Amber Tamblyn has become one of the major voices for women looking to navigate their way through this long-overdue #MeToo era. However, men have turned to the actress for advice as well. In an interview with BuzzFeed, Tamblyn spoke about a conversation she had with director Quentin Tarantino immediately following the initial Harvey Weinstein accusations were printed in the New York Times in early October. Tarantino was a long time friend of Weinstein, who now had to reckon with the (now over 80) public allegations of sexual misconduct against the producer from actresses, models, and other women in the industry. Weinstein denies all accusations of nonconsensual sex.
"I very much made a pointed effort," Tamblyn told BuzzFeed about how she handled the situation, later adding that she "more or less told him what I would tell any man, which is to own the way in which you were complicit in this. Own your complacency. Say it."
This conversation ultimately inspired the director to release a statement through Tamblyn's social media, which he later expanded upon in an interview with The New York Times in which he admitted being aware of allegations against Weinstein.
"I’m calling on the other guys who knew more to not be scared," he said. "Don’t just give out statements. Acknowledge that there was something rotten in Denmark. Vow to do better by our sisters."
"It was just sort of about helping him get there," Tamblyn continued in conversation with BuzzFeed. "I feel like that would be the title of my memoir someday: Helping Them Get There: The Story of Men."
All jokes aside, Tamblyn's willingness to educate Tarantino on how to respond to this subject sets a guideline for well-intentioned men everywhere who want to participate in the conversation but may be unsure how. We've seen our fair share of gaffs, but it's heartening to know that frank and honest conversations between men and women do lead to change. Now we just need to have about a million more.
Just because a TV show has been running for years and been running for years, it doesn't mean it's necessarily any good (naming no names, Desperate Housewives, Two and a Half Men, 24, The Big Bang Theory, we could go on).
But some shows do manage to consistently pull it out the bag, producing compelling episodes season after season, year after year.
Review aggregator Metacritic has ranked the best seasons of the most critically acclaimed series ever made, based on a combination of their critical reception and audience scores, as reported by Business Insider. How many have you seen?
The top 50 most critically acclaimed TV-show seasons ever made
Most people who live in London don't take advantage of living in one of the most diverse and exciting cities in the world. And sure, often that's because things are just too expensive. But if you find yourself spending each weekend in the same pub, getting takeaway from the same place, then perhaps you could do with branching out, just a little.
Supper clubs are a really great way to do this. For starters, you have no idea who you'll be sharing a meal with. They are a fantastic place to meet new people. Fingers crossed (in a nice way) that you're seated next to someone outside your bubble – someone older, with different views on life, someone who could open your eyes to a different approach to living. Secondly, the food is always stunning. What maniac would start a supper club if they didn't have huge confidence in cooking for strangers? Thirdly, they're nearly always held in places you wouldn't usually get access to: other people's homes, abandoned Tube trains, secret locations... Wherever they are, it's probably somewhere cool enough to whet your nosey appetite.
Click through to find out our favourites...
The Literary Hour
If you want your food with a fictional twist, take a look at The Literary Hour, a novel-themed supper club that draws ideas for themes from some of your favourite books. Coming up, they've got Around The World In 80 Days, which should give the chefs plenty of global inspiration. Past events have been called A Banquet In Toad Hall, Sherlock Holmes and the Scandalous Supper Club, and A (Brothers) Grimm Supper.
The Literary Hour's Around The World In 80 Days, 15th Feb-4th March. Zone 2. Click here for more information.
Secret Sunday Lunch Club
With news that the humble Sunday roast is dying out, show your support by heading along to the long-running Secret Sunday Lunch Club in Notting Hill, which was born after a bunch of hungover friends failed to find the roast they desired at their local pub.
Now it's grown into a twice-monthly event and welcomes couples, friends and singles looking to have a lovely afternoon (and maybe stave off that hangover).
The Secret Sunday Lunch Club's Proper Sunday Lunch, various dates. Notting Hill. Click here for more information.
Basement Galley
Head here for a two-fingers-up to everyone who's ever tutted at you for eating your dinner on the Tube. This supper club is actually set in an old Tube carriage (decommissioned, obvs) in Walthamstow. They also hold a couple of events in Leytonstone under the name Elmore Jam (Elmore is currently on tour around London).
Basement Galley Underground Supper Club and Elmore Jam, Walthamstow and Leytonstone. Click here for more information.
Everything But The Ham
A supper club that makes you think, Everything But The Ham is a pop-up experiential dining company that aims to raise awareness and money for specific causes and leave you feeling "satisfied and puzzled" at the same time.
Their next event is called Love and Conflict and is a collab between EBTH's Palestinian-inspired chef from Gaza and a conceptual artist from Leeds. Inspired by the love and conflict elements of Romeo & Juliet and how they relate to modern-day Gaza, this event is raising money for Love Palestine by PennyAppeal.org.
Love & Conflict from Everything But The Ham, Feb 22. More information here.
Passports & Spices
Jorge Baumhauer da Silva used to be head chef at (beyond delicious) Ceviche. Now he splits his time between being head chef at the Brazilian embassy and hosting this supper club in his "modest" east London flat. There, guests are served what is likely to be the most deliciously Instagrammable dishes they've ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on.
Passport & Spices from Jorge Baumhauer da Silva, various dates. More information here.
Gooce Supper Club
One for people looking for love. Gooce (run by friends Gabi and Luce) brings together 8-10 single people looking for partners to get to know each other over three delicious courses. The women came up with the idea after experiencing the mindless London dating scene for themselves. Oh, one is trained in wine and one in food, so even if you leave dateless, you should leave satisfied. They usually host one a month but beware, they book up fast.
After two men tookupskirt photosof Gina Martin, she began a campaign to make it a sexual offence. She’s teamed up with Refinery29 UK to encourage the government to #StopSkirtingTheIssue.
I remember, as a 13-year-old, my teachers checking the length of my skirt. As girls, we were made to wear skirts, and I was largely OK with it apart from the fact that I desperately wanted to run and roll around at lunchtime just like the boys did. Skirts were to be worn modestly or 'decent' as Mrs Stanway would say, wagging her knuckly finger, and it became clear to me that skirts meant 'girl' and trousers meant 'boy'. I had to wear one and – I realise now – at 13, it was up to me to alter my clothes in order to not be sexualised by someone else.
Growing up, I saw skirts everywhere. My teachers wore skirts; Olympians wore skirts; my favourite pop stars wore skirts. I was told, subconsciously and consciously, by every movie, song, book and adult that wearing skirts was normal for me. It was pretty and feminine and it was my uniform. I was a girl.
Fast-forward to last summer and a man shoves his hand between my legs at a music festival and takes pictures of my vagina without me knowing. A good chunk of the responses I get from people I tell are, "You should have worn trousers". Thirteen-year-old me is confused.
I should have worn trousers. On a 30 degree day, in summer, at 26 years old, standing in a field and, by chance, next to a cretin of a man, all of a sudden it was my fault. I should have worn trousers.
Over time, somehow, the skirt has become both a woman's uniform and her biggest sin: wear it and act like a lady, but suffer the consequences if you do. It's all a bit confusing and so is its history. So are you sitting modestly? Then I'll begin.
The humble skirt was the second piece of clothing ever invented, before the dress (which is effectively just a T-shirt sewn to a skirt, but whatever), and was a hand-woven straw affair found in an Armenian cave in 3,000 BC. Skirts were worn by men and women back then – much as they are now – and were all about practicality. It wasn't until trousers were invented and the middle ages came around that clothes became gendered – and that, ladies and gentlemen, is where it all started to go south.
After this, clothes became a hallmark of importance; a floor-length, bulky skirt meant rich – especially if it was more than three metres in diameter round the bottom. Next, the flamboyant fashion of the Victorian era made its debut, so skirts were layered and bustles added. Victorian women's fashion was about creating the 'ideal' bell shape and showing their status but, crucially, the amount of layers were to make it harder for them to be promiscuous. The hope was that it wouldn't be worth taking off five layers of clothing including a corset and a skirt cage – a sort of sartorial chastity belt had been invented. Pretty extreme, sure, but this was around the same time when showing your ankles made you a harlot and table legs were covered because they looked too much like the real deal. Allen Jones would be in exile.
Laced in, covered up and just generally having a hot, sweaty and itchy time (not in a good way), women were at the mercy of their clothes, and, of course, still wearing skirts, because y'know, woman stuff.
Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images
In the '50s, a calf-length pleated number was the default because, finally, the ankle was seen as the bony appendage it is. Skirts were all about femininity and creating curves while retaining your – you guessed it – modesty, but then Marilyn Monroe stood on top of a subway grid and we all lost our shit.
The birth of the miniskirt in the '60s brought some much-needed rebellion and liberation. Fashion designer Mary Quant opened Bazaar on Chelsea's King's Road in 1955, and raised hemlines (and eyebrows) with a skirt she named after her favourite car – the mini. Cue Twiggymania and Jean Shrimpton, who turned up to the Melbourne Cup wearing a miniskirt and – gasp – no hat or gloves or stockings. The Swinging Sixties had arrived.
The miniskirt was considered a sort of peaceful protest and went hand-in-hand with the sexual liberation of women and the invention of the Pill. Many men weren't that happy with the mini, however, and although they liked seeing it on women they were unrelated to, they complained about their own wives and fiancées wearing it – yawn. Women had taken their sexuality, and bodies, into their own hands.
Photo by Leonard Burt/Central Press/Getty Images
Since the '60s, hemlines have gone up and down, sure, but the skirt has settled and become a sartorial staple.
The height of your hem is no longer a political or economic statement, but we have history with it. We have baggage. It's still wrongly assumed that wearing one is an attempt to convey a message: 'I'm attractive'; 'Look at me'; 'Hit on me'... the list goes on. The skirt has been through too much to simply be a piece of clothing, and for some reason, women have been through too much to be able to wear it without comment.
In 2018, though, when clothes mean creativity and agency, the skirt can just be a skirt. It no longer has to be a statement.
This highly gendered and sexualised garment is slowly getting there but there’s some way to go. Until our attitudes about what it means to show our bodies change, and wearing a skirt becomes as wholesome as wearing a pair of jeans, "you should have worn trousers" will still be continuously coughed up from the comment section.
But don’t fear, I have the answer: the only way we can rid the skirt of its controversial history and enjoy the breezy freedom of wearing one without any repercussions is by putting one on whenever and wherever we want – whoever we are. Maybe when we’ve done that enough, seeing a leg will become almost as benign as seeing an ankle.
You can sign the Care2 petition calling for upskirt photos to be made illegal under the Sexual Offences Act of 2003here.
If you have experienced sexual harassment or violence of any kind, please visitRape Crisisor call 0808 802 9999.
It’s 10am and a woman is recalling in hushed tones an intimate detail about how her husband of 34 years betrayed her. The woman is my assigned buddy, Maggie*, at the UK’s only heartbreak retreat, and we’ve just met. So why am I here? Surely it’s better to cry in the privacy of your own home or with friends than with a bunch of strangers, especially when the bunch of strangers option costs £699?
Sharing your pain publicly is the premise of the two-day 'Break-Up Recovery Retreat' created by Sara Davison, the Divorce Coach and author of Uncoupling: How to survive and thrive after breakup and divorce. There are eight of us in a room at Ashdown Park Hotel in East Sussex, ranging in age from 25-66. There’s even a man in our midst. I’m not sure why that surprises me; heartbreak is universal.
But seeing it like this, in its messy, raw, human form in a roomful of strangers, is still unexpected. In the Instagram age, break-ups seem to stretch on forever; if, on the one hand, you decide to remain civil with your ex, then you have to contend with seeing snapshots of their life without you; if, on the other, you decide to block or unfollow, then the temptation of open profiles, tagged photos and sneaky peeks can be excruciating. In today's digital culture, where all the raw feeling is hidden behind profiles and untraceable online activity, meeting real people at the retreat, still reeling from the after-effects of a toxic or abusive relationship months or years down the line, is refreshing.
One of the key things Sara focuses on during the retreat is the transition to single life, and preventing people from making the same mistakes (such as picking the same type of partner time and time again). "We need to stop thinking of the stigma of a break-up or divorce and start thinking about how to make it less painful, supporting them through the transition," she says. It’s particularly personal for Sara, who created this retreat to provide critical support that she felt was lacking in her own divorce. "There’s lawyers and financial advisors but where’s the emotional help?"
You’d be mistaken if you assumed this was two days of crying (although, admittedly, crying does feature – particularly during the discussion of narcissist husbands and exes). Instead, Sara makes us commit to taking back control and focus on moving positively forward. Although I no longer cry over my ex, some questions still linger. When my boyfriend of less than a year cheated on me during a lads’ holiday to Amsterdam, the constant ‘But why?’ became the soundtrack of my everyday life. Why wasn’t I enough? What else had he lied about? It was particularly jarring considering that I thought the intimate side of our relationship was where we had no problems. Sara aptly calls this ‘Hamster Wheel Questioning’ – questions to which those who’ve been betrayed will never get the answers.
In a bid to stop ruminating and holding on to the negativity, Sara puts us through our paces with an exercise on letting go of our baggage. We draw a picture of the baggage we carry around with us, what it looks like, and whether we drag it behind us or in front of us. At this point, I’m nervous. I don’t think I’ve actually confronted what kind of baggage I carry and suddenly have an urge to escape to the loo, even though I don’t really need it. We’re forced to stay in the room though, so I sit and write out all the things that I carry deep down, and I’m surprised to find it comes quickly.
We are then instructed to quite literally shred the baggage in the shredder and walk around the room three times with our chins up. Initially, I’m sceptical – does Sara really think putting a piece of paper in a shredder will somehow eliminate our baggage? I try it though, and as soon as I do, I feel lighter, as if I’ve disposed of something. I’m clearly not the only one who finds the exercise cathartic – there’s a real transformation in the room and many people’s tears have turned into laughter.
After the last session on rehearsing what to say or do if you bump into an ex finishes at 5.30pm, Sara offers all of us one-to-ones. By 8pm, many of us are sitting down for dinner after hitting the gym, the spa and the bar (the facilities are included in the retreat’s price, but food and alcohol are not). I underestimated the power of the group format, because, although we’re all from completely different walks of life, we all understand each other’s pain and trauma. It’s relieving to be in a place where I don’t have to explain what gaslighting is or the aftermath of dating a narcissist; they get it.
The hotel isn’t solely for the heartbroken; on that weekend alone, it played host to several weddings and birthday parties. Given its remote location, I ask Sara whether it was a conscious decision to host the retreat somewhere so removed from everyday life. She answers yes: "I wanted to get people out of their routine and their normal environment. A lot of people going through break-ups focus on other people – instead, this is the chance to focus on you."
When I wake up the next day, I’m surprised to find that I’m in a bad mood and feel forced to go on my Instagram positive affirmation pages. The hotel staff have really spoiled us – there’s strawberries and chocolate, a card welcoming me and, upon my arrival, The Sunday Times is delivered to my doormat. But the vast luxuriousness of the room just reinforces the fact I have no one to share it with.
Back in the conference room for the second day of the retreat, I realise I’m in the minority – everyone else seems cheery and the room has a lighter energy, despite most of us hitting the bar the night before. One woman has literally transformed; on the first day, she hid behind her hair but by the second, we’re able to see her smiling. So why did I have bad dreams about my ex all night? All I seem to do is think about the past.
During an exercise on self-limiting beliefs, Sara makes me see that I’m stuck in a perpetuating cycle of ‘everyone’s out to hurt me’ and my immovable belief that everyone is a cheater. This is the first time I’ve come to the realisation that there’s some comfort and security in being engulfed in this cycle. In one sense, wallowing in it is easier than confronting my own fears about dating or being in another relationship.
Another buddy also makes me see that I have a ‘never put your bag down’ mentality. She says that when she’s clubbing, she never leaves her bag as she doesn’t know who’s around. She says I do this with my life and she’s right – my fear of never wanting to be hurt or attract a narcissist again has stopped me from embracing new experiences. I’m uncomfortable, but I’ve realised that I need to allow myself to be open to meeting new people instead of staying in this vicious cycle, no matter how secure I find it.
In the final exercise of the day, ‘Stepping Stones’, we’re asked to envision our future and I’m intrigued to find that a lot of my goals include holidays! As Sara explains: "Many people see a break-up as the end of something, but it’s a golden opportunity to redesign your life and that is up to you to determine. You decide whether you take that baggage with you and you decide whether you’re going to be happy."
When we leave the retreat, we're all part of a WhatsApp support group and we’ve already decided we’re going to meet again in a few months. I'm worried about how the others will fare, considering many still live with their exes, but I find I return home with a new mindset. Yes, it’s expensive, but the lessons I learned to take into my next relationships are priceless. Now the only thing I need to do is put my bag down.
*Name has been changed
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
The spring 2018 trend that's lifting our spirits in a still-overcast February will deliver a hit of colour to your wardrobe. Bold, bright, paintbox colours are the name of the game (although pastels will also be taking centre stage this spring), and both designers and the high street are going all-out with statement shades.
Whatever your preferred colour, the catwalks of SS18 had it in spades. For electric fuchsias, look no further than Tom Ford's '80s-inspired power shoulder suit jacket and matching jumpsuit, or Roksanda's ethereal dress with statement sleeves. For citrussy lemon, see Kenzo's show, which featured silk dresses paired with pinstriped tights, or look to Calvin Klein's yellow trousers, worn by model du jour Kaia Gerber.
For cobalt blues, Helmut Lang presented a ripped-and-renewed deconstructed jacket with matching trousers, while Phillip Lim's spliced biker jacket stole the show. Public School's Crayola-green slip dress made us rethink the tricky shade, and Marc Jacobs convinced us to pair an oversized green sweater with a tube skirt of the same tone.
Of course, our favourite street stylers took note and donned their brights for fashion month, too. Click through for tips and tricks on how to confidently wear this season's brightest paintbox shades.
Pink has reigned supreme for some time now, but rather than reach for the ubiquitous softer hues, focus on fuchsia like this fashion week guest.
Photo by Melodie Jeng/Getty Images
This suit is giving us all the confidence we need, from the boardroom to the bar.
French Connection Sundae Suiting Blazer, £140, Trousers, £80, available at French Connection
Everything in Issey Miyake's Pleats Please line is gorgeous, but this skirt is a great investment for summer, too.
Pleats Please Issey Miyake Pleated Straight Midi Skirt, £200, available at Matches Fashion
Silk and satin camisoles will be a warm-weather staple yet again.
Apiece Apart Eloise Hammered Silk-Satin Camisole, £270, available at Net-A-Porter
Pow! Red-to-toe has been gaining momentum for several seasons, but the way to refresh is by going bolder and louder, like this tomato-toned street styler.
Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
Layer this jumpsuit over a camel rollneck now, wear alone with sandals come summer.
Urban Outfitters Straight-Neck Linen Button-Down Jumpsuit, £56, available at Urban Outfitters
Is there still time to buy a winter coat? We'll make an exception for Ienki Ienki.
Ienki Ienki Oversized Puffer Jacket, £1,159, available at Farfetch
Warehouse continues to impress, with every collection proving more essential to our wardrobe than the last.
Warehouse Wrap Pencil Skirt, £39, available at Warehouse
Mytheresa.com buyer Tiffany Hsu keeps things tonal with her tangerine patent coat, mustard jumper, and tan bag.
Photo by Melodie Jeng/Getty Images
Exactly what the doctor ordered on a dull London day. Pair with green for an unexpectedly fitting match.
Chloé's fashion consultant Loulou De Saison belts her electric blue DVF coat over a white Ellery shirt and Proenza Schouler trousers. Top marks for the micro bag and futuristic sunnies.
& Other Stories' knitwear offering has been strong this season – consider this top of the pile.
& Other Stories Slit Sleeve Sweater, £69, available at & Other Stories
Finery's workwear-appropriate yet elegant pieces are a staple of our wardrobe.
Finery Barnes Cornflower Blue Leather Skirt, £279, available at Finery
We're digging this pairing of jumper and kick flares from Uterqüe.
Uterqüe Flared Trousers, £39.90, available at Uterqüe
Fashion director Georgia Tal paired her Kermit-green Ellery dress with a bag from brand of the moment, Wandler.
Photo by Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
We're layering this COS cardigan over a rollneck of the same shade.
COS Cotton-Silk Knit Cardigan, £55, available at COS
The track top 2.0 comes in greens and reds, rather than navy.
Topshop Green Side Striped Track Jacket, £30, available at Topshop
Wedding season is sorted thanks to this MSGM showstopper.
MSGM Detachable-Bow Tiered Faille Dress, £645, available at Matches Fashion
It's no secret that protecting our skin from UBB/UVA rays by wearing daily SPF is essential. But what about blue light? Also known as HEV (High Energy Visible Light), it's a natural part of sunlight. However, it is also emitted from our phones, tablets and computers and for most of us, scrolling through social media, online banking, reading emails and shopping online is the first and last thing we do. Research has shown that too much exposure to blue light can accelerate ageing and further increase your complexion woes.
Dr Murad, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Murad Skincare, explains, "Excessive blue light accelerates the oxidation process, causing hyperpigmentation, its oxidative effects elicit inflammation and damage the skin barrier making it more prone to signs of ageing, increased uneven skin tone, dullness, pigmentation and fine lines and wrinkles". Yikes.
Fortunately, beauty brands are catching on to the need for a solution to combat the effects of blue light, launching products which can minimise the damage caused, and in some cases, prevent it before it happens.
Click through to see our round up of products to tackle HEV light, from SPFs to eye creams and everything in between.
Murad's City Skin Broad Spectrum SPF 50 star ingredient, lutein, as Dr Murad explains, is a powerful antioxidant that protects blue light from penetrating the skin while simultaneously creating a barrier to atmospheric pollutants like carbon particles, heavy metals and chemical pollutants. Combined with iron oxides to help colour correct and vitamin C to brighten, it has a soft peach tint boosting radiance, to be worn alone or under makeup.
Murad City Skin Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA ++++, £45, available at Murad
This lightweight SPF from Soap & Glory protects against HEV light using liposhield HEV melanin, which works by filtering blue light from penetrating skin. Easy to integrate into your routine, it also combines vitamin C to stimulate collagen and protect form sun damage with a mattifying powder to even out skin tone. It delivers a smooth, transparent finish, creating an even base for your makeup.
Soap & Glory Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid SPF50+, £15, available at Boots
This was one of the first products on the market that was designed specifically to combat the effects of HEV light. "It contains a fractionated melanin compound (HEV Melanin) which shields the skin from the HEV light. Melanin, as we know, is a widely occurring pigment in nature and is present in the human body and is photo protective. As we live in northern climates, we have less exposure to UVA and UVB but more to blue light so it is important to protect against it, as over time, research has shown that this can accelerate photo ageing of the skin", says Dr Sebagh. But, most importantly, as Dr Sebagh points out, this cream does not replace an SPF and this should always be used in addition to any skincare routine.
Dr Sebagh Supreme Day Cream, £145, available at Space NK
Treat HEV-fatigued skin with this anti-ageing treatment. Rich in omega fatty acids, potent antioxidants and restoring ceramics, the lotion works to strengthen the skin barrier, provide and retain moisture and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles to eliminate a dull and dehydrated complexion.
Paula’s Choice RESIST Omega+ Complex Serum, £32, available at Look Fantastic
As a topical vitamin C serum, Phloretin CF diminishes the appearance of hyperpigmentation and uneven skin tone. Used as a complement to sunscreen, this should't be used in place of an SPF, it refines skin texture and delivers a brighter complexion for a more uniform skin tone.
SkinCeuticals Phloretin-CF, £150, available at SkinCeuticals
As an oil-free liquid veil that provides protection from environmental aggressors and pollution. Sitting pretty over your day cream, the cantaloupe melon extract, organically farmed in Provence, forms a film on the skin to protect it from UV rays and sun-induced damage, i.e. blue light.
Clarins UV Plus Anti Pollution Day Screen Multi Protection SPF50, £32, available at Feel Unique
Strained eyes aren't the only side-effect of staring at a screen for too long, blue light can also damage the delicate area. Origins Age-Defence eye cream is enriched with a blend of silver-tip white tea and white birch extracts, the essential nutrients, minerals and antioxidants work to reduce visible signs of ageing, including wrinkles and dark circles. Cocooning the skin with a protective SPF20 layer, the cream strengthens and repairs.
Origins A Perfect World SPF 20 Age-Defense Eye Cream with White Tea, £30, available at Origins
Update (2nd Feb): The second perpetrator in the now infamous Slender Man stabbing case, Morgan Geyser, has been sentenced to 40 years in a mental institution, it was announced on Thursday 1st February 2018. During the court hearing Geyser apologised to the victim, Payton Leutner, and her family. Her spokesperson stated via letter that "the horrific premeditated attempted murder will stay with her forever, and stay with the family forever."
This story was originally published 22nd December 2017
Original story: It was one of the creepiest, most bizarre internet stories of recent years: the fictional character of Slender Man. The paranormal figure was born in a Photoshop contest in 2009 and somehow became an internet sensation, featuring in horror stories around the world and eventually inspiring two 12-year-old schoolgirls to attempt to murder a classmate in 2014.
The girls, Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser, said they believed they had to kill Payton Leutner, also 12, to win the approval of Slender Man and protect their families from him. Investigators said Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times with encouragement from Weier. Leutner narrowly survived after crawling out of the wooded park in Waukesha, Milwaukee, where the attack happened and being spotted by a passing cyclist.
On Thursday, Weier, now 16, was sentenced to 25 years in a psychiatric institution for her part in the attack, the maximum possible punishment, Associated Press reported. In August she pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide, but claimed she was mentally ill and therefore not responsible for her actions.
A jury agreed in September and the Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren handed down her sentence this week, retroactive to the date of the crime, which will see her in hospital until she is 37.
Weier apologised for her actions before the sentencing, telling the judge she "[holds herself] accountable for this and... will do whatever I have to do to make sure I don’t get any sort of delusion or whatever again." She continued: “I want everybody involved to know I deeply regret everything that happened that day. I know that nothing I say is going to make this right and nothing I say is going to fix what I broke.”
Neither Leutner nor her family were at the sentencing but her mother, Stacie Leutner, said in a letter that the attack has “defined [their] lives". Leutner said her daughter "will struggle with the events of that day and physical and emotional scars it left for the rest of her life."
The prosecutor, Kevin Osborne, said the maximum 25-year confinement was warranted for Weier: “Considering the nature and gravity of this offence, being supervised until the age of 37 is not all that long ... in terms of the fact that Payton is looking at a lifetime of scars, physical scars and psychological scarring."
Thousands of smear test results are under review after at least 17 women were wrongly given the all-clear of cervical cancer by the NHS.
The health service is re-examining 2,500 samples originally sent out as negative, Pulse reported. Just 900 of the samples, taken between April 2016 and September 2017, have been checked so far, leading to fears that many more women were incorrectly told they are disease free.
Dozens of women, who were originally told their results were negative, are now being advised to contact their GPs after the "procedural issues" at the pathology site were discovered.
Of the 17 women whose screening results were confirmed as incorrect, two were told they have low or high-grade results and were advised to go to hospital urgently for further tests. The 15 other women had abnormal results.
The mix-up was found in Essex at a site run by Pathology First, which is jointly run by Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and private sector testing firm Integrated Pathology Partnerships.
The hospitals said women were only being contacted if their sample is not confirmed as negative during the re-examination. If issues are identified, the results could be changed from negative to either: inadequate (meaning the test failed and needs to be conducted again), borderline (which would require further testing for the human papillomavius and that the woman contacts her GP), low grade or high grade (meaning the result suggests an increased risk of developing cervical cancer and the woman should undergo a coloscopy).
News of the mix-up comes just weeks after it was revealed that one third of women don't attend cervical screenings because of "embarrassment" about their bodies.
Bra shopping is rarely any fun, so it can feel like you've struck gold when you find the perfect boulder-holder for your body.
This is what happened to one shopper, Natalie Brayshaw, who found a great bra in Primark, tried it on and was about to pay when she learned that it had actually been abandoned in the store by another customer.
The student, from Glasgow, has gone viral with her tweet about the incident, racking up more than 28k retweets and 141k likes at the time of writing.
"Tried on a bra in Primark & it was nice so I went to buy it but there was no tag so the guy went to find a supervisor to get a code, comes back & goes 'this isn't ours, it's a swap' so someone has literally left THEIR OWN BRA on a hanger in order to shoplift one AND I TRIED IT ON," she wrote.
tried on a bra in Primark & it was nice so I went to buy it but there was no tag so the guy went to find a supervisor to get a code, comes back & goes "this isn't ours, it's a swap" so someone has literally left THEIR OWN BRA on a hanger in order to shoplift one AND I TRIED IT ON
Many women, presumably scarred by their own bra-related struggles, shared their sympathies with Brayshaw and the retail staff who have to deal with such behaviour.
😂😂😂😂 That's hilarious, it's hard enough to find a bra that fits well but to discover it's someone's second hand one OML laughed out loud on this x
Judging by the avalanche of sympathetic responses Brayshaw has received, swapping old clothes for new ones without paying – also known as stealing – is rife on the British high street and in the US.
Hun people literally do the same thing at Debs, last week I found a Matalan top in the changing room.. pic.twitter.com/VSKSe0W1S8
This reminds me of the time when I was shopping with my nan and I put her old shoes on the sale rack while she was trying stuff on and a lady put my Nan’s shoes on and went to buy them and my nan had to tell her they were actually her old shoes
Happened to me in TJ HUGHES Middlesbrough liked a pair of boots opened the box to try on the other one and there’s a pair of stinking sweaty old boots in there. Called the assistant who rolled her eyes and said oh lord. Not again!!! @stephbreakfast 😂
I used to work in retail. I've known people to leave their old bras to take new ones way back in 2002. But not actually known anyone to try one on before 😂
Primark apologised to Brayshaw, adding in a statement that the store aims "to provide... an enjoyable shopping environment at all times and we are sorry that we didn't on this occasion."
If ever there was an argument for checking the tags more diligently before trying something on, this is it.
The female gaze is thriving in visual culture, with female photographers increasingly challenging the male-constructed images that have defined womanhood throughout history. Now, one trailblazing artist is taking the concept even further, using the most private part of her body to capture intimate moments that would otherwise go undocumented.
New York-based artist Dani Lessnau, 32, took a series of photos of her lovers from inside her vagina using tiny handmade pinhole cameras and 4x5 film. The process to produce each photo in the series, called extimité, was "very elementary and imperfect" but effective.
The men she photographed all consented to the project and were happy to hold still while she took the photos. "There is a great deal of history in the stories here and there was a lot of trust involved," Lessnau told us. Their reactions when she asked them to participate were, "as individual as the people themselves," but they were all "incredibly supportive and found it to be liberating."
She was inspired to create the series after realising how much influence the male gaze had exerted over. "I didn’t want to view myself solely through that singular lens," she said. "I wanted to connect with my own individual perspective and sensations and began to explore the notion of what an embodied 'gaze' may feel like, disrupting the directionality we tie to the word itself."
Inserting the device inside her wasn't always seamless and was uncomfortable at times, however. "At times I had to contend with my body to hold still and coax it into receiving the camera. In other moments it felt like a meditation where I was simply witnessing my breath, and still in other moments assuming the position felt intimate and erotic in itself."
By exposing the most intimate physical part of herself and putting these private interactions on show, Lessnau believes she is converting vulnerability into strength. "This entire process has been intuitive for me. There was never an aim nor goal, but more an openness and curiosity to see where it would lead."
"I could never have anticipated how much it would change my relationship to my own body and its erotic presence, as well as deepening my understanding of the value of vulnerability in spaces of relating."
What does Lessnau want her audience to take away from the project? "I hope they feel something. It would be wonderful if the images offered them their own encounter with an uncanny chaotic space or if they identified with the beauty of vulnerability in an image."
While she's reluctant to tell people how they should feel about her images – the reading and reception of an image being an individual experience – Lessnau hopes people feel empowered after learning how she created them.
For most of you, the name Belle Gibson is already familiar. In 2014, she was on track to become one of the biggest wellness bloggers in the world. Her app, The Whole Pantry, was downloaded 200,000 times in its first month. She had over 200,000 Instagram followers and her debut cookbook had been released in her native Australia and was just about to storm the US and British markets too.
Then it all came crashing down.
See, Belle Gibson's unique selling point was that she had terminal brain cancer. And that she was treating her disease (seemingly successfully) using natural remedies, the results of which she was sharing with her thousands of followers. In fact, as it later came out, Belle had never had cancer. She wasn't physically sick at all. To add insult to injury, hundreds of thousands of pounds that she said she had donated to charity had failed to materialise. In September of last year, she was fined £240,000 for fraudulent claims.
Now, the journalists who uncovered the story have written a book – The Woman Who Fooled The World. It’s a fascinating deep dive into their investigation and it serves as a timely reflection as to why so many of us were taken in by this deception.
“What really struck us was how strongly the subject resonated with people,” says Beau Donelly, co-author of the book along with his colleague Nick Toscano. “We were inundated with emails during the first week... I mean hundreds of hundreds of people. This story touched such a nerve. I’ve never, never experienced a response to any story I’ve written quite like that… It just really pissed people off.”
In 2018, Instagram is full of semi-famous people who use their huge followings to talk about everything from yoga to clean eating, fashion to mental health. But just a few short years ago, the world was a very different place. Belle Gibson was an early adopter of Instagram. She signed up in the days when there was still a clear line between how we defined “celebrity” and “non-celebrity”. The concept of an “influencer” hadn’t yet permeated our awareness. And perhaps that was why people were so trusting. Surely someone that famous wouldn't be allowed to say things that weren't true. “Now that we have all the information, we think people should have picked up on [it],” agrees Beau. “But we weren’t used to seeing [influencers] before and, as a society, we don’t expect people to lie about cancer.”
The transgressions that Beau and Nick uncovered went far deeper than even they as journalists could imagine. First alerted to Belle’s questionable claims by one of her friends, the duo initially held back from reporting on the cancer angle. (“I can’t think of any time in history where a journalist has written a story calling someone out for not having cancer. And if we were wrong...”). The first story they published then, in 2015, was about the missing charity money (about AUS $300,000). However, less than 30 minutes after this first article was published online, questions about Belle’s health were being asked in the comments.
In response, Belle went into damage-control mode on her own channels. “She started editing posts and deleting comments, anything that raised doubts about her cancer diagnosis. At the same time she was purging Facebook, Instagram, any comments that she made.” From here, Beau and Nick were able to push forward with further allegations in more articles. Belle’s book was pulled, a public outcry ensued and her name became toxic.
Now, several years on and with the benefit of hindsight, it’s easy to see that the origin stories of successful wellness bloggers from this time are all eerily similar. “They all have this personal story that they’ve overcome,” says Beau. This “personal story” could be a disease, an intolerance to a certain food group, a mental health issue. Then the blogger, due to a lifestyle and dietary change, manages to overcome this obstacle and turn things around. “It’s not just ‘health’ [that they gain], but an overall wellness and wellbeing philosophy." Then, they feel compelled to share it with their followers.
For the most successful people, this narrative turns into a lucrative business which can end up in cookbook deals, podcasts and a “cult-like following that hangs off every word”. And there’s nothing entirely wrong with that. The internet is at its best when we use it to help each other. Telling people that “hey this worked for me” is by no means a bad thing, says Beau. “It becomes dangerous when it veers off from personal experience and into a business where [the blogger is] dishing out health advice to people who are desperate.”
“We’ve all found ourselves there,” continues Beau. “My kids have had things like eczema and stuff hospitals don’t actually have anything to offer you for, so you start talking to people, friends and family. Maybe you see a natural healer you heard about through word of mouth, but it becomes very dangerous when you’re taking the advice from someone online who has no qualifications whatsoever and is driven by making a buck.”
People peddling alternative medical ideas is nothing new. What is new, however, is how quickly their word can spread and be taken as gospel. Social media has given people who could never have dreamed of fame the ability to amass a huge audience. Because of these huge followings, the influencers themselves become “newsworthy" to mainstream news outlets. Add to this consumers who often only read headlines and it's easy for false information about health to be spread. In fact, Beau's book has even been the target of misguided hate from people reading the words “Belle Gibson” and “book” in a headline and assuming she’s written another book for profit.
The real medical experts, for their part, are not well-equipped enough to tackle this fake wellness news epidemic themselves. For starters, compared to someone with a million followers, their voices would be likely lost in the ether. But also, as Beau heard over and over again from the experts, doctors, and medical professionals that he interviewed, they do not have the time. “[The medical experts] all came back, pretty much unanimously and said ‘we’re too busy, we’re trying to help people survive. If we wanted to, we could spend our whole day correcting misinformation that’s on the internet.’” That’s how much there is out there.
For Belle’s part, her career is over. Legal action coupled with this book and a now infamous interview on Australia’s 60 Minutes, in which journalist Tara Brown took Belle to task, have ensured that. What isn’t over though is our obsession with wellness. Superfoods, new exercise regimes and vitamin supplements have become regular pub conversation; the wellness industry is worth an estimated €25 billion in the UK alone. And because of that, the possibility of another Belle is not only likely, it’s a certainty.
“There are tons of people lying about having illness,” says Beau. “I received an email just last week asking me to look into another person raising money for so-called cancer treatments.” Belle, he says, was just one in a long list of people doing the same thing.
"What makes her different," he says sadly, "is that she’s one of the few people that got caught.”
Despite many of us not being able to recall a life before the internet, we must remember that it's still a new phenomenon and, because of this, we're still struggling to figure out how to use it safely, how to police it, how much to allow it to impact on our daily lives. Stories like Belle Gibson's must serve as reminders that when our teachers tried to drill into us that you can't trust everything you read on the internet, they were more on the money than even they realised.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
The first time I shaved my legs, I was so young that I was sharing a bath with my best friend. We nicked my mum's razor and took off all the thin blonde hairs, never to be so fine again. After that, I took a break from shaving (and stealing) until my early teens, but fast-forward 15 years and if left for more than a day or so, you'd be forgiven for mistaking my ankles for cacti.
I'm fair-skinned with mousy brown hair and fair hairs on my arms, but a lifelong love affair with the razor means my leg hair is fast-growing and dark. I'm not one of those people who can leave it a few days and have barely-there hairs; it prickles on tights and can be clearly seen from eye level. Epilation and waxing are great longer term solutions for a lot of people but because I struggle with ingrown hairs, which can be annoying, laser seemed increasingly like the best option. I spent quite a bit of time in the summer thinking about having it done; I play a lot of sport, and thought it would be so much nicer to bare my skin when it's warm without the bristle. And before we go there, it's not about 'male approval' or 'societal norms' – my boyfriend couldn't care less. It's my preference.
So I decided to take the plunge. For anything like this, I always do my research and steer clear of deals – for laser hair removal there are some scarily cheap prices out there. It's a treatment, like lip fillers, that can be performed by unlicensed clinics, so prices do vary as a result. I wanted somewhere professional and definitely licensed so decided to book six sessions with the Harley Medical Group (HMG) on my lower legs. According to the expert I spoke to, "after six treatments you can expect to see around 90% permanent reduction in hair, which means you will never have to worry again", which sounded good to me.
I also did some research into the types of machines they use as they all behave a bit differently. The Soprano Ice Laser machine promises three things: it's fast to operate so great for large areas, is "virtually pain-free" and can be used to treat naturally tanned skin. Fresh from a holiday in Italy and impatient to get started, this seemed like the one for me. I tracked it down at the Wimbledon branch of HMG.
Before undergoing the treatment, I quizzed Kate Whitling, non-surgical manager at HMG on the procedure. These were my most pressing questions:
Why is laser hair removal (LHR) better than waxing or epilating? "Laser hair removal is a rapid, yet gentle and pain-free way of removing unwanted hair effectively with long-lasting results. It also offers an effective solution to ingrown hairs with no more irritated skin and red bumps! Almost all parts of the body can be treated; the most common areas for women are the face, neck, bikini line, under arms, arms and legs."
How much does it cost per session? "This depends on what area of the body you are having done. Prices start from £58 for underarms, £155 for the bikini line and £230 for half a leg. Most parts of the body can be treated, so if you’re interested in finding out how much it would be for a specific area, you can go onto the Harley Medical Group’s website and use their pricing tool."
Does it hurt? "We advise patients that they may feel some discomfort during their treatment. The sensation is often likened to snapping an elastic band against the skin. However, many patients report the treatment to be much more comfortable than they had expected and those who have waxed previously often say the pain level is more tolerable."
Can you get LHR on tanned skin? "The Harley Medical Group can treat both darker skin types and suntanned skin (natural tan and fake tan) at any time of the year. Previously we would only treat tanned skin once it had faded, which was limiting for our clients. We have undertaken extensive research and consequently developed a new treatment technique. By changing the wavelength of our laser, we can avoid the top layers of your skin which means we can safely continue with your treatments without having to wait for your suntan to fade."
Does it matter what colour your hairs are? "The Harley Medical Group uses advanced lasers to be able to treat all skin tones and most hair colours. As the technology has advanced, lasers with adjustable wavelengths have been developed, making it safe to use laser hair removal on darker skin tones as well as being able to target lighter hair colours.
"This said, laser hair removal technology still favours pigment so we find that grey and blonde are less responsive but it's always worth getting an expert opinion. A laser beam is targeted at and absorbed by the melanin in the hair and the hair follicles beneath the surface of the skin. The heat generated destroys the follicle and prevents further growth, leading to hair fallout."
Is it permanent? "I usually advise that you start to see results after the third treatment and then after six treatments you can expect to see around 90% reduction in hair growth. Results will vary depending on hair type as well as site, colour, phase of hair growth, hormonal influences and natural skin colour, among other variables."
How often do you have to top up? "As each hair will be in a different part of the cycle, on average between 10-20% of the hairs will be affected with each treatment and then every 6-8 weeks the treatment should be repeated to target the next cycle of hairs.
"For the reasons above, how many treatments an individual will need is dependent on the individual’s response. A qualified practitioner at the Harley Medical Group can assess carefully and depending on these variables give a more accurate view of likely overall response, treatment intervals and number of laser sessions required."
Can you do it at home? "There are IPL devices that you can use at home, however clinic lasers are much more effective and targeted and the results are likely to last much longer."
Does it matter what machine is used, and which is the one to look out for? "There are many different types of laser hair removal machines and systems in use today. They are all different, but work with the same principles behind them. The Harley Medical Group uses advanced lasers to be able to treat all skin tones and most hair colours.
"The Soprano Ice Laser is the latest in laser hair removal technology. This innovative laser comes with three key benefits: it provides faster treatments, making it preferable for large areas such as the legs and back. The treatment is virtually painless thanks to the cooled laser tip which cools as it treats. The Soprano Laser can safely treat naturally suntanned skin.
"Multiple clinical studies have proven the treatment to be the safest method of laser hair removal for all skin types, including dark skin whereby melanin is significantly more sensitive to the heat used in laser treatment."
Are there any areas of the body or type of skin that are unsuitable for LHR? "There are very few areas that we can't treat! Generally, if there's hair, we can treat it. We are more careful about how close to the eyes we treat (we don't treat below the eyebrow line)."
What are the side-effects? "A little redness but it dissipates quickly. If our aftercare advice is followed there are little or no side-effects. There is very little if any recovery time for the treatment. For 24 hours after your treatment, heat treatments, saunas and direct sun exposure should be avoided and it is recommended to use sunblock on exposed areas."
Are there any cons to LHR? "It depends on what you consider a con. Obviously, you will need to invest some time as it takes multiple sessions to see results, however after six treatments you can expect to see around 90% permanent reduction in hair, which means you will never have to worry again.
"I highly recommend doing your research and going to a reputable provider, in order to ensure that you are receiving the best quality of care and treatment and avoid any problems. Laser treatments in the UK are no longer regulated by law, meaning with many clinics there is no one checking the quality and performance of the lasers being used or the training and ability of the individual using the laser. This is not the case at the Harley Medical Group and we are proud to be regulated by the Care Quality Commission or the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales."
Before I had the treatments, showing a couple of days regrowth.After, having not shaved for around 3 weeks. The skin is smooth and there's no visible follicles.
So, onto the treatment and things I learned during the process. Firstly, make sure you come prepared. Most reputable places will give you a consultation or call prior to your first treatment, but if not make sure you shave 12-24 hours before the appointment; there shouldn't be visible regrowth but anything too fresh could spark irritation. I shaved the night before. Because I'd heard the usual horror stories people scare you with before any appointment, I came equipped with ibuprofen and aloe vera gel for afterwards, in case it hurt. However, I couldn't believe how painless the process was. It gets a bit hot and prickly on the bony bits but really, honestly does not hurt. In fact, I lay back and almost fell asleep.
After the appointment, you're advised not to come into contact with any heat for 24 hours, which includes baths and showers, and getting sweaty – and definitely avoid a sauna. The practitioners advise that if this were to happen, the underlying heat from the laser would rise and you'd feel a strong burning. Avoid shaving that part of your body for another two weeks, and in this time exfoliate three times a week at least. I found gloves best for this, as you can really work the skin; the idea is to encourage the hairs to fall out (never to return again).
What now? After six sessions, the hair on my legs has disappeared. It's weird to remember what it was like having to shave so often. During the third or fourth session you might be able to see any patches that haven't been worked so thoroughly by the laser, so keep a note of these areas and get them properly covered in the final sessions. So far I haven't had any issues with regrowth, and am so happy with the results. You won't be completely hair free though, there's very small fine hairs that aren't noticeable unless you're looking very closely. Also, you'll find there's no visible hair follicles which makes a marked difference as I could always see these even after shaving. Ingrowing is a thing of the past too, the roots are dead so can't produce hairs. I'd recommend the treatment to anyone wanting a lot more time and a lot less hair; it's definitely worth the expense.
Not all of us were born to be meal-prepping masterminds. For some of us (okay most of us), Sundays are for sleeping. And meal prep? That's where The Culinistas come in. Founded by Jill Donenfeld and Tiana Tenet, the Culinistas is a private chef service that is essentially Lyft for homemade meals. Instead of someone driving you to the airport, you get a talented chef that grocery shops, comes to your home, preps, and cooks your meals for the week. The service brings together skilled chefs who customise the meals to your liking, revolutionising the meal prepping game.
Since the service is currently only offered in New York, we asked the pros to bless us with a few shopping tips: tips that even the sleepiest, most minimal of culinary masterminds could use on their own to easily take portioning and packing skills to new heights. ( Cue dramatic movie trailer music.) Now that is something worth getting out of bed for this weekend.
And fortunately, we've got just that kind of fire food guide ahead. Scroll on for the ten ways in which you can step up your own prepping games (no professional chef required) straight from chefs who meal prep for a living (literally). These tips will set you up for a week of homemade meal success — while still being able to hit that snooze button on Sunday.
You already carried that 4-pound squash up two flights of stairs, so why only use half? When buying big, bulky vegetables (like a head of cauliflower or kabocha squash) use them all up in multiple recipes throughout the week.
One idea is to use a veggie as both the dip and the crudité. Choose a few other favourite crudité options like peppers, broccoli and radishes, then turn any extras into sides like roasted radishes or charred broccoli. Roasted peppers can also be blended into a rich sauce to pour over a grain bowl for lunch.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Limit waste and save your budget by bulk-buying dry goods and choosing fresh produce and protein options piece-by-piece.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Find your local spice shop and stock up on everything from onion powder to urfa. We give our clients a curated spice set from Burlap & Barrel, which our recipes rely on to enhance flavour and depth.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Do all your produce prep work as soon as you get home from the supermarket. Wash, peel, cut, slice, etc. Get those ingredients ready to pull from the fridge and use them right away, so you won't have to worry about it later.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Make big batches of stock from leftover bits of vegetables and proteins that can be saved, stored, and used down the line in future recipes. Stock comes in handy as a flavourful water replacement when cooking, blanching, or boiling. Freeze your stock in small, plastic bags for easy ingredient additions (E.g. 1-2 cups for cooking rice, etc.)
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Do half the cooking and make ingredients go twice as far; One night's tuna steak is the perfect protein for a niçoise salad later in the week.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Instead of tossing out extra unused veggies, flavour them with your favourite spices and lay them out flat on a baking sheet (to prevent clumping) before freezing for 1-2 hours. Afterwards, transfer the goods to freezer-safe resealable bag and store in the freezer until you're ready to roast them at a later date.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Tfw you are forced to buy an entire bunch of herbs when the recipe only calls for a sprig or two? It's the worst. And since these delicate greens can't hold up in the fridge, the next best bet to salvaging them is by chopping them up and infusing your favourite oil. Store the oil in an airtight vessel in a cool cupboard for use on a salad, drizzled on popcorn, or even for dipping a loaf of your favourite crusty bread in.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Blend up any extra nuts and seeds in your cupboard to use as longer-lasting, shelf-stable creamy sauces and dressings. Store them in the fridge for up to a week, bring them to room temperature, and thin them out with water, oil, or citrus before use.
Illustrated by Louisa Cannell.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
"We have enjoyed a wonderful afternoon catching up and reminiscing about the amazing times we have spent together," the statement reads. "We are always overwhelmed at how much interest there is across the whole world for The Spice Girls. The time now feels right to explore some incredible new opportunities together. We all agree that there are many exciting possibilities that will once again embrace the original essence of The Spice Girls, while reinforcing our message of female empowerment for future generations."
The Spice Girls have now released a statement confirming from exclusive from yesterday that they have re-formed for new projects pic.twitter.com/f8kO9TZO3b
This is still pretty vague, but is enough to have us daydreaming about what a full-fledged Spice reunion would be like. There are definitely some things worth crossing our fingers for, so if this really is happening, here's my personal laundry list of demands:
Updated names
In 2018, I don't know if Sporty, Baby, or Scary would fly. It's just a little outdated. What about something Gen Z-ers would really understand: social media? It's time to welcome Twitter Spice, Instagram Spice, Facebook Spice, Snapchat Spice, and YouTube Spice to the world.
A remixed version of Wannabe
Not that I can't already zig-ah-zig-ah on a night out, but over 20 years later, it might just be time for the iconic song to get an update.
A tour
Because now I have my own bank account and actually know how to drive, which makes attending a concert much more feasible.
A collaboration with a girl band from today
The Spice Girls on their own are amazing, but combined with girl bands of today like Fifth Harmony and Little Mix, they'd be pretty much unstoppable.
Fast-fashion retailer Zara is in trouble again. As the store is testing its first click-and-click concept store in London’s Westfield shopping centre, it's also facing criticism for selling a checked mini skirt which some shoppers believe rips off a lungi, a garment typically worn by men in countries like Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Somaliland, Nepal, Cambodia, Djibouti, Myanmar, and Thailand; regions where it gets a bit too hot to wear trousers for long hours at a time.
The criticism began on Tuesday when a users took to Twitter to accuse the retailer for appropriating the South Asian fashion without attributing its inspiration (but when do they ever?). The Telegraph notes a lungi is a “grandpa’s uniform,” and typically wouldn’t ever cost £70 as Zara is charging. According to the BBC, it usually only costs a few dollars at local street markets. Zara describes the skirt as a “checked mini” with a “front slit detail at the hem” and “zip fastening in the back, hidden along the seam.”
The BBC also pointed out the hypocrisy of the fast-fashion retailer producing their clothing cheaply in Asian countries and then stealing pieces from the culture without properly acknowledging where the inspiration came from. For the record, Zara has also been in hot water for selling a children’s shirt that resembled concentration camp uniforms in 2014, and most recently, a denim skirt with Pepe the Frog on it, now a symbol of the alt-right movement. So they're certainly not new to controversy.
Results seem to be mixed when it comes to whether or not this skirt, which at the time of this article’s publication was still for sale online, is actually cultural appropriative, or something inspired by Indian street style. Keep reading to see what Twitter users had to say on the matter — chic checked mini or grandpa’s uniform?
Biopics about the lives of influential Black people have run the gamut between blockbuster hit ( Ali, Ray, and Straight Outta Compton) and better luck next time ( All Eyez on Me and Wendy Williams’ failed attempt at an Aaliyah movie). What is consistent throughout is that audiences crave stories about diverse cultural icons and historical figures. And there are a wealth of stories to choose from because, well… Black people are lit.
However, there is a special case to be made for more biopics about Black women, especially those who work in entertainment, where women of color are still too often relegated to the background or are afterthoughts. This Black History Month, I thought I’d list just a few of the Black women who have not only made huge strides in the world of entertainment, but who’ve led fascinating lives. In addition to their high-profile careers, they’ve experienced the kind of love, loss, scandal, trauma, and evolution that would make for a damn good movie. If you’re a filmmaker or producer, I hope you’re taking notes.
It's Black History Month, but at Refinery29, we believe in celebrating Black voices, Black art, and Black women 365 days of the year. Follow us on Instagram at @r29unbothered for more on issues that affect Black women's everyday lives.
Diana Ross Obviously, Diana Ross is one of the queens of disco and a pop icon. She was the lead singer of the Supremes, who were one of the best-selling girl groups ever (the highest charting in the United States) and pioneers that opened doors for women of colour seeing mainstream success in the music business. As a solo artist, she achieved just as much. Billboard named her "Female Entertainer of the Century,” and she crossed over into acting as well. She even played Dorothy in The Wiz, one of my favourite movies of all time.
What’s perhaps more interesting than over 50 years of pop culture domination, though, is Ross’s love life. She famously dated and became pregnant by Motown Executive Berry Gordy, but married Robert Ellis Silberstein two months into her pregnancy. Silberstein raised Ross’s eldest daughter as his own, and they had two more children together, one of whom is the actor we know today as Tracee Ellis Ross. But that was not the only controversial love affair Ross would have. Rock legend Gene Simmons fell in love with Ross while he was still dating her best friend, Cher. The women haven’t really spoken since.
I’d buy advances tickets for a dramatisation of that 30-year-old tea.
Iman Rihanna was not the first Black icon to create a beauty line inclusive of different skin tones. While Fenty Beauty has been a huge success, it still has a long way to go before it reaches the $25 million (£18 million) per year earnings that Iman Cosmetics has. A supermodel-turned-businesswoman, Iman broke barriers for Black women in both fashion and beauty. She’s been making moves ever since.
In 2016, she became a widow after her husband died from liver cancer. You may have heard of him; his name was David Bowie.
Photo: Sigma/Wheel Prods./Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
Ethel Waters The first Black woman to ever be nominated for an Emmy, Ethel Waters crossed over into acting after enjoying hit-or-miss success as a travelling singer. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg in this woman’s utterly compelling life.
The product of rape, she was born to a teenage mother in 1896. She grew up poor, and in her autobiography, said that she was never “cuddled, liked, or understood” by her family. She married an abusive husband at the age of 13 and left him (good for her), later joining a carnival, and then becoming a celebrity jazz singer during the Harlem Renaissance. All of this happened before she was even 25 years old and hadn’t yet appeared on screen. Not to mention that in the 1920s, a time when LGBTQ+ rights were non-existent, she dated another woman named Ethel.
Seriously incredible.
Photo: Kobal/REX/Shutterstock.
Eartha Kitt Videos and GIFs of Kitt talking admonishing male validation and refusing to prioritise her lovers have become extremely popular on the internet. Her philosophies on love alone are worth a treatment on the big screen.
However, I doubt that many people know that this Black woman is the voice behind the original version of the sexiest Christmas carols ever, “Santa Baby.” And many will be completely shook to know that she played Catwoman in the late ‘60s on the Batman series. A self-identified sex-kitten, I think a Kitt biopic would be female empowerment movie we need right now.
Photo: 20th Century Fox/Greenway/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock.
Lil’ Kim I know you’re probably thinking that the rapper’s name is odd on this list of Black female greats, but hear me out. Kim completely revolutionised female rap with her raunchy lyrics and persona. And her love story with the late Notorious B.I.G. has been retold several times over in a number of films. But they mainly focus on Biggie. Kim has had a complicated relationship with men, her own beauty, and herself since before she ever left Brooklyn to become a star. She’s only scratched the surface of it in interviews and her lyrics.
And to be fair to those of you who aren’t sold on a Lil' Kim biopic, I don’t know that the time is right now for such a film. In the same way that What’s Love Got To Do With It came 15 years after Ike and Tina Turner divorced, Kim deserves more time to settle into her life as a mother before we open those wounds.
Photo: Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Even if you have no intention of having to choose one any time soon, there's something fascinating about changing trends in baby names.
In the UK, there are names that have remained popular for centuries, especially those favoured by the royal family like George or Charlotte. Other names have come in and out of favour, and cool new ones are being introduced all the time, often popularised by celebrities.
The people at parenting website Netmums have compiled a list of 25 baby names they think will be popular in 2018, and it makes for interesting reading.
Several of the names, including Henley, Mason and River, feel pretty gender neutral, which could reflect society's growing awareness of non-binary gender identities, as well as our move away from traditional notions of "male" and "female" traits and behaviours.
Other names on the list might once have seemed kind of old-fashioned, but are now being rediscovered. Rex, Sylvie and Theodore will all be super-hip choices this year, according to Netmums.
Meanwhile, parents who want to give their babies a powerful-sounding name could opt for the supremely regal moniker King. Last year, Jay Z explained that he and Beyoncé gave their baby son a similarly stately name, Sir, "because he carries himself like that."
Netmums also predicts that Dalston will be a popular choice this year, presumably as people name babies after the trendy east London district. Really, it's no different from Victoria and David Beckham naming their first-born child Brooklyn back in 1999.
Here are 2018's most popular baby names according to Netmums, in alphabetical order:
We’ve all heard the laundry list of unnecessary things you’re supposed to do on 14th February: inhale boxes of chocolate, go out with your “galentines”, select the perfect gift for your S.O., put on too-expensive lingerie... and these are just the first four Valentine's Day pitches in my inbox. On the beauty side of things, we're usually told to doll up for the person lucky enough to go to a romantic dinner with you.
But there is no such thing as "Valentine's Day makeup" — nor is there really "date makeup," for that matter. It's all just makeup, whether you use the occasion to wear more, less, or none at all.
Still, the night can serve as an opportunity to play with new hues, textures, and techniques — and we're always down to do that. Ahead, we rounded up ten examples of beautiful makeup you can wear on V-Day... and whenever the hell you want.
Copy Priyanka Chopra's standout look and wear violet tones on your lids and lips. The colour may seem intimidating, but it's actually super-flattering on almost all skin tones.
Shimmery rose-gold eyes, dewy skin, and a demi-matte lip — we've loving makeup artist Katie Jane Hughe's contrasting textures in this look.
A swipe of pink underliner spices up an otherwise no-makeup makeup look on blogger Zolee.
Kate Bosworth let her expertly-applied red lipstick take center stage by pulling her hair back in a tight updo.
Pair a bold lip with a soft, barely-there eye like Yara Shahidi. Simply grab your favourite eyeliner pencil and apply it close to your lashline. Then, use a smudge brush or your finger to lightly diffuse the colour.
Use the occasion as an excuse to finally whip out that bold, jewel-toned eyeshadow you bought on a whim and haven't attempted to wear out yet.
Tap into your vampy side with a deep aubergine lip and blinding inner-corner highlight à la model Duckie Thot.
She says she knew Weinstein well before the alleged assault. He was the executive producer of the Kill Bill trilogy, the films for which Thurman is best known, and the co-executive producer for Pulp Fiction. Both films were directed by Tarantino.
Thurman says that Weinstein groomed her prior to the alleged attack. He "complimented" and "validated her," as she struck up a friendship with his then-wife Eve Chilton.
At a meeting at Weinstein's hotel room in Paris, Thurman alleges that he came out in a bathrobe and led her into a steam room. She recalled that she was wearing a leather outfit. When she said "this is ridiculous," he became embarrassed and fled the room.
Later, in London, Thurman says that Weinstein sexually assaulted her. "He pushed me down. He tried to shove himself on me. He tried to expose himself. He did all kinds of unpleasant things," she said. Weinstein denied the allegations in a statement.
Harvey Weinstein releases a statement saying Uma Thurman's "claims about being physically assaulted are untrue ... the pictures of their history tell a completely different story." pic.twitter.com/sT3NUaTcMI
That wasn't the only moment that her autonomy was violated. On the set of Kill Bill in Mexico, Tarantino asked her to speed-drive a car that had been altered from a stick shift to an automatic transmission. Thurman told producers that she was not willing to do the stunt because she felt the car was unsafe (the producers told the Times that they do not recall Thurman's protestations).
Tarantino demanded that she drive the car for the shot, and after taking a rickety turn, the car hit a tree. "I felt this searing pain and thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m never going to walk again," she said...Quentin and I had an enormous fight, and I accused him of trying to kill me."
She suffered a concussion and needed to wear a break brace, and that today she deals with permanent physical damage from the accident, including neck and knee pain. Thurman then fought with Miramax and Tarantino to obtain the footage of the car accident. The video was posted at the Times, and readers should be aware that it is graphic. Thurman says that she felt dehumanised "to the point of death" by the car crash.
It's her last quote that has struck readers the most, prompting multiple tweets in solidarity: "Personally, it has taken me 47 years to stop calling people who are mean to you ‘in love’ with you. It took a long time because I think that as little girls we are conditioned to believe that cruelty and love somehow have a connection and that is like the sort of era that we need to evolve out of."
Refinery29 has reached out to Thurman for comment.
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please visit the Rape Crisis website or call 0808 802 9999.
