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Model Nikki Muffoletto has set out to lose 40 pounds in three months…on camera.

When Nikki Muffoletto dropped 40 pounds, 90 percent of her clients dropped her. In order to work again, the plus-size-model-turned-personal-trainer was told that she had two choices: gain the weight back and work the plus-size circuit again or shed another 40 pounds and become a “straight-sized” model. Talk about a predicament! Currently, Muffoletto stands at 5’10 and is a size 8.

Out of these two less-than-stellar options, Muffoletto opted for the latter, but she’s not going down (literally) without a fight. The 30-year-old, who has posed for Lane Bryant, Kohl’s, and Fashion Bug, is raising funds via Kickstarter to create a documentary of her weight loss. Working with doctors and a nutritionist, she aims to find out if it’s possible to reach measurements of 34-24-34 (around a size 2) in a healthy way…in three months.

Is it risky? Sure, but Muffoletto has said that “in order to provoke change, you have to be willing to do the things that people think are crazy.”

She wrote on her Kickstarter page, “I have personally seen in my 12 years of modeling girl after girl come in at a size 6 and leave at a size 0 with an eating disorder…I want to open the world of modeling so everyday people can see that a majority of models are not built this thin. A large percentage of models go to extremes to get down to a miniscule size.”

And who could forget French model Isabelle Caro, who died in November 2010 due to anorexia-related complications. She was 28 years old. Three years before her untimely death, she posed for an anti-anorexia ad campaign weighing only 59 pounds.

Muffoletto follows in the footsteps of women like Healthy is the New Skinny‘s Katie Halchishick, who hope to end the industry’s obsession with emaciated models. As Muffoletto asks, “Wouldn’t it be great to have more Kate Upton’s in the industry?” Yes, yes it would be.

3PTPOP transforms your favorite art, music, and fashion idols into wearable works of art. No pop culture icons were harmed in the making of these duds.

Wearing pop culture on your sleeve is easier than ever, thanks to 3PTPOP (Three Point Pop). The brainchild of designer Victor-John Villanueva, the line brings on the bling with fusible-beaded necklaces, tees, and leggings featuring images of beloved art, music, and fashion icons.

This past weekend, 3PTPOP sashayed its way to Yotel Hotel’s rooftop for a Mercedes Benz Fashion Week presentation that was heavy on the quirk and color.

Forget crowding the tents at Lincoln Center for a glimpse of pop culture’s heavy hitters! From Nicki to Karl –with Biggie, Daft, Andy, and more in between– the stars were well-represented at this show (in tee and necklace form).

Described as a fusion of fashion, pop, and toys, Villanueva’s label has been making waves among fashion’s elite.

Miss J. Alexander and Robert Verdi are fans, as you can see from this MBFW shot. I caught Miss J. before the Academy of Art University runway show (a friend was decked out in a 3PTPOP necklace) and he said that Villanueva was “so talented.”

You know you’re doing something right when you can count the sassy former America’s Next Top Model judge as a fan.

As we trade in our flouncy skirts and flip flops for jeans and booties, Jane Iredale’s new floral-inspired lipstick line guarantees that we’ll have at least a piece of summer to carry us through fall.

Earlier this week, the Betty gals were invited to participate in a floral arrangement class at Manhattan’s Florisity and had a chance to swipe on a few of Iredale’s berrylicious shades for ourselves –and my, were they gorgeous!

The 24 piece collection includes stunning coppers, corals, mauves, plums, reds, sheer pinks, and more. Moist and long-lasting, Iredale’s orange peel wax, avocado, and sunflower seed oil-packed formulas condition and quench lips, making them oh-so-kissable. And the entire line smells and tastes like berries. Delicious date night staples? We think so!

So what’s on my hand? The top shade is Kaylee, a creamy matte nude. While she’s subtle enough for hanging with your girls at home, she’ll also work with your 9-to-5 wardrobe. Next up is Lily, a sheer, shimmering pink coral. Here’s a secret: I’m a bit obsessed with Lily. I’ve stashed her in my purse because she’s THE perfect go-anywhere shade. Now, when I see an ex or snooty former co-worker, I’ll slather my lips in Lily and look fabulous. Win! Last but not least is Margi, a sexy matte red. She’ll make your pucker the center of attention come Friday night (expect free drinks and a cutie on your arm).

Jane Iredale’s PureMoist lipstick line will hit JaneIredale.com and select beauty apothecaries worldwide next month, so keep your eyes peeled and lips ready. Each tube will sell for $25.

And don’t forget to pick up a lip definer ($13, shop.janeiredale.com) while you’re at it! I have Earth Red, Rose, and Spice on my hand and each provides a super-smooth and long-lasting base that complements the lipsticks? Plus, none of these amazing products are tested on animals, so your splurge will be (mostly) guilt-free. Are you ready to perfect your pucker?

Kick off the fall season with Phillip Lim’s hotly-anticipated Target line.

men’s shirt in navy/camo, $29.99; navy sequin dress, $74.99; men’s high-top sneakers in white, $44.99; mini-satchel in black, $34.99

If Missoni, Jason Wu, and Prabal Gurung weren’t enough, Target is slated to roll out a 100-piece (!) 3.1 Phillp Lim line. Come September 15, style-savvy shoppers of both sexes will have a chance to stock up on Phillip Lim for Target’s selection of dresses, jackets, intimates, bags, tops, shoes, and more. Prices will range from $20 to $300, a far cry from the fashion house’s regular pieces, which typically start in the hundreds and go into the thousands.

According to T Magazine, the Target collection contains pieces for morning, noon, and night in neutrals like khaki, grey, and navy. Prints –camo, leopard, floral, and the below comic-book-inspired pattern– also make appearances.

“This is really personal, because growing up, I was a Target customer,” Lim told T Magazine. “My parents were always taking me to Target for back-to-school shopping, and I would find things, but they were not quite right. This was my chance to go back and relive this and do it right.”

Oh, what we’d shell out to forget the days when we rocked head-to-toe Mossimo Supply Co. with our Velcro strap sneakers. The horror!

Check out the Phillip Lim for Target video lookbook here:

New(ish) momma Jessica Alba turned heads at Ralph Lauren’s girls’ runway show this month. Here’s how you can snag her chic look –without breaking the bank!

Just when we thought we had finally gotten over Jessica Alba’s impeccable beach body (ugh!), here she is looking flawless –again. The actress, business woman, and hot mama was spotted looking like an All-American sweetheart at Ralph Lauren’s girls’ runway show this month. Craving her flirty polka dot frock, denim jacket, and chic wedges? You are not alone! Here’s how to snag Jessica’s catwalk-worthy look on a normal girl budget.

Polka dot halter dress ($19.80, forever21.com), Hot Kiss medium wash denim jacket ($36.99, charlotterusse.com), Ivanka Trump Alexis top zip satchel ($75, 6pm.com), White Mountain Matador wedges ($19.99, macys.com), Sequin silver-tone open cuff bracelet ($18, macys.com), Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Lover’s Coral ($6.99, ulta.com).

Lingerie Fashion Week brings sexy back (again) for season two with its S/S 2014 runway show.

For the uninitiated, Lingerie Fashion Week is a lot like MBFW, but with less clothes and a salacious mid-show performance. Well-attired guests were treated to a warm video welcome from Dita Von Teese followed by a runway performance featuring Secrets in Lace’s Bettie Page retro-chic lingerie and stockings.

Leopard print abounded, as did blue, pinks and reds, dots, classic bridal white, and ready-for-anything black.

There were barely-there thongs, sexy push up bras, garters, sheer pieces, shapewear and more modeled by gals of varying heights and body types. The one thing they had in common: They all looked hot, hot, hot!

After a mid-show performance by the gorgeous Ginger Valentine, Missy Lisa, and Angie B’Lovely –who were each clad in pieces from the leopard collection– we were given a crash course in Secrets in Lace’s celebrated stockings.

Daniel J. Whitsett, President and Co-Founder of Secrets in Lace, gave us the scoop on what makes the Dita Von Teese line of stockings so damn sexy:

These stockings are made of Nylon (no Lycra), which makes them ultra-sheer. Pinup models like Bettie Page wore stockings like these. These fully fashioned stockings are sewn using the same machines from the ‘40s and ‘50s Pinup era (others are made on an ‘80s-style machine). As a result of the Nylon, they come in more sizes than regular stockings that are less sheer and stretch more.

The classic fully fashioned style stockings are stitched together ½ at a time. As a result, there’s a small hole in the stitching at the top back of the tights called a keyhole.

The heels have extra material (reinforced heel and toe) to prevent damage caused by friction from shoes rubbing against them.

The diamond effect took two hours on the machine to create (twice the time it takes for a regular pair). It’s a lot harder than it looks: The first diamonds came out looking like shark teeth.

These stockings are “guaranteed to run” (ha ha) but if you’re careful, you can get 10 to 12 wears out of one pair. If you’re not careful (think hangnails, pulling them on too roughly), they’ll last for about one wear… maybe (eek!).

[Note: The Bettie Page nylon stocking collection, a favorite of Dita Von Teese, ranges from $29 to $59.99 and are available for purchase here.]

Malin Akerman put her best smiley face forward with this cheery ensemble. Here’s how to recreate the look…for less!

New momma Malin Akerman has a number of reasons to smile, and this casual-cool ensemble is one of them! She flaunted her rockin’ post-baby bod on a shopping trip with the hubby and their baby boy. And while we can’t give you her lean legs and gorgeous blonde locks, we can tell you how to put together this adorable look on a budget. Now that’s reason enough to smile, isn’t it?

Hi Bye Smilie Face tank ($19.50, store.delias.com), Sally ankle boot in black ($55, shopsosie.com), Denim skinny in black ($36, shopsosie.com), Paul Frank Instant Intellectual sunglasses ($163.50, eyesocietyonline.com).

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you already know that The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is slated to hit theaters next month. Our girl Lily Collins, along with an impossibly-good-looking cast, will be stabbing, biting, and whipping their way across demon-infested New York City.

And just in case you really have been living under a rock, these Shadowhunters don’t mess around when it comes to personal style. Enter “Parallel Worlds” by NYX Cosmetics ($24.99, ulta.com). Inspired by The Mortal Instruments,  the boxed set includes a smokey shadow palette, soft matte lip cream, boudoir mascara, powder blush, studio liquid liner, and jumbo eye

 pencil. Also included is a helpful booklet with steps on how to achieve a day look inspired by leading lady Clary Fray and a night look inspired by the gorgeous Isabelle Lightwood.

  Me with absolutely no makeup on.

FOR DAY

On my first attempt, I created Clary’s soft, subtle look on my own face. Here’s how you can do it for yourselves:

1. Blend your cashmere-colored jumbo eye pencil onto both lids.

2. Swipe the shimmery beige shade from the smokey palette across lids. For a touch of daring (that’s still work appropriate), dip your brush into the blue then white shadows and blend into your outer V’s. Optional: Dip the tip of the brush into the blue shadow again and line your bottom lash lines. I opted for this instead of eyeliner, which takes me forever to apply correctly.

3. Apply mascara to top and bottom lashes.

4. Complete the look with a light swipe of the hot pink blush on each cheek and a touch of matte pink gloss. You’re ready to hit the mall, Shadowhunter. Hey, you never know when you’ll run into your “demon” ex-boyfriend. A girl’s gotta be prepared!

FOR NIGHT

For a Saturday night going out look, I did the Isabelle, which turned out to look just as dark and alluring as I had hoped! Here’s how to swipe your way to sexy:

1. Again, you’ll start by blending your cashmere-colored jumbo eye pencil onto both lids.

2. Swipe the smokey palette’s purple shade across each entire lid. Apply the matte black to your outer V’s and lower lash lines.

3. Line your top and bottom lash lines (I only did my top) with liquid mascara, creating a cat eye wing. Coat top and bottom lashes with mascara.

4. Complete the look with a swipe of hot pink blush on each cheek and a double coating of matte pink gloss. Yowza!

For the price, this set is a major steal that you’ll find yourself using long after The Mortal Instruments hits theaters. The smokey eye palette is heavily-pigmented and long-lasting and the blush and gloss gave my face a stunning glow. Now who’s ready to kick some demon butt?

From left to right: Without makeup, “Clary”, “Isabelle”

P.S.: Click here to find out how you can win a VIP trip for two to Los Angeles!

If you’ve been scouring the racks for the perfect affordable maxi dress, we feel your frustration –and so does a-thread. In an effort to bring women budget-friendly (but not ill-fitting and cheap) maxis, the young company has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the project.

Aiming to reach their goal of $10,000 by August 9, 2013, a-thread promises a fabulous maxi dress for every $25 donation (two for a $47 donation, three for a $70 donation, and four for a $93 donation). For maxi dress devotees, $1,000 will earn you one of each style produced, in each color, from your own measurements. Talk about star treatment!

Once the project is funded, each maxi will be hand made in Los Angeles out of heavyweight rayon jersey and sell for only $29. Can you say score? The Everyday Maxi will be available in two styles: the scoop neck and the spaghetti strap, with a guaranteed three colors per style. Who else is tempted to shell out for one of each? We sure are!

Actress Lily Collins was spotted sporting a trendy military jacket in Beverly Hills this month. Here’s how to scoop up her look –for a whole lot less!

Leave it to Lily Collins to look impossibly chic while running errands in Beverly Hills, California this month. The 24-year-old Mortal Instruments starlet rocked a trendy green military jacket, printed tee, Koolaburra platform clogs, and Zadig & Voltaire handbag.

But you don’t need to grace a magazine cover or star in a big-budget flick to dress like a star! With these pretty (and budget-friendly!) pieces, you’ll look as sleek as Lily in no time.

Lost In Love tee ($24.50, delias.com), Topshop ‘Duke’ jacket ($120, shop.nordstrom.com), Skinny jeans in Dark River ($56, shopsosie.com), Nila Anthony top handle satchel ($44.95, littleblackbag.com).

Meet your fuzzy, four-legged, crochet-clad obsession. You’re welcome.

The one time I dared to put a loose-fitting Santa suit on my cat (who has a white tuft of hair under his neck, by the way), he bolted from me for days –and that costumed look only lasted for a couple minutes. Enter Wasabi-chan, whose human momma regularly outfitted her in handmade crochet ensembles, and it was not purely for aesthetic purposes.

The Internet’s latest fuzzy obsession dons the outfits for health reasons. Health reasons, you ask? Well, Wasabi-chan’s human mama discovered her in front of her home last month. The poor kitten was bleeding out of her mouth after a vicious crow attack and suffered a fractured upper jaw and split tongue. Before you start sobbing over your keyboard, you’ll be glad to know that she’s going to be just fine, and it’s all thanks to her mom’s fabulous handmade crochet outfits.

BuzzFeed helpfully translated these tweets by Wasabi-chan’s mother from Japanese into English:

@jessiepon: “Crows have eaten inside of the kitten’s mouth, to the point she can’t drink milk on her own. The vet had to insert a catheter directly into her stomach to feed the kitten. Her initial body weight: 210g.”

 @jessiepon: “She tries to fight back whenever we feed her with the catheter, so Granny made her this outfit to make sure she eats. A “tarako” Wasabi. Tomorrow we’ll go to the clinic again!”

Like any other kitten (or human, for that matter), Wasabi-chan wasn’t exactly ecstatic about being fed through the catheter, and attempted to paw the tube away. According to the BuzzFeed article, this can “end up suffocating the kitten or hurting her throat/stomach.” The crochet outfits were vital in keeping her paws away from the catheter. Aww!

If you can’t get enough of the undeniably adorable Wasabi-chan (who could?!) and want to learn more about fostering or adopting a kitten or cat, click here. As a bona fide cat lady myself, I can tell you that if you have the means and patience to care for one, a rescue cat can change your life forever. And the hilarious antics are priceless.

Brazilian supermodel and Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrósio sported a fresh seafoam green maxi and a host of cool-girl accessories as she was out and about. While we can’t give you her long, lean legs or impossibly perfect tresses, we can show you how to create a lookalike ensemble of your own without breaking the bank (we even found Ambrósio’s Victoria’s Secret maxi…on sale!). Now go out there and strike your best pose!

Button sleeve chambray shirt ($19.80, forever21.com), Pleated maxi skirt ($55.60, victoriassecret.com), Nine West Weightless ($29.99, 6pm.com), AJ Morgan Miami sunglasses ($25.46, us.asos.com), ASOS cropped swing tank ($16.97, us.asos.com), Triad collar necklace ($28, baublebar.com), Bonnie Jonas spiked tassel necklace ($11.98, shop.nordstrom.com), Lulu by Lulu Guinness Shop Til You Drop tote ($54, jcpenney.com).

Whether you swooned over her brightly-colored getups or took pleasure in giving her a new ‘do (as in chopping off her long locks), Barbie was a toy we were all-too-familiar with as a child. And though we all understand now that her too-narrow hips, pencil-thin neck, and nearly-nonexistent ankles are totally unrealistic, Mattel’s most infamous plastic creation is part of a culture that promotes the impossible standards for women.

Enter digital artist Nickolay Lamm, who has shown the world (or at least the Internet) what a “realistically proportioned” Barbie would look like. After crafting a 3D model based on CDC measurements of the average 19-year-old woman, he photoshopped it to resemble the blond-haired, blue-eyed doll we love to hate. And she actually looks, well, pretty darn good.

In an interview with the Huffington Post, Lamm posed the question, “If there’s even a small chance of Barbie in its present form negatively influencing girls, and if Barbie looks good as an average-sized woman in America, what’s stopping Mattel from making one?”

Only one? How about hundreds, in a variety of hair colors, skin tones, and styles.

Rising star Shailene Woodley has held acclaimed leading roles in The Descendants and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. And with futuristic dystopian flick Divergent (which she helms) out next year, Shailene is poised to become a household name –watch out Jennifer Lawrence! As much as we admire her rare acting abilities, dedication to environmental causes, and girl-next-door personality, there’s one thing we can’t quite get enough of: her style! The 21-year-old admits to not caring much for designer labels or shopping, yet somehow always manages to pull off the casual-cool look. We dug around to bring you 10 quick facts about Shailene’s style, because the rest of us have to try hard to look like we don’t care.

1. In a May 2010 interview with Seventeen, the starlet expressed her desire for a casual, no-frills lifestyle. She said, “I want to wear sweats and learn how to cook dinners and that kind of thing.” Your high-maintenance pals might argue that wearing sweats mean you’ve given up, but who wouldn’t want to veg out with Shailene?

2. Deeming herself a “Plain Jane” –at least when footwear is concerned—Shailene has proclaimed that she prefers simple red or black heels to the trendier shoe options on the market.

3. Don’t expect this girl to hit the town in a scandalous, barely-there getup. She professes to prefer curve-hugging turtlenecks to too much boobage. “I’m more into being classy sexy versus apparent sexy,” she said.

4. In an interview with Asos magazine last year, Shailene credited her friends for many of her cool duds. “Most of my clothes come through friends – this cardigan is two years old and these jeans are my friend’s boyfriend’s,” she said.

5. Though she’s been known to rock playful floral frocks and elegant gowns on the red carpet, Shailene considers herself anything but a girly girl. She told Malibu magazine, “I never wear dresses. I’m always in either long, baggy skirts that I can still do ‘crisscross applesauce’ in, or blue jeans.”

6. Despite her often impressive paparazzi shots, Shailene tends not to concern herself with labels. “In my personal life I only buy used clothes for environmental reasons, so whatever I can find in thrift stores I’ll wear,” she told InStyle. “I really don’t know designers for anything. I don’t know the difference between this big designer and this small designer or this other big designer.”

7. She also thinks Hawaiian shirts are really, really cool.

8. Among Shailene’s style icons are Emma Watson, Rachel Bilson, and Pocahontas. Yep, you read that last name right.

9. Two of Shailene’s go-to beauty picks? CoverGirl LashBlast mascara and Chapstick.

10. So we all know that Shailene has impossibly gorgeous skin. And while we don’t have the luxury of an on-set hair and makeup team, we can still rub our way to glowing, moisturized skin. The actress recommends using extra-virgin coconut oil in lieu of your usual body moisturizer. “Not only is it all-natural, but I don’t have to wear a fragrance, because I smell like a yummy macaroon!” she told Teen Vogue. Sweet!

Steal Shailene’s Style:

Smith boyfriend pocket tee ($48, rebeccaminkoff.com), Bailey 3 ½ short ($24.90, delias.com), Fossil perforated leather belt ($34, shop.nordstrom.com), Frye wrap cuff ($38, zappos.com), Liz & Co.Kelly lace-up booties ($30, jcpenney.com).

In the United States alone, an average of 207,754 people are victims of sexual assault each year, reports anti-sexual violence organization Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). That’s equivalent to one victim every two minutes –about the time it’ll take you to read this blog post. To make matters worse, 97 percent of rapists will never see the inside of a jail cell for their crimes.

And sadly, survivors of sexual violence don’t always find the support they need and deserve. Take Rehtaeh Parsons, for example: After having been allegedly gang raped at a party, the 17-year-old student’s classmates mercilessly bullied her. Rehtaeh took her own life this past April, after being branded a “slut”, “liar”, and “whore”.

While attempting to combat a culture that condones the rape of women and girls could seem overwhelming, even small steps can make a difference. That’s where NO by ABL Eau de Parfum ($52, abeautifullife.com) comes in. Ripe fruits and wildflowers flirt with pink peppercorn and patchouli to create a blend that’s as sweet as it is empowering. For each bottle purchased, the husband and wife team behind A Beautiful Life will donate $10 to anti-sexual violence organizations, starting with RAINN.

Emblazoned with the word “NO” on the bottle, the fragrance’s tagline is “be sexy, say no.” xoVain editor Hannah Johnson eloquently wrote, “Just as I believe that a woman should be able to leave the house in a mini skirt, a crop top, an exposed thong, whatever, without being catcalled or assaulted, I also believe you should be able to beautify yourself and yes, spritz yourself with a sexy, heady, ‘aphrodisiac’ scent, without feeling obligated to consent to something you don’t want to.”

Let’s just pass that message along to every person ever. While a bottle of perfume –no matter how delicious it smells– won’t put an end to our society’s deeply-ingrained rape culture, it’s a start. And when you receive compliments (you will), be sure to tell your lady friends where you picked this scent up!

If you’re looking for a healthy dose of nailspiration to celebrate July 4th (which is next week, ladies!), Pinterest is a great place to start your search. 

Here are five photos of nail art to drool over before you hit the online pinboard everyone and her mother is addicted to. Indulging feels great sometimes, especially when it’s fat free. xoxo

We’re used to seeing Victoria’s Secret Angel Miranda Kerr make a style statement –take this ultra-chic leopard print maxi skirt, for example. She pairs her flowy Isabel Marant number with a simple grey tank, an effortless straw hat, and sleek Stella McCartney shades. But you don’t need a supermodel-sized budget to make your admirers purr. With these pieces, you’ll look and feel just as fierce –without breaking the bank!

Get the Look:

NYX matte lipstick in Pure Red ($6, drugstore.com), Metallic detail sunglasses ($19.99, shop.mango.com), BDG Aloha straw panama hat ($29, urbanoutfitters.com), Mudd racerback tank ($5.99, kohls.com), Rebecca Taylor leopard-print maxi skirt ($111.30, lastcall.com), Black faux suede ankle length booties($18.49, amiclubwear.com).