Some trends lend themselves well to a life lived in pubs, offices and supermarkets, and some belong on the very catwalk from whence they came. Polka dots, dark denim, and sunny spring brights? All perfect for a new-season wardrobe refresh that won't feel out of place at your friend's birthday or attract any funny looks on your Sunday dog walk. The Wild West trend and dad trainers may require a little chutzpah, but they're totally wearable when styled well. The latest trend on our radar, however, has us sceptical: plastic.
First seen on last season's catwalks, the synthetic fabric made its way into the collections of all our sartorial favourites. Chanel elevated humdrum rain hats and boots with wraparound bows and stiletto heels, while Balenciaga updated cobalt blue shirts with the manmade finish. Toga took your ideal workwear dress – ankle-skimming, brilliant red, belted – and turned it into a wet-day saviour, Burberry presented its most contemporary-cool collection for some time with plastic blouses and sports jackets, and Natasha Poly stormed Balmain's show in a printed black and transparent trench coat and matching booties.
This season, the trend showed no signs of waning, as plastic dominated both New York and London's fashion weeks. Philipp Plein was most experimental, layering clear overcoats on top of faux fur and metallic pieces, while Jeremy Scott went space age, dressing models in Barbarella-esque orange miniskirts.
Sure, the genetically blessed look fabulous in the trend when worn for no more than five minutes on a catwalk but what about IRL? Vinyl and PVC finishes have proved a street style favourite (and approachable for everyday) over the past few seasons but their more extreme, transparent cousin is a little more intimidating. The very real possibility of sweat turning plastic pieces into condensation-filled carrier bags instantly dampens our usual optimism towards new trends. More importantly, how can we wear it without looking like we're queuing for the log flume at Thorpe Park?
Photo: Peter White/Getty ImagesPhoto: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
Natalie Kingham, buying director at Matches Fashion, suggests working the trend around your everyday essentials for a contemporary but wearable spin on plastic. "This trend is best worn one piece at a time to add edge to a simple outfit," she tells Refinery29. "For example, Calvin Klein’s layered PVC coat is a great one to slip over a denim-based look for a heightened casual look.”
Draw inspiration from the likes of Yoyo Cao, who layered her transparent overcoat with black piping over her classic camel trench, white tee and washed-out denim. Sonia Lyson similarly paired her plastic trench from ASOS, belted with a Gucci belt, with a pair of emerald green trousers, grey turtleneck and a baker boy cap.
Alternatively, if outerwear is a little too all-in for your liking, sling Urban Outfitter's plastic belt bag across your body for a two-birds-one-stone look. Céline's SS18 plastic shopper – which features the brand's logo and is packed with a brown paper bag inside for an extra tongue-in-cheek touch – is now available to purchase. One of the takeaways from AW18's accessories was that the new way to hold your bag is to fold it in half under your arm, and slip your hand through the handle, as if you were holding a stack of paper, so make sure to do the same with your plastic tote.
Whether you tackle the trend (and the temperamental weather) with a sleek trench coat or simply nod to it with a shoe or bag, plastic and PVC is far more wearable than first thought.
More than ever before, the power wielded by influencers and bloggers means that, often, the sartorial tricks played out on the streets of fashion month are as influential as the collections designers present each season. Once a piece has the seal of approval from Copenhagen's coolest, or New York's savviest dressers, it can exponentially increase brand sales and ripple down to the high street, shaping the items we'll be wearing year-round.
London Fashion Week may be over, but with Milan in full swing and Paris to come, there's still plenty of inspiration to be found. Global fashion search platform Lyst has been accumulating data which reveals the most sought-after pieces seen on the streets and front row at AW18 so far. From sweet hair accessories and classic transitional trenches to the sunglasses shape that'll see you through summer, click ahead to find the most in-demand pieces of the season so far, and the women wearing them.
Le Specs Sunglasses
Love (and searches, which are up 21%) for Le Specs sunglasses shows no sign of waning, in large part thanks to the likes of Rihanna and Bella Hadid wearing them everywhere from sunny LA to paparazzi-ridden airport arrivals. From the brand's cult collaboration with Adam Selman – which kickstarted the demand for teeny tiny '90s shades – to its Kurt Cobain-esque oval style, it seems that it isn't a holiday unless you're donning Le Specs, er, specs. This extreme cat-eye pair is the cherry on top of Camille Charrière 's all-neutral outfit, which, at around £45 a pair, will slide perfectly into our spring-to-summer accessories arsenal.
Photo: Kirstin Sinclair/Getty Images
Burberry Trench Coats
With Christopher Bailey's final show after 17 years at Burberry drawing so much fanfare this season, it comes as no surprise that the brand's signature trench coat was seen everywhere. Searches are up 36% globally, indicating that fashion fans far and wide want a slice of the British stalwart's aesthetic. Caroline Daur made a strong case for refreshing your trench via tartan check and a vinyl finish (styled with all black, to let your outerwear do the talking).
Photo: Christian Vierig/Getty Images
Off-White x Jimmy Choo Shoes
Off-White's Virgil Abloh is the darling of the industry right now and his collaboration with footwear brand Jimmy Choo has been a smash hit with editors and athleisure obsessives alike. With searches up 40% in New York, Bella Hadid is the poster girl for the pieces, teaming the transparent sky-high heels with her signature sportswear aesthetic.
Photo: Via @off____white
Simone Rocha Hairclips
Searches for British designer Simone Rocha's £95 pearl hair slides are up 37% this season, thanks to the recent return of demure and ladylike styling. Pearl-embellished pieces have proved popular with designers and high street brands alike, and souped-up hair accessories continue to shine. We're digging Alexa Chung 's hyper feminine look as she attended Rocha's show last week at the Goldsmiths' Hall.
Photo: Darren Gerrish/WireImage/Getty Images
Football Scarves
An extension of the athleisure trend that just keeps evolving, fashion took on football scarves this season as the logomania revival continues to play out. Searches are up globally 13%, from Henry Holland's sweary personalised scarves, which many wore to his AW18 show, to Alexander McQueen's 'Fear Nothing' monochrome totem. Wearing your heart around your neck is the way to go, à la Susie Lau who held hers loud and proud on day two of London Fashion Week.
Photo: Via @susiebubble
Staud Handbags
Searches for cult bag brand Staud – brainchild of former Reformation designer Sarah Staudinger – are up 24% thanks to its revival of the 'it bag' in sleek, contemporary shapes with off-kilter touches. A transparent tote with a tan croc mini bag inside? Sure. A bucket bag tucked into a netted exterior? Absolutely. This street styler teamed her white Moreau macramé number with a checked coat.
Stormzy stole the show at this year's Brit Awards, with his two awards and stellar, powerful performance that took a swipe at Theresa May over Grenfell. Dua Lipa also picked up two awards and thanked other women in the music industry for giving girls "something to look up to", while attendees also carried white roses to show their support for Time's Up and the #MeToo movement.
But it wasn't all about politics. Half the fun of the Brits is the red carpet... and the looks were something to behold. Here's our pick of the standout outfits.
The Haim sisters, nominated for best international band, looked ethereal in Rodarte gowns.
Photo: Getty Images
Critics' choice award winner Jorja Smith sizzled in a sheer Dolce and Gabbana dress and Tiffany & Co. jewellery.
Photo: Getty Images
Double award winner Dua Lipa stole the show in an enormous pink tulle gown by Giambattista Valli.
Photo: Getty Images
Model Adwoa Aboah hit the red carpet in a sleeveless white gown with feathered neckline by Sonia Rykiel.
Photo: Getty Images
Ellie Goulding accessorised her Stella McCartney dress with a white rose, which many carried as a mark of support for the Time's Up and Me Too movements.
Photo: Getty Images
Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac chose a classic red Vivienne Westwood gown.
Photo: Getty Images
Camila Cabello looked pretty in cornflower blue silk chiffon by Ralph & Russo.
Photo: Getty Images
Three-time Brit award winner Kylie Minogue chose a satin silk red trench dress by Ralph & Russo.
Photo: Getty Images
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley rocked a black sequin mini dress by Saint Laurent.
Photo: Getty Images
Stranger Things ' Millie Bobby Brown, who presented an award, wore polka dot Rodarte.
Photo: Getty Images
Paloma Faith opted for a silver dress from Ashish’s SS18 collection.
Photo: Getty Images
Best British female nominee Jessie Ware wore a silk white Simone Rocha dress with Manolo Blahnik heels.
Photo: Getty Images
Critics' choice nominee Stefflon Don went for a pink off-the-shoulder dress and YSL heels.
Photo: Getty Images
"Rockabye" singer Anne-Marie wore Maria Lucia Hohan.
Photo: Getty Images
Rita Ora, who performed on the night, went all out in Ralph & Russo couture.
Photo: Getty Images
Rising star and Critics' choice nominee Mabel chose an Adam Selman number.
Photo: Getty Images
Maya Jama opted for glittery pink House of Holland.
Photo: Getty Images
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Stormzy not only won two of the biggest gongs at Wednesday night's Brit Awards, he also stole the show with a blistering attack on Theresa May over her handling of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, forcing the government to respond on Thursday morning.
After picking up the award for Best British Male and Best British Album for Gang Signs and Prayer, the south London MC closed the show with a powerful, politically-charged performance that included a question for the Prime Minister.
"Yo, Theresa May where's that money for Grenfell? What you thought we just forgot about Grenfell?," he asked. "You criminals and you got the cheek to call us savages, you should do some jail time, you should pay some damages, we should burn your house down and see if you can manage this.”
Stormzy was one of the artists who took part in a charity single to raise money for the survivors of the fire which killed 71 people in June 2017 and is a vocal supporter of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who congratulated the grime artist on Twitter in a tweet that included '#Grenfell'. "What a powerful performance," he wrote.
Congratulations @Stormzy1 for winning your first #BRIT award, and what a powerful performance. #Grenfell
Number 10 addressed Stormzy's performance on Thursday morning, but the response was lacking. An official spokesman said the Prime Minister had not seen Stormzy's performance herself, but that the government was "absolutely committed" to supporting the victims, as reported by ITV News. The spokesperson added there were no plans for the pair to meet.
"The Prime Minister has been very clear that Grenfell was an unimaginable tragedy that should never have happened and must never happen again," the spokesman said. "She's determined that the public inquiry will discover not just what went wrong but why the voices of the people of Grenfell were ignored over so many years.
"In terms of support for the people affected by this tragedy, more than £58 million has been committed."
During Stormzy's freestyle rap he also slammed the Daily Mail, saying the newspaper could “suck my...” – leaving viewers to fill in the blank. He also praised fellow Brits, the model Jourdan Dunn and Oscar-nominated actor Daniel Kaluuya, and gave a shoutout to the fact that he was “raised up by black girl magic”.
Labour MP David Lammy, a prominent campaigner on behalf of Grenfell victims, congratulated Stormzy for "changing the game", "giving a voice to a generation of young people living in our inner cities", and "speaking truth to power" with his performance.
“Theresa May where’s the money for Grenfell? You think we forgot about Grenfell?”. Respect @Stormzy1 speaking truth to power. #BRITs2018
Earlier on in the ceremony, Liam Gallagher gave a heartbreaking rendition of Oasis' "Live Forever", which was dedicated to the 22 victims of last year's Manchester terror attack. Ariana Grande was originally due to perform in the slot but had to pull out due to illness.
"To be a part of the Calvin Klein family is surreal and I feel like I’m carrying on a legacy," she tells Refinery29. "This will definitely be one of the most memorable things that I have ever done. When I’m 90, I’m going to be like, I can’t believe that was me at 13! Calvin Klein is feminine, it’s edgy; it’s something that I wear every single day."
Shot by Willy Vanderperre the campaign sees the three in the brand's instantly recognisable western-inspired button-ups, striped trousers, and sports bras while posing in the same rustic location as the previous shoots — a nod to Calvin Klein's continued exploration of classic Americana.
"We shot this campaign in a barn and I think the setting completely embodies America and so does the fashion," Brown says. "I’m English, and I’ve always looked up to the American style. Calvin Klein is Americana to me. Raf has reincarnated Calvin Klein in a way that has made it modern and also takes it back to its roots."
Of this connection, Tenney adds: "In the past two years especially, I think Calvin Klein has taken American symbols and myths that everyone knows and has made them fresh again, by giving them new and interesting meanings."
Jackson couldn't agree more: "Calvin Klein is inclusive and whatever divisions we create as humans, I feel like they overlook that and speak to everyone. That’s American to me, and it’s beautiful."
Calvin Klein Tango Red Denim Trucker Jacket, £115, available at Calvin Klein.
Calvin Klein Straight Tapered High Rise Striped Jeans, available at Calvin Klein.
Calvin Klein Straight Tapered High Rise Striped Jeans, £145, available at Calvin Klein.
Calvin Klein Western Contrast Shirt , £115, available at Calvin Klein.
Calvin Klein Body Unlined Cut-out Bralette, £30, available at Calvin Klein.
Calvin Klein Modern Cotton Bralette, £30, available at Calvin Klein.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
House prices in Sheffield grew faster than in any other major UK city in the last year, while properties in London grew the slowest, new figures show.
Properties in the northern town (nickname Steel City), rose by 5.63% in the last 12 months, according to property website Zoopla. Close behind were Glasgow and Manchester, where prices rose fast at a rate of 5.38% and 4.49% respectively.
However, while London property prices rose at the slowest rate of the UK's top 10 major cities, the total value of properties in the north and elsewhere still pales in comparison to the value of London's property market, which is worth a staggering £1.5 trillion.
This means the combined value of properties in the capital is more more than twice that of the country's next nine largest cities combined. The second most valuable city in the UK is Bristol – home to two of the UK's "hippest" neighbourhoods – with homes worth around £115.21 billion in total, followed by Glasgow with a property market value of £90.75 billion.
Zoopla spokesman Lawrence Hall said it was "no surprise that London is significantly more valuable as a residential property market than any other British city," but that cities further north and across the Scottish border were winning in the growth stakes.
Every dress tells a story, but in the case of Namibia’s Herero dress, it’s a 100-year-old tale of genocide, oppression, resilience, and — hopefully — redemption. In the early 20th century, 80% of the Herero was killed in a genocide. German colonisers retaliated against a Herero uprising, and used torture and extermination tactics that were later employed by the Nazis. Women adopted the full-bodied Victorian dress from their oppressors, but after the war remade it with symbols unique to their tribe. For people whose land, lives, wealth, and sense of identity was stripped from them, the Ohorokova was a way of taking back their agency and redefining their group in the aftermath of atrocity.
Though it’s evolved in the past century, much of the ensemble’s main features have endured: floor-sweeping hemlines, long sleeves, petticoats (which can total up to 24 meters of fabric), and signatures like bold, waxed prints, fringed capes, and a horned hat that honours the Herero’s cow herding roots. While the dress was once worn every day, the Ohorokova is now mainly worn for weddings and funerals. But unlike the floral wrap-dresses we call when we have a special event, each Herero dress and hat is custom-made and typically only worn once. In this way, Herero gatherings are as much fashion shows as they are family get-togethers.
But as the Namibian fashion industry blossoms, the Herero people must modernise their traditional attire in order to keep it a part of their local fashion canon. For some, this need for change sparks controversy. And yet, this effort has also given way to a new wave of young Herero designers, models, and activists who work to keep their heritage alive — even if that means scandalising certain purists with sheer skirts, detachable sleeves, and sequin bodices. Can a change in hemline help draw attention to the need for restitution, rehabilitation, and even reparations? In Namibia, we find out what it takes to bring a dress born from a dark past into a vibrant future.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Love Saoirse Ronan? Love when she's in heartbreaking and confusing period pieces? Love Ian McEwan's nasty habit of exploring deeply uncomfortable subjects? Meet On Chesil Beach, the highly-anticipated adaptation of McEwan's novel of the same name. The film stars Ronan, America's favourite future potential Oscar winner, and Billy Howle, a British actor who appeared in Dunkirk. In the film, Howle and Ronan play a young married couple who grapple with the perils of intimacy on their wedding night. (Their wedding night takes place on Chesil Beach, as the title suggests.)
The full trailer, which drops today, is a vision in McEwan-esque filmmaking. There are startling colour palettes, confusing interpersonal relations, and hints of a class struggle. Howle plays Edward Mayhew, a graduate student of history from a more rough-and-tumble background than Ronan's character Florence Ponting, a violinist in a string quartet. As per the trailer, Edward is prone to having "mends" at the knee of his pants, and he's not, as Florence's father puts it, "one of us." The courtship, detailed in the movie, leads back to the eye of the storm: Chesil Beach, where the final showdown takes place. ("Have you actually forgotten that we were married today?" Edward yells at a forlorn Florence.)
This is Ronan's second time appearing in a McEwan adaptation, having starred in Atonement in 2007. Ronan earned an Oscar nomination for her role as the troublesome tween Briony, and the movie itself won the Oscar for Best Original Score. Tense period dramas also tend to do well by Ronan: She was also previously nominated for an Oscar for her role in Brooklyn, based on the novel by Colm Tóibín.
On Chesil Beach was directed by Dominic Cooke, and is out in cinemas May 18. Watch the full trailer, below.
In Hollywood, black female actresses have been typecast since the beginning. There’s the sassy sidekick, the around-the-way girl, and of course, the mammie, usually found in a period drama set during slavery or the Civil Rights era. It’s a dynamic that’s only recently started to change, thanks to a renaissance in black television (Shondaland shows, Insecure, Atlanta) and social media movements like #OscarsSoWhite calling out a lack of diversity in film.
But somehow, during a period when the entertainment industry failed to support both people of colour and women, Gugu Mbatha-Raw has quietly been breaking barriers for years. She’s a black woman who managed to escape the expected archetypes, a chameleon who has played everyone from the lead officer on a space mission to a bisexual beachtown party girl to an animated feather duster. A veteran of British television and theatre, Mbatha-Raw broke into Hollywood in 2013 as the shy, mixed-race 18th century hero of the movie Belle, and became known for her poised and powerful performances.
Since then, she's starred in nearly a dozen major movies. But it’s 2018 that is finally the year of Gugu: Before the end of March, she will have starred in four films — including Disney’s big-budget, Ava Duvernay-directed adaptation of A Wrinkle In Time.
“I guess you could call this my ‘moment,’ but that doesn’t seem fair, because I’ve worked really hard my entire career!” Mbatha-Raw says slowly. She has a habit of taking a few beats to thoughtfully consider her responses before answering. “As an actor, you have power over your performance, but no power over the distribution or timetable. So it just so happens this is all coming out at the same time. But I guess I should embrace the ride!”
Oscar de la Renta Asymmetric Plaid Tweed Dress in Black, $2,690, available at Neiman Marcus; Sergio Rossi Studded SR1 Boots, $875, available at Farfetch; Walters Faith ring; Jennifer Fisher ring; Stylist’s own harness.
Because she is known for serious roles, I’m surprised to see the British actress radiating bright, almost mischievous energy on the set of her Refinery29 photoshoot at New York’s historic River Club. She’s smiley and chipper with a habit of fluffing up her natural curls; she apologises for squealing and “nerding out” when she learns that Audrey Hepburn and Frank Sinatra used to hang out here. Her mood lifts even higher when a crew member switches the soundtrack from uptempo disco to Beyoncé’s “Ego,” her laugh reverberating from the depths of her belly — surprisingly loud — as she dances on the couch. I have a feeling this kind of thing doesn’t happen around here that often.
But Mbatha-Raw certainly has a lot to dance about right now. First, she is helping to save the planet in Netflix’s Cloverfield Paradox, the third instalment of the J.J. Abrams-produced sci-fi franchise. Then she portrays a dying woman struggling to say goodbye to her fiancé in the charming romantic dramedy Irreplaceable You, also available on Netflix. Next month, following her turn as Meg Murry’s mother in A Wrinkle In Time, she’ll play a woman hiding her superpowers in the thriller Fast Color, which premieres at SXSW in Austin.
Jonathan Cohen dress; Jimmy Choo Tesler Python Fur-Pom Bootie, $897, available at Neiman Marcus; Jenny Bird The Jane Choker in Silver, $95, available at Jenny Bird; Stylist’s own belt.
Of those four projects, three are directed or written by women — something that has been important to Mbatha-Raw throughout her career: Belle was directed by British screenwriter and director Amma Asante, and for her second major leading role, Mbatha-Raw played a Rihanna-like pop-star dealing with the downsides of fame in Beyond The Lights, directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood.
“I make it a point to play strong women, and women have given me the most dynamic and interesting roles of my career thus far,” says Mbatha-Raw. “The fact that we have to consciously find opportunities for women and support the ones who are already out there is nothing new. What is new is that the awareness has changed. Now, we are all aware of where we actually are as an industry, versus where we thought we were.”
Mbatha-Raw credits the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements for the sea change, but is adamant that we also acknowledge the wider systems of discrimination and harassment.
“Change should never be just about actresses. This movement is about everybody,” she says. “If it takes people that have their faces in magazines or on movie screens to raise awareness, so be it. But hopefully this time also brings a voice to women who are a million miles away from Hollywood, and not just the privileged few.”
The daughter of an English mother and a South African father (“Gugu” is short for "Gugulethu,” a version of the Xhosa word for “our pride”), Mbatha-Raw grew up in Oxford, England, and has been taking acting and dancing classes for as long as she can remember. After training as a teen at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, she landed small parts in British television shows like Doctor Who. Her first big theatre break was as the Juliet to Andrew Garfield’s Romeo in 2005 at the Royal Exchange Theatre. Over the next decade, she made her way into American projects, first opposite Kiefer Sutherland in the brief Fox TV series Touch, then in Tom Hanks’ romantic comedy Larry Crowne, before Asante casted her in Belle.
Mbatha-Raw says that landing in one of Disney’s most diverse projects yet feels like a culmination of all of her work. A Wrinkle In Time makes DuVernay the first black woman to helm a $100 million film. In the movie, Mbatha-Raw’s husband (Chris Pine) is white, therefore her daughter Meg (newcomer Storm Reid) is biracial; Meg’s three wise, guiding witches are portrayed by Mindy Kaling, Reese Witherspoon, and Oprah Winfrey — an example of what can happen when filmmakers successfully employ colourblind casting techniques.
Mbatha-Raw’s perspective on the effect race has had on her career options, however, might differ slightly from an American actress.
“There is certainly a complexity in being both black and white,” she says. “But I’m also from the U.K., where it’s not quite as big of a topic. So you might look at me and say ‘she’s black,’ or ‘she’s biracial,’ but people don’t realise there is a very different cultural legacy in the United States than the U.K. Here, there’s a specific sense of identity and community that comes with being African- American — that’s a culture all its own. So coming from the U.K., I had to explore my own identity in order to feel centred within all of the conversations around history and race politics that are very unique to America.”
There is the argument that casting a black woman in a role that was originally written for a non-brown actress might be slightly easier with someone like Mbatha-Raw, who is light skin and appears ethnically ambiguous. There’s also the argument that when the entertainment industry focuses on simply slotting minorities into existing roles, it gets a pass on creating stories for and about people of colour. At the same time, Mbatha-Raw points out, the road to more diversity in entertainment means we need storylines where colour is simply not a factor. She believes that movies like Irreplaceable You, where the fact that her protagonist just so happens to be in an interracial relationship is never discussed, are important for normalisation. And no matter what her role is, one of her signatures is rocking her natural curls.
“It’s empowering to play a woman and not have race be the focus,” she says. “But I will always bring who I am to the story and make sure my ethnicity is celebrated on screen. I’m not afraid to have those tough conversations with directors about how I represent myself. Hair, for instance, sounds like a superficial conversation. But images remain in our subconscious. So when it comes to representing on screen, I can use my hair to send the important message to girls everywhere that they can be who they are.”
Gabriela Hearst Angela Blazer in Coral, $1,595, available at Gabriela Hearst; Gabriela Hearst Beatrice Pant in Coral, $895, available at Gabriela Hearst; Kule sweater; Christian Louboutin Tsarou Pompom-Embellished Suede Pumps, $895, available at Net-A-Porter; Jenny Bird Large Lola Hoops in High Polish Gold, $85, available at Jenny Bird; EF Collection ring.
While Mbatha-Raw is happy to be a role model in public, after over two decades in the acting business, she has managed to keep her private life surprisingly...private. Google her, and you won’t find much beyond her IMDb and Wikipedia pages, and there’s no trace of the typical gossip stories about on-set feuds or relationship rumours. She’s not on Instagram or Twitter, and during our conversation, she doesn’t bite when I hint about any romantic partners; most of her interviews past and present, in fact, are strictly about her projects.
“I like to focus on the work,” she says. “I think it can be hard to believe in somebody’s role if you know too much about them personally. I hope to have a long career and play many more different types of roles, so I’m trying to give myself the chance to be as believable as possible, rather than burden the viewer with my personal stuff. You go to the movies to go on a journey and believe the story.”
What she will share is that she lives a “nomadic lifestyle” that has taken her everywhere from Toronto to New Zealand for filming. Los Angeles is her base, though she says she feels most at home with her parents back in Oxfordshire. Her greatest accomplishment of her past year, she adds, was the two months she was able to spend with them during a brief window of time off. That included a casual trip to London to be honoured by Queen Elizabeth II with an MBE, or Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, an award she gives out every year before her birthday. Mbatha-Raw’s distinction was for her service to the dramatic arts.
Fendi Multicolor Silk Bomber Jacket, $3,310, available at Fendi; Fendi Multicolor Silk Skirt, $1,580, available at Fendi; Staud Lilou Top in Ivory, $135, available at Staud; Fendi 105MM Leather & Knit Ankle Boots in Beige, $1,000, available at Luisaviaroma; EF Collection ring.
“It’s an old school, very English honour from the royal family, but such a big deal!” she says. “We got to go as a family to Buckingham Palace, and it was very surreal.” When asked if she has any opinions on Meghan Markle, another biracial woman who’s recently captured the public’s attention as Prince Harry’s fiancée, she keeps her answer very British and diplomatic. “I can’t speak for all of the U.K., but I’m very excited for them both! Who doesn’t love a royal wedding?”
Two months off was more than enough for Mbatha-Raw. She’s already returned to filming, this time in New York for Motherless Brooklyn, a ’50s detective mystery directed by Ed Norton, a project that, somehow, manages to be very different from anything she’s previously done. And the actress has no plans of slowing down any time soon. In fact, her next steps might be outside the acting realm — inspired by DuVernay.
“On Wrinkle, I always remember Ava saying ‘It’s not about knocking on doors; you have to build your own house,’” she says. “In this industry, we all feel like you need somebody to give you a job, or write you a script, or cast you in something. But why not direct your own films, or write your own scripts, or start your own company? I want to tell stories, and I shouldn’t have to wait for someone else to do it. So I believe it might be time for me to build my own house.”
One thing is for sure: That house will look like nothing that has come before it — and it will have a pretty damn strong foundation.
Following the horrific shooting that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, there were immediate calls for gun control legislation and action to curb the gun violence that rocks our country regularly.
But many of the loudest voices weren’t from adults — they were the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas themselves and the thousands of other teenagers like them who are beyond terrified of the gun violence that has brought community after community to its knees.
These teenagers have been to hell and back since Wednesday. They took on ghouls like Tomi Lahren on Twitter. They gave interviews and talked about gun violence minutes after evacuation from their school and in the days that followed. They organised an upcoming nationwide school walkout. And as student Emma Gonzalez said over the weekend at a rally, they called BS on the legislators who failed to protect them and the gun advocates who don’t care if they live or die.
Soon after, the responses started flooding in complimenting the students on their words and actions:
“The kids will save us after all!”
“These teens will change the world!”
“These young people are more articulate than adults!”
Of course, we need to address what’s right and wrong with this rhetoric. Most importantly, these teenagers shouldn’t have been put in a position where they felt like they needed to clean up the mess of adults; they were violently thrust there by the lack of inaction by grown ass people who failed to protect them and their friends.
As of late, our nation has loved this idea of different groups of people marginalised and/or ignored in some way or another “saving” us from ourselves. That way of thinking needs to end. These young people are rightfully terrified, and as I tweeted this weekend, legislators have essentially told them that they’ll need to take a gamble on their lives every day they decide to get an education. Students want to save themselves, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
And on top of this, for all the ways young people under 18 can help us in driving a message forward, these teenagers still can’t vote right now. That’s on us, the people over 18, to make that difference.
But of course, when I say teens can’t vote, I mean they can’t vote yet. That three-letter word is exciting and empowering. At least, it is for us Democrats, especially because it could pay off dividends for decades to come. On the flip side, it’s beyond terrifying for the GOP, who seem to think teens are like Peter Pan and the boys of Neverland, unable to ever grow older.
When you think back to your coming of age, you can probably remember a few key historical events that shaped your worldview. For my generation, it was the Great Recession and the election of Barack Obama, filling us simultaneously with both hope for our future and the cynical understanding that big business is ruining our lives on so many levels. For other generations, it was events like September 11th or the Vietnam War or World War II.
For this generation of teenagers, it’s the election of Donald Trump. As I pointed out on Twitter, no one has talked about how truly demoralising and traumatising the election was for people under 18 who didn’t have an option to vote. It’s also been hard for parents who’ve had to explain to their children — particularly their teenage children who are fully cognizant of this era — why so many older people let the country down. Plenty of adults have talked about how the election opened their eyes, but could you imagine making all of those realisations at age 13 or 15 or 17? That’s a difficult world to come into. But if you think back to your own adolescence, it was a critical time when you saw that you could change the way things were.
So yes, we shouldn’t count on teenagers to save us. It isn’t their job, and the circumstances that have led them to be in this position are utterly horrific and senseless. But here’s what Republicans — and quite frankly, many adults in general — seem to be missing: These teenagers don’t stay young forever. Today’s middle school and high school students are tomorrow’s young adults. And becoming tomorrow’s young adults means becoming tomorrow’s voters. These teenagers understand that in anywhere from a few months to a few years, they can head to the polls and directly tell the Republicans who’ve put their lives in jeopardy to go to hell. That’s empowering to know, and one thing we can do as adults is make sure young people are fully equipped to take advantage of that power when it comes.
Another reason the GOP should be frozen in terror by a generation of angry teenagers is that all of this organising, protesting, speaking, and lobbying — particularly the tactics that are happening online — are all skills that these students will use for decades to come.
Think about it: How many adults do we hear nowadays talking about how they’re calling their congresspeople or protesting outside their representative’s office for the first time at age 40 or 50? These teenagers have a serious head start. And while the causes may change over the years, they can lean on these very real and practical skill sets of political and civic engagement to help them create the world they want to see. Republicans have inadvertently created a generation that’ll give them much-deserved trouble for decades, because as we all know, the lessons you learn in your youth don’t go away. One of the big takeaways these kids are absorbing? The GOP doesn’t care if they live or die, and they’ll treat your death with insulting levels of apathy.
In other words, the Republicans haven’t just ignited a fire amongst liberals over the past 15 months; they’re setting a blaze amongst the young people in this country who’ll be around for a very long time.
So yes, don’t confuse teenagers not wanting to die with “saving” us. But on the other hand, support their passion, nurture their work, and follow their lead. They’re going to outlast you and me in the long run. And I fully and whole-heartedly believe that they will be a large part of the reason we really do change the world.
Lily Herman is a contributing editor at Refinery29. Follow her on Twitter. The views expressed are her own.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
On Thursday morning, President Donald Trump hit back at reports that he said he wanted to arm teachers in an effort to thwart school shootings — but then went on to say such efforts would prevent future mass shootings.
"I never said 'give teachers guns' like was stated on fake news @CNN & @NBC," Trump tweeted. "What I said was to look at the possibility of giving 'concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience — only the best. 20% of teachers, a lot, would not be able to immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions. Highly trained teachers would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this. Far more assets at much less cost than guards. A “gun free” school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END!"
On Wednesday, Trump met with several students who survived the Valentine's Day shooting at Majorry Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 students and faculty dead.
I never said “give teachers guns” like was stated on Fake News @CNN & @NBC. What I said was to look at the possibility of giving “concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience - only the best. 20% of teachers, a lot, would now be able to
....immediately fire back if a savage sicko came to a school with bad intentions. Highly trained teachers would also serve as a deterrent to the cowards that do this. Far more assets at much less cost than guards. A “gun free” school is a magnet for bad people. ATTACKS WOULD END!
Trump went on to say that he is also going to push for extensive background checks, raise the age to purchase a firearm to 21, and ban bump stocks. He did not, however, mention anything about banning assault rifles or semi-automatic weapons.
Educators who spoke to Refinery29 said they do not believe giving teachers weapons is the right way to top school shootings. "How am I supposed to teach effectively if I am carrying or there is a gun locked up in my room? The day I am required to carry a gun in my classroom is the day I leave education," one high school teacher in Kansas said.
Experts on gun violence echoed teachers' concerns on having teachers carry weapons. "Arming teachers is a dangerous idea. There's a reason we have SWAT teams to respond to active shooter situations — they train regularly, demonstrate incredible prowess with guns, know how to distinguish between shooters and bystanders, and have the right equipment for the job," Avery Gardiner, Co-President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, tells Refinery29. "Teachers aren't SWAT team members. Putting a teacher in the situation of facing down an assault weapon-bearing shooter with a large capacity magazine is unlikely to work well."
Gardiner says that preventing school shootings starts with expanding our nation's background check system and banning assault weapons. "Brady background checks have blocked more than 3 million attempts to buy guns by people who are not legally allowed to have them. The Trump administration has been attacking that system, weakening the definition of 'fugitive from justice' (resulting in thousands of fugitives' names being removed from the background check system) and stopping the Social Security Administration from putting the names of dangerously mentally ill people into the background check system.
"A common thread among many of these high profile mass shootings is that the shooters choose assault weapons and large capacity magazines, because those are the tools to achieve their goal — killing as many people as quickly as possible. We should ban assault weapons and large capacity magazines."
She also says that a past history of violence — not mental illness — is a predictor of mass murder. "A history of violence is a much more accurate indicator of propensity to gun violence, compared to the broad category of mental illness. A history of domestic violence, of animal cruelty, of other violent crimes is something that doctors and family members should take seriously," Gardiner tells Refinery29. "I don't think that Americans have a higher propensity to violence than people in other countries, but what we do have uniquely in America is easy availability of guns."
Even without the bright auburn hair or the intricately woven braids, Sophie Turner is still very much her: Sansa Stark, the cunning, tenacious Lady of Winterfell (and one of last two surviving Stark children — unless you count Bran, which we don’t) on HBO's Game of Thrones. The role (and the defining red hue) has been part of the star's life since the age of 13, and although she may be back to her natural blond colour now, its significance still remains.
During our interview, Turner swiftly shifts from serious to goofy, her tone changing when she discusses her character. "It's almost like I have a split personality," she says. "My redhead persona is Sansa — she's so strong and independent. So red, to me, is the ultimate strength. I'd like to think of it as my Sasha Fierce moment, but I'm no Beyoncé [ laughs]. With the blond, it's like I'm back to being Sophie. That felt empowering as well, because I was leaving my teenage years behind and becoming a woman."
Winter isn’t over IRL, but the seventh (and penultimate) season of GoT is. Which is lucky for us, because the break from filming means Turner answered all the questions we’ve always wondered, ahead.
Her Genius Beach Beauty Trick Anyone following Turner on Instagram knows she just got back from what appears to have been a relaxing vacation in the Maldives with fiancé Joe Jonas. But aside from the red cat-eye sunglasses and striped one-piece, there's one other essential she packed on the trip: heat-protectant spray.
"I know it's really strange, but the last couple holidays I have been putting heat protection in my hair before I go sunbathing," she laughs. "That way, when I come back from holiday, I don't feel like my hair is dried out. It's weird to me that people put so much importance on skin, and you put sun cream on your face, but no one ever does anything about their hair." (She, for the record, swears by the EIMI Thermal Image Heat Protection Spray from Wella Professionals, of which she's the global brand ambassador.)
Photo: Courtesy of HBO.
On Hair Fake-Outs Game of Thrones isn't meant to be realistic (there are gigantic flying dragons, for crying out loud), but the hair, more or less, is. Turner once shared that she dyed hers once a week for the part, but says it's now all fake.
"I could not count the amount of wigs we use on that show if I wanted to — almost everyone wears one," she says, adding that even the most unsuspecting men in the series do. "A lot of the guys will have hair inserts glued on that they probably don't want people to know about, but it's true. Or they'll do beard wigs, or use little pieces of hair to fill in the gaps in their beards."
On Her Minimalistic Tattoo Collection "I had to bleach my hair for a movie that's coming out next month [Ed note: Josie] and I had all these badass tattoos all over my body. I looked at myself in the mirror and I was like, 'This is so far from my redheaded, pale, clean-cut look.' That was really fun for me. I only have a few tattoos [in real life] — maybe three or four."
Turner lifts up her right hand to reveal five tally marks on her right ring finger. This, she explains, represents her five family members. Peeking out from the sleeves of her blouse, I notice a tiny wishbone on her wrist. But instead, she quickly showed me the invisible ink she got with co-star Maisie Williams. Turner says, "It's the date we both got Game of Thrones, but you can't really see it. I had a deal with my mum. I wanted a tattoo on my forearm and she said, 'If you want one, it has to be somewhere I can't see. It has to be discreet.' So I got it in peach so she wouldn’t be too offended by it, but I'll probably go over it with darker ink eventually."
The One Thing She'd Never Do For A Role It goes without saying that Turner has had to transform a lot for her last few roles. (She describes the moment of dyeing her hair at 13 as "losing her identity.") But there's one line she might draw: "I don’t think I could voluntarily shave my head for fear of what it would look like. I have a tiny pea head and broad shoulders, so I don't think I could do a really short haircut."
But then Turner shoots a coy smile, tilts her head, and says, "But who knows? When Game of Thrones comes to an end, maybe I’ll have something of an Emma Watson cutting her hair short moment — maybe I’ll go crazy."
In a key scene early on in Annihilation, Lena (Natalie Portman) — a biologist and Army veteran about to enlist in a mission to investigate an unexplained but growing phenomenon in the middle of Florida swampland — looks at the women who will be joining her and asks the question that's on the audience's mind: "All women?"
"All scientists," one of them replies.
Having five female leads would be enough to make Alex Garland's mesmerising work of science fiction, based on the first novel in Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach trilogy, stand out in a genre that has traditionally been, and mostly remains, white male-centric. But part of what makes Annihilation truly remarkable is that while it acknowledges that groundbreaking aspect, it also allows its characters to transcend their gender, avoiding turning them into token pawns in the fight for broader female representation onscreen. But that in itself is a feminist act: Women — and particularly women of color — starring in a complex, big-budget studio sci-fi film that isn't just about them being women, but rather, encourages them to be more.
And the other part? Well, that's down to Annihilation 's masterful questioning of the human condition, and its eternal cycle of destruction and reinvention. And yes, that's just as intense as it sounds.
Don't be alarmed if you leave the cinema feeling a little dazed. This is not a film that can casually be consumed between snack breaks on your computer. (A fact which makes Paramount's decision to sell its international distribution rights to Netflix all the more disheartening.) It's a work that demands thought and time to process the sensory overload of sound and colour, courtesy of Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury's score, and Rob Hardy's cinematography. But that's also part of what makes it so compelling: much like Arrival, Denis Villeneuve's beautiful sci-fi starring Amy Adams, this is a movie to be experienced just as much as watched. (The parallels between the two movies are unavoidable. Both are female-led, modern takes on the encounter genre, swathed in unearthly sound and visual beauty.)
When we first meet Lena, she's being interrogated by a man in a haz-mat suit about her suspicious survival without food rations or drinking water for over four months in a uninhabited zone known as "Area X." The rest of her unit is still missing. (Did she kill them? Did they kill each other? Is there something scarier hiding in there? All underlying questions.)
As the narrative weaves back and forth through time, we learn that Lena's husband, Kane (Oscar Isaac), disappeared into a force field-like dome rapidly growing across Area X, known as The Shimmer, for over a year, only to emerge disoriented and without any memory of how he got back. He's also inexplicably ill, which explains Lena's desire to seek answers out for herself.
Joining Lena on this expedition to seek out the source of The Shimmer are Dr. Ventress, a curt psychologist whose intensity suggests she's hiding something (Jennifer Jason Leigh), Anya, an impetuous and fierce paramedic (Gina Rodriguez), Josie, a whip-smart and sensitive physicist (Tessa Thompson), and Cass, a friendly yet reserved anthropologist (Tuva Novotny). It's a testament to each actress that each character, some of whom only get fairly limited screen time, feels distinct and whole. Portman smoothly conveys both delicate intellect and physical strength, a tough combination to pull off, while Jason Leigh is terrifyingly serene. Rodriguez, in stark contrast to her Jane the Virgin roots, was born to play an action heroine. But their confident exteriors mask complicated inner angst; this is considered a suicide mission — no one, save for Kane, has ever returned — and these women each have their own reasons for being there.
Inside The Shimmer, so designated because of the iridescent rainbow shades that make up its surface, casting a unicorn highlighter glow over everything within, Garland has created a world of soft-lit beauty: think of a rainforest paradise, marred only by a whiff of decay. Colourful vines snake up abandoned trailers creating artful patterns that make you smile, until you realise they're basically tumours, a distortion of genetic material. (It's no coincidence that one scene shows Lena, an expert on "the genetically programmed life cycle of a cell," reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot's exploration of the woman behind the cervical cancer cells known as HeLa, whose endless multiplication outside the body have made innumerable contributions to science over the last half century.)
As the group ventures further, losing track of time and space (compasses don't work in The Shimmer, yet another hint at some alien activity at play), they quickly realise that beauty conceals much darker realities. The same unexplained factors that are causing deer to grow pink flowers on their antlers (one of the most gorgeous shots in a movie filled with them), are also causing bears to mutate into something resembling a demon from the darkest pit of your nightmares.
But inside this other-wordly biodome, the distortions aren't limited to plants and animals. This is where the movie transitions from pure science-fiction into horror. If Garland's first feature, 2015's Ex Machina, suggested the eventual subjugation of humans to their more intelligent, machine creations, Annihilation takes it one step further. As the title suggests, this is a film that explores the possibility of human erasure — what happens when our own bodies, our own cells, our own minds, turn against us, from the inside out.
There's no finite answer, and the film leaves several options hanging in the air. But the journey is nothing short of transcendent.
In preparation for the upcoming full moon in Libra, it's time to take a step back and ask, "What does that actually mean?" Understanding the significance of the full moon's placement in each of the signs of the Zodiac can add a whole new layer to how you celebrate this lunar event.
Spiritually speaking, the full moon takes preexisting feelings or energies and puts them in bold. For example, the February full moon encourages us to think about the changing seasons, while the November full moon calls for meditation on loss and gratitude. The full moon simply amplifies the feelings that are already thematic to that time of year.
By that same token, the traits that we associate with a specific sign will intensify when the full moon is aligned with it. As the moon orbits the Earth, it travels through each sign of the Zodiac, spending between two and three days in that sign. So, for example, if the moon reaches fullness while it's hanging out in Pisces, we may feel an increased sense of empathy. Oh, and did we mention that everyone, not just those who belong to that sign, will feel the sign's influence?
It's obviously exciting when the full moon is in your sign (it will feel like you and your signmates are in the spotlight). But, for every opportunity that comes with your sign's full moon, there's a potential challenge tagging along, too.
Ahead, we take a closer look at what to expect when the full moon is in each sign (all dates are based on when the moon will reach fullness in EST).
Aries Next full moon: October 24, 2018
Look forward to a serious energy boost. You'll find a renewed sense of purpose and action under this full moon, thanks to Aries' trademark go-getter attitude.
Watch out for unnecessary risks. Unless you temper all that new energy, you might forget to look before you leap — and land yourself in a sticky situation.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Taurus Next full moon: November 12, 2019
Look forward to your sensual side coming out to play. This is a fantastic time to take a vacation, enjoy some fine dining, or simply feather your nest with some new luxury goods.
Watch out for anything that feels too comfortable. It's all too easy to fall into a rut in your career or relationships while enjoying the finer things in life.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Gemini Next full moon: November 23, 2018
Look forward to achieving social butterfly status. Gemini full moons facilitate communication, logic, and wit — prepare to feel surprisingly quick on your feet.
Watch out for undue stress. Freely flowing lines of communication means keeping a lot of people happy. Avoid taking the lead on too many projects or promising your time to everyone who asks.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Cancer Next full moon: January 10, 2020
Look forward to instant you-time. Cancer's homebody influences come in like a wrecking ball during the full moon. If you can swing it, schedule a staycation, with a side of self-care.
Watch out for mercurial moods. Cancers are known for their sensitivity, and the power of a Cancer full moon can bring that out of everyone.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Leo Next full moon: January 21, 2019
Look forward to inspiration overload. Put time aside to brainstorm your next project or dinner party under this full moon, because the creative juices will seriously be flowing.
Watch out for drama. If there's one sign that loves the spotlight, it's Leo — and all that lunar love can easily go to your head if you aren't careful.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Virgo Next full moon: March 1, 2018
Look forward to a deep-cleaning. Whether that means curating your closet or confronting a toxic friend, channel Virgo's purposeful energy to make your life a little more streamlined.
Watch out for perfectionism. Don't let yourself get too hung up in the details while rooting out all of that clutter. Make quick decisions and never let the urge to execute keep you from delegating (it never hurts to ask for help).
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Libra Next full moon: March 31, 2018
Look forward to connection and collaboration. This full moon is a great time for networking and first dates — if the chemistry is there, you're sure to feel it.
Watch out for anyone who'd treat you like a doormat. Libran energy can bring out the people-pleaser in all of us, but don't feel like you can't speak up for yourself.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Scorpio Next full moon: May 18, 2019
Look forward to serious bonding time. Your intimate relationships will deepen under this full moon, whether you share secrets or new experiences.
Watch out for jealousy and fear. Scorps tend to focus on the risks that come with opening up to someone — not everyone is out to betray or abandon you. Letting go of those concerns will help your relationships develop.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Sagittarius Next full moon: May 29, 2018
Look forward to adventure. That signature Sagittarian spontaneity will clear away the cobwebs and nudge you out of your comfort zone (maybe into a new career, home, or hobby).
Watch out for carelessness. Enjoy your freedom, but don't lose sight of your commitments, either. Resist the urge to gloss over details or make shortcuts in your plans right now.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Capricorn Next full moon: June 28, 2018
Look forward to cracking down. This is the full moon when you get shit done. The Capricorn influence will come in the form of ambition and efficiency — it's up to you to decide what you're striving for.
Watch out for burnout. Caps often forget that work should be balanced with at least a little play. Don't forget to relax and recharge during this full moon, too — it's a great time for goal-setting.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Aquarius Next full moon: August 26, 2018
Look forward to variety. Aquarians crave new and strange things — and under this full moon, you will, too. Go backpacking, take up a new cause, or check out your town's art scene.
Watch out for the temptation to tune out. You might have found your new passion, but don't detach entirely from your old ways, either.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Pisces Next full moon: September 24, 2018
Look forward to romance. This dreamy full moon will put everyone in the mood for love and with that comes understanding, empathy, and, dare we say, happiness. Light some candles and go with it.
Watch out for increased vulnerability. It's a slippery slope into idealism under the Pisces full moon — don't let yourself get too disappointed (or, worse, hurt) by things that are out of your control.
Illustrated by Paola Delucca.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Janelle Monáe is spoiling us. Ahead of her upcoming album Dirty Computer, the singer dropped not one but two new songs today, accompanied by their own music videos. While both new releases, "Make Me Feel " and "Django Chain," are more than enough to get us hyped for what's to come, it's the "Make Me Feel" music video that's enamoured the internet because of its open embrace of bisexuality featuring actress Tessa Thompson.
Both Monáe and Thompson star in the video, which is like if Black Mirror 's "San Junipero" went dancing with Prince. The two are not coy about their intentions — the whole point of the song is that Monáe's sexuality swings any which way she likes, and Twitter was more than here for it.
...also love that this Janelle Monáe music vid is unapologetically queer af.
And Daily Dot writer Gavia Baker-Whitelaw commended the artist's sexual evolution.
Monáe has always been progressive, especially during this #MeToo movement. Back in December, she spoke to Refinery29 ahead of her collaboration with the first-ever Los Angeles version of 29Rooms, and said, "I love being a woman, I am all for other women and protecting other women and standing up for women's rights. If I had to choose being a woman all over again, I would."
She also stood on stage during the Grammys and called out the music industry — an area of the entertainment world she believes is also overdue for a reckoning.
"Tonight, I am proud to stand in solidarity as not just an artist, but a young woman, with my fellow sisters in this room who make up the music industry — artists, writers, assistants, publicists, CEOs, producers, engineers, and women from all sectors of the business. We are also daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, and human beings," she said, sporting a Time's Up pin on her suit. "We come in peace, but we mean business. And to those who would dare try and silence: We say time's up for pay inequality, time's up for discrimination, time's up for harassment of any kind, and time's up for the abuse of power."
Those are words we'll forever champion, and now we have the perfect soundtrack to go with them.
According to a press release sent to Refinery29, Shawn Rech, the man behind the documentary Murder in the Park, is currently working on a new series titled Convicting A Murderer. Per the press release, the new series will focus on the case built by the State of Wisconsin against Steven Avery for Halbach's 2005 murder.
"When Making a Murderer was produced, many on the law enforcement side of the story could not, or would not, participate in the series, which resulted in a one-sided analysis of the case," Rech explained in the press release. "This docu-series will examine the case and the allegations of police wrongdoing from a broader perspective. It will also share with viewers the traumatic effects of being found guilty and vilified in the court of public opinion."
Convicting a Murderer has reportedly just started production. It will be produced by Rech and his partner, Chicago Attorney Andrew Hale, who are currently looking for a home for the series.
Finally, the snowdrops are blooming, it's not pitch black when we leave the office and we can start to plan our next holiday. Now the sun is starting to shine, it's the perfect time of year to escape the office and get some rest and relaxation.
Opt instead to tuck yourself away in a hygge-inspired bolthole right here in the UK. We've found the most beautiful woodland cabins all around the country so you can take a mini-break surrounded by the wonder of nature.
Click through to see our favourites.
The Arc Cambridgeshire
Nestled in tranquil woodland overlooking the calm waters of the River Nene, The Arc is the ultimate escape for anyone looking to get a little peace and quiet. Once you set foot in this picturesque cabin, it's almost impossible to believe you're just over an hour from London and (even better) only 10 minutes' walk from a gorgeous, vegan-friendly gastropub.
If heading out on one of the local pub walks sounds a bit too much, don't worry. You can while away your stay at The Arc cosied up by the woodburning stove, listening to records on the vinyl player, reading a novel, cooking in the well-stocked kitchen or playing one of the many board games.
But if that still sounds like too much effort, fill up the giant claw foot bath and treat yourself to a luxurious candlelit soak. Or feel free just to cuddle up in the kingsize antique French bed and listen to the birdsong. Really, there's only one thing you have to do at The Arc: relax.
If your inbox has you at breaking point, head to Elmley. These entirely off-the-grid luxury cabins are the only accommodation in England inside a National Nature Reserve. Here you'll have no screens to distract you, just unparalleled access to stunning scenery and wildlife around the clock.
Snuggle up in this glass-ended cabin and from the comfort of your bed you'll see thousands of wildfowl heading south for the winter. Don't worry, though, you won't be left in the cold; inside your heated cabin there's a toasty kitchenette and full bathroom.
Outside, you even have your own heated shower, and you can keep warm while you stargaze around your personal fire pit. So ditch your work emails and watch the birds go by instead.
If you've been dreaming of an easy escape from the Big Smoke, well you're in luck. The Nook is the perfect farmland escape from the hustle of the city, but is only a Tube journey away from central London (seriously). It might only be 10 minutes from Epping station, but this hideaway is nestled in three acres of greenery and even has a private pond.
This house-style cabin also comes with its very own wood-fired hot tub and fire pit, so you have the choice of lazing away your weekend soaking under the stars or roasting marshmallows over the fire. That's if you make it out of your kingsize bed, of course...
If you do manage to get out and about, there are plenty of pubs and restaurants within walking distance and your hosts will be happy to advise on everything from sightseeing to white water rafting. When you are ready to go home, all you'll need is your Oyster card.
Poppy's Pad & Daisy's Den, Little Country Houses The Cotswolds
If it's R&R you're looking for, these cabins in the Cotswolds are calling. Set in the luscious Gloucestershire countryside, there are just two handbuilt wooden houses on the plot at Little Country Houses, ensuring a thoroughly private stay. It's an ideal bolthole for a romantic winter break, complete with a large wood-fired hot tub and a log burner, all tucked up in your own private decking with fairy lights and safari blinds to keep it cosy.
Wake up on the mezzanine to stunning views across fields and woodland, then set off on the 1.5-hour walk to The Ebrington Arms, rated the best village pub in the UK by The Times. With open fires in every room and local beers, it feels like a warm hug when you roll in from the cold. The King's Arms in Mickleton is also nearby, just a 10-minute stroll from the cabin. But if you really want the full experience, spend a night on the decking, cooking steak on the open flame of the log burner while you wait for the hot tub to reach optimum heat. This place is pure bliss; get that OOO on, stat.
From £95 per night
Book Poppy's Pad & Daisy's Den directly here or on Airbnb here
Ranchers, Loose Reins Dorset
Loose Reins lets you and the ones you love live the American Dream in the beautiful British countryside. Saddle up with a few of your closest mates, your family or even just your four-legged friend and find your way to one of these four-sleeper cabins in the wilds of the West Country.
Each cabin has a little cowboy flair but that doesn't mean you'll have to live the frontier life. There's a kitchen stocked with local goodies, a kingsize bed with Hypnos mattress and a private games room complete with Wi-Fi. There is only one full-size bed but the sofa can be turned into a lovely bed for one (or two little ones).
You can walk, bike or, of course, horseback ride around the surrounding countryside. If all that leaves you a little peckish, order up a barbecue hamper from Loose Reins' pantry stuffed with locally sourced treats all ready to go. After all, what's the cowboy life without a campfire?
Sneak away with someone you love this season and watch the leaves turn. Hesleyside Huts are scattered across the grounds of Hesleyside, a gorgeous stately home deep in Northumberland National Park, and perfect for a little autumn romance.
Our favourite is Holly Hut, surrounded by ancient woodland and accessed via your own personal forest path. Hand-built from reclaimed timber and a pair of former church doors, inside you'll find every luxury, from Egyptian cotton sheets on the kingsize bed to a huge, copper bathtub big enough for two.
There's plenty to do in the great outdoors: spend your days exploring the wood, fishing in the famed North Tyne or building a camp fire. But if you just want to cuddle up in front of your wood-burning stove, we're sure you'll find a way to keep busy inside, too.
In the depths of the colder months we all need a treat, but online shopping only provides so much relief. Instead of indulging in retail therapy, pick yourself up with a one-of-a-kind weekend experience at Brook House Woods.
This cabin is actually a treehouse, albeit an extremely glamorous one. From the veranda you can enjoy unique views of the Malvern hills through the surrounding woodland. This balcony comes with more than just views, though – you'll also find your own roll-top bath out there, for a private soak among the trees.
Feel free to stay snug inside your sheep's wool-insulated, solar-heated cabin (it's so green it's actually carbon-positive) for your entire stay. Brook House Woods offers artisan pizza deliveries, as well as homemade meals, straight to your door, so you don't have to lift a finger. If you want to get out and about, though, enrol in a woodworking course or take part in one of their yoga weekenders.
If you're after a more authentic 'roughing it' experience than pitching your tent at Glastonbury, this cabin is the one for you. Though certainly more luxurious (and drier) than a four-man pop-up at Worthy Farm, these wood, glass and steel structures give you a real feel for life in nature.
Set amid the woods of a former slate mine only a few miles from the stunning Cornish coast, these cabins stand on eight-foot-high legs, giving stunning views from your private terrace.
Above ground you'll find your own living space and bedroom, complete with fresh bedding and solar-powered charging ports. But you'll find everything else you need for your visit back down in the forest, from your own personal fire pit to a wood-fired communal hot tub and outdoor bar serving Cornish gin.
Make each day an adventure by heading down one of the secret trails to the beach or diving into Kudhva's waterfall-filled reservoir. You can stay in bed at home; don't waste a second of your time here lounging around.
How long should it take to actually see results from changing your skincare routine? It’s so hard to tell if something’s actually working, so I end up cycling through different products and techniques and I’m never sure when I should give up or persevere. If something doesn’t work in a few weeks’ time, does that mean it just doesn’t work for me at all? On that note, do I need to swap out products that do work from time to time to stop my skin ‘getting used to’ them? Help!
Helen, 29
There’s something to be said for the immediacy of makeup. When Leonard Lauder coined the term 'lipstick index' in the early 2000s, it was because he’d noticed that even in the depths of a recession, sales of cosmetics like lipstick actually increased, rather than falling off a cliff. Why? Because putting on lipstick – especially one weighty enough for the tube clicking shut to sound like the door of a Lamborghini Huracan closing – is transformative. It instantly lifts your mood and look. Can you imagine the stoicism of a multi-step skincare routine having such a pull in an uncertain time? I can’t. When the chips are down, I at least want to look polished as I hit my overdraft.
That’s perhaps why we all turn to makeup in times of need, and to be fair, when you notice a juicy new spot as you head to your big job interview, concealer is always going to be your first port of call, rather than salicylic acid. Inversely, when it comes to your skin, sometimes you have to play the long game to get results. "As a rule of thumb, the more work that needs to be done on a cellular level, the longer it’ll take to see the difference," confirmed aesthetic doctor David Jack. "If it needs to actually change the cells’ behaviour, you can’t expect results within less than a few weeks."
Some things should work quickly: moisturiser, especially a serum or cream with hyaluronic acid, should smooth the skin pretty much instantly. Something like acne or pigmentation, however, is going to take a little longer. "If you’re using something like vitamin C or retinol, that means a change on a cellular level, so expect to wait at least three months to see a benefit," added Dr. Jack. Likewise, cleanser (especially if you’re using it specifically for spot-fighting purposes) needs to shift your skin’s pH a little, which can take a couple of weeks.
Then there are all these masks and creams that guarantee to instantly brighten/lift/tone/give you the complexion of a prepubescent Miranda Kerr. "If it promises an instant effect, it may well deliver that," said Dr. Jack, "but the effect will be superficial." Any kind of peel-off mask that 'removes blackheads' does so by removing sebaceous filaments, which your skin will simply replenish within a few days, and takes a layer of vellus hair off with it. Anything that 'imparts an instant glow' might brighten your skin, but only through slight exfoliation or light-reflecting particles. As for anything that claims to 'lift', well, remember your old friend Isaac Newton and his apple and put that one back on the shelf. That’s not to say instant means bad – I personally love a sheet mask, and Dr. Jack said they were good, too – it’s just that any instant effect product should be the cherry on top of your skincare routine, not the cornerstone.
As for your skin 'getting used to' something, I personally don’t buy it. If it works, why wouldn’t you stick with it? "It’s true that there is probably an optimal state that a product can get your skin to in terms of bacterial flora and pH, but by stopping, all you’re doing is taking yourself back to square one. When you add that hero product back in again, it will work again, but only up to that previous point. It’s purely psychological to think it looks better after a break," explained Dr. Jack. It’s far better to keep using a product you know works for your skin, rather than swapping a handful of similar ones in and out for the sake of variety.
Helen, you didn’t ask about this specifically, but I wanted to ask the doctor while I had him: If a product makes you break out, should that be considered a 'purge' and should we ride it out, or is a breakout a breakout? "The jury’s out," explained Dr. Jack. Damn. "It’s true that rebalancing the flora of your skin can cause purging, but everyone’s different. It might clear up, it might not – it happens to some people with retinols or some cleansers and masks." Basically, if you can grin and bear it for a few weeks, it may very well go away, but if the product in question is causing you real grief, go back to your tried-and-tested.
Illustration: Mallory Heyer
Good things come to those who wait, Helen, but good things also come to those who do their homework. If your complexion is generally clear, but you’re looking to even out your skin tone a little, make your skin more radiant and keep it soft, you should stick with anything new for at least a few weeks. Be scientific about it, and operate a one-in, one-out policy on new products so you can tell what works and what doesn’t. If it’s long-term acne, fine lines or pigmentation that has you beat, prepare to enter into an LTR with your new clinical actives. I like to take process pics with new products to reassure myself that they’re actually helping, by the way.
For chronic insomnia sufferers like me, this surge in media coverage is a blessing and a curse; a blessing because it’s nice to have our struggle acknowledged by Times and Guardian readers, and a curse because our fear that lack of sleep is ruining our lives keeps getting confirmed by scientists and doctors.
Contributing to the conversation is memory foam mattress company Eve, whose desire to help us sleep seems to go beyond their product. Eve recently hosted a weeklong sleep clinic in east London with talks, panels, classes and one-to-one sessions with specialists, open to the public. There, we met sleep science coach and nutritional therapist, Christine Hansen, for a one-to-one session on how diet affects our sleep and vice versa. Christine is a holistic health practitioner and has developed her own line of treatment for insomnia, which includes looking carefully at the gut.
“We tend to overeat when we’re tired,” she said. “We get up tired, and then we crave caffeine and sugar, which makes our blood sugar levels spike, but then they drop just as quickly, so you get a zigzag pattern.” This pattern, Christine says, if continued throughout the day, can cause a spike at nighttime too, which disturbs sleep. “And then there’s ghrelin and leptin [the hunger hormones]. One makes you feel full and the other makes you feel hungry, but when you’re not sleeping well, those two become deregulated so you are hungry more quickly, and you’re full later than you would if you were well rested.”
It’s true, we eat more when we’re tired and crave caffeine and sugar to replenish our energy, but Christine says the relationship between our gut and our sleep runs much deeper. She says poor sleep and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (which affects 10-15% of the population and mainly women) “are totally intertwined – they feed off each other”. Another worrying piece of information for insomniacs, but it makes sense, and addressing both together might actually be beneficial. “If you have emotional stress – that breaks down your intestinal lining, and if your gut is in distress – that makes it more difficult for your emotions to be clear, which you need in order to sleep.”
Deep sleep (the first phase) helps our minds and bodies recover, so when we don't get enough, we can’t recover and this can wreak havoc on our digestive system. “Detoxification takes place at night in the liver during sleep,” explains Christine, “especially during deep sleep, so if your sleep is fragmented, this process doesn’t work properly and your body can start storing the waste in your adipose tissue, which are your fat cells. The other thing is that some toxins don’t get broken down because you don’t have enough bile so then the toxins just circle in your system, making you tired and causing inflammation.”
A few studies have shown correlations between IBS and insomnia beyond their mutual categorisation as 'functional disorders'. A [very old: 1997] paper in the British Medical Journal entitled "Sleep and gastric function in irritable bowel syndrome " summarised the findings of a small study which “showed a relation between subjective reports of good sleep quality and diminished IBS symptoms” ie. when the patients slept well, they said their IBS symptoms also decreased; "subjective" means there was no medical way of proving it beyond what the patients said. More recently, in 2016, a paper entitled "IBS: sleep disturbances a key factor for symptom s" concluded that “sleep disturbances are more common in patients with IBS versus healthy control participants, and correlate with IBS-related pain, distress and poorer IBS-related quality of life.”
“Often, doctors prescribe antidepressants for people who can’t sleep,” says Christine, “and they do help, but they’re not necessarily the best option.” Christine says there is very often a correlation between poor sleep and lack of serotonin (the happy hormone): “Serotonin is converted into tryptophan, which is converted into melatonin.” Melatonin is a hormone released by the body to regulate the human body clock, and studies show that when you don’t have enough melatonin, your body doesn’t recognise that it’s time for sleep. As Christine explains, “90% of melatonin is produced in your gut, so if you don’t have enough in the evening and you have a lot during the day, it’s going to make you feel exhausted and mess up your circadian rhythm.”
So if your gut is a mess, it may not be producing enough melatonin to allow you to fall asleep. And if you are anxious or depressed and your body isn't producing enough serotonin, that affects the melatonin production in your gut and therefore your sleep – it's a vicious cycle.
While there are plenty of melatonin supplements on offer at health food shops, Christine says these aren't a quick fix for sleep: "Melatonin is not meant to make you fall asleep, it’s just meant to regulate your inner clock, so if you have someone with a severe circadian rhythm disorder, it’s perfect to use for that, but it’s not really meant as a sleep help – a lot of people put a lot of hope into melatonin and get super disappointed.” Indeed, a study in 2015 concluded that the evidence for melatonin supplements improving insomnia was "insufficient".
Christine does recommend 5-HTP, which can be bought at health shops such as Holland & Barrett: “5-HTP is a precursor which produces natural serotonin (the happy hormone). 5-HTP is converted into serotonin, so it builds in your body." She also recommends vitamin D, which can be bought as a supplement or prescribed in more concentrated forms by a GP.
If your gut is a mess, it may not be producing enough melatonin to allow you to fall asleep.
According to Christine, another potential problem contributing to both IBS and insomnia is ‘leaky gut syndrome ’ – a term that the NHS doesn’t really support in relation to widespread problems such as IBS and insomnia – but Christine’s explanation is as follows:
“Our intestinal lining is not smooth. We have these little hairy things called ‘villi’ on our small intestine and they filter the molecules and break down things that are too big. But what happens when we’re stressed, is that these little hairy things (the villi) die, so it means that bigger molecules start coming in. So suddenly you have tons of things penetrating into your immune system that formerly didn’t. And that causes inflammation or a ‘leaky gut’. So you stop being able to absorb nutrients. We see this a lot with people who have sleep deprivation and stress because there’s just so much going on, the whole metabolic system stops working and your body can’t take what it needs. So I check to see if there is a healthy bacterial environment, and check to make sure the person doesn’t have any parasites or yeast infections like candida. I also test for food intolerances.”
A direct, objective correlation between gut health and various functional disorders such as insomnia is, as yet, unevidenced in mainstream medicine. These things are generally not tested by NHS doctors unless the patient is thought to have Crohn’s disease or coeliac disease. But Christine believes that understanding the gut in relation to sleep and vice versa is a critical step in treatment for insomnia. And if, like us, you've tried everything you can think of to improve your sleep, to no avail, investigating your gut health might well be worth a try.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Each season at fashion month, we're treated to a glimpse of the mind's eye of London's most brilliant designers. Whether they're refreshing established brands for a contemporary audience, at the helm of houses that preserve tradition and craftsmanship, or are an emerging voice helping to keep our city at the cutting edge of fashion, it's always fascinating to see just what makes a designer tick. Some draw on their personal experiences to inspire new collections, others look to the cultural climate, and there are those who become fixated on a moment in time and run with it.
This season, designers' muses included strong women from history, cult literary figures, and theatrical films, proving that inspiration really can come from anywhere. Click through to find the cultural references running throughout the shows at London Fashion Week, and how they impacted our favourite designers' collections.
Adele Astaire at Erdem
This season, charismatic beauty Adele Astaire influenced Erdem 's offering. "It was widely believed that Adele Astaire was a more gifted, charismatic dancer than her brother Fred," a statement from the brand read, "and she was a breath of fresh air after years of post-war mourning." In 1932, the American dancer, stage actress and singer married the Duke of Devonshire's son, Lord Charles Cavendish, trading in a life of bright lights for country comforts in Ireland. This stark contrast, which played a vital role in Astaire's life, played out quite literally on Erdem's catwalk.
Photo: Sasha/Getty Images
Bringing together the sumptuous finishes and fabrics of a life spent dancing on the stage, 1920s drop-waist sheer dresses and sequinned pieces were paired with oversized tweed blazers and corduroy trousers. "Her clothes are a meeting of these two unlikely worlds: the glamorous, modern fashions of a stage celebrity combined with the heavy country styles of the noble aristocracy."
Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
An Indian clothes market at Ashish
Ashish returned to his signature cacophony of rainbow brights this season, following the dark and sombre palette of his last show, and cited a traditional Indian clothes market as his main source of inspiration.
"This was going back to my roots a little bit, celebrating immigrant culture. I wanted to create this magical, midnight market. It was about mixing high and low art, different elements together. Just celebrating the randomness of life," the designer explained to Refinery29 backstage.
With sweatshirts and tees playfully reimagining ubiquitous logos from credit companies and banks – think 'Masturbate' over Mastercard's red and yellow symbol, and American Express being turned into 'American Excess' – models carried plastic shopping bags that offset their sequin-embellished floral pieces.
Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca at Mimi Wade
Mimi Wade's signature aesthetic – hyper feminine pieces plastered with twisted prints from Hollywood history – took a turn towards literature this season. Referencing one of the designer's favourite authors, Daphne du Maurier, Wade designed from her frustration at the author's work being categorised as gothic romance despite her 1938 book Rebecca being anything but. "A label thrust on her purely based on gender, not literary substance."
Photo: Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
Other references included Dario Argento’s 1977 film Suspiria, a "candy-coloured trippy thriller" that inspired the designer. Using CMYK screen-printing, she pasted tongue-in-cheek sentiments like 'OPEN BOOK!' and 'EASY TO READ' onto puckered-sleeve and square-necked white dresses, which had torn hems and raw edges as a nod to Raquel Welch's costume in 1966 film One Million Years B.C.
Photo: Helle Moos
The Joy of Sex at Christopher Kane
Looking to The Joy of Sex – a sex manual from 1972 – Kane's collection explored various notions of sex and strength in women, rounding off the show with a dress that featured an explicit line drawing from the illustrated book. “I have never shied away from sex in the collections – and this one is no different,” Christopher Kane said of his AW18 show.
All the trappings of sex were explored, with Mrs Robinson-esque marabou-edged shift dresses playing soft to a hard leather and lace or jewel-caged number. The designer explained that this season, he wanted to show a woman's strength of character through her strength of clothes. "It’s less cheeky and more subversive, less an interior world and more an exterior view this time."
Photo: Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images
Chaka Khan at Marta Jakubowski
"It’s all about my woman," Jakubowski said of her AW18 collection. "She exists somewhere in my head and is growing every season." With Chaka Khan blasting while models smiled, strutted and danced down the catwalk, Jakubowski urged us to recall the music video to Whitney Houston's cover of the '78 hit, all sass and smiles.
Photo: Eugene Adibari/REX/Shutterstock
Celebrating women more generally – "our versatility, complexity, ambition and physicality" – the designer evoked the early '90s of Christy Turlington and Cindy Crawford, of The Bodyguard and nipped-in waists contrasted with big shoulders. Eighties shades were seen across we-mean-business two-pieces and flirty frilled dresses, showing the breadth of Jakubowski's strong women.
Photo: MARTA JAKUBOWSKI
Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom at Sophia Webster
Accessories designer Sophia Webster looked to the favourite film of her youth, Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom, for her AW18 collection. The director's debut movie, and the first instalment of his theatre-inspired Red Curtain trilogy, follows Australian ballroom dancer Scott Hastings on his journey to the Pan-Pacific Grand Prix Dancing Championship. Webster was also inspired to look back to her own childhood, when she won hundreds of trophies for competitive dancing across the UK.
Photo: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock
The presentation recreated a glimmering dance hall, with dancers tangoing outside on the location's balcony, and models toe-tapping under the light of a disco ball. Shoes were embellished with fringing, sequins and feathers, emulating the show outfits Webster once wore to compete, while bags featured her signature tongue-in-cheek slogans, reading 'Groove is in the Heart'.
Photo: Sophia Webster
Gertrude Stein at Shrimps
Gertrude Stein, writer, art collector, and a vital player on 20th century Paris' art scene, was the focus of Shrimps' collection this season. The American famously wrote in a 1913 poem, "Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose" meaning 'things are what they are'. This in turn inspired Hannah Weiland to present her AW18 collection as "A shrimp is a shrimp is a shrimp" and to trawl Stein's muses, art archives and language for the shades, textures, and cuts for the line.
Photo: Granger/REX/Shutterstock
With artists Jean Cocteau and Otto Dix in mind, Weiland created her own artwork with printed and drawn abstract florals, which sat among her signature faux fur trims, fluffy coats and pearl handbags. Colours were romantic and vivid, from the poppy-red outerwear (which matched the roses strewn across the floor) to the jewel-esque turquoise shawls.
