It’s difficult to upstage all the abs, genitalia, and underwear featured in Minx, the sultry-humorous series that tells the story of a fictional porn magazine for women in the ‘70s. But the show, now in its second season on Starz, manages to do just that — with pantsuits that are too good to pass up. And it’s all thanks to costume designer Marie Schley.
“Pantsuits are one of those iconic pieces of the early ‘70s that have stayed in fashion until today,” says Schley, who took over from season 1 costume designer Beth Morgan. “This season, the storyline has shifted, and it’s all about what happens when you achieve your goal. So it was really important to show success through the clothes.”
With a knack for flashy jewelry and open-collar shirts, in the first season, Doug Renetti (Jake Johnson) dressed the part of a seemingly successful porn publisher, often appearing in leather pants, rimless sunglasses, and layered gold necklaces and pinky rings. Meanwhile, the magazine’s creator Joyce Prigger (Ophelia Lovibond) wore stereotypical ‘70s girlboss attire that included colorful pantsuits and pussyboy blouses. But, in the second season, the playing field is leveled between the two, who are now part owners of Minx — Joyce holds 51 %, while Doug owns 49%, to be exact — and the clothes reflect this, with both embracing monochrome pantsuits-and-contrasting shirts work uniform.
“I really tried to stick within the same characters that Beth created for season 1, but punch everything up a bit as if they had gotten a bunch of custom-made suits,” says Schley. Doug, for example, gets gaudier bling, while Joyce’s suits now come in higher quality fabrics like wools and tweeds.
Schley also added other details to signal Joyce’s shift in mindset. She points to a particular scene in which the protagonist wears a Gucci vest and skirt suit that Schley says is reflective of Joyce’s transformation from the kind of editor that prioritizes her smarts over appearance to one who is now enjoying the spoils of success and recognition. “I brought a little bit more cutting-edge fashion,” Schley explains. “Just things that show that maybe she’s veered a little bit away from who she was when she thought about starting a feminist magazine.”
According to Schley, the team had to recreate many of the looks after finding it difficult to source vintage styles from the era. “I don’t know if that’s because ‘70s pantsuits came back in fashion in the ‘90s and the early aughts and everybody was wearing them,” she says. “We sourced vintage fabric and made a lot of the suiting for Joyce and Doug.”
While pantsuits are the sartorial stars of the show, Schley also wanted to incorporate the more sensual styles from the decade. “There were a lot of sexy clothes in the ‘70s, from halter tops and shorts to the tall boots,” she says. “Men were also not afraid to be objects of desire so they’d wear their shirts unbuttoned to the navel.”
Before you jet set off for your next overseas trip, let’s discuss a vital part of your wardrobe. Figuring out a comfy travel outfit is a no-brainer if you already have a favorite Lululemon top or go-to pants for commuting hanging in your closet. However, it can be hard to know if your comfy sandals or favorite gym shoes can actually stand up to those vacation days when you walk well over 10,000 steps. These shoes may even need to take you from your first coffee to after-dinner drinks and all the miles in between — something that we rarely ask of our footwear back home. Travel shoes can include a variety of styles, but sneakers for international travel are truly the best route to go. Trust me, as someone who recently did a mini Europe tour for her honeymoon, I was so glad I resisted the temptation to pack less practical shoes like flats and heels. Your feet will be thanking you at the end of the day; I know mine did.
When it comes to traveling through Europe’s cobblestone streets or planning for any schedule that includes hefty walking, you want the airiest, most durable, and most supportive sneakers. Rather than investing in a cheap pair that’ll only last you for the duration of the trip, opt for a style you’ll be drawn towards afterward, too. Don’t feel like you have to choose functionality over fashion. We found plenty of sleek travel sneakers in hues that’ll match any daytime or night ensemble, worthwhile trendy kicks, and ones specifically suited for hiking or action-packed activities — all with ample amount of support.
Best Versatile Travel Sneakers
My Rothy Lace Up Sneakers saved my feet during my honeymoon. I walked an average of 20K steps a day, and they were gloriously lightweight and breathable. I was able to effortlessly pair them with a silk button-up and paper bag shorts for the day and a nice summer dress for dinner. Plus, the flexible shoe is easy to pack, requires no break-in, and practically takes up no room. Any one of the shoes above are flawless pairs that’ll complement a plethora of casual and elevated looks.
Best Slip-On Travel Sneakers
If you’re not a fan of laces then, slip-on sneakers are the ones for you. Not only are they heavenly for rushing through TSA or out the door to enjoy the day, but also you’ll never have to stop the fun because of your tedious unlaced shoes.
Best Trendy Travel Sneakers
From New Balance kicks to Adidas’ Gazelle shoes, we’ve rounded up some of the best trendy sneakers that are actually worth the hype and deserve a spot in your suitcase. Most of our chosen travel sneakers are in a neutral hue to match all your outfits, but when it comes to these popular styles, feel free to choose a statement hue or a classic white pair with a colored sole.
Best Athletic Travel Sneakers
If you’re more of an active traveler and are planning to go hiking, ziplining, or daily runs, you’ll want one of these athletic sneakers that have loads of stretch and plenty of cushion. We’ve got everything from a best-selling Lululemon shoe to Nike’s classic Air Max for your perusing. There’s even a style from VEJA that you might have not seen before.
You might be familiar with the minimalist Campo or Esplar styles from VEJA. However, its new mesh and breathable athletic design is perfect for when you’ll be on your feet for a while. The Dekkan is a shoe specifically designed for the outdoors and high-performance activities. With its sturdy grip, protection, and support for your feet and waterproof soles, you can run, jump, or climb any obstacles through any weather.
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Serving cute ‘fits while on vacation is always a top priority of mine — but as we all know, it’s much harder to pull this off when you’re going somewhere very hot and humid. As a shopping writer who grew up in a subtropical climate, I know that the ultimate test of a travel outfit‘s potential is whether or not it can keep you breezy and chic in soaring temperatures. So when Love, Bonito invited me on a trip to Singapore to put its wares to the test with a packed itinerary planned by Visit Singapore, I was all too eager to RSVP “yes”.
You may not have heard of Love, Bonito, but the female-founded company is a household name in Southeast Asia and is popular for its trendy, vacation-ready pieces at wallet-friendly price points (most items retail for under $100). The brand is available online to U.S. customers and has just opened a pop-up store in NYC’s SoHo.
Singapore, on the other hand, needs no introduction. If Crazy Rich Asians happens to be your comfort movie (I mean, same), you probably have this destination on your bucket list. While the blockbuster movie certainly gave the world a glimpse into life on the island nation, casual viewers might not realize that the tropical paradise in the film exists practically year-round. The average temperature in Singapore hovers between 76°F to 89°F 365 days a year, with a humidity index that soars up to 100%. In other words, it’s the perfect testing ground for Love, Bonito’s summery designs. I hit the ground running alongside six other content creators — all fellow Asian-American women I admire and adore.
I was asked by the trip organizers to come without any luggage, in order to road test Love, Bonito’s best-selling styles, as well as products from several of Singapore’s emerging designers. Keep reading to find out my top-recommended affordable outfits for adventuring in high heat, with lots of Singaporean travel highlights thrown in for good measure.
I was personally thrilled to set foot in Singapore again: it was the first international country I ever visited as a kid, but my memories of the country were contained to its mega-malls and hawker centers (similar to food courts you find in America, but with much better and cheaper street food). Thankfully, I experienced much more of the cultural offerings this time. We hit up the impressive National Gallery Of Singapore for a tour of Southeast Asian paintings, followed by art-inspired cocktails on the rooftop bar, Smoke & Mirrors. We then found ourselves in the sidecar of a vintage Vespa, Bond villain style, and cruised through some of the city’s most iconic landmarks.
The next dress I tried was perfect for an afternoon exploring the local boutiques in Katong and Joo Chiat. These streets are fronted with eclectic pastel buildings, and are literally made for Accidentally Wes Anderson TikToks. Not gonna lie: I felt like hot stuff in this little cornflower blue number. I matched perfectly with the colorful Peranakan shophouses (a blend between Chinese and Malay/Indonesian architecture) in the background.
This dress was also the perfect balance of sexy while still feeling daytime appropriate. As someone who has a heavier bust but likes to dress on the modest side, I’m often self-conscious about the amount of cleavage I am showing. There’s also a whole category of strapless, spaghetti things I stay away from, since I often need to wear a proper wired bra underneath to support my girls. This cut-out dress was such a nice way to go braless, though. The bust was padded, and the wraparound elastic design felt supportive around my boobs without digging into my skin. The side cut-outs showed a little bit of skin, but in a way that was comfortable.
More padded colorful summer dresses from Love, Bonito:
Even if Singapore’s climate makes it dress weather nearly 24/7, there are inevitably days in a tourist itinerary where you need something a bit more on the outdoorsy side. While Love, Bonito has plenty of gorgeous dresses, its shorts and tops don’t disappoint either. If you can walk two hours under the scorching sun without wanting to rip all your clothes off in anger, your outfit truly deserves the summer fashion MVP status. The outfit I had on while exploring Gardens By The Bay, Singapore’s awe-inspiring futuristic forest, passed that test with flying colors.
It was the middle of the afternoon, aka the hottest time of the day, as we walked through the fairy-tale-like Cloud Forest — a man-made attraction with vertiginous waterfalls that looked straight out of Avatar — and gawked at the futuristic “supertrees”. It was boiling hot, but my ensemble was working overtime to keep me from fainting. My fitted Jaelia Crop Camisole Top had boning on the sides, which really managed to hold me in despite the scarce amount of fabric and thin straps.
I’ve been leaning into styling sports bra-like tops with a button-down shirt — a combo that maximizes the amount of breeze passing through your body — so the yellow linen shirt was right up my alley. I loved the dopamine-inducing hue and the mother-of-pearl effect buttons. Meanwhile, the tie-waisted paperbag skorts made it possible to climb up and down the stairs without flashing everyone. While this wouldn’t be something you would wear on a proper hike, this would be a great look for days you’re hitting up a higher step count.
More summer tops from Love, Bonito:
Evening Looks That Don’t Make You Break A Sweat
I’ve waxed poetic about Love, Bonito’s more casual styles that won’t break the break, but don’t get me wrong: the brand absolutely delivered more formal looks, too. My favorite was the Arwen Square Neck Column Dress. The dress was figure-hugging, but I loved how the front slit was balanced out by the wide straps. I amped up the quiet luxury vibe with a vintage gold crane brooch, pearl-accented heeled sandals, and a micro-purse from Charles & Keith. Feeling like Astrid Leong-Teo, I wore this outfit to drinks at Marina Bay Sands, the 57-story architectural landmark of a hotel (side note: getting to stay at MBS, as the locals call it, the very hotel featured in that ending scene from Crazy Rich Asians? A total dream-come-true). This is the kind of LBD that looks cute on warm nights out on vacay, but also transition easily into your office wardrobe.
The brand’s evening looks are also easy to accessorize and switch up if you’re on a longer trip and want to repeat outfits. One of my favorite vacation styling tricks is to pack a variety of skinny silk scarves with me: they add a pop of color and pattern intrigue, and instantly elevate the whole look. I like braiding them into my hair, knotting them into bows to accessorize messy top buns, or tying them across the waist as scarf belts. When I went out to dinner at Clarke Quay, a buzzy neighborhood for restaurants and nightlife, I jazzed up my yellow sleeveless top and khaki linen shorts with a thrifted orange scarf. This little detail instantly snatched the whole getup.
As a bonus, I found Love, Bonito’s clothes to be super petite-friendly. The midi dresses hit me at a flattering calf length, and none of the pants I tried on overwhelmed me in terms of shape and length; the proportions all hit right.
More nighttime looks from Love, Bonito:
More Singaporean fashion brands you should know
I knew I’d come back from Singapore with my belly happy and suitcases full, but what really took me by surprise was the country’s highly underrated fashion scene. Besides Love, Bonito, there are tons of other great homegrown designers worth checking out.
I got to test drive several cute seasonal pieces from Charles & Keith, a fashion and accessories brand with a sizable international footprint. Raffia has been tipped by our fashion team as this summer’s standout trend, so I know I’ll be wearing my Espadrille Wedges and Ashby Raffia Tote Bag to the ground.
Another Singaporean discovery I wouldn’t shut up about? The indie jewelry brand Hey Maeve, which just opened its highly aesthetic flagship in the city (if you can’t make it to SG anytime soon, the brand also offers free shipping to the U.S. on orders over $75). I was utterly charmed by the bestselling, ribbon-shaped My Gift Is You Earrings and California Poppy Choker, both of which are 18K yellow gold-plated. They are the kind of eye-catching yet highly wearable jewelry that get people chasing you down the street, asking where you got it.
Our top picks from Charles & Keith:
Our top picks from Hey Maeve:
Why You Should Visit Singapore
While much of this story was dedicated to Singaporean fashion, it wasn’t the only thing that seriously impressed me. I can’t recommend Singapore enough as a long-haul destination — especially if you are traveling solo or with your best friends. It offers the bustling pace of a world city juxtaposed with lush tropical greenery, plus sunshine and warmth practically every day. You can conveniently hop between experiences on the opposite spectrums of old and new in a matter of hours, from having cocktails in the highest infinity pool in the world to exploring heritage buildings and hidden alleyways at Kampong Glam.
And if you’re a foodie, Singapore is pure heaven. I can confidently say that you can close your eyes, stroll into any hawker center, and taste incredible food that will cost you less than a matcha latte stateside. Some of my favorite cheap delicacies include kaya toast (a scrumptious coconut butter toast locals like to eat with soft-boiled egg for breakfast), Hainanese chicken rice, and prawn mee (stir-fried thick noodles with prawn). And of course, pandan: any dessert that contains this fragrant tropical leaf will blow your mind. You can find all this tastiness at Tiong Bahru Food Center.
It goes without saying, but the hotel scene here is just incredible: you’ve got big legacy names like The Raffles and Fullerton Hotel, but there is always a new opening around the corner, and you get a lot of bang for your buck in terms of amenities and the level of service. We checked into the recently opened Pullman Singapore Orchard, a skyscraper hotel within walking distance of some of the city’s most famous shopping malls. The average nightly price is around $250 — very decent, considering it’s a five-star hotel in a top location. You get to lounge at an Instagrammable outdoor swimming pool, while the highly attentive staff will serve you delicious Singapore Sling (a refreshing national cocktail).
Even if you don’t have a Crazy Rich Asians travel budget, Singapore has so much to offer. And with these affordable Love, Bonito bestsellers, you can channel main character energy without breaking the bank.
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The process of at-home tie-dyeing is far from new. In fact, we’ve been doing it since we were kids — at sleepovers, summer camps, and oh-so-many birthday parties. But as adults, upon feeling the need to add a ‘70s-inspired punch to our wardrobes, we often choose to purchase something pre-dyed rather than doing the work ourselves. Now though, returning to our former DIY glory days is back in trend. Even better, you don’t need to buy any new clothing — just use whatever’s at home.
“I love the transformative nature of dyeing: taking something you’ve had and giving it a second life,” says Christina Tung, the founder of SVNR, a DIY jewelry and ready-to-wear brand that specializes in tie-dyed slip dresses. Abacaxi designer Sheena Sood agrees, assuring that the process is hard to mess up. “With tie-dye, I really love that you basically can never go wrong,” she says. “I always enjoy seeing the surprise as the design is revealed.”
While, both designers agree that there’s beauty in the resulting design, no matter how it turns out, there is some technique that goes into making sure that certain colors don’t mix to form a not-so-flattering brown hue you’ll never want to wear. With that in mind, the designers behind our favorite tie-dye fashions were more than happy to share how they get the perfect at-home spiral every time. Ahead, their tips.
Step 1: Pick Your Materials
Before any dyeing can commence, you have to pick out what exactly it is that you’re going to tie-dye (sweatshirts, T-shirts, tube socks, and cotton underwear are easy to come by and perfect for at-home wear), and what materials you’re going to use to do it.
According to Hillary Taymour, the designer behind cult sustainable brand Collina Strada, all you need are some brightly colored vegetables, her favorites being beets and turmeric. Tung, on the other hand, prefers using Dharma Trading dye powders. You’ll also need soap (if using used clothing), buckets or pots for your dye (Sood warns against using kitchen pots, FYI), a squirt bottle (if you prefer to apply the dye rather than dunk the clothing in it), rubber bands or clamps depending on your preferred method (more on that below), gloves, and a place to dry your finished products (a clothing line or drying rack will work).
Step 2: Mix Your Dye With Warm Water
Once you’ve chosen what dyes to use, just add them to a squirt bottle or pot/bucket with warm water and mix together. “I like the colors to be a bit uneven and complex so I’ll mix the red with a bit of green and other colors so that results are a bit earthier, unexpected, and not so bright and perfect,” Tung says.
Sood goes a step further: “Add some salt as a mordant for cotton or vinegar if dyeing wool, and then stir until completely mixed,” she says. “You don’t want any chunks of dye sitting at the bottom or flecks sitting at the top.”
Step 3: Create A Tie-Dye Pattern With Rubber Bands
There are tons of different patterns to choose from when tie-dyeing. According to Sood, you can scrunch and tie your garment with rubber bands, fold your garment and clamp it together, or even stitch your garment together to create various effects.
“I love experimenting with Shibori, the Japanese art of tie-dyeing, to create motifs and different patterns,” she says. “It can become very intricate and detailed or abstract depending on how much time you have on your hands.” She also uses a technique called Tegumo, which “involves creating circular pleats and tying them with rubber bands to create either circular-, diamond-, or square-shaped motifs.” She also suggests tying a marble or di inside of the aforementioned circular pleats and using an Indian technique called Leheriya, which involves twisting fabric diagonally and wrapping it with a rope to create stripes.
Kara Jubin, the designer behind up-and-coming indie label KkCo, prefers a more natural tie-dye method. “I have been really into a ‘watercolor’ finish lately, so I do a light twist, but tie and knot lightly so the colors could bleed into the knots and blend into each other.” So, too, does Taymour, who has an affinity for the more traditional spiral method. “You pinch the middle of a garment and spin it into a pizza shape,” she says. “From there, you rubber-band it into pizza slices and add any color you want in all the pizza wedges.” In addition to tie-dyeing, you can now add pizza-ordering to the night’s list of activities.
Step 4: Soak Your Rubber-Banded Garment In Water
Before dyeing, it’s important to soak your garment in warm water to get the fibers ready to take in the dye. Sood suggests adding a little bit of soap and some synthrapol — a laundry soap designed specifically to be used before dyeing fabrics — to the warm water mixture. “If it’s a used garment rather than new, you’ll want to make sure it’s been thoroughly washed beforehand. The fibers need to be clean and rid of any other chemicals before dyeing,” she says. Jubin suggests a 20-minute soak.
Step 5: Put On Gloves & Add Your Dye
“I always get lazy and don’t wear gloves, so my hands constantly look radioactive,” says Tung. Noted! Once your gloves are on, start dipping your garment or pouring the dye mixture onto it. For darker shades, you can soak your garment in a bath of dye. The longer you let it soak, the darker your garment will become.
Step 6: Wrap In Cling Wrap & Let Sit
Once you feel like your design is finished, take it out of the dye and wrap it in plastic wrap to keep the moisture locked in. As for how long to let it sit, it’s up to you. “I like to let my dyed pieces sit for 6 to 8 hours,” says Taymour, while Jubin suggests 12-plus hours. “24 hours is usually a sweet spot for me, but I’ve let some things sit for up to 48 hours before,” she says. “While tie-dyeing, I never have an empty cup,” Jubin jokes. “I’m currently drinking a Muller Thurgau from the Schmitt winery in Germany.”
Step 7: Rinse Until The Water Runs Clear
Whether you chose to soak your design for 6 or 48 hours, once the buzzer buzzes, you need to then rinse out all of the dye using cold water. Take out the garment once the water runs clear.
Step 8: Wash (Alone) On A Cold Cycle
The last step in the tie-dye process is to wash your newly technicolor garment in the washing machine using cold water. Important: wash it alone. Dyeing one item of clothing every color of the rainbow is one thing, dyeing an entire load is a whole other story. Jubin also recommends washing the garment while it’s still knotted. “This helps preserve any excess dye from bleeding into any tighter knots. I then unknot and wash again with cold water,” she says.
Now it’s your turn. Grab a cocktail, switch on your favorite playlist, and get to work.
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