Innholdsfortegnelse for December 9, 2020 i Stylist

“Together, we made it through” So here we are: December. Like you, I have no idea how we got here. We’re at the end of the most unpredictable and life-altering year most of us have ever known. Looking back, January Me was young and naive. I had holidays booked, career goals, dates set in stone to see family and friends. But December Me knows better. I am older (by way more than 12 months, it feels), wiser, more adaptable and increasingly bored of my own face thanks to my new-found routine of shouting at people on a laptop all day long. January Me can’t even begin to comprehend what December Me has been through. And yet, here we are. Without doubt, this December will be a time of reflection for…

events the charity pop-ups encouraging kindness There are plenty of opportunities to spread positivity this yuletide The weeks following Christmas are always a bit surreal, and without the usual whirl of friends and family this year, the big question is: what are we going to do with ourselves? Well, fortunately there’s a whole host of positive, practical and innovative charity pop-ups and initiatives on the horizon. In London, Paddington Central is raising money for neighbouring NHS teams at St Mary’s hospital with outdoor rainbow-inspired art installations and touchless donation points. Plus, they’re running a kindness-inspired social campaign – by tagging someone who has supported you in 2020, you could win a night out at a local bar or restaurant such as London Shell Co, Vagabond Wines, Beany Green or Pergola.…

good news from around the world A chance TO THRIVE bangladesh For the first time in the country’s history, Bangladesh has opened the doors to an Islamic college for transgender Muslims in the city’s capital of Dhaka. Named Dawatul Quran Third Gender Madrasa college, up to 150 transgender students who have been shunned from attending regular school because of their identity can now receive an education without stigma. “I’ve stepped into a madrasa again after so many years. It’s a moment of immense joy for me,” says 27-year old transgender woman and student of the college, Nishi, who was expelled from her school once teachers found out about her gender identity. “I want to learn something before entering the job market.” Students are taught a mix of technical subjects alongside…

“Going out is great, but getting ready is better” words: billie bhatia Earlier in the year, I wrote about how much I miss going out. It hurts my heart to think of the sweaty converging of bodies on a dance floor, feet sticking to beer-soaked linoleum, head thrown back and arms reaching up in salute to the god of hedonism. Every time a club banger comes on the radio, I can feel my faceturn into a sad pout (I know, another pound in the brat jar). One quick glance at my news app – and my empty calendar – is all the reminder I need that a night out as we’d previously known it isn’t on the agenda this Christmas. But all is not lost. As any out-out reveller will…

THE NEWS, FORMULAS AND TRENDS TO BOOST YOUR BEAUTY IQ 1. merry and bright Christmas is a-coming and usually there would only be one suitable nail colour: deep red. But 2020 is a year like no other, so we’re going rogue. Inspired by the a/w 2020 Ashish catwalk, bright orange is the colour of the season and we’re here for it. Paint two layers of Nails Inc. NailPure Varnish in Womanger, £15, and finish with a high-gloss top coat for a simple, chic addition to your festive pyjamas. 2. inclusive essentials The latest addition to Kohl Kreatives’ upcycled range is the Feast Your Eyes Kit, £48, a collection of six inclusive make-up brushes. Cuboid in shape so they don’t roll away, they’re designed for people with motor and visual disabilities.…

address: 1-5 Portpool Lane, London EC1N 7UUEmail: firstname.lastname@stylist.co.uk editorial Editor-in-Chief Lisa Smosarski Executive Editor, Print Tracy Ramsden Creative Director Matt Phare Acting Deputy Editor Francesca Brown Editor-at-Large Alix Walker Editorial Assistant Kiran Meeda Photography + Design Photography & Specials Director Tom Gormer Designer Megan Glynn Fashion Fashion Director-at-Large Arabella Greenhill Executive Fashion Director Kitty McGee Fashion Editor Polly Knight Fashion Features Editor Billie Bhatia beauty Beauty Director Shannon Peter Beauty Editor Lucy Partington Senior Beauty Writer Hanna Ibraheem features Entertainment Director Helen Bownass Features Director Lisa Harvey Features Writer Hannah Keegan Travel Editor Lizzie Pook Production Production Editor Amy Davies-Adams Deputy Production Editor and Food Editor (on maternity leave) Jenny Tregoning Sub Editor Meena Alexander Stylist Loves Email Content Director Gemma Crisp Deputy Editor and Contributing Women’s Editor Moya Crockett…

lifestyle lockdown lessons from gemma chan The actor and new global spokesperson for L’Oréal Paris on the small joys that got her through 2020 Watching birds “I spent most of lockdown in the city and for the very first time, birds actually came to the balcony. I got a bird feeder and read a load of blogs and learnt that if you introduce more plants and move the bird feeder around, more birds will come. It was amazing. So many birds I’d never seen out there, like coal tits, great tits, robins and sparrows, started showing up. I’ve loved watching them every day. It’s been such a refuge.” Rolling away tension “At the beginning of lockdown I stopped wearing make-up, brushing my hair and plucking my eyebrows. But I…

culture The pandemic art project that’s sharing the love The woman behind Lockdown Love Stories shares some of her favourite tales It’s no secret the pandemic has thrown a spanner in the works for relationships. Philippa Found, an artist and writer from London, decided to chart the emotional impact by collecting strangers’ anecdotes for her online project, Lockdown Love Stories. “During lockdown, attention was thrown onto our relationships,” she says. “I thought, whatever happens, there’s going to be a massive shift, and I wanted to tell those real life stories.” Found took her daughter’s chalk to the parks of northwest London on her daily walks in May, directing people to her website to submit their stories anonymously. Today she’s received 500 submissions from as far as Australia and recently collaborated…

A one-day diary from morning latte to lights out Rebekah Chol, Gift wrapper Rebekah Chol, 40, is a professional gift wrapper. She lives in west London with her sister My alarm goes off… At 5am, but I hit snooze a few times. Once I’m up, I do breathing exercises: it’s called the Wim Hof method, it helps me feel calm no matter how much I have going on. Then I’ll eat a grapefruit or avocado toast and start work in my living room at 9am. Pre-pandemic, I often worked in client’s homes or at stores such as Chloé or Harrods. I’m responsible for… Ensuring my clients are happy with each gift-wrapping project. This means collaborating on design, presenting ideas and essentially making sure I’m the person they come back…

for more recipes head to stylist.co.uk/food Make a festive fig filo tart with brandy cream When it comes to desserts at this time of year, we like to spend more time eating and less time cooking – so naturally we took to this beautifully vibrant fig filo tart dreamt up by Danish chef Trine Hahnemann, which is all pleasure and very little business. The sliced figs add a festive feel, and baked on a bed of honey they are the perfect caramelised complement to the crunchy filo pastry. Our only tip? Make sure you buy figs that are as dark, plump and soft as possible to ensure maximum juiciness, as they don’t ripen any further once they’re picked. Quite clearly, though, both the figs and filo pastry base are just…

games the return of the humble board game Make like The Queen’s Gambit and choose screen-free fun this Christmas BEST FOR: FAMILIES who LOVE TO bicker In Monopoly: Cheaters Edition, breaking and bending the rules is actually part of the game – and if you ‘go to jail’ you’ll get physically locked up with the handcuffs provided (£18, amazon.co.uk). BEST FOR: FANS OF THE CUBE Beat That! contains 160 dexterity-based challenges, and you have to bet on how well you’ll do before taking it in turns to compete. Be prepared to bounce, hop and catapult… (£24.99, johnlewis.co.uk). BEST FOR: CAUSING CHAOS AT THE TABLE This new version of Connect 4 has the same rules as you’ll remember, except this time it involves throwing coloured balls as quickly as you can…

technology Get outdoors with these clever Fitness trackers There’s a bit of tech for everything from mindful walks to city cycling Boost your mental wellness Swerve the comedown after the festivities with the Fitbit Sense, which tracks mental wellness via your heart rate, exertion balance and sleep. It also has its own mindfulness apps to help you wind down on walks (£299, fitbit.com). give your dog a workout Set up the Pawfit 2 to match your dog’s breed, weight and age and it’ll set them goals to keep them in peak fitness. It tracks distance, steps and rest – plus it has GPS, so no more panics when your pup bolts off after ducks (£54.99, pawfit.com). Hit the road on two wheels The Garmin Edge 130 Plus is the peddle-ometer…

splash out surrender to the healing waters of the peaks Stylist’s Francesca Brown heads to the Peak District to enjoy the old-school charm of a supremely soothing revamped spa “Everything is hard outside, this should be an escape,” says a member of the Ensana Buxton Crescent team as we arrive dripping with Derbyshire drizzle. Reader, I could not have put it better; this new hotel, on the fringes of the Peak District, is the antidote to 2020 – even the curve of the building feels like a hug. So, when my spa mate and I arrive tired and discombobulated on a dark Friday night, masks on, we are given the warmest of welcomes and ushered to our suite complete with claw-foot bath and four-poster bed, where we slump contentedly into…

Testing beauty’s latest looks has Dior made headscarves this season’s must-have? Shannon Peter, Stylist’s beauty director, says: Ooh, this Dior scarf is fancy! It’s just a shame that I had to tie it around my head. Of course I love the chic and retro vibe the stylists were angling for backstage at the show, but on me? The scarf flattens my hair so much that the silhouette of my head looks unnervingly round, it would look much better tied cutely round my neck or artfully balanced over my shoulders. It does have one saving grace though: it can cover days-old greasy roots. Handy. Hanna Ibraheem, Stylist’s senior beauty writer, says: As somebody who is struggling with constantly greasy hair while spending more time at home (anybody else?), this bandana comes…

THE MEANING OF LIFE IN 22 PROBING QUESTIONS Maya Jama What will the television and radio presenter make of our existential questions? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE? To make as much impact around you, as positively as you can, by being a light and spreading niceness. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG? In my mind, when it comes to being wrong I always see situations from the perspective of: I’d never do to someone what I wouldn’t want done to me. WHERE IS YOUR HAPPY PLACE? In bed with my covers and duvets. NATURE OR NURTURE? With sexuality, you’re born with it. But if you come from a different background to someone who’s had a sheltered upbringing, you’re going to be completely different, so it’s a blend…