If it isn’t totally obvious by now, we keep all the important food holidays on our calendar here at Nice News, and today is a particular favorite: National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. Foodies that we are, we each have a preferred recipe for the treat — Managing Editor Natalie loves this simple classic; Associate Editor Ally bakes this brown butter and toffee number on the reg; and Assistant Editor Rebekah got this shortbread version from her mother-in-law last Thanksgiving and hasn’t made another since. Let us know if you taste test one (or all three)!

— Rebekah, Ally, and Natalie

Featured Story

Dress (to Feel) Your Best: Tips for Cultivating a Positive Mindset Through Clothing

There’s science behind dressing your best, but we’re not talking about engineering the perfect on-trend outfit. Fashion psychology has shown that what we wear can influence our attitude, confidence levels, and mood — which means it’s far from a superficial endeavor to concern yourself with clothing.

Read our explainer below to learn three ways to cultivate positivity through clothing, including the buzzy “dopamine dressing” trend. But overall, remember this nugget of wisdom from neuroscientist Matt Johnson: “The fashion choice that’s right is the one that makes you confident,” he told SELF. “Whatever works for you is all that really needs to work.”

Get the Tips

Together With Nike

Show Your Support for Team USA

You’ve been following Team USA through every victory in Paris — so why not dress like the athletes, too?

Nike’s exclusive Team USA collection is designed for fans and athletes alike, blending cutting-edge technology with patriotic style. Whether you’re hitting the gym or the streets, do it in the colors of champions: red, white, and blue. Check the collection out while it’s still available.

Explore the Collection

This Week’s Top Stories

Culture

UK Company Turns Abandoned Music Festival Tents Into Apparel

Music festivals are known for good bands and good vibes. But one of the more unfortunate aspects of the events is that a quarter of a million tents are abandoned by festivalgoers each summer in the U.K. alone, and most go straight to the landfill.

“No good can come of you leaving your tent,” Lauren Mason, the co-founder of Retribe, a small business in Sheffield, England, that upcycles abandoned tents into clothes and accessories, told the BBC. She explained that there’s a common misconception that tents are cleaned up or donated to charity; her hope is to help get the word out so “people stop doing this.”

In the meantime, the company incorporates tent trimmings into its designs. “It’s a really cool thing, I think, to look like you’re wearing a repurposed tent,” said Emily Cornwaithe, who designs and sews for Retribe. Added Mason: “What you get is something really original, really sustainable.”

Humanity

From Close to Convenient: The 7 Types of Friendships Everyone Needs

Friends — we all need them. They can lift our spirits, offer support, and give us a sense of belonging. Research suggests they’re also crucial for health and well-being; people with strong friendships tend to be happier and live longer than those without. One meta-analysis found quality social ties are even more important than diet and exercise, and not having enough of them could be as detrimental as smoking cigarettes.

No matter how many friends are in your circle, you’re likely to have a few different types, each playing a different role, Marisa G. Franco, a psychologist and friendship expert, told Mind Body Green: “If we can treat each of these friendships differently, we can harness what’s best about them in a way that best works for us and the friendship.”

We dove deeper into the concept and rounded up seven types of friendships we all need, from workplace buddies to lifelong BFFs.

Environment

Many Homeowners Are Rooting for More Rewilding, Less Manicuring

Pristine lawns and picture-perfect gardens are in the rearview mirror for many homeowners. Instead, more people are setting out on the path of “rewilding,” creating a more natural, unbridled look in which native plants are left to their own devices and lawn care is kept to a minimum.

“I can just imagine when the wind blows in, the leaves are swaying and the plants are moving,” Judy Vigiletti, who is in the process of replacing a portion of her turf lawn with native plants, told ABC News. “And that’s what I’m looking for — that kind of harmony.”

The relaxed approach benefits the climate, requiring less water and fewer pesticides and promoting a more diverse ecosystem by providing a habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. But, according to the outlet, it’s not just the planet that gets a little relief: Rewilding also reduces utility bills and spending on fertilizers and weed killers.

Jane Balter, who rewilded her space about four years ago, said her once wildlife-less landscape is now a “sanctuary,” complete with deer, foxes, birds, and insects. “The feeling is just gratitude, really,” she said. “That something that was so lifeless has become so full of life.”

Sunday Selections

Deep Dives

From eschewing corsets to donning catsuits, Olympians have shaped the history of female sportswear
Real-world Twister inspo: Follow the country’s “most obsessive storm chaser” into the fray
Are you an introvert? Learn how to use the personality trait to become a better leader

What to Read

The Faculty Lounge

A funny, warmhearted “ode to educators” by author Jennifer Mathieu, The Faculty Lounge takes place at a Texas high school and begins when an elderly substitute teacher dies in the faculty lounge. The tragic yet not altogether scandalous circumstance sets the scene for what is essentially a character study, delving into the inner lives of the people that both students and parents sometimes forget actually exist outside the hours of 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Press Play

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Zachary Levi and Zooey Deschanel star in the film adaptation of the beloved 1955 children’s story of the same name. Combining live action and animated elements, the movie follows an adult Harold who has drawn himself off the pages of the classic book and into the real world — where he needs a bit of help figuring things out. Thankfully, he’s still equipped with a vivid imagination and, of course, his trusted purple crayon.

This Week in History

Lucille Ball Is Born

August 6, 1911

Born in Jamestown, New York, comedy pioneer Lucille Ball was a truly one-of-a-kind talent and continues to captivate generations of new fans decades after I Love Lucy premiered back in 1951. The redhead shone in front of the screen — whether unsuspectedly getting tipsy selling Vitameatavegimen or unabashedly denying she colored her hair — but also dominated behind the scenes.

After her divorce from Desi Arnaz (one of the great love stories of the century, despite its tumult), she became the first woman to own a major studio in Hollywood. She went on to mentor others in the biz, including Carol Burnett, before her death in 1989. See rare photos of Ball on set throughout the years.

Rep Team USA With Nike’s Latest Collection

Now is the time to show your support for the Team USA athletes competing in Paris. With Nike’s Team USA collection, you have a chance to be part of something bigger — to join the ranks of champions, at least in your fashion choices.

See the Outfits

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