An Open Letter to Nasty Gal: Give Us Back Our Money

Nasty Gal has been one of my number one go-tos for a fashion fix for YEARS — where else was I gonna find Courtney Love-designed babydolls or summer-ready leather Vans on a whim?

With the original #GirlBoss Sophia Amuroso at the helm, I could rest easy knowing that the brand’s picks would always be on-trend.

But Amoruso stepped down as the company’s CEO back in 2015 and, late last year, we got word that our beloved Nasty brand was quickly going under, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Trust me when I say, no one was more bummed than I was. At least a quarter of my wardrobe bears the brand’s label! There was SOME light at the end of the tunnel, however: The site boasted a killer 70-percent-off sale as part of its last hurrah before it was to be taken over by new management on February 28. Nasty Gal was acquired by UK retailer BooHoo for a cool $20 million, giving Nasty Gals (myself included) everywhere hope that their favorite fashion fix could still be a reality.

My hopes were quickly dashed, however, once I received my first order under new management. Having ordered the Hazel Choker Tee for what seemed like a steal at $36, I was pretty excited to get my goods. That is, until a week later, when my package arrived containing… a completely different dress than the one I ordered.

While the style of the Kayla Graphic Shirt dress (also $36) I received was kinda similar to the one I had actually ordered, I wasn’t digging the wild cutout at the shoulder that appeared like it would make wearing a bra next to impossible. I could easily discern how the mix-up had occurred, as the tag on the dress in the bag I clutched bore the name of the original item I had wanted — the Hazel Choker Tee — but the item was most definitely not what I had expected.

After a quick check online, I saw that my beloved Hazel dress was going fast: In fact, there was only one left in stock of my size on the site, sparking my sense of urgency. I figured I’d better call right away to get an exchange under way, so I went to contact the company. Except… there was no one to contact. Under the “customer care” section of the site was the usual lineup of categories, including shipping info, returns, size guide, T+C’s, and about cookies, but a “Contact Us” section was nowhere to be found.

The best I could find was a “US Hassle-Free Returns” section (which still stands), reading, “Simply return your items to the following address within 28 days of the date on your dispatch note. Please note that returns will be made at your own cost.”

Upon second glance, I happened to spy a “Contact Us” button at the bottom of my shipment email, but clicking it proved futile — it simply spun and spun. Being the resourceful, determined gal that I am, I refused to give up, taking to Google. A quick search of “Nasty Gal contact” yielded several methods of communication — a live chat (which was still “pending” for an agent long after I had given up and returned to my computer more than three hours later), a phone number of 855-627-8942 (which informed me that the Nasty Gal customer service line no longer existed), and an email, which, after typing out my formal complaint, refused to actually let me hit the “send” button (or if it did go through, there was no confirmation message or indication that it had worked).

Time to take to social media. A Tweet to @NastyGal went unanswered, but I did happen to spy the following message on the company’s Twitter bio: “Need help? @NastyGalHelp has your back.” Score!

I typed out my dilemma — for the fourth time now, between the chat, email, regular Twitter, and help Twitter — and after receiving a generic “Hey gal, we’ll get back to you,” the company eventually answered (with some urging) with this: “We’re so bummed to hear this. Unfortunately we are unable to provide replacements for incorrect items at the moment. Please return the item for a full refund — keep hold of the postage receipt in case of any issues and if there’s a charge we’ll refund the amount as the item is incorrect. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

Welp, that solved the problem of the return, but I still wanted the dress I had ordered — badly. I explained that while I was happy to re-order the original item, I wanted to be sure that I wouldn’t receive an incorrect item again, as the tag of the dress I received had clearly been marked wrong in the warehouse. I received the following response: “We’ve contacted the warehouse to get this checked, however the order may be dispatched prior to the issue being investigated. You should receive the correct item, but if we mess up again, reach out and we’ll get the issue sorted. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.”

Okay, fine — the national nightmare was over (for now). Albeit for a few HOURS lost (over a $36 dress, no less), my shopping saga was donezo, and I could finally get on with my day, right? Wrong. So wrong.

The email I had previously sent apparently DID go through, and a customer service rep had gotten back to me with a totally different answer. “Unfortunately, we are still unable to view any previous Nasty Gal orders/accounts,” she wrote. “It seems that the management changeover is taking a bit longer than expected and we’re still trying to fine-tune some details. Don’t worry though, we are looking into this.”

Not wanting to waste the rep’s time (ha!) I explained that it had actually been taken care of; I was sending the dress back per instruction and had already ordered a new one. The rep then responded with a message that completely baffled me. “I am sorry for any inconvenience caused. Unfortunately, we would not be accepting any returns from orders placed before 28/02/2017. I understand how disappointing this is but it is due to the management changeover. Let us know if you have any other issues.”

Confused, I AGAIN attempted to explain that the item I received had been incorrect, and that I was merely sending it back for a refund, as I hadn’t purchased it to begin with. In response, I received this: “I apologize for any confusion but I was regarding to the original order (the incorrect item that you received). If you purchased this before 28/02/2017 we will not be able to accept this as a return. Apologies for the inconvenience caused. If you have any other queries please get in touch.”

What!? Now I was thoroughly confused, and frankly, a little PO-ed. If I sent the dress back, was I getting my money back per the Twitter rep or not? Double checking the date of my original order and finding it to have been March 4 (phew!), I figured I was in the clear, and let the rep know that my order had actually been placed AFTER the date she kept referring to, so my refund should be accepted. At this point, I fully expected her to give me the go-ahead to send the item back as previously directed. Instead, I more or less received the same message as above, informing me that Nasty Gal would not be taking returns for orders placed before 2/28 with the added line, “As you have already sent yours back, I have sent an enquiry to see what is happening with that. Please allow a few days for the relevant department to get back to me. As soon as they do, I will email you with an update.”

Was this girl reading my emails at all, or was I being sent form letters? I once more informed her that my order had been placed after the date of February 28, and that I hadn’t sent the dress back yet for fear at this point of not actually being refunded my money.

In response, I received an even MORE confusing message. “Thanks for getting in touch. I’m really sorry but we’re unable to confirm your query atm. NG has recently changed management and we’re still going through a massive changeover. Because of this, we’re still trying to fine-tune a few details. This means that we currently are unable to offer a resolve for your query so I have passed it on to the relevant department. I will be back in touch in a few days when I receive correspondence. We are really sorry for any inconvenience caused.” (That was on March 11. I’ve still yet to receive any “additional response.”)

Frustrated (and confused!) beyond belief, I took to the company’s

with a few expletives in mind, but I was absolutely SHOCKED at what I saw. Not only were others describing similar scenarios to my own, I also saw COUNTLESS additional complaints of orders not being delivered at

all

, returns not being processed after months on end, accounts with leftover credits having been closed without warning, tales of the 70-percent-off code not being applied to orders (a rather big deal, considering some of the site’s original prices were upwards of $1,000), and claims of theft and fraud. Basically, the works.

In fact, Nasty Gal’s own first post was an overarching response to the absolute flood of complaints they had been receiving, and one of their remarks looked kinda… familiar.

I could not believe my eyes. Was this a sick joke? It quickly became clear that I had stumbled upon something much bigger than myself and my $36 dress, and now I was enraged. I had already decided that between all the mixed messages I’d received I would rather just eat my purchase than deal with the hassle this was turning out to be. I didn’t want to risk potentially being given the run-around AGAIN over a refund of less than $50 (not to mention waste the money on shipping should things not pan out). Yet, I couldn’t help but think about what would have happened if I had placed my order prior to February 28, and spent a boatload in the process. How would I even begin to combat this and recoup my funds in a timely manner? Obviously, there were PLENTY of others that were dealing with these issues on a much larger scale, having spent far greater amounts than I in the good faith that they were getting some quality goods, and the thought made me both furious and positively sick.

The comments over on Instagram weren’t any better. “We are all sick of you, ‘Hey Gal-ing’ asking for our ‘deets’ and telling us to message you because you keep telling us all the same: You can’t access our accounts or track our orders, and you won’t take responsibility for lost orders, double charges, or the other plethora of issues customers have had before the changeover.”

View this post on Instagram

Turn up the heat. Slides are here, link in bio.

A post shared by Nasty Gal (@nastygal) on

Though the company’s only recommended course of action seemed to be filing a complaint with customers’ banks, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau on behalf of all of my fellow (former) “Nasty Gals,” requesting that the organization do a thorough investigation into the company’s new practices as desired resolution. I am also penning this piece in the hopes of saving others the headache (and lack of rightful funds!) that not only I, but other ladies underwent, all over a shared mutual love of edgy oversized t-shirt dresses, chokers, and the like.

And, should those options fail, there’s also the Federal Trade Commission, where you can file a complaint under the site’s “Internet services, online shopping, or computers” section on the lefthand side.

Looks like it’s time to get “Nasty,” ladies.

Have you experienced issues with the new Nasty Gal? Tell us over @BritandCo.

(Photos via Nasty Gal + Getty)

The new year is coming, so it's time to start making your 2024 vision board! If you're like us, it's likely you're thinking about developing healthy habits and workout goals that you'll actually want to commit to — no judgement. Since we're all in the same boat, we've got just the thing to motivate you — new workout leggings!

From high-waisted to seamless designs, these leggings are going to help you achieve your health goals and then some. Read on to discover the most innovative, edgy, and eye-catching ones we’ve found!

High-Waist Workout Leggings

Fabletics Cold Weather High-Waisted Pocket Leggings

The most impressive detail of this simple, cold-weather design from Kate Hudson’s Fabletics line comes with a cute pocket detail on the side. This means you get to work out without losing sight of your phone.

Nike Zenvy (M) Gentle-Support High-Waisted Leggings

After getting the okay from your OBGYN to work out, head over to Nike to pick up these cute gentle-support workout leggings. The soft fabric will conform to your body and growing baby bump!

Nike Universa Medium-Support High-Waisted Leggings

These squat-proof workout leggings are guaranteed to provide the support you're looking for. Plus, you get to look cute.

Forever21 Active High-Rise Zippered Leggings

These $20 millennial pink workout pants are every bit as cute and trendy as any $100 counterpart. Plus, they have some serious performance elements — like moisture-wicking-fabric — to boot.

Reebok Classics High-Rise Leggings

These premium workout leggings are designed to offer you a flared leg and elastic waist to ensure you're comfortable while going on your morning run.

Athleta Ultra High Rise Elation Tight

These magenta body-hugging leggings should give you a boost of energy when you're working out.

Bootcut & Flared Leggings

Alo Yoga Super Shine Low-Rise Bootcut Legging

High-rise workout leggings aren't for everyone, so we suggest wearing this low-rise bootcut version.

Athleta Salutation Stash Flare Pant

Our Content Editor agrees that flare pants definitely count as workout leggings.

Free People Let's Bounce Pants in Jam Jewel

Free yourself from feeling restricted by a seamless design with these four-way stretch pants. You'll be able to enjoy medium-impact workouts without feeling icky.

Colorful & Patterned Leggings

Lululemon Fast and Free High-Rise Tight 25" Pockets Leggings

You can’t go wrong with a printed pair of leggings, and that’s just what this Lululemon style serves up. This option comes complete with all the amenities you want, including five hidden waistband pockets, and moisture-wicking fabric.

Sweaty Betty Power Workout Leggings

Beloved by the likes of Reese Witherspoon and Jessica Alba, this brand boasts “ultra-lightweight Italian fabric” and plenty of style. Our pick? This black gradient dot print.

Halara Seamless Flow High Waisted Butt Lifting Leggings

Looking for a pair of seamless workout leggings that make your butt look good? We think you've met your match.

adidas by Stella McCartney True Pace Running Leggings

Stella McCartney and Adidas teamed up to bring you the best performance running leggings on the market. Okay, we're being biased. But, they're still a great option for our girls who love to run.

Seamless Leggings

Buff Bunny BBL Seamless Leggings

These workout leggings will give you an illusion of having a BBL — if that's your thing — thanks to the under glute contour.

Victoria's Secret Seamless Workout Tight

Amp yourself up with Victoria's Secret seamless workout tights, which are sure to set you apart from the rest of the gym crowd.

Gymshark Sweat Seamless Leggings

You don't just need another pair of cute workout leggings. You need something that's going to perform well while being sweat-resistant.

Outdoor Voices SoftRib Stirrup Leggings

These leggings are for the girlies who can't get enough of stirrup pants.

OQQ 2 Piece Yoga Leggings

Affordable? Check. Cute? Check. Performing? Check — these OQQ leggings are form fitting, breathable, and practical.

Which pair of workout leggings look the most appealing to you? Let us know and don't forget to add them to your cart!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

Lead image via Free People

Fans of Whole Foods’ iconic Berry Chantilly cake are going to want to run to their closest store, because there’s an all-new treat inspired by the famous dessert. Yep – the Whole Foods coffee bar just announced a Berry Chantilly Latte that pulls flavor inspiration from the beloved treat, and it looks extremely tasty.

Scroll on for everything to know about Whole Foods’ new Berry Chantilly Latte!

Whole Foods

In case you haven't experienced the sheer magic that is the Whole Foods Berry Chantilly cake, it’s an item from their bakery counter that’s earned cult-favorite status since its launch 13 years ago.

The cake features layers of vanilla cake slathered with Chantilly cream frosting and a fresh medley of berries like strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. Per Whole Foods, it’s so iconic that customers have stood in line for it through power outages and natural disasters.

Greta Hoffman / PEXELS

Seeing that the cake itself is so adored, it’s no surprise that Whole Foods’ coffee bar just dropped a latte inspired by each sweet, sweet bite. The new Berry Chantilly Latte highlights notes of "creamy vanilla sweetened with berries and a whisper of almond.”

@wholefoods

Per Food Network, the development team behind the new sip desired a “not-too-sweet” effect, ultimately choosing a combo of strawberry and almond for the drink. Of course, it's loaded up with shots of espresso to round out the sweeter flavors.

Whole Foods

Once Whole Foods introduced the Berry Chantilly Latte on Instagram, tons of coffee-loving shoppers sounded off with excitement.

“Say no more. On our way!! 😍😍” one person commented.

“My favorite latte of all time 10/10,” another said.

“Got it this morning and it does not disappoint!!” one more user said. “Wish it was permanent!!”

Amazon

Available to order hot or iced and with your choice of milk, the new Whole Foods Berry Chantilly Latte will be in participating locations through July 1.

Subscribe to our newsletter to discover more amazing grocery finds!

Choosing bleached vs. unbleached flour for the recipe at hand can mean the difference between an okay-tasting treat and a can't-wait-to-stuff-this-in-my-mouth experience. Once you have the proper staple, you can make fluffy cakes, chewy pizza crusts, unforgettable breads, and lighter-than-air biscuits. The biggest differences between each type of flour? Protein content, texture, and the type of wheat used. To find out which is best for which foods, scroll through our primer on all the different flours you need to know.

The Best Bleached Vs Unbleached Flour

King Arthur Flour All-Purpose Unbleached Flour

Chances are the flour most of us have in our cupboards right now is all-purpose. This type of flour has a fairly high protein content, meaning you can use it to make bread and pasta, but it's not so protein-rich that you can't also use it to bake cakes and cookies. A note about bleached vs. unbleached: Unbleached flour turns white naturally as it ages, while bleached flour is synthetically aged with chemicals. Unbleached flour can produce slightly coarser baked goods, but the difference between the two is very slight.

Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Baking Flour

Pre-mixed flour blends are a godsend for those who are new to gluten-free baking. Look for a box or bag that says "1 to 1," which means that every cup of the gluten-free flour is equal to a cup of all-purpose wheat flour. BRM adds xanthan gum to its mix, which basically replaces the gluten in regular flour, so your GF baked goods stick together and don't crumble like sand.

King Arthur Flour Unbleached Bread Flour

Bread flour can make all the difference if your homemade loaves never seem to come out quite right. It's higher in gluten and protein, which gives more structure to the rise and bake of your bread. To use whole wheat flour when making bread, you should cut it with 25-50 percent bread flour so you still get the texture you're looking for.

Swans Down Enriched Bleached Cake Flour

Cake flour is milled extra-fine, so you get the softest, fluffiest cakes possible. It's made with soft winter wheat, which has less protein than other types of wheat and doesn't develop as much gluten. Cake flour is also a preferred choice if you want to make fluffy pancakes.

Bob's Red Mill 100% Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour

Baking with whole wheat flour isn't difficult, but there are a few things that make it different from refined flour. It's coarser and denser, which can inhibit the production of gluten (resulting in gummy, flat bread loaves). Its heaviness means cakes and other baked goods may have trouble rising. To combat this when making bread, use a blend of whole wheat and bread flour, or add a tablespoon or two of vital wheat gluten and an extra tablespoon of water to your dough to increase the protein content of the mixture and get a more traditional rise. For cakes, use equal parts whole wheat and cake flour.

Gold Medal Wondra Quick Mixing Flour

Wondra is a blend of wheat flour and malted barley flour that mixes into gravies, sauces, and stews without leaving lumps like regular flour does. Beyond that, it also yields the flakiest pie crusts. It can make dredging fish and chicken easier than ever too.

White Lily Self Rising Flour

For the lightest, fluffiest biscuits of your life, pick up White Lily self-rising flour. It's made from soft wheat that's finely milled and pre-mixed with rising agents.

Antimo Caputo Chef's "00" Flour

"00" flour is an Italian bread flour that's milled to be extra-fine. It has about the same protein content as all-purpose flour, but because of its texture, it produces superior pizza crust and bread. If you're a die-hard Neapolitan pizza fan, it's worth keeping some on hand.

Caputo Semolina Flour

Semolina flour is what you want to use for making pasta. Created from the ground endosperm of durum wheat, it usually has a slightly sweet flavor, golden color, and coarser texture than regular wheat flour. Look for Italian semolina flour, which tends to be milled more finely than its American counterparts, making for smoother dough and pasta.

Now want to try out your new knowledge of bleached vs unbleached flour? Follow us on @BritAndCo on Pinterest for delicious recipes.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

(Photos via retailers)

The spring goodies at Trader Joe’s just keep on coming! The latest addition to the grocer’s seasonal lineup is none other than their famed sheet cake – reimagined in a classic spring flavor. Trader Joe’s fans are already scrambling to find this $6 dessert at their local stores because it’s “soooo yummy” and simply “the best.” It’s also a stunning option for celebrating Easter or sharing sweets with your loved ones just because!

Scroll on to discover the returning Trader Joe’s sheet cake flavor you won’t want to miss this spring.

@trader_joes_treasure_hunt

That’s right, Trader Joe’s sheet cake fans: the Carrot Mini Sheet Cake has officially hit shelves – just in time for all the best spring festivities. This returning product boasts a “moist, flavorful” carrot cake base topped with plenty of cream cheese frosting. This traditional combo truly can’t be beat!

Trader Joe’s

The Carrot Mini Sheet Cake joins Trader Joe’s existing sheet cake lineup that is entirely too yummy. Their current flavors include mainstays like Dark Chocolate Ganache and Chantilly Cream Vanilla Bean, alongside the newer (and gluten-free!) Yellow Cake. TJ’s tends to launch new flavors for their sheet cakes around each season – they’ve even had a Pumpkin Spice version in the past!

Reddit

One Trader Joe’s fan on Reddit happily announced when the Carrot Mini Sheet Cakes came back to shelves, and plenty of other users chimed in on the excitement.

“I can’t wait,” one person said.

“BRB, about to cause a carrot cake shortage in the New York Metro Area,” another Redditor commented.

More customers raved about the returning spring dessert on another thread under r/TraderJoe’s:

“I went yesterday and have 5 in my freezer for now…” one person said. “I will continue to buy single ones but now have a stash in case they sell out for the season. It is by far my favorite of the mini sheet cakes.”

Another user noted that the Carrot Mini Sheet Cake is “moist, and the frosting is fantastic, not too sweet.”

Reddit

Trader Joe’s fan account @trader_joes_treasure_hunt also shared the new find with their followers, with countless shoppers expressing their excitement:

“These cakes any flavor are so good!” one person wrote.

“Best carrot cake I ever had in my life,” another said.

“Holy sheet I love some sheet cake,” someone else commented.

Reddit

The smooth cream cheese frosting makes it an excellent blank canvas to add Easter-themed sprinkles or even small chocolate eggs for the holiday, though it’ll still taste like heaven if you eat it plain. The size of this sheet cake is perfect for sharing with a small group – or just keeping all to yourself this spring!

Reddit

The Trader Joe’s Carrot Mini Sheet Cake is currently in stores now for $5.99 each. It’s only available for a limited time, so you’ll definitely want to hurry to try it before it’s gone!

Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know about more amazing Trader Joe's products!

Greta Gerwig's Narnia has generated some buzzy casting rumors over the last few months. Charli XCX, Daniel Craig, and even Joseph Quinn have all been a part of the rumor mill (but considering I've been waiting for news on this adaptation since it was acquired by Netflix in 2018, I'm not mad about all the chatter!). And the latest Narnia casting rumor has cause more conversation on the internet than anything else. Meryl Streep might be voicing Aslan.

Here's everything we know about the Aslan & Meryl Streep casting rumor in Greta Gerwig's Narnia movies.

Is Meryl Streep in the Narnia cast?

Meryl Streep is reportedly in talks to voice Aslan in Greta Gerwig's Narnia movies. The casting rumor first broke on March 31, leading some people to wonder if it was an early April Fool's Day joke, until Deadlineconfirmed the rumor on April 3. Fans of the book have called the choice everything from "interesting" to "cruel," and the conversation revolves around one particular question: are they making Aslan female?

A lot of Narnia fans were taken aback by the rumor about Meryl Streep because of the fact Aslan is an allegory for Jesus (referred to in the Bible as the Lion of Judah) — especially since Aslan's mane is such an integral part of the series, and lioness' typically don't have manes.

When the White Witch sacrifices Aslan on the Stone Table in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, she shaves off his mane in an attempt to shame him and strip away his identity as King of Narnia. Lucy Pevensie hiding her face in his mane in Prince Caspian plays a huge role in bolstering her courage and faith, and the mane even comes into play during The Last Battle before (spoiler alert) Narnia gets destroyed.

'Narnia' fans have a lot of opinions about a female Aslan.

The most iconic visual of the Narnia series, arguably more than the wardrobe or the lamppost, is Aslan's mane. "If it’s true that Aslan has been changed to a female lion in the upcoming film, it’s deeply troubling that the filmmakers would make the choice to visually distance itself from The Chronicles of Narnia as it has always been known to its fans and the public imagination," one Narnia fan wrote on NarniaWeb. "It would be hard to look at a decision like that and not think that they were deliberately disassociating from the Narnia canon."

Another fan on NarniaWeb points out that having Meryl potentially voice a male Aslan "would be a fine way to convey the genderless nature of the soul. Aslan transcends all of that and was never bound by the idea of duality in the way that the ‘fallen’ believe they are."

@bereckerwentviral for his claim that fans who are upset about the casting simply "hate women" (yes, some of the backlash to Meryl's casting rumor has been atrocious). "I would like to officially say that if I die, I would be more than honored if Meryl Streep were to play me in my biopic, she’s the greatest to ever do it," he said in the comments.

"Meryl was hired based on merit. She’s the best," another Instagram user said in the comments.

However, Netflix hasn't confirmed Meryl Streep as Aslan.

Disney/Walden Media

Let the record show that, as of writing this story on April 7, Netflix hasn't actually confirmed anything about the movie outside Greta as director and Atonement cinematographer Seamus McGarvey as Director of Photography. Whether the film is a The Magician's Nephew adaptation, whether Daniel Craig is playing Uncle Andrew, and whether Meryl Streep is actually voicing Aslan are speculation at this point.

As one viral tweet puts it, "Increasingly convinced Greta either has no idea what she wants to do with this movie or has a vision so incredible nobody else can see it." Stay tuned for official casting announcements!

What do you think about the Netflix Narnia casting rumors so far? Let us know on Facebook.