How I find ways to express my offbeat self in my onbeat career
I’m a total Offbeater in an Onbeat career. I’m the business interface and management for a group of engineers in Tech in the Silicon Valley. And unless you can break the sound barrier on amazing code, your work clothes had better be “business casual.” Since I am the business interface, I find myself even more pigeonholed into looking more “corporate” than I’d prefer. I find little ways to express my offbeatness though…
Yep, there actually are cute laptop bags out there to carry all your crap
If you’ve found yourself on your first day at your big new job (or preparing for school in the fall!) with a hideous briefcase a la Andie in The Devil Wears Prada, worry not. There are tons of cute laptop bags from which to choose so that you can look chic and fully prepared at the same time.
Let’s find a new home for your goodies, lappies, and electronics…
An interview with writer/performer/fashion maven Travis Alabanza
Travis Alabanza is a London-based performance artist, writer, and fashion gurl. Released in 2017, Travis’ stunning chap book, Before I Step Outside (You Love Me) documents the experience of navigating public space as a trans person. Let’s hear what motivates Travis in fashion, writing, and performance…
How to turn up the volume on fine, flat hair
I have flat, straight, fine, and thin hair, that falls flat no matter what I do. It’s long and has no volume whatsoever. How should I style my hair and how do I make curls stay? I also don’t want to damage my hair, and because it’s thin it gets damaged really easily.
Does anyone have any tips do deal with this?
Why it matters so much when a “limpy fat girl” wins the world’s biggest pinup pageant
I’ve been following New Zealand pin-up queen Fran Robertson on Instagram (@frantasy_island, natch) ever since we featured her wedding on Offbeat Bride back in 2016, and it’s been a colorful journey for sure. Recently, I followed along with her photos of traveling from NZ all the way to Las Vegas to compete in the Miss Viva Las Vegas pageant — which she totally won!
I asked Fran if I could interview her about how her experiences are setting new standards for visibility…
I might just need some of these ultra weird shoes (and some that are SUPER cute)
Don’t ask how I ran across these super weird shoes on Amazon. It was a series of weird events that led to fish shoes. But now you do and nobody can go back from this. You’re in it with me and we must proceed to see the weirdest shoes I was able to find. Are these your new gag gift, white elephant present, birthday gift for that weird uncle, or your own brand new fish sandals, pug slides, or grass-lined flip-flops?
Either way, you’ve got to see these weird shoes and sandals (and some that are downright adorable!)…
Always looking SHARP: cactus accessories for your home and your bod
Some things are just HOT right now: alpacas, festival gear, desert stuff… but one thing that makes me happy is the endurance of the cactus and succulent trend. Please stay forever, my prickly and green lovelies. Aloe you very much. You’re always looking sharp. I’m ready to stop being a cact-I and start being a cact-US. Many apologies for all those puns.
Let’s take a look at some of the most adorable cactus accessories for wearing and decoration no matter what season it is…
You can totally own a retro ’90s Caboodles makeup case again
If you were collecting makeup (or crafting supplies, art supplies, various junk!), you probably had a Caboodles makeup case sitting in your room in some shade of retro pastel fabulousness. Vintage versions have been available at places like eBay, Etsy, and vintage shops for ages, but now they’re available in new versions! Commence squeeing!