Taylor’s Tumblr account, unsure whether or not Taylor would see the post, about how her boyfriend broke up with her in a text message. Taylor actually saw the post and immediately responded: “You fell in love, no games," she wrote. "Now you’re saying goodbye with no games.” Ten bucks says that's the chorus to the next big T. Swift hit. At least it should be. We're already dancing to it. 

Taylor not only gave some inspiring words of wisdom, but also included a breakup playlist, which is pretty sweet. Besides dishing out relationship tips, Taylor is also known to pay off her fan's student loans. Maybe she is training to be a fairy godmother. At this point, nothing would surprise us. 

The full text of her advice is on Buzzfeed.

There's nothing quite like a long, soothing bath after a tiring day to ease your mind and sooth your aching muscles. But while fancy soaps and bubbly concoctions make for fun experiences, their prices can start to add up fast. That's why we like to rely on affordable, natural products for soaking sessions that benefit both our minds and bodies. 

The next time you find yourself needing some tub-time, skip the pricey bath bomb and try out one of these seven bath additives. You're in for some sweet, inexpensive R&R.

Epsom Salts

Forget fancy, over-priced bath salts. Epsom salts are a cheap go-to for instant relaxation. Epsom salt baths naturally increase the body’s production of serotonin, a mood-boosting chemical making even the worst blues melt away while releasing muscle tension. You can buy salts scented with lavender or eucalyptus for some extra aromatherapy.

Green Tea

We know that green tea is good for us, with its metabolism-boosting and figure-slimming powers, but it can also do the body good in other ways. Steep five to 10 green tea bags in a tub and hot water for an antioxidant-filled soak that helps to detox your body. For double duty, whip yourself up a cup of hot green tea to drink while you wait for you bath to fill.

Milk

Rumor (and history) have it that Cleopatra herself was a major proponent of the milk bath, which softens and soothes skin. Add a cup (give or take) of whole milk or whole-milk powder to bath water and step in for a long soak. After you’re finished, rise your body with water to get rid of any potential milk residue. The milk fat will hydrate and moisturize your skin, leaving it baby-soft and refreshed. If it worked for the queen of the Nile, it's basically guaranteed to work for you. 

Essential Oils

Essential oils are praised for their many diverse purposes—including their major relaxing powers. For an aromatic bathing experience, mix 5-10 drops of essential oils with 1 cup of an emulsifier such as milk or sesame oil before adding to your bath water, suggests Floracopeia. Alternatively, some experts suggest mixing 5-10 drops of oil with one tablespoon of a carrier oil, such as olive oil, jojaba oil, or sweet almond oil. Diluting the oils makes them safer, as they can potentially be harmful on the skin alone. Stick to milder essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, sandalwood, and rose oil for a stimulating but safe soak, and check with your doctor first if you are pregnant, nursing, or have especially sensitive skin. Enjoy the aromatherapy, but don’t forget to be careful getting out of the tub—oils can leave behind a slippery residue.

Lavender

If you can’t resist adding a little pizzazz to your tub but don’t want to splurge on a flower-filled bath bomb, use dried lavender to make your bath look and smell like a dream. The herb’s relaxing powers will soothe your mind and body after a long day, making it much easier to fall asleep at night. To make cleanup easy, tie dried lavender in muslin sachets. For a stronger effect, add a few drops of lavender essential oil to the tub. 

Baking Soda

Baking soda can help to remove dead skin cells with the help of a good, long soak. Add half a cup to a bath for smoother, refreshed skin. For an extra DIY spa treatment, exfoliate by rubbing some baking soda mixed with water directly onto your rough skin—think elbows, feet, and hands. You can even use it as a face scrub while you’re at it—just gently apply the paste in small circles and rinse off.

Rose Water

There’s nothing quite like buying yourself a bouquet of roses—but now you can translate that feeling to your tub. Pouring a cup of rosewater to a tub of warm water results in a seriously aromatic bathing experience that’s guaranteed to leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. For the most luxurious experience possible, scatter some fresh rose petals on top of the water. Now that's how to treat yoself.

Is it possible that New York Fashion Week reached its pinnacle on the first day? Yes, yes it is. Jay Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Anna Wintour and Kim Kardashian (with baby Nori) were just some of the mega-stars who packed into an undisclosed industrial space Thursday, for Kanye West's eagerly awaited Yeezy 750 Boost presentation. But the unveiling of West's latest collaboration with Adidas was overshadowed by the remarkable song that soundtracked it. 

It's called "Wolves" and it's a stunner. Rumored to be the opening track off West's upcoming album, "Wolves" is a stripped down 808s and Heartbreaks-sounding anthem featuring vocals from Sia and Vic Mensa. In it, a mournful West laments: "I'm just bad, bad, bad for you," which would be true if today was opposite day. West's dramatic afternoon signals the start of what will likely be a massive year for the rapper. Earlier today we proclaimed this the year of Drake after he released a 14 minute short film, which now feels utterly pedestrian compared to what West just pulled off. Either way, it looks like we can look forward to 12 months of two heavyweights going blow for blow in a battle for rap supremacy. Round 1 goes to Yeezy though, and it wasn't close. 

Listen to "Wolves" before it gets pulled below. 

 

KANYE WEST

A video posted by Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh™ (@virgilabloh) on Feb 12, 2015 at 2:03pm PST

While sister Kendall is already a runway regular, it seems as if this fashion week might be a time for Kylie Jenner to dip her well-manicured toes in the world of high fashion. Spotted by Teen Vogue's fashion director Marina Larroude, the 17-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star may have made her first fashion week appearence in Kanye West's Adidas show.

It wouldn't be a surprise to find the youngest Jenner stepping deeper into the fashion world—with a PacSun collection released, a Topshop collab in the works, and her own line of hair extensions, she's certainly no stranger to style. And with her sister Kendall taking on more prestigious shows and campaigns everyday, it makes sense that Kylie may want to test out the trade herself. She's even done some editorial work, like her appearence in the new issue of Love magazine. What's more, Jenner (or her look-alike, but we are pretty sure it is her) appeared in a show by Kanye West—her brother-in-law, whose shoe collab she helped to debut on Instagram. It just makes sense that the runway would be the next step for this teen reality star.

All signs point towards Kylie Jenner's potential runway modeling debut—and with this family, anything can happen. Hopefully, this isn't a sign of some sibling rivalry...

 (Via Teen Vogue)

Despite the fact that millions of people claim to be singer-songwriters, few have managed to "make it big." Even more rare is a singer-songwriter who can actually touch the lives of another person with raw, emotional lyrical poetry (if you will). You have your Alanis Morissette, Stevie Nicks, Lou Reed, Joni Mitchell, Sia... and now, Greg Holden. And while you may not be all too familiar with the latter, chances are, you will be soon.

The Scottish-born, English-raised Brookylnite creates music so clear, fresh, and passionate that it will undoubtedly soundtrack pivotal coming-of-age indie films and camp-side summer night hangs. And while his sound is so distinctly influenced by folk, his experience in punk and indie bands also plays into his songs through unexpected rifts and chord progressions. "It's a mixture between folk and rock and roll," says Holden. "I'll keep it simple and say that."

His upcoming album, Chase the Sun, is more lighthearted than his previous work, which was ripe with all the frustration of a struggling musician. "It's very easy to live where we live and complain all the time," says Holden. "And I was definitely doing that—my last album [2011's I Don't Believe You] showed me that beautifully." But after a trip to Nepal and India, Holden changed his perspective. And although this is seen in his upcoming LP, Chase the Sun, nothing illustrates this more than one particular experience. After someone stole all of his possessions—including his passport—from him on his birthday, he remained calm and continued on his travels. "At the beginning of the trip, that would've absolutely ruined the whole trip or if it were at home, it would've absolutely devastated me," says Holden. "But at the time, I remember being quite calm and realizing that it didn't really fucking matter, you know? It's just stuff. It's just pieces of plastic, it's just pieces of paper—it'll figure itself out."

Listen to an exclusive acoustic performance of Holden's single "Hold On Tight." As for the rest of his upcoming songs, well, they all fall under one main rule: "They have to remain powerful while they have a positive message or else people aren't going to be interested," says Holden. "Nor am I."

Tomorrow, the highly-anticipated film Fifty Shades of Grey finally hits theaters. So, in celebration, we teamed up with our friends at E! and Fashion Police to throw a Fifty Shades of Fashion bash officially kicking-off #NYFW at the PHD Rooftop at Dream Downtown. With a performance by Skylar Grey and a bevy of cool music spun by Twin Shadow and DJ duo The Misshapes, we danced the night away and captured Keeks with our favorite celebrities (Pete Wentz, Cody Simpson, Betty Who, ASTR and half of the Pitch Perfect cast)—sipping on DeLeon Tequila cocktails and Strongbow Hard Cider. After, we all took Lyft rides home (which happens to be the best way to end an awesome night, if you ask us). 

Click through the gallery to relive all the fun.

Today is...

Abraham Lincoln's birthday! Time to start the President's Day weekend festivities—and sales.

News of the Day:

+ Buzzfeed convinced the leader of the free world to use a selfie stick in a "Things Everyone Does but No One Talks About" video.

+ Ever wonder what Cinderella's slippers would have looked like today? Now you can—Disney asked nine fashion designers to sketch their version of the infamous heels.

+ Blue Ivy and North West are in luck: Karl Lagerfeld is set to launch a kids line in 2016.

+ The Oscars aren't the only awards show that has been whitewashed. Vocativ charted Grammy wins by race to find that the awards are now whiter than they've been in 35 years.

+ We may still have "How Big How Blue How Beautiful" on repeat, but Florence + the Machine has surprised us with another treat. Florence Welch debuted her second song and music video this week,  "What Kind of Man" and announced that her new album will be out on June 2.

+ If you're in L.A., check out Magdalena Wosinka's exhibition at Dilettante gallery. If not, then grab a copy of her new book The Experience: Vol. I.

Deal of the Day:

Snag yourself some cool new jewelry from Juliet & Co at 25% with the code FEB25, until February 22.

Advice of the Day:

"Who you are should never be dependent on what you do, because then your happiness is dependent upon something that’s very unpredictable—intangible, almost." - Mila Kunis

GIF of the Day:

In the gleefully cartoonish Kingsman: The Secret Service, Taron Egerton gets to live out every young lad's fantasy, as his character goes from listless street tough to dashing super-spy in less than two hours (with some help from Colin Firth's spymaster). In real life, the 25-year-old Wales native gets to live out his own fantasy, after parlaying an early career that balanced theater with roles in British television into that of a budding movie star. We spoke with Egerton recently at the tail-end of grueling press tour about adjusting to the showbiz grind, acting alongside Firth, and what his friends think of his sudden success. 

How are you?
I’m good—this is my last interview of what’s been a long and exhausting press tour. I’m quite relieved.

I’m honored. How are you enjoying New York City?
It’s so lovely. If I could live anywhere else in the world it would probably be here. The thing that strikes me about it I guess is the hustle and bustle. Everyone has so much personality here. It’s full of lots of rich characters. I’m not sure if I’ll ever live here but I absolutely relish the opportunity to do a play for a while or something.

Are you based out of London?
Well, London is where I spend the vast majority of my time for work but I don’t actually live there. I live in my hometown in Wales, which is about five hours from London.

Are you planning on sticking around your hometown for a while?
I think my intention is that when I’m working I’ll live in London, so I’ll need a place there as well,  but I’m not in a position to do that at the moment. I like being near family and I like to be near friends and I don’t think I’ve taken to this whole kind of crazy showbiz thing.

You got to work with Colin Firth for this film. What was your main takeaway? 
Actually, he’s just a true professional, a real master of what he does. He’s great. He’s a good person to act with, and I think keeping engaged with one another is what makes a really good scene. And I wasn’t just working with him—I was obviously working with Matthew Vaughn, who’s incredible. But working with Colin is probably the heart of what I’ve loved most about the experience.

One thing that I found interesting about the movie is that your character and Sophie Cookson’s character don’t develop a romance. Instead, they they develop a platonic friendship, which is rare in a movie like this. Why do you think that is?
I think it’s a very male-dominated film and I think Matthew, on one hand, wanted to have a strong female lead who wasn’t just a romantic interest for my part. It certainly is one of the more endearing aspects of the film. And the fact that he’s not just interested in Roxy for her stunning good looks kind of makes him a more appealing character.

I heard that your body went through a pretty intense transformation for this role. Can you tell me what you had to do and some of the things you had to give up to get in shape?
Yeah, well I lost a lot of fat and put on a lot of muscle. I think I got down to about five to six percent body fat and maybe 88 kilos, which is quite lean and muscle-dense. It’s not something I’ve done before and it’s not something I’d do now. Frankly, it’s a massive, massive lifestyle choice. I’d relish the opportunity to do it again but I enjoy my food far too much to be able to maintain that constant shape.

How long after that until your body gets back to the way it was?
Oh, so quick. Disgustingly quick. Heartbreakingly quick. Within a month I was back to my old self.

How have you been adjusting to live in the show business machine?
I think it’s always a bit funny when people shun it. I’m a part of the world, I’m not shunning it. I really enjoy it, the glitz and the glamour of it. Then I like to go home and be a normal person as well. I think I’d miss it if it wasn’t there, but I don’t love it so much that I just want to occupy that world.

This is your first major promotional tour for a film. How has that experience been? 
I have to say that the hotel rooms are a brilliant thing and it can be a bit lonely sometimes, but when you’ve got a full mini bar and a wonderful staff that you can call, that’s a great experience. You get lovely food and people make sure you’re very, very well looked after. That’s absolutely delightful, but there comes a point where you kind of want to go home and cook for yourself and be around friends and family.

What do your friends back home think of all this?
They are brilliantly unfazed by it. It never changes, frankly. I think they’re very proud and they have moments where they go, “My God, this is weird, isn’t it?” I have a big group of pals and we’re all very close and I think sometimes they worry because I disappear for weeks and they don’t know what country I’m in. I think they occasionally send me little messages to make sure I’m okay, because it is a kind of detached existence.

And you have a project coming up with Hugh Jackman and one with Tom Hardy—is that right?
Yeah, the Tom Hardy one is filmed and the Hugh Jackman one I’m about to start filming. The Tom Hardy one is basically about, in the 1960s, there were two notorious twins who were gangsters—the Kray twins—and they ran London for a time.

I’m guessing that’s an incredible performance, right?
Tom—yes, he’s amazing. He plays two twins and they’re both very different. People are going to be quite shocked, actually. It’s going to be quite special. The technology—there are some wonderful examples of doubling like that. The Social Network is the one that comes to mind with the Winklevosses. I can’t imagine how much better the technology’s gotten in the past six years, or whatever. I think Tom is such a recognizable face, but he’s such a chameleon, and they did it very clever with the makeup to make him different yet recognizable. It’s really, really fun and I’ve got a nice little part in it as well. 

While you were sleeping, Drake went ahead and dropped that mysterious mixtape we've heard so much about. It's called If You're Reading This It's Too Late, and features collaborations with Lil Wayne, PARTYNEXTDOOR, and Travi$ Scott, and beats from longtime Drake acolytes Boi-1da and Noah "40" Shebib."

The 17-song collection capped off a memorable day in the rap game, which began Thursday morning, when Drake released Jungle, a 14 minute art film suggesting that new music was imminent. Later in the day, Kanye West took over New York Fashion Week and dropped a stunning track off his forthcoming album, snatching all the attention away from Drizzy. We prematurely declared that West had won the opening round of what's expected to be a year-long slugfest between the two rappers. 

We were wrong. 

While West was delivering a triumphant performance in the Flatiron district — before jetting across town to join Drake's rival Diddy at his MSG takeover — Drake was busy plotting the surprise release. Some have suggested that IYRTITL is the official followup to Drake's third LP, Nothing Was the Same, but that's simply not the case. In a handwritten thank you letter posted to the OVO website, Drake specifically refers to the collection as "the tape" which means we should still expect an official fourth album — tentatively titled Views From The 6 — later this year.

Another glaring hint that Drake has more music in store: The songs here are as experimental as anything he's ever done, with no obvious singles for radio to latch on to. In other words, its the perfect stop gap until Drake decides to really drop the hammer. Some Internet sleuths are also speculating that an "album" full of throwaway tracks is a huge middle finger to Drake's label Cash Money, and an underhanded way to fulfill his four album contract with the label. Tensions have been running high between Drake's mentor Lil Wayne and Cash Money boss Birdman, and Drake's exit from the label now feels inevtable.

 Still, there's plenty here for Drake fans to love: the woe-is-me laments, the choppy alien beats, and the eff you bragaddocio of a rapper intent on snatching that crown. Head on over to iTunes to see what we mean. 

Your move, Kanye. 

In her two previous videos for 1989, Taylor Swift did peppy and psychopathic. Now apparently it's sexy time. 

In her latest music video, "Style," Swift recreates just about every bedroom song music video cliché (there are shots of her under a sheet, running through a forest, arching her head back slowly, and looking into a broken mirror). And while she might be going for parody, it doesn't quite read that way. If you can make it through the four-minute video, you'll see Swift's face about a million times (projected onto bedroom curtains, dresses, shattered mirrors, and imagined in the rearview mirror of her lover's car), a shirtless man staring into an ocean cave, Swift caressing her body, and some weird not-quite-a-plotline plot play out. It's palm-to-the-face stuff, and nearly impossible to watch without shuddering, unless that's exactly what she was going for. In that case, great job Tay Tay! 

If you're anything like us, you want to know everything about everything. And since we do live in the age of instant/constant information (thank you, internet!), we want to know it in a fast and super-kawaii way. So, we decided to create a new video series that tells you the history of [enter topic here], illustrated in 60 seconds. For our first installment, well, we decided to cover one of the most lucrative holidays of the year, Valentine's Day.

If you think the concept of V-Day (and all of the associated candy hearts and doily cards) is weird, well, it turns out the history is a whole lot weirder. Watch the video below to discover exactly how the holiday came to be (animal sacrifices and whippings are involved, so there's that).

Related Articles:
Fifty Shades of Grey Is Better Than It Should Be: A Review

Pitchfork announced the lineup for their 2015 festival, and they're keeping it very—how shall we put this—Pitchfork. Unlike their festival brethren, where headlining spots are reserved for stadium-sized acts, Pitchfork's headliners are more acquired tastes. It's a nice touch: Wilco, Sleater-Kinney, and Chance the Rapper will close out all three nights, and while all three acts definitely have huge, and hugely devoted, fan bases, they still maintain some of that Pitchfork cred. As for the rest of the festival's lineup—which includes acts like Panda Bear, Mac DeMarco, Future Islands, Perfume Genius, and many more—there is only one word we can think of to describe it and it starts with a 'P' and ends with an 'itchfork.' The festival will be held in Chicago's Union Park on July 17, 18, and 19, and tickets are on sale this very second. You can see the festival lineup, which is filled with acts you heard before anyone else, below. 

Friday:

Wilco
Chvrches
Panda Bear
Mac DeMarco
iLoveMakonnen
Iceage
Ought
Steve Gunn
Tobias Jesso Jr.
Jessica Pratt
Natalie Prass
Ryley Walker

Saturday

Sleater-Kinney
Future Islands
New Pornographers
Todd Terje & The Olsens
Kurt Vile and the Violators
Parquet Courts
Ariel Pink
Vic Mensa
A$AP Ferg
Ex Hex
Vince Staples
Future Brown
Shamir
Mr Twin Sister
Protomartyr
Jimmy Whispers
Bully

Sunday

Chance the Rapper
Run the Jewels
Caribou
Jamie xx
Madlib & Freddie Gibbs
Courtney Barnett
Perfume Genius
Waxahatchee
SOPHIE
The Julie Ruin
Clark
How to Dress Well
A. G. Cook
Viet Cong
Mourn
Bitchin Bajas
Single Mothers

There are some things that just go well together: peanut butter and jelly; dinner and a movie; boyfriend jeans and a pair of strappy heels. And then there are some pairings that are just so out-of-this-world you don't know what to do with yourself. BFFs Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss fall into the latter.

The two have come to be the celebrity besties we're always eager to see together, whether it be on Instagram, on a shopping outing, on the Victoria's Secret runway. Now they're on the cover of Vogue's March issue, looking as adorable and attached at the hip (quite literally) as ever. It seems they're slowly checking off items off some mega best friend bucket list, and they're not slowing down anytime soon. Check out their fierce cover below.

Photo by Mikael Jansson, courtesy of Vogue

Neon Lips 

Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to choose between making out and maintaining perfect lipstick. This liquid lippie lasts approximately forever, and it's velvety texture means it's less drying than similar products. It goes on opaque with just one or two swipes, and as our makeup artist points out, the brush is so stiff that you don't need lip liner. Just swipe it on and go. We're totally obsessed with this hotter-than-hot pink, which is so vibrant it almost glows: It's a great alternative to a more classic red pout. And, if you have five extra minutes, try adding a cat-eye to your bold-lip look. Don't worry about being too delicate with your flick's shape: The lip is so pretty here that you can make the eye a little bit edgier. For the perfect cat-eye, Clarrisa says, "Start with the wing first! Create a diagonal line for the flick, and then drag it across the lash line." She also recommends not going too close to your lash line in this first step. Create the shape you want and then fill it in. 

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiore, $22; Sephora Dramatic Line 24HR Eyeliner, $14; Ukele Anika Sheer White Top, $170; Xevana Fenyx Stacklace, $186.

Goth Girl In Love

For a take on V-Day beauty that's a little darker (yet still totally gorgeous!), try this eye makeup trick. Grab a big, waterproof black eyeliner and fill in your lower waterline with it. Don't be afraid to really pile it on. Then, take a pink eyeshadow, and apply it right below the black eyeliner. Don't be too neat; smudge the two colors together with your finger so that they fade into each other. Toss on a few coats of mascara, and you've got yourself an edgy take on the theme. If you want to soften the look up a bit, do as our makeup artist did and dab some hot pink lip gloss into the center of your lips: "Then, press your lips together for an instant popsicle-stained pout," Clarissa says. 

Rimmel London Scandal Eyes Waterproof Kohl Eyeliner in Black, $4.49; Make Up For Ever Artist Shadow in Mauve Satin, $21; Gasoline Glamour Lolita Sunnies, $50.

Blush More

To make a statement, you don't need lipstick—or even eye makeup—if that's not what you're into. Instead, use some hot-pink blush for a flushed effect. Clarissa recommends using your finger to pat on some blush to the applies of your cheek, blending it out in a circular motion for a natural vibe. Once you've got that blended-out circle, take what's left on your finger and pat it outwards towards your ear. To pick the perfect eye-catching blush hue, she says to think in opposites: "If you have a warmer skin tone, choose a cool tone, and vice versa, so that it pops, making more of a shocking statement." To make this look a little more festive, try adding some sparkly lip gloss. This'll keep the focus on your cheeks while tying everything together.

ColourPop Pie, $8; MAC Dazzleglass in Bare Necessity, $20; Xevana Multi-Way Stacklace, $137.

Pink Eye

Got a fear of pink eyeshadow? Now's the time to get over it—especially once you see how cool it can look. This is pretty much a one-product look: Clarissa used her index finger to apply the hot-pink shadow on the eyelids up to the crease, intentionally being a little bit messy with the color, and then used her pinky to bring it across the lower lash line. "You'll get a rocker-chick vibe if you don't worry about being precise," she says. Skip the eyeliner, which would take away from the vibrancy of the eyeshadow, and instead pile on some mascara. Then go find someplace with a lot of foot traffic and lean casually against a wall: We're certain you'll end up on a street-style blog in no time. 

Make Up For Ever Star Powder in Iridescent Fuchsia 951, $20; Samii Ryan New Beginnings Necklace, $40.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and I feel like I haven’t been able to buy toiletries for the past two weeks without a heart-shaped balloon hitting me in the face. Thankfully, though, the thought of all of that candy going on super-sale next week brings tears of joy to my eyes, so I guess it’s not so bad.

I’m single this year, but despite my jadedness, I’m someone who—in the words of my spirit animal, Carrie Bradshaw—is looking for “ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can’t-live-without-each-other love.” This Valentine’s Day, however, it seems it just wasn’t in the cards for me. Which is fine.

But what exactly does Valentine’s Day mean for me, anyway? From a young age, I was led to believe that giving tootsie rolls and lollipops to my best friends was enough, but nowadays, it’s that very planning that can make or break the special night. I remember a couple of years ago, someone I’d just starting dating showed up at my doorstep unannounced on Valentine’s Day morning with flowers and a mixtape, but I was at the doctor. He left me an angry voicemail and I never saw him again. Also, though, what does the holiday mean for me as a member of the LGBTQI community? While sifting through "I Love You" cards during my last errand, I couldn’t help but notice the lack of holiday product targeted toward gay and lesbian couples.

Basically, as a single person and as a gay man, I feel like Valentine's Day excludes me.

Maybe most people feel like that, on some level. When I asked a friend of mine what he was doing this weekend, he said he and his boyfriend “weren’t putting that much thought into it.” And when I questioned the nonchalance in his demeanor, he replied simply, “Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a day where couples show each other why they love one another. I don’t need dinner and a bouquet of roses to validate that.” 

It seems like Valentine’s Day is in need of a rewrite—and the focus could be on love in all its many forms, not just one specific kind of monogamous, heterosexual romance. What do you guys think? 

There was a playful vibe at VFILES Made Fashion, which launched Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center on Wednesday—marking the first time the cool-kid social-networking fashion platform took NYFW’s main stage. Proving they do it differently, whether we’re talking e-commerce or an uptown show, they opened with a scooter and closed with a poodle. In between, they featured exciting looks by four crowd-sourced designers and a refreshingly diverse cast of models.

“I think it’s a huge watershed moment for the fashion industry,” said VFILES founder Julie Ann Quay backstage before the show. “I think it freaks people out.” Since Quay launched VFILES in 2012, they’ve pioneered a model of e-commerce, social networking, and original content that has changed the rules of how to be a brand or sell a fashion-forward collection. VFILES’s rapid success in only three short years is proof that the rules and gatekeepers of fashion have changed. “It’s like who put all these glass ceilings up? They don’t need to be there. If I want to be a brand or do a show, I should be able to do it,” contended Quay.

That spirit of challenging conventional stepping stones pervaded the show, which had models and makeup artists who’d never done a show before. “You know, guys here are saying, ‘Your models have never walked on a runway before, how are they going to do this?’” said Quay, who retorted, “Well they can walk and they can follow arrows, they’ll be fine!”

Quay was excited that having a show at Lincoln Center would mean big exposure for the four young designers that VFILES found within their online community. Anyone was open to submit their collection to vfiles.com and their editorial team along with a panel of mentors chose the winning four designers. “It’s really fun to put them on the global stage,” added Quay.

First came a brief display of VFILES’s own Sport Plus line, basics were modeled by decidedly not basic downtown it-girls (including Hari Nef, DeSe, Sadaf, and Alexandra Marzella), then came the four competition winners’ collections. First up on the runway was Zurich-based Julia Seeman, whose bulky denim skirts were offset by red accents, crimped hair, big floppy hats, and a few bare midriffs. Next was Beijing-born and New York-based Andrea Jiapei Li whose exaggerated collars and cuffs sung on her geometric designs that were playful yet sophisticated, featuring a palette of white, navy, tan, and burgundy accented by pink and baby blue. The only menswear designer was Hong Kong-raised Parsons grad Ximon Lee whose heavy-hanging deconstructed garments had a post-apocalyptic vibe. And finally, the show closed with Aussie duo Di$count’s sexy pop-tart designs featuring sequined cartoon illustrations, long silhouettes, and bright colors.

Quay is determined to take the buzz from this Lincoln Center debut and channel it back into their democratic model. “I think the old-school validation will help us grow. We need our message to come out of New York. I want people in the Midwest to say, ‘I can be this. I can be a superstar.’”

For some reason, the public's fascination with Fifty Shades of Grey and the word "hey" (a.k.a. "haaaaay," "haiiiiii," and "HAY") both continue to escalate. So, being the weirdos that we are, we decided to ask a ton of our friends to give us their version of the word "hey." It's strange, it's awesome, endearing at times, and, well, you'll see.

Watch below to see Whoopi Goldberg, Alfie Allen, Joe Jonas, the Workaholics crew, Kiernan Shipka, Pete Wentz, Menswear Dog, a handful of the Pitch Perfect cast, Eugene Mirman, Lil Bub, Cody Simpson, Brad Goreski, Skylar Grey, Derek Hough, and more give their take on the word.

Tomorrow is the day you express your love through presents, so in that spirit we're handing over NYLON's Twitter account to Tove Lo, one of our favorite singers. At 12:30 EST, the Swedish songstress—who had a major hit last year with "Habits (Stay High")—will be at your disposal for 30 minutes. She'll be answering any questions you may have, whether it's about her breakout year, music she's working on, or your devastating love problems. All of this will be going down with the hashtag #LoveToveLo, because we certainly do. 

Hey, witches. It’s mid-February, which means that candy hearts and capitalist notions of romance are being sold to us left and right. We’re supposed to receive jewels and roses from our lovers or else eat chocolate in the dark alone while blasting some early Alanis. But as witches we must use our magic to combat all patriarchal forces that hurt us—including the ones that tell us that we must participate in Valentine’s Day as either a happy, coupled girlfriend/wife/partner or a bitter single person. So let’s cast a love spell, shall we? 

No, I am not going to tell you to steal locks of your exes’ hair, light candles, and recite incantations to draw them back to you. I’m not even going to tell you to envision your ideal partner and cast a spell to have them manifest in your life. February 2^nd was the pagan holiday of Imbolc. Imbolc celebrates the first sign of spring and the transformation of the goddess from the Crone to the Maiden. The Maiden represents youth and new beginnings, and the Maiden’s power comes from being one who is whole as herself—without other. So let’s take this opportunity to generate some self-love, shall we?

1. Buy yourself some new gems.

No, not from Kay Jewelers! Go to your local new-age shop (or science store or anyplace that has a nice selection of stones), and pick out a piece of rose quartz. This pink gem is known for its healing properties; for its ability to help open up the heart chakra, or soothe a broken heart. There are many different gems with healing or energizing properties. Go spend some time holding different stones and seeing how they make you feel. Then choose one or a few, just for yourself.  When you bring them home, let them sit overnight in sea salt (either mixed with water or dry) in a glass or ceramic bowl or container. 

2. Make yourself a magical bath.

Adding epsom salt to your bath can help you feel grounded, and salts are readily available at most drug stores.  I also like to add a few drops of essential oil. Aromatherapist Melissa McGill, founder of Morphologically, says “Rose is great for opening and healing the heart chakra, jasmine is a euphoric, and vetiver is a musk, grounding, and animal-like, like sex.” 

3. Meditate.

Light some candles and sit quietly, holding your quartz. Take some deep breaths and imagine you are breathing through your heart.  Draw in light, warmth, and love with each inhale, and let go of negativity, doubt, and anxiety with each exhale. You might write an affirmation or spell to recite to yourself while you do this.  It can be as simple as “I am love” or something like “I am open to draw in the love that surrounds me, so that I may share this love freely.” 

4. Masturbate

Did you really think I was going to write a witchy, self-love to-do list and leave out sacred sexuality? Make time to do this. It is important for witches to learn about their bodies and desires, which can and do change all the time. Plus there are real physical benefits. 

5. Activate.

One of the best ways we can generate love is to give it away. One of the great witches of our time, Starhawk, has talked about the importance of witches being activists. This means that we don’t just create rituals to make ourselves feel good, but that we also “need to use our magical tools to face the stark and overwhelming realities that confront us, acknowledge our feelings, and transmute them into the energy we need for change.” Is there an organization in your community that needs some volunteers? A local park that needs some cleaning up? A neighbor that needs help shoveling snow? Sign up. Using our abilities to help others and ignite positive change in the world is real live magic in action. 

And finally, because, you’ve read this far, and I know you might very well be aching for romantic love this Valentine’s Day, I’ll tell you a secret. If you take time and make magical self-love a priority, you will not only be feeling good on your own as you spread love to your immediate surroundings—you’ll without a doubt attract it, too.

Elizabeth Koke is a writer, activist, and second-generation witch who lives and works and practices magic in New York City.