👠 Just when it seemed like high heels might make a comeback, in walked “the grandma heel.”
No shade to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, but we wouldn’t call their split particularly (or even mildly) surprising. The same can’t be said for America’s Coolest Couple — Zoë Kravitz and Channing Tatum — who reportedly broke up and called off their engagement, blindsiding Step Up and Big Little Lies fans everywhere. Sure, an aloof art girl and Magic Mike didn’t seem like the most conventional pairing, but this was the couple who endearingly cruised around NYC on a BMX bike, who found common ground on Crocs (read: Tatum agreed to never wear them again), and whose dedication to movie-inspired couple costumes was admirable (who else debuts their engagement in a Rosemary’s Baby costume?). Even “Pops” (aka Lenny Kravitz) said his would-be-son-in-law had “become part of the family quite quickly.” All of which led us to think this was the one celebrity couple we didn’t have to worry about.
How wrong we were. Now, as we try to process the news, we have a few questions: What’s transpired since the Blink Twice press tour — during which the duo flirted through the Vanity Fair lie detector test, played with puppies, and filmed one of the most entertaining Criterion Closet Picks videos? Of course people grow apart (as sources claim), but let us remind you it was a mere three months ago that Tatum said, “We’ll be making things until we’re old and gray.” Which brings us to our next question: How are the exes going to handle starring in another film together? Because to make matters more interesting, hours before the split made headlines, it was announced the two would be filming a new alien-invasion movie. And our final question: Why did the fiancé of Tatum’s ex-wife post a very long “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA” on Instagram right after the breakup went public? (For the record, he has since clarified, saying he was responding to…a plant meme. Sure, Steve.) Perhaps we’ll get answers when — correction: if — Zoë and Channing ever comment, but for now, we need all the other seemingly solid celeb couples (and “couples”) to stay together. Meryl and Martin, that means you.
Welcome to our first completely unofficial celebrity costume contest. Because if there’s one upside to having two Halloweekends (apologies, spooky szn hive, but it is…a lot), it’s that there’s been even more opportunities for celebs to really go for it. And that’s precisely what they did, putting their wealth — and stylists, glam squads, and personal assistants — into fully committing to the bit. Without further ado, the awards go to…
🏆 Kim Kardashian for the Most Intricate (And Random) Costume a Celebrity Budget Can Buy. Our first thought: Who the F thinks of going as an albino alligator? Our second: Between that tail and those nails, we’re going to be having nightmares for the foreseeable future.
🏆 Now, if you thought we made it all this way and forgot about the Queen of Halloween, well, nonsense. Heidi Klum and Janelle Monáe tie for the Most Unexpected — And Most Perfectly Kooky — Twinning Moment. (They had to have coordinated their incredibly creepy E.T. costumes, right?) Plus, we’re giving Klum’s husband, Tom Kaulitz, a participation trophy for being a good sport.
After hotels embraced bedroom bathtubs, it seemed a more impractical design trend was not possible. Not so. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of traveling recently, we’re here to report that something deeply concerning is going on with hotel bathrooms. In a world of smaller spaces (and budgets), bathroom doors seem to be an afterthought: Some hotels are ditching them entirely, while others are opting for flimsy curtains, frosted glass, sliding barn doors, or even saloon doors — which, it’s worth noting, are not the same as regular doors. And these bathroom make-unders come as another equally bewildering design fad is on the rise: the open-concept hotel shower, which some have declared “the most reviled trend in the modern hotel room” because (a) the shower is often very cold and (b) the entire bathroom floor usually ends up drenched. One star for all.
Season 1 of The Diplomat ended with a literal bang — after an explosion in London turned US Ambassador Kate Wyler’s world upside down (if you need a refresher, click here). Now, in season 2 of the Netflix drama, the stakes are even higher for Wyler (played by a “riveting” Keri Russell) as she investigates who the conspirators were that attempted to blow up her almost-ex-husband Hal (Rufus Sewell), fends off just about every international disaster possible, and tries to prove it was the British PM who organized a false flag attack on a UK aircraft carrier. And that’s on top of dealing with a very unexpected and highly threatening visit from Vice President Grace Penn (played by the beloved Allison Janney) — who, you might recall, is exactly the person Wyler was secretly tapped to replace. High stakes, indeed.
Year-round sunshine. Sprawling desert views. Bucket list-worthy events. Scottsdale, Arizona has all the makings of a memorable getaway — and their exciting, jam-packed event season is juuust around the corner. You can kick off your trip at the Barrett-Jackson Auto Auction, one of the country’s biggest collector car auctions. Then, grab your cowboy boots for Scottsdale Western Week, a multi-day festival celebrating the rich history of the Wild West. And don’t forget the WM Phoenix Open (one of the rowdiest sporting events of the year), the Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show, and MLB spring training. After all that, the world-renowned luxury resorts, one-of-a-kind restaurants, and epic pool parties are just the cherry on top. Brb, booking our flight.*
Trending products and brands our shopping team has been loving recently.
Serious about holiday shopping? The real ones know to take advantage of QVC's Nonstop Holiday Party, a marathon shopping event with sales, giveaways, and special perks. We're getting these cozy socks for ourselves.
In case you haven't noticed, we're in the midst of a denim renaissance. Baggy ones, skinny ones, stretchy ones...these are the pairs that have revolutionized our wardrobes recently.
PS: Want more product recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram.
Unleash your competitive side with today’s games and puzzles. Choose from an anagram word search, digital jigsaw puzzle, or crossword (with a twist). Better yet: Try them all.
Skimm’d by: Marisa Iallonardo, Alex Carr, Melissa Goldberg, and Margaret Wheeler Johnson
Photos by Tommaso Boddi/Contributor via Getty Images, Mike Coppola/Staff via Getty Images, alvarez via Getty Images, Alex Bailey/Netflix, Brand Partners
