Word of Mouth: Porter Magazine

The wait is over. Net-A-Porter’s new magazine is out. At a hefty 300 pages and with Editor-in-Chief Lucy Yeomans at the helm, Porter features all the high-gloss impact of your typical fashion read — with the added digital know-how of the online retailer. So you’ll find gorgeous fashion shoots (and a cover featuring Gisele Bündchen), interviews with designers like Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz and in-depth articles with actresses Julianne Moore and Uma Thurman. And you’ll be able to shop directly by scanning the pages using the Net-A-Porter app, which also includes extras like 3D content and video. Our favorite part? That the issue’s dedicated to “a celebration of incredible women,” from artist Cindy Sherman and Apple exec Angela Ahrendts to playwright and screenwriter Abi Morgan.

Just One Thing: Hat Tip

There’s more than one way to wear a hat. Or hats on hats on hats. Inspired by a set of chic chapeaus that Tory found while on a trip to Morocco, our whimsical print has made its way onto knits, dresses and accessories. So go ahead; wear a “hat” as a scarf or an espadrille shoe. Or take a page from Tory and layer it, sweater over shirt — paired with Lilianna sandals and a Robinson satchel — for a playful print-on-print look.

Shop the look.

Sea’s Monica Paolini On: Beauty & Fashion Week Rituals

Sea Co-Designer Monica Paolini not only inherited design know-how from Betsey Johnson, but a beautiful vanity table, too. Here, Monica — Betsey’s former Design Director — talks about the vanity (second slide, above), which now resides in her Chinatown home-slash-showroom, as well as how she’s prepping for Fashion Week.

Entrepreneurs: TheSkimm’s Danielle Weisberg & Carly Zakin

Refresh your cocktail chatter daily — and don’t miss any important headlines. The founders of theSkimm, Danielle Weisberg (left, wearing Tory’s Sandy sweater) and Carly Zakin (wearing the Tyler sweater), read the news so you don’t have to — collecting everything that’s need-to-know in a newsletter delivered straight to your inbox. Here, they talk fail-safe ice breakers and their favorite daily reads.

Chef Simpson Wong On: Lunar New Year Feasts & Fêtes

There are plenty of Asian superstitions — even when it comes to the dinner table. Just ask chef Simpson Wong of downtown hot spot Wong New York (you haven’t lived unless you’ve tried his Roast Duck Ice Cream). He explains why, growing up in Malaysia, the Lunar New Year feast hinged on homophones — shrimp, for instance, because the Chinese word for it sounds like laughter. Here, Simpson also shares other ways to ensure happiness and prosperity, as well as his special LNY menu.

Susie Cox On: The Year of the Horse

Before we celebrate the Lunar New Year tomorrow, we checked in with astrology expert Susie Cox to see what 2014, under the Chinese zodiac, brings. Above, to ring in this year of the horse, a photo of Tory horseback riding as a child.

Top 10: Best Indoor Pools

A seasonal dip in temperature doesn’t mean you have to forgo a dip in the pool. From Marrakech to Milan, Tokyo to Chicago, here are 10 indoor locations that inspire reverie and relaxation just as much as any sunny summer plunge.

Above: the pool at Paris’ Shangri-La Hotel

Resort 2014: Inspiration

Plan a far-flung getaway — or just do a little sunny day-dreaming with us. Moroccan touches, beachy blues and crisp whites were a starting point for our Resort 2014 collection. Discover some of the other inspirations above and on our Pinterest board; to shop the collection, click here.

Word of Mouth: From Elizabeth Street to…

It’s a big day around here. In collaboration with Bank of America, the Tory Burch Foundation announced a new initiative: Elizabeth Street Capital, which provides early-stage women entrepreneurs with access to low-cost loans, mentoring and networking opportunities. It’s kicking off in six cities — Boston, Charlotte, Las Vegas, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco — and will expand to others in the next two years. The goal: to help women build and grow their businesses, creating strong communities of women entrepreneurs along the way. We can make a difference. As for the name, it’s a fitting reference to the location of Tory’s very first boutique — the launching pad for our whole company today.

Learn more about the program.

Playwright Sandi Farkas On: The Theater Scene

Sandi Farkas is both patron and artist. Not only is she a playwright herself, but she’s Founder of PoNY (Playwrights of New York), a nonprofit that offers emerging playwrights financial and artistic support, from rent and a stipend to help locating theaters and resources for their plays. Here, wearing Tory’s Chrissy dress, Sandi gives us her insider view into the theater scene — including the five essential steps to becoming a playwright.

Beauty Spotlight: InStyle’s Amy Synnott

You saw her this morning on The Today Show, sharing shopping advice on pulling off winter whites. Now, get InStyle Executive Editor Amy Synnott’s tips on best beauty practices — including the perfect remedy for puffy eyes. Plus, read all about her favorite apps and must-visit websites, and learn her three essential wardrobe rules.

Book of the Week: Peter Beard’s Into the Wild

As Peter Beard celebrates his birthday today, why not lose yourself in his legacy with the newly reissued Into the Wild, which chronicles his romance with Kenya — all 706 pages worth? The book documents both the African wilderness and a man’s fascination with it, transforming already powerful scenes through the photographer’s signature mixed-media manipulation and collage work. The result is both commanding and electrifying: breathtaking (and at times shocking) photographs mixed in with diary entries, ephemera and newspaper clippings, plus a shot of high glamour with appearances by Veruschka, Mick Jagger, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Andy Warhol…

(c) Peter Beard all rights reserved, courtesy of the Peter Beard Studio

10 Minutes with an Entrepreneur: Mark Wystrach

After surfing polluted waters in Bali, actor and musician Mark Wystrach was motivated to start The People’s Movement (a.k.a. MOVMT) in 2011 with co-founders Kevin Flanagan and Chris Swortwood. The Los Angeles-based brand turns plastic bags cleaned up from Bali into shoes and accessories, with a portion of proceeds preventing further plastic pollution worldwide. Here, we chat with Mark about his mission, his music and why he likes traveling to Mexico.

Most Wanted: Valentine’s Day Gifts

Gifts that come straight from the heart are the best kind, and our Valentine’s Day accessories show no ordinary love. Featuring vibrant, hand-drawn hearts inspired by Mexican milagritos and folk art, these are special pieces that you — or the ones you love — will adore.

Shop all Valentine’s Day Gifts.

L.A. Entrepreneurs: A+R’s Rose Apodaca & Andy Griffith

Between the two of them, editors Rose Apodaca and Andy Griffith have interviewed a constellation of bold-faced names in their separate careers, from Donatella Versace and Dennis Hopper to celebrated chef Suzanne Goin. But together they’re the brains behind one of our favorite design stores in Los Angeles: the beautifully (and coolly) curated A+R. As part of our spotlight on the sunny city, we spoke with Andy and Rose — here wearing Tory’s Carolina dress — about first jobs, L.A. design talent and what it takes to start, and maintain, your own business.

Wired’s Mark McClusky On: CES 2014

While the Hollywood set’s been abuzz about the Golden Globes and we’ve been celebrating our Rodeo Drive Collection and film, the tech industry’s been having a moment of its own: the recent Consumer Electronics Show, which took place last week. Here, Wired’s Mark McClusky gives us the inside scoop on all the news and new gadgets you need to know…

Look We Love: Poolside Chic

Take it easy — and make it easy. Head straight from chaise lounge to lunch (or poolside cocktail hour at the Chateau Marmont, if you prefer) in Tory’s Soraya tunic — it’s incredibly chic in an undone, bohemian sort of way. Plus, it looks equally good off the beach as on. Just add sandals.

Shop the Look.

Recipes: Chateau Marmont Cocktails

As the sun goes down over the Hollywood sign and the twinkling lights come on in the houses that cover the Canyon, there’s perhaps no spot more alluring at cocktail hour than the Chateau Marmont. Hidden up in the Hills, this haven of retro glamour and quiet calm is the perfect escape and the ultimate antidote to a crazy day in L.A. Here, the hotel’s bartender shares the secret recipes for a few cocktails that harken back to the days when Marilyn Monroe and Greta Garbo were regulars, and you might just spot James Dean unwinding after a day on set…