EntertainmentElleReady, Set, Sofa! Because Netflix Has Just Announced 7 Brand New UK Original Series.
Seven whole series!
NewsThe TelegraphFrustration grows in Germany over Christmas lockdown and vaccine delays
“Here we go again...” As well as a lot of heavy sighing and shrugging, this seems to epitomise the general feeling here in Berlin, as Germany prepares itself for a tougher new lockdown from Wednesday. Planned until January 10, it will see everything from schools and nurseries to cafes and non-essential shops close, Christmas gatherings restricted to five persons (plus children up to 14 years of age in the closest family circle) from December 24-26, and bans on public drinking and the sale and use of fireworks on New Year’s Eve. As dismaying as this news is to many, it was also very predictable. The ongoing (and still current) ‘lockdown light’ — in place since early November — has not been denting the rise in cases that emerged at the beginning of autumn and continued spiking into winter. This has gradually undermined Germany’s previous reputation for dealing well with the virus, and prompted Angela Merkel to point out that “an acute national health emergency" will almost certainly occur if a bigger compromise is not made. For the last few weeks, despite bars, restaurants and gyms being closed again (as well as the clubs, which haven’t reopened since they closed in March), we have been allowed take-away services, and contact with up to ten people at a time, while schools, kindergartens and church services have remained open and active. What this has meant in practice is that people have gathered around outdoor Glühwein and pop-up food and drink stalls to try and secure some festive cheer as the winter closes in, shops have been crowded with shoppers as we near Christmas, and regular outbreaks have been reported in schools around the country. The figures, meanwhile, have continued to rise. By Sunday the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) registered over 20,000 new infections, bringing the country’s cumulative total to 1.3 million infected and 21,787 dead, with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier calling the current situation “bitterly serious”. Hence the new measures, despite their obvious inconvenience, are deemed not only necessary but are being welcomed by many. As national media have reported on the possibility of hospitals becoming overwhelmed, some German states, such as Saxony and Bavaria, have in fact already introduced their own restrictions to try and curb local numbers, with the latter even implementing curfews.
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“It’s really important that you’re not getting an impersonation”
LifestyleElle'Home Alone' Fans Spot Crucial Detail That Explains Why Kevin Was Left Behind In The Film
The answer we've all been waiting for
LifestyleCountry LivingIs this moated castle the most romantic in England?
It's like something out of a fairytale
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- EntertainmentYahoo Style UK
Prince William and Kate narrate 'A Christmas Surprise' to thank key workers
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge revealed they teamed up with Hamleys to help bring Christmas cheer to the children of key workers. At a special panto performance in London, attended by the duke, duchess and their three children, Santa and his elves worked away to wrap presents for those who were invited. The royal couple lent their voices to narrate the story, based on the poem, Twas the Night Before Christmas. Credit: @KensingtonRoyal via Twitter
StyleRefinery 29 UKKylie Jenner’s Ruby-Red Bob Is Right On Trend For Winter
After asking her fans what hair colour she should try next, reality star/entrepreneur Kylie Jenner seemingly answered the prompt with a fresh shade of rich ruby-red, which she debuted on Instagram today. The transformation appears to have been a long time coming. Last Monday on TikTok, Jenner posted a video montage showing her stylist rinsing out red hair dye at the shampoo bowl before adding waist-grazing extensions. But yesterday’s Instagram post of her holding her nephew Psalm West shows a more vibrant pink-red shade that appears to be the real thing — even if we like to think she borrowed a wig from her sister Kim Kardashian West, who wore a similar style a few weeks back. It’s a look that colourists are seeing pop up around the country in anticipation of the colder months. Ryan Trygstad, celebrity stylist and founder of Mark Ryan salon, says “everyone is going redder” right now. Between wanting to feel more like themselves and having more time to dedicate to the upkeep, his copper and strawberry blonde clients have been taking the plunge into shades of rouge, ruby, and cayenne spice this winter. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kylie 🤍 (@kyliejenner) Looking at Jenner’s new style, it’s not far off to assume she revamped the first shade of red she had earlier this month for something with a bit more bite. Knowing her, she’s only one Instagram poll away from switching it up again, though, so enjoy it while it lasts. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Farai, The Label Keeping Hot Girl Summer AliveKylie Jenner Just Got Autumn's Breakout Hair ColorHow Kylie Jenner Celebrated Her 23rd Birthday
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Not quite what we were expecting tbh
EntertainmentThe IndependentThe Crown: Former staff of Prince Charles and Camilla say Netflix show gets couple completely wrong
Netflix has been criticised by some for failing to make clear to fans that the series is a work of fiction
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EntertainmentThe IndependentThe best TV shows of 2020, from The Queen’s Gambit to Normal People
After a year in which the world wanted to escape reality, Ed Cumming counts down the best telly – from dramas and documentaries to thrillers and comedies
EntertainmentThe IndependentBret Easton Ellis: ‘Being cancelled has endeared me to part of the population’
After his recent collection of essays stirred controversy, the author has written the script for a slasher horror movie. He tells Ed Cumming why today’s social media storms are nothing compared with what he faced for writing American Psycho
HealthRefinery 29 UKI Tried Apple Fitness+, The Cool New On-Demand Workout Platform
I’m kneeling on the ground doing dumbbell rows, but I can’t stop staring at my trainer Gregg’s arms. He’s facing me, and his arms remind me of two thick, slightly misshapen baguettes: long, glowing, and incredibly enticing. Gregg is much better at this whole rowing thing than I am, but he’s encouraging and explains technique in a way that’s not condescending. I make a few of the modifications he suggests, and soon I’m crushing the workout — and crushing on Gregg. No, I’m not at my local gym. I haven’t darkened its doorway for 11 months, and I don’t plan on returning until the vaccine has been widely distributed. Instead, I’m trying Apple Fitness+, the tech titan’s latest venture, which is on sale today, 14th December. Apple Fitness+ requires you to have an Apple Watch (series three or newer) and an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV (where it’s part of the Fitness app). You sync your watch, then scroll through the carousels of workouts, which include HIIT, yoga, dance, strength, treadmill, cycling, and even rowing. Some workouts can be done with nothing but a yoga mat, others — like rowing or running — require big-ticket machines. You can filter by trainer, workout length (there are 10- to 45-minute sessions, and shorter cool-downs), and music type. You can opt for throwbacks like “Whip it” by Devo or more modern jams like “Physical” by Dua Lipa, and you can download the playlists you like via Apple Music post-workout. You can also search by ability level. Apple Fitness+ has a whole section of beginner workouts, in which trainers offer more modifications and guidance. For example, in a core workout with trainer Sam Sanchez, she walks you through exactly how to plank and suggests three versions: one with both knees and elbows on the mat, one with just knees down, and one standard plank. There are more advanced workouts too. After a HIIT workout with trainer Kim Ngo, I’m more sore than I remember being since before the pandemic, courtesy of the jump squats, ski jumps, jumping jacks, and deadlifts. (The trainers have personality too. At one point, Ngo, who hails from East London, pushed me through a 40-second burpee blast by reassuring me that it takes her “longer to make a cup of tea.”) During the pandemic, I’ve tried a ton of different workout-from-home platforms, and to me, what set Apple Fitness+ apart was the small stuff. The picture is crystal clear, for one. Thanks to the spotty WiFi in my parents’ house, the Zoom workouts I tend to use are always blurry — as though I took out my contacts, then downed three shots of Johnnie Walker. But Apple Fitness+’s workouts are downloadable, and the videos are always crisp. Another thing that puts the “plus” in Apple Fitness+: After a few sessions, the platform learns what you like and will recommend workouts based on what you’ve done before — and what you might want to consider trying to balance out your routine. If you’re always doing treadmill workouts, for example, they might suggest yoga to help stretch you out. One big problem with at-home workouts is that it’s generally so easy to just… stop. Why keep doing jumping jacks, when you could easily switch your Apple TV over to Netflix to watch The Queen’s Gambit. But the platform combats this urge by sneaking in a ton of thoughtful motivational touches. For example, during workouts, there’s a “burn bar” that tells you how hard you’re pushing compared with other people who’ve done the same sessions, based on the metrics your Apple Watch picks up. (Hate competition? You can disable the bar.) A countdown clock also tells you your time remaining or time elapsed in a workout, depending on what you prefer, and during some sessions, a separate timer will pop up on the screen and on your watch to count down the seconds remaining in a particular move. The screen also gives you an option to see your current heart rate and calories burned. Which brings me to one thing I don’t love about the platform. It uses your Apple Watch rings, which display a “stand” goal (stand for at least a minute each hour, 12 times a day), an “exercise” goal (30 minutes of exercise a day), and a “move” goal (based on calorie burn). Trainers urge you to “close your rings” and if you do, there’s a firework-like celebration. Some people may love this touch, but I exercise to feel strong and, like Elle Woods, for the endorphins. An emphasis on calorie burn can be harmful, especially for anyone who has a history of disordered eating or exercise habits. Luckily, you take the rings off your screen if they bother you. All in all, though, I found the platform delightful. The trainers are inspiring and high-energy. Some of the workouts include tough moves such as burpees and pop squats, but are presented in a do-able way — and they don’t make you push so hard you feel like you’re going to faint, a la Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap. If you get to the point of burnout, you can switch to a modification that one of the three trainers on the screen will be illustrating for you, or just take a pause. The platform costs £9.99 a month, or £79.99 a year. (To compare, Peloton asks for £12.99 a month.) If you already have an Apple Watch, and an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, that’s not too pricey. As of now, though, it’s not available on MacBooks, which is a bummer. And if you don’t have all the right tech or are an Android or FitBit user, it’s a spendier purchase. Some people may also have to factor in certain equipment, if they hope to do the treadmill or rowing workouts — though once it’s safe to go back to the gym, that should be less of an issue. The bottom line: Apple Fitness+ is seamless, the trainers are fantastic, and I found it fun. Case in point: One evening, I decided to fire up a 10-minute yoga workout, the only thing I had the wherewithal for, since I’d only gotten a few hours of sleep the night before. But the vibes were so good that, after doing the stretch session, I decided to do another 10-minute core workout with the fabulous trainer Amir Ekbatani. I ended my workout feeling refreshed instead of drained. During these surreal times, that’s enough to keep me coming back for more. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?The Rise Of The Lunchtime WorkoutBeyoncé Is Bringing Us Homecoming-Themed WorkoutsSpotify Just Launched A Free HIIT Workout Service
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HealthRefinery 29 UKThe Literal Pain Of Working From Home
Complaining about work is normal. In fact, it’s an utterly ordinary thing to do even if you generally enjoy your job. We might groan about a tough project on a tight deadline, an incompetent coworker or an unsympathetic manager, low pay, and long hours. But there’s a kind of work-related reality that hasn’t been grumbled about enough: the physical pain of working a desk job, which has only intensified during these long months of working from home. Some of this silence might have to do with the fact that we feel lucky to be able to work from home at all. You may wonder if it’s insensitive to be talking about the pain from working a cushy white-collar job while other workers are actively facing danger. The great COVID work-from-home era has, however, only highlighted how unhealthy our work habits and setups are. We’ve read the many detailed breakdowns of why sitting for prolonged periods of time is unhealthy, but it’s another thing to actually combat that on a daily basis when you have a million tasks to complete and barely enough time to scarf down lunch. Our homes never asked to be offices and many of our cramped apartments were ill-prepared to serve as a workspace, but we’ve made do, whether by purchasing new office furniture out of pocket or by using the bar cart as a desk. We’ve noted that the typical stiffness from a long day of work has evolved into pulsing, radiating pain and wondered, Is this normal? Can I just keep ignoring it and hope it’ll go away? Why do I feel like such a cave-dwelling, vitamin D-deprived fleshbag these days? What follows is not medical advice of any kind. It’s simply a space to vent and share the very real ways sitting and working can lead to chronic pain that you struggle with long-term. As two weeks turned into two months turned into almost a whole year, the makeshift nature of our WFH setups has underscored the fact that crouching over a desk and squinting at a screen for over eight hours a day is no way to live. Ahead, R29 readers share their range of WFH ailments, and what they’ve done to address them. DashDividers_1_500x100 Tamar, 27Boston “I have a sore lower back and back spasms. The pain feels like I have a metal spike inserted into my lower back. A few weeks ago while bending over to pick something up off the floor, I felt a spasm followed by pain,” Tamar says. “It lasted for a few days and I couldn’t bend down, drive, or sit or stand comfortably. I had to cancel a meeting that was supposed to be in-person, and I had difficulty sitting at my desk to type up reports.” Tamar has switched up her work locations quite a bit while remote. “I used to work at the dining room table, then switched to the sofa,” she says. “After my back pain, I started sitting in an office chair that I already owned. I try to minimise sitting for long periods of time on the sofa or at a dining table. I use a heating/ice pack if I start to feel any pain. I also learned a few exercises from a friend who is a physical therapist.” “[Before WFH], I already owned a cheap Target desk that I’ve used occasionally with a dining chair. After experiencing the back pain, I went to my parents’ house and brought back a pristine, barely-used desk chair from high school. I had to buy risers for my desk out-of-pocket because the chair didn’t fit under the desk. I use a random book to prop up my laptop so that it’s at a good typing and eye level.” DashDividers_1_500x100 Lori, 38New York “I’ve always had a tight neck and shoulders from the desk job I’ve worked the last 15 years. Since I started working from home, that’s gotten worse, and I’ve started having tension headaches almost daily around my eyes and the base of my neck,” says Lori. “The largest issue is the pain I’m experiencing in my right hip. At first, it only bothered me later in the day, but now it hurts while I’m sitting at my desk, throughout the day, and on weekends. It’s kind of a dull ache that never goes away. I find myself stretching out my workday so I can take longer breaks while still getting my work done, which makes the day drag on. It’s also affecting my quality of sleep. I’m waking up if I’ve been on my right side too long.” “I work at a table I have set up in my spare bedroom,” she continues. “I went into my office and snagged my desk chair and a small rolling table — not sure they know about the table, but they know where I live and I’m not going anywhere! Since we might be home until next fall, I’m considering buying a standing desk that I’ll pay for out of pocket.” “I work for the state, so even if we weren’t in a bad budget situation, they wouldn’t pay for that kind of thing,” Lori says. “I was at my sister’s for almost a week and noticed the pain was almost gone even after sleeping on a sofa and carrying around a heavy baby, so it’s definitely my desk setup. I need to change it or I worry I’ll do permanent damage. I’m an active person — biking, snowboarding, hiking — and don’t want this to prevent me from doing the things I love outside of work.” “I’ve gone to my chiropractor for adjustments and we did a session of pilates on the machine to stretch my hips,” she shares. “I’ve been given physical therapy exercises too, but I’m not great at doing them at home on my own. I also use over-the-counter pain meds, apply heat, and CBD cream.” DashDividers_1_500x100 Max, 32 Mexico “I get headaches and dry eyes in the afternoon but keep working until night — not daily, but when I need to work on a project instead of routine work,” says Max. “I have stomach issues because sometimes I forget to eat if I’m really inspired or busy.” She notes that she already suffers from gastritis, esophagitis, and colitis. Max’s also noticed that her neck is stiff as soon as she wakes up these days, but it becomes worse around late afternoon. “Most of this doesn’t really affect my work, but when the headaches get too intense, I need to stop earlier,” she says. She usually works from her home office. “It’s a corner desk that came with the house we’re renting, smaller than I’d like but functional,” Max says. “My husband is making me a new one but hasn’t had the time.” She does admit that sometimes she works from her sofa and “a very few times from bed.” “For the stomach issues, I try to eat better and also take my medication. For the headaches, I sometimes take something for the pain, but not frequently since my stomach is very sensitive. For the neck and back I do nothing, really — I sometimes massage my neck and shoulders during the day or in the shower.” DashDividers_1_500x100 Alexandra, 31 Pennsylvania “I have pain in my neck, mid back, low back, hips,” says Alexandra. She says she suffers from sciatica and piriformis syndrome. “Sitting all the time has really messed me up. Being at home means I move around less and don’t take breaks to walk for coffee or lunch — my office is downtown so I’d usually take advantage of that.” “I’ve always had neck and shoulder issues, but never lower back — and now my lower back is a mess from lack of proper posture and a proper office chair. I didn’t want to splurge,” she says. “My eyes also get incredibly tired and dry because it’s all screens, all the time. I’m an attorney, and my days used to be broken up with walking to court or other offices for depositions, and now it’s all on Zoom. I also find that just sitting on my pelvic area hurts.” “I do switch up locations depending on how I’m feeling,” Alexandra says, but adds that she’s currently 19 weeks pregnant. “I go from my desk to the bed to the sofa and back to my desk again. I go to a chiropractor once a week and I try to stretch through the day.” “I paid out of pocket sometime in June or July for a desk that folds up, so it can be stored out of the way when needed. It’s currently in our guest room, which will be a nursery,” she shares. “I did expense an extra monitor so I could double screen with my laptop, but that was recent.” DashDividers_1_500x100 Christy, 37Georgia “I have neck pain and stiffness, as well as lower and mid back pain,” says Christy. “My coccyx bone also hurts despite having a super thick chair cushion. My eyes also get dry and hurt from staring at the computer screen all day.” “I recently moved to a new home and now have an entire room devoted to my home office. I bought a new desk and a new office chair, but the chair isn’t really comfortable — and I bought all of it out of pocket,” she says. “I’ve been to the chiropractor, take ibuprofen daily, and went to my doctor recently and received steroid injections and a steroid pack for inflammation. She also gave me a prescription for low-dose Flexeril,” Christy says. “I also have fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, so I already have a lot of chronic joint pain and medical issues. But I’m very thankful to be able to work from home full-time.” DashDividers_1_500x100 Kaajal, 24New York “I have lower back pain and stiff hips. The hip pain has been the most challenging, as it’s often painful to even sit. Sometimes the hip pain radiates into my butt and lower back, making it difficult to walk,” says Kaajal. “I work mostly on my kitchen table, as this is where I’ve set up a second monitor but will move to a desk in my childhood bedroom, or the bed when I feel like I need to lie down,” she says. “I chose the kitchen table because I felt too isolated being in my room all day, and there’s an island in the kitchen with bar stools that can function as a standing desk. I’ve been working mostly there and trying to stand two to three hours a day to help with the pain.” Kaajal was both surprised and not surprised by the pain. “I was aware that sitting for extended periods of time shortens hamstrings and hip flexors, which can contribute to lower back pain, but as someone who is young, active, and in good health, I didn’t expect this to impact me as much as it did.” “I didn’t have the money to splurge on a high-end desk chair that I may not be able to use when I move back to a New York City apartment, so instead I got an ergonomic back pillow to attach to my chair, which has been helping me sit up straighter,” she shares. “I also found walking and being active helps so I wake up at 7 a.m. to walk for 60 to 90 minutes — I’m trying to get 10,000 steps. I also do 20 to 30 minutes of stretching or yoga or foam rolling at night while watching TV, just to work the kinks out.” “Unfortunately, my company has confirmed no stipend or reimbursement for office furniture and supplies,” she says. DashDividers_1_500x100 Tami, 23Nigeria Tami has been working from home since April when her area went into lockdown. “After I lost my job, I started freelancing and found a remote job, so I’ve been at a makeshift desk/office at my parents’ since then,” she says. “I fell down a flight of stairs three years ago, and my back has never been the same,” she continues. “The combination of on/off back pain from that and sitting at a desk for hours on end has probably made my condition worse. I feel the pain mostly in my lower back, and it almost feels like it’s coming from my spine. There are days when my back will seize and I’ll be unable to walk upright, sometimes having to crawl just to get to the bathroom.” She says this particular pain has eased a little bit lately. “My dad also bought me an ergonomic chair, which has helped. I feel back pain most acutely after two hours at a desk, so I have a set of alarms on my phone that remind me to stretch,” she says. “I also have recurring knee pain from a childhood illness, and having my knees hang over the chair but not quite reaching the floor has been causing discomfort. The pain feels like my knee is being pulled out of its socket, and my knees start aching after a couple of hours. I elevate my leg on a stool to help with this.” “I work in my parents’ study most often and switch between the sofa and bed on slower days,” she continues. “I’m currently renovating the basement into an apartment, so I’m designating a proper work area there as well as investing in proper work furniture.” She says she wasn’t really surprised by the worsening WFH-related pain. “I thought I would be better about taking breaks,” she says. “I have pretty bad posture from all the phone usage and watching Netflix in bed, but with work, I’m even worse because once I get ‘in the zone’ I can be at my desk for up to three hours.” “There have been quite a few mentions of home office stipends at different team meetings, but there are some constraints that have made management put it off,” Tami says. “A lot of my friends are in school or back in physical offices, so they’re a lot more physically active than I am,” she says, noting that because of this, it’s harder for them to understand her pain. “With those that I can complain about this to, the ones who get it, they usually just remind me that I’m a workaholic — and everyone else is good at taking breaks.” Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Is Ambition Dead?These Small-Space Desks Are A Dream WFH SetupWFH Burnout Is Real, Here's How To Beat It
StyleRefinery 29 UKChrissy Teigen’s New Haircut Proves That “The Rachel” Is Trending
Over the weekend, Chrissy Teigen posted a quick clip to Instagram showing fans her new hair cut and colour. Complete with bouncy, feathered layers and chunky blonde highlights, the whole look is giving us “Rachel” vibes in the best way. The shaggy style first debuted on the set of Friends in 1995, and 25 years later, it’s at the forefront of fashion once again. In the video confirming her new cut and colour, the model ran her fingers through the bouncy side bangs, heavy layers, and flipped-out ends glossed in fresh blonde colour. The highlight tone is a warm and saturated mix of deeper golden hues and brighter blonde placed solidly on the front, face-framing strands. Fans immediately recognised the look, calling it out by name. “Did you get The Rachel?” one fan asked in the comments section. “This cut and colour reminds me of a Rachel style from Friends in all the best ways,” wrote another. Teigen hasn’t revealed whether Rachel Green acted as official inspiration, but she did credit celebrity stylist Tracy Cunningham for reinterpreting the playful look for winter 2020. View this post on Instagram A post shared by chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) The iconic haircut that dominated the second half of the ’90s has seen a major revival during the fall and winter of this year, with other celebrities also channeling a similar look. Last month, Bella Hadid was seen sporting a Rachel-esque look, adding chunky highlights and (TikTok famous) curtain bangs for a style that would have been right at home as the Friends cast approached Y2K. Selena Gomez also reinterpreted the look back in March, adding an eye-grazing bang to make the look her own. Funnily enough, despite its lasting fame and recurring popularity, Jennifer Aniston never liked the look. “I was not a fan of ‘The Rachel,'” the former Friends star told Glamour back in 2015. It seems like quite a few A-list stars would politely disagree, and are finding ways to usher the bouncy, fun style into 2021. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?I Tried Lush's Afro Hair Range Before Anyone ElseDrew Barrymore Just Launched Affordable Hair ToolsThis Five-Minute Scalp Mask Is My New Hair MVP
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ScienceRefinery 29 UKSaturn Is Back In Aquarius After 26 Years — & Bringing Change Along With It
Saturn, the planet of challenge, authority, and responsibility, is heading into the revolutionary sign of Aquarius this month. The ringed planet had a brief stint in Aquarius earlier this year from 21st March to 1st July. Now, it’s heading back into the sign of the water bearer from 17th December until 7th March 2023, which means things are about to change. Saturn is the taskmaster planet of the solar system, explains Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com. It often pushes us in order to enact meaningful change. “It’s like the old sage whose teachings are sometimes dreaded, but that are so necessary for our growth and our life structure,” she says. “As he moves into Aquarius, however, his presence is expected to be a little lighter because he departs from the traditional and cold ways from Capricorn towards a much lighter and future-forward influence.” The last time Saturn was in technological Aquarius was back in 1994, which was around the time the world wide web was invented and started to really take off, Montúfar says. “From that moment on, humanity has made a lot of technological advancements, so astrologers are expecting this next 27-year cycle that’s about to begin to be even more meaningful when it comes to technology, medicine, and innovation in general,” she explains. “The Aquarian energy is also humanistic and socialist, so this transit means that activism is here to stay.” Saturn’s quick dip into Aquarius earlier this year — at the height of the social justice movement this summer when protesters marched for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and other victims of police brutality — might have given us a preview of what’s to come for the next two and a half years. Namely, meaningful action and activism that helps to enact the change we need in the world. But this can only happen if we actually take action, says astrologer Lisa Stardust. “During this time, we can expect progressive changes to transform our worlds — but, only if we are ready to do the work and evolve with this astrological transit,” she says. “Saturn is a planet that rewards those who put in the effort, which means that we’ll receive the short end of the karmic stick if we don’t put in the work. If we do and implement growth in our lives, then we’ll receive gifts from the universe that will better our lives.” If you’re passionate about social justice, Black Lives Matter, climate change, and other pressing human rights issues, then this is the transit you need to kick yourself into overdrive and get things done. Take advantage of this energy for the next two and a half years to fight for what really matters. Donate money. Protest. Make sure your voice is heard. If there’s anything we learned from Saturn’s previous dive into Aquarius, it’s that we’re stronger together, and we can make things happen if we work together for the greater good. Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer at Keen.com, points out that Aquarius rules the 11th house, which represents the collective and groups. “During this Saturn period we will all be working to find our own place within the collective and with Saturn in this sign, the collective will make their voices heard,” she explains. “This Saturn cycle will bring more structure in the way we deal with the pandemic, among other things.” Along with this revolutionary push, we’ll also see some advancements in technology, Hale explains, which may be pointing to our distribution of Pfizer’s new COVID-19 vaccine. “Aquarius is connected to cutting edge technologies and ideas, air and spacecraft, internet, electronic and medical technologies, science and academics, and allegiance to a religion or idea,” she explains. “These are some of the changes we will see as Saturn moves through Aquarius.” If there’s one thing to take away from this transit, it’s all about radical change — in our world and in our personal lives. But no meaningful change can happen without actions to back it up. So prepare yourselves for Saturn’s journey into Aquarius, and hold yourself accountable — that’s the only way we’ll be able to continue fighting for a better world. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Snapchat Is Adding Two New Astrology FeaturesYour Horoscope This WeekMercury Retrograde Ends On US Election Day
- StyleRefinery 29 UK
Lockdown, Loungewear & Double Standards For Plus-Size People
This time of year is usually my favourite time to shop. The high street is covered in paper snowflakes and glistening lights, Christmas music plays and, most excitingly, collections are all geared towards party season, brimming with sparkle, sequins and every kind of over-the-top style to get a gal noticed at the staff do and during the countdown to midnight. This season, however, it’s doubtful any of us will be hitting dance floors for New Year’s Eve, so browsing for a glam outfit to see in 2021 isn’t exactly necessary; we’re more likely to be in our jammies watching the Hootenanny at home. Most brands have recognised that party season – and therefore the party outfit – is on ice this year and are continuing their yearlong push of comfort-first loungewear instead. Earlier this year, as we found ourselves working from home and locked in at weekends, our holey old PJs simply wouldn’t cut it and demand for loungewear surged a wild 49%, with giants like Uniqlo and ASOS reporting up to a 329% rise in annual profits thanks to the casual category booming. With influencers and celebrities turning joggers and sweatshirt sets from cosy necessities into purposeful style choices, it’s no wonder so many of us – including those who might have previously eschewed the loungewear trend – leaned into wearing cotton co-ords for the majority of this year. It’s not all creature comforts, though. The loungewear trend is rooted in double standards. Beyond cosy convenience, its appeal isn’t that it’s particularly stylish but rather how it fits the small frames that wear them. Looking through Instagram and brands’ model shots, it seems as though there are two default fits for loungewear: either very oversized and swamping the body it’s on or, conversely, clinging to it in a tight leggings and cropped hoodie set. It feels less like we are being sold the clothes themselves – which are often plain cotton co-ords in muted colours or glorified pyjamas – and more how our bodies look inside them. As journalist Marie Southard-Ospina astutely wrote several years ago, “lazy girl” style inherently leaves out plus-size people as “the word ‘lazy’ is one often used to shame or ridicule fat people.” When underdressing doesn’t feel like an option for fat women – for fear of fat-shaming critics deeming us undisciplined, unworthy and ugly – what happens when it becomes the defining trend of the year? “Scrolling through loungewear collections definitely makes me feel excluded,” Bo, a student nurse who wears a size 20, tells me. “I see the Kardashians, Jenners and thin influencers in these massively oversized hoodies, joggers and trainers branded as sensational loungewear outfits. Whereas if I was to wear that? I’m seen as lazy and depressed. On the other hand, a lot of loungewear nowadays is a set of tight-fitting knitted flares and a cropped jumper of the same material. Fat people are actively discouraged from all of these things – ‘put it away’ and ‘nobody wants to see that’ spring to mind when I think about wearing a cropped jumper.” When the loungewear trend began to emerge in early April, Amelie, who wears a size 24, saw trouble. “I knew automatically that loungewear would exclude the plus-size community,” she says. “I feel like some brands don’t tailor their outfits to plus-size bodies properly anyway, so just imagining how they would deal with slouchy fits and creating ‘oversized’ clothes for people they consider over the size they generally like to cater to? It worried me.” “I’m not expecting a thin person to look the same as a fat person if they wore the same outfit but it seems so easy to be a ‘style icon’ if you’re skinny,” Amelie muses. “You can wear the most basic clothes and still be seen as cute or ironic as they hang over your tiny body. But to be plus-size, that irony becomes indicative of your taste; your lack of effort, your laziness. All the same fatphobic retorts we usually receive but through a different channel so that they can pretend it’s not about our bodies but our outfits instead.” The idea of loungewear as exclusionary isn’t just deeply rooted in fatphobia though. Consider how tracksuits were derided in the ’00s as the wardrobe of the working classes before the fashion industry turned them into a trend out of sheer necessity; it’s worth asking why some trends are deemed acceptable and who makes that decision. Including brands’ appropriation of working class style is key to understanding the exclusionary loungewear debate because, on the whole, weight discrimination is a class issue too. When plus-size people are seen as lazy in loungewear, the assumption is not just fatphobic but classist and ableist, too. a tweet making fun of these women has 100k likes but i swear to god if bella hadid wore this exact outfit it would be on a million “80s casual inspo ❤️” pinterest boards bc, as always, fashion is judged exclusively by the bodies that wear it pic.twitter.com/eBZ6P3Zrmh— rayne fisher-quann (@raynefq) July 14, 2020 The concept of being sold slimness, not style, has been a current running through many social media platforms this year. On TikTok, users have taken a deeper look at noteworthy outfits to decipher whether they’re truly stylish or just worn on a skinny – and therefore ‘acceptable’ – body. Meanwhile a massive debate was sparked on Twitter this summer, primarily in the replies to this tweet by activist Rayne Fisher-Quann. The teenager pointed out that the outfit worn by the two plus-size people in the photograph – denim mom shorts and a graphic T-shirt – would be seen as “80s casual inspo!” on a model like Bella Hadid but is actively mocked on a fat frame, succinctly highlighting the double standards in our view of style. Speaking to me via email, Fisher-Quann agrees that it’s generally harder to be seen as stylish when you’re plus-size. “I can’t count the number of fashion influencers on TikTok or Instagram that are not only famous but branded as ‘style icons’ because of how their body looks in the clothes they wear. So many of the styles and trends that we love are popular not because of the clothes themselves but [because] of the ways they can highlight a skinny body.” The need for fashion to make us look our skinniest – either by drowning our bodies in fabric or by being ultra form-fitting – fuels fatphobic rhetoric on a larger scale, too. When thinness becomes desirable, comparative fatness becomes undesirable. This was exemplified, Fisher-Quann says, by the responses to her tweet. “Some people responded to the picture by saying that the women in it didn’t deserve to be respected because they ‘looked racist’. This, to me, showed one of the most insidious aspects of fatphobia: the idea that fatness acts as a signpost for moral/personal failure.” She continues: “None of us knew anything about those women and it’s terrifying that fatphobia is so ingrained in our minds that simply the presence of fat on their bodies can cause people to assume that they’re racist, evil, stupid or lazy.” Fisher-Quann feels that the same links are being made about plus-size bodies in the loungewear trend. “Some outfits are seen as ‘lazy’ on fat bodies because fat bodies are always assumed to be lazy. Fatphobia associates fatness with laziness, lack of effort, slowness, etc. – traits that are looked down upon in our capitalist society.” The implication that plus-size people wearing loungewear must be lazy is just another microaggression which contributes to a society that sees fatness not just as a negative but, as Fisher-Quann puts it, a failure. When I say that I hate loungewear because of how it might make people view me, it seems almost laughable that a tracksuit could have such a big impact. But in reality, the outfits we wear don’t exist in a vacuum. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?Plus-Size Women On Their Relationship To Handbags5 Plus-Size Models On Self-Love, Tokenism & IconsFinally, Vintage Fashion For Plus-Size People
- StyleRefinery 29 UK
Since I Stopped Making These 7 Mistakes, My Hair Has Never Felt Healthier
From trying new skincare to learning makeup techniques, being a beauty editor involves lots of trial and error, never more so than when it comes to hair. Washing, treating, cutting, styling... There are so many different things that can affect hair health and if there's anything I've learned in the industry, it's that I've been getting most of them wrong. How difficult is it to wash your hair? you might ask. Do I really need to switch up my haircare routine? But trust me, tweaking these seven small things has done my hair the world of good. Once broken, split, dry and difficult to manage, my hair is slowly but surely seeing the benefits and has become softer, healthier, stronger and longer.Read on to uncover the most common hair mistakes and the tiny adjustments I've made to achieve my best hair ever.Refinery29's selection is purely editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items we love! As part of our business model we do work with affiliates; if you directly purchase something from a link on this article, we may earn a small amount of commission. Transparency is important to us at Refinery29, if you have any questions please reach out to us.We've all heard the rumour that washing hair too often isn't great for the condition of your scalp and lengths. But the truth is, everyone is different. "Your scalp and your face have the highest density of oil glands," says consultant dermatologist, Dr Anjali Mahto, "so you really have to treat your scalp in the same way as you would your face." Dr Mahto says that how often you wash your hair isn't a one-size-fits-all matter; it's about what your hair (whether dyed or keratin treated, for example) can tolerate. If your skin is very oily, for instance, you might need to wash your hair more often. I'm prone to a flaky scalp and thought that frequent washing could make my scalp drier. In fact, the opposite is true for me, and not washing my hair often enough had been causing the issue. "Fifty percent of people suffer with dandruff," says Dr Mahto. "If you get a build-up of dry skin and flakes, that can impact how glossy your hair is coming through. Build-up and oxidation can potentially damage the scalp, too." My solution was to wash my hair more frequently: three times a week. I love The Body Shop Ginger Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, £9.50, and Conditioner, £9.50, which eradicate flakes and make hair soft and manageable.Wrapping hair up in a towel to absorb water is something most of us do post-shower but it could be doing your hair more harm than good. Trichologist Jane Mayhead at The Private Clinic says that when hair is wet, the elasticity increases. "This allows the hair to stretch more. If you apply items or styles that stretch the hair and leave it to dry, unnecessary tension can be put onto the hair and this can lead to snapping and traction." Whenever I wrapped my hair up in a towel, I'd feel my hair strands being pulled and snapped, and upon unravelling, I'd always notice stray hair strands which had fallen out. I'd suggest investing in a microfibre towel, such as Aquis Lisse Luxe Hair Towel, £35 (a game-changer for me) or the Coco & Eve Microfibre Hair Towel Wrap, £19.90. Both wick up water fast and combat frizz as they reduce friction. Use the microfibre towel to gently squeeze out excess water, rather than wrapping or rough-drying with your head upside down (another no-no). If you don't want to spend anything, an old cotton T-shirt works a lot better than an old bath or face towel, which can often be rough to the touch. There's a reason why hairdressers squeeze excess water from your hair before applying conditioner at the backwash and since following their example, my hair has never felt softer.Sopping wet hair can dilute any product you apply post-shampoo and act like a barrier between hair strands. Giving your hair a gentle squeeze after rinsing out your shampoo will allow whichever conditioner or hair mask you follow with to work much better. Right now, I love Pantene Hair Biology Mask De-frizz & Illuminate, £6.99, for smoothing frizzy roots and imparting shine, and L'Oréal Professionnel Série Expert Pro Longer Lengths Renewing Conditioner, £14.95, which makes dry hair seriously soft. My trick is to leave the product in for the duration of the shower so that it has time to fully absorb before rinsing out.If you don't have any scalp issues, this one isn't a deal-breaker. But if you're prone to scalp issues such as flakes or itchiness, it's a top tip."A lot of people who have scalp issues will use an anti-dandruff shampoo but then apply completely different conditioner, for example something else that they have to hand," says Dr Mahto. "From the clinical data that I've seen, if you use products that are formulated to go together, what you find is that the ingredients that are in the shampoo stay in the scalp for longer, which means you're going to see longer effects." Using a targeted shampoo and a regular conditioner means you're more likely to wash out most of the anti-dandruff ingredients. "There's no point using a shampoo that's going to get rid of the dandruff and then a conditioner that's going to neutralise or wash that stuff out," says Dr Mahto, who always uses matching shampoo and conditioner (Head & Shoulders) to get the best out of her hair.The highest setting on your hairdryer exists for a reason: to dry hair fast. But blasting hair with extreme heat will only result in split ends, broken strands and frizzy roots. It's why professional hairstylists take a good while to rough-dry your hair in salon: they're using a medium or low heat to preserve your lengths. If your hair is prone to splitting or you use straighteners and other heated styling tools after blow-drying, it pays to spend a little longer drying your hair on a low heat setting. The trick is to squeeze out as much water as possible (using the aforementioned microfibre towels or a cotton T-shirt) before reaching for your hairdryer. Over time, your hair will look healthier and longer, something I can vouch for.Another key thing to remember here: if your split ends are too obvious to ignore but you want to grow your hair out, don't hold off on a trim. Split ends will only travel further upwards and your hairdresser will suggest cutting off more hair to salvage your lengths. I have coloured hair so every stylist I know has recommended a sulphate-free shampoo to prolong my colour, as they are super gentle and non-stripping. But I also use lots of hair products, such as serums, heat protection and dry shampoo, and sometimes sulphate-free shampoo just doesn't cut it. Sulphates have a shady reputation but they aren't all that bad, according to experts. In fact, they're often very beneficial. "Sulphate shampoos act as surfactants (result in a lather) and remove pollution, dirt, grime and other things you come into contact with," says Dr Mahto. She continues: "Many of us use products in our hair and on our scalp. If you break those things down properly, such as hair wax, hairspray and heat protection spray, you do need something that's going to remove all of that residue. If you don't, that is going to impact your scalp health, oil production in your scalp and have a knock-on effect on your hair."If you aren't reactive to shampoo with sulphate ingredients, don't ditch them just yet. Instead, bag one that eradicates all traces of dirt and build-up without completely stripping your hair. I like Head & Shoulders Supreme Strength Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, £4.99, which Dr Mahto also champions, and L'Oréal Elvive Clay Oily Roots Shampoo, £4.99. If you're after a sulphate-free surfactant, I really rate OUAI Medium Hair Shampoo, £22, which is highly moisturising, smells incredible and is also available for fine and thick hair types. Hair is really vulnerable to damage when wet, as it becomes more elastic and prone to snapping. That's why it's never a great idea to drag a hairbrush through your lengths. This goes for every hair type and texture, especially very curly hair. Instead, experts recommend a wide-tooth comb, such as Only Curls Pink Shimmer Comb, £8, which glides through hair without snagging. Start at the ends to detangle and then work your way upwards so that you don't put too much pressure on your strands. Since swapping my paddle brush for a comb to distribute my trusty Redken One United Multi-Benefit Treatment, £19.50, from root to tip, my hair is virtually free from broken bits.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?3 Hair Colour Trends That Will Be Huge In 2021The Best Masks For Your Hair (& Budget)I Got Hair Botox & My Hair's Much Less Maintenance
- HealthRefinery 29 UK
Have You Actually Lost A Year… Or Gained A Few?
March 2020 feels like both yesterday and a lifetime ago. How weird is it now to see people in films go into crowded spaces without masks on? The world as we know it has changed forever, so slowly and yet so suddenly and… Hang on, Parasite won the Oscar this year? The loss experienced this year, in every sense of the word, has been immense and immeasurable. Loved ones, entire businesses, jobs, even the most basic sense of security. We’ve missed being able to get married, graduate and say our goodbyes in hospitals and at funerals. And even if you’re one of the 9% who think 2020 has actually been “great” or “good” (sure), we’re all united in at least feeling the loss of time. That feeling of losing a year of our lives we won’t get back. Of course, in the middle of a global health crisis, it feels churlish to start complaining about your lot. Nobody wants to tap the mic and say, “Err, actually, my big plans were cancelled and I’m pretty gutted about that because 2020 was meant to be MY YEAR and now I just feel a bit haggard and closer to death.” But that’s probably how you feel, because that’s how we’re all feeling; it’s been a shitty year. But what if there were another way of looking at things? Is it possible to gain this year back? To gain more than a year back, even? What if the way the world has changed (and how we’ve adapted to those changes) has actually added a few years to our lives? Because as horrendous as this year has been (and for no one more than the incredible key workers out there), there have been some big societal changes which, if we hold onto them, have the potential to change our world for the better – perhaps even adding a year or two to our lives. We’re learning to prioritise our health… You’ll have heard a hundred times that we’re breathing cleaner air due to the reduced air and road traffic. And, of course, we’ve all become more hygiene-conscious forever. Some of us took up more exercise this year, too – whether that was a daily walk, YouTube workout or getting into running for the first time – and Dr Şirin Atçeken, psychotherapist and EMDR specialist at WeCure, tells me that running even once per week can increase life expectancy by 27%. There’s also reportedly been a reduction in burnout across the country – even if sometimes, working late at our dinner tables, we really, really haven’t felt it. “The pandemic has changed the way we establish work-life balance, with life becoming a priority,” Şirin tells me. “People are learning to switch off and set better boundaries, all of which increase positivity and reduce stress.” …and finding our ‘ikigai’ On the whole, we’ve had a lot of time to think, which can be both good and bad – but let’s choose the good for a moment. “In many ways, the pandemic acted somewhat like a leveller,” Beatrice Andrew, neuroscientist and behavioural science consultant at VERJ, tells me. “It gave some of us an opportunity to focus our attention on what is really important.” What else to do when you have fewer distractions than contemplate the meaning of life, eh? I’ve spent many a daily walk getting deep and meaningful to Folklore (and now, Evermore) and I’m not alone. Studies suggest many of us have been reevaluating our entire reason for being – and it turns out, it’s really good for you. “There are so many studies linking meaning and purpose in life with longevity, lower mortality rates and generally better health,” says Marta Zaraska, science writer and author of Growing Young: How Friendship, Optimism and Kindness Can Help You Live to 100. Marta refers to the popular study which states that British people were happier during WW2 than they were in the ’80s. “The most likely reason for it is when times get tough, people are more likely to look for meaning,” says Marta, “and looking for meaning is the biggest predictor to being happy in your life.” This sense of meaning and purpose in life is what the Japanese refer to as “ikigai”. The centenarians of Okinawa, Japan – one of the world’s Blue Zones (an area where people live longer, healthier lives) and subject of Ikigai: The Japanese Secret To A Long and Happy Life – put their longevity down to having a strong, driving reason for being, as well as eating a plant-based diet, gardening and maintaining a lifelong circle of friends. I’ll have what they’re having. We’re learning new things… Keeping an active mind is another popular tipple from the fountain of youth. Beatrice tells me that learning new things challenges our ability to think and process information, and studies have linked cognitively stimulating activities to an increase in brain health. “Generally, keeping your mind active, particularly during a time of isolation, is a good idea psychologically anyway,” she says. Many of us have used this time indoors to be curious, experiment and learn new things. According to Google UK’s Year In Search, we’ve been asking ‘why’ more than ever, and getting stuck into DIY, from arts and crafts to home improvements. We’ve also been upskilling in the kitchen, learning new languages and picking up guitars. “Being curious, continuing to learn and expanding oneself are very closely linked with increased life energy and life satisfaction,” Şirin adds. “Having an improved life energy, using our brain more efficiently, making new connections and boosting brain plasticity are all ways to live a longer life.” …and finding new ways to connect with others 2020 has also shone a light on the loneliness crisis. Nine million British people report feeling lonely and double the number of people will be lonely this Christmas compared to last. Marta tells me that loneliness is linked to a two to three times higher risk of premature death, with studies showing that it can increase cortisol (the stress hormone) and inflammation – and that’s without even touching on what it does to your mental health. We are social creatures. We’ve evolved to function as a tribe and that’s why, Marta tells me, there’s a strong link between social hormones (oxytocin, serotonin, endorphins) and our physiologies. “Oxytocin also reduces inflammation and promotes bone growth; serotonin regulates liver function, and our HPA axis – which is the fight-flight response – functions best when we are surrounded by other people and feel safe,” she tells me. As a result, we have less cortisol and adrenaline in our bodies. We don’t just work better as a team; our bodies literally function better. Of course, connecting with people IRL isn’t exactly what 2020 was made of. At the same time, I’ve definitely been calling family and friends more this year than ever before. And there’s good news to come out of all those Zoom calls and voice notes. “Some fascinating research showed that a voice call causes a much bigger release of oxytocin than a text message,” Marta tells me, “even when the message is exactly the same. They didn’t do a video call comparison, but I’d guess video is even better. It’s not the same as in person, of course, but it’s still definitely better than texting.” Check out, too, this advice from the self-confessed introvert who made more friends this year, from behind closed doors, than ever before. We’ve remembered those around us This year has also seen us connect more with our communities, support our local businesses and even meet neighbours for the first time. “Every single connection you have is important to your life,” says Marta, “and being connected to your community is also one of the very big predictors of whether you will live long or not. Studies show that, whereas diet and exercise can lower your mortality risk anywhere from 20-30%, being very socially connected can lower your mortality risk by 45%.” Don’t forget, we’ve also shown kindness, compassion and empathy to people we’ll never even meet. Donations to charities soared, over 750,000 people signed up to be NHS volunteers, and we calmly sat down with our older relatives and explained why staying home is important “even if you don’t care if you catch it”. Slowly but surely, we all became more empathetic. And guess what – #BeKind is more than just a hashtag, it’s one helluva health kick. “Not only does kindness, acceptance, caring and patience lead to more positive emotions and make us deal with situations in better ways,” Şirin explains, “but they can also help the immune system, blood pressure and improve sleep patterns, all of which are linked to longer, healthier lives.” So let’s keep it going into 2021 If you’d like to continue the extra slice of life pie into next year, here are some tips from the experts that are good for your mind, body and longevity. – Practise optimism (or at least fake it ’til you make it). Optimism can add four to 10 years to your life.– Prioritise your life intentions. And act accordingly.– Cultivate joy, playfulness and entertainment in your life.– Remember to give yourself a break.– Find a cause you care about, and volunteer if you can.– Continue to connect with your friends and family members, even if it’s only online. – Learn new things. Now everything is available online; use those resources. – If you feel overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to get help from your support network. And if you still feel like you’re drowning, please seek help from a professional. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?I've Made More Friends In 2020 Than Ever BeforeKink Helped My Mental Health: Can BDSM Heal Us?The Different Types Of Loneliness
