Whether it’s an understated, delicate ring or a sculptural statement necklace, there is nothing like piece of well-designed jewelry to instantly up the ante on your wardrobe. And with more and more indie designers putting a totally unique spin on their pieces, handmade jewelry is about as close as you can get to rocking art on your body (the non-permanent kind, anyway). Jaime Derringer, founder of Design Milk, gets that, which is why last week she formally launched Adorn Milk: a brand-new curated collection of eclectic, unconventional jewelry, made for people with an appreciation for all things design. Or, in Derringer’s words, people who are more about form and craft than, you know, bling.

Nearly a decade ago, Derringer launched a little blog to pay homage to good design found all around the world. Today, Design Milk is one of the most well-respected design hubs on the web. Adorn Milk, which officially launched last week, is Derringer’s latest endeavour: a way to share some of her favorite designers and artisans she’s encountered over many years of hunting down the best design in the world.

From delicate, matte-black geometric earrings to over-the-top statement necklaces, each and every piece on the site is handpicked by Derringer herself (and with over 150 offerings, we’re guessing it’s keeping her pretty busy). Derringer describes the collection as “architectural, high-quality, handmade adornments,” with more designers to come each month and possibly some exclusive partnerships in the works, too. “My goal is to keep it highly curated, so I don’t necessarily want every piece from one line,” Derringer says. “I want to handpick everything to make it more special.” Some of the pieces that made it from her own jewelry box onto the site include this stainless steel pendant and chain by Yumi Endo, these simple OfMatter studs, and this thing of beauty made from copper, rope, and wool. 

The venture was inspired by Derringer’s own collection: When strangers kept complimenting her on her unique pieces—and asking her where they could find them—she realized she might be on to something. She tells us that she never set out to be particularly into jewelry, it just happened as she encountered more and more cool pieces of art that she could actually wear. “I didn’t feel like there was one place out there that designed for people who loved architectural pieces, or that was trying to establish these jewelry designers as being true designers in the design world,” she tells us. “I wanted to bring them into the forefront of the conversation I’m having with everybody else.”

As for the pieces themselves? Let’s just say you’d be hard-pressed to find anything like this at a shopping mall. Derringer is mostly working with smaller, emerging designers, especially those whose creations are handmade or one-of-a-kind. “I think our customers will be less interested in getting it the next day, more interested in the story behind it,” she adds. “I’m hoping whoever appreciates these will appreciate them for the craftsmanship, the thought behind the actual design of the pieces, and how it fits on your body.”

Check out our favorite pieces in the gallery. 

Friday, March 20^th at exactly 6:45pm the sun will cross over the equator from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere. This event is also known as the Spring Equinox and marks the first official moments of spring.  Witches often refer to this day as Ostara, a name derived from Eostre, the Germanic goddess of spring. 

It is a time to celebrate rebirth after the cold, dark, winter months. 

This year the Spring Equinox coincides with a total solar eclipse and a new moon, so it’s an extra-magical day. New moons are a good opportunity for a fresh start and to set some good intentions for the lunar month, and so when one coincides with the Spring Equinox is it is like the universe is giving us an extra little push of momentum and telling us to pay a little more attention to the inevitable shifts and growth opportunities about to happen. 

Here is a little ritual you can do alone or with friends.

Assemble an altar. 

Put a candle in each of the four directions with one in the middle for the universe (or god/goddess, great spirit, whichever you prefer). Then decorate your altar with items which represent the elements associated with each direction: North represents Earth, South represents the element of Fire, East represents Air, and West represents water. You might put a feather near the candle facing east, and a bowl of water near the candle facing west, for example. Then, because it is the Spring Equinox, decorate your altar with flowers, and put an egg for each of the witches joining you for the ritual in the center of the circle. For the Spring Equinox ritual, also get some packets of seeds, paper towels, and water. 

Cast a circle. 

Walk the perimeter of your circle clockwise and draw in the air with your hands or a wand the area to mark the outside boundaries of the circle. Welcome in each of the four corners, going clockwise starting with the East, and lighting each candle as you do. Welcome in the univerise as you light the candle in the center.

You might start by reading something (like a poem or an excerpt from your favorite book) or playing a song that reminds you of springtime and new beginnings. Next hand each of the witches in your circle an egg. It's popular lore that one can balance an egg at the moment of the Equinox. Whether or not this is true, the egg serves as a great symbol for this time of year. Spend some time meditating or talking with each other about the areas of your life that could use some balancing, and how you want to align your life with your goals and who you want to be while you attempt to balance your eggs. Don’t worry if you can’t get them to balance! This is more of a meditation rather than actually getting your egg to stand up. 

Next, pass out the packets of seeds and paper towels. Spend some time thinking and talking about the areas of your life you would like to see blossom more fully in the coming months. As you wet your paper towels and place the seeds in them for sprouting, state these intentions aloud. You might name a different one for each of the seeds you are going to sprout.  (After the circle you can watch the seeds sprout and then transfer them into a pot with soil.)

You might choose to finish with reading or song, and then you can open the circle. Thank each of the corners and elements as you extinguish the candles in a counter-clockwise direction, starting with the North.  

Once the circle is open, it is good to move the energy around and have some snacks and drinks (in other words, commence dance party!). Happy Spring, witches.

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

We're a culture of instant gratification–our impulses are enabled by perpetual, technological connectivity. All it takes is a tap tap and a swipe to satiate any desire. Wait, swipe left: ALMOST any desire. While apps certainly help manifest the material, one force still transcends algorithmic quantification, much less human speculation: Love.

Or is it lust, or is it sex, or is it I don’t know what this feeling is but I just want you here and— “I want it now,” as Acid Dad croons on their courageous debut single, "Brain Body," premiering here. The psych-punk quintet abandons the symmetry of verse-chorus-verse-chorus song structure in favor of a simmering crescendo and climax, reflecting the inner cacophony of attraction, love, lust, and the intensity of insatiable hungers.

Echoes of Black Sabbath and Syd Barrett reverberate across the track both sonically and lyrically, as a vacillation as old as time plays out: “(Is it) my body, my brain, my body, my brain…?”

From a brooding, billowing build up to a release of tenacious sexual determination, the song is a humbling testament in and of itself to the heart’s irrationality. Because as we all know, just because you swipe right, doesn’t mean they will. 

Discoheads will be excited to learn that legendary group Chic feat. Nile Rodgers just put out a video for the first single off their first album in 20 years, It's About Time. Everything-else-heads will be excited to learn that the video stars none other than Karlie Kloss.

Directed by Inez & Vinoodh, the surprisingly racy clip for "I'll Be There,"—a funky disco romp if there ever was one—features the supermodel just casually lounging around in a cropped sweatshirt and lace underwear, as supermodels tend to do. And of course, if you're Karlie Kloss there's no way you're staying home on a Saturday night. Instead, you try on your best club gear, eventually settle on a dazzling one-piece, and paint the town fifty shades of red. Check it out below. 

Calling all fans of Marc by Marc Jacobs: We're going to ask that you sit down. According to some pretty persistent rumors, the affordable, edgy offshoot of Marc Jacobs' signature line is on the verge of folding. Women's Wear Daily reports that the Katie Hiller and Leulla Bartley-led line is expected to be absorbed by Jacobs' signature luxury label. A date for the discontinuation has not yet been set. 

According to WWD, the move is intended to unify the brand with a "clarity of voice and aesthetic." And if you're worried that you'll no longer be able to afford clothing that bares the fashion czar's name, fear not. Jacobs' new, unified label is expected to sell items at a variety of price points. 

Since debuting in 2001, Marc by Marc Jacobs was a soaring success for the designer, and accounts for 70% of Jacobs' revenue, hence the shockwaves that are circulating through the fashion world on the heels of the startling news. Then again, this is Marc Jacobs we're talking about—and as his many collections can attest, he rarely makes mistakes. 

 (via WWD)

There seems to be an unspoken rule that Instagram is solely reserved for pristinely arranged, perfectly edited shots of the most gorgeous and exciting parts of your life. But rules are meant to be broken, right? These 10 female comedians use their Instagrams to impart their humor to the world, and they will flood your feed with the kind of laughter you've only known on Snapchat.

From text message exchanges to selfies in pilgrim garb, these women are unafraid to share their cheekiest, most unpolished, and genuinely hilarious selves.

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Ten years ago, M.I.A. stormed onto the global stage with her convention-shattering album, Arular. To mark the anniversary, she gave a bracingly honest interview with Rolling Stone, where she revealed some pretty disturbing details about her professional and romantic relationship with producer Diplo, whose already-shoddy reputation just took another hit. 

"By the time that was happening to me, I was with Diplo and he basically just like shat on every good thing that was happening to me," she said about her rise to fame. "And I just didn't enjoy it because if I was on a cover of a magazine he'll be like, "What do you want to do, like be on the dentist waiting room table? Like, is that what a magazine is for? It's corny. Like, don't do magazines."

Diplo ended up becoming a big star in his own right, producing songs for Madonna and Beyoncé, and on the strength of his own music projects Major Lazer and Jack Ü. This of course led to a brief relationship with Katy Perry, and that whole Taylor Swift debacle, which M.I.A touches on in the rest of her pretty scathing comments:

When I got signed by Interscope, he literally smashed my hotel room and broke all the furniture because he was so angry I got picked up by a major label and it was the corniest thing in the world that could possibly happen ... So the whole two years I was with him, I just let him dictate. I basically had this man dictate to me how everything in America that I experienced was completely, like, irrelevant, and it was nothing. So it was kind of a weird time for me.

It's only now when I look back at it in 2015, I can see that he was just jealous and he couldn't wait to be Taylor Swift's best friend and date Katy Perry. But at that time I believed him. I just felt like he was right, and he was something of a political, righteous person with some values. I didn't realize it was just jealousy.

But despite what sounds like an extremely problematic relationship, it looks like time heals all wounds. Diplo posted a selfie of the two of them on his Instagram two weeks ago with the caption "Best friends forever," and M.I.A shared a photo of the selfie being taken on her Instagram. The takeaway here is that for some reason people don't stay mad at Diplo for long. 

(via Rolling Stone)

As evidenced by her very recent (and very bloody) guest spot on Scandal, Lena Dunham takes fandom to a whole other level. So when the Girls star Instagrammed her very first Bitmoji late last month, we knew it was only a matter of time before she collaborated with the hugely popular emoji app.

For those unfamiliar with the suddenly ubiquitous app, Bitmoji allows users to generate their own lookalike avatars by selecting from an infinite amount of physical features (tanned, tall, and ripped for me...). For their collaboration with Girls, they're releasing three new emojis: Hannah’s “Two thumbs the f#@! up” and Shoshanna’s “Obvi” and “Oh. Em. Effing. Gee” catchphrases. 

How does Marnie feel about being snubbed? She's probably totally chill about. Just kidding lol.

Click through for more Girls bitmojis. 

If you took a peek into our childhood bedroom, you'd find scrapbook upon scrapbook filled with our favorite musicians and fashion spreads. Nowadays, not much has changed: We still tear out glossy spreads and create as many collages as possible.

Lately, we've been taking our skills to the web and clipping together clothes, makeup, and accessories to recreate our favorite artists' styles. In honor of SXSW, we've created three get-the-look collages for some of our favorite up-and-coming musicians. Click through the gallery to get Halsey, Elliphant, and Def Loaf's looks. 

Spring is coming, but the impending arrival of chirping birds doesn't mean you should give up on black. Black is the star of many a fashion-loving girl's wardrobe, and we think there's no need for an understudy. We'll wear a different color when they invent a darker one, as the saying goes. 

So, rather than stepping away from a hue that has been loyal throughout the wintery months, we're going to lose the many layers and amp up the fit. Ahead, pieces that will help you work spring trends into your wardrobe without abandoning your true colors. Or, one color. Black. Because it’s the best. 

Robyn has always had an interesting relationship with technology, and now she wants girls and young women to join her. The Swedish singer is teaming with Stockholm's KTH Royal Institute of Technology to launch The Tekla Festival, a one day tech conference aimed directly at girls aged 11-18 who have more than a passing interest in the ever-evolving field.

According to a press release, the conference will feature workshops, motivational speakers, and a performance from Robyn herself. "Tekla is a festival for girls, in which they get to sample different areas of future technology in what I believe will be a fun and imaginative environment," Robyn said in a statement.

In 2013, Robyn was awarded KTH's top prize, which seems to have been the impetus for Tekla's creation. "I thought of KTH's motto, 'Science and Art,' and wanted to do something to inspire girls who are curious about technology, while at the same time highlighting that too few women are applying to KTH programs."

Tekla goes down April 18 in Sweden's capital. Those of us stranded stateside will just have to hope Robyn invents a teleportation device. 

Remember when Miley Cyrus and Nick Jonas dated for literally a second? If you blinked, you might have missed it, but in that brief moment in time, their 'ship was adorable. Especially on the red carpet. Because who doesn't like getting really dressed up and showing off a cute boo?  

In that spirit, click through the gallery to see the most awww-inducing moments of youthful puppy love on the red carpet. The relationships might not have lasted longer than the flash of the camera, but hey—better to have loved and lost, right? 

Today is...

National Puppy Day! Take this day to celebrate your favorite furry friend.

News of the Day:

+ Björk is using virtual reality headsets to create her new music video because, well, it's Björk. 

+ Beyoncé will be designing a shoe--and only one shoe--with Giuseppe Zanotti. 

+ For the first time possibly ever, someone said they have a problem with Oprah. And that person is M.I.A.

+ If you want to grab Kanye's adidas line, just go to Barney's. In a few months, that is. 

+ Taylor Swift bought a porn site to prevent everyone from using her name for, err, salacious uses. 

Deal of the Day:

Take 25% off everything at Joie with code JOIEFRIENDS.

Advice of the Day:

"Maybe sometimes when [bad things] happen, they can lead to something wonderful." - Lily James

GIF of the Day:

It ain’t easy being natural: Learning how to care for hair that kinks, coils, and curls takes time, especially for those who have recently grown out their relaxed hair to rock their natural textures. Fortunately, there’s a whole world within YouTube of videos made by natural-hair gurus, giving hair-care tips, style tutorials, product reviews, and some of what we can only describe as straight-up hair porn (you'll see what we mean).

So, if you’re in need of some natural-hair education and inspiration, here are eight (of the many!) girls to watch.  

"On my Monday morning, people are going to click a link to see what that woman from Scandal said at that awards show, so I think some stuff needs to be said." That's how Kerry began her speech at this weekend's GLAAD Awards, not only predicting exactly what you're doing this very second, but also preparing the crowd for what turned out to be a passionate and rousing speech on the need for equality in the entertainment industry and beyond. 

"We have been pitted against each other and made to feel like there are limited seats at the table for those of us who fall into the category of other," said Washington, as the crowd rose to their feet (one of several times they did so throughout the seven-minute speech). Washington was accepting the Vanguard Award—previous winners incude Jennifer Lopez, Drew Barrymore, and Janet Jackson—given to a star who's used their platform to promote equal rights for LGBT people. 

Washington has been an activist for many years, but with the success of Scandal her megaphone has grown louder. At the 2012 Democratic National Convention, she gave a speech on voter apathy, and the following year was named a chairperson of the GLSEN Respect Awards. "We can't say that we believe in each other's fundamental humanity," Washington told the crowed, "and then turn a blind eye to the reality of each other's existence, and the truth of each others' hearts."  

It's hard to argue with that. 

Orphan Black, the groundbreaking conspiracy thriller about a bunch of clones, is the kind of uniquely twisted show that instantly becomes a cult-classic. The action-packed sci-fi series doesn't just have a strong female lead—it's got seriously smart feminist vibes, portrayed brilliantly by Tatiana Maslany, who flexes her acting chops as not one but a whole handful of different clones with very different personalities. Basically what we're trying to say is, if you haven't watched Orphan Black yet, what are you even doing right now? 

Because of the show's cult status, it stands to reason that merch is inevitable. But not all merch is created equal, and we're not talking just T-shirts and mugs: Hot Topic is launching a line of clothes inspired by the different clones, so that if you see yourself as a Cosima or are totally a Sarah, well, now you can dress the part. 

Click through to check out the collection. The presale launches online tomorrow, and the collection will be available online and in stores April 13 (five days before the series three premiere!!!). 

As far as we're concerned, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have been together forever—at least since That '70s Show was on the air. Of course, it's not official until someone puts a ring on it, and apparently that's what Ashton finally did. For months, Mila neither confirmed nor denied speculations about her marital status, and it drove us insane. I mean, why wouldn't you want to claim Ashton as your hubby? He's a total babe. 

On tonight's episode of The Late Late Show, though, James Corden actually managed to get an answer out of Mila when he requested that she show the audience her wedding ring. As the saying goes, "pics or it didn't happen," and now we have proof on camera. Mila seemed flustered, but when you have a man that gorgeous, there's no reason to be embarrassed. You done good, girl.

We're officially extending a severly overdue congratulations to The Kutchers. 

(via Elle.com)

Do you remember—back when we were young and bushy-tailed—SXSW 2015? We hardly do, even though it ended, well, yesterday. South By always presents the most interesting of challenges when it comes to style: For bands, they’ve been on the road for a bit. For visitors, they have to pack outfits in advance. And for everyone, the changing weather of Austin in March is a bit of a conundrum: One day, it is 70 degrees and skies are blue, the next, you are in the middle of a severe thunder storm. (Though, “severe” in Texas feels a whole lot different than it does in New York.) So when people nail the SXSW style, they really nail it. Ahead, the well-heeled festival-goers we spotted who traversed Austin with true aplomb.

Photos by Ben Sklar and Kara Smarsh

You might recognize TK Wonder from Urban Bush Babes, the wildly popular style/beauty blog run by her twin sister—or from her ad campaigns with Other Stories and Gap. But what you might not know is that this stunning fashion icon is also a rapper and a songwriter. In fact, when we first saw her "Van Gogh" video (a weird-in-the-best-way song that's been stuck in our heads for weeks), our minds were blown. Not only for the insanely awesome style, but for the straight-up bold confidence that jumped off of our screen and enveloped us completely.

So, filled with excitement about her work, we decided to interview TK about her music, style, and inspiration. Read on for what she told us. 

On her name:
“TK is an abbreviation of my name, Takenya. When I first started to rap, I had the ability to rap very fast, so a close friend dubbed me ‘Wonder’ and Stevie Wonder was one of my favorite artists growing up—still is—so I thought it would be fitting to combine the two.”

On the fashion in the video: 
“I am a tomboy at heart and love the idea of mixing femininity and masculinity. I worked with stylist Karolina Brock, who is originally from Sweden.  She pulled from some great designers and introduced me to this incredible line out of the UK, called KTZ. [Their collection] fuses both worlds so effortlessly. I think in mainstream music, Rihanna, for example, and her stylists have represented the epitome of this kind of style. Rihanna does this so beautifully. I find something very sexy about wearing a masculine piece and adding your own feminine touch. So when Karolina pulled quite a bit of looks from the KTZ men’s collection, for the male dancer in video, I was like Oh no, this men’s line is fantastic, I want to wear some of it! It would have been very easy to bare a ton of skin for this video because in modern society equates that with ‘being sexy.’ I wanted to show that being sexy as a woman is also about being powerful and assertive in your movements, actions, and words–rather than simply using and baring your body.”

On what the song means:
“Van Gogh is about the beauty of being confident in yourself no matter your size, religion, race, or sexual orientation. Refusing to let the negativity from others who project their insecurities upon you affect the positive way in which you think about yourself. Everyone has a beauty that makes them unique and some people understand it and some don't. You don't have to make everyone understand it and just like some pieces of art, some work from Van Gogh, some people see the beauty in it or and some don't. As long as you recognize the beauty of the confidence you posses, that's what truly matters.”