Tastevin Magazine May 2014 - Featuring Cher Lloyd

HORS D’OEUVREContributors: Who’s who in this issueFrom the Desk of the Editor: A Year Gone ByThings We Love: Your editors’ picks

BEAUTY & WELLNESSGoing for the Gold: Glowy skin starts hereTSOH: Five to Fab...Get fit for summer!{Beauty} Trick to Try: Here’s the curl tip you need to love your lashes

ARTS & LEISUREGood Eats: This Soprano gets saucyMade: Get lippy with this DIY exfoliantA Few Words: A poem of a nighttime visitor

FASHION & FEATURESYou + Me: Peter Som takes Kohl’s to St Barths!

Share You Where: When in Rome...Share Your Wear: Military wear with a whole new meaning

April Showers Bring May Flowers: Rock the floral trendCher Reinvented: Cher Lloyd sheds her pop princess image

IIIII

IVVAlways end with something sweet

CAROLINE A. WONGEditor-in-Chief

BRANDON GAMBLECreative Director

FASHION AND FEATURES

Fashion and Beauty Editor BREANA POWELLFeatures Editor AMANDA CHI

Features Writer LINDY TOLBERT

ARTS AND LEISURE

Arts and Leisure Editor MOLLIE MCKENZIEArts and Leisure Writers MARIA EUBANKS & DANIELLE ROBBINS

BEAUTY AND WELLNESS

Beauty Editor COLETTE CHOIWellness Editors LISA EBERLY & EMILY VAN GUILDER

Assistant Wellness Editor BECCA KANTOR

ART

Lead Photographer ALEXANDER HERMANAssistant Photographer HAIL NOWAK

West Coast Editor ROSIE RYANUK Editor JENNA ANDERSON

Tastevin Magazine May 20142

This marks the last month that writer Danielle Robbins will head up the “Made” col-umn. She gets lippy with a

DIY exfoliant. Check out her art and homeware designs at Etsy.com/Shop/Daniel-

leRobbins.

Brandon Gamble mans the Tastevin New York office. Now that winter is over,

he’s excited to break out the driving mocs and linen blaz-ers that help him survive the

searing NY summer.

Wellness Editor Lisa Eberly is our partner with health

and fitness site TheSkinny-OnHealth.com. Every month she keeps Tastevin readers

fit and motivated.

Breana Powell directs the Fashion and Beauty divi-

sions of Tastevin, combing through the trends to bring

you the “It” styles.

Alexander Herman is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker

and photographer. He leads up the art direction of

Tastevin’s monthly photo shoots.

While abroad, Amanda Chi brings Tastevin readers the

scoop on international mean-derings. From Manchester to

Rome, she scopes out the best way to experience a city, be it

through food or street art.

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blackmilkclothing.com


There’s so much to say and I seem to have so few words. A year of Tastevin. A year of tasting the best and worst of fashion, beauty, life-style…It’s been quite a journey and such an exciting one.

As with all new endeavors, Tastevin went through the wringer at its launch. The inaugural issue faced its share of challenges, including a last-minute (and unexpected) article retraction which forced the team to rework major portions of the issue and slightly delay it’s launch. However, we quickly moved forward and successfully adapted, releasing an even better first issue!

Thanks to you, our loyal Tasties, this magazine has withstood adver-sity and gone on to see success in the form of the incredibly talented people who have worked to create each month’s issue and who have appeared in its pages. Our covers have been graced by a wide range of personalities, including vibrant pop-star-turned-jewelry-designer Kesha, Janel Parrish of ABC’s mysterious Pretty Little Liars, vivacious Rachel Reilly of Big Brother fame, Scheana Marie of the sexy Vander-pump Rules, and even the male dancers of Australia’s Thunder From Down Under.

Our existence is one of persistence and is one for which I am deeply grateful. I cannot properly laud the exceptional abilities of the Tastevin staff nor can I express how truly inspiring it is to have such a loyal audi-ence as you. So, to you, to all of you, I dedicate this First Anniversary Issue. Check out great stories featuring everything from a gilded glow and a saucy Sopranos star to a pre-summer fitness fervor and a candid talent in the form of one Cher Lloyd. Here it is…the start to another great year of this fashion and lifestyle tasting menu!

EDITORfrom the desk of the

Things We LoveCaroline A. Wong, Editor-in-Chief

Toshiba Laptop

“I love my Toshiba laptop. I write by my bedroom window, feeling very Carrie-esque (a la Sex and the City) as I put to-gether each month’s issue of Tastevin! After a year of working on the magazine, I can really say I couldn’t do it without my laptop!”

Breana Powell, Fashion and Beauty Editor

NARS Blush

This NARS blush ($30) is completely buildable, delivering a fantastic bronzy color to cheeks. I’m looking forward to pick-ing up other hues now! I’m a fan of layering blushes. There’s an art to it.”

Morton Skull: $14.95 at Z Gallerie

The Tastevin editors share their monthly obsessions.

Colette Choi, Beauty Editor

Pink Lipstick

“I’m LOVING pink lipstick right now. It’s so bright and definitely pops for spring. This ‘With the DJ’ lipstick from Rain Cosmetics ($20) is a great, universal shade and lasts even through lunch and afternoon coffee!”

Brandon Gamble, Creative Director

Metallic Accessories

“I love metallic home accents, and gold / brass is definitely having a moment. Mixed sparingly into your decor, these statement pieces can add a touch of sophisticated glamour to your home.”

Dahlia Candleholder: $19.95 at CB2

Brass Wire Cubes: $14.95 at CB2

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My face has felt rather alien to me lately. For years, I yearned for the “glow.” No, not the preg-nancy glow. The silky, dewy, just got sun-soaked in the Caribbean glow! My skin in middle school and high school always needed a moisturizer. My skin wasn’t dry, but I could never achieve the coveted glow. After years of playing with makeup, however, I now have too much of a good thing. I don’t even moisturize underneath my founda-tion anymore because it’s gotten so out of hand. The tale starts like this: I apply my foundation in the morning before work. It’s silky smooth approved. Throughout the day, though, my skin rebels against me and my initial glow becomes an oily hot mess. After a midday blotting break, I re-evaluate what went wrong. Did I sit in front of my monitor too long? Did I not get enough fresh air? Should I have applied powder on top? (Nope to the last one. More product equals more oil nowadays.) A few weekends ago, I picked up the NARS Sheer Glow foundation after asking for a foundation recommendation from a makeup artist friend. She dubbed it her “holy grail” and I was sold. My skin has a combination of yellow and red undertones, so an exact match is always unlikely. The shade I picked up, called “Cadiz,” was a solid match. (It will probably look even better in summer when my paler decolletage has time to even out in color.) The texture of the product is incredible. It glides on beautifully and evenly. And the coverage is full without be-ing cakey and while still allowing your real skin to peep through. Nevertheless, I am still experi-menting with ways to make this foundation remain glowy, not oily. And there’s a fine, shiny line.

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation: $45 at Sephora

GOING FOR THE GOLD

by Breana Powell

Designed in NYCsee the collection at berryjewelry.com


by Lisa Eberly

This investment can be time, a formal program, or money. A gym membership, subscription to healthy food delivery, Insanity videos, or a simple, less expensive meal plan are all posi-tive investments. When you spend money on your diet, you have invested. That way, when you come home from work and think, “Blehhh I will literally fall over trying to do Insanity right now…” you’ll remember that you spent your hard earned cash on that video and damnit, you’re doing it. If you don’t have the money to spend on even the cheaper option of a meal plan, investing your time is also effective. Spend Sunday afternoons planning your meals for the week and prepping them. That way, when Thursday comes along and you want to order a pizza, you know you spent hours planning recipes and cutting up veggies for the delicious dinner you picked out from that awesome blog The Skinny on Health (wink!). Time, money, what have you, invest anything in your health and capitalize on that investment!

There’s an effective method to quit smoking in which you put a picture of why you’re quitting wherever you typically smoke. So, if you always smoke in the car, you put a picture of your beau-tiful kids who hate your smoking on the dash. The same method can be used for dieting. First, you make your environment conducive to a healthy diet. When I get home from a long day, if I sit on the couch to read or watch TV before making dinner, I always face the brutal dilem-ma: Well, I guess I can miss my workout today if I definitely go tomorrow… Yet I always decide to go. Why? My nighttime workout is hot power yoga. Where is my yoga mat? Right in front of the couch. I literally stare at my yoga mat when I sit down. I love yoga and I know I’ll love be-

t’s that time of year…we’re trading in our win-ter coats for bikinis and our riding boots for wedges. It’s the time of year we remember that those resolutions we made to stay fit and thin didn’t really last as long as we’d hoped.

It’s time to slim down for summer, people! If your New Year’s weight loss resolution fell through, here are five key pieces you might have been miss-ing to make your weight loss more successful.

Yes, you need external support from your family, friends, boyfriend, girlfriend, or whoever—but you also need THE person. The one person who not only believes in you, but guides you and teach-es you. You need someone to rely on, to help you follow through, and to push you forward toward success. That person can be a dietitian, a personal trainer (though I would not use their nutrition advice, only fitness), myself (who I highly recom-mend!), or a best friend or significant other doing a diet with you (probably the least effective, but still helpful person). You need to know that if you fail, you’ve not only let yourself down, but you’ve let them down too. I know that sounds harsh, but it’s easy to forgive ourselves when we’re finally div-ing into the ice cream we’ve forbidden ourselves from having. It’s a lot more difficult to explain to a dietitian that you know, you had a really rough day cause you missed the bus and your boyfriend was a pain in the ass so you decided to cry it out and gain five pounds in French fries last night.

This thing is something to always have on hand. Something that you have to subscribe to and con-tribute to when you make good choices. A food log. An activity log. A goal tracker. An app on your iPhone. Something to clue you in and keep you on track.

Ia person

a thing

an investment

a trigger

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a way to suppress your lack of willpower with them. Or, hang out with your positive influence friends more often to motivate your healthy habits! If it’s your boyfriend or girlfriend that’s a negative influence (trust me, I’ve been there and it seriously blows), try to diet together or cook your healthy food for them too!

xx

The Skinny on Health

ing on the mat once I’m there, so seeing the mat triggers those feelings. I also tape gorgeous food pictures from healthy recipe blogs to the inside of my pantry and on my fridge. Healthy food is de-licious, and you just need to remind yourself of that sometimes, especially when unhealthy food is much more “accessibly delicious” as I like to call it. A similar method is post-it notes. If I’ve been having a rough few days, I put inspiring motiva-tional post-its on my bathroom mirror (I am such a sucker for motivational quotes). Remember the movie How Do You Know, in which Reese Wither-spoon plays an athlete named Lisa (I can’t make this stuff up)? She literally covers her apartment in motivational post-its and I am totally on board. So, post-its, pictures, yoga mats—whatever they may be—set up some triggers that will keep you mo-tivated and moving through your diet with ease.

A positive environment. You also need to be sure your environment is consistently supportive and won’t destroy all your hard work. I have two types of friends (who I love equally): bad influences and good influences. Some of my friends just bring the “badness” out of me, and I totally adapt to a “screw it” attitude about being healthy. Unluckily for me, this includes my family. When I’m with these types of friends, they remind me of unhealthier times (like my college days of eating pizza while hungover in bed, or growing up in my parents house and eating terribly). Other friends have the opposite effect. I crave healthy foods that I enjoy by myself when I’m with them. Make sure that you know which friends are which and that you know how to control your habits when you’re with the bad influences. Although I’m sure they’re great friends (and, unless they’re competitive girls, ob-viously not doing it on purpose), make sure you know how to handle eating with them. Maybe eat a big healthy meal before seeing them or find

a positive environment

Tastevin Magazine May 201415dianekroe.com

Love them or hate them, you’ve got to admit that the Kardashian women have eyelashes for miles! Yeah, they may have some help from extensions, but if you want that sexy curl on a daily basis—without the glue and the falsies—here’s a little trick to get you go-ing in the mornings before work. After you blow dry your hair, use the heat setting to blast hot air at your eyelash curler (I like Shise-ido’s style at Sephora, $20). The heat makes the curl in your lashes hold, just like heat helps you style the hair on top of your head. Alternatively, while you’re applying concealer and letting your flat iron warm up, leave the eyelash curler between the wands of the flat iron so that the iron heats up the curler too. Add some curling mascara, and you’ve got ready-to-wear Kardashian lashes!

Trick to Try{Beauty}

By Colette Choi

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goodby Colette Choieats

omatoes are loaded with an-tioxidants, helping to prevent disease and promote health. So when I got my hands on an amazing new organic tomato sauce from Steve Schirripa (of

The Sopranos fame), I knew I had to try it, if only from a beauty perspective! To be honest, when I first tasted Uncle Steve’s sauce, I thought it was a bit bland...BUT I soon realized why: The sauces are pure, made with imported organic Italian tomatoes with no paste, puree, or sugars added. It’s simply nature at its finest and freshest. In our over-saturated world of processed foods, it some-times shocks our systems to come in contact with something so close to the vine. As I con-tinued cooking with the sauce, I started eating spoonfuls straight out of the jar!

I cooked up some penne according to the package directions, chopped up some gar-lic, and prepped some Italian sausage. I like re-moving the skin around the sausage to create bite-sized portions that are more ground-up instead of sliced. After cooking the sausage and garlic together with a bit of olive oil (warmed until sausage is cooked throughout), I added Uncle Steve’s Tomato Basil sauce and warmed it all together before adding the penne back in. With a bit of shaved parmesan on top and a glass of Moscato, I had a divine dinner. And I’m pretty sure all those antioxidants are making my skin glow! Uncle Steve’s sauces come in three varieties (Tomato Basil, Marinara, and Arrabiata) and are produced in America. You can purchase some antioxidant-loaded sauce for yourself at UncleStevesNY.com

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FITNESS + FASHION + FUNCTIONBodyRockSport.com


FITNESS + FASHION + FUNCTIONBodyRockSport.com


by Danielle RobbinsMade

My lips, which get super chapped in the winter, are definitely not silky smooth and spring-ready without a bit of exfoliation. You don’t have to break the bank for a nice lip exfoliant. You can actually find all the ingre-dients in your kitchen. Use this simple—and yummy—scrub to soften your lips whenever they get a little rough.

Materials:1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar1 Tablespoon Honey¼ Teaspoon Olive OilEmpty Lip Gloss Container

lip exfoliator


IIn a small mixing bowl, mix brown sugar, honey, and olive oil together.

II


Spoon the mixture into an empty lip gloss contain-er (I used a sample container from the Nordstrom makeup counter).

IIIWith your finger and gently massage the mixture over lips.

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Rinse your lips with water, apply your favorite lipstick, and show off those smooth kissable lips!

DONE!


A Dream? By Alli Antonio

Darkness.A Quiet Room.

A knock on the windowA breeze in the nightWho speaks? And why?

A pause in breathA slip of tongueWho seeks? And why?

A sliver of lightA head on a pillowWho sleeps? Why?

A Fragile Kiss Left Behind.And…seen.



World-renowned designer Peter Som professes, “Wear what makes you feel happy.” Is his collaboration with Kohl’s DesigNation just the trick? Caroline A. Wong investigates.

Photos by Alexander Herman

nfused with the breezy am-biance of St. Barths’ sun-kissed shores, Peter Som crafted a collection of resort wear for retail giant Kohl’s,

whose DesigNation series taps de-signers to create locale-inspired collaboration lines (Catherine Mal-andrino and Derek Lam are Desig-Nation alums). Som’s creations in-clude everything from classic maxi dresses and tapered jumpsuits to dramatic palazzo pants and soft-structured moto vests. The biggest surprise here is the excellent quality of the Som collaboration. I’ve worked with the Malandrino and Lam lines in the past and was met with disappoint-ment in the construction category. This Som line, however, seems to have ironed out the production

I


White motorcycle jacket, Peter Som for DesigNation, $80. Marled tank in Fiery Red, Peter Som for DesigNation, $50. Charmeuse

soft pants, Peter Som for DesigNation, $50. Suede wedges, Nine West, $90.

wrinkles and really paid attention to offering well-designed clothes at a decent price point. I was immediately drawn to the charmeuse soft pants in the pineapple print. The black back-ground softens the bold print, and the fit and fabric make them ideal travel wear. Keep it bold with Som’s marled tank in Fiery Red. Or, tone it down for a creative office with a black blazer and black pumps. If you’re a corporate gal, keep the flowy pants for a chic weekend look. Brunch, anyone?



By Amanda ChiShare Your WhereBackroads Rome

A sk any American tourist what they’d like to see in Rome their first time around and they’d probably respond “the Colos-seum” or “the Trevi Fountain.” Their perception of Italy may

be filled with pizza, pasta, and gelato, but Rome is also about the history and the cul-ture. Visiting the Eternal City is more than just stopping by the Colosseum and taking a picture with the men dressed up as gladi-ators. It’s about wandering the sampietrini streets and stumbling upon a restaurant run by an old nonna. The enduring beauty of Rome is what attracts millions of tourists every year. It’s what brought me back for my fourth visit! It’s always a wonder to see the grandeur of the Vatican and a treat to eat my gelato at the Spanish Steps just as Audrey Hepburn did in Roman Holiday. And while I’ll always brave the crowds at the Trevi Fountain to toss in a coin to ensure my return to Rome, I can’t help but feel the peaking claustrophobia that comes as a package deal at all these tourist-filled destinations. After showing my friend sites such as the Roman Forum, Piazza Na-

vona, Campo de’ Fiori, the Pantheon, and the Sistine Chapel, we decided to meander the narrow cobblestoned streets and peruse the local stores and boutiques for leather goods. One of the places I highly suggest is the neighborhood of Monti, just off to the

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side of the Colosseum. Named after the church in the vicinity, Santa Maria dei Monti, the area houses traditional pizzerie and gri-glierie, but you can also find trendy bars, cafes, and vintage clothing stores. Being in Rome, I also seem to double my intake of gelato, but the one gelateria that stood out was one in Monti called Fatamorgana. Pis-tacchio and nocciola (hazelnut) are typical gelato flavors found in every gelateria that remain close to my heart, but Fatamorgana won me over with its strange and original flavors such as tobacco chocolate; banana and sesame; pineapple and ginger; and fen-nel, licorice and honey. But despite all the unique flavors, their pistacchio di Bronte was my favorite by far. Stumbling upon this area during the day, I found that it’s a great place to soak in the quintessential Roman

“Fatamorgana won me over with its

strange and original flavors such as

tobacco chocolate.”


atmosphere. Relax in the Piazza della Ma-donna dei Monti, chat with friends like all the grandmothers, do a bit of local shopping, and pop into an unnamed shop owned by an old Italian couple who design their own mosaics. The main fountain in the piazza may not be as grand as Bernini’s Fontana dei Quattro Fi-umi in Piazza Navona, but its simplicity has a

beauty of its own. Revisiting the area by night, the piazza transforms into the hip area where all the Italian youths come out to sit, drink, and smoke with friends. While the neighbor-hood might be becoming gentrified—as sig-nified by the American Apparel store amidst other Italian shops—I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Monti preserves its local flavor. A place a bit more known to tourists that I love revisiting is Trastevere. Located on the opposite side of the Tiber River, it is south of the Vatican and home to several study-abroad universities. Despite the number of American accents you hear while taking a stroll, Trastevere has that distinct roman-tic Roman-feel to it with its narrow cobbled streets, vines hanging across medieval build-ings, and boutique stores lining streets such as Via della Lungaretta. The central church of the district is Santa Maria in Trastevere with its piazza serving as a central focus for tour-ists, natives, and street performers. I found

Trastevere to be a bit more tourist-filled as American teenagers studying at John Cabot University or American University of Rome would show their visiting families around the area. I tend to enjoy eating in Trastevere due to the atmosphere and to the prices at restaurants, which are quite reasonable com-pared to places found near Piazza Navona or the Trevi Fountain. At night, students both Italian and foreign flock to Piazza Santa Ma-ria in Trastevere to drink and socialize with one another. It’s the kind of place you would buy a Nutella and ricotta calzone from the lo-cal wood oven pizzeria Dar Poeta and eat at the base of the fountain while watching a fire dancer perform. If you’re not interested in seeing the American student neighborhood, there is also the Roman student center located near the Termini train station by the Sapienza Uni-versity of Rome. Wandering around the San Lorenzo quarter, you’ll notice an increase in the amount of tagging and graffiti that covers blocks of walls. Despite the nearby 3rd-cen-tury ancient Roman walls, the district has an informal and youthful atmosphere. Even the restaurants cater to young humor; we ate at placed called Porca Vacca. As a griglieria, it makes sense that porca and vacca mean pig and cow, but both act as double entendres and insults. To help paint a picture, the res-taurant’s mascot is a cartoon of a slutty cow. Not to be outdone by the American study abroad universities, San Lorenzo has plenty of nightlife for its student population, filled with bars, cafes, and discotecas. Aside from these areas that I love ex-ploring, there are also less frequented tour-ist destinations that I often suggest to people visiting Rome for the first time. Whether or not you’re religious, the astounding number of churches can still surprise you. Seeing so many churches in one visit to Rome might become a blur, but one church that stood out to me was the Basilica of San Clemente. Not only is it a religious building still in use, but

“The district has an informal and youth-

ful atmosphere. Porca Vacca’s mascot

is a cartoon of a slutty cow.”

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it is also steeped in history as the three-level structure dates back over 2,000 years. Visitors can explore beneath the church and see medi-eval religious paintings as well as observe a mithraeum, a place of worship for the ancient cult of Mithras. If seeing the site of an ancient cult isn’t macabre enough for you, I would suggest taking a trip to the Roman catacombs of St. Callixtus. There are over 40 different catacombs in Rome, but this site is known for having the most number of popes buried out-side of the Vatican. What was once the burial ground for popes, martyrs, and Christians is now a hollow cemetery with pockets dug into the tufa stone for bodies. You won’t be see-ing any skeletons since the catacombs were sacked by barbarian invaders, but the knowl-edgeable tour guides can tell you all you need to know. For the more intrepid historical en-thusiasts who don’t mind venturing outside of Rome, the ancient port of Ostia Antica is a thirty minute train ride away from the city. The 2,000-year-old site offers insight into the daily life of a Roman port with its fairly pre-served theaters, baths, forum, and houses. If you want a glimpse into ancient Roman life and don’t have the time or resources to head south towards Pompeii, Ostia Antica is the place for you. Whether you’re yearning for a bit of history or the road less traveled, know that you can visit Rome, see the popular sites, and yet also avoid the sea of tourists. So grab a pizza al trancio (slice of cut pizza) or a gelato and get yourself lost in those narrow Roman streets and enjoy because la vita è bella.

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Share Your WearSword & Plough By Rosie Ryan

Photos by Alexander Herman

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e live in a world full of waste. Fortunately, there

are many savvy people out there who are able to turn

something that most people would throw away into some-

thing of use and beauty. Then, there are those who go even

further and turn it into a mean-ingful business like the folks at Sword & Plough. Except they don’t use just any old item. Sword & Plough takes surplus military gear that would otherwise be discarded and turns it into fashionable bags and accessories. Sword & Plough is the brainchild of Emily and Betsy Nuñez, who grew up in a military family. While at college, they found it hard to relate to some of their classmates, many of whom were unfa-miliar with military life. That’s why they wanted to find a physical way to bring awareness to everyone about the chal-lenges that those in the military face. The name Sword & Plough comes from the ancient saying “To turn swords into plough shares.” It means to apply military technology and material to peaceful purposes. To make its prod-ucts, the company combines military gear with eco-leather accents and other American-made textiles. They take it one step further and employ veteran-run manufacturers to create their products. And they also give 10 percent of their profits to veteran initiatives. It’s safe to say the military is the heart of this operation. We spoke with Emily Nuñez, co-founder and an active-duty Army officer, to learn more about this inspiring company.

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What was the first piece you ever made? The first Sword & Plough piece ever made was a beautiful tote bag that was made by my mom, Judy. Our team needed a prototype with one week’s notice for an important pitch at the Dell Social Innovation Lab. I called my mom with this plea and she immediately and enthusiastically rose to the challenge. She designed and sewed the green canvas bag and also worked with a local Amish leather worker to sew on the leather handles. She mailed it to Massachusetts just in time! The bag was a huge hit with the audience as it was passed around during my pitch. This first prototype was so important because it turned the idea of Sword & Plough into a physical reality.

What about runway trends? Do your products echo them?

We keep an eye out for new run-way trends, but to be honest, most of our inspiration comes from what we see around us and what we are looking for in a product. We often draw inspira-tion from old military gear and we try to improve on what we know already works. The end goal is to effortlessly blend func-tionality and aesthetic.

Who do you imagine wearing Sword & Plough?

One of the most exciting things about the Sword & Plough brand [and] mis-sion is that it offers something which everyone can get behind. The majority of people carries a bag in their day-to-day life and so they each have the opportunity to make a difference. We have two target demographics. Our first consists of young,

Emily Nuñez

Tastevin Magazine

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When he heard that I was still deployed, he sent a care package full of snacks and playing cards for my soldiers and me.

“ “



urban professionals. They tend to be so-cially conscious and they’re interested in purchasing American-made products with a unique story. Our second demographic is made up of the military community and its supporters. Veterans, active duty service members, families, and friends have all shown a strong interest in our story and mission. We’re in a unique position in that we have been able to reach two very dif-ferent markets with the same product.

How does the military community feel about this concept?

We have received an overwhelming amount of support from the military com-munity. From customers to mentors and military supervisors, the community has really rallied around Sword & Plough. One of the most moving experiences occurred while I was deployed to Afghanistan. I re-ceived a package from a Vietnam Veteran who had seen Betsy speak on Fox News about Sword & Plough. When he heard that I was still deployed, he sent a care package full of snacks and playing cards for my soldiers and me. The best part of the package was a handwritten note explaining what Sword & Plough meant to him and the great potential he saw for its future. He also sent along copies of black and white photos of himself from when he was an Army pilot. Those are now hanging in the Sword & Plough office.

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blackmilkclothing.com


t should be a fact that a thematic element in any sartorial choice keeps things fun and fresh. A theme forces you to think about what’s been done before and how you can put your own, unique spin on an ensemble. This month, the flowers continue

to bloom and we celebrate the beauty of our mothers. Cue the metaphor: We are the flowers that our adoring mothers cared for all of these years. We love you, mothers!

Stay in theme, you flower child, with lush floral patterns on blouses, pants, and full skirts, perfect for those sunny days. When you need a boost of color, adorn your wrists, neck, and feet with equally amaz-ing petal-patterns. Or accent your looks with trendy floral handbags and backpacks. Floral-print items are available in a vast array of styles and colors as well as in so many stores, making them easy to acquire and easy to wear pieces throughout the seasons. Because who says that we can’t rock florals in fall and winter? Shake it up, flower children. If we don’t, who will?

Where To Find Everything:

Charles Anastase James Dean Floral Neoprene Shirt: $625 at largarconne.comMorgan Floral-Print Top: $72 at houseoffraser.co.ukVictoria’s Secret Floral Backpack: $44.50 at victoriassecret.comPink Flower Link Bracelet: $28 at topshop.comWide Leg Trousers in Sheer Floral Print: $71 at asos.comDolce & Gabbana Pleated Floral Skirt: $925 at farfetch.comBoho Floral Satin Trousers: $20 at forever21.comMarco Bologna Floral Print Skater Skirt: $423 at farfetch.comSteve Madden “Marlenee” Floral Print Sandals: $99 at macys.comFlower-Print Crossbody Bag: $19 at yesstyle.comGold-Tone Mint 3D Flower Statement Necklace: $70 at ilyculture.com

by breana powell

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LloydCher


Lloyd


he thing that struck me most about chatting with Cher Lloyd was her age—it was completely unapparent. The 20-year-old singer-songwriter-rapper says “don’t ‘Want U Back’” to her bubblegum pop image, speaking with an easy maturity that comes with years of experience. Though the English beauty is perhaps best known for her appearance on the seventh series of The X Factor, finishing just be-

hind boy-band wonder One Direction, she’s making a name for herself. At her ripe age, Lloyd has matched the likes of

Rihanna’s “Only Girl (in the World)” on the singles chart, bro-ken into the Top 5 on the U.S. iTunes chart, and worked with industry giant L.A. Reid, among other music power players. But despite all this—perhaps because of all this—she’s hungry. With Lloyd’s second album, Sorry I’m Late, dropping May 27th, she proves herself fearless and ambitious. From reality shows and Demi Lovato to pop music and bullying, Lloyd tells all.

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By Caroline A. Wong

Tastevin Magazine May 201461This page and previous spread: Studded grey sweater, Noel’s own. Pink thong, Noel’s own. Rings, Noel’s own. White filigree cuff, Forever 21, $10.


w

“Whatever comes at me, I got this.”

hen I ask Lloyd about what influenced her upcoming album, she is more than ready with an answer. “The inspiration behind this album was to basically do

exactly what I wanted to do. I mean, the last album was pretty much me coming

into the industry not knowing anything about it. And I think that showed,” she says

in her accented voice. “With this album in particular, this is like me from the beginning. This is me starting all over again, and it screams out to my fans and to my listeners that this is exactly who I am.” The album, which follows her debut Sticks + Stones, is titled Sorry I’m Late “purely for that reason,” insists Lloyd. “I feel like I’ve finally found who I am and exactly the message that I want to give out to my fans. This album’s very special to me. I’ve never felt like this before about any of my music, so it’s a big deal.” Although Lloyd may have gotten a fast start thanks to her appearance on Simon Cowell’s reality competition show, she’s not necessarily singing its praises. “I was doing things before I even contemplated applying to The X Factor.” Lloyd says, “I used that show as a platform. That show didn’t shape me.” What does she say to crit-ics that think she rose to fame too quickly? “It took me over three years to get to this point where I can be like, okay, this is what I want to achieve [and] these are the goals I want to set [for] myself. You know, it took me a long time. It hasn’t been quick at all.” Despite some skepticism from people about the longevity of a reality star’s career, Lloyd is refreshingly candid. “My barriers are down. You know, I’m not a bubblegum pop princess. There’s gonna be times [when] people are shocked by what I have to say [or when] people don’t approve of what I’m doing.” After completing two head-liner tours and wrapping two albums, Lloyd is sure of herself. “I don’t have to ask anyone before I can do something. And this is what it’s all about…having that freedom and self-belief to just go through it. And I want to pass that on to my fans as well. That’s a big thing for me, is to have self-belief and just say, you know what, I’m gonna take

this risk because I know it’s gonna pay off. And I know the consequences of it, but I’m just gonna go for it.” Lloyd was not always confident in the direction her music was taking her, only recently finding the strength to take those chances. “It was only from the beginning of this year really [that I took more risks]. I think I got stuck in a pattern of doing the same thing every time I released a song. And I felt that there was something missing [because] I was so afraid. I was afraid of failing. I was afraid of doing things wrong.” But she actu-ally found motivation in her youthfulness. “It [was] just like, why am I so afraid? I’m twenty years old! I’ve got such a great career. I’ve been blessed with this amazing—I don’t want to say job because it’s not really a job. I mean, it’s hard work, but the best of it. And I just felt like I shouldn’t be worrying…I’m gonna act like a twenty-year-old girl, have some fun, and create amazing music and have people love my music and love me too.”

w II There have been reports of Lloyd be-ing bullied in the past. Lloyd reminisces, “Every young person goes through something in their life where they feel knocked down and, you know, kind of—how do I want to put this? You feel so down about yourself. But, I mean, the things that happened to me in my past, they shaped me today. And I’ve grown thicker skin, but I’m only human.

People need to take a look into what the music industry is really like. I explain that. And I don’t censor any-thing either. I’m not a bullshitter.”

“

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I mean, there’s gonna be things that crop up along my path that might disrupt everything. And I might get hurt.” Lloyd’s X-Factor friend (and one of the show’s judges) Demi Lovato has experi-enced private matters made public. I ask Lloyd if her struggle to fit in resonated in her relationship with Lovato, and for the first time, she seems a bit less open. “I mean, I cannot speak on her behalf, and she can’t speak on my behalf.” But with a bit of prying, Lloyd reveals, “Like I said, everyone goes through their troubles. But not everyone, you

know, goes public with it. And that’s fine. I think the main thing for me and the message that I want to spread is positivity. I think if you’re a positive person on the inside and on the outside, you’re just spreading it to the rest of the world.” Lloyd laughs. “But, I mean, having thick skin really helps.” Though Lloyd thrives on being challenged, you can tell that her perspective stems from her experience in the music industry. “It’s the constant knock backs. It’s the being told ‘no’ and being told that you can’t do that because that’s not what you need to do as an artist. Or, ‘No, you can’t have control over that because we’re going to do that…I think, you know, it can get very difficult as an art-ist because you have to choose your battles.” Lloyd remains resilient though. “I’ve got a documentary coming out [on my website, CherL-loyd.com]. It’s a four-piece documentary, and it basically gives people an insight into exactly what I do.” And what exactly does she do? “Many people just know me as this bubblegum pop prin-

II I used The X Factor as a platform. That show didn’t shape me.”

cess who had that song, ‘Want U Back.’ It’s much bigger than that.” As I mentioned before, one of Lloyd’s most endearing attributes is her candid-ness, and this documentary series provides more of just that. “[People] need to take the time just to take a little look into what the music industry is really like and I explain that. And I don’t cen-sor anything either. I’m not a bullshitter. I tell it straight.” The star has been through the ups and downs of her openness. She laughs drily, “When I first started out in the UK, I got a lot of backlash because I was so outspoken. But now, I under-stand my craft a lot more, and the opinions that I do have, I feel they matter. But I’m fine with being criticized. I mean, it’s not fun to be quiet. It’s a bit boring. So I’m forever gonna speak my mind.” Besides her second album, Sorry I’m Late, and her documentary series, what’s next on the horizon for Lloyd? “You know, I can’t tell whether I’m gonna fully know myself when I’m thirty, forty, fifty, whatever. But all I know is what I know now. And, right now, the thing that I’ve learned is that I need to be happy. That’s the main thing for me, is happiness. If I’m not happy, then nothing’s gonna work.”

“


The inaugural issue introduced a host of Tastevin features, includ-

ing including “You & Me,” the monthly investigation of designer collaborations by Editor-in-Chief

Caroline A. Wong.

The crew traveled to Coney Island to explore the summer-

time escape of literature’s great character Jay Gatsby.

The first issue of Tastevin also included a short story, “Tides of

Crimson,” following a forlorn mer-maid and a lonely princess.

The Inaugural Issue

Happy Birthday To Us!


Happy Birthday To Us!A look back at the first year of Tastevin


Janel Parrish of ABC’s Pretty Little Liars graced our June cover, accompanied by a photo shoot in Central Park inspired by W.A. Fulkerson’s novel Starfall.

Our first Vegas issue went behind the scenes of Sin City, from the down-to-earth guys of Thunder From Down

Under to the best makeup to beat the heat. It was also the first issue to feature a man on the cover.

August cover girl Joey Tierney lets us into her home and into

the life of a celebrity stylist.

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Jewelry designer Kesha, together with Charles Albert,

chats about the Kesha Rose jewel line in the November

issue, and food star Claire Thomas lets us into her home

for some tasty inspiration.

Fabulous Rachel Reilly of Big Brother and The Amazing Race reveals all in her vibrant September cover story. The issue also explored travel wear by Diane Kroe.


Claire ThomasMore Than Your

Average TV Foodie

Drugstore Aversion

Get Over Your Fear of the Makeup Aisle

The First AffairWhat It’s Like Sleeping with the President

Mega-songster and Warrior Designer

In the October issue, Scheana Marie talks Vanderpump Rules and dealing with Brandi Glanville’s jealousies, and bubbly designer Kelly Dooley shares her insight on the fit-ness fashion world.


1/ 14a fashion and lifestyle tasting menu

Cleanse Your BodyMale Bouncers!

Male Poets!Male Designers!

How to Get Rid of the Blehs

This month we celebrate all things men!

Vytas Baskauskas of Survivor: Blood vs. Water on yoga, his brother, and New Age crap

Namaste Bitches!

a fashion and lifestyle tasting menu

theMANuary

issue

From boozy cupcakes to the benefits of red wine, the December issue was a festive one (and the first without a person on its cover)!

Tastevin loves its men. The MANuary issue was fronted by Survivor yogi Vytas Baskauskas.

Boost Your Libido: Here’s How!

Sweet Looks: Whether for Valentine’s Day or a

Wedding, We’ve Got the Looks You Need

On Project Runway, Portland, and Pulling Through

MichelleLesniak

Strangers On A Train: A Real Life Story of

Traveling by Train

1/ 14a fashion and lifestyle tasting menu

Cleanse Your BodyMale Bouncers!

Male Poets!Male Designers!

How to Get Rid of the Blehs

This month we celebrate all things men!

Vytas Baskauskas of Survivor: Blood vs. Water on yoga, his brother, and New Age crap

Namaste Bitches!

a fashion and lifestyle tasting menu

theMANuary

issue

Project Runway powerhouse Michelle Lesniak talks life after the show and shares

pieces from her “Little Girl Lost” collection.

73


with many thanks to

our readersPETER PILOTTO x TARGETFrom Work to Weekend,

Day to Night

IN 10 STEPS OR FEWERHow To Clean Makeup Brushes

How To Be a Gentleman

Spilling Blood and Secrets On Broadway

BrycePinkham

WE ARE NOT MADE EQUALLYA Calorie is Not the

Same as a Calorie

The March issue features Tony-nominee Bryce Pinkham and introduced the “Things We Love” column where the Tastevin editors curate their obsessions for the month.

Tastevin loves women. Jamie Noel spills on be-ing an actress-produc-er in Hollywood, and designer Vanesa Rey stays at the forefront of what women need in the tech-fashion world.

with many thanks to

our readers

Documents

Tastevin Magazine May 2014 - Featuring Cher Lloyd