It’s hard to expect anything less than perfection from Rihanna — especially during New York Fashion Week. And for her Savage x Fenty presentation this season, Rihanna brought the beauty supply store to the runway. All we have to say is... YES, SIS!
Unlike other shows, where multiple models sport the same look, Rihanna gave her longtime hairstylist Yusuf the power to “freestyle” for her lingerie presentation. With full autonomy over hair for the show, Yusuf and his team created custom looks tailored to each model and dancer. “We really went girl by girl to put unique touches on each person,” he tells Refinery29.
His creations were a beautiful case of budget meets runway. Tucked away backstage were two tables covered in goods from the beauty supply store: bundles of kanekalon braiding hair for bantu knots and ponytails, Afro puff attachments, wig caps, and lots of temporary colour spray.
Most of the products were used to create the looks seen on the runway. Careful accents, such as flowers and slicked-down edges were added once the final styles were confirmed. “We don’t always want to go for too pretty or too edgy, so to keep things cool I like to mix and match eras and put on whimsical finishing touches,” he shares. The stylists also used Oribe products to create a variety of edgy styles, including the Hard Rock Gel to mould baby hairs. “When I wanna fuck things up a little, I always go for baby hairs," he says.
Ahead, see some of our favourite hair moments from the Savage x Fenty runway. Then, excuse us while we make a quick beauty supply run to practice some of these styles at home.
To create this larger-than-life puff, Yusuf secured a Janet Nor Drawstring Afro Puff to this model's top knot. You can find similar attachments at nearly any beauty supply store (or online). The best part: You don't have to spend a fortune to try out this look.
Photo: Albert Urso/WireImage.
This model's bantu knots were enhanced with extra hair carefully wrapped around her natural hair.
We can barely wear a long dress without tripping over it, but Leomie Anderson walked the Savage x Fenty runway with a knee-length braid — and made it look easy. To copy the look at home, purchase a pack of braiding hair, whip it into a plait, and fasten it around a tight top knot.
Photo: Albert Urso/WireImage.
This cropped Afro was sprayed baby blue to match the leopard-print lingerie design on the runway.
Photo: Albert Urso/WireImage.
As Yusuf mentioned, baby hairs were added to looks to give them more swag. This model walked with exaggerated edges framing her face, while the rest of her hair was pulled into a pompadour-style ponytail.
Photo: JP Yim/Getty Images.
Kanekalon hair was used to create a detailed fishtail braid for this model. Blue feathery accents were placed throughout the braid to give it a fairytale vibe.
Photo: Albert Urso/WireImage.
Jazelle Zanaughtti (a.k.a @uglyworldwide) had her platinum hair slicked into sexy finger waves. She also flaunted the blonde armpit hair to match.
Photo: JP Yim/Getty Images.
This pinned crown braid style was one of the most wearable from the Savage x Fenty runway. It's also a great protective style for days when you just can't be bothered with doing your hair.
Photo: Albert Urso/WireImage.
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Villanelle is on her way to her next kill. She’s wearing denim cutoffs with a pretty, sheer, sky blue blouse and has just jumped off a badass motorcycle in the middle of the Tuscan countryside. She pauses. Apparently hungry, she crushes a mouthwateringly ripe tomato over a petite piece of bread and eats it.
This pointed moment of indulgence defines Villanelle. If we’re talking strait-laced binaries – the tired, traditional dynamic offered in most cat-and-mouse narratives – Villanelle is the baddie, and a charming one at that. Played by Jodie Comer ( Dr Foster and My Mad Fat Diary), she appears opposite Sandra Oh’s character Eve (the goody, let’s say), in BBC America’s critically acclaimed crime drama Killing Eve.
Villanelle is a hired assassin, and she’s bloody good at her job. At the other end of her Tuscan motorcycle ride is a man who is soon to be stabbed in the eye by Villanelle’s clever hairpin. With it, she’ll inject him with poison (yes, through the eyeball), and she’ll visibly enjoy that moment more than her earlier, enviable tomato-based snack.
On the other side of the coin is desk-bound MI5 agent Eve Polastri. We first meet her desperately hungover, clutching a croissant and being ushered into a Saturday morning meeting. A Russian politician has been assassinated in Vienna and the big bosses have assembled the team to discuss the case.
Eve is smart – unabashed by the presence of Carolyn (played by Fiona Shaw), the well regarded head of MI6’s Russia desk, Eve suggests that the killer is probably a woman, which all of the men in the room quickly dismiss. Eve is also fantastically reckless – her longtime obsession with female assassins drives her to pursue the Russian case solo, visiting the witness (his girlfriend), illegally recording the interview and having her Polish-speaking husband Niko and teenage family friend Dom translate it for her. Turns out the killer is indeed a woman.
Photo: Courtesy of BBC
In these two female leads, writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the same Phoebe Waller-Bridge who wrote Fleabag) has managed to subvert everything we’ve come to expect from spy dramas. As the narrative progresses and Eve and Villanelle’s journeys eventually lead to each other, we discover a reality rarely – if ever – fully realised on television: that female characters don’t need to be defined by the traditional tropes of femininity. They don't need to be positioned as the sexy spy-man's love interest, or decisively on the side of good or evil. There is, as we know from our real-life experiences, plenty to explore in the nuances of their individual characters. The beauty of the complex woman, right?
Villanelle is an enchanting, psychopathic killer. The urge to kill radiates from her coy, disarming smile and the lavish lifestyle that her occupation affords her. She lives in the achingly cool Parisian apartment of our shabby chic dreams. She dresses impeccably, and lives indulgently for her pleasure and her pleasure alone. "Villanelle is designing her own life," Waller-Bridge explains. "It's not about Villanelle looking cool, it's about Villanelle feeling cool, for her." You get the sense that the ice cream she devours on a date with the sweet, unassuming young man she pursues in a fleeting attempt to be "normal" is a moment she enjoys alone, even though he's walking by her side, eating exactly the same ice cream. Refreshingly, there's nothing sexual about her kills, her attire or the way she presents herself, and when she's actually having sex, she rides on top with the fierce determination with which we've only seen a man fuck a woman. She's enigmatic and terrifying, but as co-star Fiona Shaw explains: "You agree to all sorts of pornographic murders in [ Killing Eve] and you enjoy every minute of it."
"In Killing Eve, women aren't resolved by their domestic circumstances, they're in the world. They're killing people or they're stopping people from killing people or they're trying to stop people killing people. So, they're just breathing the oxygen of the universe ... I think it's also that they're not necessarily good or nice, but they're endlessly charming," Shaw adds.
Sandra Oh's Eve isn't exempt from this, of course. She's our relatable access point into this almost familiar world where the spy and villain are as mutually appreciative of each other's skillset as they are positioned to take the other down. Eve is reluctantly invested in her marriage, a bit scatty in her approach to work but talented nonetheless. Much like many of us, she's unenthused by the mundane realities of life – no matter how stable and conventionally "perfect" it may seem to an outsider. She's unknowingly witty to the audience and her onscreen contemporaries while Villanelle consciously finds the understated humour in just about everything.
Here we've got two women without easily defined needs. It's not men they're missing, it's not work, it's not money, it's not sex – in those respects they're as fine as any of us are. Besides the brilliant writing and the onscreen talent, which bring an already gripping story to life, the beauty of Killing Eve is that it's about two women exploring themselves as they search for each other. The series allows its female characters to explore womanhood beyond the contexts in which women are normally defined, ie. domestic worlds far removed from expert assassination and a secret intelligence agency. In this way, Killing Eve defines femininity as transgressive and justly exciting without being about femininity at all. The women at the centre of the narrative are allowed to be women without typically televised boundaries. They're fashioning their lives as they go, indulging in it, laughing at it and fucking the rest of the world up a bit in the process.
Killing Eve airs on BBC One on Saturday 15th September 2018 and will be available on BBC Three via iPlayer
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On Thursday, 19 women, including Olympian Aly Raisman, plus-size model Denise Bidot, makeup blogger Jackie Aina, and disability activist and model Mama Cax, walked the runway for the last show of New York Fashion Week. But rather than showing off the latest styles or sparking a bold new beauty trend, this presentation was meant to highlight them — which is why the models didn't wear a stitch of makeup.
"A lot of what happens at New York Fashion Week is a show," Bidot explains. "It's a designer's creative vision and it's a spectacle. There's nothing wrong with that, but very few times [do] people allow models to shine in a way that this does."
To make it all the more dramatic, each model walked out draped in fabric that contained millions of microscopic glass beads, effectively turning the garments invisible so their bare faces — which included things like acne, wrinkles, and dark circles — would be the real focus.
Model Mama CaxCourtesy of Olay Model Denise Bidot Courtesy of Olay
The message that the show's sponsor, Olay, aimed to send was that it's about more than just being confident in your skin, but also being confident in yourself. Hoping to inspire all women to be unapologetically true to themselves, each model's walk was accompanied by a video that featured them speaking about how they've been labelled "too" something — too emotional (Bidot), too confident (Cax and Aina), too strong (Raisman), the list goes on. Now, these women are reclaiming those "negative" descriptions, and wearing them as a source of pride.
For the women involved, the idea of walking a runway sans makeup, with so many cameras and lights pointed your way, was admittedly a little daunting. "Makeup-free was so scary when they threw it at me," Bidot says, before explaining that Olay challenged each model to follow a three-step regimen for one month prior to the show. "With the 28-day challenge it was like, Well I really hope this works! When you wake up with a pimple, let's be real, your confidence dips. Even for me, I feel like I have to cake it on to even be me."
Aly Raisman onstage at Olay's "Face Anything" New York Fashion Week show Courtesy of Olay
Adds influencer and YouTuber Maya Washington, "I'm used to not wearing makeup, but I'm not used to not wearing makeup for such a formal event. I do think it's helped motivate me to not wear makeup as much."
You couldn't help but leave Olay's fashion show feeling inspired. But it wasn't just about the lack of makeup — plenty of women go makeup-free every day, and there's nothing wrong with wearing makeup to express who you are, either. What really stood out is the way these models fearlessly shared their stories so that millions of women would feel like they weren't alone.
"I just really hope the message people come away with is, 'Don't allow labels to define you,'" Washington says. "Don't be ashamed. Celebrate who you are."
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In 2016, when the news broke that Alexa Chung was launching her own label, the timing felt right. After sellout collections for Marks & Spencer and AG, whereby the much-revered sartorial heavyweight brought her signature aesthetic to the masses, anticipation had been building as to whether she would take the reins and found her own brand. Today, five collections under her eponymous label later, we saw Chung move from see-now-buy-now drops to a slot on the London Fashion Week SS19 show schedule – and, once again, the timing felt right.
"I’m very excited about clothes – I’m excitable in general – but we’ve found our feet and reined it in," she told Refinery29 in her east London studio ahead of today’s show. "I’ve evolved. I feel more comfortable with saying if I don’t like something, and I’m more sure of the direction I want to take the company in."
Aptly named 'Arrivals & Departures', Chung’s SS19 collection captures the heady glamour of vintage air travel (it wasn’t always budget Ryanair flights) and the curious jumble of style seen in the limbo of airport lounges. "Where are you going? Where have you been? What are you wearing?" the show notes read. "The brand finds inspiration in the microclimate of holiday-ready and holiday-returning dressing, the airport that idiosyncratic intersection of real life where clothes for hot and cold climates meet and an eclectic mishmash of style plays out. It’s one part Ibiza to one part Japan and yet another to Margate all rolled into one."
Today, Chung invited an audience to Victoria House in Bloomsbury Square. Taking their seats, plane ticket invitations in hand, show-goers saw fresh-faced models weaving in and out of a '70s-inspired wooden set, lights flickering, building in anticipation. The show began with Japanese composer Isao Tomita's take on a Debussy classic and the models glided out, showcasing the first of the pieces, to be worn by those who travel in style: business class, martini in hand. Camel trench coats and silk headscarves were shown among suede button-down dresses and butter-yellow waistcoats over billowing orange shirts.
Sunny weather get-ups made an appearance – think Bermuda shorts, printed scarves tied as bandeau tops and canvas tote bags – while '00s rave-appropriate black mini dresses with sparkle detailing had Ibiza nights nailed. Of course, the prettiest ruffled prairie number made an appearance, confirming Chung's penchant for a hyper feminine dress – one for a weekend in the south of France, perhaps?
A jazz-infused, avant-pop Sparks' song ended the show, a fitting reflection of the 'mishmash' of styles seen at airport lounges the world over. As the models took their final walk, what became apparent was that this melange is totally right for Chung; she can turn her hand to varying decades and styles while staying true to her own unwavering aesthetic. Whether it's masculine tailoring or party girl minis, grown-up outerwear or playful Juju Jelly shoes (Alexachung collaborated with the sparkly '90s footwear brand this season), what ties it all together is Chung's singular vision.
It's nearly a year and a half since she debuted her joyful first collection for the Alexachung label in May 2017. The pieces reflected Chung’s personal style – much talked-about ever since her turn as a presenter on Channel 4's Popworld in the mid '00s – with pastel-hued silk shirts, Mick Jagger-esque striped suits and thigh-high Cheongsams warmly welcomed by (and swiftly added to the wardrobes of) the industry and her legion of followers alike.
Since her initial offering, Chung has produced celebrated collections that bring the dreaminess of storytelling to the fore. Her second collection, held in Paris and titled 'Prom Gone Wrong', was a sparkle-infused Molly Ringwald-esque end-of-school bash; the following Resort collection, 'Fantastic ', was an ode to Britpop, all Jarvis Cocker blazers and Gallagher brother parkas. SS18 was inspired by a jaunt to Bloomsbury Group residence, Charleston, in East Sussex, while her Resort 2019 offering, 'Ludlow', was an homage to her time living in New York.
Chung has been in the public eye since 2006, and despite the ease with which she understood the fashion industry and the joy of clothes, her move into the role of designer wasn’t without its growing pains. "I think it took a while to adjust to my new reality, because as much as I desired this, actually working on a collection versus the fancy I had in my head was slightly at odds – it took a while to settle in," she explained. "With most women tackling a new role, there is a sense of imposter syndrome, and it takes a minute not to second-guess yourself all the time."
Now, though, she says with the experience of five collections behind her, she’s refined her vision, whether it’s "about a more sophisticated colour palette, or being really potent and stripping things back," and is ready to bring a new direction to the brand. "It was like being a first-time mother and being really excited about the baby, but when it arrived it was crying all the time, puking on me and being really needy. Now I’ve stopped breastfeeding and can see it smiling back at me."
One of the key aspects that draws audiences to Chung’s collections are the cultural references strewn throughout, from the Teddy boys of the 1950s and '60s to Jane Birkin strolling around a Sunday market. Finding these references, she says, is the starting point for her creative process. "I find inspiration in vintage photographs or movies, whatever it is that catches my eye, and then I develop a full story around those characters, with a narrative and scenes and locations. Then I dress the people in that movie," she said. "At first, I thought that sounded like a juvenile way to approach things, but now I’m like, 'Fuck it!' – that’s how we do it and it’s the most enjoyable process. Each collection feels like a short film."
Bring on next season and a permanent spot on the London Fashion Week schedule, for Alexa Chung’s films are always ones we’re eager to watch.
Alexachung printed scarves are available from alexachung.com now, while the ALEXACHUNG x Juju Jelly shoes can be pre-ordered from today on the website. Superga x ALEXACHUNG available March 2019.
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Lily Allen has given her first detailed account of being sexually assaulted by a music industry executive while she slept.
The singer-songwriter added her voice to the #MeToo movement in June, telling The i Paper that she had been sexually abused by a man in a position of significant power.
"My record label have a list of priority acts, pretty much all of which have a link to the person who did something to me," she said at the time. "I know what will happen. They’ll say, ‘Let’s try and get rid of Lily because this person is worth more to us because he makes us lots of money.’"
Now Allen has shared her full version of events in upcoming memoir My Thoughts Exactly, due to be published on 20th September. The singer writes in the book that she doesn't name her attacker after being warned not to by her legal team.
In an excerpt published by The Guardian, Allen writes that after she got "smashed" at a party, the man took her back to his hotel room so she could sleep it off.
She recalls: "I woke up at 5am because I could feel someone next to me pressing their naked body against my back. I was naked, too. I could feel someone trying to put their penis inside my vagina and slapping my arse as if I were a stripper in a club. I moved away as quickly as possible and jumped out of the bed, full of alarm … I found my clothes quickly … and ran out of his room and into my own."
Allen also writes that she consulted a lawyer for advice after the alleged incident and signed an affidavit document containing her account of what had happened.
"I expected him not to take advantage of my weakness," she adds. "I felt betrayed. I felt shame. I felt anger. I felt confused."
Allen, who released her fourth album No Shame in June, also writes that the music industry is "rife" with sexual abuse, claiming it trades in "a potent mix of sex, youth and availability", which creates a structure that "allows and sometimes even endorses toxic behaviour by men towards women".
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please callRape Crisison 0808 802 9999
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Ashley Williams heralds the return of grandad chic. Cardigans, pullovers, socks with sandals, a paper and a cup of tea is more than enough excitement for this season. Always managing to sum up the mood of the moment in her slogans like "don’t know, don’t care" and our personal favourite, "misery", this season Ashley’s mood was "retired, and loving it".
Reminiscent of Jenny Joseph’s poem "Warning" with the famous line "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple / With a red hat which doesn’t go / And doesn’t suit me / And make up for the sobriety of my youth / And learn to spit", Ashley’s retirement home was full of rebels with punk hair standing on end, inspired by those cute little troll dolls everyone had in the early '90s and kept in place by Ashley’s now signature sparkly hair clips which this season read "VIRGIN", "CRAZY" and "WITCH".
Actress Bria Vinaite [pictured middle], who filmmaker Sean Baker cast from Instagram as the wayward Hailey in his 2017 film The Florida Project, opened the show wearing a very spring/summer-appropriate swimming costume with the retirement slogan, a mohair cardigan and a hair clip saying "SAD FUCK". Corduroy trousers, bulky camping-style fleeces and wraparound sunglasses added to the casual OAP look but there was still plenty of room for glamour in sparkly silver dresses, newspaper print princess gowns, and a PVC number offset by a particularly chic socks-and-sandals combination. It was all very bad grandma.
The conversation between two people leaving an Ashley Williams show is always "I really want that shirt", "Yeah I want that shirt too, and also that dress", "Oh yeah I want that dress too. And also that blue top" and on and on until you’ve listed every item on the catwalk. She has the knack of creating immediately desirable collections with the rebel aesthetic that London fashion lives for. We all want to be grandmas in Ashley Williams.
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It's no secret that just about everyone has an opinion on the financial lives of millennials. And while the reality is that everyone spends and saves in different ways, what remains true across the board is that conversations about money — whether in the context of friendships, dating, or work — can still bring about judgment.
To explore the complex feelings modern women have when it comes to talking about money (and empower them to be more transparent about it), Visa commissioned Lieberman Research Worldwide (LRW) to conduct a national survey with 1,411 millennials and 831 Gen X'ers as part of its Money Is Changing campaign, inquiring about their outlooks on everything from asking for a raise to sharing budgets with friends. While the results show that our attitudes towards money are shifting in some regards, there's still evidence that more traditional societal norms are harder to shake than we think. Ahead, we've rounded up some of the most compelling, eye-opening stats from the research that offer a unique glimpse at what the modern conversation about money really looks like.
Designed by: Paola Delucca
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According to a new study, the average first-time buyer will spend four years living a leaner lifestyle in order to save for a deposit.
The study by Post Office Money found that first-time buyers in the UK are more willing to sacrifice their lifestyle quality to get on the property ladder than anything else.
Some 31% of first-time buyers said they were willing to make lifestyle cut-backs to save for their starter home deposit.
Meanwhile, 23% said they were prepared to save for longer in order to achieve their goal of owning a property.
Just 19% said they were willing to compromise on the location of their first home, while only 17% said they were prepared to compromise on their starter home's garden size or number of bedrooms.
It's no secret that London's property market is a very different beast to the market in almost every other UK location. Research has found that it could take first-time buyers in the capital up to 68 years to save for a property.
Last year, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the average deposit for a first home in London is a massive £173,431 – an incredibly daunting saving goal unless you're lucky enough to have help from the bank of mum and dad.
By contrast, the Post Office Money study found that Blackpool is the most affordable place in the UK for first-time buyers when average property prices are compared to the average salary. In Blackpool, the average first home deposit is a much more manageable £21,571, according to the ONS.
Lincoln, Hull, Rotherham and Sandwell also placed in the top 5. Check out the 10 most affordable places in the UK for first-time buyers, and the average property price in each town or city, in the rankings below.
1. Blackpool –£112,000
2. Lincoln – £143,950
3. Hull – £110,000
4. Rotherham – £133,000
5. Sandwell – £137,950
6. Stoke-on-Trent – £110,000
7. Southampton – £210,000
8. Tameside – £137,500
9. Barnsley –£124,995
10. Wigan – £130,250
Post Office Money has also launched a deposit planner for first-time buyers, which you can check out here.
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Frank Ocean is squashing rumours of an ongoing feud with Travis Scott before they even had time to get it off the ground.
On Friday, TMZ published a report saying that Ocean had issued a cease and desist to Scott asking to be removed from the “Carousel” track on Scott’s critically-acclaimed album Astroworld. According to TMZ, he was “pissed” that his vocals were changed on the track, but Scott wasn’t willing to bend to his preference.
But later that day, Ocean wrote a statement on Tumblr, saying he approved the track before it was released and implied that the dispute, which was resolved “weeks ago” was over LGBTQ issues, not its sound.
“I think the song sounds cool, I did it in like 20 minutes and the mix sounds the way Travis wanted it to sound for his record,” he wrote. “I also approved it before it came out so the cease and desist wasn’t about [sound emoji] it was about [rainbow flag emoji]. Me and Travis resolved it amongst ourselves weeks ago.”
Like white sneakers or black heels, if our opinion, Dr. Martens go with everything, from balancing out feminine dresses or crisp suits to going full-on punk with pieces like a denim jacket or plaid shirt. And this season at New York Fashion Week reminded us just how much potential these chunky shoes hold. After the first few days of shows, we noticed a trend emerging: So many designers were using Dr. Martens.
"Dr. Martens has been supporting designers during fashion week for many years now and we do our best to align ourselves with designers who inspire us and complement our footwear," Sara LaHaie, the company's US brand marketing and PR manager, tells Refinery29 of their presence on the runways. "We also have such a wide range of styles available from classic boots and shoes to sandals that all have unique details and an edge that is distinctively Dr. Martens that designers appreciate."
The most intriguing thing about Dr. Martens — and likely the reason so many people can't resist their shoes — is their vast array of silhouettes. With so many options, from boots to sandals to pieces adorned with ribbons or strips of fabric, they can be adopted by tons of different styles.
"The great thing about Dr. Martens is that you can wear them any way that best expresses your personal style — whether that is pairing a pair of sandals with neon colours as seen at Prabal Gurung and Chromat, or platform boots with chains and edgy details like at Hardware LDN," LaHaie says. "The variety of runway designers we partner with during NYFW is just a sampling of all the diverse ways you can style our shoes. We see our shoes on hypebeasts and fashion girls and guys alike — always worn with a unique style and attitude."
Whether you're a life-long Dr. Martens fan or someone who's never thought their shoes were right for you, click on for just a few of the ways designers used Docs at Fashion Week.
Snow Xue Gao
Snow Xue Gao
Snow Xue Gao
Pyer Moss
Photo: MCV.
Pyer Moss
Photo: MCV.
Pyer Moss
Photo: MCV.
Monse
Photo: MCV.
Monse
Photo: MCV.
Monse
Photo: MCV.
Chromat
Chromat
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Rihanna’s IDGAF attitude translates to her style in a way that is often imitated and very rarely (honestly, if ever) duplicated. But somehow. on Wednesday night, she came close, ending New York Fashion Week with her latest offering of Savage x Fenty lingerie. The show, which included a parade of women including Joan Smalls, a very pregnant Slick Woods, Duckie Thot, Paloma Elsesser, and Bella and Gigi Hadid, was more an art installation than a typical designer runway presentation. Backstage, Rihanna said the show was supposed to celebrate women of all forms, body types, and cultures.
The pieces, which are available to shop online now, feature a mix of leopard lace bra and panty sets, silk pyjamas, and robes. “It gets better with every collection," Rihanna tells Refinery29. "It will be a wild journey for our consumer." As for the items that make her feel her best, well, that depends on her mood. But if she’s feeling a bit more risqué, she feels super-comfortable wearing the T-shirt bralette. “It’s smooth and [makes] my boobs look perky.” According to Rihanna, that’s the thing about sexy. “It’s about you, it’s not about the product, ever. It’s about how you feel.”
Yes, Rihanna, but what happens if we aren’t feeling sexy? Can we fake it?, I ask her. She pauses before very sternly saying, “Fake? You cannot fake sexy.” She continues: “What you need to do is find it. If you’re not feeling sexy, there’s just a little rubble on top of it. You need to clear that shit out. Get to your sexy and own it. That shit is yours, regardless.”
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Hi, I'm Georgia, Refinery29's fashion writer. This is my third London Fashion Week with work, but my first going to shows every day, as I'd previously covered beauty backstage and only managed one or two over the week. I'm so excited! I'm writing about my Saturday, from working in bed to Alexa Chung's party.
9am
I wake up and feel so grateful for not having a really early start. Last night, after a full day of shows, I had drinks and pizza with our editor, Gillian, and editor-at-large, Sarah. We had a lovely old time plus I get a lie-in. Dreamy. My boyfriend, Rob, makes me a coffee as I start working from bed.
1pm
I've just published the photos of day one of street style. The take out? Lots of hi-vis orange, plenty of doubled-up checks, and snakeskin-printed everything. I live-stream the Alexachung show and publish the shoot and interview we did with her a week before in her studio. I've always loved her and seeing a sneak peek of her debut LFW collection was pretty thrilling. I decide it's time to shower and choose my outfit.
2pm
I lay out my clothes, bags and shoes all over our bedroom, much to the chagrin of Rob, who is just trying to enjoy his Saturday, fashion-free. My Ganni obsession is pretty obvious from this photo, non? I go for a monochrome floral Ghost dress and white Skechers, because yesterday I wore heeled mules and I think I broke at least six toes as well as gained some pretty nasty blisters – why do I never learn? I pair them with my beloved beaded Shrimps Antonia bag, have another coffee, make Rob take a photo of me outside our house for the purposes of this feature (see above), then head out for my first show.
3pm
I haven't eaten yet and am ravenous (read: feel a hangover creeping in) so dip into Pret – I have a cheese and pickle sandwich and some sparkling water, since you asked – and instantly feel more human, but still resent not having had breakfast... Despite living here for five years, I still underestimate London traffic, so skip a bus from my flat in southeast to central, and get an Uber instead.
4pm
I arrive to the J.W.Anderson show on time. The space has very British black railings strewn throughout, and a lovely coffee table book from his Your Picture/Our Future exhibition is on our seats with handwritten notes – can't wait to devour this later. I spot a very cute baby (Jonathan's nephew, I'm told) across the catwalk wearing a J.W.Anderson top and get all misty-eyed at how sweet it is and how happy I am to be at my first J.W. show. The lights dim and the show starts.
4.20pm
Woaaah, these women are swashbuckling seafarers, and I love it! Can we acknowledge the bougie bandanas with Jonathan's signature ring detail, and the stacked Converse?! This collection felt more playful than his last few, and everyone on the way out of the venue was talking about how wearable those silky separates and deconstructed shirts were. He's so brilliant at making elevated pieces that a woman living any kind of lifestyle could wear IRL. Swoon.
Time for House of Holland, so I speed-walk over to the venue while sending an out-of-breath voice note to my pal who lives in Vienna. I love voice notes.
5.20pm
The venue apparently changed last minute, so people unsure of the location delay the show slightly. I take my seat and catch up with a few fashion writers from other publications – it's so, so nice finding friendly faces in the crowd at fashion week. The show begins and I'm seriously into the soundtrack and casting (hi, Dree Hemingway with a neon pink buzzcut!). Henry always makes super wearable and statement-making pieces, and my favourite look is the hi-vis orange short suit.
5.55pm
Once I'm out and on a main road, I realise I won't make the Gareth Pugh show. I'm quite gutted about this as they're always a spectacle with a strong political agenda, but Sarah will be there so all is not lost. Instead, I wander into town and pop into The Edition on Berner's Street where the lovely girls at Aisle 8 PR are presenting Mango's AW18 collection. It's all pastel corduroy, snakeskin prints and floaty dresses – a 1970s-inspired dream, basically.
7pm
Sarah's in central too, so we meet up and get an Uber back to the office in Shoreditch to catch up on emails and file show reports. A bottle of red is left out from Friday desk drinks, so we have a glass each and tell ourselves we've totally earned it. After some work, Sarah heads to meet a friend for dinner. I call my mum as we haven't caught up in a week (we communicate in some form literally every day), and lock up the office before grabbing some dinner.
9pm
Okay, I know I'm embarrassingly late to the party, but my friend recently took me to Peckham's Voodoo Rays and it's blown my mind. IT'S SO TASTY. Why did no one tell me about it earlier? I get an Estrella and two slices of Green Velvet from the one in Boxpark. Those artichoke hearts, man. It's a Saturday night in Shoreditch so there are lots of groups of lairy lads around, but walking through the city, sober, at night, always makes me so thankful I live in such a wondrous place – even though I nearly step in someone's sick...
10pm
I meet Sarah and her friend, my former boss Alice and her boyfriend, and head to the Alexachung celebrations in Holborn. It's at the old Central Saint Martins building and it has velvet curtained walls and a disco ball and people are dancing – which feels like such a rarity at fashion parties. It's most likely due to Pixie Geldof and Aimee Phillips on the music; they look like they're having the best time, so everyone follows suit.
I have a prosecco, but down it very fast because I'm awkward and feel nervous, then get a gin and tonic before seeing my pal Naomi and relaxing a little. We have a boogie to bangers from Robbie Williams and Madonna, before I call it at midnight (how sensible Cinderella of me!) and get an Uber home. I get into bed, and set my alarm for 8am for another day of shows.
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Time to get fastidious and finish those to-do lists, astro buddies. We're entering the last week of Virgo season. It'll be wise to make sure we’ve got all our ducks in a row before the sun moves on next week and social butterfly Libra enters the spotlight.
Mars is out of bounds for a while longer — it’s beginning to feel like life has always been this way (a little slower, a little foggier, just a little...off). That will change early next week when the red planet finds his way back to his regular path.
But this week won't be only waiting and working. We'll need to keep an eye on our tempers, since Mars and Uranus have been in a tricky, volatile square since last week. Heated arguments could spur you to say — or do — something you might regret. When speaking with others, listen first in order to avoid lashing out. Take note of what might set you off and even prepare your responses before entering into difficult discussions.
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Aries March 21 to April 19
How do you find your way through a new city, Aries? Do you rely on the help of strangers and Google Maps, or do you find your own way? Do you plan once you arrive or create an itinerary months in advance? A journey of self-discovery is about to begin for you, and it'll feel a lot like visiting a place you’ve never been before. While your ruling planet, Mars, is still out of bounds, you’ll have the chance to explore parts of yourself that you wouldn’t otherwise. This last week of Virgo season is best spent focusing on smaller details you may be overlooking. What needs your attention in your life right now? Combine this meticulous energy with the current strength of your sixth house of health and work.
The sun is lending favour to your day-to-day tasks, so make sure that you’re working harder and smarter before he enters Libra. Be careful with the words you choose and, if you're feeling restless by midweek, find a way to express your fire through creativity. Don’t let your emotions get the best of you, and remember to consider your loved one's feelings.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
You’re a tough nut to crack, Taurus, but that doesn’t mean you don’t know how to have fun. On Sunday, Jupiter scoots up against Mercury to juice up your collaborative energy. The messenger planet doubles as your personal money planet, while the red giant gives you good vibes and luck — what a prosperous combo. If you’ve got a passion project, join up with a friend and brainstorm on how you can milk that cash cow.
No matter what you do this week, remember to have fun — after all, your fifth house of pleasure is illuminated by the sun all weeklong. Soak up what's left of the September warmth if you can. Keep things low-key (and even introspective) while Mars and Uranus are squaring each other. Mars is still out of bounds, and until he corrects course, you’ll be able to bring spiritual concerns to a head. Review your summer, and pay extra attention to what went down during his retrograde, to get some perspective on his effects.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
If you’re looking for a new job, you could find a lead from the comfort of your own home on Sunday. Spend time looking for a position and company that inspires you. Your work planet, Pluto, is in a position to lend you some career-related luck, whether you're searching or happy where you are, and you’ll have all week to noodle on your professional prospects and goals.
Take a page out of Virgo’s book this week — get meticulous! Create spreadsheets, update your calendars and make sure to follow up with everyone who gets back to you. Rejection letters can contain invaluable information to help you along your path — tricky conversations with coworkers can lead to inventive solutions.
Your home and family are also highlighted this week with the sun lighting up your fourth house. Spend time with your family when you can and seek their advice when you need it. Be careful with your choice of words while Mars squares Uranus. If you can clear your calendar for any important meetings, reschedule beforehand. Tempers are on the rise.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
Don’t let your goals overwhelm you this week, Cancer. You’ve got a lot that you want to do, but you need to take a moment to soak in the bigger picture. Your house of communication is highlighted by the sun this week, helping you get your ideas across to your collaborators, friends, and coworkers, clearly and effectively. You’ll need this charisma boost while Mars, your career planet, is still out of bounds. The red planet may have made your work life feel a little, er, unusual this summer, but you’ll be out of the woods once it corrects course later this month.
Be careful if you're considering mixing friendship with funds this week. Your money planet and friendship planet are at odds, so avoid putting yourself in sticky situations — pay your friends back and watch out when it comes to lending. If you feel like you'll be better off retreating to your shell for a bit, that's totally fine. There ain’t no shame in taking some time to yourself to avoid unnecessary stress.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Leo July 23 to August 22
Sunday is your day this week, Leo! Mercury, your money planet, is sitting pretty at the beginning of the week to help you make any significant financial decisions. Even if you're betting on a sure thing, don’t break out your cash right away. Instead, make educated decisions on what's the right move to make in the long-term. Your ruling planet, the sun, will light up your financial house this week, making even the trickiest money matters more approachable. You're already plenty confident, Leo, but you'll feel downright unstoppable as the week progresses.
Mars has been slowly moving back into his normal path after going out of bounds last summer. It's sort of like the red planet is making his way out of a muddy puddle. Every step he takes toward dry land will boost your motivation. Watch out for argumentative people this week. Confrontation doesn't bother you as much as others, but it could affect the ones that you love. If you’re in a partnership, lend an ear to their frustration and let them be heard. Compassion is key.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Virgo August 23 to September 22
You’ve been going strong with the sun lighting you up, Virgo, but remember when to hit the brakes. You might want to rein in your precise and practical nature this week, especially if you sense your urge to criticise starting to bubble up. While Mars and Uranus are squaring each other, people might find your tips and suggestions to be more nit-picky than constructive.
If you’re in a relationship, be careful and caring with your partner — fiery Mars guides your sexuality while visionary Uranus is in charge of your health and work. If you’re single, choose your casual meetups wisely — it'd be a pity to burn a bridge before it's fully built.
On Sunday, your career planet, Mercury, slides up next to your planet of home and family, Jupiter. It’s a great day to get out of the house and explore. Go on a hike, take in the colour changes in nature, find inspiration, and return to your routine feeling refreshed. Spend the evening reaching out to people you’ve always wanted to work with or make something with your hands.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Libra September 23 to October 22
Single Libras, has this summer been "interesting" for you? You should all get together and create an Instagram account (or burn book) with the stories from your dating lives while Mars has been out of bounds. If you'd rather not revisit your recent romantic escapades just yet, rest assured that your love life will soon be back on track.
Until Mars is done hanging out on the outer limits of normalcy, you might as well join him. Don't do anything just for the story, but sometimes acting against our regular type can help us realise what we really want. Attached Libras, it’s just about time to break out of your relationship funk. You’ll be back in the mojo zone next week when the sun enters your sign. Until then, reflect on what your relationship needs and how you can communicate that to your partner. Bring issues up gently and give them time to talk, too. With this approach, they’ll totally be vibing with you.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Scorpio October 23 to November 21
It may feel like you just hit a huge reset button in your life, Scorpio. Mars has spent all summer working behind the scenes since to prompt an enormous shift in your life. While the red planet introduces you to your “new normal” this week, be patient with yourself. And, given the tricky aspect between Mars and Uranus, be very careful in your interactions with others. Those around you might not be feeling their most agreeable and you might be feeling a little sensitive, too. You tend to seethe rather than speak, Scorp, so find an outlet for your frustration if conversations grow taxing this week.
Uranus is in charge of your home and family life and it's asking you to make your space more safe and serene. Virgo’s energy this week will help you pinpoint areas for improvement and get down to business.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Sagittarius November 22 to December 21
The week starts strong when Mercury and Jupiter are sextile, Sagittarius! Your career and love planet, Mercury, is ready to help and support your ruling planet, Jupiter. If you lean into this energy, your vibe will be all sunshine and rainbows — could it be time for a last-minute weekend getaway or an overdue hangout with friends?
This week, be aware of others emotions while they're still navigating the Mars-Uranus square. It’ll be rough for those around you, but your resourceful nature will come in handy. If a friend comes to you for help, together you'll be able to find a solution to their woes. Tap into your network this week if you’ve set a lofty goal recently. If you're the one who needs a little help, ask for it. Your company and candour is their reward.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Capricorn December 22 to January 19
On Sunday, try to create a sense of calm when Mercury is sextile Jupiter. Your planet of spirituality and your planet of health will worth together and help you clear your mind for the week ahead. Lately, your home and family life has been bearing the brunt of Mars’ woozy out of bounds energy. As he figures out how to get back into the groove, you’ll start to feel steadier at home. Let the furniture rearranging and dinner party planning commence.
Mars is currently squaring Uranus, meaning your planet of home and family is at odds with your financial planet. So, even though you might be rediscovering your domestic rhythm, a tiff with a relative could still rear its ugly head. Try to remember that these minor issues don't have to be day-ruiners if you view them as learning opportunities.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Aquarius January 20 to February 18
At the beginning of the week, Jupiter and Mercury are sextile. They’ll be combining their energies to create good luck with communication and connection. If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to make a pitch to the powers that be, start on Sunday! Jupiter, ruler of luck and wisdom, is camped out in your house of career, so you might as well make good use of him.
Uranus, your ruling planet, is squared with Mars all week. Uranus is radical, while Mars is all about passion. When they square, they can drum up plenty of tension and frustration. You may need to tread lightly — meaning go easy on those around you and yourself — to avoid a rumble.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
Pisces February 19 to March 20
You’ve probably learned more than a few lessons about money this summer, Pisces. Mars, your planet of cash, is slowing returning to his normal path, but it’s more of a progression and not an on/off switch. On Sunday, your love and career planets will form a favourable sextile. Jupiter and Mercury might differ in size, but when they work together, they can do great things. Don’t snooze at the beginning of the week and use this placement to get what you want, professionally and personally.
This week, do what you can to hang back from the Mars-square-Uranus action. The visionary planet is currently in your travel sector, so if you can, simplify your commute. Everyone will be feeling a bit frazzled, so keep an eye out for unexpected conflicts. And if you end up in a tiff, let your healer's instincts guide you.
Illustrated by Abbie Winters.
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Yes, some celebs have been serving serious lewks at London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week over the last seven days, but others have been taking things a little more easy-breezy.
This week's Instagram roundup features some adorable mummy-daughter bonding time, two of the UK's biggest pop stars letting their hair down at a '90s party, and the Beckham clan proving once again that work and fun can go hand in hand.
Oh, and it also features yet another reminder of why we'll forever be #TeamCynthia, even if we can't actually vote in New York, obviously.
Well, technically they're cousins – Kim Kardashian shares a cute picture of Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi, Khloé Kardashian's daughter True, and her own daughter Chicago.
Crazy Rich Asian s scene-stealer Awkwafina completes a super-starry front row at Longchamp's New York Fashion Week show.
Serena Williams enjoys some hard-earned downtime with daughter Alexis.
If you haven't seen Killing Eve yet, here's why you should. Co-stars Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge clearly had a blast while making the BBC's new Saturday night drama.
Janelle Monáe takes a stage dive on the Manchester leg of her UK tour. No wonder her shows were the hottest tickets of the week.
Alexa Chung celebrates her fantastic London Fashion Week debut, which she found time to tell us all about.
The Beckhams are as goals as ever as they lark about on their recent Vogue magazine shoot. We reckon Harper won this one, don't you?
Touring buddies Ed Sheeran and Anne-Marie take a break to hang out at a '90s party. Fact: it's not a proper '90s party unless someone comes dressed as Ginger Spice.
The government has announced plans to modernise the "archaic" state of divorce law in England and Wales.
At present, people seeking a divorce have to prove at least one of five facts. Three of these are based on the idea of "fault": adultery, behaviour or desertion.
The other two are based on separation: a period of two years will suffice if both parties agree to the divorce, but a period of five years is required if one party objects.
In a release shared this weekend, the government said it wants to bring divorce law up-to-date by removing the need to show fault and the need to prove a period of time spent living apart.
The government has duly launched a consultation exploring how to "reduce family conflict" in the divorce process.
Justice Secretary David Gauke said: "Marriage will always be one of our most important institutions, but when a relationship ends it cannot be right for the law to create or increase conflict between divorcing couples.
"That is why we will remove the archaic requirements to allege fault or show evidence of separation, making the process less acrimonious and helping families look to the future. The proposals are set out in a government consultation launched today, and will apply to marriages and civil partnerships."
The government has faced increased pressure to reform the existing divorce law since July, when the Supreme Court ruled that Tini Owens was not entitled to divorce her husband on the grounds that she is "desperately unhappy " in their marriage because he had objected.
Writing for Refinery29 at the time, Katy Thompsett branded the current law "horribly updated", and recalled how the law's fault requirement made her own divorce "tortuous and unpleasant".
"Even now, years down the line, I can only really discuss it with one eye closed," she wrote. "And I was lucky; I was happy to shoulder responsibility, and my husband and I remained amicable throughout.
"Yet the fact of the matter is that I should not have had to shoulder that responsibility – our relationship ended, as relationships do, through no great fault of our own – and apportioning blame where there is none to satisfy an antiquated legal requirement reduces a pair of adults who have made a considered decision to schoolchildren arguing over who pulled who's hair first."
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With the help of the industry’s most exciting makeup artist (Isamaya Ffrench), most visionary hairstylist (Sam McKnight), and Italian Vogue ’s editor-at-large on styling (Patti Wilson), New York-born, London-trained designer Michael Halpern concocted our favourite show of London Fashion Week so far. Inspired by portraits of his grandmother in the Bronx in the 1960s, Halpern celebrated the already bold style decade in full sparkle motion. Each look was striking, clean and perfectly balanced. With party season looming, we took notes on how to craft a show-stopping '60s look .
Photo: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty Images
Be Bold On Top
The top of the silhouette is a critical component of '60s look style. Something has to happen in the headspace area. Here, the options were wide-brimmed bucket hats in sequins, stripes and geometric prints, reminiscent of Edie Sedgwick at Andy Warhol’s The Factory. Or tight hoods like swimming caps, connected to and in the same print as their dresses. Or perfectly coiffed beehive wigs with precise strands hanging just to the jawline. Some models wore geometric earrings and square-shaped perspex sunglasses for maximum impact. Balance was key.
Let Your Eyes Do The Talking
Isamaya played with the '60s cat-eye shape, drawing a thick line of black eyeliner from the inner corner of the eye to about an inch away from the outer corner. Twiggy made this look popular in the '60s with bold graphic lines in the crease of the eyelid – over the socket, rather than on the lash line. Isamaya filled the space she’d drawn with glitter in bright blues, reds and golds. Brows were strong, lips were natural and cheeks were rouged and highlighted.
You Don’t Have To Wear A Mini Dress
Our minds go first to Mary Quant and the super short mini dress that came to stand for revolution and women’s rights in the 1960s. Halpern added to this silhouette with dramatic bows at the neck and sashes that draped to the floor. Alternatives to the mini dress included skirt and trouser suits with short boxy jackets, flares, capri pants and mid-length dresses with thigh-high slits. Necklines were varied but distinct with halternecks, boob tubes and high-neck, exaggerated collars.
Photo: Getty ImagesPhoto: Getty Images
Go Hard On Colour And / Or Print
Black and white, blue and yellow, multicoloured Tetris-style prints, block silver, block gold, iridescent blue. From his signature sequins to brick-red shiny PVC, every print and fabric was loud. If it feels too much, it’s probably not enough.
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Jonathan Anderson is fashion’s golden boy, and with good reason. The pieces he creates for both his namesake label and Spanish brand Loewe really speak to women in that they’re wearable – think workwear shirts with off-kilter detailing and cult-worthy handbags – but his designs also translate into commercial success.
Anderson seeks inspiration beyond the echo chamber of the industry and makes waves with his cultural pursuits – earlier this year, his Your Picture / Our Future exhibition introduced audiences to a new wave of exciting emerging photographers. Yesterday, the resulting coffee table publication was found on seats accompanied by a handwritten note reading "Here’s to the next generation of photographers," welcoming guests to his SS19 show.
Photo: Courtesy Of JW AndersonPhoto: Courtesy Of JW Anderson
This season the JW Anderson offering felt more playful and relaxed than his usual high-craft aesthetic. There were still odes to traditional craft – from the crocheted detailing on checked blazers and slouchy trousers to fringed woven skirts in rainbow stripes – but in between these and the workwear-appropriate silk separates, accessories made the collection feel more lighthearted.
For spring, Anderson’s woman is a swashbuckling heroine, wearing leather bandanas embellished with his signature rings as well as dainty chains. What seemed fairly unwearable to begin with, by the last look had show-goers discussing the merits of seafaring headwear. Only JW Anderson, the man who brought us all back to normal dressing (read: normcore but elevated), could have us reaching for piratical pieces.
Photo: Courtesy Of JW AndersonPhoto: Courtesy Of JW Anderson
Converse trainers, a brand with which Anderson has collaborated many times, were given the designer’s Midas touch. With a wide, stacked platform sole, he combined the classic kudos of a Converse All Star with the chunky requirements of a dad trainer, and in doing so, just made the shoes everyone – fashion folk, commuters, and kids included – will be wearing next season.
All hail JW Anderson, for creating beautiful pieces we actually want to wear.
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Sinéad O’Connor’s breakthrough record I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got opens with a recitation of the Serenity Prayer, and ends with the titular poem, performed like a chant:
"I'm walking through the desert / And I am not frightened although it's hot / I have all that I requested / And I do not want what I haven't got."
Released in 1990, I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got is a transformational record, meaning both that it charts how the artist survived a failed relationship, and its critical and commercial success made the Irish singer into an international star. The album spent six weeks atop the U.S. charts and was nominated for four Grammy awards. O’Connor was invited to perform at the ceremony. Instead, she became the first musician to protest it.
The goal of the protest was to bring attention to the "false and destructive materialistic values" O’Connor saw in the music industry. In a letter to the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, she wrote, "As artists I believe our function is to express the feelings of the human race — to always speak the truth and never keep it hidden even though we are operating in a world which does not like the sound of the truth.”
A Rolling Stone critic prophetically observed that I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got “is less about O’Connor’s ambitions than the cost of those ambitions.”
Ironically, the biggest hit on I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got was a cover song. Written and originally recorded by Prince, O’Connor’s searing interpretation of “Nothing Compares 2 U” was bolstered by an innovative music video that relentlessly focused on O’Connor’s face as she lip-syncs the lyrics. She emotes into the camera until a single tear rolls down her cheek. “Nothing Compares 2 U” is a raw, feral cry, an anthem for the abandoned. It is the opposite of the title track, in which O’Connor expresses a commitment to remain brave within the solitude she sensed was her destiny.
As powerful as the record and video is, O’Connor has said she was born to perform live, a belief easy to understand when watching clips like O’Connor singing her hit in the fall of 1990 at the Amnesty International Concert in Santiago, Chile. The opening note of “Nothing Compares 2 U” rings out and O’Connor takes the stage, her head shaved and feet bare. A black motorcycle jacket hangs open over a lacy black bra and leggings.
At 23 years old, she steps to the microphone. “ It’s been seven hours and 15 days since you took your love away.” The audience responds by singing the backup melody line, and she swans through the rest of the song with the devotion of an artist willing to molt right there in the light, writhe out of her own skin, explode into aura.
“Where did I go wrong?”
After the chorus, O’Connor tilts her face to the sky and wails for 12 seconds, an eternity, a thread of wet animal sounds escaping from her throat as she bends slightly backward, flailing her arms as if falling backward off a very high ledge.
Two years after the concert in Santiago, O’Connor was the musical guest on a now-notorious episode of Saturday Night Live. She sang an a capella version of Bob Marley’s “War,” updating lyrics referencing apartheid and colonialism in Africa to address child abuse, ye-AH. O’Connor ends the chant: “We know we will win. We have confidence in the victory of good over evil.”
While chanting the word “evil,” O’Connor holds up a photograph of Pope John Paul II and rips it in half, then into pieces, then tosses the pieces at the camera and says, “Fight the real enemy!”
The backlash was swift and brutal. Frank Sinatra called her a “stupid broad”, and said he’d kick her ass if she was a guy. Actor Joe Pesci, who hosted SNL the following week, made a joke about smacking O’Connor in the face, and the audience laughed and clapped. A Catholic cardinal was pretty sure it was “voodoo.” Even Madonna was aghast, or pretended to be.
In 1992, most Americans were not yet aware of the Roman Catholic church sex abuse scandal, but the story was already out in Ireland. Though scattershot reports of abusive priests surfaced in U.S. news during the mid-1980s, Americans didn’t begin to truly reckon with the depth and breadth of the church’s systemic, worldwide abuse and cover-up until the Boston Globe published a series of reports in 2002 — a full decade after O’Connor’s SNL stunt.
O’Connor, a victim of child abuse herself, knew. She has said she was violently beaten by her mother, locked in her room, deprived of food and clothes, verbally abused, thrown out of her home and sometimes forced to sleep outside in the garden. “What happened to me is a direct result of what happened to my mother and what happened to her in her house and in school,” she’s explained.
“I’m one of millions of people who grew up in the same situation,” she said. “Who grew up terrified constantly.”
O’Connor tried to quell the hysterical reaction to her stunt. She repeatedly explained that reports about the church’s scandal were already out in Ireland, and that her attack was on the institution, not one man. She wrote in an open letter: "The only reason I ever opened my mouth to sing was so that I tell my story and have it heard...My story is the story of countless millions of children whose families and nations were torn apart in the name of Jesus Christ."
Two weeks after the SNL incident, O’Connor was set to perform at Madison Square Garden during a concert celebrating Bob Dylan’s 30 years in music. While introducing her, Kris Kristofferson spit in the wind of the backlash by defiantly announcing he is proud to introduce an artist “whose name’s become synonymous with courage and integrity.”
O’Connor walks onstage to a chaotic mix of boos, cheers, and screams. The pianist attempts to start the performance by playing a few notes, but the audience refuses to settle down.
O’Connor scans the crowd like a sea captain searching for her coordinates. The band keeps trying to start the set but the crowd won’t stop screaming. Finally, O’Connor motions for the band to forget it. She stands alone in the spotlight, clasps her hands behind her back. Kristofferson walks over, wraps his arm around her and whispers, “Don’t let the bastards get you down.”
“I’m not down,” she responds.
The pianist tries once more but she waves him off, grabs the microphone, and launches into a repeat rendition of “War,” doubling down on her SNL performance. She finishes the song, calmly walks off-stage and curls into Kristofferson’s arms. She’s crying. Everywhere is war.
Almost three decades later, I still picture O’Connor standing there, immured in the crowd’s roar, the sound of a blood rushing, of 20,000 arrows in the air.
O’Connor has said she thought people, especially musicians, were enraged by her actions mostly “because I’m a girl, for a start.” As she put it, she is not, after all, Neil Young.
Now 51, O’Connor is no longer known mostly for her music or voice, despite releasing 10 studio albums, five compilations, and a live album over the course of more than three decades. While she hasn’t had another international hit like I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, O’Connor’s work still draws critical praise. A review of 2005’s Throw Down Your Arms notes, “There's no debating that Sinéad O'Connor is one of the great singers to come from the pop world in the late 20th century.” Pitchfork anointed O’Connor’s 2012 record, How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? as “devastating.” A common theme in reviews of O’Connor’s records is that the quality could or should be enough to redeem her so that O’Connor may once again be primarily recognised, and celebrated, as an elite and uniquely talented artist.
Sinéad O’Connor has become our lady of perpetual redemption. She most often appears in headlines as a stock character in a well-worn media storyline, starring as (yet another) gifted female star unraveling in slow motion through a zoetrope of clickbait stories exploiting her personal struggles.
So far that hasn’t happened. Instead, Sinéad O’Connor has become our lady of perpetual redemption. She most often appears in headlines as a stock character in a well-worn media storyline, starring as (yet another) gifted female star unravelling in slow motion through a zoetrope of clickbait stories exploiting her personal struggles: O’Connor disappeared while out on a bike ride in Chicago and was found in a hospital. O’Connor is engaged in a custody battle with one of her children’s fathers. O’Connor attempted suicide, again.
In August 2017, a video appeared on the artist’s Facebook page that went viral. She recorded it amid an apparent breakdown while hiding out at a New Jersey motel. She is crying. A tattoo of Jesus Christ blooms from her chest. Once again, she describes herself as one of millions. Once again, she talks about suicide. Later, she’ll say she thought she had to be dead to be heard.
“I shouldn’t be here. And I know I’m just one of millions and that’s the only other thing that keeps me going, too. I am making this video because I am one of millions, and that should be my catchphrase now. One of millions! One of fucking millions!”
A few days later, someone posted a Facebook update on her behalf assuring fans that O’Connor was no longer suicidal and receiving care.
As for us, we never apologised for our grotesque overreaction to hearing what we now know to be true. In the years since SNL, archdioceses all over the world have been exposed for enabling horrific child abuse and the sexualised torture of children and protecting abusive priests from punishment.
The year of #MeToo has been in a tipping point for the Catholic church. In July, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick became the first cardinal to ever step down due to alleged sexual abuse. In August, the Pennsylvania attorney general released a massive grand jury report detailing seven decades of systemic child sex abuse and cover-up in six archdioceses. It lists more than 300 alleged predator priests accused of raping more than 1,000 identifiable children. New Jersey, New York, Missouri, Nebraska, and Illinois have all launched their own sweeping investigations, with more states to surely follow.
In Chile, where O’Connor performed for human rights decades ago, all 31 active Catholic bishops offered to resign after it was revealed that church officials destroyed evidence of sexual abuse of children.
“We showed no care for the little ones,” Pope Francis admitted. “We abandoned them.”
O’Connor full birth name is Sinéad Marie Bernadette O’Connor, in honour of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes. In 1858, when Marie Bernarde “Bernadette” Soubirous was 14 years old, she encountered a vision of the Virgin Mary. The vision asked Bernadette drink from the water beneath her feet, though it was just mud. Bernadette dug into the earth until water rose to the surface and became a stream. Five years after Bernadette’s visions, the church confirmed the apparition. Since then, at least 69 people have been miraculously, inexplicably cured after making a pilgrimage to a shrine built by the water. It’s been officially designated a miracle by the church.
But at the time, townsfolk didn’t believe her. They harassed and shunned Bernadette, who withstood repeated interrogations from town officials. Desperate for solace, she escaped to a convent for the rest of her life. When they exhumed her body 30 years after her death, it hadn’t decayed. Her pristine hands were clutching a rusted rosary. Bernadette’s corpse was transferred to a crystal coffin, where it remains on display as a tourist attraction in Nevers, France.
In September 2017, O’Connor announced she was changing her name to Magda Davitt.
“Sinéad is dead,” she wrote. “And a happier woman has been born. Free of the patriarchal slave names. Free of the parental curses.”
The first track released under the moniker Magda Davitt is called “Milestones.” Like “I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got,” it is essentially a prayer. Magda chants through verses about being free of shame, starting with a new name.
"One day we’ll sit with our maker / Discuss over biscuits and soda / Which one of you and me was braver / Which one of us was a truth soldier"
A month after the hotel video, O’Connor went on the Dr. Phil show. He had reportedly helped her get into a treatment centre. Now she was invited to share her most intimate pain and thoughts on camera for a segment teased as “Sinéad O’Connor Speaks Out After Hotel Breakdown.”
He asked her about her abuse, about her mother, her suicide attempts and of course, SNL.
“For about 10 years afterward that I don't remember because that's when it became acceptable, it became the norm, that I was treated by everyone I know from family to everyone like I was an absolutely insane crazy person,” she says. She sobs through much of the interview. When he asks her to recall the moment she ripped up the photo, she smiles.
“Silence,” she says.
O’Connor glides her arms out in front of her, palms up, gesturing toward Dr. Phil. She spreads them further to include the studio set, the camera people, the production people, the audience watching on television and YouTube, the millions of us. “Silence everywhere,” she says, beaming as if lit from within. “It was fantastic.”
If you are thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Suicide Crisis Line at 1-800-784-2433.
What She Hasn’t Got is an excerpt from a forthcoming anthology 33 1/3: The B-Sides (Will Stockton & D. Gilson, editors) from Bloomsbury. Tara Murtha is also the author of Ode to Billie Joe for the 33 ⅓ series.
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In Refinery29'sSweet Digs, we take a look inside the sometimes small, sometimes spacious homes of millennial women. In today's episode, Simone Shepherd shows off her 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom Los Angeles home.
Do you live in Dallas or Austin and have some sweet digs you'd like to share?Submit yours here.
When you work from home, it might make sense to invest a little more into your space. Or that's the thought process behind actress Simone Shepherd's $7,000 (£5,350)-a-month Los Angeles house. "It's worth it because it's like a home studio," she says.
The woman of many skills shops online for décor 95% of the time, she says, using her Google skills to furnish her home, which includes five bedrooms, four bathrooms, and two living rooms — an outside one for guests, and an inside one for just herself.
Watch Shepherd take you through her sweet digs in the video above.
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If you ask most people if it's okay to break up over text, the answer would be an automatic "no." It's rude and thoughtless, the general consensus goes. And two years ago, that's exactly what sex educator Bianca Laureano would have said, too. But now, she's changed her mind.
"I think it depends on the relationship and what's going on," she says.
If someone is in a violent or abusive relationship, for example, that's a valid reason to break up over text. Or, if someone has an anxiety disorder and the thought of breaking up in person seems impossible to them, that's also a fair excuse. Codependency is another reason it's not just okay, but actually necessary to break up over text, says Chelsea Leigh Trescott, a breakup coach and podcast host of Thank You Heartbreak.
"In codependent relationships, sending a breakup text is more often than not the only way out, and therefore a significant sign of self-respect and self-preservation," she says. In codependent relationships (aka, relationships where one or both partner relies totally on the other for emotional or physical support) it's easy to persuade yourself or be persuaded by your partner to stay in an unhealthy situation. In those instances, text is better because it allows less room for conversation.
"The ideal breakup text will act as a statement: Say what you are doing, why you have reached this conclusion, and remember to only speak on behalf of yourself, leaving no room for a dialogue or defensiveness," Leigh Trescott says. For people in co-dependent relationships, she suggests writing something such as, “I’ve done everything in my power to make this relationship work, but staying together is no longer a possibility. In order to get clarity on this situation and heal myself, I’ve decided that I can’t be with you any longer or engage in conversation either. This is what I need for myself.”
Maybe that sounds harsh, but cutting off communication is necessary in situations when communication is the very thing that will undermine your decision. And if you're worried, you can own the harshness, Leigh Trescott says. Admit that you know breaking up over text isn't ideal, but it feels like the best option.
Laureano suggests similar language for people who want to use text to break up because of their anxiety. "I encourage people to lean on the side of what feels most legit for them," she says. If someone says that they just can't break up with their partner in person, then she says it's okay to do it over text. Often, partners are aware if someone has an anxiety disorder or other cognitive disability that might prevent them from being able to have hard discussions face-to-face, so the text might not come as a shock.
"It's okay for us to identify the ways that are best for us to communicate and to share the information that we need to share," Laureano says. "It's never a wrong decision to take care of yourself." Still she suggests saying in the text that you're sorry for doing it this way, but you don't think you're able to get the words out in person because it's too anxiety-inducing of a situation for you.
Just remember that your partner might not have the ideal response of, "Thank you for your honesty, take care." Even if you're breaking up with them over text, you will likely have to have a back and forth conversation about why you want to break up and whether there's any way to fix the relationship. "A text does not necessarily give a full complete wrap up or conclusion to a relationship," Laureano says. Breaking up via text can leave open opportunity for further confrontation, she says, so be prepared to answer questions once you've sent the initial message.
If you're not dealing with mental health or any tough relationship situation like codependency or abuse, though, breaking up via text still feels rude and thoughtless. "When it comes to two healthy people whose relationship has simply run its course, initiating a breakup through a text is a sign of disrespect both to your partner and the relationship itself," Leigh Trescott says. So her advice for crafting a breakup text in those situations is simple: don't.
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