Cornelia Parker has been named the official artist of the 2017 general election.
The sculptor and installation artist, who was awarded an OBE in 2010, is the first woman to receive the commission after male artists were selected in 2001, 2005, 2010, and 2015.
Parker is free to observe the election however she sees fit, and will produce a piece for the parliamentary art collection in response. Throughout the campaign, she will be posting on Instagram using the handle @electionartist2017.
"It's quite a responsibility but I'm just not going to think about that," Parker, who has been nominated for the Turner Prize, told Sky News. "I'm just going to work in the way I normally work, which is to marinade myself in the material, and then in the middle of the night I'll have a brainwave, I hope."
Parker's best-known work includes 1995's The Maybe, a performance piece at London's Serpentine Gallery in which Tilda Swinton lay inside a glass case for eight hours a day, every day for a week. For another installation, 1991's Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View, Parker had a garden shed blown up by the British Army, then suspended the fragments - almost as if she were "pressing pause" on the explosion process.
More recently, she produced 2015's Magna Carta (An Embroidery), an embroidered recreation of the Wikipedia article for the Magna Carta. Julian Assange, Doreen Lawrence, and Caitlin Moran were among those who sewed portions of the artwork, which was conceived as a digital-era response to the historic document.
Parker will receive a £17,000 commission fee plus travel expenses for her work observing the 2017 general election, which takes place on the 8th of June.
Clean, green, and serene: That's May's astrological trifecta, as we revel in Taurus season until the 20th. Grounded Taurus makes common sense cool again. But not in a boring way. This energy is artsy, musical, and creative. Think of it as practical magic. Being the first of the earth signs, Taurus time reminds us to respect our natural resources. As last month's March for Science pointed out, there is no Planet B. While new things can be a treat, what can we reuse, repurpose, and upcycle? Or, grow ourselves? Check out community farms, get a garden going, or support local agriculture by visiting a farmers' market.
Bottom line: In May, the best things in life are free — and that includes lively interactions with people. From May 20 onwards, the sun swirls through social, communicative Gemini, the Zodiac's doppelgänger. Twinning is winning in the month's final third, so pair up and expand your possibilities. Writers, teachers, podcasters, and media-makers will all benefit from Gemini season, which is a time for info-sharing. And while Taurus helps us vocalise our values, Gemini inspires us to dialogue, debate, and dig around for more information. Can we find common ground across the seemingly growing divide? The Gemini new moon on the 25th will certainly help!
Taurus April 20 to May 20
Full steam ahead? With the sun blazing through Taurus until May 20, you'll have a gale wind beneath your wings. Everywhere you turn there are opportunities to start fresh and reinvent yourself. But as you open new tabs and windows, make sure you're also clearing your cache. Your ruling planet, radiant, romantic Venus, spends the entire month in Aries and your 12th house of nostalgia and healing. Mindful Mercury will also be in Aries until the 16th. Certain parts of your history need to be honoured, Bull, so don't throw out the baby with the bathwater! Others aspects of life need to be mourned and May is the month to do that. While a three-hanky birthday wasn't what you envisioned, think of it this way: Feeling, dealing, and healing will set you free to launch your new yearlong journey around the sun. And TBH, embracing your emotions will be such a relief. Your mantra for May: Every loss is also a gain. As you release outmoded situations, you make space for bigger and better things to flow in. This Venus cycle can attract a soulmate, someone who actually matches your "dream date" vision. And with the Scorpio full moon lighting up your relationship house on the 10th, a long-term partnership could be set in stone.
Money is on your mind all month, as motivator Mars powers through Gemini and your income zone. Be proactive about getting ahead. Pitch projects, set up power lunches, and take the initiative to learn the latest developments in your field. (Even if no one is paying you to do so.) That self-starter energy will take you even farther after the 20th, as the sun joins Mars in Gemini. The new moon on the 25th promises a job offer, promotion, or brilliant idea for a side hustle. Take a chance, Taurus: What you don't already know, you'll learn along the way.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
Paradox is your playground, Gemini — and those "double agent" skills will come in handy with May's planetary mix. All month long, go-getter Mars is pulsing through Gemini, bringing a high-octane boost for your ambitions. Mars only visits your sign every other year (the last time was May 11 to June 24, 2015), so don't sleep through it! But do allow yourself some disco naps in between those power lunches and creative brainstorming sessions. Until the 20th, the sun is nesting in Taurus and your 12th house of rejuvenating escape. From wired to tired to wired again...that's your pace for much of May. But the dreaming is as important as the doing, Gemini. Some of your most brilliant ideas will come while you're staring out the window or lying in savasana on your yoga mat. Seek inspiration from deeper sources — your elders, nature, mystical texts. Begin collecting inspiring images for a vision board. Your subconscious can clue you in to what you really want to do with your life. As R29's own creative director Piera Gelardi advises, "Make your soul path your goal path."
Gemini season begins on the 20th and that's when you'll really be ready for lift-off. The introspective vibes take a backseat to your adventurous spirit. With warmhearted Venus buzzing through your 11th house of community all month, you've no doubt encountered some fascinating groups of people. Now, you're ready to dive in with a trial membership — or maybe even by running for a leadership position in the organisation. On the 25th, 2017's new moon in Gemini marks another important jumping-off point. This is a stellar day to launch a personal project or make a huge announcement.
Romantically, passionate Mars keeps the fire burning in your loins, but those blazes could quickly spread to include many interests. If you're hardcore monog, Venus' tour of your tech sector may inspire some new additions to your toy collection. Stay on those apps! Digital dating is blessed by Venus' beams, but you could also meet your match through mutual friends. Coupled? Give yourself healthy doses of "me time" in between dates and make a point of socialising together as a pair. After the full moon on the 10th, you might even become workout buddies. Let 'em see you sweat. The shared endorphin rush will be awesome for your sex life.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
Don the red-and-white-striped shirt. It's time to play "Where's Cancer?" as you lose yourself in the crowd this May. With the Taurus sun lighting up your 11th house of groups until the 20th, you'll find people more fascinating than annoying. And if small talk ain't your thing, break out the camera for some street style portraiture. Your creative sign has quite the eye. You might even find your tribe at a work function, especially after the 3rd, when Mercury wakes up from a three-week retrograde that's been stalling developments in your career zone. But with the messenger planet back on his game — and powering through your success sector until the 16th — you are primed for some leaps up the ladder. Charming Venus also occupies your 10th house all month. Mingle with the influencers — don't skip office happy hours to "go feed your cat." In May, it really is all about who you know.
Romantically, circle May 10 as a hotspot. The annual full moon in Scorpio lights a fire in your passionate fifth house which could bring true love to life. Surprise! It might just be an office romance. Cancer who are ready to take a big leap could even get engaged or pregnant under these fertile moonbeams. (If you're not into cradle-rocking, double up on the protection). Your talents could draw some public attention too and this full moon may vault you into a leadership position. Make sure you're camera-ready! People will be watching. After the 20th, feel free to tuck back into your shell more often. The sun sinks into Gemini and your healing and solitary 12th house for a month. In these four weeks leading up to Cancer season, take stock of what you're ready to let go of from your past year of life. From mum jeans to toxic Tinder dates, let them go, let them go.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Leo July 23 to August 22
Game on, Leo! With the sun lighting up your ambitious 10th house until May 20, your royal status will be cemented. But you'll have to put in some elbow grease, too. Keep your ears perked for leadership opportunities and job openings — and let your networks know what you're searching for. Do you need additional training or certification to get your paws on a higher rung of the ladder? With Mercury wrapping its retrograde on the 3rd, submit those applications and file any paperwork. Well-connected dudes will be incredibly helpful this month, so clue them in to your ambitious quest. They could make fateful introductions or put in a great word on your behalf.
But on the 10th, it's one of your sisters who will play a starring role, thanks to the Scorpio full moon in your house of women. If you've been stuck in a rivalry, you may finally sort out the power dynamics and bring back the love. This full moon can also illuminate domestic issues. Are you ready to move or spruce up your decor (with some lush plants, maybe)? Make Chateau Leo feel like your den and palace — or find a better place to hang your bejewelled crown and sceptre.
Romantically, you're not exactly the most focused this May. With cosmic lovebirds Venus and Mars in the more liberated and experimental zones of your chart, you may prefer single status — or require a longer leash to flex your flirting powers. But at heart, you're a die-hard romantic. Love could emerge via your friend group, especially near the new moon on the 25th. Cross-cultural and long-distance relationships could also be your jam. Already attached? Keep things fresh by socialising more often as a pair. Co-host an early summer party or find a scene you both love and become regular fixtures.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Virgo August 23 to September 22
Wanderlust: activated! The world is your playground this May, as the sun sails through your travel sector until the 20th. What new corners of the planet do you want to explore? Ask friends about their favourite journeys and do your own research. On the 3rd, curious Mercury snaps out of retrograde, giving you the green light to book flights and firm up all your 2017 festival plans. A romantic getaway could certainly sweeten the pot with your S.O. Equally fun would be a best friend road trip near the full moon on the 10th, which falls in your house of kindred spirits. If you can't leave home base this month, journey in the figurative sense by exploring more diverse activities in your hometown. Get involved in global causes and intersectional feminist groups. Sign up for a spring-summer workshop or a self-development weekend. There's plenty to excavate in that deep soul of yours too, Virgo.
While your suitcase will be in heavy rotation, your work bag will also be in frequent use. Motivator Mars cruises through your 10th house of career all month, boosting you up the ladder. Travelling for work is a possibility or you could collaborate with a colleague in a sister city. Take more initiative; be the self-starter — while also respecting the existing power pyramid. You want the insiders to have your back, not feel threatened by you. Creatrix Venus spends May in your big money zone and you could make a bundle of cash through royalties, commissions, or the sale of property. That's good reason to record that EP or hawk some vintage couture on eBay. The new moon on the 25th could reward you with a fancy job offer or new title at your job. Are you crushing on a coworker? With Mars and Venus in these placements, the line between business and pleasure could get very blurry in May. Coupled Virgos might make a mint from your combined skills or a shared investment. Explore!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Libra September 23 to October 22
Draw the drapes, hang that "Do Not Disturb" sign. In early May, you "vant to be alone," or huddled up with your closest acquaintances. Thank the Taurus sun, which is simmering in your intimate eighth house until the 20th. Although you'll never stop being a social creature, when you need your "me" or "just the two of us" time, respect it. And keep a firm privacy policy in place. Your Snapchat friends don't need to be updated on your every move and your BFFs don't need a blow-by-blow ( cough) of your sex life. Which, by the way, could get super scintillating this month as the sun reboots your libido. And with your ruler, romantic Venus, in your committed relationship house all May, a casual connection could get pretty serious. Do you want "more" or "different" from your mate? The full moon on the 10th helps you vocalise your feelings — and so does the new moon on the 25th. Don't hide your desires, Libra. It's important to know if your visions align so you can move ahead together or just move on.
But don't tuck too far into your private little enclave. All month long, motivator Mars is pulsing through Gemini and your worldly ninth house. Travelling makes your soul sing — and might just get you inspired about starting your own side hustle. Sign up for a retreat or workshop in another city and start looking at festival dates. When the sun joins the Gemini party from the 20th on, you'll really feel ready to book all the tickets and finalise plans. Multicultural mingling will be energising this month. Branch out from any bubbles you've been stuck in. If you feel awkward or clueless at first, own it and make zero assumptions. Find out about the issues affecting other communities and ask people if they'd be willing to share their experiences firsthand. If your friend list is already super diverse (as is the case for many harmonising Libras), take it upon yourself to play astrological ambassador. Bring together friends from different backgrounds and be the bridge. Their minds will be blown in the best of ways. Cheers to progress, Libra!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Scorpio October 23 to November 21
Don't hang on too tightly to that lone wolf status, Scorpio. With the sun cruising through your relationship houses all month, ghosting means missing out on the best that May has to offer. While your discerning sign may only really click with a select pool, those gems are ready to be discovered. Romantic Venus hangs out in your selective sixth house all month, ensuring that you won't let a loser get past your red velvet ropes. And your co-ruler, passionate Mars, will sharpen your intuition and erotic appeal all month long. Be mindful of what you wish for, because you stand a damn good chance of getting it, Scorpio. Pair up for pleasure and business. Dynamic duos could be quite profitable in May. While you love a kindred spirit, stay open to people who have complementary skill sets. It will be such a relief to find folks who can pick up where you leave off.
But do circle May 10 as your day to shine! That's when 2017's only full moon in Scorpio will light up the skies. All your hard work since your birthday season is set to pay off. And if you've been hustling, you could be rewarded with a bounty of bright opportunities — ones that even draw attention from the media or the influencers in your field. Don't be shy about self-promotion, because this is the day to start a buzz on your own behalf. If you've been in "energy saver" mode, consider this full moon your wakeup call to get back into action. Sign up for a spring-summer workshop or session with a coach. Investing in yourself now will pay dividends over the coming six months.
Moving your body can also help get energy flowing. And with Mercury waking up from its retrograde on the 3rd, you'll get your schedule back in check so you can make all those cardio classes and sessions with your trainer. Forget the no pain, no gain schtick — and lose the "compare and despair" nonsense, too. With radiant Venus in your healthy living zone all month, it's time to love the skin you're in with fun workouts, a great playlist, and some mind-blowing foreplay!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Sagittarius November 22 to December 21
Hold that plank pose, Sagittarius! (3, 2, 1...) The Taurus sun lights up your wellness zone until the 20th, inspiring you to take better care of your bod. Deprivation never works for your indulgent sign, but these luscious, international salad recipes will appeal to your worldly nature. Drink more water! Every system of your body will thank you. And a detoxifying Scorpio full moon on the 10th wants you to flush away negative influences in every realm, including the energy vampires who are draining you with their neediness and unrealistic demands. Bye! Seriously, Sagittarius, it's time to stop making excuses for their bad behaviour and just put up a giant boundary. Dialling down stress at work should be another major goal for the month. Where can you bring more efficiency to your process? Do you need to outsource, delegate, or find an intern? Burning the midnight oil isn't necessarily a noble show of dedication, Archer, and certainly not if it leads to burnout. Time to work smarter, not harder — so you have time to make that 7 p.m. yoga class.
Love planets Venus and Mars are also in your corner this May — another reason to lighten your workload. Radiant Venus spends the month in Aries and your glamorous, romantic fifth house, making you a love magnet and a style queen. (Can you say "dress-up dates"?) Mars will be in Gemini and your relationship sector all month, increasing your urge to merge. And from the 20th on, the sun also moves into Gemini, which can take a lukewarm connection to the next level. The sun-Mars duo can be as fiery as it is seductive. Careful not to heap too much pressure onto your dates or to start arguments to keep things "exciting." Single? The new moon on the 25th could reveal someone with staying power. Attached Archers could leap to the next level together under these moonbeams, from cohabitation to engagement to planning your first couple's holiday!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Capricorn December 22 to January 19
Love is in the air, Capricorn, so don't let May's spring-fevered gifts pass you by. The Taurus sun is swirling through your passionate, playful fifth house until the 20th, upping your attraction factor big time. Stop compulsively checking your phone for work emails. You might notice a few admirers scoping you out — ones you can appreciate in return. If you're single, dive back into the dating pool and try out a couple new apps. With amorous Venus in your female friendship house all month, one of your girls could successfully play Cupid on your behalf. In an LTR? Add more play dates to the shared calendar — and more nesting time. Venus may nudge coupled Capricorns towards cohabitation or family planning if you're ready to rock the cradle. Don't be shy about bringing up your emotions and desires this month. With Mercury snapping out of a three-week retrograde on the 3rd, honesty is the most rewarding policy. In all likelihood, your feelings will be reciprocated. But if they aren't, isn't it best to know sooner than later? Your moment of truth may come near the full moon on the 10th.
While early May will make a catwalk diva out of you, after the 20th, you'll feel more like a track star. The sun heads into Gemini and your sixth house of wellness, bringing a boost to your spring training goals. And with motivator Mars in Gemini all month, you'll already feel the urge to take better care of your body. Hey, Capricorn, it's your soul's address here on Earth! Swap in natural products to your beauty routine and add more creative salad recipes to your menu. Work gets busier under this cosmic spell, so spruce up your LinkedIn after the 20th. The new moon on the 25th could bring a job offer or a plum assignment. Nail this one and you could find yourself launched up the ladder over the coming six months!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Aquarius January 20 to February 18
Cinco de Mayo margaritas at Casa de Aquarius! Your home could be the buzzing hive of activity this May, as the Taurus sun lights up your domestic sphere until the 20th. And when Mercury snaps out of retrograde on the 3rd, your popularity starts soaring. Bring together old friends and new to enjoy your space. Need to fix up your place? Order pizza and have a painting party — and don't sleep on these gems from H&M Home that can make your apartment pop. Did you have a falling out with someone from your squad? Mercury's U-turn helps you hash it out and hug it out. That doesn't mean peace at any price though. Be honest about the changes you want to see in the friendship so you don't repeat the cycle again.
Romantically, May is percolating with promise! All month long, passion planet Mars cruises through Gemini and your glamorous, amorous fifth house. Schedule some dress-up dates in between those Netflix nights — and let your wild side take the wheel. The sun zooms into Gemini for a month on the 20th, bringing even more heat to your love life. You could meet your match near the new moon on the 25th — or hit an Instagram-worthy milestone with your S.O. The fifth house also rules fame, so get ready for your close-up, Aquarius. May is one of 2017's best months for making a name for yourself or gaining greater exposure for your work. And with a career-boosting Scorpio full moon on the 10th, you could wind up with a raise or investment money to develop your dream!
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Pisces February 19 to March 20
Just in time for spring, May finds you in full-on social butterfly mode. Abandon the cocoon until the 20th, but don't flutter too far from base. The local scene is percolating with possibilities. Explore everything from trivia nights to a grassroots community farm. Meeting more neighbours will make you feel more at home in your neck of the woods. If nothing's buzzing, organise a meetup yourself. A local venue would probably be thrilled to have more people coming in the door. But do check those admission costs. On May 3, Mercury wakes up from a three-week retrograde that tore through your finance house. From unexpected bills to retail therapy splurges (where the hell is that receipt?!), your credit card statement could be higher this month. (Gulp.) Fortunately, Mercury corrects course on the 3rd and gives you extra charm until the 16th. Send out LinkedIn invites, ping prospective clients, and have a talk about growth opportunities with the powers that be.
A chance to travel could arrive on the 10th when the full moon in Scorpio lights up your worldly ninth house. Your company could even foot the bill or you might hitch a ride to a festival in a friend's vintage Vanagon. If your budget's tight, how about a long weekend apartment swap with a pal in a cool city? Romantically, you could vibe with a cutie from a different culture. A couple's getaway would be lively and passionate near the 10th. Just make sure you're back at base by the 20th, when the sun nestles into Gemini and your domestic fourth house. Turn your attention back to home. Nights in with bae, dinner parties with the girls — this will be more your speed. Looking to move, find a new roomie, or make some extra cash by Airbnb-ing your basement? The new moon on the 25th inspires changes around Chateau Pisces, even if it's just a fresh coat of pain.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
Aries March 21 to April 19
Flex those conversation muscles, Ram. After three signal-scrambling weeks, communication planet Mercury snaps out of retrograde on May 3 and removes that ballet flat from your mouth. You had it worse than most as Mercury's backspin took place primarily in your sign. But from May 3 to 16, the planetary messenger powers forward through Aries and restores your gift of gab. Use this window to explore new interests and shamelessly self-promote the projects you have in the pipeline. Put your money where your mouth is, too. With the Taurus sun lighting up your financial zone until May 20, you could talk your way right into an opportunity. Invest in webinars and trainings to help bump your skills to the next paygrade — and don't underestimate the power of networking. Your big payoff could come near the Scorpio full moon on the 10th.
Those moonbeams will amplify your sex appeal, too! Lift your nose from the grindstone and see who's checking you out. The 10th could bring a lucky swipe for single Aries or a fateful IRL encounter. And lucky you: Enchanting Venus spends the entire month of May in Aries blessing you with seductive powers. Variety is the spice of your love life, but you won't have the longest attention span. Don't dismiss a good one before giving them a chance! Attached? Talks turn to exclusivity near the 10th — which may involve matching keys or rings. Detour away from "the usual places" to keep your connection fresh. Gemini Season begins on the 20th, which revs up your social life big time. And with your ruler, lively Mars, in Gemini all month, you'll have already made contact with kindred spirits. One with BFF (or bae) potential could pop up near the new moon on the 25th. This is a great time to get involved in local causes, from non-profit activism to organising a block party in your 'hood.
Illustrated by Alia Penner. Photographed by Jason Rodgers.
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If your newsfeed is anything like mine, in recent years it’s been buzzing with stories, statistics, and hashtags about the gender pay gap. Campaigns like #LeanInTogether, #girlboss, and most recently, #nastywoman have all highlighted why women need to take the proverbial bull by the horns when it comes to advocating for fair pay. Systemic sexism and a gender pay gap exists in many workplaces, and pay equity laws have been enacted at the federal level and in some progressive-leaning states to start to address this. But what can you do on an individual level if you find out you’re a victim of this pay gap?
It’s simple (and not so simple): Start by asking for more. It’s likely the guy in the cubicle next to you already has. In a widely cited study for her book Women Don’t Ask, Carnegie Mellon’s Linda Babcock asked a group of male and female MBA graduates if they’d negotiated their first offers of employment. She found that only 7% of the women surveyed engaged in salary negotiations, while 57% of the men had. That’s not altogether surprising — many women fear that asking for a higher salary or a better title makes them appear aggressive and unlikeable. The sad truth is that women are more likely than men to be penalised for asking for more simply because of tacit societal gender norms. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. Buying into the misconception that advocating and negotiating for yourself is only for “pushy broads” is like relegating women to a permanent Mad Men secretary status. None of us can afford to do that, and there’s a good financial reason why.
Not negotiating or asking for more can cost a working woman over £400,000, on average, over the course of her lifetime. Stanford’s Margaret A. Neale explains it like this: “If you [don’t negotiate] and your [male] counterpart who negotiates are treated identically by the company — you are given the same raises and promotions — 35 years later, you will have to work eight more years to be as wealthy as your counterpart at retirement.” Eight more years. When you look it at that way, it seems ridiculous to not even try.
But asking for raises and promotions often makes people uncomfortable. Many women I speak with would rather avoid the conversation with their employers altogether, even if failure to have the discussion comes at great personal, professional, and economic cost. Just like any other new exercise, adjusting your mindset to view self-advocacy as an advantageous tool takes practice. You will not always be successful, and you will not always get all of what you want, but push yourself out of your comfort zone and give it a shot. You’ll be surprised at how often asking gets results. Certainly, not asking just gets you nowhere.
Because I know how difficult this process is for women, I’ve put together some suggestions to help you along on your path to asking for more, whether you’re asking for a raise for the first time, speaking up because you found out you’re underpaid, or just going into an annual compensation review.
Ahead, five tips to get you started.
Nicole Page is an employment attorney and partner at the New York firm ofReavis Parent.
Preparing a wish list will help you identify your priorities, both short- and long-term. Before the big meeting with your boss, think about what it is specifically that you want, and think big (this is just your personal list, and you can always scale back). Here are some things to consider:
What do you want to achieve in both the near and distant future? In your professional life? In your personal life?
Are you looking for a one-time, finite win (a 10 % raise, a bonus)? Or are you working toward a long-term goal?
What conditions (pay, benefits, time off, office culture) and structures (work relationships, mentorship, division of labor) will set you up for success and fulfilment during your tenure with your employer?
The more precise your ask and the clearer your terms and expectations, the more likely you are to get what you want. Remember: If you are good at what you do, your employer will want to make you happy (unless you work somewhere horrible, which is another story altogether). Maybe you won’t get the exact raise or bump in title right now, but if you put it out there, you at least plant the seeds, set a precedent, and can push from there.
Also, if you don’t already know how your pay compares to that of your male colleagues, make sure to do your research. It’s important to know what the standard is for comparable positions, so that you can present your case to meet or surpass the standard salary with conviction and evidence, if necessary. The trend toward pay transparency will go a long way to combat this type of discrimination, but until full transparency is common practice, do what you can on your own to gather any information that will assist your negotiations.
Ultimately, negotiations mean compromise; there is bound to be some give and take on both sides of the conversation. However, you’ve got to know your boundaries and what you consider non-negotiable.
When asked to give advice on overcoming career obstacles as a woman, Katie Couric said, “Don’t be above playing the game a little bit with people, because it really ultimately means you are smarter than they are.” Part of “playing the game” involves giving enough of a hard line to command respect and understanding, just as your employer does. They will definitely come in with their own deal breakers, so you have to, too. Being able to confidently state those deal breakers combined with the talents you bring to the company will give you the political savvy to help influence those around (and above) you and get the pay you deserve.
Before your negotiations begin, think about who it is that you’ll be talking to. Is it your direct supervisor, with whom you work and communicate on a daily basis? Is it a peer? Or is it the company president? Think about how that person generally communicates and how they communicate with you personally. And then ask around. Do your due diligence to find out everything you can so that when you walk into this meeting, you know what to expect from the other side of the table.
The key components to a successful negotiation are preparation and professionalism. There are many different styles of asking, and as you practice over time, you will find the style that works for you. One useful tactic is to think about the negotiation from your employer’s perspective and frame your ask in a way that makes it clear that the company will also benefit. For instance, you might suggest that a more senior title will generate more industry respect and allow you to attract a higher level of business — it’s a win-win. I also strongly encourage people to rehearse their ask. Grab a friend and have her play your boss. It helps to hear yourself out loud — and it decreases anxiety.
The negotiation happens. You get an offer (hopefully). Congrats! But you’re not done yet. Whatever it is (a new title or raise or extra vacation days), make sure it’s documented in writing. If you aren’t provided with an agreement embodying the terms of your employment, at least have your new position and/or the agreed-upon deal points documented in an email. Something like this:
Dear Jane: Thank you so much for speaking with me today. This email is to confirm our discussion in which it was agreed that my salary increase to £100,000 will go into effect as of May 1, 2017.
This way, you have a record of what you were promised, and there is no opportunity for the other person to conveniently not remember (or deny) what they agreed to.
In fact, make it a practice to keep written documentation of all positive feedback you receive in the workplace. This will give you points of reference for your accomplishments in future negotiations, as evidence of your value and contributions to your employer.
Negotiating doesn’t come easily to everyone. I do it every day for a living and have more practice than most people, and I still find it challenging on occasion. So don’t feel bad if it terrifies you. But do it anyway. And keep asking. It will pay off.
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Kim Kardashian West returned to social media on January 1, 2017 — and she wasted no time in reminding us why there are so many Instagram accounts exclusively dedicated to documenting her every outfit.
The thing is, our fascination with the 36-year-old's style isn't because of how relatable it is — because really, it isn't relatable at all. (Calling your closet an archive, getting first dibs on Yeezy samples, and having Riccardo Tisci on speed-dial isn't exactly the everywoman way of dressing.) Rather, it's the fact that Kardashian seemingly dresses for herself: She rarely follows trends or plucks something head-to-toe off the catwalk, though she very well could. She tries things out, plays around with silhouettes, and doesn't really care whether something's considered "in" or "out." Question an outfit decision of hers, if you will: Like clockwork, the world will still follow in her footsteps (See: the popularity of bodycon, lampshading, and corsets).
Kardashian doesn't necessarily follow a formula, either — rather, she tests and pivots and makes things up as she goes along. It was true before her hiatus, and it's still how she approaches her style now: Her winter-to-spring wardrobe follows the trope of "elevating your basics" — i.e. dressing up your sweatpants and sneakers — with a distinctly Kardashian twist. For her, the grey sweatsuit reserved for binging The Get Down on Netflix becomes a luxe daytime base layer when worn with an ankle-length coat and pointed-toe snakeskin-print boots; the two-sizes-too-big flannel shirt peeks out from underneath an oversized sweater to dress down a pair of lace-up leather leggings. Before, these outfits existed solely in our lazy-styling dreams. Today, Kardashian is making them capital-F Fashion.
See all the trends Kardashian is stanning for this spring, before they blow up all your #OOTDs.
All-Black Avant-Garde In an unlikely twist, Kimberly Kardashian West is the first expected Met Gala attendee to honour this year's theme, stepping out in a Comme des Garçons blazer the weekend before the first Monday in May, according to Vogue. Our expectations for the red carpet just got raised.
Photo: Backgrid.
Extra-Tight Bodycon And in vintage Gianni Versace, no less.
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic.
The Corset Top This one's an oldie, but still a goodie.
Photo: Getty Images.
Dresses That Bare It All Thigh-high slit? Check.
Photo: Getty Images.
Monochromatic To The Max Forget all-black everything. Kim pushes the limits in head-to-toe aubergine.
Photo: Raymond Hall/GC Images.
Blazer, But Make It A Dress We all know KKW has never shied away from an extra-short mini.
Photo: GC Images.
Lace-All-The-Way-Up Pants We expect nothing less from a member of the family that brought string-adorned clothes back to life.
Photo: Splash News.
Boots That Are Also Pants (Or Pants That Are Also Boots) It looks cool, so we won't ask any logistical questions.
Photo: Robert Kamau/GC Images.
Sweatpants As...Pants Because nothing dresses up the bottoms you lounge around in like a cropped fur coat and a few strands of gold bling.
Photo: Raymond Hall/GC Images.
Take two...
Photo: Jawad Elatab/Splash News.
...and three.
Photo: Marc Piasecki/GC Images.
No Outfit Necessary Don't know what to wear? Skip the stress and just wear a coat. Seriously.
Photo: Winslow/Prahl/Splash News.
Weird Fabric Track Pants You know what we're talking about. Those bottoms that look comfy but are actually kind of cold and itchy? Yeah.
Photo: Raymond Hall/GC Images.
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At the start of The Circle, Mae Holland (Emma Watson) is quite literally stuck in a box. A cubicle, that is. And the only person who can free her from Office Space- style hell to the rolling hills of a tech company campus is her best friend and saviour, Annie (Karen Gillan). After Annie gets Mae an interview at the Circle, a tech company of mash-up of Facebook and Google, with a dash of George Orwell's 1984, Mae skyrockets from her bleak, grey office to the hallowed, glassy halls of Silicon Valley.
On her first day of work, Mae enters a magical elevator with Annie that projects images of their friendship onto the walls — think Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Facebook. Typical poses of a long-term friendship abound, from the middle-school hand-on-hip pose to the “going out” smirk. But a few photos do not an intimate on-screen friendship make.
This relationship, which serves as Mae’s introduction to the Circle, has some distractingly confusing aspects. If Annie and Mae are the same age and grew up together, then how can Annie already hold an inner-sanctum job at a prestigious tech haven, while Mae toils in an administrative role at a water company? How did Annie and Mae meet in childhood, if Mae lives in a run-down town in the California desert and Annie is from Scotland? Why is Annie's Scottish heritage never mentioned?
But if the friendship starts off in unbelievable territory, it soon ventures out to the Land of the Straight-Up Ridiculous. Teaming up with the company’s CEO Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks) and COO Tom Stenton (Patton Oswalt), Mae becomes the living symbol of Circle’s commitment to radical truth and transparency. She wears a miniature camera that turns her daily life into a live-stream. Nothing is off-limits — including, in one cringe-worthy scene, an intimate glimpse of her parents projected to her 2 million followers.
Courtesy of STX
As Mae rapidly climbs the company ladder, Annie devolves into an overworked mess. During one conference held in the Circle’s amphitheater, Mae sits on stage with Eamon Bailey. Annie, sitting alone in the row where she had previously sat with Mae, looks visibly disheveled and mutters to herself like a madwoman.
Mae lets weeks go by without speaking to Annie, because of course that’s what “good friends” do. At last, Mae chases Annie down and they have an intimate conversation in a bathroom, where Mae is allotted three camera-free, private moments. In addition to pulling all-nighters, Annie reveals she must battle hordes of sycophantic coworkers trying to get to Mae through her. With the stall door separating her from Annie, Mae wears a half-hearted expression of concern, but never apologises or empathises.
Most importantly, neither Annie nor Mae intervene in the other's concerning life paths: Annie’s working for days straight, Mae’s working to perpetuate an evil empire. Instead, they leave the stainless steel bathroom stalls and don’t talk again until the end of the movie. Then, after a prolonged silence, a reformed Mae video chats with Annie, who’s now prancing about in the Scottish Highlands. Annie's left the Circle, the blush has returned to her cheeks, and all is forgiven — though the two friends don't engage in any sort of heart-to-heart exchange.
Ironically, the company both women work for envisions a culture of full disclosure. In the Circle’s dream future, everyone’s personal details, from their location to their emails, would be completely accessible. Yet in the movie’s sole intimate friendship, nothing substantial is shared. No secrets, no laughter, and no details of their history together. Essentially, even between friends, there’s no transparency. Because, honestly? Annie and Mae aren’t friends. They’re just two similarly-aged actresses cast as friends to further a half-baked plot.
In severely under-developing the women’s friendship, The Circle missed out on an opportunity to root an unbelievable story in the relatable, murky trenches of loyalty, jealousy, and intimacy. Instead, the movie ignores all basic human relations in favour of chasing the implications of tech ideals.
I went to see The Circle with two of my best girl friends, and I made a vow to myself between handfuls of popcorn. If either of them teams up with two Steve Jobs look-alikes to plot world domination through placing miniature cameras all over the world, they’ll have to come through me first. What else are old friends for, if not putting the breaks on your mistakes — or at least trying to?
The Circle doesn't yet have a UK release date.
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Once upon a time, avocado was synonymous with old-fashioned bathrooms decorated in an unflattering shade of green. But in recent years, this soft, smooshy fruit (yes, it's a fruit) has become either a tasty breakfast staple or a slightly tired breakfast cliché, depending on your point of view. In Amsterdam, there's an entire restaurant dedicated to avocados. In London, there's one where they're banned for being "boring."
But now the creamy and versatile avocado - maker of guacamole, topper of toast - looks set to become less affordable. The BBC reports that wholesale avocado prices have now reached a record high because of growing global demand - let's face it, we're guilty as charged - and relatively poor harvests in three key avocado-producing regions, Mexico, Peru, and California. In fact, one leading Mexican wholesaler is now selling 10kg boxes of Hass avocados for £21.78, more than double last year's price.
Now, you don't need to be an economics expert to realise that sooner or later, this price rise is likely to be passed on to us, the consumer, next time we pick up a couple of ripe avocados at the supermarket. But if it does become more of a luxury item, allow us to recommend these hacks that will help you make the most of every avocado you buy.
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Malia and Sasha Obama called the White House "home" for eight years. The former first daughters spent a great part of their childhood and teenage years in the presidential residence, going from tiny little girls to young women right in front of our eyes. It was safe to assume, then, that leaving after such a long time was definitely going to be hard for the Obama sisters.
But, they didn't go all out during the first family's last night at the White House. In fact, they had a rather mundane evening, according to former First Lady Michelle Obama. According to the Today show , during a question-and-answer session last week at the America Institute of Architecture convention in Orlando, FL, the former FLOTUS revealed how 18-year-old Malia and 15-year-old Sasha spent their last hours in the White House.
"They had a sleepover, because of course on Inauguration Day, because my girls are so normal, they're like, 'Well, eight girls are gonna be sleeping here because it's our last time, and we want pizza and we want nuggets.' And it's like, really?" Michelle said.
In our not-so-professional opinion, a big sleepover with your best friends where there's pizza and nuggets sounds like the perfect recipe for an aching heart.
But of course, Michelle said there was some crying the moment the family had to officially leave.
"So that moment of transition, right before the doors opened and we welcomed in the new family, our kids were leaving out the back door in tears, saying goodbye to people," Michelle said.
She then joked about why she was holding back her own feelings. "I didn't want to have tears in my eyes because people would swear I was crying because of the new president," she said.
However, it seems like the first family has adjusted well to its post-White House life (shout-out to their amazing vacations).
"Friends are surprised I answer the door now," Michelle said. She also pointed out the former first dogs, Bo and Sunny, had "never heard a doorbell."
The Obamas have remained in Washington, D.C. so Sasha can finish high school. Meanwhile, Malia has been interning in New York City and she is set to attend Harvard University this autumn.
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It's no surprise that bullying can have widespread effect on a person's mental state — but according to new research, it could also lead to physical changes, for both the bullies and their victims.
According to a study from the University of Warwick, bullies and those that they bully are more likely than anyone else to want plastic surgery. Researchers studied almost 2,800 teens in the UK, analysing emotional problems, their levels of self-esteem and body image, as well as their desire to have plastic surgery. The study, published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, found that over 11% of bullying victims and nearly 9% of those who bullied and were bullied had an “extreme desire” to have plastic surgery.
Girls were more likely than boys to want plastic surgery, with 7.3% of girls wanting surgery as compared with just 2% of boys.
Researchers theorised that while reasons for wanting plastic surgery varied, victims may be more likely to want to change their appearance due to the effect bullying has on their self-esteem. Bullies, on the other hand, may want plastic surgery out of a desire to be admired or looked up to.
"Being victimised by peers resulted in poor psychological functioning, which increased desire for cosmetic surgery," the authors wrote. "For bullies, cosmetic surgery may simply be another tactic to increase social status [...] to look good and achieve dominance."
Dieter Wolke, lead author of the study, told Yahoo that low self-esteem contributes to the desire for plastic surgery for both bullies and their victims. He also recommended that plastic surgeons work carefully with teens who seek cosmetic surgery.
"Our main message to plastic surgeons is: If young people present with a desire to have a cosmetic procedure, screen for bullying and mental health," he said. "There may be other solutions that help without risk and address the root problem."
Additionally, Wolke cautioned parents to discuss bullying with their children.
"Parents should be open to discuss with their adolescents, in particular, about bullying and to understand when their child expresses a desire to change with cosmetic surgery," he told Yahoo. "Bullies pick on anyone, and that includes often competitors — others who are attractive and competition. … It is mostly about power. And making someone who stands in the way feel without confidence and bad about their body enhances bullies’ power."
As the authors wrote, young people may have less of a desire for plastic surgery if the mental health issues that arise from bullying are addressed.
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If you were tasked with paying homage to a designer as iconic as Rei Kawakubo for the red carpet, do you think you'd be up to the challenge? The reclusive Japanese designer commands as much attention with her anti-celebrity persona as does for the avant garde fashion she designs, which logically made her the perfect subject for this year's Costume Institute exhibition. For the Met Gala's red carpet (which was actually off-white with blue trim this year), how were guests to pay homage to a single designer's work, considering that the talent in question has deliberately tried to ruffle feathers throughout her career?
From co-chair Katy Perry to Met Gala queen Rihanna, attendees celebrated the spirit of Kawakubo's extraordinary vision in a few different ways. Some decided to give it their all, with the most grand, theatrical Comme des Garçons archival pieces, straight from the runway. And others nodded to her motifs, including polka dots, red velvet, workwear separates, and moto jackets. For a theme that's this much of a departure from your standard-issue red carpet, the results were certainly unconventional.
If there's one place, one over-the-top, sacred carpet where things can get weird, it's on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ahead, you'll find our favourite looks of the night.
No, we're not surprised that Met Gala high priestess Anna Wintour showed up in custom Chanel. But didn’t you kind of wish she bypassed her own tradition and turned a Comme des Garçons look, too?
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Gisele Bundchen, one of this year's co-chairs and original supermodel, shined in a backless Stella McCartney number. We were hoping she'd throw it back to the archives (from her early days in Vogue), but she looked stunning nonetheless.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Claire Daines may have opted out of wearing Comme, but she also forewent a whole floor-length gown, too. That’s how you nail it on your own terms. The actress is decked out in custom pants and a ruffled top by Monse.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Model Aymeline Valade shut it down in this part Bowie, part Elton John mirrored suit.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Despite the fact that co-chair Katy Perry is not, in fact, wearing a creation by Kawakubo, we can still admire her custom Maison Martin Margiela look through the same lens. That's one way to start the show.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Model Candice Swanepoel gets kudos for wearing a black dress that doesn't play it safe.
Actress Rila Fukushima turned a black-tie event into a cocktail affair with a thigh-length number that stood out amongst the crowd. Those knee-high boots bring a '60s barbarella feel, too.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Model Grace Hertzel's look is anything but ordinary - this is how you work a theme, guests.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
The Golden Globe winner went where most celebrities didn’t tonight and actually wore a Rei Kawakubo creation. Nice one, Tracee Ellis Ross.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
While many celebrities opted for the colour red to give off those Comme des Garçons vibes, actress Rose Byrne might have done it best thanks to this Ralph Lauren gown.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Shoutout to Lily Collins for barely fitting her Giambattista Valli gown into her car on the way to tonight’s event and still looking this good. Just look at all that tulle.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Sofia Richie knows the best way to play a silver gown down is to add a trust leather jacket.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly.
Behold, co-chair Pharrell and his wife Helen Lasichanh. Let it be known that Pharrell was working jeans at the Met Gala before Kanye West, but no one — and we mean no one — turned a Comme des Garçons look quite like his wife, Lasichanh.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly.
LaLa Anthony stepped onto the carpet in Thai Nguyen Atelier in a gothic spin on the ubiquitous naked dress.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Okay, even though Mindy Kaling’s midnight blue Prabal Gurung number doesn’t exactly scream Comme des Garçons, it is gorgeous.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
If you were shocked that this is Ralph Lauren, you're not alone. Paired with a Balenciaga boot, Lily Aldridge went far more interesting than most.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Solange Knowles is really into puffer jackets right now. After sporting one on her Elle cover, this Thom Browne number is the perfect followup.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Selena Gomez may have blissfully ignored tonight's theme, but at least her Coach number was as ethereal. This one marks the label's first foray into evening wear.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Zoe Kravitz, in this romantic Oscar de la Renta number, is about to end up on the Pinterest boards of alternative brides everywhere.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Now, this is a corset we can get behind. Thanks to Diane von Furstenberg, Girls star Allison Williams makes monochrome slightly more exciting.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly.
We'll never say no to suiting (especially a pair of trousers with a red stripe down the side), particularly in a sea of dresses. Actress Keri Russell donned a Rag & Bone suit here.
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
This is Bardot shoulders done well. Doutzen Kroes' drop-sleeve Brock Collection gown is beautiful.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Kylie's date for the night? The designer who made her dress. Donatella has the Midas touch in her number, too.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Riley Keough in custom Louis Vuitton by Nicolas Ghesquière? This is how you do head to toe sequins.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
This Ralph Lauren number could have been hit or miss - after decades of mastering the outerwear staple, we have a feeling they’ve been waiting for this trench/dress moment for quite some time.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Lena Dunham’s Elizabeth Kennedy gown was accented by a Planned Parenthood pin that should serve a reminder to everyone that fashion and politics can go together.
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.v
It looks like Michael Kors took note from Rei Kawakubo's continuous use of polka dots throughout her collections for Comme des Garçons. For Natasha Poly's sparkly number, the cutouts made it stand out from the sea of red dresses we saw.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Courtney Love attends the Met Gala with daughter Frances Bean Cobain, both in Marc Jacobs. That's all.
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
Céline Dion wore Versace for her first trip to the Met Gala. We're hoping next year will be just as Dion.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Bella Hadid strutted her stuff along Alexander Wang tonight, and she was wearing one of his most risque creations to date.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Wearing custom Tommy Hilfiger, model Gigi Hadid wore a cinched tulle gown by the American designer the two have been collaborating for quite some time now.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Newly-signed IMG Model Paris Jackson wore custom Calvin Klein by Raf Simons tonight.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
We had a feeling model-cum-actress Cara Delevingne would be donning Chanel tonight, but we had no idea it’d be in the form of a kick-ass, belted jacquard suit.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Do we even need to explain this? We knew Rihanna would do the theme proud tonight. The singer wears Comme des Garçons fall 2016, and just like that, she stole the show.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
We’re pretty sure Lily-Rose Depp’s fuchsia Chanel number was the only of its colour tonight on the Met steps. And even though we wouldn’t exactly call this reminiscent of anything Kawakubo has created (the designer has a penchant for more muted tones), it sure was pretty.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Actress Lupita Nyong’o gave us one of the few Prada looks on the carpet tonight (the others being Jessica Chastain and Sarah Paulson).
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Model Karlie Kloss is ready to take over the world in this Carolina Herrera mini.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly.
Kate Hudson matches her hair to her Stella McCartney gown for a space age feel.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Rita Ora wraps up the night in a Marchesa bows-and-all number.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Prada plus Sarah Paulson? Fluffy hem perfection.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
This Dolce & Gabbana number is perfect for Zendaya - and that hair! This kind of look is what makes a red carper exciting.
Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images For US Weekly.
Designer Michael Kors really took to the drawing board to create this patchwork number for Kerry Washington tonight. And in terms of paying homage without crossing any copycat lines, Kors nailed it.
Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images For US Weekly.
The only thing missing from Mary J. Blige’s La Perla haute couture dress is a mic to drop.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Kim Kardashian’s white Vivienne Westwood getup kept things low-key, and the structured shirt-like shape really suits her.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Maggie Gyllenhaal’s checkerboard Marni dress is our spring inspiration sorted.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Amy Schumer may have hated going to the Met Gala some years back, but we don’t blame her for letting this custom Zac Posen number lure her back to the steps of the Met.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly.
Depending how you interpret it, model Liu Wen’s denim Off-White getup looks like it’s both falling apart and put together. And that’s because it is, which is quintessential Rei Kawakubo. Psst: The top is Off-White fall 2017 and the bottom is Off-White fall 2016.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Bohemian looks served up again by the Olsen twins. And hey, didn’t we tell you the boa was coming back?
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Kendall stayed away from safe in a La Perla haute couture gown that left as little to the imagine at the back as the front.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly.
Introducing, the picket fence corset. Thanks to H&M, actress Sasha Lane had us thinking that was Comme des Garçons for a second.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Actress Michelle Monaghan wore a chainmail Paco Rabanne gown.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly.
Naomi Campbell, alongside pal and newly-appointed editor-in-chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful, is wearing Azzedine Alaïa.
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly.
Actress Kate Bosworth sported a gothic Tory Burch number - this is proportion play at its finest.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
In custom Proenza Schouler, singer Grimes added a bit of edge to tonight's Met Gala lineup. We're sure those floating hems are going to pop up on the fast fashion scene in no time.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Model Adowa Aboah's deconstructed tuxedo dress was one of the more creative looks we saw on the carpet tonight. And, if you look closely, there's lots more to be found in the details.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
It's Raf Simons' first Met Gala since joining Calvin Klein (and making the move to New York), and the designer wasted no time in showing off his incredible craftsmanship at the biggest fashion event in his new home base. Julianne Moore did the honours, donning a feathered mini slip dress from the brand's newly-opened By Appointment label.
Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images.
When you can't pick between a the drama of a floor-sweeping train and the ease of fitted trousers, you can opt into both, as Emmy Rossum did with a little help of Carolina Herrera.
Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images.
There are cold shoulders, and then there are power shoulders — and Reese Witherspoon serves both simultaneously in a colourblocked Mugler gown.
Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images.
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Bleached brows, purple lips, coloured contacts. What do these three things have in common? To be honest, not much — besides the Met Gala. The annual event is the time for celebs to let their beauty freak flags fly. And this year was no exception.
Tonight, stars paid tribute to Rei Kawakubo, the legendary designer behind Commes Des Garçons. Kawakubo is known for her risk-taking, out-of-the-box aesthetic, and attendees channeled that with a stream of rad beauty looks. Think razor-sharp black bobs (to honour Rei herself), voluminous curls, face jewellery, pink highlighter, glitter lips, and more.
Ahead, see our favourite beauty moments from the 2017 Met Gala — which we'll be updating through the night as more celebs arrive. Let us know your favourites in the comments below, and keep checking back for more. We're in for a wild ride, that's for sure.
Kerry Washington
Washington was one of the many who paid tribute to Kawakubo with a short, black, very cool wig.
Photo: Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
Kendall Jenner
If you wanted to know what lipstick Kendall was wearing the second you saw it, we have good news and bad news. It's Estée Lauder Pure Colour Envy Sculpting Lipstick in Restless, a limited edition shade from her collection with the brand. But there's a solid dupe: Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in Carnal.
Photo: George Pimentel/Getty Images.
Katy Perry
Underneath that printed veil was a pair of glitter lips and blue glitter shadow dreamed up by makeup legend Pat McGrath herself.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
Daisy Ridley
Even on our best day, we couldn't do two cat eyes as perfect as Ridley's.
Holmes' makeup looks like just another glam eye from far away, but get closer and you'll notice a seriously cool, two-toned ombré effect.
Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts mauve lip is so on trend — and delightfully unexpected with her red gown.
Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
La La Anthony
We are living for La La's ponytail, soft pink lips, and featherlight smoky eyes.
Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
Kylie Jenner
“When Donatella wants you to go blonde... you go BLONDE,” Kylie Jenner explained via Instagram.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Priyanka Chopra
Makeup artist Pati Dubroff compared Priyanka Chopra’s silvery lids and metallic lips to a “bolt of lightning.” That's certainly what we felt like we got hit by when we saw it.
Lily Aldridge
That hot pink veil (a tribute to one of the designer's past collections) couldn't shield Aldridge's glowing skin and lips.
Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Zoe Kravitz
Kravitz, who’s still slaying her new cropped cut, chose a smoky eye and pale pink lip to complement her Oscar de la Renta gown.
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Lupita Nyong'o
To get that crazy glow, makeup up artist Nick Barose used a combination of Lancôme Miracle Cushion Foundation and Teint Idole Ultra Wear Camouflage Concealer. Then he went in on Lupita's eyes with a variety of pencils and shadows until it dreamy pastel perfection. Check out what it looked like behind-the-scenes, here.
Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
Sasha Lane
Sasha Lane's affordable H&M dress was all the buzz, but her bright winged eye is priceless.
And good news: You can cop her exact lip color this July when CoverGirl releases Melting Pout Liquid Lipstick in Tan-Gel-O. Longest two months ever?
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Ruby Rose
Punk meets pretty in this effortless look from Ruby Rose.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Janelle Monae
Janelle paired a complex dress with a simple red-orange lip and lashes for days. That lip color is CoverGirl Outlast All-Day Custom Reds Lip Colour in You’re On Fire. (Yes, she is.)
Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Halle Berry
We love the front of Berry's simple braided 'do...
Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images
but it's even better from the back.
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Where do you go for truly unbiased beauty advice these days? You could go to a store like Space NK or Boots, where the staff aren’t tied to one particular brand and don't operate on commission. But they’re still hoping you’ll buy something. If you’re lucky enough to have a makeup-savvy friend, you could quiz them. Or you could scan the Instagram page of your favourite influencer – but amid all the #ad and #spon, can you really sift the products from the placements? " I find it hard to relate to beauty bloggers these days. When it was all filmed on a grainy camera in messy bedrooms it felt more real," my friend Mia confided in me. "Now everything looks so polished and inaccessible – those girls never have a hair out of place, or any sign of spots."
It’s a sentiment echoed by another friend, Lauren: "The content is so glossy and glamorised that when you actually go and look at the product they’ve been waxing lyrical about in-store, it doesn't always look like what you saw in their video, or match up to the claims." The answer? Beauty is going guerilla. Harking back to the days when "Avon calling!" was a primary source of beauty news, secret circles are forming in hidden Facebook groups and online forums, where peer-to-peer recommendations can be passed without exploitation from big brands and their advertising bucks. Another friend, Danielle, added, "It’s no secret that influential beauty bloggers are given free products in exchange for reviews and promotions, and while I understand they need to make a living, I don’t always feel like the reviews are truly honest."
Two of the biggest secret groups I found, Dolly&Co and UKMakeupAddicts, boast almost 80,000 members between them. These groups are "hidden", which means you won’t be able to find them by searching on Facebook – you’ll need a friend who’s already a member to invite you. Think of it as Beauty Fight Club: once you’re in, you’re in, but rules exist. Firstly, both groups are strict on solicitation. Anyone found to be trying to sell products or services, or pass around iffy discount codes is unceremoniously booted. I’ve seen a few members in each group complain about being harassed by other members who are also sales reps for brands, but these individuals are usually weeded out. Also banned: trolling. Negative comments are duly deleted, and repeat offenders are quickly shown the door. What’s left is a friendly, responsive and ultimately unbiased melting pot of women of all backgrounds, races and socioeconomic statuses – unlike some influencers. As Mia noted, "I don’t think it’s a secret that naturally wealthy people are more likely to do well with beauty blogs, because you have to start somewhere! For me, I might be spending a huge amount of my weekly wage on an eye palette, but for them it feels like they’ve just gone out and bought it on a whim."
The women I’ve observed in both groups are primarily under the age of 35 and in full-time employment, many with children. They post photos of a makeup look they like and invite people's opinions on whether it would suit them, crowdsource beauty inspiration for upcoming events and discuss the relative merits of different products. Besides beauty, posts span style advice for nights out and outfit ideas for interviews; I’ve seen threads about preferred contraceptive pills and followed women through surgery. It’s personal and intimate, despite the tens of thousands of members. Another friend, Jem, who’s a member of both groups, told me: "I joined the first Facebook group just before Christmas 2016. At the time it had around 10,000 members. I had just had an operation that left me bed-bound for three weeks and housebound for a further month, so my confidence was low and my boredom was high. The ladies in the group were so positive and supportive of one another – it made me want to join in, post, answer questions and become part of a very genuine and uplifting community."
Illustration: Assa Ariyoshi
Jem’s right, the community is genuine. Unlike Instagram influencers or the most-viewed YouTube tutorials, all the selfies posted are free from retouching and artfully constructed backdrops featuring candles and chenille throws. You can see piles of kids' toys, laundry and dirty dishes. Skin is unfiltered, raw and beautiful, hair is unbrushed and most of the women are in their pyjamas. In contrast to the beauty hauls you see elsewhere, the emphasis is often on finding the most cost-efficient product, rather than the flashiest. During the live streams, which anyone can post, the women chat to people in the comments about how a certain powder stops them getting shiny during a shift at McDonald’s, or stop filling in their brows to discuss with their partner what to take out of the freezer for dinner. Keeping the group closed prevents spam and the kind of unbridled trolling for which comment sections are notorious – everything I’ve read has been supportive and uplifting.
Both of these groups owe a debt to old-school forums. While chat boards are largely a relic of a bygone era, a time before push notifications and seamless platform integration, two beauty boards remain behemoths. Reddit’s /r/MakeUpAddiction boasts 359,499 active users, while MakeUpAlley had over 700,000 visitors in a month according to ComScore. In fact, even if you’ve not posted on MakeUpAlley before, you’ve probably read one of their product reviews – their SEO is so good that they often outrank top beauty bloggers. Given that the group has actually been around for six years longer than YouTube (and 10 years more than Reddit), it's a well-deserved reputation. And although you might come for the detailed, in-depth product reviews by real women who are obsessed with beauty, you stay for the community. The "Cafe" Board, one of 12 non-beauty boards (there are now only nine beauty boards), racked up around 12,000 posts in 24 hours while I was observing; the "Make Up" board had just over 1,000. The former is home to discussions on everything from feeling stagnant in your love life ("I’m 27 and have no guy prospects and my sister is married – when’s it my time?") to the sort of things you’d call your mum for ("Are these eggs still good?"). The community is close-knit and supportive, if somewhat impenetrable to outsiders. Threads are littered with acronyms and jargon (MLBB is My Lips But Better; TF$ is Tom Ford, whereas TF is Too Faced – it’s like the original WLTM dating sites for a new generation), and confusing for anyone whose introduction to online conversation was internet 2.0. /r/MakeupAddiction is probably one of the friendlier Reddit threads but still essentially runs on its own language, and anyone who posts a selfie has to accept that they’ll receive "CC" (Constructive Criticism). Reddit styles itself as the front page of the internet but when I checked, MakeUpAlley had over twice the number of users.
Illustration: Assa Ariyoshi
To access either of these forums you have to create an account and follow threads compulsively. Most of us would balk at having yet another login and password – especially when on Facebook, you can toggle seamlessly between a group and your newsfeed. There’s also a hierarchical feel: older, more established members who "get" the lingo dominate, whereas the Facebook groups seem more democratic. As Jem explained: "Facebook is accessible. The posts are short, accompanied with eye-catching pictures, the language is down to earth and if you don't understand something, you can ask for clarification and receive it instantly. Everything loads quickly and doesn’t require an external link." There’s also the sheer functionality of Facebook – adding videos is easy, you can livestream and tag people in the group.
Of course, there’s always a risk attached to asking a bunch of strangers for advice. Especially in the Facebook groups, I’ve seen a lot of discussions around where to buy waist trainers (which are definitely useless and dangerous) and questionable dieting advice. Asking a friend for a mascara recommendation is one thing; having them reevaluate what you eat is another. Hearteningly, there are posts from men transitioning to women who want makeup advice – and they’re received with love and respect.
The late, great Estée Lauder's marketing philosophy was "Telegraph, telegram, tell a friend" and the guerilla ethos of the woman who purposely spilled a bottle of her bath oil in a department store so the scent would circulate and drum up interest lives on, as more and more women return to word-of-mouth recommendations. Free from ads, sponsored content and product placements, these threads are bathroom talk with a megaphone, group chats x 100, nosing around your friend’s makeup bag on steroids. FWIW (For What It’s Worth), I think this revolution could be here to stay.
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No one should let embarrassment get in the way of tackling a sexual health issue. After all, STI nurses have heard – and seen, and felt – it all before. There really is no such thing as a silly question when it comes to matters down there, but the expert nurses dealing with our nether regions admit that sometimes they do feel a little, erm, taken aback by what we ask. Here, a group of highly experienced nurses reveal some of the most surprising questions they’ve been asked.
For more information visit the NHS or contact your local GUM/STI clinic. You can get an STI home testing kit at NHS’s Freedoms Shop
Does emptying the semen inside me successfully prevent pregnancy?
“One woman asked this recently after she’d seen it happen on [an episode of Channel 4 show] Catastrophe. The answer is no, trying to physically remove semen that’s inside you following ejaculation is no guarantee that you won’t become pregnant. There is no way to remove all the sperm – and some sperm is released pre-ejaculation. It’s also worth pointing out sperm can live inside a woman after sex, sometimes for up to seven days.”
Darren
Illustrated by Anna Sudit.
Do I need to disinfect my sex toys after use?
“Right at the end of a routine examination a lady blurted this question out. Cleaning a sex toy properly is very important for your health, but there’s usually no need to use antibacterial products. Follow the recommended care guidelines, which should recommend washing them after every use using a mild, unscented soap. This is even if you're only using it on yourself and not sharing with a partner. An unwashed toy can contaminate them with bacteria. You can get an STI by using sex toys or other objects, but only if someone with an STI has used them before you. If you suspect this is the case, wash it thoroughly before use, or use a condom.”
Suzie
Illustrated by Anna Sudit.
Should I be worried about how many sexual partners I’ve had?
“Many people find it difficult to talk about the total number of sexual partners they've had, and we don’t ask for this information to be disclosed. Worrying about sexually transmitted infections is an entirely separate issue than worrying about your ‘number’, simply because you can get an STI from just one partner. It comes down to praising safe sex. If you’re single and sexually active, especially if you’re having unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners, I would advise having a regular STI check – as often as every three months.”
Esther
Illustrated by Anna Sudit.
Should I be worried about how my vagina looks?
“Stop worrying, because the answer is no. There really isn’t any such thing as a ‘normal vagina’ that looks a certain way. I’m both surprised and saddened to be asked this because it shows how many women have been taught that a ‘healthy’ or ‘attractive’ vagina looks a very specific way, which has probably come from porn imagery. That is short inner labia that don't protrude, with a small, visible clitoris and – if Caucasian – a consistent light-toned skin.
The vulva, which is the set of external genitals that includes the clitoris and the labia, comes in many different sizes, shapes, colours, and other physical variations. So whether you’re wrinkly, smooth, flappy or bumpy, yours is ‘normal’. That said, if you notice a change in its appearance, especially if that is a redness, sores or other markings, or a change in discharge you should seek advice from an STI clinic.”
Suzie
Illustrated by Anna Sudit.
Can mutual masturbation give you an STI?
“This was something that surprised me and I did have to clarify exactly what was meant, which was if they are just using hands. Thankfully, I could reassure them as there is a very low risk from using your hands on someone else and then yourself. But genital to genital masturbation can leave you exposed to things like herpes, HPV [genital warts], pubic lice [crabs] or syphilis.”
Darren
Illustrated by Anna Sudit.
Can a condom get ”lost” inside me?
“No, neither a condom nor the contraceptive NuvaRing can get ”lost” inside a woman. There’s no danger of something being pushed too far up in the vagina because the cervix, which is the narrow, lower end of the uterus, will block it from going any farther. If a condom comes off during sex you can reach inside the vagina and gently pull it out. If this happens there is a risk of STIs, and also pregnancy if the woman is not using another type of contraception. Your sexual health clinic can help.”
Suzie
Illustrated by Anna Sudit.
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Money Diaries is the regular R29 series where we tackle what might be the last taboo facing modern working women: money. And so we ask all different kinds of women to map out their seven days in money for us.
Now, though, Money Diaries is branching out – we’re going to find out exactly what people spend on their holidays!
This week we're with a 21-year-old student who just handed in all her university work and is taking off to Berlin for six days to visit an old friend. She isn't much of a frivolous spender so doesn't anticipate any major money concerns. She hasn'treally budgeted for this trip and instead is celebrating that she is finally done after four years of university.
If you want to do your own Money Diary, email us at moneydiary@refinery29.uk.
The Basics
Accommodation: I can stay with my friend in her lovely studio so I was very lucky that this was £0.
Flights: After seeing an email about super-cheap flights, I checked for Berlin. When I saw that a last-minute return trip to Berlin would set me back £19.98, I didn’t hesitate to book.
Total: £19.98
Day One
9.15am: Leave the flat to catch a pre-booked bus from Edinburgh to Glasgow, and from Glasgow to Glasgow airport. It’s a bit of a faff but I couldn’t get a flight to Berlin from Edinburgh and, at each flight under a tenner, I think I can deal with it. The bus costs £15.60 and I pay £0.30 in the bus station to use the icky bathroom.
12.45pm: At the airport I can’t resist a browse of the shops. I end up buying a magazine, mainly for the freebie Neal's Yard Remedies hand cream. Completely justifiable as my hands are dry, I brought my own food, and I filled my bottle with free chilled water from the water fountain after security. £3.99
6.30pm: Finally get out of the airport in Berlin and buy a single ticket for the S-Bahn and somehow recognise where I’m going. When I finally get to Alexanderplatz a tourist asks me for directions. This is not good for my ego. €3.40
7.30pm: After reuniting with my friend on the street we decide to head straight to her favourite local Vietnamese restaurant. The pot of jasmine tea I order is probably the equivalent of a normal mug's-worth. After dinner, we go home and have a big catch-up. We watch a couple of episodes of Freaks and Geeks which I have never heard of before. After just one episode it is quickly becoming my new obsession. €12
Total: £32.99
Day Two
10.25am: Friend suggests we try to do the things which are further in distance so that I can make the most of buying a day ticket for the S-Bahn. €7
11am: We get the U to the tiny but extremely Pinterest-esque café for brunch my friend has raved about. She was right, the food is so delicious. €12.50
1.05pm: After having taken the U-Bahn again we walk around and relax in the makeshift gardens at Tempelhofer Feld. I find a postcard of Tempelhofer Feld for my parents. Friend says she’s got a stamp for me. €1.10
1.15pm: The tea shop I loved last time I visited is just around the corner. We go in and I buy a tea caddy which reads ‘Hail the Tea’. €4. Afterwards we walk to my favourite café from last time for a tea break. €3.50
3.35pm: Get back to the flat. Am so hungry I feel like I can’t even function. Run down to the supermarket around the corner for an emergency apple. €0.40
5pm: Taking the U, we head to an Asian fusion tapas-style restaurant. Am so hungry that I break an eight-week vegetarian streak to eat prawns again after nasty food poisoning. Still hungry, we decide to get a second round. Feel so full but so content. €15
8pm: Take the U to meet one of her friends at a bar. We both don’t feel like drinking alcohol so get some green tea. Her friend pays before we get the chance.
10.15pm: We take the U home and watch an episode or two of Freaks and Geeks in bed.
Total: £36.93
Day Three
10.45am: Get a toasted sandwich for breakfast at my friend’s favourite study café. She does some uni work while I colour and read a book. €3.50
1.50pm: We go back to my favourite café. I get an aubergine sandwich. I feel slightly better. €5.20
3.20pm: Manage to resist buying anything after browsing some shops. Next, we head to the National Gallery. €5 with student discount.
5pm: Leaving the museum I decide I want to find a trashy shop so I can buy a classy magnet. Find one, which is of course horribly overpriced, but justify it in the name of curating my fridge door. €6.95
6.15pm: We head to a Mexican restaurant. I get a Mexican burrito bowl which is delicious and surprisingly cheap. €7.50
7.30pm: We finally find the right cinema after a mix-up and buy a ticket to see Moonlight. Intense but really good. €8 with student discount.
10pm: Walk home and decide an episode or two of Freaks and Geek s in bed can’t hurt. With tea of course. What else did you expect?
Total: £30.71
Day Four
9.45am: My friend has a test photoshoot and is not sure when she will be done. It looks like I’ve got the morning and afternoon to myself. I grab some breakfast stuff from the shop around the corner. €3.29
12.20pm: It starts hailing/ raining/ whatever this is. Feeling grumpy that the Scottish weather has followed me, I seek refuge in the department store on Alexanderplatz. I try on some beautiful and expensive underwear but manage to resist. On the way out I find a birthday present for my sister. €31.80
12.45pm: Somehow, I’ve found myself in a courtyard surrounding a beautiful church. The sky is bright blue and the sun is shining again. Having a bit of a squeeze-me moment and feeling ridiculously happy. This is only heightened by the sight of a specialist tea shop. I settle on an ‘exotic’ green tea blend which smells delicious and what I would imagine a Caribbean island would be like. Contemplate possible ways to test this theory. €5.80
1.20pm: Head back to the flat and buy some stuff for lunch on the way. €3.90
2pm: Decide I’m sufficiently defrosted and head out again. Walk in the direction of the Brandenburg Gate from Alexanderplatz near where my friend lives. Nip briefly into some churches and then the free exhibition I spot at the New Palace.
6.15pm: I eventually make it back to the flat just before my friend does. We both decide there is only one way to go with dinner, which is go to the Chinese where the fried rice apparently is second to none. €10
7.30pm: With plans to go out later we decide to go to a close-by café to prevent me from falling asleep. I order mint tea. €3.10
8.35pm: We head back to the flat and realise we need to buy some food for breakfast as the shops are closed on Sundays so stop by a shop on the way. Once back, I drink the strongest tea she can offer so I can muster some energy. An episode of Freaks and Geeks seems to have helped a bit. €1.05
10pm: Having committed, we head to the tram to go to the pre-drinks happening at her friends’ place. Am told they never check for tram tickets and only tourists buy them. Decide to risk it. Her friends have already bought drinks, and we drink gin and tonics along with some typically Berlin peppermint liquor drink.
1.30am: The taxi they ordered finally arrives and we head to Prince Charles where a massive queue awaits us. My friend and I are told to dash to get in line while they try to find people they know. Her friends kindly pay for the taxi and somehow manage to get us all to skip most of the queue. I don’t care much at this point about being polite or not.
2.10am: Finally getting in, we pay the entrance fee and cloakroom. This place is massive and we join the others at the bar where shots await us. This is probably one of the most fun nights I have had, the music is great and somehow there is always a drink in my hand courtesy of her friend. €14.50
5.10am: Deciding to call it a night we take the U-Bahn home. I resist the chicken nuggets my friend buys. €2.80
Total: £64.66
Day Five
1.45pm: Finally muster the energy to get out of bed to drink water. Fish my watch out from behind the bed. Get back into bed.
2.20pm: Take a shower and eat breakfast from the food bought yesterday.
4pm: We take the U-Bahn early to a café in Kreuzberg where my friend is having a group project meeting at five. €2.80
4.30pm: Having claimed a table, she works on her laptop while I read. I buy a fresh mint tea and a sandwich. €6.80
6.50pm: The group meeting is over and we take the U again to the Vietnamese restaurant to get takeout. We devour it while watching a couple of episodes of Freaks and Geeks, and Black Mirror. €10.30
Total: £19.89
Day Six
8am: Already say goodbye to my friend as she has morning class and my flight leaves around noon. Pack my suitcase and get ready.
8.50am: Go to the bakery and supermarket around the corner and buy some food for breakfast and for travelling. Contemplate buying a small bottle of the peppermint liquor to take back with me. Decide that it is too early in the morning to buy alcohol. €8.12
10.10am: Yesterday I remembered that I forgot to validate a ticket for the U. Cheekily use it again for the S-Bahn to the airport. I am still a student after all.
11.25am: Cave at duty free when I see the liquor in a 200ml Brandenburg-shaped bottle. It is ridiculously overpriced in comparison to the 99 cents at the supermarket for 100ml. All I can say is that I think it would make a great centrepiece at a drinks area. If I had one that is. Should probably create one. Decide it’s a good enough reason for me. €15.50
1.15pm: We finally take off after a delay. Eat the food I bought that morning.
3.15pm: Decide to take the bus to the train station from where a direct train runs to Edinburgh. Much faster and the little extra is worth not standing around for. Am so thirsty but refuse to pay for bottled water. I’m already missing Berlin. I counsel myself that it’s only the start of summer. It’s been a pretty great one at that. £20.10
The popularity of the cut-out trend has been rising over the past couple of years, reaching its peak on the SS17 catwalks. There were cut-out statement pieces at Off White, Acne and Y Project, and fashion's previous obsession with off-the-shoulder morphed into a new preoccupation with cold-shoulder silhouettes as seen at Ellery, DKNY and Victoria Beckham. And always one for subverting convention, Demna Gvasalia gave us single shoulder cut-outs at Vetements in a slashed shoulder hoodie. If you're not one for showing off your skin in a blatant way, this trend has your name all over it.
Whether it's a flash of your waist, a hint of shoulder or an elbow cut-out, this spring and summer it's all about an elegant, peek-a-boo detail and the opportunity to discreetly expose your favourite body part. Skin baring has never been so demure. Besides, as the warmer weather approaches, a little extra ventilation is always welcome.
If you're self-conscious about certain parts of your body, showing off your shoulders works for everyone. This simple, elegant jumpsuit is an easy way to try the cold-shoulder trend and can be dressed up or down. Wear with trainers or sandals for everyday chic or finish off with killer heels and a statement bag for a bold party look.
Zara Polka-dot jumpsuit, £49.99, available at Zara
Photographed by Ana Cuba.
In a dusty pink hue, this ruched romantic lace top comes with a camisole underlay and cold-shoulder detail to subtly reveal a hint of skin. Wear with high-waisted flared jeans for a sophisticated but fun weekend look.
Topshop Lace frill cold-shoulder top, £34, available at Topshop
Photographed by Ana Cuba.
Baring your midriff doesn't mean going all '90s TLC or Gwen Stefani in a crop top. This twisted Topshop Boutique cut-out, silk dress reveals part of your torso but the high neckline, long sleeves and midi length ensure that it is still effortlessly elegant. Instantly elevate your going-out look in this show-stopping dress in a statement orange. Pile on gold rings to complete the look.
Topshop Boutique Twisted cut-out dress, £160, available at Topshop
Photographed by Ana Cuba.
We've been obsessed with Attico since it launched last year, founded by designers and street style stars Giorgia Tordini and Gilda Ambrosio. This indigo-blue denim Luna 2 top formed part of the second look in Attico's SS17 presentation. It has just the right amount of stretch to structure the ruffled top, blouson sleeves and fitted bodice, and has cut-out shoulders, adding a playful twist. Follow the designers' lead and wear it with jeans and mules.
Attico Luna 2 cut-out shoulder cotton-blend top, £328, available at Matches Fashion
Photographed by Ana Cuba.
Who knew elbows could be so sexy? Teatum Jones are the reigning king and queen of British knitwear and this ribbed knit with elongated sleeves and elbow cut-outs is the perfect pick for transitional dressing this spring. And while we're over ripped jeans (when there's more rip than denim itself, the death knell has been well and truly rung), these Rejina Pyo jeans with raw, circular holes are the new way to elegantly expose a bit of skin with your denim.
Teatum Jones Off-the-shoulder ribbed knit, £335 Rejina Pyo Mia jeans, £270, available at Rejino Pyo
Photographed by Ana Cuba.
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Purchasing the perfect wedding present is no quick and easy task. Without a list as guidance, it's hard to decide what your couple will appreciate. Chances are they've forked out a lot of money for the wedding that you'll have a blast at, so it's nice to give something back with a thoughtful gift that they can treasure forever.
While cash gifts can be useful, we've got some more meaningful suggestions to suit every budget. Click through for inspiration and ideas, from matching T-shirts to covetable household items. Then, once the gift is sorted, you're free to stuff your face with cake and dance badly.
Gifts from £0-50...
Everyone loves a stylish coffee table book, and who better than David Hockney, who's retrospective is on at the Tate Britain now.
Give the gift of year-round honeymoon holiday vibes with this perky, swimsuit pot. Perfect for cheeky couples with an enviable indoor plant collection – a cactus, fern or succulent would look lush in this.
Sage green is the colour of the moment, and this beautifully designed piece from MADE.COM is just the kinda thing you wouldn't treat yourself to, making it the perfect present. If you wanted to give a bit more, there's more shapes and colours to choose from.
Aesop's cult status as the top of the rung body care products make for an ideal present. This pair will look and smell amazing on the bathroom sink. If you're feeling playful, add their comical "Post-Poo Drops " for £20.
It might seem boring at first, but quality towels are so underestimated and your newlywed mates will definitely appreciate that added bit of luxury every day.
Danish design house HAY have spread far and wide in the last few years, now stocking in Selfridges. This clock is modern yet classic, and well-suited for those in need of a bit of home TLC.
For the creative couple, a rug from RUGbyGUR is a swotty gift. Inexpensive yet handmade to order, these rugs are unique and you'll gain kudos for thinking up something a little bit different.
Your wedded couple will have you to thank for the smug honeymoon Instagram, in matching PLAY COMME des GARÇONS T-Shirts. Just make sure to get a rough idea of size.
French boutique Cire Trudon is the oldest and most renowned wax-maker in the world, with a history dating back to the 17th century. If you're looking for the most luxurious, high quality candles and room sprays available, look no further than this cult brand.
If you're incredibly indecisive, Not Another Bill is the answer. They send a carefully selected, tasteful package out every month for as long as your subscription allows, and you can tailor it towards the couple's age and requirements.
This bluetooth-compatible turntable from Audio-Technica offers sound quality that digital cannot match, and connects to wireless speakers, sound bars and headphones making it low on hassle. Throw in a record that's personal to them for an extra special gift.
Who wouldn't want flowers through the letterbox every month? And the best part, Refinery29 have partnered with Bloom & Wild to create a special bouquet with proceeds going to Womens Aid.
You know OpenTable? That place restaurant websites always re-direct for bookings does vouchers too, so your newly wedded couple can enjoy a meal on you - at their choice and leisure.
Another week, another bit of gloomy housing news for anyone who’s not an oligarch or an opportunistic landlord. If you’re scrimping and saving for a deposit on your first home, you probably won’t like what you’re about to read.
The so-called 'bank of mum and dad' will lend their children 30% more money to get on the housing ladder than they did last year, according to new research. For anyone who doesn’t come from a wealthy family (namely, most of us), who’s saving to buy their first property, this is pretty demoralising.
Parents will lend their adult children £6.5bn in 2017, up from the £5bn loaned last year, the research by Legal & General and economics consultancy Cebr found, reported The Guardian. This means parents will be involved in over a quarter of all property transactions in the UK.
The borrowed money will fund properties worth around £75bn, including deposits for more than 298,000 mortgages, the report said.
If the bank of mum and dad were a real bank, it would be among the top 10 biggest mortgage lenders in the country. (Yorkshire Building Society also lends about £6.5bn each year and is the ninth biggest lender.)
Individuals benefiting from their parents’ cash will receive £21,600 this year on average, up from an average of £17,000 last year. Unsurprisingly, given the UK’s huge generational wealth inequality, millennials will benefit most, with 79% of the money going to the under 30s.
Parental contributions will be highest on transactions in the south-West of England (£30,000) and London (£29,400), and lowest in Wales (£12,500) according to the report. In London, 40% of all homeowners had received financial help from their parents to buy their property. (Frankly, we’re not surprised.)
Interestingly, most parents don’t give their children equal help when it comes to buying property. Just 40% said they did, with 18% only helping their eldest child and 16% assisting only the youngest.
It hardly needs spelling out, but Legal & General said this reliance on the bank of mum and dad is further evidence that the UK housing market is broken – and the problem is only getting worse.
“Transaction volumes are down in the housing market, but [parental] funding is growing exponentially. This is not a good thing, nor is it sustainable or equitable for our parents [the lenders] or young people [the borrowers],” said Nigel Wilson, the company’s chief executive.
“The intergenerational inequality that creates the demand for [parental] funding continues to widen – younger people today don’t have the same opportunities that the baby boomers had, including affordable housing, defined benefit pensions and free university education,” Wilson added.
While parental lending “is a testament to [parents’] generosity,” Wilson said, “it is also a symptom of our broken housing market”. The UK isn’t building enough houses to satisfy demand and more needs to be done to address the problem – fast, he added.
Without wealthy parents (or grandparents) then, the future looks pretty bleak.
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Five weeks after the birth of their first child, Liam Payne and Cheryl have finally revealed the little boy’s name – and in typical celebrity fashion, it’s not one you’ll find at the top of a Common Baby Names list. At least, not yet.
The couple chose to name him Bear after settling on it a few days ago. The little’un will only take the One Direction star’s surname, so he will be known as Bear Payne, MailOnline reported. Bear, which means strong and brave, may be an unusual choice, but Cheryl and Liam are far from the first celebrity couple to plump for the name.
Alicia Silverstone has a son with husband Christopher Jarecki named Bear Blu, who was born in 2011, and Jamie and Jools Oliver have a five-year-old son named Buddy Bear.
Kate Winslet’s three-year-old son with Ned Rocknroll is called Bear Blaze, a choice she explained on Ellen in 2014, saying: “A friend of mine when I was younger was nicknamed Bear, and I just had always really loved it. He was very much a bear. He was everyone’s shoulder to cry on, he was a big bear hug, he was just this great figure in my life, and I just always remembered him.”
Howard Donald from Take That (remember him?) also has a son named Dougie Bear, who was born in February. But perhaps the most famous Bear, at least in the UK, is explorer Bear Grylls.
While Bear is just the 218th most popular on the baby naming site Nameberry this year, and can only be found in the top 900 in England, the name could be in the ascendant, according to baby name trend forecasters. Nameberry says “it’s part of a current trend normalising once aggressive animal names like Wolf and Fox.”
A spokesperson for pregnancy and baby site Babycenter also hinted that the name could provoke a surge in animal-themed baby names. “Celebrities' baby name choices constantly influence the rise (and sometimes fall) in popularity and Bear is a popular name, with Kate Winslet calling her son Bear Blaze, Jamie Oliver’s boy Buddy Bear and Alicia Silverstone choosing Bear Blu,” they told The Sun.
“It will be interesting to see later in the year if the name rises in popularity. We have seen parents being increasingly creative with their naming choices and more animal names being registered,” added the spokesperson.
Other popular animal-themed names on Babycenter’s list include:
Bunny Kitty Raven Wren Bear Fox Birdie Wolf Colt Hawk Animal
Other celebrities who have followed the craze for animal-inspired names include Nicole Richie and Joel Madden, who have a son named Sparrow; Zooey Deschanel and Jacob Pechenik, who named their daughter Elsie Otter because they "both love otters"; and Busy Philipps, whose daughters are named Birdie and Cricket.
The appeal of these names could be attributed to the nod they give to nature and the fact that "they embody the characteristics of each creature," according to Babycenter. "Bears are strong; lions are brave; owls are wise; eagles are free. All the kinds of things that most parents would wish for their little ones."
But if you're not quite ready to embrace the trend, there are a whole host of names that give a more subtle shout-out to nature. For instance, Orson (meaning "bear cub" in Latin), Vanessa (meaning "butterfly), and Jonah (meaning "dove"). N'aww.
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There's something wonderful about seeing the best actors of different generations share the screen; maybe it's the reminder that even in an ephemeral industry like Hollywood, talent can truly be timeless. That's certainly part of the appeal of the aptly titled new family dramedy 3 Generations, in which Elle Fanning plays trans teenage boy Ray, Naomi Watts plays his single mother Maggie, and Susan Sarandon plays his grandmother Dolly. The trio of actresses light up the screen with their familiar chemistry, and Fanning's Ray and Sarandon's Dolly have a particularly touching, authentic relationship — loving but rocky, strained by the generational gap between them.
That lovely dynamic is on full display in this exclusive 3 Generations clip. Dolly, who is gay and an old school feminist, is having trouble coming to grips with the reality that her grandson was incorrectly assigned female at birth. She's convinced that Ray is confused about his identity — that she in fact has a lesbian granddaughter. Ray, on the other hand, is incredibly secure in his identity (or at least that aspect of it), and is increasingly frustrated with the fact that everyone around him, including Dolly, can't accept that. This scene captures a sweet conversation that represents a turning point in their relationship.
Setting the argument that a trans actor should've been cast as Ray aside, Fanning shines in her role as a trans teenage boy. The 19-year-old, up next in Sofia Coppola's Southern gothic drama The Beguiled, co-starring Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst, gives one of the best performances in her young career. And Sarandon, fresh off her uncanny turn as the iconic Bette Davis in one of our favourite series of spring 2017, Ryan Murphy's Feud: Bette and Joan, reminds us yet again that at a sprightly 70, she remains one of the fiercest forces on the big screen today.
Watch the clip below (UK release date for 3 Generations TBC).
3 Generations
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When do you actually become an adult? Is it when you turn 18 and can legally vote? Or when you turn 21 and can buy beer with your own ID, not the one you got from your older cousin who sort of looks like you? Is it when you turn 25 and have to decide whether or not to purchase the insurance the rental car company tried really hard to sell you?
Or is it when, at 11 a.m. on a random Saturday, you find yourself going over ever inch of your stovetop with a Mr. Clean eraser while a Golden Oldies Pandora station plays in the background? At some point on your early 20s, you may have considered "using the good plates" to mean serving mac and cheese on paper plates rather than eating it straight out the pot.
But slowly, something changes. Maybe pension plans, like moons, have gravitational pull that affect things around it. Maybe, at some point, we just realise no one else is going to show up to scrap the weeks-old Brussels sprouts out of the bowl at the back of the fridge. Maybe we just get boring and, suddenly, the idea of labelling food with the date you froze it becomes a real gas.
Ahead, the eight signs childhood is over and you're becoming (gulp) a real adult in the kitchen.
In college, having a collection of shot glasses was a perfectly acceptable thing to do, because who knows when you might need to pour shots of vodka from a giant plastic handle for ten? These days, we might still occasionally do shots — though it's for reasons like someone's birthday or bachelorette party, not just because it's Friday. The shot glass collection from undergrad may have followed you around, making it handy when you're mixing a negroni and need to measure out one part sweet red vermouth. A concept that doesn't even seem able to exist in the same universe as the cheap vodka of yore.
Illustrated by Malik Hejab.
Whoever came up with the idea of decorating with empty spirit bottles was probably just someone who really hated taking out the trash, but it's a verified phenomenon on college campuses. These days, empty liquor bottles get a one-way ticket to the recycling bin after a good rinse. But another glass container is starting to take up more and more real estate on the kitchen counters: vinegars and oils. Who knew you needed both champagne and white wine vinegar? Or avocado and canola oil? Hopefully it will impress your friends who were once as equally wowed by the row of tequila bottles in your sophomore dorm.
Illustrated by Malik Hejab.
A good takeout container has it's real uses, but the day you actually go out and buy a purpose-made set of Tupperware or mason jars of your very own is one of the biggest milestones in a young adult's life. No more trying to remember which tub actually still has yogurt in it and which one has leftover spaghetti: you can see right through. And no more paranoia about whether or not your chilli con carne will leak all over the inside of your work tote after being stored in last week's Pad Thai container.
At least, that's what we tell ourselves. It might be the low-grade, totally legal high we get off of entering the doors of a Container Store these days.
Illustrated by Malik Hejab.
Some chores, like cleaning the toilet or laundry, are fine to do weekly. Some, like dishes, are very easy to do once a week if you really try (and are really, really good at Tetris and can keep everything stacked just so).
At some point, the idea of keeping caked-on food hanging around in the sink becomes less appealing. Maybe because we realise that putting off a task doesn't mean it never happens. The only reason we're not 100% sold on this theory is because other tasks, like doing laundry, are easy to keep relegated to the old dishes philosophy of "maybe one day it will just happen on it's own."
Illustrated by Malik Hejab.
At some point, coffee becomes a way for us to deal with the adult world. Tired? Listless? Need an excuse to leave the office for ten minutes that everyone will immediately understand? Coffee.
Tea, however, is an escape from the grind. (See what we did there?) Tea is for when the adult world gets to be too much and you need an escape, not caffeine-laced liquid body armour. Tea is for the times we need to wind down, relax, and soothe ourselves. Which is why, for no reason, there's a drawer (or shelf, or cupboard) overflowing with every kind tea you could grab at your preferred grocery store.
Illustrated by Malik Hejab.
Once upon a time, you left the care of your guardians, and made do with an Ikea pan set and one dull knife. Now, however, you find yourself pondering spiralisers and apple corers, if only there was room for them in the kitchen next to the panini press, bullet blender, and mini muffin pans.
Do you really use any of it now? Maybe not, but who's to say you won't one day? You're an adult now, which means staring down many years of responsibility. We're saving the juicer and hoping for the best.
Illustrated by Malik Hejab.
When once a cooked meal was just a scrambled egg on toast or hot water added to a ramen bowl, now you do things like buy fresh sage and coriander. The problem is, you never finish off the whole bunch before the last few sprigs inevitably go bad. There's a really cool hack on freezing herbs that you really want to try — when you get around to it.
Illustrated by Malik Hejab.
The key word here is "think." No one really remembers to sharpen their knives. But, where once you were satisfied to hack away at an onion with a blunt knife, you now at least pause and note to yourself, "This should really be sharpened." This eventually graduates to saying it out loud to your spouse/roommate/signifiant other, and they'll nod knowingly and repeat it back to you.
But the knives will never be sharpened.
Welcome to adulthood.
Illustrated by Malik Hejab.
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Portion control is having a moment — as it often does. After all, portion size is an evergreen subject of hand-wringing: A study pops up about the growing entree sizes in chain restaurants. Super Size Me comes out. We express our outrage, then we get distracted by some other dietary demon (sugar, gluten, etc.), a year goes by, and we’re back to portion panic. Right now, we’re going through one of those phases where news media is heavy with portion-size items, and while some of them are worthy of critical thought and examination — well, that’s not really our strong suit when it comes to dietary issues or viral news stories, is it?
The truth is, portion size is a multifaceted issue that touches on everything from global economic shifts to political and corporate entanglements in food production to competitive practices within the foodservice industry. On an individual level, it’s not simple, either. Caloric needs vary based on things like age, height, and activity level. All this is to say that portion size is indeed a complicated matter worth investigating, but it tends to overshadow some of the not-so-complicated things that deserve attention, too. One in particular, which I suspect could mitigate The Great Portion Panic, at least in your own home: not portion-controlled meals, but balanced ones.
“Balanced eating” is another general nutrition term we all know, but sadly, it gets a lot less airtime than hot topics like portion control and gluten. It doesn’t incite news-media panic, nor has it been co-opted much by the diet industry. It’s sort of a boring, elementary-school area of nutrition. Yeah, sure, we should eat balanced meals. I’ll get right on that as soon as I’m done going Paleo. But, as I learned a few years ago, balanced eating is basically magic.
I found this out when I started intuitive eating in 2013. If you’re new to that concept, you can read more here, but the short version is that I quit dieting and began learning how to just eat, what I wanted, when I wanted it, and however much I needed. At first, as many people do, I went through a carb-heavy phase when all I cared to eat were things like potatoes and pizza — all those starches I’d been desperately avoiding for years. But, in a matter of weeks, that urge faded and I began to desire all sorts of things: broiled salmon, crunchy purple cabbage, scrambled eggs on toast. That alone was a pleasantly shocking development. It turned out that when I was allowed to eat whatever I wanted, I wanted a lot more than carbs. I wanted all the food groups. No, it was more than that. I needed them all to feel truly full and satisfied.
Over time, my plates began to look like a version of those boring elementary-school nutrition pie charts, with slices of protein, fat, carbohydrates. Individual meals varied. Sometimes my pie chart would look more like a pie cut in half; if I did have pizza for lunch, for example, it was mostly fat and carbs. But then my dinner plate would be more protein heavy, and probably include more vegetables. It wasn’t just the basic nutrients that began to balance themselves out, but the flavours I ate, the textures of foods. I craved variety and balance of all kinds, my body was thrilled, and I’d never enjoyed eating so much in my life.
I craved variety and balance of all kinds, my body was thrilled, and I’d never enjoyed eating so much in my life.
“When I talk about this with my clients, I emphasise that portion control is an external ‘rule,’ while balancing meals with a wide variety of foods that are pleasurable and satisfying is totally empowering,” says Erica Leon, MS, RDN, a dietitian and eating disorder specialist based in Westchester County, NY. Leon works with many chronic dieters and disordered eaters in her nutrition practice, so makes a point of highlighting balance as something flexible and individual, too. “Exploring foods and food groups can help a person discover which foods are satisfying and pleasurable to them.” But, she adds, balanced eating doesn’t happen overnight — and that’s a vital element to remember. “It will take some time, patience, and lots of learning experiences… I find that my clients will eventually come back to balanced plates because that is what feels satisfying.”
Rebecca Scritchfield, RDN (and author of Body Kindness) echoes this sentiment, adding that portion control is an inherently problematic concept that tends to backfire. “Humans, in general, don't like to be controlled and tend to eventually rebel against situations where they feel like they don't have a choice. I prefer the concept of balance when considering nutrition.” But she too stresses the importance of framing it in a non-restrictive way: “First and foremost, reframe your ‘why.’ If you’re using balance as a rigid rule and assigning yourself a ‘pass or fail,’ then you are still dieting. Are you choosing to load up on veggies because it's the ‘right’ thing to do? Find another reason, [like] ‘I actually really like the taste of this salad.’ Your choices should feel good.”
Photographed by Ted Cavanaugh.
Scritchfield also encourages big-picture thinking, rather than focusing too hard on each individual meal. “Balance is flexible, between meals and your overall patterns. For example, pizza night may just be pizza for some, and for others it may have salad and fruit too. You don't need to pile up the veggies every time. Even a small amount of vegetables is beneficial to health. Some meals, you may not even think of nutrition at all — and that's okay, as long as you want to be eating for pleasure.” Above all, she says, “Let go of judgment. Don't congratulate yourself for the kale salad and drown in guilt when you get the side of chips instead of carrot sticks.” Letting yourself explore with curiosity — rather than follow a rigid set of rules — is how you find your own true sense of balance.
When you’ve been following food rules all your life, like I did, it’s hard to let them go (remember, as Leon says, it’s all about time and patience). But when I did, lo and behold, all of this happened organically. So many natural parts of eating had been tainted for me, thanks to a lifetime of dieting and disordered eating, and it took so much work to unlearn those lessons and teach myself new ones. But balanced eating was never a focus in my dieting days, and so it wasn’t something I had to wrestle with now. I never had to fret over putting some greens on my plate or making sure I got enough protein in the morning. It just happened, truly intuitively. Watching myself just do this, without effort, was like finding out I’d been a wizard all this time.
But balanced eating is a power we all have. There are no squibs in this story. (Important caveat: Like anything to do with food, a hyperfocus on balanced eating can, of course, become a disordered behaviour, or a warning sign of an underlying issue.) Few elements of nutrition have escaped the clutches of diet culture, but this is one of them; therefore, it’s something most of us can safely focus on. Balanced eating is not about restriction. For most of us, it’s the opposite; it’s about adding more food to the plate, adding more variety, exploring new foods we might enjoy. It’s about having your broiled salmon and your potatoes, too — and how about some garlicky sauteed spinach with that?
Balanced eating happens naturally — if and when you truly allow yourself to eat what you want — simply because it feels good. It’s the most satisfying way to eat. We’re instinctively inclined to enjoy this kind of eating because that’s how our bodies get the fuel they need. I realise this is perhaps the most basic fundamental of nutrition. But in an age when we have so perverted the concept of nutrition, it’s worth stating the obvious. Eating a balanced combination of foods feels and tastes good because it is good for you.
It’s also worth stating that, as ever, individual results may vary. A mindful focus on balanced eating taught me a great deal about my personal inclinations, as well as those obvious, basic human needs. It taught me that if I don’t get enough sleep, I have an insatiable desire for starch and sugar the next day (quelle surprise: my body is desperate for quick energy). It’s how I realised that protein is mandatory for me in the morning if I don’t want to be cranky by 11 a.m. It’s how I learned to always bring a banana on a plane ride. It’s how I stopped freaking out about my sudden, constant craving for Baked Lays, looked at the calendar, and realized what week of the month it was. Balanced eating taught me about my needs and preferences, and how to be flexible when they change.
In addition to all this, balanced eating taught me about, yes, my own personal portion needs. Eating a variety of foods changed the volume of food I was eating overall. Sure, there were times when I ate more of one thing and less of another, but when I had some of everything in a meal, the meal itself was typically smaller. It made sense. I thought back to all the times I’d eaten a plain veggie salad the size of a garbage truck, because that was how much I needed to feel full (though never satisfied). If I’d have just thrown in some farro, some chicken, maybe half an avocado, then I probably could have eaten my salad out of a bowl instead of a mixing bowl. And I definitely would have enjoyed it more.
When you have an incomplete meal, you wind up eating more of what you do have. This is an oft overlooked factor in the portion debate: We’re so focused on volume that we forget about variety. This too is both a big-picture issue (concerning food access) and an individual one. But if we’re truly concerned about portion sizes, then we can’t ignore balanced eating.
The more kinds of things we put on our plates, the more nourished our bodies and the more satisfying our meals. Let’s first stop worrying about the size of the pie and instead think about adding more slices to the pie chart. It’s not about shrinking the burger, but putting more things around it. In this case, at least, more is less.
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