<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5de5642ffd9db25fa152d617-992/ashley with kids.jpg" alt="Ashley abramson with kids" /><p class="source"><span>Courtesy Ashley Abramson</span></p><p class="caption">The author with her children.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>When I had my second son in 2017, I was working from home as a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/strategies-i-used-to-pay-off-10000-of-debt-in-3-months">freelance writer</a>.</li><li>Because of that, I was able to take care of my baby at home without having to put him in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-the-average-american-family-spends-on-childcare-2019-6">daycare</a>.</li><li>For healthcare, furniture, and other baby costs, we spent about $6,000 on our second child's first year of life.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yourmoney?utm_source=bullet">Read more personal finance coverage</a>.</li></ul><p>Raising a child can be expensive, and the first year is no exception - from diapers to doctor's appointments, there's a lot to budget for. </p><p>I'm grateful my husband has a job that provides <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-health-insurance-cobra-medicaid-marketplace">health insurance</a> to cover the majority of our family's healthcare costs, since that's often the most expensive part about having a child. </p><p>I'm also thankful we didn't have to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-the-average-american-family-spends-on-childcare-2019-6">pay for daycare</a> for our kids because I was working from home, and we had generous family and friends to help babysit when needed.</p><p>Looking back on the first year of my second son's life, we spent a total of about $6,085 on his health, happiness, and needs. Here's how the cost of Miles' first year of life broke down, from February 2017 to February 2018 in Minneapolis:</p><h2>Extra healthcare costs: $1,580</h2><p>The first year of a baby's life involves a lot of doctor's appointments, especially during the first few months. </p><p>Between coming home from the hospital and his first birthday, my son probably saw the pediatrician at least 15 or 20 times for check-ups and problem visits for issues like ear infections and fevers. I was lucky to have insurance that covered these appointments.</p><p>Paying for extra healthcare costs was also a lot easier because we met our deductible when he was born in 2017, so all of the visits between March 2017 and December 2017 were totally taken care of. </p><p>The deductible reset in January 2018, and between January and February, he saw the pediatrician four times, totaling $80 in copays. </p><p>Just before his first birthday, he had a minor surgical procedure that required anesthesia. This was by far the most costly part of his first year, especially since the deductible had reset. We technically didn't pay this all at once because of a payment plan through the hospital, but our total responsibility was $1,500.</p><h2>Health insurance premiums: $1,845</h2><p>Having a baby adds lots of additional healthcare expenses, and for most parents, that number includes health insurance. </p><p>Our family health insurance premium costs $615 a month for all four of us, but it didn't increase at all when Miles was born - the cost is the same for all families under my husband's plan. </p><p>If you break it down per person, technically Miles would cost $153.75 a month, or $1,845 a year.</p><h2>Childcare costs: $500</h2><p>When I became a parent, I had to make a difficult decision: Would I stay at my office job and put most of my paychecks toward childcare, or stay home with my kids? </p><p>I never envisioned myself as a stay-at-home mom, but I ended up quitting my job after my first son was born because I couldn't imagine the added stress of parenting while working (plus, the commute would have been brutal). </p><p>That was in 2014. By the time I had my second son in 2017, my older son was in childcare three days a week so I could freelance as a writer. </p><p>I kept my second son home for his first year to make breastfeeding a bit easier, so we only paid for occasional babysitters during that time. Instead of putting him in daycare, I wrote when he was asleep (newborns sleep a lot) and when my husband was home. We also had a renter in our spare room who watched the baby for free from time to time. </p><p>In total, we probably paid about $500 during his first year for childcare, which I don't take for granted. </p><p>Many moms participate in baby-and-me activities during the first year, some of which cost money. I had many friends with kids, so I chose free play dates and trips to the library instead. </p><h2>Baby gear: $550</h2><p>Some of the most expensive costs associated with having a baby are the items you use every day, like a stroller, car seat, and crib. </p><p>Our older son's car seat had expired before our second baby was born (fun fact: every car seat has an expiration date), so we paid $200 for a new one. </p><p>We had given away our crib to a friend a few years prior, so we bought a similar (used) IKEA crib on Craigslist for $50 and a new crib mattress for $100. </p><p>Luckily, we had held on to our rocking chair, stroller, and baby swing, which saved us at least a few hundred dollars. We upgraded our son to a larger, rear-facing convertible car seat just before he turned 1, and that cost $200. </p><h2>Food costs: $180</h2><p>I chose to breastfeed my son for the first year, so we didn't have any costs for formula. He started eating solid foods occasionally around six months, and we probably paid $30/month for those six months on baby food, totaling about $180. (Those baby food pouches can get expensive.)</p><h2>Diapers and wipes: $430</h2><p>I'll admit I didn't keep track of how many diapers we changed during the first 12 months of my son's life (it was a lot). Some experts say parents go through, on average, 2,500 to 3,000 diapers in a child's first year. </p><p>We used the same generic diaper brand consistently, and the diapers currently cost around 11 cents per unit. So in total, I would estimate we paid around $330 for diapers and maybe $100 in wipes. </p><h2>Miscellaneous: $1,000</h2><p>The good thing about having two kids: hand-me-downs. I didn't have to buy too many clothes for my second son, since we had so many clothes already. I probably spent around $100 on clothing items here and there - it's always fun to get your child special outfits. </p><p>I'm also unfortunately kind of a sucker for toys and books, so we probably spent around $400 on those things in his first year (including Christmas gifts). </p><p>There were, of course, other miscellaneous costs that also came up (like baby shampoo, baby Tylenol, other toiletries, travel, and eating at restaurants), so I would estimate $500 total for those extras.</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>More <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yourmoney">personal finance</a> coverage</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-open-high-yield-savings-account-now-interest-rates-down">4 reasons to open a high-yield savings account while interest rates are down </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-open-wealthfront-cash-account-savings">It took less than 10 minutes to open a high-yield cash account with Wealthfront and earn more on my savings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-buy-a-house-with-no-money-down-home-loans">How to buy a house with no money down </a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/when-to-save-money-in-high-yield-savings">When to save money in high-yield savings</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-rewards-credit-cards">Best rewards credit cards</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reasons-to-get-life-insurance-you-havent-thought-of-yet">7 reasons you may need life insurance, even if you think you don't</a></li></ul>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-is-it-called-black-friday-2017-11">The true story behind the name 'Black Friday' is much darker than you may have thought</a></h3>                    <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/4XXGYOui-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;"></iframe>            

My son's first year of life in Minnesota cost about $6,000. Here's every dollar we spent.

<p>We rounded up the eight best sales and deals happening online today, with savings on Apple MacBooks at Best Buy, designer clothes for men and women at East Dane and Shopbop, and Graco baby products at Target. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Business Insider Coupons</a>.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=38606&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fpromo%2Flaptop-macbook-savings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d3f405f100a24234f38f495-2400/applethousand-stories-wwdczimela-network-mentors-mentees05292019.jpg" border="0" alt="MacBook" data-mce-source="Apple" /></a><p class="source"><span>Apple</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>1. <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=38606&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fpromo%2Flaptop-macbook-savings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save up to $450 on select Apple MacBooks at Best Buy</a></h2><p>The fall semester is about a month away. If you don't already have a good computer, Best Buy is having a huge back-to-school sale on Apple MacBook laptops. You can save anywhere from $100 to $450 on select MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models.  <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/best-buy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider Coupons for more sale and deals at Best Buy</a>. </p><h3><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=38606&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bestbuy.com%2Fsite%2Fpromo%2Flaptop-macbook-savings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the Best Buy sale now</a>. </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/https://www.boxed.com/m/backtoschool2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5a305c6b8229f21d008b4ebe-838/fbadlifestyle10d.png" border="0" alt="Boxed" data-mce-source="Boxed" /></a><p class="source"><span>Boxed</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>2. <a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/https://www.boxed.com/m/backtoschool2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save 20% on back-to-school bulk items at Boxed</a></h2><p>Boxed is a new startup that's changing the way people buy in bulk. Unlike other wholesale stores, there's no membership fee and you won't need to go to a store to shop, but you will have to sign up with your email address to shop. Now through August 17, you can automatically save 20% on back-t0-school bulk items like snacks, juice boxes, sandwich baggies,  notebooks, and pencils. For more<span> </span><a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/boxed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deals and savings at Boxed, visit Business Insider Coupons here</a>.</p><h3><a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/6415797/type/dlg/https://www.boxed.com/m/backtoschool2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the Boxed sale now</a>. </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGR0ZKS0JGSEhLR01CRk1FSklJ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tuftandneedle.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d13991ce3ecba1e4e095cab-800/tuft and needle mint mattress.jpg" border="0" alt="tuft and needle mint mattress" data-mce-source="Tuft &amp; Needle" /></a><p class="source"><span>Tuft &amp; Needle</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>3. <a href="https://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGR0ZKS0JGSEhLR01CRk1FSklJ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tuftandneedle.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save 10% on everything at Tuft &amp; Needle</a></h2><p>Bedding startup Tuft &amp; Needle is celebrating its seventh birthday with a sitewide deal. From now until August 11, you can save 10% on everything including mattresses, sheets, duvet covers, and bed frames. Insider Picks reporter Connie Chen has been using the new Tuft &amp; Needle Mint mattress for the last three months and attributes its superb comfort to the <span>open-cell foam technology. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tuft-and-needle-mint-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read her full review here</a>. </span></p><h3><a href="https://www.pntrs.com/t/TUJGR0ZKS0JGSEhLR01CRk1FSklJ?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tuftandneedle.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the Tuft &amp; Needle sale now</a>. </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://goto.target.com/c/196318/81938/2092?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fc%2Fgraco-gear-sale%2Fall-deals%2F-%2FN-2ibvlZakkos%3FfacetRecovery%3Dtrue%26lnk%3DUpto20offGraco&amp;subid2=1565016425812ala90ff76" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c755e37262898751f2a3a8a-961/4982619718889454878703333996511796489956350n.jpg" border="0" alt="Graco" data-mce-source="Target" /></a><p class="source"><span>Target</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>4.<span> </span><a href="http://goto.target.com/c/196318/81938/2092?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fc%2Fgraco-gear-sale%2Fall-deals%2F-%2FN-2ibvlZakkos%3FfacetRecovery%3Dtrue%26lnk%3DUpto20offGraco&amp;subid2=1565016425812ala90ff76" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save up to 20% on Graco baby gear at Target</a></h2><p>If you're a parent, an expecting parent, or you're shopping for someone else's baby registry, Target is having a big Graco baby gear sale that you'll want to check out. While you can save on everything from diapers to toys, one of the best deals is 20% off Graco car seats, strollers, playpens, high chairs, swings, and more.<span> </span><a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/target" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider Coupons for more deals and savings at Target</a>.</p><h3><a href="http://goto.target.com/c/196318/81938/2092?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fc%2Fgraco-gear-sale%2Fall-deals%2F-%2FN-2ibvlZakkos%3FfacetRecovery%3Dtrue%26lnk%3DUpto20offGraco&amp;subid2=1565016425812a2psfpltv" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the Graco sale at Target now</a>.</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://eyebuydirect.sjv.io/c/196318/467513/8266?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyebuydirect.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5c531eae2bdd7f1e5e591ba1-1000/untitled-2.jpg" border="0" alt="EyeBuyDirect" data-mce-source="EyeBuyDirect" /></a><p class="source"><span>EyeBuyDirect</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>5. <a href="http://eyebuydirect.sjv.io/c/196318/467513/8266?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyebuydirect.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buy one pair of glasses, get one free at EyeBuyDirect</a></h2><p>If you're due for a new pair of prescription glasses, <span>EyeBuyDirect's buy-one, get-one sale will help you achieve 20/20 vision in style. Simply the promo code "<strong>BOGO</strong>" at checkout to get a second pair of glasses for free. <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/eyebuydirect" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider Coupons for the latest promotions at EyeBuyDirect</a>.</span></p><h3><a href="http://eyebuydirect.sjv.io/c/196318/467513/8266?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyebuydirect.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the EyeBuyDirect sale now</a>.  </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=42353&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastdane.com%2Fsale-70-percent-off%2Fbr%2Fv%3D1%2F19206.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d4842ed100a244ea1008066-782/664244411660340077735204999256610029179255n.jpg" border="0" alt="East Dane" width="805" height="604" data-mce-source="East Dane" /></a><p class="source"><span>East Dane</span></p></div><p></p></div></p><h2>6. <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=42353&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastdane.com%2Fsale-70-percent-off%2Fbr%2Fv%3D1%2F19206.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save 70% or more on final sale items at East Dane</a></h2><p><span>East Dane is an online destination for men's designer fashion at low prices. Right now, the final sale section is filled with styles a solid selection of popular high-end brands - and the discounts are 70% or more. You'll find great deals on brands like Helmut Lang, Alexander Wang, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Raf Simons, Golden Goose, and more. </span><a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/eastdane" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider Coupons for more sales and deals at East Dane</a><span>.</span></p><h3><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=42353&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eastdane.com%2Fsale-70-percent-off%2Fbr%2Fv%3D1%2F19206.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the East Dane sale now</a>. </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=42352&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shopbop.com%2Fsale-70-off-over-final%2Fbr%2Fv%3D1%2F14057.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d4846a1100a244f41540e11-1080/622682823767004498683284979591935668360907n.jpg" border="0" alt="Shopbop" data-mce-source="Shopbop" /></a><p class="source"><span>Shopbop</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>7. <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=42352&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shopbop.com%2Fsale-70-off-over-final%2Fbr%2Fv%3D1%2F14057.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save 70% or more on final sale items at Shopbop</a></h2><p>As the sister site to East Dane, Shopbop offers a huge selection of designer apparel, shoes, bags, and accessories for women at hard-to-beat prices. With the same discount as East Dane, you can save 70% or more on a huge selection of designer clothing and accessories.<span> </span><a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/shopbop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider Coupons for the most up to date deals at Shopbop</a>.</p><h3><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=42352&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shopbop.com%2Fsale-70-off-over-final%2Fbr%2Fv%3D1%2F14057.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the Shopbop sale now</a>. </h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=3184&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macys.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5d4856ad100a2474897bcb49-908/080519promositewidesavingsmonhomepage102011367997.jpg" border="0" alt="Macy's" data-mce-source="Macy's" /></a><p class="source"><span>Macy's</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><h2>8. <a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=3184&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macys.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save an extra 20% on thousands of items at Macy's</a></h2><p>Macy's is currently having a big back-to-school sale with deals on everything you need to look your best during the new school year. Now through August 11, you can save an extra 20% on thousands of brand name items by using the promo code "<strong>BTS</strong>" at checkout. The sale includes everything from apparel and footwear to accessories. <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/macys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit Business Insider Coupons for the latest sales and deals at Macy's</a>.</p><h3><a href="https://click.linksynergy.com/deeplink?id=EHFxW6yx8Uo&amp;mid=3184&amp;murl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macys.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the Macy's sale now</a>. </h3><p class="tagline"><p><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a><br><br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.<br><br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</br></br></br></br></p></p>

Save up to $450 on MacBooks at Best Buy - and 7 other sales and deals happening now

<p><keyword id="11947343" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="serena-williams" source="Orion">Serena Williams</keyword> made her entrance at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, California, so quickly and quietly that some didn't even realize she'd come in until she was tucked away in her dressing room. Rocking a faded baseball cap, with her assistant and her Yorkie, Christopher Chip Rafael Nadal, in tow, she arrived almost to the minute of her 9 a.m. call time — a feat so rare for celebrities of her stature that she even beat some of her hair and makeup team.</p><p>You don't become one of the greatest athletes of your lifetime without self-control. And that March day, Williams' discipline was evident in everything she did.</p><p>Awards season was in full swing, and "<keyword id="12345612" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="king-richard" source="Orion">King Richard</keyword>" — a biographical film about their father, Richard Williams, that Serena and her older sister Venus produced — had been <a href="https://m.imdb.com/title/tt9620288/awards/?ref_=tt_awd">nominated</a> multiple times across all the major ceremonies. Despite numerous warnings from her team that she was tired, Williams never once complained. She photographed four looks in under three hours to a playlist that helped set the tempo. At one point the infamous beat drop of Mya's "Case of the Ex" sent the room into a fever pitch, with everyone singing along like they were putting on for the 99s and 2000s. By 12:30 p.m., Williams was back in cozy clothes, ready to knock out our interview two hours ahead of schedule.</p><p>Williams is clearly a master at time management — except when it comes to herself. "I'm really bad at self-care," she told me. "I was just telling my chief of staff that I need to get a pedicure because it's been two years since I sat in a chair and had one. Maybe I could do that while I'm multitasking and taking calls." </p><p>Before you panic like I did, Williams' cuticles are fine. She's been sticking to at-home treatments as of late, but she could use a proper spa day. The issue is not that she hasn't figured out work-life balance, but, like many mothers, that she struggles not to give all her personal time to her 4-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia. </p><p>"Mom guilt is real. I always feel so guilty when I'm doing something on my own," she said. "I don't know if I'm a good mom, and I don't know if my method works, but I'm very hands-on with my daughter, and it was the same with our parents. So I've set really good boundaries, but then after work, I'm going right to my daughter. And that's amazing and good, but now it's like, 'Okay, what happens to Serena?'"</p><div type="image" title="Serena Williams poses in front of a blue background for Insider's inaugural cover story" height="2000" width="1500" msid="90826661" hostid="261"></div><p>I didn't expect to hear Williams ask herself the question of the hour, albeit in a different context. At 40, she's been a champion for most of her life (she won her first Grand Slam title 22 years ago), and this season feels like an inflection point. Since suffering a hamstring injury at Wimbledon last year, she's been <a href="https://www.insider.com/serena-williams-pulled-out-of-the-us-open-torn-hamstring-2021-8">forced to sit out</a> most of the recent major tournaments, meaning fans have had to adjust to seeing her off the court more than on. But Williams has always been prepared for the inevitable moment when her body undermines her. She's spent a lot of her recovery time diversifying her already thick business portfolio and pouring devotion into other parts of her life. This chapter doesn't seem to be the end of anything, but rather a chance for Williams to again show the world why she's never one to be counted out.</p><p>Williams' rise from underdog to winning the most Grand Slam singles titles of any player in tennis' open era is one of the greatest sports stories in history. She has dominated tennis for so long now that it's hard to remember those first few years when we watched her fight to beat the greats, including her big sister, Venus. But it was in that pocket of time that I became a fan. Her determination to become No. 1 was so palpable that it felt impossible not to root for her. You could practically see her fire and passion bubbling to the surface as she competed. I knew it would only be a matter of time before she reached full boil — and what a rumble she made when she did. </p><p>Watching her win every title and break countless records has brought me a level of joy I've never experienced from any team sport. Because, unlike many of the men Williams is often compared to in debates about the greatest athlete of all time, she has won the majority of these matches on her own. And she has done so loudly, whether <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFMPF-JkDq8">roaring</a> in a way that forced everyone to feel the power she was exerting; <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/serena-williams-wins-australian-open-womens-tennis-final-1422703874?mod=article_inline">exuberantly leaping</a> or <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-04-25/serena-williams-thanks-unborn-baby-after-returning-to-number-one/8469202">pointing her finger</a> in the air to signal she's No. 1 after a win; <a href="https://www.elle.com/uk/life-and-culture/culture/a25159597/serena-williams-body-insecurities-controversial-tennis-outfits/">wearing bold tennis outfits</a> despite how uncomfortable curvy Black bodies can make others feel; or <a href="https://twitter.com/WTA/status/822123967192281088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E822141021853220864%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Fbenhenry%2Fdo-you-want-to-apologise">standing up for herself</a> during press conferences. Williams has become the antidote to the notion that Black girls needed to be meek or submissive to succeed. Each one of her victories felt not only like a win for us, but a challenge to take up space in our own respective passions, too. </p><p>But the more I grew to understand the racism that separates Black excellence from white, the more I wondered how she dealt with it all on such a grand scale.</p><p>"Growing up in the public eye, you really are affected by what people say," Williams said. "But there was a point where I said, 'I don't care what people think.' God made us able to make our own decisions, and if people don't want to like me or what I do, that's okay. Get in line — there's going to be a long waiting list."</p><p>As Williams' career has evolved, so have her interests. Her father taught her to think about the long game from the beginning, so she's always seen herself as more than a tennis player. She's started multiple businesses, including clothing and jewelry lines, but she's planning to make the biggest impact through her investment firm, Serena Ventures, which aims to back founders with diverse points of view, and which had <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/01/business/serena-williams-venture-fund.html">raised $111 million</a> in its initial round of funding. </p><p>The world of venture capital, like the world of tennis, is predominately white. Williams got involved in the industry over nine years ago, when she learned that less than 2% of women and less than 1% of people of color received venture-capital funding. </p><p>While her firm prioritizes smart founders and products over everything, having a diverse team in charge of the decision-making has gotten results: So far, 53% of the founders they've invested in are women, and 47% are Black. "The only way that people can get funding is if people like me, women and people of color, are actually writing the checks," Williams said. "Otherwise it's going to be the same boys' club, except not for a lot of Black people." </p><p>A lifetime disrupter, Williams has mastered the art of turning doubt into a source of energy. "Whether it's venture people saying that I shouldn't be doing it, or it's tennis when people said I'll never be good at it, I do think there's a part of me that always will enjoy proving people wrong," she said. "And sometimes you just need something to feed the fire, right?" In fact, negative comments have motivated her even more. "I'm like, 'Oh that's what I needed to hear. You're going to regret what you just said.' But that's me, and growing up behind Venus, I had to have that personality."</p><p>One can't help but admire Williams' attitude, considering all the negativity she's had to face for daring to be both Black and invincible at the same time, from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/sep/09/serena-williams-accuses-officials-of-sexism-and-vows-to-fight-for-women">unfair umpire calls</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/serena-williams-catsuit-french-open-prevent-blood-clots-2018-8">bans against wardrobe</a> choices to <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/bimadewunmi/maria-sharapovas-rivalry-with-serena-williams-is-in-her-head">coded language from peers</a> and <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/story?id=99759">racist attacks</a> from the public. The scrutiny she's borne requires a mental fortitude as strong as her game. Luckily, she has an unshakable support system.</p><div type="image" title="Serena Williams poses in front of a yellow background for Insider's inaugural cover story" height="2000" width="1500" msid="90826662" hostid="261"></div><p>"There's an unspoken language we have as sisters," said Williams' older sister Isha Price. "She'll call and be like, 'Hey, how are you doing?' And just by her voice I can tell there's a struggle there, or joy there. Just to be present and appreciate that moment with her, good or bad, is important. That validation is oftentimes necessary because it doesn't come from anywhere else. The expectation that everyone puts on Black and phenomenal women, on us, is a lot to bear, and sometimes you don't even recognize that you're carrying it. Because you just walk around with this weight all the time."</p><p>For Williams and other Black women, safe spaces can be hard to come by. Often, we take refuge in each other. Williams' good friend Ciara said one of her favorite things about their bond is that it creates a reprieve for both of them. "I think the key to our friendship is the fact that when we get together it's not about what we do in our professional lives — it's about being free to experience our authentic selves with each other," the R&amp;B singer wrote in an email. "The world gets to see her passion for tennis when she's on the court, but behind the scenes she carries that same passion and enthusiasm."</p><p>Williams said she tries to focus more on the people, like Price and Ciara and others in her tribe, who do love and support her. And while her supporters outnumber her detractors, she doesn't intend to let either rule her self-image. Other peoples' opinions "used to affect me like 10 percent," she said. "Now I'm at zero." </p><p>Williams' strong sense of self is something she rightfully takes pride in. She said you'll always get the same Serena wherever you meet her, whether it's at the grocery store, the French Open, or onstage at the Academy Awards. She and sister Venus got a taste of the latter this year; the Oscars opened with the two of them introducing Beyoncé's performance of "Be Alive" from the soundtrack of "King Richard." Like the Williams sisters, the film nabbed quite a few trophies this season, putting Venus and Serena front and center in a new type of arena. </p><p>While the experience was overshadowed by <a href="https://www.insider.com/video-serena-williams-reacts-shock-will-smith-slap-chris-rock-2022-3">controversy</a>, Williams isn't done with Hollywood. A self-described Marvel fan, she shared that she'd love to build a similar cinematic universe — a Williamsverse, if you will. </p><p>She sees "King Richard" as an origin story that could serve as a launchpad for films focusing on her and Venus separately. "'King Richard' had a perfect ending with Venus on the tennis court," she said, referencing that the film concludes with her older sister finishing her first professional tournament. Williams envisions the sequels picking up there. "Venus goes in her direction, and I go in my direction. It's two completely different stories," she explained, though she admitted she will have to overcome some discomfort if she truly goes through with a biopic. "I had a rough journey," she said. "I didn't do well and then I did. It's a lot of drama. It's a telenovela."</p><div type="image" title="Serena Williams poses in front of a green background for Insider's inaugural cover story" height="2000" width="1500" msid="90826663" hostid="261"></div><p>Williams' story may include its share of drama, but unlike the superheroes in Marvel's films, none of her powers are science fiction. In fact, the most inspiring aspect of "King Richard" (and any Williamverse movie that may follow) is you watch knowing that — against all odds — the Williams family really did everything they said they would do.</p><p>That's something not many people can say, but during our time together, I learned that bragging isn't really this icon's style. "I don't think I recognize my accomplishments enough," she said. "I'm one of those people that's like, 'If it's done, it's done, I've moved on.' Because if you think about what you've done too much, you may stop doing it. And I never want to stop. I'm still trying to reach my goals."</p><p>Between established businesses, a beautiful family of her own, and a legacy as one of the greatest tennis players the sport has ever seen, Williams has nothing left to prove. But because of her seemingly insatiable competitiveness, many people in the tennis world believe that she's chasing the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles (currently held by Margaret Court). When she talks about her tennis career, though, she is introspective. "This chapter makes me happy because for so many years I've played, and I've loved doing it, but now I'm playing just for me," she said. "I compete when and where I want to go, but I don't have to go. So I'm enjoying it in a different way."</p><p>Once again, I marvel at Williams' discipline, this time as it pertains to the difficult practice of staying present. She has opted to take life one day, game, business deal, and play date with Olympia at a time. She's once again giving us another level of fearlessness to aspire to — reminding us of the freedom that can and should exist even within the Blackest of excellence.</p><p>Price is proud of her baby sister for taking full advantage of the liberation she has earned. "I am particularly enjoying watching her have peace about where she is in her life," she said. "A lot of times there's this added pressure of like, 'Okay, I got to win. I have to be this superwoman.' She still has that pressure because she still is an incredible athlete and wants to perform at that level. But I think that at this point in her life, she has a different perspective because there are other things that are so much more important."</p><p><em>Credits:<br />Creative Direction: Liane Radel<br />Production: CAMP Productions</em><br /><em>Styling: Jason Bolden</em><br /><em>Hair: Alexander Armand<br />Makeup: Farzana Zaman<br />Prop Styling: Peter Gueracague<br />Prop Assistance: Charles Schroeder<br />Photographic Assistance: Clark Wazcunza and Brandon Yee<br />Digital Tech: Will Azcona<br />Tailoring: Erin Castle<br />Design and Development: <keyword id="12453087" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kazi-awal" source="Orion">Kazi Awal</keyword> and Skye Gould<br />Editing: Joi-Marie McKenzie, Claire Landsbaum, Jonann Brady, Carl Leibowitz, and Julie Zeveloff West</em></p>

Serena's next serve

All 51 of Jennifer Lopez's music videos, ranked from worst to best

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Eldar Nurkovic/Shutterstock" title_caption="How not to take a picture ever." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5694114edd08957f048b4630-960/shutterstock_284581649.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5694114edd08957f048b4630-5760-3840/shutterstock_284581649.jpg" alt="Woman with camera" data-mce-source="Eldar Nurkovic/Shutterstock" data-mce-caption="This person is doing it wrong." /></a><p class="source"><span>Eldar Nurkovic/Shutterstock</span></p><p class="caption">How not to take a picture ever.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Any professional photographer can instantly tell what the person in this picture is doing wrong. Can you?</p><p>Hint: look at the camera strap.</p><p>The quickest way to tell an amateur with a fancy DSLR from a pro before they even begin shooting is to watch where they hang their strap.</p><p>When I was just a baby photographer in college, I hung my strap from my neck and an older, wiser student named <a href="http://www.raywhitehouse.com/">Ray Whitehouse</a> nearly jumped out of his skin setting me straight. Pros hang their straps from their shoulders for some very good reasons. </p><p>Amateurs put it over their necks, like the woman in the photo. Now every time I see shooters with their gear dragging on their necks like medieval torture devices - which is pretty much anytime I see anyone with an expensive camera - I wince.</p><p>The first and most important reason for this is back pain. Cameras are heavy - especially when they have top-tier lenses attached. And they're a lot to haul around even if you're carrying them properly. If you carry them wrong, however, they can do real damage.</p><p>When I shoot a news story or wedding I hardly stop moving. I might chase a shot down to the floor and up to my feet and then climb a chair - all in the span of 30 seconds. And then I'll likely repeat those motions without a break for the next eight hours. If I tried to do that with a $2,000 pendulum flailing wildly from one of the weakest points on my spine I'd have to file for disability after my first day of shooting.</p><p>But even if you tend to stay still while you take pictures, your neck is a terrible appendage to carry a camera around. Think about it: we rarely hang heavy objects on our precious <a href="http://www.aans.org/patient%20information/conditions%20and%20treatments/cervical%20spine.aspx">c-spines</a>, which lets us move around freely. Even the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/20/text-neck-is-becoming-an-epidemic-and-could-wreck-your-spine/">weight of your head</a> can hurt when you tilt it for too long while on the phone. So imagine swinging a small backpack with a laptop, textbook and water bottle from your neck all day. That's about how much damage a five-and-a-half pound D800-long lens combo will do. Even if your camera is on the smaller side, you're still doing damage, but it'll take place over time.</p><p>Maybe you say, "I don't care about my body! I'm an artist. I just want the camera as close to my face as possible for that quick shot."</p><p>Again, you'll do better hanging your camera from your shoulders.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56941b11dd0895091c8b47e0-612-612/facebook_1452546613845.jpg" alt="Photographers with shoulder straps" data-mce-source="Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider" data-mce-caption="A pair of photographers at a Northwestern Wildcats football game carry five cameras between them without using their necks." /><p class="source"><span>Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider</span></p><p class="caption">A pair of photographers at a Northwestern Wildcats football game carry five cameras between them without using their necks.</p></div><p></p></div></div>A camera swinging from your neck takes a two-handed motion to grab, stabilize, and bring up to your face. But if you let it rest against your hip you can catch it mid-swing, lift, aim and shoot in a single fluid motion like an old-school movie cowboy. Plus, shoulder-strapping lets you dual-wield cameras with different capabilities. I've never met a pro who does it any other way. In fact, all the most expensive professional straps on the market (including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Rapid-Camera-Sling-Strap/dp/B00BQ8UZKA/ref=sr_1_6?s=photo&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1452544195&amp;sr=1-6&amp;keywords=black+rapid">the one I use</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/HoldFast-Two-Camera-Harness-Buffalo-Medium/dp/B01A60P62K/ref=sr_1_5?s=photo&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1452544273&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=holdfast+money+maker">the one I wish I used</a>) are purpose-built to assist that specific motion.</p><p>One final tip: hang the camera so the lens points inward toward your body. A lens sticking out will torque your shoulder and bang into things, risking damage. An inward-facing camera is just as easy to grab and causes the least pain and risk.</p><p>Do all that, and you might even get mistaken for an expert.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/alpha-dog-myth-mistreats-dogs-2017-2">The 'alpha dog' myth is leading countless owners to mistreat their dogs</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="FhcGNpOTE6WIqG3Z_mtM86QulBlrVMaQ" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'FhcGNpOTE6WIqG3Z_mtM86QulBlrVMaQ',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

The vast majority of fancy camera owners make the same stupid, dangerous mistake with their expensive devices

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Eldar Nurkovic/Shutterstock" title_caption="How not to take a picture ever." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5694114edd08957f048b4630-960/shutterstock_284581649.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5694114edd08957f048b4630-5760-3840/shutterstock_284581649.jpg" alt="Woman with camera" data-mce-source="Eldar Nurkovic/Shutterstock" data-mce-caption="This person is doing it wrong." /></a><p class="source"><span>Eldar Nurkovic/Shutterstock</span></p><p class="caption">How not to take a picture ever.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Any professional photographer can instantly tell what the person in this picture is doing wrong. Can you?</p><p>Hint: look at the camera strap.</p><p>The quickest way to tell an amateur with a fancy DSLR from a pro before they even begin shooting is to watch where they hang their strap.</p><p>When I was just a baby photographer in college, I hung my strap from my neck and an older, wiser student named <a href="http://www.raywhitehouse.com/">Ray Whitehouse</a> nearly jumped out of his skin setting me straight. Pros hang their straps from their shoulders for some very good reasons. </p><p>Amateurs put it over their necks, like the woman in the photo. Now every time I see shooters with their gear dragging on their necks like medieval torture devices - which is pretty much anytime I see anyone with an expensive camera - I wince.</p><p>The first and most important reason for this is back pain. Cameras are heavy - especially when they have top-tier lenses attached. And they're a lot to haul around even if you're carrying them properly. If you carry them wrong, however, they can do real damage.</p><p>When I shoot a news story or wedding I hardly stop moving. I might chase a shot down to the floor and up to my feet and then climb a chair - all in the span of 30 seconds. And then I'll likely repeat those motions without a break for the next eight hours. If I tried to do that with a $2,000 pendulum flailing wildly from one of the weakest points on my spine I'd have to file for disability after my first day of shooting.</p><p>But even if you tend to stay still while you take pictures, your neck is a terrible appendage to carry a camera around. Think about it: besides 2 Chainz' heavy titular jewelry, we rarely hang heavy objects on our precious <a href="http://www.aans.org/patient%20information/conditions%20and%20treatments/cervical%20spine.aspx">c-spines</a>, which lets us move around freely. Even the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/20/text-neck-is-becoming-an-epidemic-and-could-wreck-your-spine/">weight of your head</a> can hurt when you tilt it for too long while on the phone. So imagine swinging a small backpack with a laptop, textbook and water bottle from your neck all day. That's about how much damage a five-and-a-half pound D800-long lens combo will do. Even if your camera is on the smaller side, you're still doing damage, but it'll take place over time.</p><p>Maybe you say, "I don't care about my body! I'm an artist. I just want the camera as close to my face as possible for that quick shot."</p><p>Again, you'll do better hanging your camera from your shoulders.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/56941b11dd0895091c8b47e0-612-612/facebook_1452546613845.jpg" alt="Photographers with shoulder straps" data-mce-source="Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider" data-mce-caption="A pair of photographers at a Northwestern Wildcats football game carry five cameras between them without using their necks." /><p class="source"><span>Rafi Letzter/Tech Insider</span></p><p class="caption">A pair of photographers at a Northwestern Wildcats football game carry five cameras between them without using their necks.</p></div><p></p></div></div>A camera swinging from your neck takes a two-handed motion to grab, stabilize, and bring up to your face. But if you let it rest against your hip you can catch it mid-swing, lift, aim and shoot in a single fluid motion like an old-school movie cowboy. Plus, shoulder-strapping lets you dual-wield cameras with different capabilities. I've never met a pro who does it any other way. In fact, all the most expensive professional straps on the market (including <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Rapid-Camera-Sling-Strap/dp/B00BQ8UZKA/ref=sr_1_6?s=photo&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1452544195&amp;sr=1-6&amp;keywords=black+rapid">the one I use</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/HoldFast-Two-Camera-Harness-Buffalo-Medium/dp/B01A60P62K/ref=sr_1_5?s=photo&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1452544273&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=holdfast+money+maker">the one I wish I used</a>) are purpose-built to assist that specific motion.</p><p>One final tip: hang the camera so the lens points inward toward your body. A lens sticking out will torque your shoulder and bang into things, risking damage. An inward-facing camera is just as easy to grab and causes the least pain and risk.</p><p>Do all that, and you might even get mistaken for an expert.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/returning-apple-iphone-6s-2015-12">Why I returned my iPhone 6s</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="RsM2QxeDrA_oQlXCqAJFUhxJvQToKGFq" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'RsM2QxeDrA_oQlXCqAJFUhxJvQToKGFq',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Got a fancy new camera? This one simple trick could improve your pictures and your health

What are they going to do for the dead?

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58eff829cf6d8f80008b462f-1507/undefined" alt="Donald Trump" /><p class="source"><span>Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Donald Trump.</p><p>Alex Conant took a long pause to consider the question.</p><p>Which seemingly unthinkable shift undertaken in recent days by President Donald Trump stood out to him as the most surprising?</p><p>"There's been so many," Conant, communications director for Sen. Marco Rubio's 2016 presidential campaign, told Business Insider.</p><p>After some thought, he settled on Trump's change in posture toward Russia.</p><p>"He was very consistent on the campaign trail about wanting to have a good relationship with Vladimir Putin. He knew that bombing Assad was going to hurt that relationship, and yet he went ahead with it," Conant said of Trump's decision to launch Tomahawk missiles at Syrian government targets last week.</p><p>"What seemed like a big priority for him on the campaign trail became less of a priority once he was in office," he added.</p><p>That statement could be made about a laundry list of issues on which Trump has altered his stance - many of which just within the past 10 days. </p><p>The shifts have come at a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-china-currency-export-import-campaign-promises-2017-4" target="_blank">dizzying pace</a>.</p><p>Trump bombed an airfield in Syria as retribution for a brutal chemical weapons attack launched by Assad on Syrian civilians, a split from his promises to only go after ISIS. As a result, as Conant said, Trump angered Putin, who has tied himself closely to the Assad regime.</p><p>Also in the last week, Trump made a hard turn on China, saying the country was not manipulating its currency less than two weeks after calling them the "world champions" of the practice. A hallmark of his campaign, Trump had promised to label China a currency manipulator on the first day of his presidency, but a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping helped to change his mind, as Trump saw an option to negotiate with the Chinese leader over North Korea.</p><p>NATO, the transatlantic alliance that Trump famously said was "obsolete" was suddenly "no longer obsolete" on Wednesday, after a meeting with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The US Export-Import Bank, which Trump railed against in the campaign as "unnecessary," became "a very good thing." And Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, whom he criticized in the campaign, was now, in Trump's opinion, doing a good job.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58f0081acf6d8f1c008b467f-800/undefined" alt="Gary Cohn, director of the National Economic Council, takes part in a strategic and policy CEO discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Eisenhower Execution Office Building in Washington, U.S., April 11, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts " /><p class="source"><span>Thomson Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">Gary Cohn.</p><p>The moves have coincided with a shakeout in the power structure at the White House. Elevated is the centrist, Wall Street wing, headed by National Economic Council Chair Gary Cohn, son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, and Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter who recently took on a White House job as an assistant to her father. Losing out in this battle have been conservative nationalists, such as chief strategist Steve Bannon.</p><p>As Mike Allen wrote in Axios, Wednesday was the day "Operation Normal achieved supremacy," and Thursday marked "a new phase of Trump's presidency." Advisers like Cohn and <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/donald-trump-steven-schwarzman-ceo-white-house-advisers-237168" target="_blank">even informal ones like Blackstone Group CEO Stephen Schwarzman</a> have the president's ear, while Bannon's standing has fallen so far that one source close to the strategist likened him to a terminally ill family member in hospice care, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-bannons-struggle-from-shadow-president-to-trumps-marked-man/2017/04/12/1f5aabc0-1f99-11e7-ad74-3a742a6e93a7_story.html?utm_term=.6813ef8b5985">according to The Washington Post.</a></p><p>The change in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-approval-rating-gallup-2017-3" target="_blank">approach led Trump to a modest bump in the polls</a>, moving from a dreadful 35% approval rating in late March to 41% on Wednesday in <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/201617/gallup-daily-trump-job-approval.aspx" target="_blank">Gallup's daily presidential tracking poll</a>.</p><p>"It's maybe taken three months but he realizes the gravity of what it actually means to be leader of the free world," Reed Galen, <span>deputy campaign manager for Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2006 reelection bid, told Business Insider.</span></p><p>Galen, now the owner of Jedburgh's, a political consultancy firm, said Trump may also be realizing that "managing a $14 trillion economy and however many people work for the federal government is not like running the family construction business."</p><p>"It's a totally different animal," he continued. "The United States is not an 8 million person banana republic. It's 320 million people and the leader of the world, the liberal order of the world, and a lot of those things just don't fit with Steve Bannon's burn-it-to-the-ground kind of thing."</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58f0083a31fdc73a008b46a8-800/undefined" alt="U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S., April 9, 2017.  REUTERS/Carlos Barria  " /><p class="source"><span>Thomson Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">Trump.</p><p>Conant said the changes are not necessarily the result of the fallout of palace intrigue, but rather of a man who had no governing experience prior to last November's election now dealing with information to which he may have never thought he'd have the keys.</p><p>"So with new information, it's obviously changed the way he thinks about some issues," said Conant, who added he was "a big fan" of how Trump has handled foreign policy in the past week.</p><p>He compared the shift to one made by President George W. Bush after taking office.</p><p>"Don't forget, when Bush ran for president in 2000, he said that he didn't think the US should be the world's policemen and that we shouldn't be involved in nation building," he said. "Obviously, once he was in office, events led him to change his mind. I think we're seeing a similar phenomenon." </p><p>Trump has received praise from a wide array of sources for some of these moves. There was a sense of bipartisan approval of his strike in Syria, and Republican senators such as Lindsey Graham and Ben Sasse - two of his chief critics within the party - praised him for his flips on the Export-Import Bank and NATO.</p><p>The moves even led Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez to issue a statement countering the notion that Trump was "re-inventing" himself to be "less extreme," a signal that any Democratic support for Trump will be hard-pressed over at least the next 18 months.</p><p>"Donald Trump's latest 'pivot' is another farce designed by Trump to divert your attention," Perez said. "This time, he's distracting from his reckless and extreme agenda that has hurt, not helped, countless hardworking Americans. The only plays Trump can execute are lies and fearmongering - look no further than the nationwide deportation force Trump has charged forth to create. Trump is as likely to moderate as my Buffalo Bills are to win the Super Bowl next season. It ain't happening."</p><p>And during Thursday's press briefing, White House press secretary Sean Spicer left the room after being peppered with questions about whether Trump's decisions related to NATO and Chinese currency manipulation were signs that his agenda was being tossed out the door.</p><p>"I think that's a very, very complex issue and I think the president - I'm going to leave it to the president to specifically answer that," Spicer, the top spokesman for the president, said when pressed specifically on currency manipulation.</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58edd1bd77bb709d0a8b7d98-1500/undefined" alt="Donald Trump Xi Jinping" /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Carlos Barria</span></p><p class="caption">Trump and Xi Jinping.</p><p>Trump seemed to take note of the chatter, tweeting Wednesday evening: <span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/inside-bannons-struggle-from-shadow-president-to-trumps-marked-man/2017/04/12/1f5aabc0-1f99-11e7-ad74-3a742a6e93a7_story.html?utm_term=.6813ef8b5985"></a></span><span><span>"One by one we are keeping our promises - on the border, on energy, on jobs, on regulations. Big changes are happening!"</span></span></p><p><a href="http://on.msnbc.com/2pbQUEZ" target="_blank">Speaking to MSNBC Thursday</a>, Trump confidant and ex-political adviser Roger Stone said he wasn't "seeing the flip flops" when asked by host Chuck Todd. But if Trump decided to send boots on the ground into Syria, Stone said "that would be a violation of Trumpism."</p><p>Trumpism's most ardent followers were already dismayed by the move to bomb Syria in the first place, and Thursday brought news that the US had dropped the "mother of all bombs" on Afghanistan and <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-04-13/trump-said-no-to-troops-in-syria-his-aides-aren-t-so-sure" target="_blank">is considering sending ground troops into Syria</a>.</p><p>Conservative author and firebrand Ann Coulter seemed to speak for many of Trump's non-interventionist fans over the past week, <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/850223849576611840" target="_blank">tweeting</a>, "Media THRILLED that Trump is destroying his presidency," after he ordered the missile strikes in Syria. She <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/850224384056872961" target="_blank">added</a>: "Meddling in the Middle East has destroyed every president who's ever tried it."</p><p>"I expected to spend this part of the Trump presidency tweeting that it's legal to deport anchor babies not arguing agst another Mid East war," <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/850121961510285312" target="_blank">Coulter wrote</a>. The author <a href="https://twitter.com/AnnCoulter/status/850446113962246144" target="_blank">expressed disappointment </a>with a number of Trump's nominations tied to foreign policy, the infiltration of Goldman Sachs executives in his administration, and a failure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.</p><p>As Galen said, the massive swings in his outlook are the product of being the "business guy" president who is not necessarily ideological but looking "for the best deal." It's also a result of his not having "a lot of firm positions on anything." </p><p>There was also a misguided idea, he said, that Trump could enter Washington, DC, and "change it all."</p><p>"The inertia of the federal system and the US government and the country as a whole is a very powerful force," Galen said. "And to suddenly think you're going to go one day and, 'I'm going to change it all!' Like, you can do that on the margins probably, but it's like turning an aircraft carrier. You can't turn an aircraft carrier like you turn a PT boat." </p><p>The most surprising shift, for Galen, is what he perceived as an overall transition from being "America First" on national security to what he described as a "soft neocon" stance.</p><p>"Where he's at as opposed to where he was nine days ago with full-throated 'America First' stuff - that's a pretty shocking transition," he said. "We're not talking degrees of difference. We're talking a full 180 degrees to a much more 'soft neocon' perspective on the world from where he was. I say 'soft neocon' because I don't think he's going to do nation building or anything like that. At least not yet."</p><p>Still, the administration is missing a strategic vision for where Trump wants the country to go, Galen said.</p><p>"'Make America Great Again' is not a strategic plan, it is a slogan on a red hat," he said. "Firing 59 missiles into Syria or dropping the 'MOAB' on Afghanistan is not a national security doctrine, those are tactical responses to something that happened. That's not a strategy."</p><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/58eb63c58af578c8638b4d72-1500/undefined" alt="Donald Trump" /><p class="source"><span>AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais</span></p><p class="caption">Trump.</p><p>Friday marked the 85th day of the Trump presidency - which feels as if it's been going on for three months or three years, depending on whom you ask.</p><p>The swings in positions signal that Trump may end up moving to the center before his first year is even half over. But as anyone who watched the nearly two-year-long campaign, the tumultuous transition period, or any of those first 85 days in office will attest to, it's too soon to make any such judgments.</p><p>"I think it's far too soon to tell," Conant said. "We're not even at the 100-day marker yet. I think he has shown that he will not sit idly by and let foreign events happen around him without any sort of response. I think that is an important lesson in the early days of his presidency, which could end up defining it depending on how the world responds."</p><p>For Galen, the biggest lesson is simple: "Every day is going to be different."</p><p>"One day he could believe this and the next day he could believe that and what does it all boil down to? That instability is still the order of the day," he said. "You just don't know what you're going to get from one day to the next."</p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/watch-sean-spicer-falsely-claim-hitler-chemical-weapons-gas-attack-syria-russia-2017-4">Spicer struggles to clarify remarks after falsely claiming that Hitler didn't use chemical weapons</a></h3>                                    Please enable Javascript to watch this video                    

'A new phase': Trump shifts on core issues at a dizzying pace at a critical moment in his presidency

Apple's smart photo app will be way behind Google's - here's why

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55e0c4ddbd86ef15008b6b72-4000-3000/rtx1pnl1.jpg" alt="trump jorge ramos" data-mce-source="Ben Brewer/Reuters" data-mce-caption="Donald Trump spars with Univision reporter Jorge Ramos before his " /><p class="source"><span>Ben Brewer/Reuters</span></p><p class="caption">Donald Trump spars with Univision reporter Jorge Ramos before his </p></div><p></p></div></div>After months of deliberating, in June 2014, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/boehner-to-obama-immigration-reform-statement-executive-action-2014-6">Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) told President Barack Obama</a> he would not take up the bipartisan immigration reform bill that passed the US Senate in 2013.</p><p>Boehner had publicly and privately lobbied members of his caucus to support the bill, which was backed by many high-profile business groups like the Chamber of Commerce and enjoyed fairly broad political support.</p><p>And <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/08/25/dear-republicans-you-could-have-avoided-this-whole-donald-trump-disaster-very-easily/">despite warnings at the time</a><span> that the party was ruining the best chance for it had to make up ground with Latino voters, </span>Boehner stood down after conservative members of the Republican caucus and as Republicans who feared primary challengers urged the Speaker not to take up the bill. </p><p>Now the doomsday predictions for <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/21/upshot/hispanic-voters-are-important-for-republicans-but-not-indispensable.html?_r=0">more than 10% of the electorate</a> are threatening to come true for the GOP because of one man: Donald Trump.</p><h2>'S<span>ome, I imagine, are good people</span>'</h2><p><span>Within minutes of launching his campaign, Trump was already stirring controversy.</span></p><p><span>At his campaign announcement</span><span> earlier this year</span><span>, Trump insisted that</span><span> the Mexican government was sending "rapists" and drug runners across the US border.</span></p><p><span>"They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime, they're rapists, and some, I imagine, are good people," Trump said at the time. </span></p><p><span>Business partners immediately began cutting ties with the real estate mogul, and Republican rivals like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) attempted to distance themselves from his rhetoric.</span></p><p><span>But Trump didn't apologize, and t</span><span>o the horror or moderates in the Republican party, the reality television star has risen to the top of the polls on the back of a message steeped in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-immigration-plan-2015-8">controversial conservative immigration reform ideas</a>.</span></p><p><span>Those include ending birthright citizenship, building a massive border fence, and deporting 11 million immigrants living in the US illegally.</span></p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55a2afbe6bb3f7145a101a2d-5184-3456/rtx1jyh8.jpg" alt="Latino voter protests Trump" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson" data-mce-caption="People protest outside the Luxe Hotel, where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was expected to speak in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, United States July 10, 2015. At least 10 businesses have severed deals with billionaire presidential contender Donald Trump after his disparaging comments about Mexican immigrants, following vigorous lobbying by Latinos and others. Trump said that some of his criticism has been distorted. " /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson</span></p><p class="caption">People protest outside the Luxe Hotel, where Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was expected to speak in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, United States July 10, 2015. At least 10 businesses have severed deals with billionaire presidential contender Donald Trump after his disparaging comments about Mexican immigrants, following vigorous lobbying by Latinos and others. Trump said that some of his criticism has been distorted. </p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p>Trump's immigration statements and policy prescriptions have ignited a wave of disapproval among Hispanics.</p><p><a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/184814/hispanics-frown-trump-not-rest-gop-field.aspx?utm_content=buffer1146a&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer">A Gallup poll released earlier this week</a><span> showed that the real estate magnate has the highest net unfavorable rating of any Republican candidate by a landslide. Hispanic voters view Trump more unfavorably than favorably by 51%, far higher than the net unfavorability of the next-nearest candidate, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), who clocked a net unfavorability of 7% among Hispanic voters in the same poll.</span></p><p><span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-ejected-a-prominent-journalist-from-a-press-conference-2015-8">Trump ejection of Univision anchor Jorge Ramos</a> from a press conference as Ramos attempted to speak over another journalist, demanding Trump explain his immigration plan, </span>sparked a wave of support one of the most towering figures in Hispanic media.</p><p>Furthermore, Trump's impact on the race goes far beyond his spats with journalists and controversial statements. The current Republican front-runner's outspoken positions on immigration have actually forced many Republicans to the right.</p><p>Over half of the Republican field has come out against birthright citizenship, <span>a constitutional right that allows all people born in the US to be automatically granted US citizenship.</span> Many did so after Trump announced his support for ending the policy earlier this month.</p><p>Several Republican candidates have also resurrected the term "anchor baby," a pejorative <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/08/20/is-anchor-baby-a-derogatory-term-a-history-of-the-debate/?postshare=8141440091622972">used by Trump and popularized by immigration hard-liners</a> referring to children of non-US citizens who come to the US explicitly to give birth to children who will then automatically become citizens.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55e0cee4bd86ef20008b6c3b-3159-2369/gettyimages-484797712.jpg" alt="Donald Trump Alabama" data-mce-source="Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump greets supporters after his rally at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on August 21, 2015 in Mobile, Alabama." /><p class="source"><span>Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump greets supporters after his rally at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on August 21, 2015 in Mobile, Alabama.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Trump's rhetoric has been applauded by hard-line conservative immigration activists. </p><p><span>"What we had before that was an orchestrated effort by the Republican establishment to bury the issue in the 2016 campaign," Dan </span><span>Stein, president of the </span><a href="https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/dan-stein">controversial group</a><span> </span><span>Federation for American Immigration Reform, told Business Insider. "Trump came in as a spoiler and changed the dynamic."</span></p><p>Democrats have slammed the GOP field for following Trump's lead. </p><p>"At worst - and what we're seeing is the at worst - they follow Trump down this horrible path to these anti-immigrant frontiers," Pablo Manriquez, Hispanic Media Chair for the Democratic National Committee told Business Insider. </p><h2><span><span>'Of course this has electoral implications'</span></span></h2><p>The Republican party has struggled in recent years to win over Latino and Hispanic voters.</p><p>Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/01/25/handicapping-the-hispanic-vote-for-2016-gopers/">won 27% of Hispanic voters in 2012</a>, far worse than President George W. Bush, who won 49% of Hispanics eight years earlier.</p><p><span>The GOP's difficulty winning over Latino voters poses enormous electoral challenges for the party going into 2016. Hispanics will likely make up 11% of voters in the 2016 election; the percentages will likely be higher in key swing states like Colorado.</span></p><p>In the Republican National Committee's official "<a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/20/the-republican-autopsy-report/">autopsy</a>" of the 2012 election loss, analysts warned that the GOP would continue to lose Hispanic voters if it did not change its aggressive rhetoric towards immigrants, which many Hispanics <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/anchor-babies-term-donald-trump-jeb-bush-2015-8">read as thinly-veiled racism</a>. </p><p>"If Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them in the United States (i.e. self-deportation), they will not pay attention to our next sentence. It does not matter what we say about education, jobs or the economy; if Hispanics think we do not want them here, they will close their ears to our policies," <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/what-you-need-to-read-in-the-rnc-election-autopsy-report/274112/">the autopsy report said</a>.</p><p>For his part, Trump seems to not know or care about whether his inflammatory rhetoric and policy proposals are hurting the party.</p><p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55e34db89dd7cc23008b6f09-5184-3456/rtx1q47i.jpg" alt="trump" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Brian Snyder" data-mce-caption="Trump listens to a question from a reporter at a campaign fundraiser at the home of car dealer Ernie Boch Jr. in Norwood, Massachusetts August 28, 2015." /><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Brian Snyder</span></p><p class="caption">Trump listens to a question from a reporter at a campaign fundraiser at the home of car dealer Ernie Boch Jr. in Norwood, Massachusetts August 28, 2015.</p></div><p></p></div></div></span></p><p><span>The real estate magnate has said</span><span> repeatedly that he will </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-latino-vote-win-2015-7" target="_blank">"win the Latino vote,"</a><span> </span><span>insisting</span><span> </span><span>that his vague promises to</span><span> foster job growth will help him </span><span>gain support among</span><span> Hispanic and Latino voters.</span></p><p><span>Democrats have been somewhat mum publicly on how they'll take advantage of Trump's rhetoric and hardline positions on immigration since the reality television star jumped into the race.</span></p><p>The DNC hinted that Trump's comments may help with efforts to register Latinos, who, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-race-is-on-for-the-latino-vote/2015/06/21/69cdec4e-6a83-467e-b15c-e0d65cd94cb4_story.html">according to the Washington Post</a>, the Clinton campaign is already trying to register outside of Hispanic grocery stores and churches. </p><p>"The bigger question is will it drive people to register to vote. My take is that it will," Manriquez said. </p><p>Though Manriquez admits that the comments may have beneficial electoral implications, he also said that the political gain may not be worth the insult to the Latino community. </p><p>"Of course this has electoral implications," Manriquez said. "But at the same time, the environment of fear that's being created on Main Street doesn't benefit anyone, especially Latinos."</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/barack-obama-donald-trump-insults-white-house-correspondents-dinner-fox-news-2015-8">Obama has been getting the best of Trump for years</a></h3>        <div>            <div>    <script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/6e12e8b3387a44daacfb73afba25a76e"></script>    <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="F5dXY4dzpedDTqGtZWvjQdvLnFUPnk3E" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>    <script>    if (typeof RunFunctions === 'undefined') { var RunFunctions = []; }     RunFunctions.push(function()    {         var ooyalapopvideo = OO.Player.create('ooyalaplayer_popvideo', 'F5dXY4dzpedDTqGtZWvjQdvLnFUPnk3E',{ autoplay: 'false' });     });    </script>    <noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript></div>        </div>        <script>(function() { function createPlayer() { OO.ready(function() { RunFunctions.forEach(function(ooyalaFunction) { ooyalaFunction(); }); RunFunctions = [];}); } createPlayer(); }()); </script>    </div>

Donald Trump may be dooming the GOP with a 10% chunk of the electorate

62 things you can do with your old mismatched socks

<p dir="ltr"><span><div class="image-container float_right"><div class="image"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/521f69596bb3f72135e58b3e-1200-924/ties-mens-fashion-suits.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="ties, men's fashion, suits" width="480" /><p class="source">REUTERS</p></div></div>It appears that writing is all about making lists these days.  </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>So, having recently covered </span><span>Tips for Surviving a </span><a href="http://gselevator.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/congratulations-summer-interns-of-2013-grab-a-pen-here-are-a-few-words-of-wisdom/"><span>Goldman Sachs Internship</span></a><span> and </span><span>Attending a </span><a href="http://gselevator.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/how-to-survive-a-sporting-event-with-your-boss/"><span>Sporting Event With Your Boss</span></a><span>, my latest attempt (by request) is a fresh, succinct, and definitive guide to dressing like an investment banker.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The genesis of this post is simple; American men dress like s---.  </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">It doesn’t matter where you look, from the endless stream of bright-eyed but hopeless-looking students vying for the ever-shrinking number of analyst positions on Wall Street, to the haggard, white-collar, middle class masses traipsing their way from airport lounge to departure gate, while getting Hilton Reward Points rich and Chipotle fat.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Who better to help than </span><a href="https://twitter.com/GSElevator">the aggregated and infinite wisdom of</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span><a href="https://twitter.com/GSElevator">GSElevator</a><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">, with a comprehensive list of business fashion tips from the halls of Goldman Sachs?</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">So, here we go…</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span><strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Shoes</span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">No brogues, wing-tipped, or square-toed shoes.  </span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: He's really wearing square-toed shoes...</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#2: Wait, it's intern season already?</em></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Stick with loafers; they’re more comfortable and convenient.  And the conventional wisdom that they lack the formality of traditional lace-ups has long-since expired.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">If you aren’t confident in your innate fashion sense, keep the shoes black when wearing a suit. There’s no need to attempt hazel Bottega Venetas and a matching belt with a monastral blue suit.  In most cases, you can’t pull it off.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">Prada and Gucci; start and end there.  Decent $700 shoes will last you 3-4x times longer than something you pick up from Bloomingdale’s for $300. Do the math.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">Cedar shoetrees are an absolute must.  They absorb moisture, stiff-arm the signs of aging, and otherwise materially extend the life of your shoes.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">Don’t forget to get your housekeeper a decent shine kit for Christmas.  And make sure she uses it.</span></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Socks</span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Unless you are married to a Sloane Ranger or studied Classics at Cambridge, leave the pink Richard James socks at home.  It’s not Ladies’ Day at Ascot.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><span><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span><em>#1: Most Brits aren't gay, but their socks are.</em></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">Calvin Klein or Giorgio Armani makes some great calve-high plain black socks that never change with the season.  And just as Michael Jordan insisted on a new pair of shoes every game, you need to keep the socks fresh. </span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">Buy at least 20 identical pair every six months. </span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span></span><em>#1: I wear a brand new pair of socks every day. That's probably my only indulgence. That, and watches... And wine.</em></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">The ‘no socks’ look is disgusting, and is actually a stated violation of many corporate dress codes, particularly for banks.</span></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Pants/Trousers</strong><span></span></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>No cuffs and no pleats; pleats are for guys with gunts (front asses).  <br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: Dude, cuffed pants are for limo drivers.</em></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>Belt loops are optional.  If you have a decent tailor, rock the side tabs.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><span>#1: Did you forget your belt today?</span><span></span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><span>#2: I don't need one; did you forget to get your suit tailored?</span></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>Actually, side tabs are rather convenient if you are a junior banker. You’ve got less time for the gym and spend many a lunch and dinner hunched over your desk.  Throw in the boozy nights out and extravagant client dinners and it’s a recipe for looking like 2011 Alec Baldwin.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Belts/Suspenders</strong><span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">This is pretty obvious - nothing garish or obnoxious, and this includes those ridiculous monogrammed silver buckles that all boys in Greenwich get for their 14th birthday.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">A few years ago, we had a 1st year analyst walk across the trading floor with a Gucci ‘G’ belt buckle.  “Hey bubba, I didn’t know The Gap made belts,” bellows out a trader. “Um, it’s Gucci,” the kid snaps back.  The words are barely out of his mouth before he realizes he’s being mocked in front of half a dozen guys and just made it a lot worse.  That was all it took; the kid was never able to earn even a modicum of respect after that, and ended up leaving the firm less than a year later.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">No suspenders, period. Who do you think you are, Matt “GG” Defusco?</span></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Shirts</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">The infamous blue shirt and white collar is acceptable, as long as the shade of blue isn’t too deep and accompanied with a power tie. This ode to Gekko works much better today in a light pink, baby blue, or lavender shirt, and without a tie.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">Skip the monograms… Unless your initials are D.I.K.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">No shirt pockets or collar buttons. This isn’t a 1994 Brooks Brothers catalogue.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Make sure your shirts are tapered appropriately.  If you want to see how ridiculous ‘blousy’ looks, go back and watch some old Seinfeld reruns.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Have new shirts made every year and donate the old ones to Career Gear, a great non-profit that provides interview <keyword id="15176" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="clothes">clothes</keyword> to low income individuals.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">French cuffs are fine, provided that the cufflinks aren’t straight out of the Donald J. Trump collection.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">And if you sweat, wear a damn undershirt, you slob.  Besides, a $50 t-shirt will save numerous $200 dress shirts from your disgusting armpits.</span></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Ties</strong><span></span></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>It’s all about the Windsor knot, with the perfectly symmetrical triangle.  A half or full Windsor are both fine, depending on the thickness of the tie and the spread of the collar.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>MD#1: Handshakes and tie knots. I don't have time for someone that can't master those basic skills.</em></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">Skip the dimple that creates that obnoxious crease; you’re not Al Sharpton.</span></li>
<li dir="ltr"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Sorry interns and analysts, no Hermès. </span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;"><em><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">#1: Don't show up to an interview in a Hermès tie. I don't give a f*ck if you can afford it, you have to earn it.</span></em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;"><em><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;"></span></em><em style="line-height: 1.5em;">#1: Hermes ties are like Air Jordans for white people.</em></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>Everyone has a favorite tie, but don’t wear it every damn week.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: There's nothing pretentious about keeping a tie journal. It keeps me on a solid 10-12 week rotation.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Suit Jacket</strong><span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">You can’t go wrong with two-button, notched-lapel, and single-breasted.  Skip the three-button suit altogether.</span></li>
<li dir="ltr"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Absolutely no double-breasted herringbone.  It’s gone and never coming back.  Sorry, David Letterman.</span></li>
<li dir="ltr"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Avoid the peaked lapel, unless it’s on a single-button, casual suit.</span></li>
<li dir="ltr"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">In terms of color, keep it to various shades of gray and navy, with a few varieties of pinstripes.  That’s all you need.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><span>#1: Is that a brown suit? The back office is in Jersey City, pal.</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">No need to go above 160 per inch thread count.  Between the abrasive Herman Miller chairs and the drunken nights out, they don't last.</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">And it goes without saying; buy as many suits as you can reasonably afford.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">But don’t waste your money buying off-the-rack at Barney’s or Bergdorf; go bespoke. </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: Gucci suits are like Corvettes. They're a great way of telling people you didn't always have money.</em><span></span></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">It’s a cliché because it’s true; the most expensive suit is the one you wear the least.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: I spent $2,000 on a suit I don't need or like, just to impress a sales chick I don't find attractive.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Business Casual</strong><span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">If you're not in the US, lose the khakis.</span></li>
<li dir="ltr"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Sweaters over a collared shirt? For the most part, no problem.</span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><span><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span><em>#1: Why do people wear wool if they know cashmere exists?</em></span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><span><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span><em>#1: There is no such thing as turtleneck weather.</em></span></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>Stick with Polo shirts; no one cares to watch you inevitably mime golf swings.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: Nothing says douchebag quite like wearing an Augusta golf shirt when the Masters are on.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Watches</strong><span></span></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">I saw an Associate get picked off for sporting a new Daytona the week before bonus.  A quick "if you want watches to matter, go work at Morgan Stanley" wiped that smirk right off his face.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: Wearing a Rolex is like driving an Audi. It says you've got some money, but nothing to say.</em></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>Thanks to Hank Paulson, Nike running watches and Livestrong bracelets were to 2004 what Lloyd's stubble beard has been to 2012-13.  There are quite a few senior guys that still wear a Nike sport watch, intentionally, or even no watch at all.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: Not wearing a watch is the new Patek.</em></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>Forget all about Hublot.  It’s a great way to tell people that you’re an idiot who has more money than taste.  Hublot was a second-rate brand with third-rate craftsmanship until about 15 years ago when they arbitrarily doubled the price and started paying celebrities and sport figures to wear them. It's been a marketers wet dream.</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><span><span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span><em>#</em></span><em>1: Hublot put the ‘whore’ in ‘horology’</em><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Miscellaneous Tips</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="line-height: 1.5em; color: #222222;">Pocket squares are for washed-up, unemployable ex-bankers, turned CNBC guest pundits, i.e. a guy who takes himself far too seriously and has a massive chip on his shoulder.</span></li>
<li dir="ltr"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">Wedding rings, watches, and cufflinks are the only acceptable form of jewelry for a man. Unless the Dalai Lama gave you that bracelet, leave it at home.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: In New York, don't trust a banker with a pocket square. In London, it's a pinky ring. And in Asia, don't f--king trust anyone.</em></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>Like Ambien and red wine, the wrong fashion combination can become a disastrously lethal cocktail of Larry Kudlow-esque proportions.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>MD #1: A double-breasted suit and a blue shirt with a white collar? Was it a rough night in the water bed?</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 90px;" dir="ltr"><em>#1: Plaid shirt, bow tie, and pocket square is the douchebag trifecta.</em><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> </span></p>
<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
<p dir="ltr"><span>Finally, "an architect is only as good as his builder, and a fashion designer is only as good as your tailor."</span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr"><span>There you have it; head to toe. These tips won’t exactly get you laid at Soho House or on the cover of GQ; but on Wall Street and in business, you can’t go wrong taking this advice.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Just don’t go out and break the law or get scapegoated… Ask any juror, Fabrice Tourre’s ‘fabulous’(?) and expensive-looking fashion sense was a coffin nail come deliberation time.</span></p>

You Searched For "baby swing chair" and got 12 results

My son's first year of life in Minnesota cost about $6,000. Here's every dollar we spent.

Ashley Abramson

Save up to $450 on MacBooks at Best Buy - and 7 other sales and deals happening now

Amir Ismael

Serena's next serve

Joi-Marie McKenzie

All 51 of Jennifer Lopez's music videos, ranked from worst to best

Ayomikun Adekaiyero,Esme Mazz…

The vast majority of fancy camera owners make the same stupid, dangerous mistake with their expensive devices

Rafi Letzter

Got a fancy new camera? This one simple trick could improve your pictures and your health

Rafi Letzter

What are they going to do for the dead?

Nicole Einbinder

'A new phase': Trump shifts on core issues at a dizzying pace at a critical moment in his presidency

Allan Smith

Apple's smart photo app will be way behind Google's - here's why

Kif Leswing

Donald Trump may be dooming the GOP with a 10% chunk of the electorate

Maxwell Tani

62 things you can do with your old mismatched socks

Megan Willett

The Unauthorized Rules Of How To Dress At Goldman Sachs

GSElevator