Lifestyle Barometer: Your guide to what’s hot and what’s not this week from Christian Dior to the polar vortex
From feminism to mindfulness and breastfeeding, this is our guide to what’s hot and what’s not
Going up:
Dior
Following in the footsteps of the V&A’s successful Alexander McQueen exhibition back in 2015, the museum saw a new designer take over its wings this week: Christian Dior.
Based on the brand’s iconic exhibition in Paris, Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams spans from 1947 to the present day, tracing the history and impact of its founder and the six other artistic directors who have helmed the house.
The major exhibition includes more than 500 objects and 200 rare couture garments, including a selection of stunning gowns, from Princess Margaret’s 21st birthday dress to Charlize Theron’s J’adore gown.
Bespoke gowns made for a number of high-profile clients, such as Nancy Mitford, are also on display, offering a unique insight into the period in which Dior himself was working.
You can read The Independent’s review of the exhibition here.
Munroe Bergdorf
Munroe Bergdorf has released a new lingerie collection with Bluebella in a bid to encourage all women to “feel empowered and sexy in their own ways, on their own terms”.
The launch comes just months after Victoria’s Secret chief marketing officer Ed Razek made controversial comments about refusing to hire transgender models.
Bergdorf, who underwent gender transition treatment at the age of 24, said she chose to work with Bluebella on the range due to her admiration for its emphasis on creating lingerie with women in mind, as opposed to the male gaze.
“Obviously people are going to find women in Bluebella attractive but I don’t feel the ethos behind it is to get men to find women attractive – it’s to make women feel good in their own right,” the model said.
Feminism
Annie Lennox has opened up about the importance of feminism, calling on more people to embrace the term.
Speaking to Good Housekeeping, the former member of synth-pop group Eurythmics, recalled a time when the word “feminist” wouldn’t get published in the media but is glad to see that it’s finally coming “out of the shadows”.
Lennox also said she believes strongly in instilling confidence in older women.
“Dressing up for this photoshoot was really fun and trying on all these clothes for the pictures was enjoyable,” she said.
“I want people to realise that women of my age don’t have to become invisible.
“We can still thrive, be full of life and have fun. And we have so much to offer, after all.”
Polar vortex
The polar vortex has inflicted severe conditions on the US this week, with temperatures reaching -40C in some parts.
A weather phenomenon, the polar vortex is a low-pressure area comprised of cold air that sits above the Earth’s north and south poles.
During the winter months, the polar vortex above the north pole sometimes expands into the northern hemisphere, causing freezing cold temperatures.
The icy conditions have sparked a number of bizarre scenarios for citizens that they have been sharing on social media, from exploding toilet tanks to frozen items of clothing and people throwing boiling water into the air to show just how cold it really is.
One of the most extraordinary incidents came from a woman in Iowa who shared a video of her hair frozen, standing up straight on her head.
The video has since gone viral, receiving more than 1 million views, 41,000 likes and 12,000 retweets.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness has been associated with a number of benefits, from decreasing stress to lowering blood pressure and improving sleep.
But now scientists have revealed it could also work as an effective tool in easing chronic pain.
Led by biostatistician Dr Wei Cheng from The Ottawa Hospital in Ontario, Canada, a new study looked at 21 clinical trials involving nearly 2,000 participants to assess the effectiveness of mindfulness compared with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) on chronic pain, which is defined as pain lasting at least three months.
It found that there were no significant differences between using either CBT or mindfulness to ease chronic pain.
Researchers note that both methods reduced the severity of pain in participants as well as improving physical functioning and depression associated with chronic pain.
Going down:
Skin lightening
Freida Pinto has revealed she believes her skin was lightened in an advertising campaign for L’Oreal in 2011.
The Slumdog Millionaire actor first became a spokesperson for L’Oreal Paris in 2009 but her contract came under scrutiny in 2011 when it was suggested the company had lightened her complexion in a campaign.
Despite L’Oreal denying the allegations, Pinto says she still believes the colour of her skin was altered.
“I’m sure they did, because that’s not the colour of my skin you saw in a few of the campaigns,” she told The Guardian in a new interview.
Pinto revealed she has since had a clause written into her contract saying she would not be involved in promoting any skin-lightening products.
Serial returners
A number of fashion retailers have announced plans to blacklist dishonest shoppers who regularly buy clothes in bulk, wear them and then return several items.
According to new research conducted by Brightpearl, 45 per cent of retailers, including Asos and Harrods, are planning to ban repeat offenders after new figures found shops have experienced an increase in serial returns over the last year.
Both Asos and Harrods have admitted to checking people’s social media accounts in a bid to catch out consumers who wear clothes before sending them back.
Clear Returns, a retail data technology company, recently estimated that returns cost UK retailers around £60bn a year.
Despite this, a number of “serial returners” have said they will continue to send back items they no longer want, with one person calling it “vital” to her shopping experience.
“I have quite big feet, I’m a size eight and so sometimes I have to try out the shoes first to see whether they too big or too small,“ Sophie Cridland told The Independent, adding that she’ll return the ones she’s bought if they don’t fit and another size is available.
Breastfeeding criticism
New research commissioned by BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and BBC Radio Sheffield has revealed that half of mothers say they feel like a failure when they struggle to breastfeed.
The poll, which asked 1,162 UK women aged 18 to 40 how they are feeding their babies and how it makes them feel, revealed the many different breastfeeding experiences women can have.
It found that while two thirds (66 per cent) of mothers who breastfed their baby said it was one of the best parts of being a mother, half (49 per cent) admitted it was one of the toughest parts.
In addition, more than a third of women who formula-fed their baby said they felt ashamed for giving their child formula.
Painful sex
Hundreds of women experience painful sex, new research has found.
According to a study of more than 1,200 UK adults carried out by Durex, sexual discomfort of varying degrees affects 73 per cent of women.
While one third say the pain is hindering their libido, one in 10 admitted it’s having an adverse effect on their relationship with their sexual partner.
The data also showed that 15 per cent of women have purposefully hurried their partner towards climax due to feeling uncomfortable.
Despite these figures, just 57 per cent of men surveyed said they’ve noticed a female partner feeling uncomfortable during sex.
What’s more, while one of the primary causes of sexual discomfort for women is vaginal dryness, the research said just one third of women would use lubricants.
Cultural appropriation
Marks and Spencer has been criticised over its vegan biryani wrap, with many accusing the store of cultural appropriation.
The wrap, which costs £2.80 and is part of the supermarket’s new Plant Kitchen range, is made out of sweet potato, spiced basmati rice, buckwheat and roasted red pepper.
However, a number of consumers, including a top chef in an Indian restaurant, have described it as inauthentic.
“Thanks but I like my biryani with rice in a bowl not a wrap. Seriously M&S!?” Maunika Gowardhan, author of the cookbook Indian Kitchen, wrote on Twitter.
The Mumbai-born chef went on to argue that M&S’s offering completely went against the traditions of Indian cuisine, given that biryanis typically contain either meat or fish.
Responding to the criticisms, an M&S spokesperson said: “M&S is famous for its food innovation and our developers use a fusion of different flavours and ingredients to create an exciting range of products to appeal to customers’ tastes.”
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