LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Superhero blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame” was the top winner at the MTV Movie and TV awards on Monday in a show marked by messages of empowerment and self-esteem.

The Marvel movie, the second biggest box office hit of all time, took wins for best movie, villain (Josh Brolin’s Thanos) and hero (Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man.)

But U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the diminutive, 86-year-old liberal judge, was voted best real-life hero, cementing her status as an unexpected pop culture icon, especially among women. She did not attend the MTV ceremony in the California beach city of Santa Monica.

The MTV Movie and TV awards usually focus on crowd-pleasers and is an irreverent antidote to the more serious winter Hollywood awards season. Winners get popcorn shaped trophies and are chosen by fans voting online.

But while medieval fantasy “Game of Thrones” was named best TV show on Monday, other awards went to darker fare.

“Surviving R. Kelly,” in which seven women spoke on camera about what they said was years of sexual and emotional abuse by the “I Believe I Can Fly” singer, won best documentary.

The Lifetime network documentary led to Kelly being dropped by his record company and to criminal charges in Chicago of aggravated sexual assault involving four women, three of them minors. Kelly has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

“Survivors walked through the fire and then stood again to tell this story,” Brie Miranda Bryant, an executive with Lifetime, said in an acceptance speech.

Elisabeth Moss, star of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” took the award for best performance in a TV show, a category that was entirely made up of women. The bleak drama series portrays a near future in which women are stripped of all their rights, including working and reading.

Brie Larson’s “Captain Marvel” triumphed in the best fight category, while MTV’s popular best kiss award went to newcomers Noah Centineo and Lana Condor from the Asian-led teen movie “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

“Love who you want to love, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise,” Condor, 22, told the audience.

Actor, producer and wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was given the Generation award for a career that encompasses more than 30 film and TV shows, including the “Fast and Furious” movie franchise.

Johnson told the audience that when he first came to Hollywood some 15 years ago, the entertainment industry didn’t know how to handle a 6-foot-4-inch, muscled, half black, half Samoan man, “so I decided I wasn’t going to conform to Hollywood, Hollywood was going to conform to me”.

Breakout singer Lizzo gave her first awards show performance with her hit single “Juice,” an anthem to self-esteem.

“Girls Trip” actress Jada Pinkett-Smith was given the annual Trailblazer award for a career that includes author, fashion designer, women’s rights activist and funder of youth programs.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; editing by Darren Schuettler)

While the one piece may have you cringing for many reasons, it’s at least not as unfashionable as they used to be. Instead of a single piece of fabric with holes cut out, fashionistas finally took the time to upgrade the design and make one piece suits go from cookie cutters to cute, fashionable attire that isn’t so embarrassing to walkout in.

A post shared by E’s Life & Style (@eleanagrasso) on Apr 24, 2018 at 1:19pm PDT

The newest trend with the one piece suit specifically has incorporated the front tie that has long been apart of women’s fashion. Instead of a flat piece of fabric, the suit cuts at waist for a high waisted look and gathers the fabric up top to make a tie strapless chest piece.

However, it’s reasonable to say not everyone is a one-piece type of girl, and no matter how in it may be you just refuse to don the solid piece of fabric. No worries though, the fashion world knows and understands this and is working just as hard on its bikini styles.

A post shared by Miami Swim Week by FWO (@miamiswimweekend) on Aug 7, 2017 at 6:51pm PDT

The big bikini trend for 2018 will definitely be this new one-shoulder style. It’s as fashionable as the one-shoulder dress and is probably just as comfortable if not more. The styles within this concept vary from an one-inch strap to a full cap sleeve on one side. Women will be able to find the style and look that truly fits them, and the best part is that mix-and-match bikini’s are also coming back so women can truly customize their beach day outfit.

Photos courtesy of Juan Salamanca and Bruce Mars on Pexels and Miami Swim Weekend and Eleana Grasso’s Instagrams.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Jewel’s rise in the music world from the Alaska frontier to first-name-only star is almost unbelievable: Girl endures an abusive environment, becomes homeless – and then not only survives, but reaches the pinnacle of her profession.

Now 43, Jewel (born Jewel Kilcher) is branching out with a business based on the mindfulness tools she used to survive that harsh upbringing. For the latest in Reuters’ “Life Lessons” series, Jewel sat down to share some words of hard-won wisdom.

Q: Who was passing along life lessons back in Alaska?

A: Nature, and books, and pain. My mom left when I was eight, and my dad took over raising three children, and he was an abusive alcoholic. In Alaska you are often parented by nature. It teaches you how to be human.

In those kind of extreme environments, you don’t eat unless you killed it or canned it. So there is a lot to overcome, but it also teaches that if you work hard and put your head down, you can get anything done.

Q: What did living out of your car teach you about money and survival?

A: Most people think that period was because I was pursuing my music career, but that’s not quite true. My boss propositioned me, and when I turned him down, he fired me. So I lived out of my car for a couple of months, but then my car got stolen. I got sick, I had panic attacks, I almost died of blood poisoning. That’s when I started stealing a lot.

When I was 18 and homeless, I saw a reflection of myself in a mirror, and knew that I had become a statistic. At that point I decided to turn my life around, based on a saying of Buddha: Happiness doesn’t depend on who you are or what you have, it depends on what you think.

Q: What was it like going from that life, to one of success and wealth as a musician?

A: I almost didn’t sign my record deal, because I was scared. I actually turned down a million-dollar signing bonus. I did take a portion of the back end, though, in case the record ended up making money.

Q: How are you turning this interest in mindfulness into a business?

A: The website (jewelneverbroken.com) is a nonprofit and free to the world. It’s an emotional fitness destination, where people can access simple mindfulness tools to create change in their lives.

As a mom, I didn’t want to be totally dependent on touring to make a living. I still wanted to make music, but I also want to help people with their pain in other ways.

So one part of my business will be B2B, working with Zappos.com to create the next frontier of corporate culture. Another aspect will be schooling, for how people can achieve fitness in their emotions and parenting and finances. I’m also creating a curriculum for students with mindfulness baked into it, so kids with addictions or anxiety can become the architects of their own lives.

Q: How do you decide where to devote your charitable dollars?

A: I founded Project Clean Water back in 1997, because when I had been homeless, I had bad kidneys and couldn’t afford bottled water. If we are not able to drink our tap water, we’re all in trouble. I also founded the Never Broken Foundation, to help people with emotional health and mindfulness.

Q: How does crafting fit into your latest tour, “Handmade Holiday,” which kicks off on Nov. 24 in Las Vegas?

A: What I see in our culture is anxiety, and families breaking apart, and people feeling incapable. So with this holiday tour I wanted to promote the values of self-sufficiency and connectedness and industriousness. So there is crafting during the day, where you can learn how to make things for yourselves and create memories with your family.

Q: As a single mom of a 6-year-old son, any advice for other single parents on how to thrive emotionally and financially?

A: You have to let go of the myth of perfectionism. Single parents always feel like a failure, if they are working and raising a child at the same time. But you are not a failure, and you don’t have to do things perfectly. Remember your kids are watching you, and it’s okay to let them see mistakes. This is real life, and we’re all responding in real time.

(Written by Chris Taylor.  Editing by Beth Pinsker and Andrew Hay)

(Top photo:  Jewel speaks at a conference in Las Vegas, NV on May 18, 2017. Photo by Richard Brian.)

SANTA MONICA – Southern California has always been known to heavily rely on automobiles. Despite an accessible public transportation system that could take you all the way from Downtown LA to Santa Monica, the LAist reports that commuters often forego the bus or train in favor of their car due to “inconvenience, unreliability, and safety concerns.” But if not the bus, train, or Metro, why not the bike?

Commuting to work via bike if you live a local distance away is an excellent option due to its health benefits. According to Men’s Fitness, a bike ride burns more calories than a walk – 281 calories compared to 176 calories per hour if the bicyclist is riding at less than 10 mph and the walker is strolling at 2 mph. Considering the fact that driving constitutes even less exercise than walking does, riding a bike to work would conveniently double as cardio time.

It would also help the environment in ways that driving a car never could. You Can Bike There, an advocate for bike riding, states that a car produces 1.3 billion cubic yards of polluted air during its lifetime and that 40 pounds of tire and brake debris are released into the environment. Because bikes don’t require gas or fuel, it significantly lowers the amount of emissions as well as the need for oil. You then save a considerable amount of money on gas (and on insurance, maintenance, etc.)!

Despite the amazing advantages, however, one slight concern that you might have about riding your bike to work is what you would wear. But look no further – if you want to look fashionable while still being comfortable and work-appropriate, here are our stylish options:

Coat

When you’re riding a bike to work in the morning, it can get a little chilly (yes, even in LA). To stay warm yet fashionable, this Laundry by Shelli Segal Double Breasted Fit and Flare Coat would keep you cozy during your commute – AND turn heads in your office.

Oxfords

Oxfords are always a great option for work wear due to its comfortability (no high heel pain!) and style that’s appropriate for an office. These Tamaris ‘Phanie’ Slip-On Oxford have no laces, meaning you wouldn’t have to worry about your shoelaces getting untied while biking.

Watch

When you’re on a bike, you’re inevitably limited on ways to find out the time or to even make a phone call like you would in a Bluetooth-enabled car. This gorgeous Michael Kors Bradshaw Bracelet Smart Watch allows you to quickly find out the time while you’re on the go, and it’s even Bluetooth enabled. Stylish AND smart!

Work can be stressful as it is. But next time, try taking the environmental stress off of your commuting by riding your bike and looking good while doing it!

SANTA MONICA — After an initial flub in which “La La Land” was mistakenly presented with the Best Picture Award, “Moonlight” officially took home the honors at the 89th Academy Awards last night.

Hollywood legends and presenters, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, were on stage holding what appeared to be the winning envelope for the category, but slight hesitation was apparent on Beatty’s face after he viewed the contents of the envelope. Dunaway then took the envelope and announced that “La La Land” had won.

The team behind the successful musical had already begun their acceptance speeches when Jordan Horowitz, one of the producers, realized the mistake and found the correct envelope onstage. Seeing that “Moonlight” was written on the envelope, Horowitz went up to the mic to address the situation and presented the award to the rightful recipient. Beatty then went up to the mic and apologetically explained that he had been handed the wrong envelope.

Amidst the confusion, “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins graciously accepted the award, saying:

“There was a time when I thought this movie was impossible because I couldn’t bring it to fruition, I couldn’t bring myself to tell another story so everybody behind me on this stage said ‘no” that is not acceptable. So I just want to thank everybody up there behind me, everybody out there in that room, we didn’t do this, you guys chose us. Thank you for the choice, I appreciate it so I just want to thank everybody up there behind me.”

The film was also awarded Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

SANTA MONICA – You have seen her on the little screen in Dark Angel and on the big screen in Fantastic Four and Little Fockers.  She is one of the most influential actresses in Hollywood today, yet she is totally grounded.  A committed mother and wife, Jessica Alba is the complete package.  Oh, and did I forget to mention that Alba is also the founder The Honest Company?  A company that has taken the pledge to protect children and use non-toxic chemicals in their toddler products.

In a photo shoot taken at an undisclosed portion of the beach in Santa Monica, Alba outlined her top five points for success and what it means to be a women surrounded by men.

Photos found on Google Images.

(Reuters) – Hollywood celebrities are lining up behind actress Jennifer Aniston after she penned a blog criticizing the media for the way it scrutinizes female stars.

Melissa McCarthy, Jason Bateman and Olivia Wilde were among the A-Listers who showed their support.

“Everybody needs to stop tearing down women,” McCarthy, 45, said on “Entertainment Tonight,” after declaring she was “one hundred thousand billion percent” behind Aniston.

Former “Friends” star Aniston, 47, published the blog, “For the Record,” on the Huffington Post on Tuesday, writing that she was sick of being harassed by photographers and tabloid reporters.

“For the record, I am not pregnant,” she wrote. “What I am is fed up. I’m fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily under the guise of ‘journalism,’ the ‘First Amendment’ and ‘celebrity news.'”

“The objectification and scrutiny we put women through is absurd and disturbing,” Aniston also wrote, saying that “we define a woman’s value based on her marital and maternal status.”

Aniston’s husband, actor Justin Theroux, posted an image of her to his Instagram page with the hashtag #wcw for “Woman Crush Wednesday.” He linked to her letter and wrote, “Here’s just one reason why.”

Aniston, who People magazine named as the most beautiful woman of 2016 in April, said she wrote the blog because she “wanted to participate in a larger conversation” even though she does not use social media.

The blog post was “liked” on Facebook more than 27,000 times by Wednesday afternoon.

“The way I am portrayed by the media is simply a reflection of how we see and portray women in general, measured against some warped standard of beauty,” Aniston wrote.

(Reporting by Melissa Fares; Editing by Leslie Adler)