I Recreated 6 Runway Looks With My Own Clothes, and This Is What Happened

“I love the idea of giving women a platform to show off their individuality and confidence on a stage normally reserved for the select few,” said size-inclusive and body-positive activist Hunter McGrady, who hosted the show. “I also try to use my voice to evolve the industry for the better, so when I was given this moment to take a stance on the runway, I thought it was the perfect extension of my ongoing message.”

In partnership with Create & Cultivate, this show added DSW to the growing list of brands “walking the talk” of diversity in the fashion industry. The designer shoe warehouse opened their casting call to their community of customers and received over 4,000 submissions. The ten women selected, along with five style influencers and five DSW associates, represented diverse ages, ethnicities, cultures, gender identities, abilities, and more. All 20 models will also be featured in DSW’s Fall campaign.

“After this show, I’m confident and hopeful that fashion labels will follow DSW’s lead by inviting everyday women to be an accurate representation of their brand identity,” said McGrady.

The Sports Illustrated model didn’t start her career as the curvy woman she is now. After dieting and starving herself to maintain the typical beauty standard, McGrady realized her body wasn’t built to be thin. Since then, she’s worked to inspire other women to embrace their God-given bodies reminding them that they are #AllWorthy.

“I not only want to see positive change during NYFW, but I want to see it everywhere and every day in the fashion industry so that inclusivity becomes the norm for our society,” said McGrady.

(Photos Courtesy Smith House Photo)

Here's How Often You Should Cut Your Hair, According To Professionals

I’ll admit it — it had been eight months since my last haircut. My hair had lost its shape, my layers were nowhere to be found, and my ends were begging for mercy. Life got busy over the last few months and I was neglecting my haircare like never before.

My hairdresser could immediately see that I was beyond due for a cut and said I needed to get more taken off than I was hoping. I was definitely disappointed — I'd been working on growing out my hair for a while now, and it just felt like my hard work had completely gone to waste. He explained that getting consistent haircuts is the key to growing out healthy and strong hair, rather than letting it grow and grow until it eventually breaks. So let's dig into the top three things you can do to avoid this scenario!

1. Just Get The Dang Haircut

Also avoiding a haircut like I was? You might want to schedule one at your nearest salon. Like my stylist said, when you wait too long between trims like I did, you risk your hair becoming heavy, dull, and lifeless. When the hair is dry or even dead, it’s nearly impossible for it to hold a curl or style, essentially collapsing on you and taking on more and more heat damage all the while. I know the pain of spending time on a blowout only for it to fall minutes later — it’s the worst.

According to Jack, getting a haircut every 10-12 weeks is the best time frame or your ends will pay the price. Between blow-drying, curling, straightening, sun, and weather, our ends get dry and start to break without the proper care. Getting consistent haircuts allows hair to bounce back, shine, and perform the way we want in a healthy way.

2. Leave-In Conditioners Are Your Friend

His top piece of advice to keep your hair looking and feeling hydrated between trims? Invest in conditioning treatments. Jack swears by the Olaplex conditioning system, specifically the No 3 Hair Perfector. Made with patented OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology™, this conditioning treatment repairs and prevents damage in as little as three minutes. No 3 promises to reduce breakage and visibly strengthen hair, so it’s the perfect assistance to keep ends fresh between cuts. Another conditioning treatments I’ve used and loved for years is the Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, which is designed to restore moisture, elasticity, and shine to dry hair.

3. Switch Up Your Shampoos

Switching shampoos frequently is a pretty hot tip that I honestly hadn't thought of. Our hair gets used to the same products and grows tired of them, resulting in lackluster locks. Jack’s advice is to switch brands after finishing every bottle of shampoo to bring life back to your hair. Have two brands that you’re loyal to? Even switching back and forth between them after every bottle should make a big difference in your hair. I’m a huge fan of the R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo, which makes my hair look thick and full, as well as the Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo, which is so hydrating and gives so much shine.

In the end, navigating your back-and-forth relationship with haircuts often feels like a rollercoaster ride between wanting that fresh look and cringing at the receipt. Luckily, by using conditioning treatments and switching up your products,, you can keep your locks healthy, shiny, and full of life between trims. But take a newly learned lesson out of my book: don't let your ends pay the price for procrastination and just book the haircut.