Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2026 i Platinum

Welcome to 2026! The year has barely begun and is already reminding us of one universal truth: change never clocks off. You’d think that by the so-called “third act” of our lives, things might steady a little. But whether it’s hormones, health, work, marriages, or the ever-shifting relationships with everyone around us, midlife seems less like a gentle glide and more like a lifelong game of Plot Twist! That’s why it’s comforting to read that there is a process: author of Another Door Opens, Eleanor Tweddell, gives us her five-step guide to navigating change (p80). Lisa Jackson writes movingly about the devastating loss of her husband and how running became her way of feeling, grieving and slowly finding her footing again (p38). But I believe, even when life doesn’t give…

Q What’s the biggest life lesson you’d share with your younger self? My younger self simply wouldn’t believe me if I told her how much her tastes would change in the years ahead. As a teenager, I used to teeter around in high heels, loved listening to music non-stop, wore very casual tops and jeans, and nightclubs were my happy place. Nowadays, I’m a flat boots or flip-flops woman, I never listen to music, my clothes are long, flowing and colourful, and if you tried to drag me into a nightclub, I’d dig my heels in like a dog outside the vet’s. Also, I was far too busy to bother with books back then, but now I’m a die-hard reader. Essentially, change is good! Q What keeps you up at…

Hello, Platinumistas! I’m feeling the love from all of you this month; a time to reconnect with our inner sensuality and sexiness – yes, you too. February always invites a little romance into our wardrobes, and this year, lace is leading the charge. Once reserved for special occasions or tucked inside lingerie drawers, lace has stepped boldly into the spotlight as one of the most wearable – and wonderfully ageless – trends of the season. Forget the idea that lace is only for the young or for date-night drama. Today’s lace is sexy, sassy and unabashedly feminine, offering endless ways to express confidence at any stage of life. Part of lace’s enduring allure is its contradiction: delicate yet daring, soft yet strong, timeless yet completely of-the-moment. Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s…

‘I tend to steer towards timeless, structured pieces in the autumn and winter months but like to be more flamboyant in the spring and summer, and wear more relaxed styles that are fluid and boho-inspired. Although I love to wear neutrals, I also adore colour and my favourites are pink and warm peach – colour does truly bring me joy!’ Get the look We love the timeless elegance of this look. The beautiful tailoring of the maxi coat creates a strong presence without being overly statement. Best bit is, it’s very easy to recreate, whilst most importantly keeping you warm and comfortable all season long. This look really illustrates how a coat can make your outfit. Patsy’s tips for midlife style confidence: 1 Try not to follow fashion trends: they…

Hello glossy, bouncy, touchable hair. This spring is all about lived-in yet refined styles that work with your hair type rather than against it, giving you maximum impact for minimal daily effort. Shine is the new status symbol, and every trend leans into movement, softness and hair you genuinely want to run your fingers through. Longer styles are channelling a modern hippie-cowgirl vibe with relaxed texture and effortless swish, while shorter cuts are embracing the “bixie” – that sweet spot where bob meets pixie. The wolf cut remains a favourite, updated for 2026 with softer, petal-like face-framing layers, feathered graduation and texture that can be adapted to suit every age, every face and every length. Colour is going beautifully seamless this year. Colour-melting techniques – those subtle shifts from one…

Here at Platinum, we are thrilled to welcome a new voice to our pages: poet, bestselling author and quiet revolutionary, Donna Ashworth. Loved for her rare mix of honesty, hope and emotional steadiness, Donna has become a guiding light for millions of us navigating the beautiful, bewildering complexities of midlife. By the time many of us reach our 40s and 50s, life can feel heavy. Hormones shift, teenagers stretch our emotional bandwidth, parents need more care, and the sense of having to keep every part of life afloat can leave us bone-tired. It’s easy to feel like dimming the lights and slipping quietly away to have a quick nap. (Just me?!) But Donna Ashworth? She chose the opposite. At 50, from her peaceful home in a small Scottish village and…

With the crisp chill of “proper” winter finally disappearing in the mists, I feel a subtle sense of renewal accompanying me into March. It’s the month when I decide to slowly re-engage with the world, open a window a little wider, and even shed a blanket layer from my bed. Not without trepidation I would add – Fool’s Spring, I know it’s you meddling with my brain fog. Yet, while these changes are gently explored, I still need my comforts and familiarities around me – textural touchpoints and a good book within arm’s reach if it all becomes too much. Hibernating is all well and good, but during these times, I really do rely on my home to lend a helping hand and support me as I get back onto…

If ever there was a month for staying in, shutting the door on the drizzle and letting the oven do the heavy lifting, this is it. Enter chef and TV favourite Theo Michaels, the master of making everyday tins feel like tiny treasure chests. His new book, The Kitchen Cupboard Chef, is a love letter to the humble can, jar and bottle, showing how a few clever shortcuts can turn ‘nothing in the house’ into something delicious. We’re sharing three absolute belters: a comfort-food-meets-brunch Corned Beef Shakshuka, the wildly simple, wildly satisfying Tray-Baked Spaghetti Puttanesca (yes, the spaghetti cooks in the tray), and a hearty Smoky Black Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes & Minted Yogurt that practically hugs you back. Proof, if you needed it, that staying in with your…

Eleanor Tweddell Founder of Another Door, an organisation helping people navigate redundancy with clarity, confidence and renewed purpose, Eleanor is passionate about turning life’s toughest endings into empowering new beginnings. Eleanor shares her compassionate, practical wisdom with readers this month – P80. Her latest book, Another Door Opens: 5 Steps for Navigating Change in Life and Work (£16.99, Blink Publishing), is out now. Lisa Jackson Hypnotherapist, marathon runner, Runner’s World columnist and bestselling author of Your Pace or Mine?, Lisa has completed more than 100 marathons – often smiling, occasionally last, always inspiring. Lisa brings motivation, resilience and humour to this issue in her story of running to overcome grief. P38 Donna Ashworth One of the UK’s most beloved contemporary poets, Donna is a seven-times Sunday Times bestselling author and…

THE SEVEN DAUGHTERS OF DUPREE by Nikesha Elise Williams (£18.99, Simon & Schuster) This novel is a sweeping epic that follows seven generations of Dupree women navigating life, love, loss and the golden rope of family bonds. The thing is, ropes can haul you up or tie you down. The stories are wonderfully raw, fierce and unforgettable. In 1995, 14-year-old Tati wants to know the identity of her father but the more she digs, the more she discovers her maternal ancestors are experts at keeping secrets. They’ve had to be to survive. The Seven Daughters of Dupree weaves together multiple stories showing extraordinary generational resilience. • If you want to be awed by female strength DARKROOMS by Rebecca Hannigan (£20, Little, Brown) Caitlin drifts from temporary jobs to temporary men,…

There was a time when I longed for a proper office. A packed stationery cupboard with all the highlighters and notebooks you could dream of, a “break-out area” with beanbags nobody ever sat on (thanks to the indignity of getting out of one), and a coffee shop downstairs that sold £4 flat whites and the promise of productivity. Today, though, to sit down and write anything, I first have to deep-clean the house, do three loads of laundry, dismantle and scrub two sink plugs (the inner yuck is strangely satisfying), clock 10,000 steps, lift some weights, coach five clients and exhaust the dog. Then – and only then – can I open my laptop. And, I’m not alone in this inability to sit still. Ursula, a friend in her 50s,…

I have been a GP for over 30 years and have seen some big changes in that time, not least, in the way we communicate with patients. When I first joined primary care, virtually all my communications were face to face, either in surgery or during a home visit. The pandemic fundamentally changed all that. We had to do as much as we could on a telephone or through a video call. Technology has also advanced, meaning many of my patients today have access to the NHS app and I have the facility to text my patients. Mostly, this has been a positive. It has allowed GPs to be more time efficient, and often, communicating remotely is more convenient for patients, but there are times when it can lead to…

Meet Tracy She’s turning 60 but still feels like she’s 40 and doesn’t want to get stuck ‘looking old’. STYLE CHALLENGE ‘My style is erratic and confused. I don’t know how to strike the right balance for my age and my energy. I lead an active lifestyle, my children are all grown up, and with my 60th birthday on the horizon, I want a look that’s bolder but not older,’ says Tracy [her words not mine, in case you’re wondering!]. ‘I want to look and feel confident in what I’m wearing.’ NICKY’S STYLE ASSESSMENT Tracy has a wonderful upbeat energy. She loves fashion, but it’s clear she doesn’t know what to wear for her age. As you know, I strongly believe age is irrelevant; it’s about choosing items and a…

DATING DILEMMA Jo Robinson-Haworth, 53, is a hypnotherapist and founder of The Happiness Club, which provides proactive daily mental health support. She lives in Merseyside and is three years post-separation after a long marriage. The last time she dated was in her 20s, and things have changed since then. ‘I’ve signed up to Bumble, Hinge, Match, gone to a speed-dating night and had a couple of dates,’ says Jo. ‘But honestly, I find it all a bit of a faff.’ ‘With two teenage girls, a thriving practice in The Happiness Club, and perimenopause symptoms hitting hard, dating feels like one more thing on an already too long to-do list. ‘I practise what I preach and protect my mental health. If anything feels like it isn’t serving me or is making…

I turned 50 this year and threw my arms wide. Not for a facelift or a sports car, but for the sheer privilege of still being here. My mum died at 59 from breast cancer. When you have that fact stitched into your history, age stops being something to hide and becomes something to celebrate, loudly, with cake, confetti and possibly a quick dunk in the Atlantic. I grew up in West Cornwall and, truthfully, I never wandered far. After Falmouth College of Art, I started out illustrating children’s books for a New York agency from a tiny studio in Penzance. Glam on paper, grim in practice. The isolation didn’t suit me. I missed the hum of people, ideas passing like electricity from hand to hand. So, I left the…

As a therapist, if I were to ask you what my bread and butter is, you might say ‘talking’ or ‘conversation’ or ‘words’ (or you might well say ‘bread and butter’ given the nature of this column). While it’s true that therapy was originally called ‘the talking cure’, people often ask how just talking can help someone to get better? Naturally when I answer this I use a foodie analogy, specifically a baking one: when you bake something, you take those raw ingredients of flour, sugar, eggs etc, and ta-da, by the end they are transformed into something completely different, such as a springy sponge cake or a crisp biscuit. It’s a similar process when it comes to talking about your feelings. In therapy, when you put your emotional experiences…

Noted & noteworthy March’s Nature Marker: The first bold buds Look closely this month and you’ll spot them: the brave little buds that appear before we’re fully convinced winter is done. Blackthorn blossom, early magnolia, catkins shaking out their colour. March has a way of nudging the landscape awake – a soft signal that the season is beginning to turn, even if the skies say otherwise. What’s On: March Almanac This month’s Almanac brings you everything worth seeing, reading, listening to and wandering towards: standout theatre, a fresh twist from the Bridgertons, uplifting cinema, brilliant podcasts, compelling books and small adventures that brighten the days. It’s your companion to a month that encourages gentle forward motion. LIFE-LONG ROMANCE Hugh Bonneville returns to the West End in William Nicholson’s play Shadowlands.…

Fresh & casual A green gingham blouse brings a cheerful pop of colour to classic straight-leg jeans, for an effortless yet put-together look. The smocked neckline and cuffs add soft structure, balancing the clean lines of the denim. Finish with retro trainers for comfort and a touch of sporty charm. Modern utility This look gives straight-leg jeans a sleek, contemporary edge. The vibrant yellow utility-style top brings instant energy, while the tailored camel coat adds structure and polish. Together they strike the perfect balance between bold colour and timeless sophistication. Colourful chic A vibrant pink tweed jacket instantly elevates straight-leg jeans, creating a look that’s both playful and refined. The clean lines and dark tone of the denim anchor the bold colour, while the red slingback flats tie the outfit…

Whenever I ask people which cosmetic treatment they’d never consider, lip fillers almost always top the list. The media’s obsession with the infamous “trout pout” has left many women running a mile at the mere suggestion of lip work for fear of ending up with a similarly distorted fate. I was one of them. But, let’s be honest, things have changed dramatically since the days of Lesley Ash’s collagen lip implants in the early 2000s. Today’s treatments use hyaluronic acid, a substance naturally found in the skin, to gently plump, hydrate and contour, giving results that are far more natural. So why are we still so afraid? ‘The problem isn’t the treatment itself,’ says Dr Stefanie Williams, dermatologist and medical director of Harley Street clinic Eudelo. ‘It’s poor judgement and…

Last month, I admitted something uncomfortable: I don’t really trust myself with money and I’m not sure I ever have. So this month, I committed to 30 days of EFT tapping. EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique – involves tapping acupressure points on and around your face, hand and upper body while repeating words and phrases that relate to the emotional or physical issue you want to work on, and the theory is that it unblocks negative beliefs. Research indicates EFT can reduce stress hormones like cortisol, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and improve symptoms of various psychological and physiological conditions. Anecdotally, people swear by it to create mindset changes, improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety. I got the ball rolling with a session with my friend – and…

There comes a point, usually somewhere between the last kid leaving home and the first pension leaflet appearing in the post, when many women pause and quietly ask themselves, ‘Is this it? What’s next for me?’ Maybe it’s a restless feeling of things unfinished, or a yearning to finally fulfil one of your life’s passions. You might push it away, but still that voice sneaks in, maybe in the shower or when you’re walking the dog. Don’t push away the thought. Because, for a growing number of women in their midlife renaissance, that quiet curiosity becomes the spark to start a business, either for the first or millionth time in your life. Spoiler alert: it’s not too late and you’re the perfect age, but I deeply understand if the idea…

In a new relationship it seems unthinkable. To have separate bedrooms, that is. Surely that’s just for the royal family or couples who are sticking together only to avoid the administrative horror of divorce? That’s what I used to think. Now, though, I get it. All that space in which to stretch out and luxuriate! Who wouldn’t want that? Why didn’t I fully appreciate it, back in my single days? Because – and it shames me to admit this – I came of age in the era when having a boyfriend was everything. I blame Jackie magazine for warping my brain. This is a bit rich as, after leaving school, I landed a job on the very magazine that had been my teenage bible. However, there’s no avoiding the fact…