Table of contents for Spring 2021 in Marie Claire

I started writing this letter—for our spring fashion issue, which is centered on the theme of voices—on January 6, a day that began with Georgians sending the first Black and first Jewish people to the Senate from their state. The historic day, which should have been one of celebration, quickly changed to one of horror as a mob, which perverted the First Amendment’s protection of free expression, stormed and desecrated the Capitol. The day finally ended with Congress certifying the votes of the American people in choosing our new president and first female vice president, and January 6 serves to remind us of the power of our voices and the responsibility we have to use them for positive progress. The pages of this issue are all about exploring and celebrating…

In her single “Therefore I Am,” Billie Eilish hauntingly taunts, “Don’t talk’bout me like how you might know how I feel.” And she’s right. Despite currently being one of the most recognizable people in the world—thanks in part to her signature highlighter-green hair—and one of the most accoladed in recent music history (at the 2020 Grammys, Eilish became the first artist since 1981 to take home trophies in all four of the major categories), she’s intensely guarded. Whether it’s just part of her particularly alluring brand of mystique or simply a way to protect herself (her rise to fame began at age 13), Eilish has remained largely an enigma—a relatable, soulful, talented enigma. But on February 26, the 19-year-old is finally lifting the veil with an Apple TV+ documentary, Billie…

As a Muslim-American teen, the daughter of Lebanese and Filipino immigrants, Melanie Elturk found the hunt for stylish, high-quality hijabs in her hometown of Detroit to be unnecessarily difficult. Elturk was not alone in her frustrations. An active participant in Detroit’s Muslim community when she was in law school, she began noticing Muslim high schoolers abandoning hijabs altogether, a result of limited options and a lack of attention paid to young consumers. Elturk was a part-time civil-rights attorney, but as a longtime fashion enthusiast, she decided to take matters into her own hands in 2010 and began selling vintage scarves that could be worn as head coverings. Six years later, she and her husband embarked on running their e-commerce site, Haute Hijab, full-time. The website offers Muslim women an array…

What do you get when two of the most influential designers of our time—designers who, each in their own way, over the course of the last few decades have changed the way women (and men) dress—decide to collaborate? When they joined forces, would they create something new, something that would change our collective eye, something greater than the sum of their parts? These questions had both fashion professionals and enthusiasts alike glued to their computers last fall to witness the most hotly anticipated fashion moment of the season: the first-ever Prada collection co–creative directed by Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada. Name a more iconic duo. I’ll wait.… When the partnership was announced in February 2020, the fashion world couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Was this Mrs. Prada’s way…

Believe it or not, there are people who miss gathering more than you do—and it’s not because they’re longing to camp at Coachella once again. Their livelihoods are on the line. For event planners, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been staggering: In 2017, the events industry was a $1.5 trillion business worldwide. That would be the 13thlargest economy globally by gross domestic product, according to research. “By early March [2020], all of that money evaporated,” says Sherif Karamat, the president and CEO of a trade group representing the industry. And because 80 percent of those in the event workforce are female, it’s yet another area where women are feeling the pressure most acutely. A year after the onset of the shutdown, Marie Claire spoke to industry leaders to…

My eyebrows have brought me great, unexpected joy over the past year. As my Botox wore off during lockdown, my arches came alive, bouncing into the most amazing shapes. On Zoom, I found I could leave myself on mute and let my brows do much of the talking—dimple the inner corners to say, “Tell me more,” or make a thoughtful furrow to show my deep focus. But the fun stopped once I went outside and wore a mask, whether to run errands or to meet friends for a socially distanced park date. Without the bottom half of my face adding nuance, my brows say all the wrong things. Above a mask, those sweet little dimples communicate alarm, not curiosity. My “I’m concentrating” face, when half hidden, looks angry. People keep…

AS city- and statewide lockdowns spread last spring following the trajectory of the COVID-19 outbreak, many of us vowed to become our best pandemic selves. Some panic-bought Pelotons to keep up precoro-navirus fitness regimens; others were kneading, proofing, and baking bread ad infinitum. Priyanka Chopra Jonas had similar sanguine expectations for herself. But unlike many of us, she succeeded. It was during quarantine that the Bollywood star turned Hollywood A-lister wrote her memoir, Unfinished (February 9, Ballantine Books), becoming a first-time author. “Casual,” she says, laughing. Chopra Jonas is talking to me on Zoom from the London home she’s been renting since November. She’s sporting an oversize black sweatshirt and matching sweatpants and is tucked into an uncomfortable-looking chair located in what has seemingly been designated the “office area.” The…

For fans of: The 2018 film On the Basis of Sex; Gloria Steinem’s My Life on the Road; Malala Yousafzai’s I Am Malala Read: JUSTICE, JUSTICE THOU SHALT PURSUE: A LIFE’S WORK FIGHTING FOR A MORE PERFECT UNION By Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Amanda L. Tyler (March 16, University of California Press) Honor the Notorious RBG’s sweeping legacy with a collection of the justice’s most notable speeches, briefs, and opinions paired with never-before-published personal insights from Ginsburg about her lifelong efforts to achieve gender parity. For fans of: HBO’s Westworld; Netflix’s Black Mirror; Taylor Swift’s song “No Body, No Crime” Read: THE ECHO WIFE By Sarah Gailey (February 16, Tor Books) What happens when An Affair to Remember and genetic cloning collide? A mind-bending psychological page-turner that examines toxic relationships, loneliness, and…

1 French Exit (February 12, in theaters) Think Emily in Paris, but trade the clichés and croissants for Michelle Pfeiffer’s tantalizing brand of je ne sais quoi and side-eye. The film, based on Patrick deWitt’s novel about a widowed socialite and her son (Lucas Hedges) who escape to France after burning through their money, evokes shades of Wes Anderson’s campy humor. Grab a martini and settle in. 2 Minari (February 12, in theaters) Set in the Ozarks, Lee Isaac Chung’s film—based on his own childhood experiences—is a tender and vivid representation of the American dream through the eyes of a Korean American family working to build a life on a farm. The story sings in its quiet depiction of immigrant otherness and resonates universally in its messages about love and…

FOR STORES, SEE SHOPPING DIRECTORY. HAIR: ADAM MACLAY FOR KLORANE MAKEUP: ASAMI MATSUDA FOR DIOR BEAUTY MODELS: YSAUNNY BRITO AND CORA EMMANUEL AT SOCIETY MANAGEMENT…

COVERS: On newsstand cover: Dior dress, bra, and earrings, prices upon request; (800) 929-DIOR. On subscriber cover: Dolce & Gabbana dress, $2,645, choker, $515, and earrings, $1,245; (877) 70-DGUSA. JUMP! 80–81: Isabel Marant jumpsuit, isabel marant.com. Salvatore Ferragamo jumpsuit, ferragamo.com. Tibi shoes, tibi.com. Xuly Bët jumpsuit, xulybet.com. 82: Lauren Ralph Lauren blazer, thelaurenlook.com. Acne Studios earring, acnestudios.com. 83: Sea jumpsuit, sea-ny.com. Fendi jumpsuit, fendi.com. 84–85: Celine jumpsuit, celine.com. Max Mara jumpsuit, (212) 879-6100. Helmut Lang jumpsuit, helmutlang.com. 86: Proenza Schouler jumpsuit, (212) 420-7300. Echo scarf, echonewyork.com. 87: Boss blazer, hugoboss.com. Emila Wickstead jumpsuit, emiliawickstead.com. Undercover hat, storeundercoverism.com. Vince blazer, vince.com. Heron Preston jumpsuit, heronpreston.com. Uma Wang hat, umawang.com. 88–89: Chanel jumpsuit, (800) 550-0005. Tibi shoes, tibi.com. PRIYANKA PULLS BACK THE CURTAIN 90–91: Versace cardigan, bra, and skirt, versace.com. Dolce &…

Last ACROSS 1. Barbecue side 5. Hindu prince 10. Toupees 14. ATM output 15. Kagan on the Supreme Court 16. (Run) wild 17. Bart and Lisa’s bus driver 18. Devilish one 19. British bye-bye 20. Other, in Oaxaca 21. Brings down, as a building 22. Make light? 23. Song that 52 Across won a G for 25. Play that 55 Across won a T for 27. “Can ___ a favor?” 29. Air hazard 30. Frodo’s friend 33. Show that 4 Down won an E for 35. Jamaican sound 38. Bread or bowie 40. Reel thing 41. Light bulbs, figuratively 43. Himalayan behemoth 44. Netflix’s ___ in Paris (which rhymes in French!) 46. Promise 47. Movie musical that 56 Down won an O for 50. Diplomacy 51. ___-pei (wrinkly doggo) 52.…

“How are you doing?” Taylour Paige asks. “How are you really doing?” Her warmth is undeniable, almost unsettling at first, but it quickly becomes clear it’s just the actress’s nature to be genuine and curious. Perhaps it’s the Libra in her. Knowing Paige’s sign is almost like a celestial key to unlocking her entire persona. She describes her life in dualities and balances, fitting for a sign represented by scales. (“I’m so optimistic and such a pessimist.…Without darkness, you don’t see light.”) And she often slips into the type of cerebral and soulful statements that air signs are recognized for. (“I’m kind of always thinking about how the past, present, and future are not linear.”) While it might seem that Paige is like any other millennial addicted to Co-Star (the…

The Expert: Elizabeth Kanfer, fashion director at Nordstrom MARIE CLAIRE: Why is a flatform a great choice? ELIZABETH KANFER: As we adjust to a new, more casual lifestyle, flatforms provide the perfect balance of style and comfort. MC: How have you seen them evolve? EK: Flatforms became an important spring ’21 trend in a diverse array of styles—from canvas sneakers with flatform bottoms to espadrilles to comfy-footbed sandals. It’s a direct response to the tremendous shift our lifestyles have taken in the last year. MC: How does a flatform provide both utility and style? EK: The shape allows for ease of movement, and the style can be manipulated for any occasion, whether it’s dressed up or pared down. MC: What’s the best way to break in a new pair? EK:…

It was a presentation that landed God-is Rivera her dream job. In 2016, Rivera, then associate director of social-media strategy at global advertising agency VMLY&R, prepared a talk she called “Woke, Lit & Ready: A Guide to Understanding Black Twitter.” At the time, Rivera regularly used Twitter as a marketing tool and was amazed by how the platform was able to give a voice to people, organizations, and communities. “Twitter was always the holy grail because it is this huge record of public thought,” she says now. “What I love about it is that it really is changing the dynamics of the public discourse. It’s this idea of democratized conversation. So everybody gets the same amount of characters, right? Depending on how real or authentic what you say is or…

There comes a time in many a young adult’s life when he or she wants to trade up from an ill-furnished crash pad to digs worthy of a “Welcome!” doormat. Buying your first home can be daunting, but it’s more doable financially than you may think. This month, we talk to first-time home buyer Kim, 26, and her partner, Bobby*, 29, who are saving to purchase a single-family home in the Boston suburbs this spring. We enlisted Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com, and Nikki Martin, senior vice president of Compass and Greater Boston real estate maven, to help our couple make the move. Literally. Consider your mortgage-loan options. First step: Get preapproved for a loan. Your lender can help you suss out the right mortgage option for you. “These…

“Arréglate.” It’s a saying that instantly transports me to my childhood bedroom in San Francisco, my mom combing knots out of my hair and making sure I’m wearing a cute outfit. The translation is “Get ready.” But for many Latinx people, it’s code for “Put on some lipstick before our guests arrive.” Even now, before heading to any dinner or event, or even just stepping out for an errand, this command from my mom echoes in my head. Running to the supermarket to buy milk without combing my hair? Not so fast. For a long time, I didn’t think my love for beauty had anything to do with being Latinx. When I was a little girl, my mom, who’s Nicaraguan, would let me rummage through her makeup bag, and I’d…

Mark Always Goes on second dates. After he gets home from the first date, guys his age, in their late 20s, and sometimes men in their early 40s, will text or call him to say hi, that they had a great night, can they do it again sometime, and then they do. There is a story that Mark tells on these first dates that he believes secures the second one, and this linchpin is only dropped when he is truly attracted to the person sitting across from him. It’s a story about a game he played as a child. From 1996 to 1999, Mark’s favorite game to play was called Kerri Strug. In 1996, the Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta. The United States Women’s Gymnastics team, the Magnificent Seven,…

HAIR: VERNON FRANÇOIS AT VISIONARIES FOR REDKEN MAKEUP: OMAYMA RAMZY AT WALTER SCHUPFER FOR DIOR BEAUTY MODEL: YAZEMEENAH ROSSI AT NEXT MANAGEMENT CASTING: BARBARA PFISTER PRODUCTION: CRAWFORD AND CO.…