Elle,
Here’s one for you. I’m dating a woman who is 8 years older (I’m 27). It’s not a big deal when I go out with her friends for parties or just hanging out. But when it is time for her to come with me to one of my social gatherings she said she feels weird about it all. Her excuse is that she says she feels too old around my friends and doesn’t have much to relate to. All my friends are welcoming but she still has her hangups. What can I do so she doesn’t feel like a cradle robber around the gang?
Mister Rattle
Dear Mister Rattle,
Age is like a bad hickey and sometimes there is no way to hide it. When she’s in her own social setting she is fine because she’s around people who she determined are her friends, people that have the same interests, are supportive of her, and aren’t calling her out on her younger boyfriend. She’s freaked out by hanging out with your friends because she probably doesn’t know them that well and to her, they are just a bunch of dirty men who are judging her for dating a younger guy. The trick might be for her to get to know your friends better individually, and to find out that they’re not dickbags. If your girlfriend has a better understanding of who your friends are on a personal level, she’ll be more open to hanging out with them.
PS. Mister Rattle, let me know how it goes.
Read the rest of this article »
We recently got a chance to test out the Epson Artisan 800 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer
Out of the Box:
Where as most printers look like kitchen appliances suitable for slicing vegetables, the Epson Artisan 800 out of the box looks more stylish and refined in its design. It is very sleek for a printer and doesn’t have too many exposed buttons or insert slots. Most of the buttons and trays are hidden nicely tucked away behind nifty sliding compartments.
Epson Artisan 800
Read the rest of this article »
A few weeks ago, we got a chance to check out a pair of pants made by Bonobos. Produced in limited quantities in Manhattan and San Francisco and available only online, Bonobos pants ($110 – $350) solve what their founders call “KDB” or that khaki-diaper-butt problem some experience every time they slip on khakis.
After trying these pants on for size, we’ve become huge fans. We like them not only because of their namesake (Bonobos is one of the most sexually active chimpanzees on the planet), but because they are just flat out good quality threads. Everything from their unique buttons, colorful inseams and super soft cotton to their tailor fit waist was a welcomed change from our standby Dockers that we’re used to. We highly recommend you try on a pair and see for yourself.
Read the rest of this article »
Dear Elle,
My girlfriend constantly looks in the other direction while we have sex. She wont look at me and quite frankly looks scared. Is it me or is she really self conscious?
Theo, Philadelphia
Theo,
It’s entirely possible that you have no idea what you’re doing and your girlfriend is making her grocery list while you are attempting to have sex with her. I guess there is always the possibility that she’s self conscious too, in which case you should be having deep and meaningful conversations about how to fix her. If you want her to stop being scared while boning, you should approach the subject by bringing it up directly, without getting defensive about your skills (or lack thereof). Being supportive, and not a dick will be helpful in both solving the problem and not getting dumped.
Read the rest of this article »
Editor’s Note: This is a post from our friends over at LEGENDmag.
If you’ve never worn a hat other than a baseball cap, how do you go about choosing just the right one? There are so many styles, shapes, sizes and colors that it sometimes seems impossible to even start. We’ve had the same problem, so we enlisted Liz Brusca from Goorin Hats to give some helpful hints for those of you feeling a little naked on top! First-time customers might feel unsure of how to select their perfect hat. However, the hundreds of styles and colors to choose from, ensure that there is at least one perfect hat for every head.
photo by semihundido
Read the rest of this article »
Ploomy Girl #9, Melissa is from “The G” aka Galveston, Texas. She is our first Ploomy Girl out of the Lone Star State and I’m sure not the last. Melissa works for a small interactive marketing firm in Houston where she gets to play Rock Band (we heard she can play a mean bass guitar). Her Fridays are filled with margaritas and she’s also been known to do a few simple choreographed dances like the cupid shuffle. Amongst her other listed obsessions are shoes, the Food Network, carrot cake, confetti, and beer pong.
ploomy.com: Hey Melissa, it’s Anthony from ploomy.com
Melissa: hello to you!
ploomy.com: Ok first question.
ploomy.com: On your Facebook profile, you say you’re really into shoes. How many do you have? Who is your favorite shoe designer?
Melissa: haha, i actually get this question pretty often so i counted recently
Melissa: i think its around 43, i’ve donated a few (almost against my will) and then replaced them so i’d give or take a few.
Melissa: and that’s dress shoes
Melissa: no flats, boots, flip flops
Melissa: as far as my favorite designer goes, i’m a recent college grad knee deep in student loans so i tend to stick to more affordable brands
Melissa: but what girl doesn’t dream about a Carrie collection of jimmy choos and manolos?
Melissa: one day!
Read the rest of this article »
Dear Elle,
It’s been 7 months now since my ex-girlfriend broke up with me. I haven’t dated anyone and really haven’t gotten over her yet. How would you suggest getting over a breakup?
Broken hearted
Dear Broken Hearted,
If you’ve already gotten past the black out drunk episodes where you insult everyone in your path of broken hearted destruction, then I would say the next step is to get down to business:
Get it. Comprehend why you broke up. Comprehension is not weeping into a bottle of whiskey and talking to yourself. Comprehending your break up is coming to see that you broke up because you weren’t supposed to spend the rest of your lives together. Break ups blow, but staying in a relationship just to put off a break up blows even more.
Make a clean break. Toss all the momento crap from your relationship that you still have and is only making you sappy.
Cry and go shoot stuff. I’m not saying you have to suck it up and be a man, if you have to cry, cry. Force yourself to go do stuff – go shoot beer cans off a fence, go bowling, etc. Wallowing in your own self pity for too long will inevitably turn you into a pathetic loser. This is an ideal time to take up a new hobby, now that you don’t have to spend your free time with some unappreciative, demanding, good for nothing woman.
Go pimp. I feel like when people are in relationships that they forget there are millions of other people in the world to meet. Breaking up is sucky, but there’s a lot of excitement in getting to meet someone new, or rather, a lot of new people if you are really socially dexterous.
Read the rest of this article »
Growing up I was a comics fanatic. I would anxiously tear open the comics section of our local newspaper to read all my favorites, and even those I didn’t really understand. Back then I didn’t understand how much effort and work went into getting a comic strip syndicated or how much blood and tears went into the strips and the endless fights with censors who always cut the comics down.
Now that I’m older I’ve come to realize what’s in the funny pages as a kid was only the tip of the iceberg. Of course back then there was no Internet and thus no web comics. But that’s different now and most people in the newspaper comics industry don’t pull out their comics when they retire. They let them keep running and most newspapers are fine with it. This makes it harder for new artists to get their comics syndicated and that’s where the Internet comes into play.
Sheldon
In the last 10 years, the web comics field has exploded. This is mainly because the most active group on the Internet today were the most active readers of comics of yesterday. And so I present to you my top 5 web comics that you’re not reading but should be. These comics are uncensored and completely original and because of that very hilarious.
Read the rest of this article »
nicholascameron November 7, 2008 · 2 Comments
11 Ways To Spruce Up Your Wardrobe For Next To Nothing
1. The Life Laundry
Take all your clothes and make three piles. The first is items that you can’t live without, the second is items that you are/should be ashamed of and the third is everything in between. Throw out the shame pile and put the keeper pile back into your wardrobe. Congratulations, your style just got a whole lot better. When you are ready to spend some cash again, gradually replace the in-between pile with fresh, but not necessarily expensive, stock. Fresh items go in the wardrobe and old items go in the trash.
2. New Thinking
Another great technique that’s absolutely free is to simply change your perspective concerning the items you already have. A lot of people tend to be quite habitual and stick to the same combinations. Don’t. Make some time to try new things out. Do it alone if need be and give yourself freedom to make a few mistakes. It’s all part of the process and nobody else has to know. Besides, it’ll be worth it when you find a new approach that’s fresh and personal.
3. How’s It Hanging?
Throw out the wire, throw out the plastic and invest in some wooden hangers. Not only do they make your wardrobe look a lot tidier, but they’re thicker than the other varieties. This means that your more fragile items are less likely to suffer from unsightly stretching. Your garments will all thank you for this small investment. For extra security, think about treating your most treasured items (such as leathers or suits) to a soft, padded hanger of their own. They can be found in most decent haberdasheries. Read the rest of this article »
Dear Elle,
I was snooping around on my girlfriend’s laptop and was very surprised to find out that she was looking at a bunch of nudie sites. I know it wasn’t me because I clear my cache frequently. The funny thing is that all of the pages were of women with nice boobs. I confronted her on this and she said she’s not lesbian or bi, but that for some reason she just liked to look at them. Should I worry?
