Shailene Woodley is our April cover star, and if there’s one thing we’ve learned from our time with her, it’s that she’s literally the coolest. The short-haired, sisterhood-loving actress is everywhere right now, thanks to the hype around the upcoming release of Insurgent. But based on her talent, brains, and unique, tomboy-chic style, Shailene is poised to be a Hollywood mainstay. All this despite the fact that she once called acting a hobby, saying she’d walk away if it ever become a career. When we asked if she feels the same way now, she said, “It’s still just a hobby, just something that I live and breathe to do.”

In our cover story, Shailene opens up about The Fault in Our Stars and Divergent, telling us about her experiences playing the instantly iconic characters Hazel Grace and Tris. Here’s what else to look forward to in our April issue.

On her career path: “Two years ago it was very easy for me to understand and also emotionally tell the story of a 16-year-old, and now, I feel like I could not tell that story as truthfully because I just can’t empathize with it. I’m not there on an emotional level anymore.”

On playing Tris in the Divergent series: “Tris was not born a superhero, but what I love about her is that you can watch her progression into a strong young woman. Whenever I go back to playing Tris, I feel like, yes, I’m going back to Tris, but I am also going back to Shai and who Shai was in 2012, and who she was in 2014. If I hadn’t changed, it would be easier...but the last two years have been very powerful for me. I’m starting to empower myself.”

On why Tris is important: “When fear comes knocking on her door, she doesn’t run away—she stands up to it…. And I thought that was a really beautiful message to be sending out to young women.”

On not identifying as a feminist: “The reason why I don’t like to say that I am a feminist or I am not a feminist is because to me it’s still a label. I do not want to be defined by one thing. Why do we have to have that label to divide us? We should all be able to embrace one another regardless of our belief system and regardless of the labels that we have put upon ourselves.”   

On media scrutiny and celebrity culture: “I mean, if we spent as much energy focusing on the genocide that’s going on right now in parts of Africa as we spent on that one article, think about what we could accomplish. Change is not going to come from focusing on the small things that actors say.”

Click through the gallery to check out the beyond-gorgeous photos from the story, and don’t miss NYLON’s entire April issue, out on March 31, 2015. 

Spending time searching for the most unique clothes and accessories, connecting with customers on social media, and putting together cohesive personal styles—online boutique owners sure have a dream job, and they certainly know their way around the web. While anyone may be able to open their own vintage Etsy shop, it takes a little more planning and strategy to start an online shop from scratch. That's why we talked to three of our favorite online boutique owners to find out just how it's done.

Lauren Jade Katz of Emerging Thoughts, Sarah Lorsung Tvrdik of Hello Holiday, and Lisa Williams of Lisa Says Gah weighed in on the things that help to make an online shop thrive from the get-go. Follow their advice and your shop-owning dreams may become a reality.

1. Make a Plan

Before starting any creative venture, it’s necessary to have a sense of the direction you’re moving in—no matter how much that direction may change over time. As a business, online boutiques require careful thought and planning, whether they grow slowly or become established right away. Depending on your background, current job, and current place in life, the ways you can develop your online boutique vary.

Lorsung Tvrdik developed her plan for Hello Holiday with her business partner Megan Hunt after a late-night meeting. The two wrote their business plan, formed an LLC, and took out loans to start up their business venture. “Looking back almost 3 years later, our business plan was pretty funny and our budgetary numbers were very off from reality,” she says. “But writing that plan really helped us in deciding how to spend our initial funds (mostly inventory and building out our website) and allowed us to decide early on what our branding identity would look like.”

While Lorsung Tvrdik and Hunt came to their business from freelance stylist and bridal designer backgrounds respectively, Williams opened her shop after years of e-commerce experience, leaving her buyer job at Nasty Gal to move to San Francisco and open Lisa Says Gah this past July. “It’s possible to start an online shop without any previous e-commerce or buying experience, but you’ll be years ahead if you put in the time at an established company first,” she says.

However, it’s still possible to start slowly, if you’re simply bored by your full-time job but unable to quit just yet or if you’re busy managing other side projects. Katz began Emerging Thoughts as a hobby in 2006 when she was living and working in New York City. “I started by purchasing inventory I liked off of LiveJournal—designers used to sell their stuff via blog posts,” she says. Once her shop started taking off, she quit her job and placed full focus on her growing business. 

2. Figure Out Personal Finances

Opening a shop is an investment—you won’t be rolling in the dough the second you open for business. These things take time, which means that you may have to wait a while before cutting yourself a paycheck and also strike a balance between working on your startup and earning a living doing other jobs.

While Katz kept her office job in NYC during the beginning phases of Emerging Thoughts, living in Manhattan made handling finances trickier. “I couldn't afford an office space so I stored some inventory, like the accessories, in my stove,” she says. After quitting her office job, she moved to Chicago to cut down on living (and office space) expenses.

Lorsung Tvrdik and her business partner Hunt also worked other jobs before shifting all their focus on their blossoming business. “As a startup, it’s really important to be able to focus your funds on the things you need to run your business right and most small business owners aren’t able to start out taking a salary,” she says. “But at the same time, you need to live, so having another job or another source of income is the best way to get by in the beginning.”

3. Find a Platform

Before you can sell a single item, it’s necessary to figure out just how you’re going to to sell things on the internet in the first place. “Building your own site from scratch isn't something you want to get caught up in first off unless you have a skilled friend that’s willing to help,” says Williams. Luckily, there are plenty of e-commerce sites available to make establishing your virtual shop a no-hassle experience. Lorsung Tvrdik swears by Shopify, an e-commerce software that can be used to sell items in-person and online: “It’s very user friendly and customizable from a design standpoint. We’re able to contact them easily about any issues we’re experiencing and they’re very quick to assist and are always adding new features to their platform.”

Photo via Lisa Says Gah.

4. Develop Your Style and Brand

Once you’ve sorted out your business plan and general set-up, the creative part can officially begin: branding. And with hundreds, if not thousands of online boutiques floating around the internet, it’s essential to make your shop stand out with an easy-to-remember name and a definitive, original style. “Imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery. It's the sincerest form of laziness,” says Katz. “People will commend you for being unique.”

While style can change over time, store offerings should reflect that change. “We updated our branding about a year ago to reflect the styling direction Hello Holiday had taken. We’re now a little less vintage-inspired, a little more vintage-modern, lots of ‘60s inspired pieces, funny prints, badass tees and some really smokin’ handmade lingerie. And we’re focusing on small designers now more than ever,” says Lorsung Tvrdik. As for Williams, Lisa Says Gah has always been about quality over quantity. “It’s not about pushing trends or fast fashion,” she says. “We take the guesswork out of shopping and provide a well curated selection for the conscious consumer by exclusively working with designers who are creating timeless original pieces.” With their unique perspectives, these shops have been able to stay true to their brand, making them distinctive and memorable in a sea of online shops.

5. Scout Out Inventory

With a personal brand established, a shop needs inventory to match. With so many online shops run by big brands and designers, what most helps an online boutique to thrive is unique products that can be found anywhere from Etsy, blogs, buying markets, and showrooms.

Lorsung Tvrdik and her team have started searching for inventory at the WWD Magic Marketplace in Las Vegas twice a year, and they have plans to travel to New York in the fall. While the co-founders established the general aesthetic of Hello Holiday, choosing exactly what to stock in the shop is a larger team effort. “I’ll often pick a dress up at market and say, ‘Can’t you see Jenny/Katie/Pavielle loving this?’ and our small buying team informally votes on how we think something will do, sales-wise,” says Lorsung Tvrdik.

For Williams, choosing inventory has been a more intimate experience. “To insure that our shoppers have an original selection to choose from we skip the major tradeshows and mostly shop in small showrooms of New York and LA by appointment,” she says. “Reaching out to designers directly has also been a big part of our process—working with international designers involves a lot of lookbooks and email correspondence.”

With a penchant for crazy-cool handmade goods, Katz has found the depths of the internet to be most helpful when stocking Emerging Thoughts. “I am an insomniac so I pretty much spend my nights on Etsy, obscure fashion blogs, and Googling weird search terms. I've found a lot of unique merchandise by clicking deep into Instagram accounts,” she says. However, working with small-scale designers and artists has its own challenges. “Last year I was working with a college student who handmade products in her dorm room,” she says. “I had to wait for her to fill my re-order because she was busy studying for finals.”

6. Ship Out Orders

Once products are selected for a shop’s inventory, they must be ordered, either from designers, individual artists, or wholesale companies. Katz, Lorsung Tvrdik, and Williams all keep their inventory on-site and have teams to help package and ship orders—but that means a lot of trips to the post office, so staying organized is crucial.

To make the shipping process less hectic, Lorsung Tvrdik recommends ShipStation, an an e-commerce shipping fulfillment platform. “ShipStation integrates with Shopify to easily sync our orders and do things like print packing slips and shipping labels,” she says. “We do all of our shipping in-house because it allows us to quality-control what we’re sending out, add signature packaging, write personal notes, and send a little something extra to customers from time to time.”

Photo via Emerging Thoughts.

7. Create a Reputation

To truly stand out from the crowd, Emerging Thoughts, Hello Holiday, and Lisa Says Gah shy away from traditional advertising, relying instead on blogger relationship and social media to help draw their followings.

While Williams and Katz point to word-of-mouth as their most tried-and-true form of advertising, Lorsung Tvrdik has found partnerships with bloggers to be especially beneficial. “We work time and time again with bloggers like Rebecca of The Clothes Horse, Kailey of Mermaidens and Jenny of She Loves Dresses because they’re genuine and creative people and I think that really shines through in the work they do,” she says. “We ‘advertise’ with them but since it’s from their point of view, it doesn’t feel like an ad.”

Through social media, these shop owners have also been able to connect and communicate with their customers, and develop a following on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. “A happy customer will post about their purchase on social media, and that organic, free advertising means more to me than paying a popular blogger to promote it,” says Katz.

8. Consider Expanding to the Storefront

After a boutique is established online, there still lies the potential to expand. Selling items in-person can help to advertise an online shop and create new connections.

Katz suggests that new shop owners go local to develop a larger network of customers. “Cross promote with local shops. If you're starting an online shoe shop, have a pop-up shop in your favorite coffee shop. Become a vendor at your city's artisan market. Have private shopping events every month,” she says. Besides helping to advertise your online boutique, holding a pop-up shop can also provide valuable face-to-face time with customers. “It gives us a chance to go brick-and-mortar without long term commitment and connect with our clients in person. Events like this provide an invaluable point of intersection for the creative community,” says Williams.

However, for other shops, establishing a brick and mortar shop ends up being the next logical move for expansion. Hello Holiday recently opened up a storefront attached to its Omaha offices. “We now run our online shop and can offer easy in-store pickup and shopping for our local customers. ‘cause ya know, online shopping is awesome and all but sometimes your cute-as-hell cousin comes in from out of town and you want to take them shopping—the world needs boutiques too,” says Lorsung Tvrdik.

Photo via Hello Holiday.

9. Don’t Give Up So Easily

From the very first moments of developing a business plan to connecting with customers and shipping out orders, starting and running an online boutique is not an easy feat—but that’s not to say that it isn’t rewarding. By putting their plans into actions despite any roadbumps, Katz, Lorsung Tvrdik, and Williams have all made their dreams a reality. “If you have a real vision that you know will eventually take off, then it will,” says Katz. “I've cried in post offices, considered throwing my printer out the window, wondered if I should just close my shop and get a regular office job. Find your vision and stick with it.”

It's not hard to imagine the pitch meeting for the new sci-fi blockbuster, Pixels: "A bunch of classic characters from '80s video games invade Earth, and a group of nerds need to stop them. Think Ghostbusters meets Independence Day meet Wreck-It Ralph." Sold! That's the incredibly silly premise of this upcoming action comedy, and despite the fact that the big bad villains are—no joke—Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and their crew of arcade icons, it actually looks pretty fun! Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Josh Gad, and our one true love Peter Dinklage star as the squad charged with saving the planet from these space invaders (see what we did there?). Pixels and Peter Dinklage's mullett hits theaters on July 26.

My World, My Words is a series of first-person essays featuring totally unique, inspiring personal experiences unlike anything you've heard before. The most interesting stories are also often the most overlooked, so we're on a mission to find them and share them with you. Written by people from all walks of life, these essays will move you in ways you might not expect—and that's the point.

At 25, I think I generally have it pretty together. I work really hard; I’ve made it through some tough times; and I’ve even learned some things in my quarter-life, like that high-waisted pants are actually flattering and some friends are better left behind. Despite those things, I often feel like having confidence in who I am and what I want is something I preach more than I practice. After talking to a group of similar-aged girlfriends about it, I realized that collectively our confidence level has stagnated. Maybe that’s just life, but it seems to me that when a group of smart, independent women can’t admit that they deserve what they work hard for, or worse, ask for what they want out of life without apologizing, we have a problem. 

Now, enter my nieces. Ellie is six and her sister Abbie is eight. Miraculously, there are times when it seems like they literally couldn’t care less about what anyone thinks of them. Case in point: They both are in cheerleading and they’re actually very good at it, but I've heard people, even family members, make fun of them for their sport of choice. Abbie, being the older and wiser one, generally seems unaffected, but Ellie, the cheekier of the duo, gives one of those awkward-kid dirty looks and then does a back handspring that would put me in the hospital if I tried. With the freedom from adult consequences, these two little girls possess a type of self-assurance that I don’t know if I could emulate on my best day. 

I asked Ellie what she thought it would be like when she is in her 20s. At first she was nervous, like she didn’t want to offend me, then she said, “A woman is just like a big girl. Being a woman is probably harder than it is to be me. You have to like go to places, and you always have to rush to get there, even when it’s cold. But it’s definitely awesome because you could wear makeup everyday if you want to. Actually you can do anything that you want to.” 

“Anything you want” is much more romantic from the eyes of a child but I knew where she was going. She explained, “You don’t have to be in school anymore because you learned how to read and do what you want to do. Like after I learn to be a dentist, I can just do that.” Just like that, she thinks. "What if no one hires you?" I asked. Abbie chimed in, “Then we’re just going to own the dentist office!” 

After 25 years of life, including schooling, jobs, and general passion, I still can’t say the word “writer” without feeling weird or nervous, so I wondered how they could possibly be so confident in their dental aspirations.  While I recognize that children who are still putting teeth under the pillow at night may not grasp the idea of graduate school, their goals are very convincing.

After asking me to explain what confidence means, Ellie said,  “I just am. If I know I want to do it, I’m just going to do it. Sometimes I get really nervous before I have to do things like school work or cheerleading but then I just have to say to myself, This is gonna happen, I’ve got to just get out there and do it.”

The girls definitely have a point about how much your inner dialogue affects your confidence, but I realize that they both have each other to help them. I can certainly understand the importance of strong female relationships in your life. Between my nieces, sisters, and incredible female friends, my girlfriends are the one constant that I can count on to give me a boost when I need it. As I’ve gotten older, though, boyfriends, jobs, and just life in general gets in the way and it’s harder and harder to maintain these relationships. After I explained this part of adulthood to Ellie, she looked at me perplexed and said, “Yeah, I always am going to have girl friends. Nothing is as fun as when you get to hang out with your best friend and you can just be sassy together.”

Sassiness is something I can definitely get behind. In general, I am a pretty tame person, though I’ve been known to tell someone off if it’s necessary. But when it comes to bullies or haters or whatever you want to call them, as much as I say it doesn’t affect me long term, it does. I am a total ruminator.  Even when someone flips me off on the highway it takes me a little while to get over it. Meanwhile, as I’m talking to Ellie she’s wearing a cheer bow that says, “doubt me, then watch me.”

As I’m finishing this article, I am having the most unnecessarily intense battle with myself. I asked my boyfriend to read the story and as he did, I literally paced around my bedroom regretting it the entire time. Are my nieces able to act like they do because the weight of what it actually means to be an adult female in this society has not set in? Or, is it because somewhere along the line, we’re made to feel like we can’t do it all? 

All I know is this: No one ever explicitly told me that I can’t do the things I want, but somewhere along the way I began to tell myself that I couldn’t. But self-confidence isn't something we should age out of. Maybe we all need to look at how these two little girls feel about themselves and try to find it within ourselves again. 

For more My World, My Words, check out:
What It's Like To Be Genderqueer At An All-Women's Naked Spa
We Lost Our First Apartment In The Hurricane
I Left NYC To Travel The World Alone

If you, like us, have been wearing layers of black, white, and gray all winter, Rihanna’s outfit is about to bring your wardrobe back to life. With a combo of warm-weather-ready pastels, she’s working with a color palette that’s a little prettier, a little more precious than what we’ve been rocking since November—and that’s why we’re so drawn to it. There’s nothing to edge-up an outfit quite like a slit in a dress that shows off a thigh tattoo, though, so despite the whimsical colors, girlfriend still looks super cool.

The ensemble—a shiny pink coat with beaded cuffs, buttons, and collar, with a lilac slip dress underneath—is from Holly Fulton. To get a similar look without dropping major cash on couture, just try wearing solid color pastel pieces over each other. Spring is all about newness, after all. Might as well switch things up in a major way, no matter how committed you’ve been to that post-goth vibe. 

Photo by Cooper Neill / Getty Images

If you've ever seen Eric André's self-titled variety show, you're very aware of how wildly unpredictable he can be. So when we were looking for a celebrity to interview themself, André was a no-brainer. Watch along as the comedian tries to figure out what life is like 15 frames in the future. 

The closer summer gets, the more unacceptable spending a day/week/month with your BFF Netflix becomes. But based on the streaming giant's impressive April slate, they don't plan on letting you go outside without a fight. Among the more tantalizing titles: The hugely anticipated Netflix original series Daredevil—which kicks off their promising partnership with Marvel—drops April 10; last year's buzziest horror movie The Babadook will give you all the nightmares beginning April 14; and rookie director Ana Lily Amirpour's must-see debut, the sexy and subversive vampire mash-up, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, debuts on April 21. Click through the gallery to see what else is coming to Netflix this spring. 

When I was nearing the end of my elementary school career, I learned one important thing—aside from academic matters, of course—that has stuck with me: When you need to make a semi-acceptable outfit look cool and become weather-appropriate, throw on a denim jacket. With that realization, I began to stock up on indigo jackets of all sorts. Now, half of my closet is filled with just about every oversized, cropped, snug, embroidered, raw, and distressed style imagined since the mid-'90s. With spring just around the corner, I'm looking to stock up even more (yes, I may have a problem). Click through the gallery to see (and shop) my top 12 picks.

Katie and Jamie sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. Or, according to an explosive new photo courtesy of (who else) Us Weekly: Katie Holmes and Jamie Foxx hanging out at NASA, H-O-L-D-I-N-G hands. And though our modified version of the classic playground song is a lot less salacious than the original, it's still pretty juicy. 

News of a Holmes/Foxx tryst first broke nearly two years ago, but according to sources close to the duo, things between the divorcees have evolved into something far more serious. Now that we have the first piece of real evidence, it appears that the two mega-stars are indeed a thing. "Jamie is someone she can trust and have fun with," a mutual friend confessed to the celebrity glossy. "She's getting everything from Jamie that she didn't get with Tom."

People magazine is also getting in on the rumor-mongering, citing sources that—despite spending major QT together for well over a year—the relationship is still pretty casual. "This is not some intense romance," the source revealed. "Jamie and Katie are friends and have been for a long time. They are two adults who are attractive and single, and so apparently conclusions will be drawn." 

So what is it: Just friends or hot and heavy? Can In Touch please weigh in? We need someone to break this tie, stat. 

(via Us Weekly)

UPDATE: Kendall Jenner tweeted: "Shame on US Weekly for making up quotes. I NEVER said those things. I never spoke to them." We have reached out to Us Weekly for a comment. Stay tuned for updates.

After months filled with rumors and Photoshop-fueled tabloid "journalism," the Jenners are finally opening up about Bruce's transition. Backstage at the Justin Bieber Comedy Central roast, US Weekly spoke to Kendall Jenner, who—for the first time—publicly spoke about her father's gender identity. "I love my dad. He's always been there for me and my sisters," she said. "He's a wonderful man. And just because he's changing shoes now, so to speak, doesn't make him less wonderful. I will always love my dad, whether he's a man or a woman."

Recently, when asked about the transition rumors by Love magazine, Kris said, "I'm not even answering that. It's just dumb." Kendall's words are a stark contrast to what Kris said, and hopefully a sign that the family is supporting Bruce's journey. However, this brief statement from Kendall still leaves a question in our minds about what pronouns Bruce is using—and the fact that she asserts that "he's a wonderful man" while also saying saying she'll love him "whether he's a man or a woman" seems a little contradictory. But, of course, this whole experience is new to Kendall, and what counts is her attitude—which is refreshingly thoughtful and positive. 

(via Us Weekly)

After posting a revealing bikini 'gram of herself recently, Hilary Duff is back with another glimpse of her total transformation. The singer posted a selfie of what looks like a very Kylie Jenner-inspired 'do. The resemblance is so uncanny that we imagine she literally brought a picture of Kylie to her colorist (and, if we're being honest, we've done that too).

While Kylie doesn't still have this teal ombré, we think this is the perfect example of how beauty can be just as cyclical as fashion. We guess one minute you're blonde, and the next you're not. It's far too early to call this famous hairstyle "vintage," but it's safe to say that this is indeed "the Kylie." 

Looks like America’s pop-rock princess has decided to put her single life on hold. According to Grazia, Taylor flew over 2,000 miles across the country to see Calvin Harris play a gig at Hakkasan in Las Vegas on March 8. The Scottish DJ reportedly sent the private jet to New York, where Taylor boarded alongside her beloved girl gang—Ellie Goulding, Selena Gomez, and the Haim sisters, before jetting over to Sin City. We didn’t get an invite, but that’s okay. 

The two have been linked since the 2015 BRIT Awards in February, where they were seen indulging in a major flirt sesh. Let’s not forget that the DJ split from his girlfriend of seven months, model Aarika Wolf, right around the time of the BRIT Awards. An insider told Grazia that they’ve been texting every day and that “Taylor has told friends she can’t get him out of her head.” According to Grazia, this means the couple is official. We have our doubts, but who doesn’t love a good T. Swift dating rumor? 

Also, we can’t help but think of all the potentially spectacular music collabs that could come from this. Long live Harriswift!

(via Grazia)

Hold the phone. The upcoming Amy Winehouse documentary, Amy, directed by the super-talented, BAFTA-winning director Asif Kapadia, has set a release date. 

Altitude Film has announced that the film will hit U.K. theaters on July 3 (unfortunately, no U.S. release date has been announced yet, so if you’re overseas enjoying some tea and crumpets this July, you’ll want to check this out). According to the press release, the documentary is told in Winehouse’s own words, and features “previously unheard tracks” and “extensive unseen archive footage” of the late musical queen. 

“About two years ago we decided to make a movie about her–her career and her life,” said David Joseph, U.K. CEO and Chairman of Universal Music Group, Winehouse’s former label. “It’s a very complicated and tender movie. It tackles lots of things about family and media, fame, addiction, but most importantly, it captures the very heart of what she was about, which is an amazing person and a true musical genius.”

Joseph’s comment has already got us feeling all the feels, so a tissue box is going to be much needed when this film premieres.

(via NME)

In case you haven't heard, Reebok Classics are back and brighter than ever. You've already seen them on New York's coolest It girls and now we're giving you a look at how Cali goes classic. Watch to see how musician Paris Carney rocks her hot pink Ventilator Day Glos in downtown L.A.. Whether you’re grabbing lattes at your favorite local spot, scoping out your city’s art district or having spontaneous jam sessions with your best friends, a bright pair of Classics make for the perfect go-to kicks. With a multitude of colorful options, it’s the perfect sneaker to fit your vibrant, art-filled lifestyle. 

Last night, NYLON partnered with SXSW and Original Penguin to host the first ever official closing party for SXStyle at the Palm Door on Sabine in Downtown Austin, and it was awesome. Attendees danced the night away to a fuse of DJ sets and live performances by The Knocks, Mia Moretti, Kaneholler, Elliphant, and Summer Moon (while sipping on tasty creations by Austin Cocktails). They also walked away with some sick goodie bags from our sponsors OGX, Original Penguin, and Lyft!

But for those who unfortunately couldn't make it out to party with us, no worries. Click through the gallery above to see how some of the festival's coolest partygoers got down.

If last summer's most popular viral campaign had you sprinting for someplace warm, its successor will have you bee-lining it to the nearest dentist. The Twizzler Challenge—in which two people chomp on a piece of licorice from opposite ends until their lips lock a la Lady and the Tramp—has caught fire over social media in recent days, and looks primed to replace the ultra-ubiquitous Ice Bucket Challenge of a year ago as this year's most popular cause célèbre. 

While last year's every-celebrity-ever-endorsed campaign was geared towards ALS research (it raised over $115 million), this year's iteration is in the name of Autism awareness, and began on Comedy Central's popular benefit show Night of Too Many Stars, when Orange is The New Black's Uzo Aduba and Today Show co-host Willie Geist accomplished the feat in front of a national audience. 

Since then, Geist's colleagues Matt Lauer, Kathie Lee Gifford and Meredith Vieira have all taken part, but the real proof that The Twizzler Challenge has real legs came Wednesday, after Lena Dunham and Allison Williams accepted and slaughtered it. After confessing that she has a cold (not cool, Lena), the Girls stars challenged Broad City BFFs Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer. If comedy's newest golden girls accept, they have the chance to turn this from a niche meme into a full blown cultural phenomenon. No pressure, though. 

 

Here @aw and I are taking the #TwizzlerChallenge ❤️pass it on! twizzlerchallengeforautism.org #NightofTooManyStars #NYC4a

A video posted by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on Mar 18, 2015 at 9:28am PDT

 

Here is who @aw & I challenge to the twizzler challenge! @ktqlowes & @guillermodiazreal, @ilanusglazer & @abbijacobson AND Rita Wilson & Larry David. Go! #NYC4a #TwizzlerChallenge

A video posted by Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) on Mar 18, 2015 at 9:41am PDT

If you're in search of a no-fuss way to look polished, or just growing tired of your beauty look, you should try shuffling a crisp nude lip into your routine. With one coat, the right shade balances your skin tone and enhances your lip's shape. For a refined look, prep your lips with a nude lipliner and then apply the color with a brush. For a more natural, cool look, tap the color to your lips with your fingertips and soften the edges.

Click through the gallery to see our top nude lipstick picks, at every budget.

Think sex and books have nothing in common? We beg to differ—from personal experience. While there are few things as effective for learning about sex as, well, having it, the written word is a close runner-up. There are certain books that we credit with opening our minds to all sorts of things of the "how to" variety, but also the deeper, more abstract emotional aspects of sex. From how our gender identities play into our sex lives to the politics of sex in our current world, our favorite sex books really go there, and subsequently allow us to go there, too. 

Click through the gallery for our favorite sex-related reads, and let us know what your picks are. 

Today is...
Goddess of Fertility Day! It's a random holiday that celebrates Aphrodite and other gods and goddesses of fertility, so get to baby makin'.

News of the Day:
+ Madonna asked Justin Bieber if he's ever had sex with two different people in the same day. Watch them play Never Have I Ever with Ellen here.

+ This new Hunger Games trailer leaves us guessing...

+ For whatever reason, Pee-Wee's Big Holiday has begun filming.

+ New Sex and The City scenes leaked on YouTube. Just like that, we're transported back to the days of third-person omniscient Carrie all over again.

+ You can now listen to Shia LaBeouf's heartbeat. No, seriously.

Deal of the Day:
ASOS is having a 20% off sale on "ideal" dresses. Whatever that means, who cares?!

Advice of the Day:
“I mean, if we spent as much energy focusing on the genocide that’s going on right now in parts of Africa as we spent on that one article, think about what we could accomplish. Change is not going to come from focusing on the small things that actors say.”’ - our April cover star, Shailene Woodley

GIF of the Day:

Which is better, NYC or London? We're perpetually torn about it, so we asked our cover girl Rita Ora to weigh in. Watch as she discusses the pros and cons of both cities, with the help of a special guest to illustrate her points. And then let us know what you think about which city reigns supreme.