Innholdsfortegnelse for 20-Dec-2021 i Woman

Something borrowed, something new, something...rented? Unlike celebrities, most of us can’t afford designer clothes for every occasion, or to rotate our wardrobes so we’re never seen in the same dress twice. Yet, thanks to an increasing number of high-street stores turning to rental as well as retail, we could all glide through party season in high fashion for a fraction of the price. As the trend for renting outfits gathers pace, fast fashion – buying cheap clothing we replace regularly – may have had its day. M&S recently announced a rental collection for as little as £13 for four days. Not only is this good for our pockets and fashion credentials, it’s a huge benefit to the environment. According to a 2019 environmental report, £140m worth of clothes get sent…

7-25: You’re a Christmas crumbler You go to pieces easily. This may be because you didn’t learn effective coping strategies growing up, or you don’t have support networks in place. SURVIVE CHRISTMAS – Keep calm ‘You’ll think more clearly,’ says John Lees, author of Secrets Of Resilient People (£8.99, Teach Yourself). Go for a 10-minute walk to clear your head. – Believe in yourself ‘Visualise doing things you find hard,’ says John. – Box up worries ‘Worrying is counter-productive,’ says John. ‘Think of the worst-case scenario – then put it to one side.’ 26-44: Phew, you’re a festive fighter You take a very practical approach to problems. To outsiders, you cope well – but you could be storing up stress. SURVIVE CHRISTMAS – Start talking People with stamina to survive…

If you tend to ‘wolf’ down your food, you might want to try these tips to take things a little slower... ✱ EAT MORE COURSES It might seem counterproductive, but it can help you eat more slowly and therefore eat less. ‘Starting your meal with a salad containing bitter foods such as rocket, watercress or chicory, helps to stimulate your digestive enzymes, which improves your digestion,’ says Kirsten. ‘You will also start to fill up with the nutrient-rich salad and, in turn, eat less at your main course, which is often more calorific.’ ✱ WATER FIRST Sip a glass of water about 20 minutes before your meal and another one during to help slow you down. ✱ COUNT AS YOU EAT Aim to chew each mouthful 20 times. This might…

‘IT WAS HARD TO FEEL CONFIDENT’ Andri Benson, 47, a wedding planner, lives in London with her husband Ed, 45, and son Lysander, 15. Growing up, I never felt cool or popular enough because of my height. At 4ft 11in, my friends were much taller than me. I remember this horrible feeling of just not fitting in and feeling left out. I come from a short family – my mum Maroulla, 73, is 5ft, and my dad Stavros, 78, is 5ft 5in. So although it was the norm at home, it was hard in the outside world to feel confident. At university, I’d try to order a drink at the bar on nights out and be completely ignored. People often didn’t see me, which affected how I saw myself. ‘I…

HOLLY’S SHOCK CONFESSION Ever wondered how to rock nipple tassels? Well, notorious good girl Holly Willoughby has the answer, leaving co-star Phillip Schofield, guest Vanessa Feltz and fans in hysterics. In a cheeky confession the 40-year-old revealed the trick to spinning the adornments: ‘You have to move your feet up and down.’ If you say so, Holly! PET OF THE WEEK How cute do Amanda Holden and her pooch look in their festive get-up? *Immediately adds matching Christmas jumpers to shopping cart* Coleen takes joke too far? Coleen Nolan has often talked of her flirtation with Ruth Langsford’s husband Eamonn Holmes, but has the Loose Women star gone one step too far this time? Ruth branded Coleen a ‘former friend’, hinting that she was cutting ties with her fellow panellist,…

WILL MEGHAN LEAVE HARRY BEHIND? Far from walking in Harry’s shadow, Meghan is now basking in the limelight of her new-found fame and fortune. But there are signs the former actor is emerging as the dominant force within the hugely successful Sussex brand. When the pair attended a black-tie dinner earlier this month, it was Meghan’s name ahead of her husband’s on the invitation – an unthinkable break with royal protocol. Then there was her much talked-about solo appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show – a chance to portray herself as funny and down-to-earth. Harry was at home with the children. There are increasing signs the Duchess of Sussex may well have political ambitions of her own. In the run-up to Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2018, I was invited…

To buy £69 To rent From £13 With its cinched-in waist and floaty feel, this festive party midi dress (right) from M&S is effortlessly stylish. It’s sure to give you star appeal at any party. To buy £79 To rent From £15 This £79 silk-woven velvet top (right) is £15 for four days, £22 for 10 days, or £25 for 30 days. But will you want to part with it? To buy £69 To rent From £13 Want the full outfit? This matching elegant satin wrap skirt (far right) is from the M&S X Ghost collaboration. Just drop it at a post office on the last day of your rental and you don’t even need to wash it. To buy £89 To rent From £16 Thanks to its stylish fit…

The pelvic floor. We’ve all heard of it, and we know we should exercise it, but we don’t necessarily know what it is, why we should do it, or even how to! In fact, fewer than one in five women exercise their pelvic floor muscles daily. But this is, hopefully, going to change as the latest draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has said that teaching about the pelvic floor should be part of the national curriculum in secondary schools. While we can’t see the pelvic floor, it’s still important. It’s a hammock of muscles in the pelvis, which stretches from the pubic bone at the front to the coccyx at the back and from side to side. The pelvic floor supports the organs…

The older I get, the younger my mother’s age of death seems. My mum Piari was 62 when she died of womb cancer on Christmas Eve 2014 – four days after my 40th birthday. I am now 46 and, since then, I’ve learnt that you can’t predict how certain events in your life will shape your future. My mother’s parents were old when they died. We would go to my grandparents’ house, which was local to us, and do things that you’d expect to do with grandparents; we’d have tea and cake, talk about old family memories and laugh and joke. And if it was the weekend, we’d stay for dinner. I thought I’d have the same with my own mother. I assumed she would be old when she died…

Gingerbread Biscoff Drip Cake A feast for all your senses, this is a fantastic alternative for those who don’t like fruit cake. SERVES 16 PREP 40 MINS COOK 20 MINS ✱ 175g butter, diced ✱ 150g dark muscovado sugar ✱ 3tbsp black treacle ✱ 150ml milk ✱ 225g plain flour, sifted ✱ 1tbsp ground ginger ✱ 1tsp bicarbonate of soda ✱ 2 eggs, beaten For the frosting: ✱ 2 x 180g tubs cream cheese ✱ 400g Lotus Biscoff Spread ✱ 210g jar Wilkin & Sons Ltd Tiptree Salted Caramel Spread ✱ McVitie’s Mini Gingerbread Men biscuits, to decorate You will need: ✱ 5 x 15cm tins (we used Wilton Easy Layer 15cm Cake Pan Set, from Lakeland), greased and base lined ✱ Piping bag, fitted with a large star nozzle…

Romesh Ranganathan hosts the return of quiz show The Weakest Link, which is back for a new series and a festive special. Here, he talks about taking over the reins from former host Anne Robinson, celebrity guests in fancy dress and Christmas! What will you be bringing to the show as the new host of The Weakest Link? I think Anne was great as the host and she was the reason why the show was so massive. She added her own flavour to it and what she did was brilliant, but I’ll be doing it my own way. I’ll be bringing a comic element to it in terms of how I interact with the contestants. I am a comedian by nature so that is what I am going to be…

The Memory Box by Kathryn Hughes (£7.99, Headline, PB) Jenny Tanner, aged 100, opens a box of cherished mementos, including a newspaper clipping, and knows it’s time to make a trip to a mountainside village in Italy and lay the past to rest. Going with her as chaperone is Candice, her devoted carer, who has ambitions, but needs to face some truths before she moves on with her life. It’s the start of an unlikely friendship... Hughes a storyteller and this is a spellbinding tale. For more books information, see goodtoknow.co.uk/books On a Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk (£14.99, HarperCollins, HB) Who better to serve up a delicious, escapist romance than best-selling author Kelk? Fran is in a relationship and knows exactly what path she’s taking – until she’s…

After 35 years, theirs is one of the most solid marriages in showbusiness, surviving both the highs and lows of the spotlight, while remaining king and queen of daytime telly. But now that Richard Madeley’s star is on the rise again, with his new role on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and his short stint on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…, it would seem that his late-in-life renaissance has put him at a crossroads with wife Judy Finnigan. Quiet and bookish away from the camera, Judy, 73, prefers life in the slow lane, focusing on her passion for writing and spending time with her family. ‘She’s keen to leave London’ After more than 40 years at the helm in the cut-throat world of television, Judy recently revealed that her struggle with the…

BLING IT ON There’s never been a better time to embrace sartorial extravagance, so we’re ripping up the rule book and declaring more is more. Don’t be afraid to adorn yourself in head-to-toe sparkles and top off your sequinned party frock with some shoulder-grazing earrings. The perfect finishing touch to any look, a pair of glitzy earrings will jazz up the simplest of outfits, proving you’ll get plenty of wear out of them on New Year’s Eve and beyond. 2022, we’re ready for you.…

Master a blow-dry Nothing makes you feel more glamorous than a beautiful blow-dry. It also happens to be one of the trickie t tasks to master. In fact, searches for ‘how to do a bouncy blow-dry’ have increased by 500%, according to recent Google trend data*. Luckily, we’ve got a few fail-safe hacks to achieve body and bounce. Prep damp hair with Redken Quick Blowout Accelerated Blow-Dry Heat Protection Spray, £20.50, lookfantastic.com, which defends against heat damage and speeds up drying time. Blast hair until it’s around 80% dry then use the Babyliss Hydro-Fusion Air Styler, £60, Boots, to finish. This rotating hot air brush is like a professional hairstylist at your fingertips. It’s an easy way to add volume and keep things smooth, just like in the salon. Sleek…

1 It’s Christmas morning, the oven has broken and your guests are due soon. What do you do? A Cry. You’re terrified about what else can go wrong. B Your neighbours are away but left you their keys – you’ll use their oven. C Laugh. Takeaway it is, then. 2 Your son tells you he won’t be coming for Christmas – he’s taking the grandkids skiing. What do you do? A Say it’s OK, but feel devastated. B Beg him not to – Christmas is about family. C Use it as an opportunity to go away yourself. 3 Your brother arrives with his new girlfriend and her kids in tow. You didn’t expect extra guests. How do you react? A Tell him that they have to leave. B Get the…

How can I cut the cost of my food bill at Christmas? QI love Christmas but it’s notoriously expensive. This year, my hours have been cut so money is tight. How can I make sure I don’t overspend on food? FAITH SAYS A Christmas can still taste great without spending a fortune. Start by working out how many people you need to feed – don’t get saddled with a 10-ton turkey if you are only feeding four. By jotting down a meal plan, you’re less likely to panic buy the cheese aisle. Consider making a main meal of, for example, gammon, red cabbage and mince pies on Christmas Eve, rather than serving them as side dishes on the big day. Swap to own brands, discount supermarkets and a frozen rather…

As we couldn’t really party last New Year’s Eve, we have the perfect excuse to pull out all the stops this year. Whether you favour sleek silver or glamorous gold, there are plenty of gorgeously glitzy buys to help you celebrate in style, including disco ball decorations and glitter garlands. Go all out with your cocktail kit, from shot glasses and vintage-style coupes to the must-have bar cart – and a luxe-look clock will help count you down to midnight!…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr Tis the season to be jolly and bright, but not to overspend and overindulge – especially at the weekend. Minor infractions should be overcome with good humour. For your reading ☎09058 172557 TAURUS 21 Apr – 21 May Getting away for Christmas could be on the agenda this year, but if you’re travelling on Sunday, leave early and anticipate a delay. Impulse gestures are not advised. For your reading ☎09058 172558 GEMINI 22 May – 22 Jun The only full moon in Gemini this year (19th) inspires closure and completion. A job done, a chapter ended. The steps you take thereafter head you into new territory. For your reading ☎09058 172559 CANCER 23 Jun – 23 Jul Sometimes you have to go backwards to…

Don’t Look Up NETFLIX Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence star as low-level astronomers Dr Randall Mindy and Kate Dibiasky, who discover that a comet is on a collision course with Earth. The starry cast also includes Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett and Timothée Chalamet! Emily in Paris NETFLIX Lily Collins is back for a second season playing American marketing executive Emily, who’s still as clueless as ever about life in France. But she faces some tough choices this time, especially where potential love interest Gabriel (Lucas Bravo) is concerned.…

Best… shorts The Highlight Short, £65, sizes xs-xl, heist-studios.com An enduring bestseller, these shorts come in three different shades of nude. They feature patented HeroPanels, cleverly positioned to smooth the stomach, sculpt thighs, and lift the bum. The shorts offer firm compression where needed, thanks to the nonrestrictive, sweat-wicking fabric. Best... bodysuit True Shape Sensation Bodysuit, £62, sizes 34B-42DD, uk.triumph.com Featuring a built-in bra and peek-a-boo mesh panelling, this bodysuit makes shapewear feel sexy. Creating nice, clean lines beneath clothes, it’s easily camouflaged under the slinkiest of dresses. Be careful with the sizing as it works by bra sizes. Best... for all occasions Suit Your Fancy Plunge Low-Back Mid-Thigh Bodysuit, £132, sizes xs-xl, spanx.com This is serious shapewear – it holds in the tummy, hones thighs and lifts the bust…