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With spring on the way, most of us are getting ready to refresh our wardrobes. It’s a season full of possibilities, after all, when the world looks and feels fresh. Gone are the heavy winter coats and boots, with brighter and lighter items needed. Clothes, of course, are a great way to express our individuality and many kids are surprisingly picky about what they wear. (This is not a battle I want to fight and will let the kids choose, within reason, what they prefer.)

Gymboree, the kids’ clothing expert, understands. They’ve created a new campaign called “Follow Your Art” that lets kids express themselves with a colorful new line. By selecting just the right style, they can put their one-of-a-kind spin on an outfit that’s both affordable and stylish.

Everything I’ve purchased has been extremely durable and usually will last long enough to be used by multiple kids. Casual playwear is what we need most, but the coordinated dressy looks, for holidays or special occasions, are also really nice.

Right now, free shipping is available and lots of sales—$14.00 Dresses, $10.00 Denim, and $6.00 Tops and Shorts. The fruit leggings are my favorite, and there’s much more at Gymboree with markdowns up to 70% off.

A controversial hijab-wearing blogger and model from the UK was hired—and now fired—by L’Oreal from an upcoming campaign.

Amena Khan, was forced to step down after vicious anti-Semitic tweets she made in 2014 surfaced. She now claims: “Championing diversity is one of my passions. I don’t discriminate against anyone.” (All lies!)

Her despicable views and pathetic apology aside, I find it incredibly odd that L’Oreal would feature someone wearing a head covering to sell hair care. The whole point of an ad is to showcase the product and hijabs make that impossible. You literally can’t see a single strand in the publicity picture above! Hiring her to represent their makeup line instead would’ve been too logical, I guess, even though the makeup is clearly visible.

I don’t know when this disconnection from reality first occurred, but it’s getting overwhelming. Europe has a huge problem on their hands with a radical Muslim minority trying force their will on the entire population. If someone wants to wear a hijab, that’s their right, but we shouldn’t pretend it’s normal behavior. There is nothing immodest or sinful about having beautiful hair and I refuse to cover mine.

Rather than pander, L’Oréal should use some common sense in the future. These types of publicity stunts always backfire.

When politics and fashion collide, controversy is sure to ensue.

Recently, the fabulous Israeli actress and former IDF solider, Gal Gadot, was photographed at an award ceremony wearing a bright blue, one-shoulder dress. It wasn’t the outfit itself that drew criticism; it was the fact that the designer, Elie Saab, is Lebanese.  

Because of the ongoing animosity between Israel and Lebanon, some exceptionally nasty trolls chose to create a firestorm needlessly. Saab’s Instagram account received so much negativity from the Arab community, he deleted the flattering post/pic of Gadot.

I think this is so sad! If an Israeli star and a Lebanese designer want to work together, that shouldn’t be a cause for concern, it should be celebrated. Due to misinformation spread by gossips and biased news outlets, there is a false picture painted of Israel being unfair or cruel to Arabs. It is simply not true! Israel has attempted to make peace with Lebanon dozens of times and they always refuse, not the other way around.

If Elie Saab and Gal Gadot can bridge the gap, why can’t everyone else…

Would you wear a long sleeve shirt, long skirt, black tights and clunky black shoes to the beach? If you’re Michelle Duggar, of course you would! In a case of extreme modesty gone wrong, this peculiar getup was her choice for a recent Bahamas vacation.

Quite frankly, I think it’s no different from the “Burkini” that ladies are forced to wear in Muslim countries. Both are examples of rigid fundamentalism, both look very uncomfortable, and both are truly ridiculous.

Dressing in a classy and covered manner, particularly when swimming, is something I encourage, but within reason. There is nothing wrong with a tasteful one-piece bathing suit and some shorts, like the lady posing with Michelle is wearing. (Yes, the neckline is lower than I’d pick, but you get my drift.)

Modesty is about carrying yourself with respect and dignity; it is not about shame, fear, or frumpiness. Anyone who has ever gone to a beach knows that scrunching your toes in the sand and splashing in the water are two of the best parts. Having to wear these sad head-to-toe outfits isn’t fun at all.

Instead of mellowing over time, as most of us do, Michelle seems to grow more extreme. It’s hard to believe she used to be a cheerleader and wrote in her own book about mowing the lawn in a bikini when she was fifteen. Certainly, she is entitled to dress as she wishes, but even the Duggar kids aren’t required to wear more than a knee-length wetsuit with short sleeves.

There is a fine line between religion and religiosity. One is good and the other is unbelievably bad. Perhaps Michelle needs to exam which side she’s on…