Emily Ratajkowski’s latest photo shoot has sparked backlash among plus-size models and activists, who claim it promotes unhealthy narratives about body image. The supermodel, 32, recently shared several images from her photo shoot with M Le Monde magazine. For the fashion editorial photographed by Oliver Hadlee Pearch, Ratajkowski posed in a variety of looks featuring denim jeans and flowing tops. However, it was the second image that caught the attention of her Instagram followers. In the photo, Ratajkowski is seen wearing a pair of low-rise, wide-leg denim jeans double her size. She showed off her toned figure as the oversized pair of jeans fell at her feet. As she held up the waistband of the jeans with one arm, Ratajkowski stood in one leg of the pair of jeans to highlight the noticeable size gap. The photo shoot - which was styled by Charlotte Collet and creative directed by Jean-Baptiste Talbourdet-Napoleone - instantly sparked backlash after Ratajkowski shared the images to Instagram. In her comments section, thousands of users criticised both Ratajkowski and the team behind the photo shoot for the “out of touch” image and claimed the photo shoot was “fatphobic”. Famous plus-size models and inclusivity advocates - such as Tess Holliday, Kelly Augustine, Stephanie Yeboah, Letticia Munniz, and Sarah Chiwaya - have called out the photo for emphasising Ratajkowski’s thinness in a pair of pants that would typically be reserved for someone who is plus-size. “I’ve been looking for those jeans in the second photo if you could just please return them that would cool. Tysm,” Holliday commented under Ratajkowski’s post. “That second photo is such godforsaken trash,” wrote Chiwaya. “In the year of our lord 2023?? STILL??? Yikes.” “What in the fatphobic hell is that second picture?” a third user commented, while someone else said: “That second pic is so out of touch and ignorant but the comments are chef’s kiss.” Plus-size models have long advocated for more inclusive sizing - both in stores and on the runway. However, luxury brands and labels often avoid creating plus-size fashion over claims that it’s too expensive to make. “Designers won’t make plus sizes unless it’s for a photo opp where a thin person can be quirky,” another person pointed out. Many people were especially surprised by the “distasteful” photo shoot considering Ratajkowski has published a book of essays about feminist empowerment and the objectification of women’s bodies, titled My Body. “Not sure how you think wearing oversized jeans made for a much larger person and accentuating your smallness promotes healthy body image like you preach in your books/social media,” an Instagram user said. Since she shared snaps from the photo shoot over the weekend, Ratajkowski has not yet commented on the backlash. Despite the controversial editorial, the model has previously spoken out against body-shaming. In her book of essays, Ratajkowski discusses bodily autonomy and exploitation in the modelling industry. “Every woman I know - doesn’t matter what they look like, or if they’ve commodified their image or not - knows what it feels like to be looked at, to be rejected, to get attention for how they look,” she told The Independent in 2021. Back in 2019, Ratajkowski defended her friend against body-shaming trolls after their bodies were compared on Instagram. The model shared a bikini-clad post to promote her swimwear line, Inamorata, but several users accused Ratajkowski of sharing the photograph to make her body look “better”. In response, Ratajkowski commented: “I love my friend’s body and both her and I think she looks great here! And I’m proud she’s rocking my suits. All these haters are crazy. Just because you’re used to seeing one body type on the internet doesn’t mean that that’s the only kind that should be considered ‘beautiful’.” While the body positivity movement has made waves over the past 10 years, this year in fashion was especially devoid of inclusivity or plus size models. According to Vogue’s Business Size Inclusivity Report, only 0.6 per cent of looks shown throughout the autumn/winter 2023 fashion season were modelled by plus-size people. Despite the fact that the plus-size clothing market is expected to reach $288bn this year, according to Future Market Insights, advocates have maintained that they’re unable to purchase clothing that’s both sustainable and inclusive. “I have to wear fast fashion and high street to major red carpet moments, and that’s great, but I want the option to wear high end items of my choosing and it’s not available,” Holliday told Elle UK in 2019. “But it’s either that or I run around naked. Plus-size fashion is not there yet.” The Independent has contacted representatives for Ratajkowski and M Le Monde for comment. Read More 6 fashion secrets used by the royal family Fans defend Dolly Parton for wearing Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit Gabriella Karefa-Johnson confirms she resigned from Vogue 6 fashion secrets used by the royal family Fans defend Dolly Parton for wearing Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit Gabriella Karefa-Johnson confirms she resigned from Vogue

Gabriella Karefa-Johnson has confirmed her resignation from Vogue after officially joining the publication in 2013. During an episode of The Business of Fashion podcast on 24 November, the fashion editor detailed her decision to not renew her contract as Global Fashion Director at large, in tandem with her industry plans moving forward. The seasoned professional - known to be the first Black woman to style a cover shoot for American Vogue - has already imposed immutable influence, passion, and drive to effect change in fashion. Karefa-Johnson’s devotion to creating a still image that tells a larger story, for the sole benefit of impacting others, is one that often fizzles for professionals inside the competitive fashion industry. In conversation with Imran Amed, the artist explained that her ultimate intention to make room for aspiring “little Gabriella Karefa-Johnsons” in the future was reflected through an eagerness for transparency. The two spoke about “burn out” and “pressure” within the fashion industry, arguing that a career in fashion shouldn’t force people to endure so much stress. For Karefa-Johnson, working for highly-regarded publications previously brought about mental hardship for her. However, the nature of the environment wasn’t necessarily what convinced her to leave her position at Vogue. “The truth is I was a contracted employee there as the Global Fashion Director at large, and my contract was up for renewal, and I decided not to renew it,” she confessed. “That resignation was something that was right for me at the time, still is right for me.” “The truth of the matter is like anything else, you know, we grow, and sometimes our containers don’t grow with us,” she continued. “And so I’m excited to build a new container for all of these ideas and this new energy. “I loved and learned so much at Vogue magazine. It’s my home. I grew up there, and I can’t wait to take those tools and apply them in ways that are really just true to who I am and serve me and serve people who look like me and people listen and follow me. It’s really about serving that community now.” Among Karefa-Johnson’s many Vogue cover shoots, there was one cover photo that was particularly striking in her opinion, for both good and bad reasons. In 2021, the fashion editor worked on Vice President Kamala Harris’ Vogue cover - a photograph that prompted widespread controversy and scrutiny. For the magazine cover, the vice president was positioned in front of a waterfall of pink satin pouring down by her feet. Harris donned a black pantsuit and an honest smile, while she wore a pair of black and white high-top Converse - her favourite everyday shoe. According to Karefa-Johnson, the politician’s natural poise was captured in just 25 minutes because that’s all the time the vice president had for the day. In addition to time constraints, Karefa-Johnson explained that there was a communication barrier due to Covid-19 masks and Harris’ large team of staff. The fashion editor was still able to successfully snap Harris in the way she intended, but backlash quickly followed as people criticised how Harris was presented. Earlier in the interview, Karefa-Johnson called her younger self “witty, loud, and drive” - similarly to how she views herself now. Before Vogue, the fashion editor worked for Garage magazine under Vice Media, the juggernaut that recently filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy. Read More Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez relentlessly mocked over their Vogue photo shoot Fans defend Dolly Parton for wearing Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit Birth of endangered rhino calf caught on camera at Chester Zoo

Dolly Parton has reminded fans that age is just a number after putting on a halftime show performance in an iconic Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit. The country music legend, 77, performed on Thursday’s NFL game between the Washington Commanders and host Dallas Cowboys. For the Thanksgiving match, Parton took to the field to sing “Jolene”, “9 to 5” and her own rendition of “We Are The Champions” by Queen. While Parton put on a dazzling performance, it was her Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit that seemed to capture everyone’s attention. The singer was seen at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, wearing a modified version of the classic cheerleader outfit. Her look included the team’s signature blue cropped top, a white starry vest, and matching white mini shorts. Underneath the crop top and shorts, Parton was dressed in a sheer, bedazzled catsuit. Following her halftime show performance, fans immediately took to social media to share their thoughts on Parton’s memorable fashion moment. “If there’s one thing we can count on in this world, it’s that Dolly is going to give iconic looks and performances until the moment she ascends to heaven,” one fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “You know who’s a national treasure? #DollyParton. That’s who,” said another fan. However, it didn’t take long for some online trolls to criticise her Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit, as one user pointed out: “Some people are slinging insults at Dolly because she’s 77 years old and doesn’t act like an old lady.” In response, many people praised Parton for unapologetically dressing the way she wants - no matter her age. “Dolly Parton is 77 and wearing whatever the hell she wants. I love her,” said one fan. “Dolly Parton looks better at 77 than I have in my entire life,” someone else wrote. Some fans even noted how CBS commentator and former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo seemed to gush over Parton’s performance after the halftime show. “She looks amazing,” Romo said during the NFL broadcast. “She’s wonderful. Who doesn’t like Dolly Parton?” Throughout her career, the country music icon has been known to show off some unforgettable fashion - from her signature rhinestone jackets to her big, blonde tresses. In fact, Parton recently revealed that she was asked to “tone down” her style early on in her career. During the four-part series What Would Dolly Do? Radio on Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, she revealed that her “dear friend” and fellow musician Chet Atkins once suggested she soften her appearance. “He said, ‘Dolly, I really don’t believe that people are going to take you serious as a singer and songwriter unless you tone down your look,’” Parton recalled to host Kelleigh Bannen. “I said, ‘Well, okay. I’ll take that to heart, Mr Atkins. Thank you for your advice.’ And of course, I just got worse with it.” “Years later, after I became a star, he sidled up beside me and said, ‘Now ain’t you glad you listened to my good advice?’” she continued. When asked by Bannen what she would tell someone today if they asked her to change her appearance, Parton fittingly replied: “I’d say, ‘Go to hell. I ain’t doing it.’” The “I Will Always Love You” singer went on to express that someone’s personal style should simply be whatever “makes you happy”. “My true belief with most things, you’ve got to really find out who you are, what makes you happy, what you’re comfortable in, and if you feel like you look your best, according to your rules, then you are going to do your best,” Parton said. “I really believe that. And I think everybody has their own little things they love. To me, that is what fashion is.” Read More Birth of endangered rhino calf caught on camera at Chester Zoo Taylor Swift expertly recovers from wardrobe malfunction during Eras Tour in Brazil Mullets are officially back. And, no, we haven’t lost our minds Birth of endangered rhino calf caught on camera at Chester Zoo Taylor Swift expertly recovers from wardrobe malfunction during Eras Tour in Brazil Mullets are officially back. And, no, we haven’t lost our minds

Everywhere I go, I am being stalked by mullets. Walk into a pub in the vicinity of Hackney, east London, and you, like me, will be haunted by the sight of them. Queue for a Fred Again concert and you’ll see an ocean of the things. Go to a rugby match at Twickenham Stadium, and there will be as many mullets as there are team shirts. Whether you know it as the mullet or the “Kentucky waterfall” or “beaver paddle”, they’ll have been in your sightline as of late. The hairstyle, which involves a shorter crop at the front, top and sides, and longer in the back, is currently being paraded by on-screen heartthrobs like Paul Mescal, Australian actor Jacob Elordi and American movie star Timothée Chalamet. In the world of sport, Spanish footballer Hector Bellerin, British rugby player Joe Marler and Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas have all rocked the hairstyle this year (and that’s not forgetting about 90 per cent of “Aussie rules” football players have mullets right now too). But its ubiquity in modern pop culture goes back a few years. Singer Lil Nas X, for example, turned up at the MTV Awards in 2021 wearing a curly, layered version of the hairstyle. Women have been wearing the coiffure even longer. Pop culture mainstays like Rihanna and Zendaya have both worn mullets on the red carpet, in 2013 and 2016, respectively. By 2021, Miley Cyrus was donning the style. That same year, Vogue hailed the mullet as the unlikely star of modern street style. The mullet has also stormed down fashion week runways, with Junya Watanabe, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen all incorporating the hairstyle into their 2022 shows. If that wasn’t enough proof of the mullet going mainstream, a failsafe method for judging something’s popularity is when that trendy thing gets banned in schools, or there’s a level of moral panic about it. That happened last month when a Sunderland schoolboy’s mullet was decided to be so “extreme” that he was put in isolation and ordered to chop it off. Meanwhile, even more Brits are trying to catch up with Australian mullet culture: a doctor from Dorset made headlines this week as he has been growing his locks in preparation for the world mullet growing championships in Australia, a contest that he said was “widely considered to be the Everest of the competitive mullet growing world”. We’ve all gone mullet mad. Though the name itself wasn’t coined until two decades ago – the Oxford English Dictionary credits the Beastie Boys’ 1994 song “Mullet Head” for the popularisation of the word – the mullet existed long before that. In his book Mullet Madness, Alan Henderson writes that prehistoric people may have figured out that having their hair cut shorter at the front and longer at the back meant they could keep their hair out of their eyes and their necks still toasty. What’s more, Ancient Greek texts referenced men with mullet-style cuts, while depictions of Greek gods that date back to the 6th century suggest that the hairstyle existed even then. In certain indigenous populations in the US, long hair symbolises power and a connection with the divine, and a version of the mullet – the front spiked and the back long – is considered a traditional style in tribes of the western United States like the Blackfoot and Crow. The version of the mullet we see in popular culture today, though, strongly harks back to David Bowie’s tangerine-orange waterfall-style mullet worn as his alter ego Ziggy Stardust. In the Seventies, it set a cultural precedent for the mullet as a fashion statement. Back then, the hairstyle was subversive. It spurred strong reactions from the more conservatively coiffed elite because it refused to conform to any one standard: the mullet is both long and short; masculine and feminine; somehow, scruffy while slick. The mullet’s return could be seen as a happy accident. In lockdown, men would scissor away at their locks, crafting eccentric hairstyles out of sheer boredom, sharing pictures of the resulting cut to their respective WhatsApp group chats. But that comedy mullet has since died out. A fashionable, en-vogue hairstyle has stuck around. In searching for the perfect modern mullet, men have downed tools and turned to the professionals for help. Ryan Lewis, owner of Club 13 barbershop in Hull, says that about one-third of his customers are opting for mullets. “Its presence within combat and contact sports alone conveys a modern masculinity that has trickled down into the mainstream,” he says, adding that the “harsher cuts” seen in rugby culture are being cancelled out by the more subtle, feathery mullets worn by Mescal et al. “The modern mullet is bringing a more natural and effortless look with a softer and less obnoxious shape.” James Doyle, the manager of Bristol barbershop Harry Blades and Angry Daves, says it’s not just people who work in non-corporate environments who are taking the plunge, either: it’s becoming workplace-appropriate. “You would think it’s only the musicians or creatives,” he says. “But I’ve got a couple of accountants that are rocking mullets. Anyone and everyone seems to be jumping on the trend.” The mullet trend allows men to be more expressive and embrace their individuality. I had a sixth form student come in the other day and ask for a mullet – young men are becoming more daring with their hair Samantha Perkins, salon owner and lecturer The style has become so sought after that hairdressing schools are changing the way they train stylists, too. Samantha Perkins is the owner of the salon Hair by Sam and lectures at the London Hairdressing Academy, and says that the academy has launched special masterclasses in the art of cutting mullets due to popular demand. “It’s very technical,” she explains. “It’s cut with scissors and razors, so without using clippers – so it’s already a level three cut without a doubt. Students really need to understand the hair type to execute the look.” Perkins adds that the supremacy of the cookie-cutter “short back and sides” haircut that has dominated men’s hairdressing trends for the past decade is on its way out. “The mullet trend allows men to be more expressive and embrace their individuality,” she says. “I had a sixth form student come in the other day and ask for a mullet – young men are becoming more daring with their hair.” Michael Kent, a stylist at Blue Tit hair salon in London, agrees that the popularity of the mullet hairstyle has opened up a new way of self-expression for men. “Men’s hair has always been so bland and [the mullet] has allowed people to really embrace their individuality. In popular culture, a lot of people are more comfortable in their sexuality and diversifying so much. We’re seeing a lot of clients coming in and asking for a cut like Timothée Chalamet’s. Before, people would ask for Ed Sheeran’s hair, so you can see how it’s changing.” The mullet is not just limited to men, either. The coif has long been donned by famous women (Scarlett Johansson, Joan Jett and Dolly Parton have all worn variations of the style over the years), and both Perkins and Kent say they have women customers asking for the same. “The mullet is a genderless cut,” says Kent. “Women and men are really embracing it – it’s an androgynous look.” And if you want to try the mullet yourself, Kent assures me it suits most people: “It’s like a wig you can put on anyone!” Read More Women’s scarves and crocheted ties - what is Robert Peston wearing now? I salute Dolly Parton’s beauty routine – no one sees me without my make-up How Naomi Campbell proved all her haters wrong – including me Women’s scarves and crocheted ties - what is Robert Peston wearing now? 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Victoria Beckham appears to be cashing in on her viral “Rolls-Royce” comments with the launch of a £110 T-shirt that reads: “My dad had a Rolls-Royce”. In a viral moment from the recently released Netflix series Beckham, Victoria claimed to have come from a “working class” background, despite being driven to school in a Rolls-Royce by her father. Beckham, a four-part series, tracks the former David Beckham’s rise to fame and fortune, along with his relationship with Spice Girls star Victoria and their growing family. When a clip of the “Rolls-Royce” moment went viral on social media, viewers were quick to remark that Victoria has long been known as “Posh Spice”. Victoria has now taken that viral moment one step further and launched a T-shirt via her eponymous fashion label. The item, which is a standard, white T-shirt with the slogan “My dad had a Rolls-Royce” printed in black capital letters, is priced at £110. On the Victoria Beckham website, the product description reads: “Made from soft, organic cotton, the ‘My Dad Had A Rolls-Royce’ slogan T-shirt embodies the brand’s playful side.” “Designed with dropped shoulder seams and a classic crew neckline, it has a relaxed fit and refined feel.” Speaking to the interviewer about her family and childhood in the Netflix series, Victoria said: “We’re very, very working class.” “Be honest,” David jumped in, calling her out. Victoria protested she was being honest, but the former England footballer wasn’t convinced. “What car did your dad drive you to school in?” David then quizzed her. Victoria made several attempts to sidestep the question, uttering: “It’s not a simple answer, it depends!” However, after David repeats the question multiple times, the singer replies: “OK, in the eighties, my dad had a Rolls-Royce.” “Thank you,” says David, before disappearing behind the door once more. As of October 2023, Rolls-Royce cars begin selling at the price of £252,000. After a clip of this scene went viral online, people have praised the couple’s playful dynamic, as well as David’s persistence in getting Victoria to reveal the truth about her father’s car. “Fair play to Beckham for keeping it 100,” said one entertained viewer. However, others have criticised Victoria’s claim to have been working class in her childhood, despite having access to an expensive mode of transport. “A lot of Brits think that if you aren’t landed gentry you’re ‘working class’, very unserious,” one person wrote on Twitter/X. Read More How Princess Diana’s The Crown season six outfits compare to her actual wardrobe Uggs, gilets and disco pants: Noughties fashion is back from the dead Chris Pine defends his short shorts How Princess Diana’s The Crown season six outfits compare to her actual wardrobe Uggs, gilets and disco pants: Noughties fashion is back from the dead Chris Pine defends his short shorts

A kind of refined beauty, made up of draped pearls, mod suits, and tiered frill, formed what we know to be Princess Diana’s bespoke wardrobe through the 80s, while a modern elegance juxtaposed with a bit of casuality took hold of her 90s apparel. In general, the icon, famed for her charitable actions and discernible humility, inadvertently left a lasting impression as the archetype for understated luxury, and Elizabeth Debicki’s renewed role as the “people’s princess” in season six of the Netflix special The Crown, captures that very sentiment. Back with the first four of the final episodes, The Crown has offered a fictionalised behind-the-scenes take on the royal family’s history from Queen Elizabeth assuming the throne in season one all the way up to Princess Diana’s devastating death in season six. And though the actors’ portrayals of each figure are meant to leave stylised impressions of their personalities, their costumes have left viewers with an all-too-realistic picture. Amy Roberts and Sidonie Roberts, the show’s wardrobe designer duo, have worked to fit each actor in garments representative of emblem outfits seen on the royals over the years – Debicki’s assumption of Diana being markedly authentic. The Roberts pair did not fault in the first half of season six, which released on 16 November, dressing Debicki in identical replicas of Diana’s ensembles in the summer of 1997. In the first episode, Diana is pictured on holiday in St Tropez. The Catherine Walker red dress seen on the actual royal on that very same trip is extremely similar to the one seen on Debicki. Between the high, square neckline – very depictive of 90s style – and the double, gold buckle waist belt, Debicki’s costume is almost an exact match for the Walker original, with the exception of the fabric shade. Diana’s was a more of a coral red with a hint of orange to make the hue a less potent ruby. However, in the show, the sophisticated shift garment is pinker. But the massive gold clip-on earrings worn by Debicki look exactly like the real ones. Because the season majorily recounts Diana’s time in the Mediterranean with her boyfriend Dodi Fayed, just before her untimely death, Amy and Sidonie were tasked with dressing Debicki in the many one-piece swimsuits Diana wore that summer. “There were lots of swimsuits on Diana this year,” Sidonie told Harper’s Bazaar ahead of the release. “She’s wearing them for four episodes – in fact, the majority of her outfits on her rail for this season were swimsuits.” Diana’s actual leopard print halter-neck, made by Gottex Swimwear, was re-released by the company, therefore allowing the show’s costume to be the exact style and design seen on her. But of Diana’s more illustrious waterproof wear, was her low-back light blue suit worn on Fayed’s yacht. Not only did Debicki favour this particular one-piece out of all her wardrobe changes throughout season six, but the designer pair were especially determined to do the bodysuit justice – which they did. “That blue swimsuit is so iconic,” Sidonie remarked. “That image of her, what we call ‘walking the plank’ and sitting at the end there, it’s so iconic that I think for an actor when they’re in that, it makes them feel completely in their character.” Each swimsuit seen on Debicki in season six came from Gottex as Diana donned the brand repeatedly. On shooting in the shimmery, aqua-coloured piece, Debicki noted: “There was just something about that swimsuit and recreating that moment that felt very sacred and important, and it was very important we got it right.” “It’s as close as possible to the real imagery and yet what I get to do as an actress, kind of enter into that space, which all the things around it feel so accurate, and then I get to discover what’s emotionally in that moment,” she told Harper’s Bazaar. The first four episodes of The Crown season six are now available to watch on Netflix. Read More How Princess Diana’s The Crown season six outfits compare to her actual wardrobe Fans react to most ‘heartbreaking’ scene in The Crown What’s fact and what’s fiction on The Crown season 6? The story of Dodi Fayed - Princess Diana’s last partner The story of Kelly Fisher, Dodi Fayed’s model ‘fiancé’ he dated alongside Diana Did Princess Diana really confront the paparazzi in Saint-Tropez?

Every so often, when I’m in the grips of extreme procrastination, I scroll back through the old photo albums on my near-dormant Facebook account. Their titles are a mix of forgotten teenage in-jokes and once-beloved song lyrics (no doubt a hangover from the Myspace era, before Zuckerberg). The pictures, captured on the digital camera that accompanied me on every night out, look a little fuzzy now, compared to the ultra-high resolution of an iPhone. But they’re still sharp enough that you can make out all the hallmarks of Noughties fashion in every group shot. There are battered pairs of ballet flats. String upon string of fake pearls. Slouchy off-brand Ugg boots. Hi-shine, high-waisted disco pants, reflecting back the flash of my Canon. More waistbelts than the average episode of Gok’s Fashion Fix. I can practically smell the frazzled scent of burning hair, straightened to a crisp. All very nostalgic, all very cringe, all now thankfully relegated to the big Topshop in the sky. Or so I’d naively thought. Fashion’s relentless trend cycle comes for us all in the end and this year, it seems, the nostalgia pendulum has come to rest somewhere around 2007. Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski have been papped strolling through New York City in beige Uggs. A waistcoat is acceptable – even chic on a night out – no longer the sole sartorial preserve of Steve Arnott from Line of Duty. Its more practical cousin, the gilet, is also back, ready and waiting to keep your torso warm and your arms cold. Kylie Jenner is wearing disco pants, paired with going-out tops of indeterminate length. Most triggering of all? The discovery that beloved Scandi brand Ganni is now selling a high-fashion version of the sole-destroying ballet flats that teenage me wore until they fell apart (typically after about two months of continuous use). It was inevitable that the trends of my adolescence would get re-tooled for a new generation somewhere down the line – that’s just how fashion works. But I certainly wasn’t expecting it to happen quite so quickly, or to induce such a stomach-flipping sense of vertigo. It’s only been exacerbated by a clutch of that era’s cultural figures re-entering the public consciousness. Pete(r) Doherty, once the poet laureate of try-hard indie teens, is cropping up everywhere (“ARE YOU WATCHING PETE AND LOUIS THEROUX????” my lifelong best friend urgently WhatsApped me the other night, reminding me of my teenage Libertines obsession). Waistbelt-wearing, bodycon-loving pop legends Girls Aloud may or may not be reuniting (please make it so!) and, erm, Call-Me-Dave Cameron is making a return to frontline politics. It’s enough to make you feel like a portal to the past has somehow opened up, Doctor Who-style (naturally David Tennant, who played the Doctor in the latter half of the Noughties, is reprising that role later this year). Noughties fashion is having a moment on screen, too. Emerald Fennell’s new film Saltburn stars Barry Keoghan as Oliver, a working-class student at Oxford who is befriended by the aristocratic Felix, played by Jacob Elordi; Felix later invites his new pal to spend the summer at his family pile. It takes place between 2006 and 2007, and these fictional freshers dress in authentic period finery: the three “Js” – Jane Norman, Juicy Couture and Jack Wills – superfluous beaded necklaces and daffodil yellow LiveStrong charity wristbands. The latter, of course, were a rubbery tribute to now-disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, which, for some unfathomable reason, became a must-have. When they sold out online, we’d go to bizarre lengths to source one. I distinctly remember sending an envelope covered in first class stamps to a friend of a friend of a friend, then receiving a rubbery bracelet in the post about a month later. I had only a vague idea of exactly who Armstrong was, really, but I liked the pop of colour against my white “Make Poverty History” band. To nail this very specific period look, Saltburn costume designer Sophie Canale made “mood boards mainly of my friends drunk on Facebook as inspiration”, she recently told Women’s Wear Daily. She sounds like a woman after my own heart. And just like my friends and I, Fennell’s characters love a good pair of Uggs – or at least, Ugg-adjacent copycats. So devoted was I to my tan knock-off versions that 16-year-old me carried on wearing them almost immediately after undergoing a knee arthroscopy (fake Uggs and crutches – a real fashion statement). My physiotherapist was horrified – and for good reason. In 2010, the British College of Osteopathic Medicine put out a statement imploring teenage girls like me to ditch their poorly-made imitation boots, warning that the lack of foot support could eventually lead to wear and tear on the ankles, knees and hips. “Just because something becomes a trend or fashionable doesn’t mean it’s good or right,” the organisation’s then-head Dr Ian Drysdale warned. Wise words indeed – but if I’d heard them at the time, I’d probably have rolled my eyes and gone back to trying to find the perfect footless tights to pair with my fleecy shoes. Ballet flats, with their similar absence of support, were pretty terrible for your podiatric health too, but it was a sacrifice we were willing to make in order to look a bit like Kate Moss. Looking good could be painful: after attending one friend’s 16th-birthday meal, I had to go home and lie down in agony thanks to waist belt-induced indigestion. Of course, Mossy, the patron saint of Noughties style, was on Canale’s radar when it came to dressing Saltburn’s students. The costume designer tracked down styles from the model’s first fashion collection for Topshop, which would have been seriously hot property around the period in which the film is set. More than 15 years on, I still have near-perfect recall of almost every piece, because I wanted them so much: the silvery halter-neck gown, the red skinny jeans, the patterned shorts crying out to be layered over a pair of 60 denier opaque tights. I’m pretty sure those designs are probably seared onto my poor, long-suffering mum’s memory, too. Like some sort of mini Miranda Priestly, I sent her trawling round all the Topshops in the Liverpool City Region to try and find the sell-out pansy print tea dress from Kate’s line. Why didn’t I do it myself? Too busy stomping around Snowdonia, attempting to get a bronze Duke of Edinburgh award, having been gaslighted into believing that this would prompt paroxysms of admiration from university admissions staff. She never did find the dress, but I managed to get hold of one years later, when Moss re-released some of her greatest hits to mark her final Topshop collection. It shrunk to unwearable dimensions after a few washes, but I still have it hanging in my wardrobe like a tiny floral trophy. Perhaps one day I’ll sell it on Vinted to a Gen-Zer who can’t remember the Noughties but likes the retro aesthetic (I’d have to label it “worn, with minor fake tan stains”, though). But most likely I’ll keep hold of it. The clothes we wear when we don’t quite know who we are or what we’re doing with our lives are a bit cringe-worthy, yes, but they’re also strangely endearing. Much as the rational part of my brain might be horrified by its baffling silhouettes and bizarre accessories, I’ll always have a soft spot for Noughties fashion – just don’t expect to see me in a waistcoat any time soon. Read More Chris Pine defends his short shorts Balenciaga divides with release of ‘absurd’ $925 bath towel skirt Women’s scarves and crocheted ties - what is Robert Peston wearing now?

People can’t decide whether Balenciaga’s new $925 bath towel skirt is an example of clever marketing or just a ploy to wipe wallets. The unparalleled high fashion house, piloted by long-time creative director Demna Gvasalia, regularly releases peculiar designs, made to look beaten down and wrecked, with purposeful outlandish price tags – see its $1,850 fully destroyed sneakers or $1,800 trash bag tote. But this particular pick from the brand’s Spring 2024 collection sparked widespread debate online as soon it became available for pre-order on 14 November. A $927 terry-cloth towel, fashioned to be a wrap skirt, comes after the Georgian designer faced backlash for a controversial 2022 holiday ad featuring children holding teddy bears in leather bondage. Following the extensive criticism, Demna said he planned on tapping into his “roots in fashion as well as to the roots of Balenciaga, which is making quality clothes – not making image or buzz”. He told Vogue his plan in February a few weeks ahead of his fall 2023 debut. But while the designer intended to find motivation from Balenciaga founder Cristóbal moving forward, this quirky bathroom garment prompted further conversation about the brand’s continued desire to offer “absurd” luxury items. One riled up fashion enthusiast took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to make a larger generalisation. “This is absurd, These brands will sell anything and everything at such ridiculously high prices,” they wrote. “Balenciaga is so unserious,” another critic commented, while someone else said: “I’ll say it again... Balenciaga is conducting an experiment. It’s a behavioral science study. You can’t convince me otherwise.” Amid the flock of immediate criticism, brand supporters pointed out the platform and intended buyers Balenciaga targets. “In economics we’d say they are discovering the true demand curve. They are checking their customer base to see how elastic they are. If it’s a fairly inelastic demand curve of which it’s very likely to be. They won’t lose anything by being selling s*** like this, in actual fact…” one person wrote. “I need customers like theirs,” another fan proclaimed. One candid reviewer wrote: “What kind of madness is this? At least I’m not their target market.” Other X users added remarks about how they could make their own towel skirt with their fluffy fabric at home. “I already got a towel skirt, it cost $10 and it’s from Walmart,” one individual commented. Playing off the high-end fashion brand’s current visibility, Ikea, the Swedish homewares and furniture brand, dropped a similar advertisement, highlighting its $10 VINARN bath towel. In promotional photos, a model could be seen with the towel wrapped around his waist, layered over a pair of construction pants. On top, the man donned a common Balenciaga identifier with a black hoodie and wrap-around moto sunglasses. Read More Women’s scarves and crocheted ties - what is Robert Peston wearing now? McDonald’s and Crocs collaborate on new Grimace shoes Jacob Elordi reveals why he always carries a purse Women’s scarves and crocheted ties - what is Robert Peston wearing now? McDonald’s and Crocs collaborate on new Grimace shoes Jacob Elordi reveals why he always carries a purse

McDonald’s and Crocs are joining forces to make spicy shoes inspired by the fast-food chain’s animated characters. In partnership with the notable footwear company, the popular creator of the mouthwatering McFlurry is releasing four limited-edition sandals available on 14 November. The special collection will feature three traditional Crocs alongside slip-ons in the brand’s colour scheme (red and yellow) as well as options made to look like Grimace, Hamburglar, and Birdie. “McDonald’s and Crocs are introducing their first-ever collab. Inspired by both Crocs Stars and Mickey D’s loyalists, the collab will drop with a full line of shoes, socks and Jibbitz charms beginning tomorrow in countries around the world,” Crocs announced in its press release, adding that the collection will go live midday. “From a Classic Clog with a McDonald’s spin to a throwback, limited-edition collection inspired by iconic McDonald’s characters – Grimace, Birdie and Hamburglar – the new shoes are designed to give consumers a way to live out their bold fandom every day,” it continued. A layer of potent purple fur will line the inside of the Grimace sandals, while the outer rubber straps will feature the footwear brand’s iconic punctured holes to place themed Jibbitz in. Meanwhile, the Birdie design will be adorned with plastic pink bows, her white goggles, and matching insoles. Then, in true Hamburglar fashion, the Crocs will be detailed with black and white strips, popout masked eyes, and yellow soles. In addition to the McDonald’s emblem – the golden arch – a pack of french fries, a soda cup, a carton of McNuggests, and a Big Mac will be available as Jibbitz add-ons. Each unique pair will retail between $70 and $75, with optional coordinating socks for $20. The entire collection will be sold at Crocs stores as well as select wholesale locations. While the McDonald’s and Crocs collaboration is certainly a tasty treat, the humourous line follows the shoe company’s edgy drop a little over a month ago. On 5 October, Crocs fused a Western aesthetic with dark grunge to come up with its very own cowboy boot. The “foul” shoe was lengthy yet bendable, with two spurs lining the faux leather shaft. Careful stitching and a textured vamp mirrored a classic cowboy boot but was still reminiscent of the brand’s love for funky design. These $120 boots, made in accordance with “Croctober,” the time of year when the brand releases a new style, riled up fans online, eager customers debating harsh critics over the inventiveness and look of the spongy boots. “Why...why do I not hate these?” one person questioned, while another said: “Crocs released cowboy boots. That’s enough internet for today.” Read More The Wrong Coat? You’re bang on trend my friend Chrissy Teigen has hilarious reaction to wardrobe malfunction at Baby2Baby Gala

Chrissy Teigen had a hilarious reaction to her latest wardrobe mishap. The model, 37, took to Instagram over the weekend to share a snap of her outfit at the 2023 Baby2Baby Gala. For the occasion, she opted for a black dress with a high-knee slit adorned with a sparkling 3D flower decal. She also paired the outfit with a gold clutch and black heels. As she shared photos of the event on her since-expired Instagram Story, captured by People, she revealed that she had a bit of a wardrobe problem during the event. In the picture, she was seen sitting in a chair with her back turned, as her dress accidentally slipped open along its zipper. Teigen, who was bent over in the photo, continued to poke fun at the dress malfunction in the caption, writing: “Oh lol.” This isn’t the first time that Teigen has shared a candid reaction to a wardrobe issue. Back in 2017, fans noticed her shirt happened to be sheer while she was sitting in the stands at the Super Bowl with her husband, John Legend. However, Teigen didn’t hesitate to play the situation off on social media. At the time, per Us Weekly, she simply retweeted the video and wrote: “Boom goes the dynamite.” On 11 November, the mother of four was one of the many famous faces at the annual gala that raises money for Baby2Baby, which “provides children living in poverty with diapers, clothing and all the basic necessities that every child deserves,” according to its official website. The star-studded guest list at the event included Kim Kardashian, Salma Hayek, Olivia Wilde, Heidi Klum, Matthew McConaughey, and Zoe Saldaña. This year, Channing Tatum also presented Hayek with the Giving Tree Award, in honour of the work that her charity has done to help underprivileged children in Mexico. “All children are our children. We have a responsibility. They hold in their hands our future. They are our hope,” she said during her speech, per The Hollywood Reporter. “Dignity is an essential; diapers are dignity, make no mistake. Love is an essential. For all these children and all the mothers and all their families, how can we say ‘Let’s love, not hate,’ but how do you teach compassion and empathy to people who have never felt compassion and empathy from anyone?” Hayek concluded: “So, in everything you donate and everything that Baby2Baby brings to every single home or street, there is an intention. It’s not just money. It is love. It is compassion. It is caring. We are all interconnected.” Read More The Wrong Coat? You’re bang on trend my friend ‘I made $2k in 24hrs’: These sellers built businesses off Beyonce’s tour – now what?

When Abby Misbin received an Etsy order for one of her handmade cowboy hats from someone claiming to be Beyoncé’s stylist, she thought it was a prank. Setting her reservations aside, in June 2022, Misbin sent off a one-of-a-kind Stetson adorned with more than 5,000 mirror discs, in the hopes that the order was genuine. Then there was silence. Eight months later, Beyoncé announced her Renaissance World Tour on Instagram. In the official poster, the “Break My Soul” superstar is seen mounted on Reneigh, her disco horse, wearing a glorious diamanté leotard, cascading blingy jewellery and… Misbin’s hat. Three hours later – after Misbin asked a mob of her friends to tag her business account, TrendingByAbby, in the comments – she was inundated with orders. “I was under the impression that I hadn’t seen the hat being worn because Beyoncé didn’t like it!” recalls Misbin down the line from Pennsylvania, six weeks on from the tour’s final concert in Kansas City. “I just imagined her saying, ‘I’m not wearing this.’” But Beyoncé did like the hat. And so did millions of fans who were desperate to emulate their idol’s style. Misbin’s sales soared from approximately two hats a week to 30. At the height of the tour, she would be working 12-to-15-hour days just to keep up with demand. Each night, she’d find tiny shards of glass in her hands after glueing thousands of individual mirror discs to dozens of hats. Misbin is just one of many Etsy sellers who earned small fortunes making unofficial merchandise for the Renaissance shows. Many of these small business owners spent the six-month duration of that tour at the singer’s whim – their day-to-day lives consumed by the various hues of silver that dominated the tour’s colour pallette – a nod to Beyoncé’s disco-themed album. But it’s been six weeks since the concerts came to an end and Beyoncé rode off into the darkness on Reneigh. The silver bubble has popped, leaving Misbin and her peers wondering: what now? Erin Fritts, the owner of North Carolina’s Everwind Creations whose holographic hand-fans also became a staple among the concert crowd, says she was at the “mercy of Beyoncé” during the tour. Between May and October, the singer would make specific demands of her fans – ones that Fritts, Misbin and other Etsy sellers had to be savvy about. For her birthday in September, for example, Beyoncé implored her devotees to dress like “shimmering human disco balls” – and so Fritts got to work. Firstly, she did research into what keywords were being searched on Etsy the most: “Renaissance”; “silver”; “hand-fan”. It made sense. After all, it was peak summertime and an arena full of boisterous fans was bound to get sweaty. Fritts also noticed that the main prop Beyoncé used in the tour routine for her hit song “Heated” was a sprawling hand-fan. The stars had aligned. During the course of the tour, Fritts saw orders for her fans shoot up from two a day to more than 30. At £26 each, there was a time when the fans were generating over £800 daily. “My Etsy sales just skyrocketed out of nowhere,” she says over the phone. In those peak months, Fritts pivoted from her day job in digital marketing to focus on her Etsy full-time. “I was working long hours, and sometimes my mum would help out.” She laughs, “I was at the mercy of Beyoncé. I had to listen to whatever dress codes she put on the internet because who knows what she’s going to tell her fans to wear next?” When the music stopped on 1 October, though, these Etsy sellers faced an unwelcome inevitable. “I was really worried about demand dropping off,” Fritts tells me. “I was like ‘No! Please add more tour days!’ I was definitely mourning the end of the tour. I miss just chatting with the Bey Hive.” Her orders fell back to three per day– five on a good day. “I often wonder… if she does go on that tour again – will she use hand-fans in songs and make it her thing again? It’s up in the air.” Anna Ferguson, the owner of the OneLoveOneAnna Etsy shop based in Atlanta, Georgia, has noticed a similar lull in the sales of her disco ball earrings in the aftermath of both the Renaissance tour and Taylor Swift’s similarly colossal Eras tour, which is currently on hiatus. In addition to online sales, Ferguson would regularly loiter in hotel lobbies near arenas to peddle her handmade jewellery to fans staying there. “In Atlanta, I walked around the hotel with a bag of my earrings and a sign and in five minutes I had made hundreds of dollars,” she says. The next weekend, Ferguson followed the tour to Nashville, where she made $2,000 in 24 hours. “The tours were really a game-changer for me in terms of sales. And I have just ridden on the crazy world tour coattails all of the way.” Now, Ferguson is trying to adapt to a post-tour world. “Sales trickle in, but it’s nothing like what I was seeing,” she says. “This weekend, I’m trading at a Tay-Gate party [unofficial concert parties run for Taylor Swift fans].” She is also holding out for the Renaissance tour movie, which releases on 1 December, as she hopes there will be another spike in Beyoncé-related purchases, like her disco ball earrings with Queen Bey’s face printed on them. “During the tour, I managed to accommodate everyone with their accessory emergencies – I just hope that happens again.” Misbin says that the tour’s end is bittersweet. “Business is not what it was,” she sighs. “I don’t have as many opportunities like that anymore, but I do feel really lucky to have had it in the first place.” At her peak, she was selling 30 hats a week. Now, if she sells 10, she considers it a success. The milliner has also noticed hundreds of dupes of her hat surfacing online with a cheaper price tag. “I’m lucky to still be working full-time but I’m noticing companies recreating it with varying quality,” she says. Misbin herself had been advised to start outsourcing to a factory when she was at her busiest, but she never wanted to compromise on the quality. “I wouldn’t feel right paying someone pennies to make what I make,” she tells me. ‘I can’t imagine someone getting paid less than me.” When Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour ended, ticket seller Live Nation said it made more than half a billion dollars ($579m) from 56 concerts performed to approximately 2.7 million fans. Some fans will have searched Amazon or fast-fashion sites to get their quick fix of silver, disco-inspired outfits, but many, hearteningly, turned to independent sellers. For now, Misbin says she is keeping her “finger on the pulse” for the next big thing. She hopes that with Christmas around the corner and the forthcoming Renaissance tour movie, her sales will soar again before the new year. “I don’t want to miss another thing. If I had closed down my store two years ago, then this would have never happened,” she says. “I’m not going to necessarily shut down if sales are slow – they’re pretty good now. I’m just trying to ride it out.” Read More Beyonce’s mom says her daughter is ‘really mean’ Met Gala officially announces its 2024 theme What does the 2024 Met Gala theme ‘Sleeping Beauties’ actually mean? Met Gala officially announces its 2024 theme What does the 2024 Met Gala theme ‘Sleeping Beauties’ actually mean? Why do people think Met Gala 2024 theme could be a dig at Kim Kardashian?

No – celebrities won’t be wearing pajamas at the 2024 Met Gala. Yesterday, Vogue announced the theme of The Costume Institute’s 2024 exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Met Gala motif entitled, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.” The reveal was met with a myriad of confused individuals online, predicting a display of designer jammies on the red carpet for the famed opening as well as a parade of princesses on the museum steps thinking “Sleeping Beauties” was a reference to the classic Disney animation. Yet, neither are correct. So, if the theme doesn’t call for nighties or knights, what does “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” mean? First, let’s dive into the intention of the exhibit. The new exhibit promises to display 250 archive pieces from the Costume Insititute’s permanent collection, some of which date back 400 years to the Elizabethan period. According to Andrew Bolton, Wendy Yu Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute, the entire exhibit is centered around 50 historical garments, latent and so fragile they can never be worn again – the “sleeping beauties” of the exhibit. The main motivating piece was a Charles Frederick Worth original, an 1877 silk satin ball gown. Each delicate piece, some no longer in their true form, will be reimagined inside innovative casings made to bring the garments back to life. While the inherent movement of each piece is apparent even in a state of stillness, CGI, soundscaping, light projection, the illusion technique Pepper’s ghost, and video animation will be installed to propel these pieces out of their shelling. Just as a 17th century bodice is said to be contextualised next to a modern acquisition, each archival treasure will be juxtaposed with more current designs from lauded creatives like Stella McCartney, Phillip Lim, Yves Saint Laurent, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Christian Dior, all mimicing the same structural concept of its counterpart. Through careful curation, the organic essence of each textile piece will be categorised under three “zones” or sections – land, sea, and sky. By doing this, the idea is to highlight views of the natural world, how perception of these areas has changed, and how they’ve been configured in fashion. In other words, we’ll get to see the evolution of nature and how it’s been developed by industry inventors. Notable pieces by Alexander McQueen like the razor-clam shell dress from the 2001 “Voss” spring/summer collection and the mesmerising butterfly dress from Sarah Burton’s first collection at the fashion house in 2011, will be featured. Overall, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” intends to dig up tangible pieces of history, some of which were put to rest years ago, to motivate conversation about natural elements and emotion, as well as pay homage to the intimacy between a garment and its wearer with the transformative power of current technology. Based on the aim of the exhibit, we can expect to see the A-listers attending the Met Gala – the annual Costume Institute benefit held on the first Monday in May – in custom-made or revived period pieces that channel all or one of the sections. Designers often collaborate with celebrities to come up with renditions of past runway looks, but this time they’ll most likely be imagining traditional structures, built with organic fabrics and materials. The looks should implement a historical aspect, reminiscing on the evolution of fashion in tandem with conversations and feelings about climate and landscape. We may see a lot of creatives tap figures from Elizabethan times, playing with long and full silhouettes. But one guarantee for the Met Gala every year is stars dressing with absolutely no intention of being on theme. So, who knows maybe someone will show up in their matching PJ set. Read More Met Gala officially announces its 2024 theme Karlie Kloss pokes fun at viral Met Gala 2019 dress: ‘Looking camp right in the eye’ We can’t bash or boast billionaire Kylie Jenner’s brand – yet