Peace, love and joy are three themes central to the artwork and life of 2011 Coral Reef High School graduate and South Beach resident Reyna Noreiga.

Whether it’s spending time with her Cuban father and Bahamian mother, three siblings...Read more

Sunday Best

OK, one last round of Oscar gowns before we put it all away for another year. These two sparklers were probably my favorites of the night. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay ("Selma," "13th") looked beautifully Old Hollywood in a black-and-silver Louis Vuitton gown, with a capelet and train as ...Read more

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I carry a lot of stuff around in my purse so I’ve been bummed by a style trend to small — even super tiny — purses. Am I hopelessly out of fashion?

— Tiffany T.

Dear Tiffany: Those ridiculously impractical micro-mini purses are already on their way out. The obvious reason: Cute as they are, they can hold ...Read more

CHICAGO — For South Loop resident Abena Boamah-Acheampong, nkuto (aka raw, organic shea butter) had been a staple in her home growing up in Ohio. Nkuto was an ingredient her mother, Juliana, would add to her own body butter concoctions for family usage.

“Dry skin? My mom would say spread nkuto on you. Body pains, use nkuto. It was our go-to...Read more

DALLAS — A signature scent can be a subtle hint at luxury.

Krigler, a luxury perfumery, is offering a $60,000 experience in Dallas where shoppers can create their custom perfume with raw materials. It takes up to a year and a half to test the fragrance throughout the seasons and to let...Read more

Are you taking advantage of all of your travel perks? A recent Instagram post from lifestyle and fashion blogger Everyday Pursuits reminded followers of one they may have missed. Delta passengers who link their SkyMiles and Airbnb accounts will earn miles toward a future trip. In the post, the blogger provided a video of how to sync your ...Read more

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Student models wearing recycled and reimagined clothing, and in some cases grocery bags, sauntered past audience members consisting of students, staff and faculty for the recent EcoFashion Show at Santa Clara University’s Locatelli Student Activities Center.

Designers and models from the university, with one designer ...Read more

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: For a few years I’ve been dyeing my mousy brown hair a pretty blond color but I’m sick of the time and expense and am thinking of letting the blond grow out. But, I dread the problem of noticeable brown roots. Is there a solution to my dilemma?

— Nicole A.

Dear Nicole: If you want to make a fashion statement �...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — The shirt I ordered was too big, so I had to take it back to the grocery store.

This is a sentence that makes sense in 2023, because we're used to ordering from Amazon and returning things at Whole Foods, which Amazon owns. But if you're a certain age, it's sounds like "buying clothes at Dayton's and returning them to Red ...Read more

An Academy Awards red carpet — or, in the case of this year's edition, champagne-colored carpet — is typically full of pleasures both expected and unexpected. The former: Jamie Lee Curtis, looking absolutely classic and smashing in a simple, long-sleeved glittery sheath. The latter: Fan Bingbing, in a silver gown worn with a wildly dramatic,...Read more

Sunday Best

It's not often that I feature two photos of the same outfit here at Sunday Best, but Cara Delevingne's dramatic ensemble deserves two views. Designed by Carolina Herrera and worn to the Screen Actors Guild Awards last Sunday (Delevingne was a nominee, as part of the ensemble cast of the Hulu series "Only Murders in the...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Floral print shirtwaist dresses, black turtlenecks, and Levi’s are staples in many thrift stores and resale shops.

At Blk Ivy on West Philadelphia’s Lancaster Avenue, such classic American apparel is displayed next to rare Roberta Flack and Bob Dylan albums; a...Read more

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I have a gently worn pair of black Skechers gym shoes. For the past six months or so they have produced a very noticeable and embarrassing squeak while walking on any surface. They have not been soaked in water. I saw an article online about using baby powder to remove any moisture and thus removing the “squeak.” ...Read more

CORAOPOLIS, Pa. — A new shop on 5th Avenue in Coraopolis boasts thousands of colorful cups, plates and other dinnerware. Still, owner Rebecca Taylor readily admits she didn't know much about Fiesta until the 1990s, when she went antiquing with her mother and happened upon an iconic coffee pot from 1954. It was a seminal moment.

Bewitched by ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — In Pennsylvania these days, some old department stores don't fade away. They just trade their sportswear for slot machines.

At Westmoreland Mall, for instance, a former Bon-Ton store is now home to Live! Casino Pittsburgh, an 80,000-square-foot gambling venue featuring 750 slot machines and 40 table games that opened in late 2020...Read more

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: This just in: I read somewhere that the vanilla French manicure is “Hollywood’s latest obsession.” Has it come to that? Hollywood is obsessed by a manicure? By the way, what IS a vanilla French?

— Ava M.

Dear Ava: My first reaction to this question was WHAT? Even the vapidity of Hollywood couldn’t extend to...Read more

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food prices increased by 9.9% in 2022 and are expected to grow another 7.1% in 2023.

When it comes to grocery shopping, customer loyalty cards can help a bit with prices, as can paying with a credit card that offers cash back or other rewards. But there’s just not much that ...Read more

Sunday Best

In a sea of look-at-me fashion at the BAFTAs last weekend, the beautifully simple silhouette of this Louis Vuitton gown caught my eye. Worn by actor/model Hoyeon Jung ("Squid Game"), its shape — strapless top, fitted waist, bouffant skirt — couldn't be plainer, but the richness of the sparkly fabric creates ...Read more

Miles deodorant and antiperspirant are marketed for tweens and teens.

MINNEAPOLIS — Carly Broderick had a dilemma.

Her 10-year-old son came home with a pamphlet on puberty as the school tried to prepare students and their families for how their young bodies would begin to change.

"I was reading through the packet and thought, ...Read more

Dear Answer Angel Ellen: I have kitchen envy. Several of my friends have spruced up their kitchens with new cabinets. I priced cabinets at Lowe’s and Home Depot and nearly fainted at the cost. How can I make my old cabinets look better with the biggest bang for the least expense? I absolutely have no do-it-yourself skills.

— Caroline G.

...Read more