Table of contents for Issue 693 in Grazia

1 ANIMAL ATTRACTION FEEL LIKE A rock star and wrap up in this zebra midiskirt. £36, River Island (riverisland.com) 2 IT’S ALL WRITE MAKE YOUR MARK with this graphic graffiti shoulder bag featuring chic hardware. £340, Michael Kors (michaelkors.co.uk) 3 WORK OF ART YOU’LL WEAR THIS maxiskirt throughout autumn. Just add a blouse and boots. Top, £450, skirt, £520, earrings, £90, all Rachel Comey (rachelcomey.com) 4 FLORAL DELIGHT WITH TUBEROSE, jasmine and patchouli, Gucci Bloom Nettare Di Fiori, £109, smells like a dreamy garden. 5 EAR CANDY EMBELLISH YOUR lobes with these freshwater pearls for immediate ear envy. £250, Anni Lu (brownsfashion.com) 6 GOING FOR GOLD MAKE A STATEMENT with chunky gold accessories that will add glamour to any outfit. £250, Alighieri (net-a-porter.com) 7 EARN YOUR STRIPES FROM BEACH TO…

I was born in August, on a day that falls on, or damn near, the last bank holiday of the year; when I was a kid, no one did come to my birthday parties. They were all always on holiday, only I assumed they just didn’t like me, which was shit, and those sorts of sadnesses, those forging senses of how lovable you are, how popular, how readily celebrated, they stick to a person. So it is that I find myself supremely birthday-unconfident. At the same time, I am supremely body-confident. I suspect I shouldn’t be. Even now, in these Bo-Pos, whack-your-cellulite-on-Instagram times, I know I’m supposed to secretly hate my bod in a bazillion different ways, which I catalogue every time I look at myself in the mirror, before…

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK, INSTAGRAM/GEMMA_CHAN, GETTY IMAGES THE RELEASE OF the film adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel Crazy Rich Asians last week has been hailed in the States as a watershed moment in Hollywood, especially after its record-breaking success at the box office. It’s prompted a flurry of think pieces lauding its all-Asian cast, in a film with an Asian/American narrative – something that hasn’t been seen since 1993’s Joy Luck Club . It’s a talking point that the cast members and director have willingly taken on in interviews and on social media, but it also seems like they aren’t afraid to tackle the issue on the red carpet. One of the film’s more established stars, Gemma Chan, who plays Singaporean beauty Astrid Young Teo, has been doing the red carpet…

PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/KIM KARDASHIAN; SHUTTERSTOCK; GETTY IMAGES IT’S OFFICIAL: Kim Kardashian West is the owner of the world’s most powerful posterior. Want stats? Last week, according to Lyst, there was an 88% surge in searches for ‘thongs’ in the 24 hours following her appearance in one in an Instagram picture, ostensibly to promote her make-up line. Obviously. So (partially) gird your loins: the G-string is a thing again. Of course, not just any old thong can find its way on to this in-demand derrière. On the contrary, only very special old thongs do. Because old this one is – 21 years to be precise (or, the same age as Kylie Jenner) – having made its debut on the Gucci catwalk back in 1997, when Tom Ford, master of sexually charged turbo…

HEADACHES, DIZZINESS, NAUSEA, aching limbs and a throat like bracken meant I’d been subsisting on Day Nurse and Night Nurse for weeks. I worried that something was wrong and so, earlier this year, I went to the doctor for a check-up. She was sympathetic but told me that, no, I did not have late onset glandular fever or a hitherto undiscovered subtropical disease. ‘What you have,’ she said with a wry smile, ‘is three kids and exhaustion.’ She reminded me of a popular local phrase: ‘You should put your own oxygen mask on first,’ cautioning me to prioritise my needs and take it easy for a while. Because just as flight attendants on a plane instruct you to put your own oxygen mask on before helping others, Vikings know that…

PERFECT PINSTRIPE Pinstripes always look and feel the business and are totally on point for A/W. DRESS-DOWN WEEKDAYS Don’t just save trainers for the commute – neutral tones are most office-appropriate. DRESS TO IMPRESS Say hello to the hardest-working piece in your 9-5 wardrobe – the shirtdress. CLASSIC CLOTH Tweed is fashion’s favourite fabric right now. Make it more trendy than trad by pairing with a white polo. BUCKETS OF STYLE Look for a tote with a twist for your new, upgraded work bag. PLEAT AND TIDY Pencil skirts take a back seat to the pleated midi this season. WEAR THE TROUSERS Pair your tailored trousers with embellished slingbacks for extra style points. BLAZER GLORY Layer up your tailoring for the ultimate power play. DYNAMIC DUO Update your tailoring tactics…

1. Cowshed Knackered Cow Relaxing Room Candle, £36 2. This Works Sleep Power Nap Spray, £28 3. Anatome Acquamin Marine Mineral Tablets, £22 4. Sleeper pyjamas, £194 5. Lumie Bodyclock Glow 150, £90 6. Slip silk mask, £45, and queen pillowcase, £79 7. Westlab Relaxing Magnesium Flakes, £8.99 8. Dyson Pure Cool Fan, £499.99 9. L’Officine Universelle Buly Magnesium, Transcutane, £56 10. &13. WelleCo The Super Elixir Calming Tea, £48 ADDITIONAL PHOTOS: GIANANDREA TRAINA. ANATOME: ANATOME.CO, CASPER: CASPER.COM, COWSHED: COWSHED.COM, DYSON: DYSON.CO.UK,GP NUTRITION: GPNUTRITION.COM, JO MALONE: JOMALONE.CO.UK, L’OFFICINE UNIVERSELLE BULY: SELFRIDGES.COM, LUMIE: LUMIE.COM, SLEEPER:THE-SLEEPER.COM, SLIP: SLIPSILKPILLOWCASE.CO.UK, THIS WORKS: THISWORKS.COM, WELLECO: WELLECO.CO.UK, WESTLAB: WESTLABSALTS.CO.UK 11. GP Nutrition Calm Me Kit, £95 for 28 days 12. Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Bath Oil, £44…

MAKE-UP MAVERICK Elizabeth Arden flipped public opinion in 1912 when she handed out pillar-box red lipsticks to 15,000 suffragettes marching for equal rights on the streets of New York, using the colour as a symbol to promote strength and solidarity. More than a century later, red remains the ultimate power player on any dressing table – the most timeless embodiment of confidence-boosting make-up. ‘The shade has always been synonymous with confidence because it represents some kind of specific intention,’ explains Terry Barber, MAC director of make-up artistry. ‘It can be glamorous, professional, sophisticated or seductive. It’s never shy.’ Aside from its obvious aesthetic appeal, the colour red is ingrained within our psyche to represent a multitude of emotions, which can affect our actions and how we perceive certain situations. Look…

PHOTO: @ANDRÉDEMELLO/INSTAGRAM Cave Rock beach, Nevada Fed by the winter snow from the Sierra Nevada mountains that surround it, the clear, cobalt blue waters of Lake Tahoe high in Nevada State Park are perfect for kayaking (as well as swimming, boating, windsurfing and paddle-boarding). Cave Rock beach is small but a lovely place from which to take to the water. Find it on the undeveloped east side of the lake, just off Highway 50.…

Home Fire Kamila Shamsie (£8.99, BLOOMSBURY PUBLISHING) A retelling of Sophocles’ play, Antigone – in Kamila Shamsie’s Man Booker-long-listed and Women’s Prize for Fiction-winning book, the fates of two families are devastatingly entwined. This contemporarily-set novel ultimately asks the question, what sacrifices are we prepared to make in the name of love? The Surface Breaks Louise O’Neill (£10.99, SCHOLASTIC) A feminist retelling of the story of The Little Mermaid that pokes into the darkest corners of the original story. As fans of Louise O’Neill would expect, when Gaia the mermaid tries to break free from her controlling father in the name of love, nothing is as simple (or romantic) as it may seem. Eligible Curtis Sittenfeld (£7.99, HARPERCOLLINS) A New York Times best-seller that counts Oprah among its fans, Curtis…

PHOTO: AIMEE SPINKS/NETFLIX IT’S THE EVE of June McDaniel’s 16th birthday and her father is splitting a pill to pop into her porridge. June is secretly in love with Harry, with whom she mostly corresponds by good, old-fashioned snail mail. She lives in a farmhouse at the backend of somewhere cinematically both rueful and picturesque. Mum’s gone awol. Dad’s a tyrant. Next door, in an outhouse that looks like the Nazareth stable Jesus was born in, she delivers meals to her disabled and severely agoraphobic brother. Tomorrow, June and Harry will run away from it all. Because they are The Innocents. This warm, weird drama is cut from some of the same cloth that made The End Of The F***ing World an early TV highlight this year. Both owe a…

MIND OVER MATTER Is it unfashionable to suggest that Megan Barton-Hanson’s self-esteem might be boosted if she spent some time improving her mind instead of artificially enhancing her body (‘Love Island is the best therapy I’ve had’, 20 Aug)? Looks fade faster than intelligence. I went to an ordinary comprehensive with an extraordinary chemistry teacher. I’m now a process chemist and I am relieved that I work in a profession where my appearance is incidental. Dr Jones KEEP SPEAKING OUT We need more Polly Vernons in this world, women who are brave enough to speak their mind and stand up for who they are. Who gives a crap what others’ opinions are, we can make our own minds up about our own lives and if you haven’t walked in someone…

It emerged last week that 74% of UK hospitals don’t follow NICE guidelines on offering women Caesareans if they request them. According to pressure group Birthrights, 15% of NHS trusts refuse elective C-sections outright. After a month of debate over birth one-upmanship following England star Harry Kane praising his fiancée for giving birth without pain relief, it was yet another reminder of the pressure on women to have natural births, whatever the cost. When will we end the loaded conversations around childbirth, implying women are failing if they don’t do it a certain way? Let’s celebrate birth in all its forms, free of shame and stigma.…

IF I’M HONEST, I can’t really remember the clothes. Ten years is a long time, and I’ve watched thousands of outfits trotting up and down catwalks since 5 September 2008, the date when Victoria Beckham unveiled her first collection, for spring/summer 2009. But I do remember one thing. She was nervous – far more nervous than we’d expected a Spice Girl who’d routinely performed in front of thousands to be. Then again, this was a performance of a different sort. There may only have been a handful of us, but we were fashion editors. And if there’s one thing fashion editors don’t take kindly to, it’s celebrities moonlighting as designers when they really should stay in their lane. Victoria Beckham didn’t stay in her lane, though – instead, she created…

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK, MICHAEL JACOBS/SWNS.COM SINCE ANNOUNCING THE end of his two-year relationship with Cheryl last month, Liam Payne has been described as someone ‘enjoying his single status’. However, last week the chat surrounding his love life stepped up a notch when the singer was spotted ‘grinding’ with singer Rita Ora backstage at a pre-MTV VMAs concert. Liam, 24, is already rumoured to be dating model Cairo Dwek, 20, and has been linked to heiress Maya Henry, 18, since he split up with Cheryl – four months after they celebrated their son Bear’s first birthday. Now, insiders say Liam’s behaviour has left Cheryl, 35, ‘furious’ while filming her new BBC talent show The Greatest Dancer last week. ‘Cheryl is not just upset at how Liam is handling his life since they…

PHOTOS:INSTAGRAM/DEBIMAZAR, PA, GETTYSHUTTERSTOCK, PHOTOSHOT NOWHERE IS Madonna’s thirst for reinvention more evident than in her phone book, which boasts a higher turnover than Trump’s White House staff. To casual observers, her famous mates are like Britney’s microphone (mostly decorative, rarely serving any real function), and much-flaunted friendships with Gwyneth Paltrow, Sandra Bernhard and Rupert Everett have all proven dispensable. Perhaps it’s understandable that in-between being an enduring icon, committed philanthropist and Piers Morgan’s number one trigger, Madonna hasn’t got time to make small talk with lesser celebs, which, by the way, is all of them. But while she may have ghosted more people than Casper, one stalwart sidekick remains: Debi Mazar. The pair met when they were both unknowns, and the TV personality and actor has somehow weathered the queen…

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES A FEW MONTHS AGO, a close friend got seriously fit, won a pay rise and bought a new flat. And instead of being happy for her, I was bitter. I could hardly bring myself to tell her how good she looked or how proud I was of her. I realised my jealousy was poisoning me. I decided I needed to learn to use it as a force for good. I vowed that every time I felt a pang of jealousy, I’d write down what caused it. If the same issue ended up on the list more than twice in a month, it was something I needed to work on. ‘It can be healthy to use jealousy to propel yourself forward,’ psychologist Gill Bond told me. ‘Using it…

CLOTHES ARE PROJECTIONS not just of the people we are but the people we want to be. Whether that person is serious or sweet, flirty or formidable, edgy or elegant, depends on your mood, taste and the occasion. But one thing that we are always striving to achieve via what we wear is confidence (nobody has ever said, ‘I must go shopping – I want something that makes me feel terrible about myself!’). So, can you dress yourself confident? Clothes can certainly help – their transformative power is undeniable. ‘A great outfit can completely change how you feel,’ says Ditte Reffstrup of Danish mega brand Ganni. ‘When I think back to a day when I felt really good, it usually coincides with a good outfit.’ What constitutes a ‘good outfit’,…

Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock Tracks your sleep patterns to wake you up just when the time is right; and you don’t need to bring the device to bed. Blue Light Filter Adjusts your screen’s blue colour and amps up calming yellow light for that two-hour wind-down time. Bed Time For a sleep routine that’s consistent, the bedtime tab on your iPhone clock screen reminds you when you need to go to sleep and wake up. Sleep Talk Recorder This one records all those random things you say in your sleep for guaranteed laughs the next day.…

PHOTOS: DENNIS PEDERSEN, GIANANDREATRAINA. BOBBI BROWN: BOBBIBROWN.CO.UK. CHANEL: CHANEL.COM. CHARLOTTE TILBURY:CHARLOTTETILBURY.COM. CLARINS: CLARINS.CO.UK. DECORTÉ: SELFRIDGES.COM. DIOR:DIOR.COM. LIPSTICK QUEEN: SPACENK.COM. L’OREAL: SUPERDRUG.COM. MAYBELLINE:SUPERDRUG.COM. MAX FACTOR: BOOTS.COM. SISLEY: SISLEY-PARIS.CO.UK.TOO FACED:TOOFACED.COM.TOM FORD: SELFRIDGES.COM. & OTHER STORIES: STORIES.COM Q: How do you apply the perfect red lip? ‘Opt for matte textures that last longer and don’t run easily with wear. Start by contouring your mouth with a lip liner before filling in with your chosen lipstick using a brush for ultimate control. Next, take a tissue and blot away any excess before tapping a little loose powder on top to set. For extra staying power, you can swipe over another layer.’ Q: What’s the best way to balance out uneven lips? ‘Should you want to even out your lips, look straight on in the…

Tola Okogwu , admin manager, haircare coach and children’s book writer: ‘I’m a big believer in the Eisenhower Matrix – it’s basically a way of prioritising tasks so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Google it – it works!’ Babs Ofori-Acquah , partnerships manager at Startups.co.uk, yoga instructor and owner of Adinkra Yoga: ‘I start each day with a “done” list where I write down everything I’ve already accomplished. It makes me feel I’m halfway through my to-do list, which gives me a big motivational boost!’ Anna Smiles, advertising sales manager and owner of fashion label Indigo East: ‘Listening to music helps me concentrate, especially when I’m doing something a bit repetitive. The app focus@will has a selection of instrumental music that helps me focus without distracting me.’…

Flip This is a new podcast feed from BBC Radio 4, which will be home to the station’s latest comedy box sets. Featuring top comedians such as Joe Lycett, Matt Berry and Felicity Ward, a new box set will appear each month. Slow Burn We loved the first series, but the second is even more of a must-listen. This Slate podcast now dives into the Bill Clinton impeachment – and believe us, whatever you think you know, it’s the tip of this enthralling podcast. PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK Happy Mum, Happy Baby Giovanna Fletcher (below) continues the work of her book of the same title, having full and frank conversations with high-profile mums and dads about parenthood.…

HIGH ST HIT 30 years young HAPPY 30TH birthday to River Island. To celebrate the milestone, the high street fave has created a collection inspired by the archives – think outerwear reworked from a 1991 handbag design, tough luxe hardware and plenty of out-out options. From £25, available from 30 August; riverisland.com IT’S T-TIME Get your sparkle on WHO SAYS you have to wait for someone else to buy you Tiffany? The graphic T collection demands to be snapped up now. Want in? Exclusive versions of the styles will be available at Selfridges this September. Silver, from £190; gold, from £420; exclusive to Selfridges from 1 September for two weeks REALITY BITES! Winona 4 Keanu ARE KEANU REEVES and Winona Ryder secretly married? We ask because, last week, Winona admitted…

I couldn’t agree more with Vicki Psarias’ Womb with a view (20 Aug). After trying for several years to have children and finally being blessed with twins, I worried myself sick about nurseries and child minders and whether I was a good mother for also wanting a career. Thankfully, my mum stepped in and I had peace of mind leaving my babies with the person I trusted most. I’ve managed to balance my family with a successful career thanks to the love and support provided by both my parents. I’ll be eternally grateful to them for that, but also for the love and bond they’ve built with my children. Donna…

1 UP 60-YEAR-OLD WOMEN First came Madonna. Then Angela Bassett in a bikini selfie on her 60th birthday. Who’s next, eh? 2 NON-MOVER RICHARD MADDEN Died the bloodiest of deaths in Game Of Thrones, was reincarnated for Cinderella, trembles on the verge of Poldarking himself in the lead of your new BBC primetime obsession, Bodyguard. 3. NEW IN HALLE BERRY FT WILL SMITH A viz-you-all Instagram mash-up delight Smith produced and posted last week, in celebration of Halle Berry’s birthday. 4. NEW IN FREELEE THE BANANA GIRL Vegan blogger living ‘off-grid’ (give or take the Instagram account that’s made her a sensation/controversy) in a jungle. ‘Freelee the Banana Girl’ is fun to say. 5 NEW IN KEL We recently identified Kath of Kath & Kim (now on Netflix) as our…

PHOTOS: INSTAGRAM/@ZOELLA A PROBLEM SHARED is a problem halved, right? But what if that problem is a mental illness, and the sharing is with strangers on the internet? There’s no doubt that it’s good to talk – it smashes stigma and reassures us that we’re not alone. There are entire communities built around it on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. But last week, when Zoella spoke about her struggles with anxiety in a rare post to her 10.6 million followers, she expressed concern about the impact of living our lives online. ‘It’s a cure, but it’s also a curse,’ she said. ‘We are a generation of scrollers and we consume so much on the internet that we probably don’t realise how much of it is detrimental to us or our wellbeing.’…

Look at your money If you don’t know what you have, how do you know what you can spend? New banks like Monzo and Starling have apps that show exactly where your money is going. Switching is easy. Be proud of what you earn It might be loads, or less. There is no shame in not being motivated by money, and also zero shame in so-called ‘selling out’. Consider investments Women don’t invest as much or as early as men. Yet money kept as cash has zero potential to grow. Spend thoughtfully Notice how you spend money in the shops you pass every day? Instead of impulse buying, consider what would make a difference to your life. Mindful spending feels good. Know that you deserve money We tend to be…

PHOTOS: CATWALKING.COM,SHUTTERSTOCK, GETTY IMAGES Take your suit out of office. Blake Liveley’s take on tailoring is more Liberace than 9-5. Get crafty. Patchwork prints are set to be everywhere this autumn. Plan ahead. It’s not too early to think about boot season. Essentiel Antwerp’s pink pair are a transitional hero. RSVP to everything. New line 16ARLINGTON is made for showing off. Available now at Net-A-Porter. Worship at the altar of J-Lo. Jenny From The Block is still making major Versace moments happen 18 years after that Grammys dress. Give your accessories an art-over. Sculptural heels are the perfect talking point piece.…

A RECENT STUDY of 13 countries highlighted that the UK is the ‘most exhausted’ country of all*, beating America, Canada and Ireland with 37% of us feeling we don’t get enough sleep. ‘Sleep is the foundation of good physical, emotional and mental health,’ says Dr Neil Stanley, an independent sleep expert and author of How To Sleep Well (£10.99, Capstone). Bad sleep can quickly translate into: unproductive days filled with clumsy mistakes, poor food choices (carbs on carbs, please) and a sense of misery you just don’t get if you wake up on the right side of the bed. Furthermore, the brain does its housekeeping at night, such as flushing out the day’s accumulated toxins, including a protein called beta amyloid, which has been linked to Alzheimer’s. So, if sleeplessness…

LEOMIE ANDERSON British model 25-year-old Leomie is the face of Fenty Beauty and campaigns for diversity and honesty in the fashion industry ACCEPT YOURSELF ‘In a society that tries to police who gets to feel confident, accepting yourself as you are is such an important part of being happy,’ says Leomie, who has the acronym LIFL – which stands for Life Is For Living – tattooed on her. ‘Every day should be a day of progress, positivity and generally not wasting time because I am lucky to be in my position, so it’s a reminder of that.’ ALWAYS HYDRATE Some girls like to go matte and full coverage, but for Leomie, feeling confident is all about radiant skin: ‘I love my skin to look dewy and hydrated so my favourite…

PHOTOS: KIM LIGHTBODY.SANTOKU KNIFE FROM KITCHEN PROVISIONS (KITCHENPROVISIONS.CO.UK) SUPER SIMPLE SPAGHETTI WITH GORGONZOLA AND WALNUTS Feeds: 2 Preparation: 5-10 minutes Cooking: 15-20 minutes INGREDIENTS For the sauce: 50g walnuts 1 large clove of garlic, peeled 30g Parmesan, finely grated 80ml extra virgin olive oil ½ bunch of parsley, leaves picked from stems 70g Gorgonzola ½ tsp black pepper 200g spaghetti For the toppings: Glug of olive oil 3 tbsp capers 40g Gorgonzola, crumbled 20g Parmesan, finely grated INSTRUCTIONS 1 Blitz together the sauce ingredients. 2 In a frying pan, heat a glug of oil and place over a medium to high heat.Add the capers and fry until they become crisp. Remove and set to one side. 3 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook pasta…

The Silence Of The Girls Pat Barker (£18.99, HAMISH HAMILTON) Award-winning Pat Barker’s retelling of The Iliad and the Trojan War puts queen turned captive Briseis at the centre of the story. Pulled from her home, where she’s seen her family murdered, she becomes Achilles’ prize of war. But in telling Briseis’ story, Barker focuses on what happens to thousands of women, silenced and at the centre of a male war, legendarily known as a quarrel between men over a woman stolen from her home. Of course, the magic of Barker’s book is that the resonance of giving silenced women a voice at the centre of a story of war is just as relevant today.…

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES LAST YEAR, CARDI B not only became the first female rapper to have a US number one in 17 years (the last woman to do so was Lauryn Hill), but also the first to have three tracks in the top 10 at once. Then, before she’d had a chance to get used to her position as a new mega-star, Cardi announced she was pregnant with her first daughter. And following the birth of Kulture in July, she cancelled a 12-date tour with Bruno Mars, saying, ‘I think I underestimated this whole mommy thing.’ But last week, she hit back over any doubts that she couldn’t combine motherhood with her amazing work, when she won the VMA for Best New Artist. She said, ‘A couple of months ago,…