Blog Posts by Elle

The Alkaline DietELLE editors tested out the most extreme diet plans. Find out who will lose the most (without losing her mind).

1. The Alkaline Diet
The plan: According to Honestly Healthy, a book by British nutritionist Vicki Edgson and vegetarian chef Natasha Corrett-about which Victoria Beckham enthusiastically tweeted in January-eating a diet of predominantly alkaline foods (veggies, mostly) and avoiding those that create acidity in the cells (carbonated drinks, red meat, dairy, bread) will balance the body's pH, for better skin, digestion, and immunity.
Editor's take: Eating the recommended 80:20 alkaline-acid ratio was easy (typically, salad with a side of fish), and I never craved sugar, a high scorer on the evil-acid index. However, I failed to give up coffee and wine, so I drank lots of superalkalinizing fresh-squeezed lemon for balance. To check that my pH never dipped below the optimum 7.35, I tested it daily with a saliva-activated strip. Like science class!
The payoff: Turns out

Tinted eyelashes for a faster beauty routineYou can look perfect, even when you are in a rush. Speed up your routine and get out the door more quickly with these head-to-toe tricks.

1. Shower at Night
It sounds like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how much time you can save by getting your shower out of the way the night before. If skipping your morning rinse is out of the question, think about forgoing washing your hair instead. Bedhead and messy updos are in, after all.

2. Use Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo may be a staple in just about every busy woman's medicine cabinet, and we can't sing its praises enough. Skip washing your hair with these innovative sprays that mask oil, dirt, and odor on dirty hair. Look for powdery sprays that also add volume to make it seem like you've just had a blowout.

3. Style While You Sleep
Take a cue from model Lily Aldridge and get ready the night before. "I like to do my hair at night," the model told ELLE.com. "That way, when I wake up in the morning, I have the perfect no-fuss waves."

Véronique Hyland's One-of-a-Kind WingtipsThere's a reason I'm a writer, not a designer. Even though I spend most of my day analyzing clothes, I wouldn't know the first thing about sketching something on my own. But when I met with Jodie Fox, the founder of customization site, Shoes of Prey, she challenged me to tap into my right-brained side and design a pair. I knew I wanted a comfy flat, something I could wear with summer dresses, so I decided to go the dressy oxford route. As you can see, I chose a wallpaper-like print for the upper half, and a poppy pinkish red for the wingtip's toe cap. (If I were an actual designer, I'd probably add something pretentious about "masculine meeting feminine.") The finished pair, which set me back $129, recently arrived in the mail and I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with my handiwork. I don't think I'll be quitting my day job anytime soon, but I'm always open to offers. Your move, Seventh Avenue! Design your own handmade, custom kicks at shoesofprey.com.

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ELLE Creative Director Joe Zee pays homage to the old-school suit, showing us how to wear the classic shape on and off the sand.

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Top 5 Products for Model Worthy Hair
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100 Swimsuits For Every Body Type
8 Perfect Pieces For Summer Layering

Rachel RoyThese days, it seems like everyone wants to work in fashion. But there's a lot more to it than scoring a spot on a reality TV show or training a digital camera on New York Fashion Week showgoers-or yourself-and uploading the results to Tumblr. Fashion is, after all, a billion dollar industry. Designing clothes or looking cute on a street-style blog are just a part of the equation. We've convened a panel of some of the biggest movers and shakers-including Fern Mallis, Kirna Zabête cofounder Sarah Easley, ELLE Fashion News Director Anne Slowey, and designer Chris Benz-to give you the lowdown on what it really takes to land this dream job.

THE ROLE MODEL: Fern Mallis, former executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and current fashion consultant and host of the Fashion Icons series at 92Y, where she chats up such luminaries as Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Donna Karan, and Suzy Menkes
JOB: Fashion Executive
THE TIP: "Have knowledge of everything that goes on in the

The average adult is supposed to get seven to eight hours of sleep a night, which is probably about seven to eight hours more than you can spare. But since a well-rested life is a happy and healthy one, we've enlisted the help of specialists, doctors, nutritionists, yogis, acupuncturists, trainers, and more to nail down the best steps you can take throughout the day and night so you can get the most out of bedtime.

1. Catch 40 Winks
Power naps have gone pro with the help of sleep spas such as Yelo. David Edwards, YeloSpa's head of development, educated us on the business of napping. "A 20- to 40-minute nap during the day will actually help you sleep better at night," he said. "It prevents you from ingesting caffeine, helps you relax, makes you feel more alert during the day, and, hence, less anxious at night before you go to bed." But don't doze off for too long. "You have to keep the nap less than 40 minutes so that you don't fall into slow-wave sleep," he added. "If you

Observe his postureResearch shows that 70 to 90 percent of our communication is nonverbal. Find out what your date is really telling you by looking at these 11 cues.


1. Observe his posture
Leaning back with his arms crossed in front of him could mean that your date isn't into you-unless you are sitting at a chilly outdoor café and he's cold. His actions should match his words, so watch for verbal and nonverbal consistency. Telling you that he's having a great time while leaning back and looking toward the door or saying "yes" while shaking his head are bad signs.

2. What his smile means
A faux-happy smile ends at the lips, while a genuine one will make the corners of his eyes crinkle into crow's feet, which, according to experts, is one of the hardest things to fake.

3. His nose movement
Flared nostrils indicate increased heart rate, which could mean he's angry, sexually aroused-or both!

Related: The Real Reason Why Men Cheat

4. Follow his feet
A body points toward where it wants to be going-so

Myspace employees blow off steam in a rec room tricked out with Ping-Pong tables and basketball hoops.Sorry Zuck, Myspace exec Neda Azafar wouldn't be caught dead in a hoodie.

The woman: Neda Azafar, 32
The job: Senior director of communications at Myspace, which is debuting next month with a new co-owner (Justin Timberlake), URL (new.myspace.com), and music focus.
The uniform: Streamlined yet playful separates from Ted Baker, Diane von Furstenberg, and Marc Jacobs
Company stats: Founded: 2003 Headquarters: Beverly Hills Users: 40 million Employees: 150

Staff Meeting

ELLE: When most people think of Myspace, they think of a website they ditched for Facebook in 2006. How can you convince them that the new version is something worth using?
Neda Azafar: We've built a completely new site from the ground up. Myspace started as a social network, pure and simple. Our new vision is homing in on music, because that community still has a need-they've got to reach an audience. There's audio streaming, a social aspect-musicians can connect to fans, and fans to other fans-and music