Tabla de contenidos para April 2024 en Red UK

I know we’ve put together a good issue when, as I’m editing the copy, I’ll impart the words of wisdom to my friends ahead of time. Such is the case with this April instalment, which is so full of great talking points I feel like one should read it armed with a pen and paper, ready to take notes. For me, this starts on page 44 where, to celebrate International Women’s Day, we asked some of our favourite contributors to share the most valued piece of advice they’ve received from another woman. I love Sophie Williams’s mention of Shine Theory, which suggests you should align yourself with the women who shine most brightly in a room, rather than be threatened by them, to set yourself aglow, too. Also, Tamu Thomas’s…

In our eternal quest to curate the ultimate capsule wardrobe, sourcing the perfect trench is never far from our minds. This classic is a cornerstone in the winter-to-summer closet transition, and a fresh new take is emerging this spring. Meet the cropped mac – retaining all the elements that make it timeless, but with a few contemporary updates. The funnel neckline and boxy shape bring the coolness of an oversized jacket, while the shorter length is practically designed for showing off your most polished, dark indigo flares. It’s the trench, but not as you know it.…

ENGELBERT Engelbert is the Sweden-based brand adding a twist to the classic gold ring – literally. The whole range, including the stunning Legacy Knot collection, oozes effortless elegance, making any piece a worthy addition to your jewellery box. BEVZA Bevza’s collection of soft yet sculptural egg-motif showstoppers is on our radar for spring ’24. Layer up the pendant with extra gold chains or adorn exaggerated tailoring with the bold gold brooch. POND Our current obsession with pearlescence has been fuelled by British brand Pond. Its mini jellyfish studs, made from vintage diamanté, freshwater pearls and recycled silver ear posts, prove that pearls still reign supreme on the fashion scene. AUREUM Chunky wrist cuffs are the 1980s-inspired breakout stars packing a punch this season, and Aureum’s architectural take on the trend…

In 2006, I gave birth to my first child. Things didn’t go to plan. They rarely do. After a 36-hour labour and an emergency Caesarean, I was wheeled, shellshocked, into a ward I barely remember, my giant 10lb baby in a transparent plastic tray by my side. I tried to breastfeed. She wouldn’t latch. And so began the first of many failures that have been chipping away at my confidence for 17 years, for motherhood is the best and hardest thing I’ve ever done. Despite one of the most talked-about TV shows of the year being Honey, We’re Killing The Kids, a warts-and-all view of family life that would have proved an effective contraceptive for anyone harbouring doubts about whether to procreate, 2006 was a pretty good year to become…

‘A lot of people think Audrey Hepburn was Parisian,’ says Meghan Friedlander, creator of the blog and Instagram account Rare Audrey Hepburn, and author of a new book, Audrey Hepburn In Paris. ‘They think of her relationship with Hubert de Givenchy and the fact she filmed so many of her movies in Paris, and they make the connection. So, they’re surprised when they find out she was born in Belgium and raised in the Netherlands.’ Friedlander first began paying tribute to Hepburn in 2010, when a friend suggested she set up a Tumblr account to channel her lifelong fascination with the star. ‘My mum was an Audrey fan – growing up, we had lots of books and magazines about her,’ she says. ‘We also lived near the Stanford Theatre in…

AFTER UNIVERSITY, I GOT A SUMMER JOB AT RECORD COMPANY BMG RECORDS. At first, I did admin, then I got a job in the sales department, then I started creating long-form videos. I WAS ALSO VOLUNTEERING FOR THE REFUGEE COUNCIL, helping young people with interview skills. After a while, I stopped caring if Britney Spears beat Christina Aguilera to a number one. After seeing my mum’s experience as a foster carer, I wanted to do something that would help people change their lives. So, when I saw an advert in a local newspaper, I decided to become a trainee social worker. I BECAME A CHILD PROTECTION SOCIAL WORKER and visited families who were experiencing difficulties: unemployment, abuse, poor socio-economic factors. The local authority would be considering legal proceedings to separate…

Day One, your second thriller, focuses on the aftermath of a shooting at a primary school in the Lake District. What compelled you to write this story? I became quite fascinated with conspiracy theories during Covid, when everybody seemed to have one, and found myself asking: what happens when a conspiracy theory really starts to take hold and dictates how you see the world? Day One opens with a shooting and follows two characters – Marty, who loses her mother in the attack, and Trent, who sets out to disprove that it took place at all. The idea behind setting it in the Lake District was that it’s such a beautiful and idyllic location, it almost fuels the theory that something so awful couldn’t have happened there. Your first book,…

As reinventions go, the chrome manicure’s may be the chicest yet. Opaque metal no longer, chrome 2.0 veers towards translucent, is prettily iridescent and – when layered on top of pastels – segues perfectly into summer. Until then, ask for Bio Sculpture Evo Gel Polish in Aurora over a milky base. Low-key, lovely and very right for now. BIO SCULPTURE GEL MANICURE, from £35…

‘It started with Hailey Bieber and the “clean girl” aesthetic, didn’t it?’ muses makeup artist Sharon Dowsett. ‘Gloss, glaze… whatever you call it, it just makes everything look fresh.’ Dowsett has always injected a good amount of shine into her work, but there’s something about a syrupy lip, she says, that feels timely. ‘I did a deep burgundy lip for a shoot last week. It was fine, but then I put a clear gloss over the top and it looked so much more… modern.’ Our post-pandemic obsession with health has a lot to do with it, she guesses; the new lip oils, glazes and butters look – and feel – virtuously juicy and plump. ‘It’s skincare for lips,’ she points out. In her own makeup, Dowsett wears neutral liner with…

FREE P&P ONLY £75 WORTH £424 BUY YOUR RED BEAUTY ESSENTIALS BOX NOW SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT HEARSTMAGAZINES.CO.UK/RED-BB EASILY SPLIT YOUR PURCHASE INTO THREE MONTHLY PAYMENTS WITH PayPal PAY IN 3 YOUR Red BEAUTY ESSENTIALS BOX CONTAINS: INCLUDES A 12-MONTH DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION TO RED MAGAZINE WORTH £29.99 ‘AMAZING PRODUCTS AND FANTASTIC VALUE FOR MONEY. I BOUGHT ONE FOR A GIFT – THEN HAD TO BUY ONE FOR MYSELF!’…

Make a style statement with a contemporary kitchen from the stunning House Beautiful range at Homebase. Choose from the fabulous new Finsbury, with its refined Shaker silhouette; the classic lines of the Westbourne; the simplicity of the Bermondsey; the sleek design of the Islington; or the clean and contemporary feel of the Camberwell. Cabinets are supplied pre-assembled for ease of installation and come with an impressive 20-year guarantee. All House Beautiful kitchens are designed and handmade in the UK from FSC-certified sustainably sourced materials. See the full range in-store and online, and create a space that’s practical and beautiful – and unique to you. Visit homebase.co.uk to book your virtual or in-store consultation…

We spend a lot of time thinking about furniture for our sitting and dining rooms, but when it comes to our gardens we tend to be much more casual. For years we’ve been told about the importance of bringing the outdoors in – plants, botanical wallpapers, flowers and so on – but I think it’s more important to be taking the inside out. And while it may be a cliché, it really does help to think of a garden as an outdoor room and make it as comfortable as you would inside. As the spring days lengthen into summer and it’s just about warm enough to sit outside for a drink (albeit with a cardigan), let’s take a moment to think about furnishing our gardens. Creating an outdoor room will…

Bring the joys of the countryside into your home with Country Living. Enjoy delicious seasonal recipes, country craft inspiration, fascinating wildlife features, expert gardening tips and interior styling in every issue. Get your first three months for just £3, and join more than 500,000 readers escaping to the country. GET A THREE-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION FOR JUST £3 £1 PER MONTH PRINT + DIGITAL • EXCLUSIVE READER OFFER Just £3 for your first three months (saving 88%)• FREE UK delivery straight to your door – never miss an issue• ACCESS to the digital edition including seven years of back issues• FREE gift when you subscribe for a year OR TRY A DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION FOR JUST £1 17P PER MONTH DIGITAL • JUST £1 for your first six months (saving 93%)• ACCESS to…

Like many aspects of nutrition, there are madly mixed messages about protein. On the one hand, many of us are being told to dial down on meat and ramp up plant-based foods, not just for ethical or environmental reasons but also for improved gut health and to help protect against heart disease and certain cancers. The flipside? Many of us may not be getting as much protein as we used to, given it’s reliably found in animal sources such as meat and eggs. Not only that, we’re increasingly becoming aware that many of our favourite packaged snacks that come with ‘high-protein’ labels, such as our mid-morning snack bar and our grab-and-go fitness shake, are synonymous with much-feared ultra-processed foods (UPFs). However, protein is considered to be the holy grail, particularly…

Reformer Pilates 2.0 We all know and love the Pilates reformer for a reason: it’s fun, effective and really burns. Now ReformRX (reformrx.co.uk) has made the first Peloton-like reformer bed you can use at home for on-demand workouts. Hybrid Pilates Right now, the 3-2-8 method is causing a real buzz. Devised by personal trainer Natalie Rose, it involves a hybrid workout plan of three Pilates workouts and two weight-training sessions a week, as well as walking 8,000 steps a day. You can get a similar Pilates-hybrid in one session at Strong Pilates in Islington, London, using the Rowformer (part Pilates reformer, part rowing machine), and London’s Oxford Circus’s FS8, a Pilates, weights and HIIT hybrid session. Alternatively, just DIY the 3-2-8 method yourself. HIIT Pilates If you’re after more of…

Limit your options Streamlining regular decisions can help you establish habits that reduce overthinking. ‘Routine can serve as a fatigue-busting framework,’ says Bogel, who suggests having signature no-stress meals, a capsule wardrobe and setting specific device-free zones/times to lessen overwhelming feelings. Change the channel ‘Your brain’s amygdala can’t distinguish between you imagining negative scenarios in the cortex of your brain and that negative situation actually playing out,’ explains Professor Pittman. Cue physical sensations of stress, which exacerbates your focus on the subject. ‘If the analogy is that the amygdala is watching cortex TV, you need to change the channel – distract yourself with something else entirely to reset,’ she adds. Make a move It doesn’t have to be a workout; it could be a walk to a local green space…

Hazel Gardiner shares her advice on the new ways to entertain on page 117. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME WAS… to admire the diminutive in nature. Michelle Campbell was makeup artist for the main fashion story on page 78. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME WAS… if you don’t love your job, don’t moan – change it. Chloe Gray explores wall Pilates on page 160. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME WAS… there are many different ways to be strong outside of the stereotypical image of what a strong woman is. Red is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code Of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of…

Nomasei Nomasei adds Frenchgirl flair to a traditional shoe and refreshes it in Italian shades of terracotta, sky blue and marble stone. The result? A classic preppy loafer with a cool, contemporary twist. Wear with Bermuda shorts, a crisp white tee and a cashmere sweater around your shoulders. DEAR FRANCES The mesh ballet flats by Dear Frances are the Instagram sensation all the fashion editors are adoring. Choose washes of blush and pure white, or crochet and crystal-encrusted iterations – it’s the modern minimalist’s go-to shoe of the season. EMME PARSONS The barely-there sandal craze continues into this season, with Emme Parsons firmly at the helm. This time, choose a pair to match your skin tone – they’ll elongate your legs, making them the perfect flats to style with shorts…

It was the life-altering moment of meeting my partner that first drew me to the (true) story of Maurice and Maralyn Bailey. Their tale includes an escape from England on a small boat, an attack by a whale, a shipwreck and a love story. In the 1950s, Maurice was in his late 20s, working at a printing press and living alone in a small flat in Derby. An affection-less childhood left him addled with self-loathing. He was stuck in a pit, lonely and lost, and assumed this state would define the rest of his days. Then, one day, an acquaintance asked Maurice to take his place in a car rally. He would be accompanying the driver, Maralyn. From the moment she picked him up in her Vauxhall Cresta, Maurice knew…

If there was an Oscar for time management, Harris Reed would win it. He’d collect it wearing one of his elegantly fluid designs, and give a speech thanking his filmmaker father, Nick – himself an Oscar-winner – his mother, Lynette, his husband, Eitan, and his celebrity fans; Adele, Beyoncé, Sam Smith and Harry Styles among them. He’d give said speech at breakneck speed, words cascading out of him with the same rapidity at which he lives his entire life. For if Beyoncé has the same 24 hours in the day as we do, it’s tempting to imagine that Reed has 48. This would certainly explain why, at the age of 27, Reed has already ticked so much off his to-do list. His eponymous fashion label is thriving, he’s the creative…

When it comes to teamwork, the cliché reminds us that ‘there’s no ‘I’ in team’. But the Finnish-Swiss bestselling duo Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschäppeler may beg to differ. In The Collaboration Book, the authors introduce the idea that true teamwork requires each of us to deeply analyse ourselves, our desires, our flaws and our behaviour. It’s only then, they propose, that we can begin to understand what areas of our work we need to do alone, which we are better off collaborating with others on, and how to communicate the difference. Their ‘41 ideas for working better together’ arrive at an opportune moment, when, as Krogerus reminds me, ‘Wherever you go, and on Instagram or Twitter, all we see is optimisation of the self.’ He maintains this line of…

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about a girl who lived in Yemen hundreds of years ago called Rema. She has silky dark hair that flows down her back. She earns a living from weaving rugs. She can hardly remember her mother, who died when she was small. She misses her father, who was killed by some kind of sinister enemy. I often think about how she felt – othered and scared, determined and hopeful – and I try to honour her life in my own. But Rema isn’t a documented figure I’ve read about in a history book, nor a fictional character from a Hollywood movie. Rema is me. Well, not me right now, but a version of me from a previous life. That’s the idea, anyway; I met…

£1 PER MONTH PRINT + DIGITAL ‘I have bought other magazines but always come back to Red as it has everything: fashion, advice and interesting stories – and all aimed at women with busy lives’Lisa Patey, Red subscriber GREAT REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE ● EXCLUSIVE READER OFFER Just £3 for your first three months (saving 88%) ● INCLUDES free UK delivery direct to your door – never miss an issue ● ACCESS to the digital edition each month on your smartphone or tablet, including seven years of back issues OR TRY A DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION 17P PER MONTH DIGITAL ● JUST £1 for your first six months (saving 93%) ● ACCESS to the digital edition each month on your smartphone or tablet, including seven years of back issues ● READ it wherever…

This Town This six-part drama, from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight and starring Michelle Dockery and Jordan Bolger, tells the story of four young people and their extended families as they’re drawn into the UK’s ska and two-tone music scene in the early 1980s. March, BBC One The Regime Starring Kate Winslet as the dictator of a fictional European country that’s falling to pieces, this political satire from the executive producers of Succession is the sort of absurd yet brilliantly glossy comedy we’ve been waiting for. 3rd March, Sky Atlantic and NOW The Gentlemen Guy Ritchie’s 2019 film gets a spin-off miniseries that reframes British aristocracy as the original gangsters. It stars The White Lotus’s (very suave) Theo James. March, Netflix…

Okay, this summer’s laissez-faire lengths (see Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Custo Barcelona and Rokh) require a touch more thought than the nonchalant finish suggests. But they look beautifully effortless, and that’s what counts. Make these waves all your own by working with your hair’s natural movement, advises Tom Connell, hair art director at Davines. ‘Comb hair into its regular parting after washing and leave to air dry. It’s crucial you don’t touch it during the drying process; just shake your head gently to break up any movement that’s forming.’ Once dry, reach for a tool to add shape. ‘Keep it looking believable by waving random pieces of hair,’ says Connell, ‘and if in doubt, focus on the ends.’ Don’t be tempted to tame flyaways, though; baby hairs and a little fuzziness…

Flowers in all forms roamed wild across the spring runways, but one in particular played muse to most: the rose. Embroidered and painterly at Erdem, graphically appliquéd at Balmain, sculptural at McQueen and primly pretty and proper at Richard Quinn, the rose also wound and wove her way up beyond the frocks on to the delicately painted faces at Simone Rocha and entwined in hair at Giambattista Valli. In beauty, the benefits of rose – its soothing floral waters, its anti-inflammatory oils and extracts, and its sumptuous, velvety fragrance – are used in innovative ways in skin and haircare, while petal-pretty pinks and reds shine through in makeup.…

A QUARTER OF THE SIZE OF CHICKEN EGGS AND DISTINCTIVE IN THEIR FRECKLED BEAUTY, DIMINUTIVE QUAIL EGGS MAKE A CHARMING SPRING DISPLAY IN THE HOME. WHEN IT COMES TO EATING, THEY TAKE JUST 30 SECONDS TO SOFT-BOIL FOR A PERFECT CANAPÉ-SIZED SNACK. AND SINCE IT’S EASTER, YOU CAN BUY SUMPTUOUS CHOCOLATE ONES IN A CRISP SUGAR SHELL FOR A LIMITED TIME, TOO. ‘FREE TO FLY’ QUAIL EGGS (above), £4 for 12, Clarence Court. PRALINE MILK CHOCOLATE QUAIL EGGS; SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE QUAIL EGGS, both £10 for 150g, DukesHill…

‘As new leaves begin to appear on the trees and blossoms bloom, I feel a renewed sense of energy in the air and I want to gather my friends together and catch up over delicious nibbles. I like to create a grazing board to make an irresistible display. I set a stack of plates on one side of the table with some cocktail napkins and encourage everyone to help themselves, keeping things really casual and relaxed’ Hummus SERVES 6 as part of a spread • 400g tin chickpeas• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda• 1-2 garlic cloves, grated• Juice 1-2 lemons• 2tbsp tahini• 1tbsp white miso paste• 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil TO SERVE • Toppings of your choice – I love za’atar or sumac, crumbled feta, chopped parsley, toasted pumpkin seeds,…

Bulgur pilav This pilav is based on a recipe I love from the excellent Moro East book by Samantha and Samuel Clark. I find walnuts, skin-on almonds or, if you’re feeling flush, pistachios or pine nuts, work best. SERVES 4 FOR THE PILAV • 60g butter• 1tbsp light olive oil• 6 large spring onions, lightly trimmed and sliced• 1 generous tsp ground allspice• 50-80g nuts, roughly chopped, see intro• 400g greens of choice, well shredded• 400g bulgur wheat• 600ml vegetable or chicken stock (home-made or from a stock cube or bouillon powder)• Squeeze lemon juice• Handful parsley, roughly chopped FOR THE YOGURT • 1 large garlic clove• 150g good thick Greek yogurt• 1tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and crushed TO SERVE • Steamed vegetables tossed with harissa, optional 1 Melt the…

It’s funny to think that, in 2015, New York Magazine predicted a ‘Pilatespocalypse’. The low-impact workout had been crowded out by HIIT classes and spinning on stationary bikes and it seemed there was no future for an activity that involves slow and controlled micro-movements. How wrong that prediction was. Now, our drawers are filled with grippy socks for reformer classes, and our high streets and gyms are packed with shiny new Pilates studios. In fact, fitness-class booking platform ClassPass reported that reservations for Pilates were up 92% last year, making it the most popular workout of 2023. But now there’s a new twist, which is further fuelling our obsession: wall Pilates. There’s been a 4,461% increase in people searching for the workout, according to PureGym’s Fitness Report 2023-24, while it’s…

Core Balance 10mm Pilates Mat Many yoga mats are too thin to protect your body. Opt for a thicker version instead. £29.99; corebalancefitness.co.uk Bala Bangles Once you’ve mastered the basics, strap weights on to your wrists or ankles to add oomph to the ordinary. £49.95; John Lewis & Partners Gaiam Muscle Therapy Foam Roller Rollers are great for that post-workout hurts-so-good release. £29.99; John Lewis & Partners…

SWITCH OFF & RECHARGE Whether it’s social media or endlessly doom-scrolling the news, we all know our phones can wreak havoc on our mental wellness. That’s why I love the concept behind Unplugged: when you stay in one of its back-to-basics, off-grid cabins (dotted all over the UK), you’re encouraged to lock your phone away and instead immerse yourself in the natural surroundings. It’s the perfect opportunity to reconnect with yourself. From £360 for 3 nights, unplugged.rest THE NEXT TREATMENT TREND… A hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) chamber is a pressurised pod that allows your lungs to gather more oxygen than if you were breathing in normal oxygen at normal air pressure. Increasingly used for a variety of medical conditions, HBOT is being offered by some clinics as a catch-all treatment…

This exclusive collection of stunning, contemporary bed frames has been designed with both style and comfort in mind. Opulently upholstered in super-soft velvet-feel fabric or on-trend bouclé, each beautiful bed features key design and comfort elements such as deeply padded, supremely supportive headboards, sprung slats and detail stitching. As well as looking and feeling gorgeous, these bed frames offer masses of hidden storage, as Jay, Grove and Chloe all feature capacious end-opening ottomans, big enough to hold spare bedding, duvets, pillows and more. Each bed frame comes in double, king or super king sizes, with free delivery included on every order. FREE DELIVERY INCLUDED ON EVERY ORDER! See more in-store and online at dreams.co.uk/house-beautiful…

MY CAN’T-MISS PODCAST IS… I absolutely love the Rich Roll Podcast. The mix of guests, from elite athletes to mindfulness gurus, combined with his extremely insightful yet gentle interviewing style makes for a brilliantly engaging formula. I listen to it when I walk the dog. THE CANDLE I LOVE TO LIGHT IS… I prefer to use an oil burner, with a plant-based wax tealight and organic essential oils – rosemary or neroli when I’m working, lavender to relax in the evening. MY SIGNATURE LIPSTICK IS… Day-to-day I don’t wear makeup but, when I’ve been filming recently, I’ve gone for a Charlotte Tilbury nude lip look. MY FAVOURITE INDEPENDENT SHOP IS… Either Sophie Darling or Unlimited; they’re one-of-a-kind windows for talent. MY FOODIE WEAKNESS IS… Booja-Booja chocolate truffles – I cut…

VITAMIN C SKINCARE TO PERK UP YOUR LIFE Our beauty team’s top picks for a brighter complexion 5 KEY TRENDS WE’LL BE WEARING THIS SPRING Our shopping editor’s guide to the new season THE BEST EUROPEAN COASTAL HOLIDAYS TO BOOK THIS SUMMER From family holidays to mini breaks THE RED TEAM’S FAVOURITE LONDON RESTAURANTS Whether you’re planning a big celebration, an intimate date night or anything in between…

STUDIO LINE A new season must mean the launch of another exciting H&M Studio collection. Expect 1970s-inspired trench coats, white leather knee boots and the most leg-lengthening dark-wash flared jeans you’ll ever lay your hands on. PREP SET This season’s preppy energy puts the polo shirt front and centre in your wardrobe. Go for a soft, ice cream palette of blush, lemon, cream and mint, and team with flared culottes, wide-leg trousers and pumps. THE CRYSTAL BALL Meet Daphine, the cult jewellery label that’s been turning my head lately. I love its stylish, purse-friendly collections, including these crystal-encrusted chunky ring and hoops (above), bringing urban bling to my denim wardrobe. HOOKED ON HELSA Look no further than LA label Helsa for simple, minimal and effortlessly chic capsule collections. Among structured…

INTO THE WILD As brighter days approach, I’m ready to find new ways to ease myself into nature. Pairing active adventure with beautiful landscapes, Adventure Tours UK is a B Corp Certified company that offers tours in the wilds of England, Wales and Scotland, plus a Wellness Collection that prioritises mind and body over extreme fitness. Whether it’s a five-night escape combining yoga and paddleboarding, or guided hikes with freshly prepared meals, you can find your balance. In return, Adventure Tours UK will plant a tree for every traveller. adventuretoursuk.com HERE COMES THE SUN It’s been a couple of years since I found out that some sunscreens can be harmful to coral reefs, owing to the chemicals they contain. But foregoing skin protection is simply not an option. Thankfully, brands…

CUSH JUMBO OBE Actor and writer ‘After [my solo show] Josephine And I opened in New York, everyone was asking me what I was going to do next. But Meryl Streep said to me, “The centre of the universe is exactly where you are right now, not where you think you should be.”’ Bear Snores On plays at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London, from 23rd March to 21st April (openairtheatre.com) KATE DAVIES Author ‘My secondary-school drama teacher told me, “When you go into an audition, remember that the people on the panel want you to succeed. They don’t want to terrify you – they want you to be the best person for the part, so they can stop looking and go to the pub.” I’ve applied her advice ever…

In 2007, Gary Klein (an expert in organisation development) developed the ‘PreMortem Method of Risk Assessment’: ‘Before your project starts, gather your collaborators and pretend to look into a crystal ball. The ball tells you that – damn! – the plan you’ve been discussing turns out to have been no good. Ask each person to write down the reasons it failed. Don’t ask: “What could go wrong?” After all, you’ve already looked into your crystal ball. Instead, ask: “What went wrong?”’ ‘Next, ask everyone to say what, in their opinion, was the main reason the project failed. Write it all down and then give everyone a chance to evaluate and comment. For example, you could ask everyone to assign a value to the reasons based on how likely or unlikely…

When Melanie Brown MBE joins our video call, refreshingly bare-faced, with her trademark curls piled on top of her head, I’m slightly bemused by the scene in front of me. She is surrounded by Union Jack paraphernalia: even the armchair she’s perched on bears the distinctive red, white and blue design. Have I got the wrong Spice Girl? Talking to me from the converted loft space of her Yorkshire abode, a stone’s throw from the childhood home she shared with her mother, Andrea, father, Martin, and younger sister, Danielle, Brown explains that she stole all the Union Jack stuff from fellow Spice Girl Geri Horner’s dressing room on the 2019 Spice World reunion tour. ‘I just love being on tour with those girls. It’s like you’re in a floating time-machine…

Annie Bot by Sierra Greer (The Borough Press, £16.99, out 14th March) A top-of-the-range robot powered by sophisticated AI software, Annie is beautiful, kind and attuned to her boyfriend Doug’s every need and desire. But as Annie grows more self-aware, she resents being controlled by Doug and yearns for something more from her life. An exquisitely written, empathetic novel that asks what it really means to be human. Dominoes by Phoebe McIntosh (Chatto & Windus, £16.99, out 7th March) A powerful and thought-provoking debut from a writer destined for greatness, Dominoes tells the story of bride-to-be Layla, who thinks it’s romantic she and Andy have the same surname – until she discovers that their shared name has its roots in the slave trade. As Layla uncovers the truth of her…

THE WORKING WAISTCOAT Getting dressed for the office is easy when you have The Frankie Shop’s sage green waistcoat hanging in your wardrobe. Layer it over a tee, tailored shirt or skinny rollneck, or wear it on its own with slouchy trousers and layers of gold bangles for out of hours. THE PLEATED A-LINE SKIRT On-duty dressing doesn’t have to mean crisp corporate shirt dresses and stiff city shifts. Functional dressing for spring ’24 has a much cooler side, with the knife-pleat skirt front and centre. Wear Rejina Pyo’s pale sand A-line with a silver-grey oversized blazer and loafers or kitten-heel slingbacks. THE COLLARLESS BLAZER It’s power to the no-collar worker with the season’s newest trend in tailoring: the collarless blazer. The perfect cross between a smart top and a…

Gleaming skin rarely falls out of fashion, but radiance isn’t just an aesthetic ideal, says cosmetic doctor Dr Priya Chadha, as recent research suggests that outer glow can be perceived as inner goodness shining through. ‘When volunteers were shown three digitally retouched images of the same face – one matte, one glowing and one oily – the radiant image created a more positive impression by far,’ explains Dr Chadha. ‘It was viewed as the most attractive, perceived as three years younger and deemed to be happier and healthier.’ How to harness the halo effect? For Dr Chadha, nothing beats injectable skin boosters, such as Restylane. At home, exfoliation is a skin-smoothing must-do, served this spring by a flood of new resurfacing fluids. Beyond skincare, makeup artist Amanda Bell uses liquid…

The future of anti-ageing is here, and it’s called longevity. Same thing? Yes and no, says biotechnologist and Invity founder, Dr Eugene He. ‘The topline concept of anti-ageing came about in the 1960s and 1970s, when the science wasn’t there to go much deeper than wrinkles and dryness.’ As science has matured, says Dr He, we’re now looking at why we age, which means understanding the metabolic pathways (biochemical processes in which essential substances are synthesised on a cellular level) that occur not just in the skin but in related organs – because, as Dr He points out, everything in the body works in tandem. For forward-thinking skincare brands, longevity science means regulating those pathways to have a positive impact on the skin, via – yes – serums, masks and…

SUPER SERUMS My pick of the latest precision-engineered skin transformers: For hydration and firming Algae, plant stem cells and the Healing Concentrate in Omorovicza Queen Serum, £110, help skin function optimally. To dampen inflammation Algae-rich Vico Skin Screen Star, £105, the first product from A-list facialist Jasmina Vico (clients have included Margot Robbie and Elizabeth Debicki), heals and boosts radiance and long-term resilience. For smoother texture Retinol is combined with HPR, a stable form of vitamin A that is both non-irritating and seriously potent, in Elizabeth Arden Retinol + HPR Ceramide Capsules Rapid Skin Renewing Serum, from £51 for 30. NOW BROWS The S/S 24 runways set the mood: for every pair of bleached-out, gravity-defying arches, there were many more quietly pretty brows on parade. ‘It’s a softer, more low-maintenance…

HOME CV WHO Jodie Hazlewood, a makeup artist and interior designer, husband Olly Hunter, a photographer, and Roy Dandy, their miniature pinscher. Jodie started an Instagram account, @TheHouseUpstairs, to record the progress of a home renovation and she now has more than 140,000 followers and her own range of bespoke furniture. WHAT A maisonette converted from a Victorian mansion in Mapperley Park, a suburb of Nottingham. ‘When we found our home in 2020, it had no working plumbing or heating, terrible 1960s windows and damp everywhere,’ recalls Jodie. ‘But we saw great proportions, as well as the potential to knock through into a very large loft space.’ HALLWAY The couple have turned the hall into a multipurpose space for dining and working. ‘The staircase was built during the renovation,’ says…

GATHER ROUND While Piglet in Bed is best known for gorgeously soft sheets, its tableware is equally covetable. The neutral cloths, all made in Portugal using top-quality linen, make a dreamy backdrop for any spring celebration. A GOOD READ More than just a tome for the coffee table, interior designer Sophie Ashby’s first book is a rich source of decorating inspiration. Each page is full of the colour, pattern and whimsy for which her studio is renowned. SCENT WITH LOVE As part of her role as Patron for The Prince’s Trust, Chrissie Rucker, founder of The White Company, has created a new candle featuring notes of tonka bean and amber. ‘Love is a scent that feels like being wrapped in a warm hug,’ she says. £10 from the sale of…

MORNING About 10 years ago, when I was first starting down the path of meditation and developing my spiritual practice, I wanted to go all in. So I started waking up at 3.45am to meditate with the monks at a local temple called Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford. The experience was so transformative and miraculous that I kept it up for a year and a half. But eventually, I wanted to give myself a little more time to sleep in. So I ended up settling into a 5am-ish wake-up time and a morning routine that, over the years, has brought definition and joy to my life. And I guarantee you that, eventually, once you set the habit of getting up earlier and experiencing all the special moments with the world before…

Roll Downs Against the Wall Body benefits include: Flexibility and mobility of the spine to ease ‘office ouch’. Stand with your back against the wall and your feet about a foot’s distance away, hip-width apart. Slowly start to roll your head down towards your chest, then roll through each vertebra of the spine, peeling away from the wall. Keep your pelvis on the wall throughout and maintain a connection to your abdominals. Slowly begin to restack the spine, one vertebra at a time, back up to standing against the wall. Press-ups Facing the Wall Body benefits include: Stronger shoulders and arms. Stand facing the wall about 3ft away. Place your palms flat against the wall at chest height and lean forwards. Make sure your body is in a straight line…

As Laura Andrews types her PIN into the card reader, she feels an overwhelming sense of relief. Her body relaxes, her mind clears and she breathes an audible sigh. For the first time in months, she is able to see things clearly, calmly. The camper-van salesman laughs; most customers aren’t so eager to hand over their cash, he says. But Laura, a creative strategist and business owner, isn’t just buying the camper van in which she and her family intend to explore the UK and make lifelong memories. She’s putting an end to six months of her own incessant, exhausting deliberation. Laura is, by her own admission, an overthinker. From Angela Chase’s interior monologues in My So-Called Life to countless Taylor Swift songs, overthinking has become a classic trope in…

ARIES OR ARIES RISING 21st March to 20th April This month, you have two choices: allow your fears to derail you, or break free from the past. There’s an eclipse in your sign, which is a rare opportunity for you to walk away from the past to a whole different future. TAURUS OR TAURUS RISING 21st April to 21st May Watch how you behave around your friends. You owe some of them a lot for how they’ve supported you through life’s ups and downs recently. If you find yourself acting out with them, it could be fears getting to you. This is the month to work on breaking free from whatever keeps you up at night. GEMINI OR GEMINI RISING 22nd May to 22nd June If you only make one…