Innholdsfortegnelse for 7-Aug-2023 i Woman

TIERED DRESSES This easy-breezy boho design lends itself to warm sunny days. Often cinched-in at the waist before skimming over your shape, the relaxed silhouette is comfy and flattering. Choose a neckline that works for you, whether that be a V-neck or square. FROM £12.50! BARDOT TOPS A summer saviour if you don’t like showing your arms, this retro shape offers the coverage while still flashing a bit of décolletage. If the top comes up cropped, pair with a high-waist skirt or pair of trousers to offset the shorter hem. WRAP SKIRTS Much like a trusty wrap dress, the wrap skirt makes an elegant and reliable addition to your wardrobe rotation. The self-tie belt highlights the waist, so team with a tucked-in tee or blouse to create a flattering hourglass…

My children are always going on about how ‘cool’ the 90s must have been. They seem to love the fashion, the music and how the hip-hop dance scene took off. But although I was a teen and then a young adult in the 90s, the 80s truly has my heart. I was born in 1977 and my childhood was in the 1980s. I have happy memories of roller boots, A-ha, Smash Hits magazine, recording the top 40 on a cassette tape and the excitement of microwave ready meals – a brand new phenomenon back then. ‘Think the 90s was cool?’ I told my kids, Alex, 14, and Adriana, nine. ‘You should have seen the 80s!’ And with that, I waved my magic wand and decided to take them back there…

Set up a garden kitchen Take al fresco dining up a notch with an open-air kitchen. It’ll save you trips indoors and out again while preparing food and drinks during BBQ evenings, so you can enjoy more time with guests. Even if space is limited, a simple potting bench can be transformed into a useful garden kitchen when stocked with napkins, cutlery, condiments, drinks and more. Make your own bar Decking is a great way to zone a room-like area. Position a high table, tuck in some high stools and style it up with drinks and party essentials to make your own outdoor bar. Hang festoon lights, bring in decorative planters and a rug, and use a screen to further enhance that room-like feeling. Style a lounge area A weatherproof…

MEL: ‘I HAVE TOURETTE’S’ Presenter Melanie Sykes has revealed she believes she has Tourette’s syndrome. The 52-year-old said, ‘I’ve just discovered I have Tourette’s. I am wired a completely different way.’ But Mel – who was diagnosed with autism in 2021 – later clarified that she hasn’t had an official diagnosis. ‘For the record, I have NOT been “diagnosed” with Tourette’s,’ she explained. ‘I self identify because of my studies and understanding of the pre-existing “conditions” that are hand in hand in some autistic people.’ Mel’s revelation comes after the release of her new book, Illuminated: Autism and All the Things I’ve Left Unsaid, of which she’s said, ‘Writing this book sometimes felt like I was performing open-heart surgery on myself, but I knew how necessary it was.’ Robbie’s body…

Refreshing face wash Aloe vera is one of the most soothing ingredients out there and this face wash is so worth investing in. Use Dr Organic Aloe Vera Face Wash, £7.49, Holland & Barrett, every morning to deeply cleanse and refresh your complexion. The calming formula is so effective on irritated and flushed skin, you’ll never want to be without it! It’s such a summer must-have. Miracle mist One of the easiest and most effective ways to cool your skin down is with a hydrating mist like Neutrogena Hydro Boost Express Hydrating Spray, £5.50, Ocado. Bursting with nourishing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, the mist will work hard to lock in moisture and keep skin supple and plump. Have it to hand for a cooling spritz on a hot day. Soothing…

Health and wellbeing Light evenings, fun-filled holidays and that feel-good vitamin D make the sunny season a firm favourite for Brits, but trying to sleep when it’s hot can sometimes take the joy out of this time of year. ‘Humid nights cause people to wake more frequently, reducing sleep quality and quantity,’ says Alison Jones, sleep expert at mattress brand Sealy. ‘Warm temperatures reduce the time spent in slow-wave sleep and REM sleep – the stages when the body does critical work to rejuvenate and restore itself.’ Menopausal? Those stifling nights can feel even worse. And this lack of restful sleep can result in moodiness and difficulty concentrating the next day. Optimal sleep temperature is 16-18C, while menopausal women would benefit from a room temperature of 12C, says Simba’s sleep…

The memory is etched in my mind forever. It was the summer of 1988, around 10pm. I was a junior newspaper executive – complete with huge 1980s hair, a power suit and permanent exhaustion – when a friend appeared. I was desperate for the paper to go to press, so I could head home to my gorgeous husband of four years. To my surprise, the friend gave me a huge hug and said, ‘Poor you, no wonder you’re devastated after what you’re going through.’ She added that she was glad I finally ‘knew’. ‘Knew what?’ I asked. ‘That your husband is having an affair. Everyone knows.’ Well, I didn’t until that moment. And it felt as if she’d unloaded both barrels of a sawn-off shotgun into my gut. After something…

Lemon thyme roast with garlicky butter beans Served with flavoursome beans rather than the usual roasties, this is warm-weather comfort food at its best. SERVES 4-5 PREP 20 MINS COOK 1 HR 35 MINS, PLUS RESTING ✱ 2tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped, plus a few sprigs✱ 2 lemons, zested, then halved✱ 30g butter, softened✱ 1.7kg whole chicken✱ 1tbsp olive oil✱ 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, rinsed and drained✱ 500ml chicken stock✱ 1 bay leaf✱ 1tsp Dijon mustard✱ 1 garlic bulb✱ 80g spinach✱ Toasted ciabatta, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 170C Fan/Gas 5. Mix 2tsp chopped thyme and zest of 1 lemon with the butter; season, rub under the chicken skin. Put a few sprigs of thyme and a lemon half into the cavity. Drizzle over oil, season.…

Puzzles and stars ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr A chapter’s closing on the home front. This could herald an ending or a new beginning. Maybe a change of location for some, others the end of a gestation period. For your reading ☎09058 172557 TAURUS 21 Apr – 21 May A change is as good as a rest, and you’re at a point where you’re ready to hand over the reins to someone else. At least for the time being. For your reading ☎09058 172558 GEMINI 22 May – 22 Jun Any long-term commitments made at this time should stand the test of time, but, on the other hand, you may be losing patience with an endeavour. Don’t give in, though. For your reading ☎09058 172559 CANCER 23 Jun –…

Ioan Gruffudd stars in The Reunion, a six-part ITV1 mystery drama set in the south of France, which was previously shown on ITVX. He plays novelist Thomas Degalais, who’s invited to a reunion at the school where he was a student in the 1990s. Once there, he reconnects with his friends to try and find out what happened on the night when fellow student Vinca Rockwell (Ivanna Sakhno) went missing… Here, the Welsh actor reveals more… What can you tell us about Thomas and his role in the story? He’s asked to come back to this reunion and, as a consequence of him returning to the south of France, the audience gets to see why he shouldn’t have come back. It’s revealed that there has been a murder in the…

Ruth Langsford has made no secret of the fact that the menopause has wreaked havoc with her health – weight gain, mood swings and insomnia to name just a few problems brought on by ‘the change’. But the latest health issue Ruth, 63, is facing is her hair thinning. Sharing a video of her new hair extensions being fitted, Ruth told her Instagram followers, ‘They’re called Keratin Bonds and they’re very small. I have them for volume… my hair has definitely thinned in menopause.’ It seems Ruth’s health is on her mind more than ever lately, as the Loose Women presenter has started up her exercise regime again and is back to prepping healthy meals. So has the enduring impact of the menopause inspired her latest health kick? ‘My hair…

Columnist HARRY AND MEGHAN SNUBBED BY THE PRESIDENT! Was I surprised to hear that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had tried to cadge a lift from London to America on Air Force One with President Biden after the Queen’s funeral? I’d love to say yes. But of course, I wasn’t. Despite ‘stepping back’ as working royals in 2020, Harry and Meghan apparently feel they are important enough to travel on the US President’s official plane – and weren’t afraid to ask. Unsurprisingly, the White House denied their request over fears it would upset the rest of the Royal Family. It would also have been hugely inappropriate. Harry and Meghan are now (supposedly) private citizens. That was the whole point of them ‘resigning’ from the Firm; so they could live…

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Columnist Tiny tweaks, BIG WINS Making changes for the benefit of our health or our body composition can sometimes seem, at first, a little formidable. We psych ourselves up, join the gym, buy the kit, read the books, get the T-shirt, rid our cupboards of crisps and go all out on project ‘New Healthy Me’. Then, after a few days of climbing, we realise ‘Mount Exciting’ has quickly become ‘Mount Daunting’ and we hastily retrace our steps and nestle back into the same old, same old. Women of the world, listen up, there’s nothing to fear. We really don’t need to aim for quick mind-blowing results. These are unrealistic and require a no-fun food and fitness regime, which doesn’t rub along that well with summer socialising. I’m not saying don’t…

WOMAN’S GP DR HELEN WALL ON HER TOPIC OF THE WEEK Do you know what’s particularly tricky for me as a GP? Getting a patient with zero symptoms to commit to daily medications to reduce their chances of future health problems. We all experience high blood pressure now and again as we respond to physical and emotional stressors, but what happens when it’s persistently raised, despite how relaxed or rested you are? Is it really that bad? Despite high blood pressure (BP) rarely causing symptoms, there’s no getting away from the fact that having persistently raised blood pressure (hypertension) significantly increases your risk of a heart attack, stroke and kidney problems, among other conditions. Shockingly, one in three UK adults is affected, and yet half remain untreated. I regularly liken…

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Best for… staying sweat free Craghoppers Dynamic Pro T-Shirt, £17.50, sizes 8-20, craghoppers.com The last thing you want when walking is to feel hot and clammy after a mile or two, so wearing the right kind of fabrics is key. This lightweight stretchy tee wicks sweat away, keeping you cool, and is made from recycled materials so you’re doing your bit for the planet. Best for… good hydration One Green Bottle Evolution 500ml Water Bottle, £15, amazon.co.uk The solution to staying hydrated is to keep your water bottle close to hand. With a flip-and-sip spout, this stainless steel bottle keeps drinks cold for up to 24 hours, thanks to its triple-walled insulation. Best for… active legs Seamfree Capri Performance Leggings, £7, sizes xxs-xl, Primark If you’ve not…

Columnist BLOOD ISN’T ALWAYS THICKER THAN WATER It’s taken 10 years to get there, but a burger-bar chef will finally inherit a £5m fortune left to him by an eccentric businessman. Sam Jones won the right to the legacy from David Turner’s estate despite the millionaire’s sister attempting to have her brother’s will nullified in the courts, so that it would automatically pass to her. This sister, it turns out, lives in Spain and didn’t get on with her sibling. The pair hadn’t actually spoken for nearly a decade, having been estranged since 2008, and David had expressly stated he didn’t want her to inherit any of his wealth. In contrast, the High Court heard, burger worker Sam first served David some food in 2000 and they’d bonded over a…