Innholdsfortegnelse for 14-Sep-2020 i Woman

I felt very lucky that my partner was made redundant the month before I gave birth to our daughter Minnie. It meant that we had a blissful year together, staring at her for hours (albeit with no money!). It must be the same for all these lockdown babies on page 8 – getting to hang out with both parents for so long while people work from home is a real gift. On the subject of parenting, I’ve never regretted coming late to it, because I wrung every drop out of my youth. That’s why I’m glad to see the women on page 24 are making up for lost time – better late than never, ladies!…

DUCHESS OF SUSSEX Meghan, 39, looks great in this casual khaki shirt dress with integral cloth tie to accentuate her waist. Simple black stilettos smarten the look. AMANDA HOLDEN This cotton dress with broderie anglaise trim is perfect for Amanda, 49, with her trim frame. Gold accessories and strappy sandals complement the late-summer look. JENNI FALCONER A tailored playsuit is great for day-to-night. If you don’t dare to bare your shoulders by day like Jenni, 44, layer up with a jacket or cute cardigan for the office. VICTORIA BECKHAM A matching shirt-and-trousers combo oozes sophistication, and Victoria, 46, pulls the look off with ease. Spike heels and a matching oversized bag elevate it to chic. ALESHA DIXON A khaki parka is effortlessly glamorous on Alesha, 41. Sheer fabric panels make…

Queen of mean Christine tells it like it is. ✱ ‘They say there are too many cooks in the kitchen. Well, there are too many b*tches in this office.’ ✱ ‘I’m not fake. I mean, my t*ts are fake, but that’s it.’ ✱ ‘She’s a b*tch who must own Sunglass Hut because she is so f***ing shady’. ✱ ‘Some people call it fraud, I just call it love,’ she shrugs, after admitting buying herself a Louis Vuitton handbag using her husband’s credit card while he slept. You’re such a gift, Christine! Unlike your handbag……

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The scientists have spoken! Try these easy ways to achieve a happier, healthier life Manage stress A new study* found that regularly eating almonds improves heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of the fluctuation in time intervals between consecutive heartbeats. High HRV represents greater adaptability of the heart in response to environmental and psychological challenges, such as stress. Be realistic Some experts believe positive thinking may put well-being at risk! Research** shows that being overly upbeat is linked to lower well-being than setting realistic expectations. But don’t adopt a negative mindset as pessimists tended to make poor decisions. Sustainable self-care Love your body and environment with this Bower Collective Bramley Body Wash. With a one-off purchase of a reusable bottle, this ‘closed loop’ cycle eliminates single-use plastics. (£20, bowercollective.com).…

So you’re anxious your man might play away? You know for sure that he’s not right now, but what if he did in the future? Here’s how you can relax and stop worrying. Look at yourself Are you lacking in self-confidence, feeling you’re not worthy of him? If so, you may be projecting those doubts onto your relationship. Building self-esteem will help you realise you deserve love. Look at your relationship Worries about sexual infidelity can remind you not to take love for granted. Is there anything you could improve? If so, act now to enhance your partnership, and you’ll head off future problems. Look at the world The global pandemic has made everyone insecure about the future, and you may be focusing that insecurity on your relationship. Remembering what’s…

A ROOM MADE OF LEAVES by Kate Grenville (£16.99, HB, Canongate Books) Inspired by the real life of Elizabeth McArthur, Kate Grenville imagines the private life of a remarkable woman whose husband was a pioneer of the Australian wool industry. It is 1788 when Elizabeth marries Jon McArthur, but soon realises her mistake and has to find an inner strength. Great historical detail – an absorbing read. For more books information, see goodtoknow.co.uk/ books IF YOU LIKE THAT, TRY THESE… Eight Detectives by Alex Pavesi (£14.99, HB, Michael Joseph) Grant McAllister feels all murder mysteries follow a set of rules and he’s worked them all out, but that was 30 years ago, and he’s now living on the Med. Then editor Julia Hart shows up to discuss his early…

SAPPHIRE & STEEL After starring in The New Avengers in the 1970s, Joanna Lumley joined The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’s David McCallum to star in this supernatural sci-fi fantasy. They play a pair of ‘interdimensional operatives’ who are tasked with protecting the universe from malevolent forces. Some of the mysteries the enigmatic pair face are people trapped in photographs and ghosts lost in time. THUNDERBIRDS The sci-fi puppet adventure series from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson is their most famous creation and a cult classic. Set in the 2060s, it follows the adventures of International Rescue, made up of members of the Tracy family, as they race to the aid of people in perilous situations, in a fleet of special vehicles. THUNDERBIRDS: 1965 To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the puppet series…

Two celebrity daughters have had big things to say about weight. Jonathan Ross’ daughter, Honey, spoke about her parents’ approach to her weight problems as a teenager, saying, while they meant well, they put her on ‘toxic’ diets. Honey, 23, is a body-positive influencer, and was asking mums and dads to show compassion when their kids come to them feeling ‘fat’, rather than stick them on a weight-loss plan. Over in the States, Kelly Osbourne, 35, took a different view, defending the gastric sleeve op that allowed her to lose 6st. She says, ‘I had surgery, I don’t give a f*** what anyone has to say. I will never, ever, ever lie about it, ever. It is the best thing I have ever done.’ It’s interesting that both women talk…

Standing outside Number 10 Downing Street, surrounded by some of the most inspirational children I’ve ever met, I’m filled with pure pride. It’s February 2020, and they’ve been invited to meet the Prime Minister after winning a National Children of Wales Award – a charitable event I founded a year previously, aged 55. In 1984, I moved to Plymouth to work for the local newspaper. I loved reading about community stories with a real human angle that honoured local heroes. For two decades, I worked my way up and, in 2007, became Managing Director of a media company, and relocated to Wales. ‘I WANTED TO RAISE VITAL FUNDS’ I continued to hear about the adversity overcome by some of the most brave and courageous people in the community. From young…

1 Winged eyeliner No one wants a weak and wobbly eyeliner flick, but unless you’ve got a super-steady hand, that’s easier said than done. Try drawing a sequence of tiny dots where you want the line to be, before joining them up. NYX Professional Make-up Epic Ink Eye Liner, £9, has a narrow, felt-tip style nib that’s far easier to control than liquid formulas. 2 The perfect wave Creating natural, beachy-looking waves with your straighteners is far less fiddly than you might think. Taking one inch-wide section of hair at a time, point the irons up, then down as you glide towards your ends. Tuck the ends under to soften your features, or leave them straight for a modern feel. T3 Lucea ID, £189, lookfantastic.com, is the right tool for…

As I sifted through the bounty of elegant dresses in the bridal shop, it became apparent that not a single one was meant for me. Me and my mum, Alison, 52, had been giddy with excitement about choosing my perfect wedding dress since my partner, Alastair, 26, got down one knee in September 2018. But as Mum and the sales assistant took it in turns to dazzle me by flaunting an assortment of frocks in my direction, I just wasn’t getting that buzz of choosing a dress that I’d heard about. And what should have been one of the most memorable days of my life quickly turned into a harrowing experience. Making my way into the fitting room, I began to change into one of dresses I’d reluctantly agreed to…

Unpacking the boxes as we moved into our new farmhouse, I glanced over at my mum, Christine, then 40, and knew immediately something was amiss. As she struggled to catch her breath and went to lie down in the back seat of the car, at just 11 years old I had no idea what to do. Suspecting she was having a heart attack, Dad and I scrambled into the car and drove her to hospital. And though I was relieved to learn Mum had in fact suffered a panic attack, before being given the all-clear, that day in 1989 marked the beginning of her downward spiral. My early years as a child had been filled with happiness and contentment. We lived in an idyllic house in the suburbs close to…

Millions of people across the nation have money sitting in high-street savings accounts earning diddly-squat, often at 0.1% or less. Many of you are scared to move your money as you want safety. Yet there’s currently a way you can earn over 10 times that amount and it’s 100% safe. This is the worst time for savers I can remember. UK interest rates are 0.1% – the lowest in the Bank of England’s 325-year history. The only way to get a half-decent return is to become an active, disloyal, aggressive saver, shifting from best rate to best rate. So, CHECK NOW what your savings pay. Anything less than 1% likely needs sorting. Below are the top ways to save, at the time of writing, but for daily updated best buys…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr Hold your horses. Nothing is set in stone, and what may suddenly have taken an about-turn may well right itself before the end of the year. For your reading ☎ 09058 172557 TAURUS 21 Apr – 21 May Information could prove misleading right now, so before you press ‘send’ check the facts first and keep your options open. For your reading ☎ 09058 172558 GEMINI 22 May – 22 Jun If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck but isn’t behaving like a duck, then don’t assume it is. In fact, assume nothing at all. For your reading ☎ 09058 172559 CANCER 23 Jun – 23 Jul Mixed signals are always difficult to deal with, but if you go deep into your…

Window Swasher Stacey Solomon has a clever way of persuading beau Joe Swash to share the housework – she tells him how hot he looks when he’s cleaning the windows. Brilliant! Not sure it would work as well with putting the bins out, though. Moors magic I’m not surprised Channel 5’s Our Yorkshire Farm has been the highest-rated 9pm TV show. My first job was on the Yorkshire Evening Press reporting on farm life on the moors. I loved it. Driving through breathtaking scenery to chat to characters surrounded by animals. The biggest scandal I broke was the use of mascara on guinea pigs in the Great Yorkshire Show.…

They say blood is thicker than water, so perhaps that’s why Zara Tindall has always enjoyed a relationship with the Queen that former outsider, the Duchess of Sussex, could only dream of. According to royal author Duncan Larcombe, ‘The Queen and Zara have shown over the years that they’ve got a very special relationship’ – something Meghan has failed to achieve. With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex now distancing themselves from the family – having stepped down as senior royals earlier this year – Duncan believes Meghan could learn a thing or two from Harry’s cousin, who manages to live a relatively low-key life while leveraging her royal status… A CLOSE BOND As well as being the Queen’s eldest granddaughter, Zara shares her grandmother’s love of horses – a…

Before the pandemic, we’d never even heard of Zoom, let alone learned how to use it – and the Queen was no different. However, in June, during lockdown, she carried out her first-ever official video conference call, with some help from her daughter Princess Anne. Her Majesty has now got so adept at using the video-calling network, she’s carried out several virtual engagements and was even presented with a portrait over Zoom. But it’s not the first time the Queen has embraced technology, as she’s seen the advent of colour television, mobile phones, the internet and social media… THE FIRST TELEVISED CHRISTMAS SPEECH In her first televised Christmas Broadcast in 1957 – which was also the 25th anniversary of the first Christmas Broadcast on the radio – she spoke of…

CHRISHELL STAUSE, 39 Chrishell joined in Season One, with Christine threatening to make her sit on the floor until she proved herself. Actor Justin Hartley’s ex dubs herself ‘the smelly kid’ at school because her family lived without running water. MARY FITZGERALD, 39 Resented by the others for being the favourite, Mary used to date boss Jason. In Season Two, she married her toyboy French lover, Romain Bonnet, 27, and even managed to sell her wedding venue the same day. DAVINA POTRATZ, 30 As well as getting herself banned from Mary’s wedding for criticising her engagement ring, Christine’s partner-in-crime tried and failed to sell a $75m house in just three months. It’s still on the market – don’t all rush at once! MAYA VANDER, 32 Worth an estimated $1m, no-nonsense,…

‘I ENJOY MORE FREEDOM THAN EVER’ Jade Foster-Jerrett, 37, lives in Essex with her husband, Dean, 44, and her sons, Jacob, 14, and Matthew, seven. When I fell pregnant at 22, it was a shock, but I was madly in love with my boyfriend of nine months, and quickly got swept up in it all. Our son, Jacob, was born in December 2005, and we married the following summer. I threw my energy into being a wife and mother, staying in while my friends were out clubbing. They’d come over for coffee and, with a pang of jealousy, I’d listen to their stories about parties, girls’ holidays or festivals: they sounded so free. While I adored being Jacob’s mum, I had nothing to talk about but his toddler milestones. By…

PREMIUM CHOCOLATE BRAND GUITTARD HAS LAUNCHED ITS 31% COCOA MILK CHOCOLATE MAXI AND 63% COCOA EXTRA DARK CHOCOLATE CHIPS AT WAITROSE & PARTNERS. £4.99, 326G. OIL ALWAYS LOVE YOU This premium olive oil is made with sought-after Kalamata olives grown in Greece. These plump purple olives are grown exclusively in the mountainous Peloponnese region in the south, and give this oil a great, fresh and fruity flavour. This is certainly a bottle to savour. Use in salad dressing or for dipping bread. Odysea Greek Kalamata PDO Extra Virgin Olive Oil, £9, 750ml, Sainsbury’s. PIZZA THE ACTION Making pizza at home has never been easier! Start with a 12in plain or 12in sourdough Carlos Stonebaked Pizza Base, load it with a selection of your favourite toppings, bake and voila! Simple, cheap…

Scared to use the loo! Q Public toilets were all closed during the pandemic, and I have become anxious about using them! Sometimes needs must, what is the safest way to use one? Philippa says A Public toilets have lots of ‘hightouch’ areas – door and flush handles, taps and the seats – and lots of people touching these mean that there is a higher count of bacteria. IS THERE A CURE FOR TOURETTE’S YET? Q My son has Tourette’s syndrome and it has affected his ability to get a job and have relationships. Has any new treatment been developed? Philippa says A Tourette’s is a condition in which there are involuntary physical and vocal tics, and currently there is no medication for the condition. Researchers have developed a device…

Should I meet these violent men? Q Reading violent, true-crime stories really turns me on. My ex and I acted out these stories in bed, though always safely, but, since we parted in January, I’ve been chatting online to men who like real-life violence. That turns me on, too, though I haven’t yet felt safe enough to reveal my personal details. Now, though, as lockdown eases further, these men are suggesting we get together, but I’m hesitating. What do you think? Susan says A I think you’re absolutely right to hesitate. Play-acting violence when in bed with someone you love and trust may be a huge turn-on, but getting together with truly violent men you’ve met online is a really bad idea. Stop the online chat immediately, change your email…

The start of 2019 was horrible. My 84-year-old dad died from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in the January, and problems with paperwork prevented us from having his funeral until seven weeks later. My son, William, then 16, sat his GCSEs in the middle of bereavement, while I spent endless days sorting my dad’s possessions and making sure my mother had the care she needed. I was distraught and worn out, but Matilda, my nine-year-old West Highland white terrier, kept me going. While I hid my grief from my family, I’d constantly sob into Matilda’s fur. Every night, she’d snuggle next to me as I sat, wide-awake, running my dad’s final hours through my mind. So, that June, I took Matilda and William on holiday to Yorkshire. Our trip was…